>>18632716

[X] Tell them when we get back to base; team-mates absent and too many ears.

Also, goddamn, man. You've been at this for what, 5 days in a row? Don't you burn your beautiful self out. This quest rocks hard.

>>18632716
Tell them when we get back to base.
Besides, it can't be him, right? He went up along with the reactor when he set it to overload.
It must have been an imposter.

>>18632755

Seconding both parts. Trust me bro, running at once a week did Apologized in, and I want you to do your best. /tg/ can do once a week. You should stick to a friday schedule

>>18633001
Playing Devil's Advocate here, but that's just because of Apologised's own mediocre health. Pax from Commander Quest has been doing 3 times a week for a year, and he's still okay. Then there's Landing Gear of MSQ that runs it every day.
A lot depends on the limits and constitution of the individual GM. AC-Guy just has to understand his own limits.

>>18633069
>>18633001
>>18632755

>I remember when Apologized had his little break. I'm fine. Reason I'm able to rock this hard is because I'm currently unemployed and looking for work.

>Don't worry about me burning out from over-use, I've been in MSQ for BOTH threads damn near every day since it started.

>I've got time, and I'm fairly healthy, barring my massive insomnia.

>Which, really, is just another point in this quest's favor.

>When/if I get a job, I'll probably slow down a bit. I'll let you guys know if I need to skip a day.

>Now gimme a minute to grab some antacid, because fuck pork Easter Ham is dumb. Then we'll get going.

>>18632716
Tell them when we get to base, don't drop this bomb on them in public and this is something the entire team needs to hear.

Deciding it'd be safer to talk about back in the hanger, you move on the the Raven's nest.

When you walk in, you almost feel like it's the Arena again in miniature. After a narrow corridor entrance, you walk into a fairly large and open room, with multiple stories built up around a circle in the middle. A circle you're standing in. After a moment you realize that it's designed for defensive purposes: Anyone trying to attack would have to either go through the Core's maintenance bay and testing area, or through this hilarious kill-zone, and up a maze of stairs and corridors. The entire structure is probably booby-trapped from hell to breakfast as well.

Looking around, you begin to appreciate the sort of people it takes to draw the line between 'Mercenary' and 'Thug'.

"Hey Raven." A familiar voice calls out behind you. "Looking for work?"

Turning around you see Joshua O'Brien standing in the doorway you and your friends just walked through.

"Not a raven yet man, still need to sign in."

"Cool. Come on, I'll show you around real quick. I need to talk to the big guy anyway, he handles all the pay for the big jobs."

"Like your escort mission?"

"Yep Those boys at Omer don't mess around, it's C rank job most of the time, but they pay me for it on an S man's wage."

He leads you though the labyrinth.

>>18633672

Aww yeah. We Raven now. Almost.

>>18633672

"Once you get signed up, you can patch into the network and get jobs without having to come down here. It's got it's own satellite system, so you can tap in damn near anywhere on the planet. The way it works is there's basically two kinds of jobs you'll be getting outta here: Bounties, and Missions. bounties are pretty straight forward, we put up a 'dead or alive' style poster for various kind of outlaws and terrorists, and let the fist guy to bring in proof walk away with the money. Missions vary a lot: by length, difficulty, and pay. Usually they'll let you know the score in their help wanted ad. The ones that don't.... Generally they have a reason for it. and it's rarely good. My advice? Don't touch them. The rare few that pay enough to be worth what they put you through come back to fuck you in a completely different way."

"Alright. So who do we talk to?"

"Duke's the big man on campus here. Apparently he used to be a big deal. Nine-Ball grade shit. Now he's in happy semi retirement, pretending to do paperwork and fucking his secretaries in his office when he thinks nobody's paying attention."

"Huh. Sounds... interesting..."

"He's kinda a dick, and he's got something of a mouth on him. But he's on our side, and that's a good thing. One of the boys at G.A. America tried to stiff us on a job once, he went and got in his core, shot his way through their defense grid and dangled the fucked off his own tower in Seattle by the Ankle until his pissed himself and gave us double pay as an apology."

And then you find yourself in front of his office.

>>18633672
Maybe we should look into Omer escort missions? Sounds like the pay is good.

>>18633930
Knock first, give him a bit to make sure he's decent decent and enter. Calm, professional demeanor, they probably have far to many hot blooded wierdos become ravens.

>>18633972

Yup. Gotta play it cool to make a god first impression.

>>18633930

Inside you hear a voice that sounds kinda raspy and dripping with Machismo.

That really is the only way you can think of to describe it.

"So Josh's in the building after his money huh? I'm double checking the transfer... yeah, it's clean. It'll be good whenever he gets here."

His secretary buzzes him "Josh is here Boss, and he brought friends."

"Damn, and here I was about to take and early lunch, make him wait. Send 'em in."

The four of you walk into the somewhat spacious office. Behind a rather nice Mahogany desk is a blonde-haired man with a crew cut. Old age seems to be making the first timid step towards claiming him, but hasn't done much than turn a few hairs gray. He's clearly a believer in dressing the part, wearing a combat vest over a red T-Shirt and not some fancy suit. Looking around his office, you can see the various trophies and mementos from what was clearly an eventful career.

"Josh, what with these guys? Is this your attempt at hiring muscle to get my job? Or did more rookie pilots follow you home, and you're too big a softy to tell them that Raven's aren't for kids?"

[ ] Let Josh explain.
[ ] Introduce yourself professionally.
[ ] Call him on his shit.

>>18634179
Introduce yourself professionally. No need to get heated over him thinking that a random guy is probably a rookie and isn't good enough for the ravens. We'll just make him eat those words later.

>>18634179
>[x] Introduce yourself professionally.

>>18634179
>[X] Introduce yourself professionally.

We're not going to lose our cool that easily.

>>18634179
Ain't no reason to prove his point about being kids by acting childish, eh? Introduce yourself like a pro-as-dicks Raven.

FUCK YEAH POSTING FOR NO REASON

"Hardly a Rookie, Sir. I'm a B-ranked pilot."

"B ranked? According to who?"

"Richter Sells, former commander of Hope's Militia pilot corps."

"Sells? That ex-Raven fuck's still alive? Well if he said you're a B, you probably are. These three also Pilots?"

"Two of them are. Lawrence Brenner, Recon Specialist. And this is Elsie Winters, she's a artist with a sniper rifle."

"Damn, bringing me three new ravens worth their shit today Josh? You'll spoil me."

"Five actually." You continue. "The other two are back in our hanger."

"Whoa, five? I thought you said you boys were out of Hope, five cores is about half of what you even HAD out there. Why'd you abandon them to come here?"

[ ] The truth.
[ ] Try to skirt the topic.

>Hope isn't wide spread news yet. Most of the calls and connections Zack made were under the table.

>>18634470
Truth, no reason to try and hide it, and he's going to find out later anyway.

>>18634470
>[x] The truth.

Say it professionally.

>>18634470
No reason to avoid it, he'll find out soon enough.

Hope's gone. About 300 survivors of the 10,000, that's why we're here. It was a precision colony kill performed by Black Rock and traitors in the militia.

Don't tell him about 9-ball.

>>18634470
The truth. If he was friends with our CO, then maybe he can help us out for his dead friend's sake.

"Hope's gone."

He slowly removes his sunglasses and sets them on the table. "Care to repeat that?"

"A precision colony kill operation. They got several militia members to turn traitor, and snuck in an ace pilot under the guise of a Black Rock raid. I engaged him and got my core ripped to pieces for my trouble. He then cause the main reactor banks to have a mass-meltdown and explode."

"Mother of god...." He breaths. "How did you get out?"

"Me personally? Freak coincidence had the blast-wave through me clear of the worst of the explosion. We had some slight advance warning when we guessed his game, but we had only a couple of minutes. We were barely able to evacuate in time."

"How many?"

"315."

"Deaths?"

"Survivors. We've more or less taken over one of the abandoned suburbs as a refugee camp. part of the reason we were looking for work was to make it so they weren't living in hovels after all that."

He's silent for a long moment.

"Damn kid. I'll make sure that paper-work gets fast-tracked so you lot can get to work faster."

"Thanks."

"Least I could do. And about all I can do, unfortunately. What happened to Sells?"

"Haven't seen him since it happened. More than likely dead."

"Damn. Come back tomorrow with the papers signed, and I'll open up the Raven's net to you. Talk to Becky, she'll give you what you need."

On your way out of the Office, Josh says he'll pop by the Camp after he finishes authorizing the money transfer to his private accounts off the Raven's net.

[ ] Go straight home.
[ ] Look around town a little bit.

straight home.

>>18634897

>Did my fucking auto-correct really replace 'throw' with 'through'?

>Wow... just, wow.

>>18634897
Look around town a little bit, we're living here now we might as well get acquainted with our surroundings.

>>18634897

We're in Vegas, right? We can spare a bit of time to look at the pretty lights.

Maybe take Elsie out for a bit?

>>18634915

Autocorrect Strikes again!

You opt to look around town, try and get antiquated with the place that will be your home until further notice.

Elsie sticks with you, Zack and Laurie opt to go home. From what you can tell Vegas has four major components: The residential areas for the people who keep the place running, the Core related industries (Arenas, mercenaries, junkyards and part-shops), the entertainment (legal and otherwise), and the criminals that operate in the shadows of the big three.

The whole damn city feels like a con-game, enough razzle dazzle to keep you entertained, while somebody's reaching for your wallet.

Quickly you learn that it's not all as bad as it seems. before long you start to spot the out of the way diners. You see where the locals go to buy food, to earn cash, and get their kicks. It's a surprisingly quiet side to such a hectic town.

You and Elsie both stock up some basics like cloths and such that you lost when Hope died. With a start you realize that you both slept in your cloths, being too tired to change when the day ended.

Soon enough you see the sun go from mid-afternoon into early evening, and you decide to go home. When you arrive, you can see that Dave and Mooch are putting the finishing touches on your core.

"Hey Alex! As soon as I'm done installing the core we'll paint this, and we'll be ready to go."

About this time Laurie comes through the door with Josh in tow. He looks your core over. "This your new ride then?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting choices in the design. Let me guess, mid-range high mobility? You're smart enough not to rely on a gimmick, and with B-rank skill... yeah, I could see you doing well in this."

[ ] Talk about color options.
[ ] Talk about town.
[ ] Talk about Nine-Ball.

>[x] Talk about color options.

>>18635155
[x] Talk about color options.
May as well get it painted.

>>18635155
First color options, start off with light conversation about that before we talk about Nine-Ball.

I'm thinking Steel-Blue and Gunmetal Gray for colors.

"What've we got for colors?"

"Well we have four basic options. We could paint it gray and brown, that'll give it decent camo out there. Make you have to see until you turn on your thrusters. We can also go basic colors, blacks, blues, reds, etc. Make it look nice for the Arena. You could clear-coat it. Same anti-rust protection the pant gives it, and you get this kinda metal industrial theme, or we could paint it a hideous neon-green color or something and see how many people cut out their corneas after they see your rig."

"Would that work?"

"I saw a guy give his thing a pink metallic sheen. In the desert like this with all the sun? It was literally painful to look at. Half the time you'd be shooting at a giant lens-flare. Granted, it only works in the daylight...."

[ ] Camo.
[ ] Custom Colors (Specify)
[ ] Clear Coat.
[ ] OH GOD MY EYES.

Team OH GOD MY EYES

>>18635418
>[x] OH GOD MY EYES.

>>18635418
Clear coat it, I like burnished steel as a color, maybe with subtle colored highlights in red or blue.

Not OH GOD MY EYES, we're trying to be taken seriously here and that is anathema to that.

>>18635473
A foe who underestimates us is more likely to get sloppy, but I guess you're right.
Changing vote to clear-coat.

>>18635473
some of us want to be taken seriously other want to see how many people we can blind.

[X] Clear Coat.

>>18635418
[x] Camo.
I don't want the enemy to see us until we're putting a bullet into their FCS or our blade through their cockpit.

>>18635517
You, uh... you do realize they'll probably pick us up on sensors anyway, right? We're a mid-range high-mobility combatant. Stealth isn't our job, and bare steel is the most dapper of paint jobs for any mech in any setting.

>>18635517
Unless we've got optical chaffs or something to impede lock on's the paint job is more for style than anything.

Jet-black with this emblem!

[X]Leaving an after-image on their retinas
Anti-magenta anyone?

Clear Coat

>>18635565

>You actually do have anti-lock chaff.

>>18635566
Ace combat + Armored Core = Dear lord why hasn't this been made?!?!

>>18635418
Black with bronze accents

>>18635566

>You aren't an ace yet. You need to be a rated ace before you get you own emblem.

>>18635581
"Yo, buddy. Still alive?"

Commence with the blade jousting

>>18635586
oh the ironing

>>18635581
Balance issues.
I actually have an idea for a system/setting where the players are a combined arms unit of mecha and aircraft pilots. Can be mercs or employed by a corp or government. Unfortunately my crunch writing skills are shit-tier.

>>18635581

>Ace Combat+ Armored Core.

>Grim setting, robot fights, absolutely batshit air-combat.

>Why does this sound so familiar...

>>18635631
MACROSS MASTER RACE!

>>18635631
Robotech was awesome and now I'm gonna have this threeway stuck in my head for the entire week.

>>18635649
You...
I can't hate you, but I am disappoint.
Macross>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&
gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>Robotech.

>>18635663

>One being better than the other doesn't make the other one bad. Just less good.

>And both of them had a lot of good.

>Though Now I'm forced to wonder... There's not a whole lot in terms of Giant Robot tabletop games.

>Dammit, I might just have to finish this system just for that. Fuck my life.

Anyway back to the RPG at hand, I'm thinking consensus is Clear-Coat that shit, OP.

>>18635649
>>18635692
Robotech is still good, very good, and I know WHY they had to mash together Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeada (they needed to get enough episodes for syndication, a minimum number set by the FCC, and a stupid one), and I can't hate them for it at all, but it makes me sad.

>>18635717
Well have the first five minutes of Macross Zero to cheer you up.

>>18635717
Well have the first five minutes of Macross Zero to cheer you up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4n4rRozpys

>>18635695

>Right-o.

"Let's go with a simple clear-coat for now. Maybe we'll do big and flashy once we're something worth bragging about."

"Makes sense. Plus this is easier since redrawing custom decals is time consuming, and your pit-crew consists of like four people for the whole team right now."

"Yeah, I got paperwork we need to fill out to get us signed up for mercenary work and Arena fights."

"Sounds good. We'll get on that in JUST a minute. I'm finishing installing the AI Core first. It's a bitch and I'm almost done. Hate to come back and forget where I was, making me start over."

[ ] Ask Josh if he's seen those friends he was worried about.
[ ] Bring up Nine-Ball.
[ ] Take a shower.
[ ] Take a shower with Elsie.>>18635717

>>18635734
>>18635737
derp. forgot the link, tried to slip it in before the post went through, and it didn't work. I hate captcha.

>>18635741
Bring up Nine-Ball, no time like the present and I think everyone is here.

>>18635741
[x ] Ask Josh if he's seen those friends he was worried about.

>>18635741

>Bring up Nine-Ball.

>>18635717
>>18635741

>Deleted the last bit of my post.

>I never got to watch Macross itself, due to various reasons. I mean, I saw a couple episodes worth of content here and there, but Robotech was my main thing.

>Well, that's a lie. Robotech Got me into giant robots, giant robots led me to Gundam Wing, which in turn led me first to Big-O, then to the OLD SCHOOL Gundam, which led me to the original Armored Core series when I started looking for Giant Robot games.

>Coming in high off of Super Robot, Master of Arena was both a culture shock and a start to a life-long love affair with the series.

>[x] Bring up Nine-Ball.

>>18635741
[x] Bring up Nine-Ball.

We'll take a shower later, and either have a nice dinner with Elsie, or get her flowers or something else nice.

[X] Bring up Nine-Ball. Get it out of the way now.

Also what do we live in now? And do we live with anyone?

>>18635783

>Your current home is the barracks above the hanger, since then you're usually near your core in case of an emergency.

>What it amounts to is something like a Dormitory set up, where you have your own bedrooms attached to a general living area with the kitchen, bathroom, etc.

>So you're room-mates with your team basically. If you're being more specific than that, Elsie's probably moved into your bed. But that's not really a huge deal, since that's just one door over.

>>18635814
Okay for the sake of a newfag to the thread what is our relationship with Elsie exactly?

>>18635827
Long time friend/squaddie who we finally hooked up with just before the attack on Hope. Blamed herself initially, thought if we'd been at the barracks we may have been in a position to stop it. Although we THINK we helped her get past that we can't be sure yet.

>4chan just ate a post I've been typing for 15 MINUTES STRAIGHT.

>Hold on, let me RE-TYPE ALL OF THAT, since my OCD won't let me HALF ASS ANYTHING.

>>18635827

>In a word? Complicated. You and her kinda hooked up, and before you could really even think about the implications or decide how to handle your new-found feelings your home was destroyed, and you became the sole hopes of a bunch of refugees.

>>18635892
>>18635912
Gotcha. Thanks guys.

"Hey Dave. Remember that core we threw down with when hope got attacked?"

"Burned into my memory. red and black, with an Ace patch that looked like the number nine."

Josh looks surprised by this. "He dolled himself up to look like the Arena champ? Damn."

"I was thinking that too, but when we went to the Arena, we caught the tail end of an exhibition match. The Arena champ Nine-Ball against a couple guys doing a TV show. And right before he left the Arena, he looked back. AT ME. I could feel whatever it was that he did back in Hope. I think it was actually him."

"Alex, you're jumping at ghosts. That guy was in the middle of a reactor melt-down. He's gone."

"When I was running over-watch for Laurie while we were coming to Vegas, I found out We were recording data still right before the fall. And it looks like there was a breech in the dome, right by the reactors, immediately before it exploded."

THAT gets some attention. Elsie's the first to speak "When he jumped in the Arena, he kissed the sound barrier for a second there. He could've pulled it off."

Josh lets out a low whistle "Do know what kinda shit you're talking here? If you're wrong or can't prove it, and you say a word to anybody, you're gonna get run out of town fast. You and all these refugees that depend on you. And if you're right, then motherfucking HUSTLER ONE just IDed you as a witness and survivor to a genocide scale mass murder."

"I wouldn't lie about something like this."

"I don't doubt it kid. Listen, I'll keep an ear o the ground for you, but you need to watch your back. The wastes where you'll be hunting bounties and performing missions is pretty lawless, and if you got killed in the Arena, it wouldn't be the first 'accidental' death down there."

>>18636006

"Damn. Thanks Josh."

"Don't thank me yet. I'd advise keeping your head down if you aren't in a Core until further notice."

"Yeah."

With that he walks out the door.

What now:

[ ] Take shower.
[ ] Find food.
[ ] Get sleep. It was a long day.

>[x] Take shower.

>>18636026
[x] Take shower.

We'll eat some dinner with Mom and Ari, they probably could use some normalcy from us, THEN we get some sleep.

>>18636026
Take a shower.

Shower the food then sleep

You tell your friends that you need a shower like nothing else, and work your way to the bathroom. Stripping down makes you realize the painkillers you took at breakfast are starting to wear off.

After you take a long moment letting the shower get hot, the stall door slides open and Elsie joins you.

"Wha?"

"We aren't the only ones who stink, and this way we use up less hot water."

"Oh. For a second I thought you had something dirty in mind."

"Maaybe" she says with a false innocence. "But it seriously wasn't the only thing that made me do this. I'm being considerate."

A not so quick shower later, the two of you step out of the bathroom. "I'm gonna go to bed. Care to join me?"

"Nah, my pain-killers are wearing off. I'm gonna go get something to eat first so I can function in the morning."

"Alright then." She gives you a kiss on the cheek and yawns before slinking to YOUR bunk. Heh.

[ ] Kitchen.
[ ] Family.

Family. Food can wait a minute or 2

>>18636220
Assuming our family has food go to them. If they won't have food on them hit the kitchen and make a sandwich or something else quick and easy and then join them.

>>18636220
>[x] Family.
We should be there if Ari or Mom needs to talk.

You ask Zack if he knows where your family ended up.

A couple of blocks away, you find a fairly small two story house. Knocking on the door, your sister answers and then smiles tiredly "Hey Alex. We're about to have some dinner, want some?"

"Sure."

You follow her inside, and you can see why she looks so exhausted. There's a few bags of dust and loose wall-paper trash. Floors and walls look like they've been scrubbed. The house is still empty, but it's looking a lot like a house where people live.

You reach the kitchen ans see that apparently Zack was able to get water and power back in the area today sometime before he joined you, as your mother's currently making some sort of iced tea while some canned soup heats up on the stove. When she sees you she adds an extra can and stirs it in.

"Hey honey, how was your day?"

"Long. But we've got what we needed to done, so tomorrow we can go make some money."

"Tomorrow? Alex, Bro, you're going to kill yourself like this."

>>18636404

"Hey, we need money to make this work. We're going to need money to buy off this little suburb for us to live in. We're going to need money for when we try to rebuild Hope. We're going to need money to fix and upgrade our cores so we can make sure something like that never happens again. And there's only one way to make this kind of money right now."

Ari's Quiet for a moment. "Can I help?"

"What?"

"A lot of the basic piloting aptitude stuff is genetic, and I have a lot of the stuff you do: I've got the reflexes, and I've got some basic knowledge when it comes to cores."

"Ari, you don't know the first fucking thing about cores."

"Yes I do. I got to sneak some time in the sims back in hope. It's not as good as he hands on stuff you got, but it's something."

"Since when?"

"Since I was 14."

Well son of a bitch. She's been going behind you back to try and weasel her way into a core almost as long as you've been pulling strings to keep her safely away from the cockpit.

[ ] We'll see. We don't exactly have excess cores at the moment anyway.
[ ] ON A LIMITED BASIS.
[ ] No.
[ ] Find another way for her to help.

>>18636410
[x] Find another way for her to help.

Maybe she can work Maintenance.

>[x] We'll see. We don't exactly have excess cores at the moment anyway.
She'll always be our baby sister, but we have to respect that she's an adult, she can buy her own insurance and everything.

>>18636426

>She is, at this moment, 16.

>That's about when you joined the militia, but it's not really 'adult' by most local standards.

>>18636410
No, you're a complete amateur, we need help but currently we have very few cores, and while you know the first thing about piloting one you've never been in actual combat.

Find another way for her to help, helping with maintenance and overwatch.

See if we can get her practice time in sims and get her used to piloting a core in real life in safe situations, we can turn her into a pilot but there is no way in hell we are going to just toss her into an AC and tell her to go for it.

>We'll see. We don't exactly have excess cores at the moment anyway.

We are going to gr her killed aren't we

>>18636431
Still, old enough to make her own decisions. And do we really want to have her pull a Patroclus on us and get killed trying to pilot our core if we wind up hospitalized?

>>18636431
Old enough to make her own decisions, we should let her help how she can and have us and the rest of the team groom her into a skilled pilot over time, but we aren't going to put her in an AC for actual missions any time soon.

>>18636451
Okay, yeah, this guy has the right idea. Find another way for her to help while we figure out what style of combat she's most suited to and groom her into a good pilot.
So, changing my vote from >>18636426 to agreeing with >>18636451

>>18635586
(I'm late and am still in the process of catching up)

"The Ghosts of Hope" does have quite the ring to it.

>>18636410
[x] Find another way for her to help.
Letting her help will make her feel like she's contributing, and less likely to do something stupid like try to pilot our Core if we get injured.
Besides, we don't have any extra Cores, or the money to buy even a trainer Core, right now.

You think it over for a long moment.

"I'll think about it. We don't exactly have a spare core for you to pilot, but we can find a way to make you useful if you want."

"But not pilot?"

"Hell no. not right away. I'm not putting you in a Core in a combat situation until I'm DAMN sure you can handle yourself out there. You'll be running sims and learning for a while at least. If we can hook Mooch up with a core we'll need somebody on over-watch if nothing else."

"...."

"I know you were thinking something more hands on, but after Hope I'm not taking any risks if I can help it."

"You think I wouldn't be a good pilot?"

"It's not that I think you'd be BAD, but we already have one combat proven guy in line ahead of you to get a core. And besides that, it's dangerous."

"Well duh, that's ob-"

"Not in just the ways you think. Something a lot of Pilots don't know until they get in the seat for the first time is that the AI synch that lets us control these things in combat is a two way street. At higher levels, you can feel the damage like it's happening to you. Even if you're ready for it the shock can knock you out or even cause you to have a heart attack from the sudden stress. When my core got wrecked at Hope, I lost both arms and half my leg. The fingers on my left hand still tingle a bit TWO DAYS LATER."

>>18636514
>The fingers on my left hand still tingle a bit TWO DAYS LATER.

What she doesn't need to know is that Elsie might have something to do with that...

[x] We'll see. We don't exactly have excess cores at the moment anyway.

>>18636514

She's shocked silent by this sudden revelation.

"I do it because I have to. I can do it, I can do it well. I did it back in Hope because I could help protect my home, and the people I cared about. I do it now, because we need the money. I'd just as soon you never got in the cockpit, and I'll be damned if I'll let you near one before you're ready."

"....I just wanted to help...."

"You can. There's other ways besides piloting. You can swing by the Hanger tomorrow, and we'll start teaching you about what needs to be done and how. If you're dead set on it, we can even get you started on the basics of piloting."

The rest of dinner is eaten in silence. Your sister gives you a kiss on the cheek and retires to bed immediately after eating.

"You didn't tell her no."

"I couldn't. The truth is we COULD use her help. And if she turns out to be half to pilot I am she'd be a real asset. I wish I could protect her from this forever, but I can't. She's old enough to make her choices, all I can do is make sure she understands the risks."

Your mother clears the table and gives you a hug. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Nah, I have to get back to the hanger. Team needs to stick together right now."

She nods slowly and you leave as she's getting ready to go to bed moments later. You pop a couple pain pills and head back to your current base.

[ ] Go to bed.
[ ] See if anybody else is up.

>[x] Go to bed.
Lots of shit to do tomorrow, we need rest.

>>18636584
[x] Go to bed.
It's been a long day, and it's going to be a long day tomorrow.

>>18636584
[X] Go to bed, it's been one hell of a day.

>>18636584
[X] See if anybody else is up.

We just told our sister that we're going to be letting her pilot a dangerous machine of death, we might want to talk to someone about that.

>>18636604
We can talk to Elsie when we get to bed. That's what couples do. They talk. And fuck. But they also talk. Sometimes. When they're not fucking. Or recovering from the fucking. Or preparing for more fucking. Okay so there's not actually that much talking.

See if anyone else is up

You go straight to bed.

When you walk into your room you strip to your underwear and move to the cool sheets. And Elsie greets you with a kiss.

"Took a while to get a bite. Checking in on your Mom an sis?"

"Yeah. They're a little shaken, but alright. Doing their best to settle in."

"Yeah? Good to hear. Glad you came back. I've been having a hell of a time trying to sleep."

"Yeah?"

"It's just.... when I close my eyes I see it. That burst of fire coming out of the colony. We all were so sure you were gone. I know it's silly but... having you here like this, I can tell you're real. And that helps. It's hard to think about losing you, you're the closest thing I've had to family since my dad died."

She snuggles closer. At this point you realize that she's wearing less that you are. A moment later, she notices something too.

"Nyohoho!" She nyohohos, "Speaking of hard...."

>>18636667
>"Nyohoho!" She nyohohos

Ha.

>>18636667
Nyohoho, it's a verb now bitches.

>>18636667
"I'll never let go Elsie!"
Kidding. Don't say that. Ever. Almost as bad as "Are you an angel?"

>>18636667

The next morning, you see Dave looking even more ragged and hungover looking than normal.

"Morning Dave. You look like hell."

"I didn't get a whole lotta sleep last night."

You think back to what Elsie said last night, and about how Your family was doing.

"Seems to be a bit of a thing going around." You try to be sympathetic as your pour a cup of coffee.

"Probably because Elsie's a lil bit of a screamer. We're soundproofing your room by the way. Fuck these thin-ass walls."

And so you chocked on you Coffee, while your sister walks in wearing what looks like the high-class stripper take on what a military uniform should look like.

Oh today's just off to a WONDERFUL start.

>>18636723
Ariana (Middle Name) Raston, put on a proper uniform this instant, and don't show up without pants again.

>>18636723
Flip shit on Ari. Call her "young lady" repeatedly, then tell her to go home and get properly dressed.
We are NOT the Gekkostate.

>>18636723
>your sister walks in wearing what looks like the high-class stripper take on what a military uniform should look like.

Dave is obviously behind this...

>>18636723
>while your sister walks in wearing what looks like the high-class stripper take on what a military uniform should look like.
First thing we do, not even bothering to clean up the coffee, is getting Ari into a real military uniform.

>I think this is where' were going to call it quits for today.

It occurs to me that I've been putting a lot of funny between the grim and serious bits.

It's kinda starting to look like Strike Witches Quest, except instead of Extremely high-caliber writing turning a bad series awesome, It's Decent-ish writing turning an awesome series MORE AWESOME. Well hopefully. You guys seem to enjoy it.

I feel like I'm cheating in a way.

>>18636739
>We are NOT the Gekkostate

Good thing, too, because showing up to a fight with a single shoulder-mounted beam weapon and a knife isn't likely to fly in the arena.

>>18636747
But it would be awesome and if we won earn us an instant fandom.

>>18636747

I've done that actually.

I mean, it was a SWORD and a shoulder canon....

I was basically trying to build a poor-man's White Glint in 4.

>>18636746
And I was just about to suggest punching Dave in the face for feasting his lecherous eyes upon our sister.

>>18636746
>It occurs to me that I've been putting a lot of funny between the grim and serious bits.
I think that's what people would do in these kinds of high-stress situations, in order to try to cope with it by engaging in shenanigans.

I'm gonna run and archive this real quick, but I'm free to answer any questions you guys might have about the characters, setting, rules, etc.

>>18636746
I am perfectly ok with more SWQ style.

And a more... I'm gonna go with "not emotionally unstable" main character is nice for a change.

>>18636783
How many years have we known Elsie? It sounds like we've known her since we were 10 or so.

>>18636788
>I'm gonna go with "not emotionally unstable" main character is nice for a change.
I was going to say "won't take the most retarded course of action just because it sounds funny at the time".

>>18636746


Your writing is actually pretty good


And I appreciate the humor. Too much grim dark just gets boring

>>18636788
Oh, and the smaller (but seemingly more regular) fanbase is awesome.

SWQ threads are pretty awesome live, but fuck they get off topic instantly.

>>18636802
>>18636788
>>18636813
>>18636809

Thanks guys, it's nice being appreciated.

Also, all the archived threads are purple, and tat makes me feel awesome.

>>18636792

Several years now. You met her shortly after she moved to town with her dad, and were with her when she found out here dad died in action.

She was looked after by pretty much the whole militia since her Dad was pretty well like and died pretty heroic. You were pretty much her surrogate brother for the latter half of your childhood, though you weren't aware of exactly how much you meant to her.

You've been wising up a bit more recently, since she actually grew some (rather modest) curves and started the whole 'joking flirting' thing about a year prior to the quest starting.

And before you ask, no. I didn't have all this planned out in advance, this is the back-story retroactively evolving from the narrative to explain your choices and feelings on certain points.