Tavern 2014/10/11(Sat)05:21 No. 597882 ID: 189a54
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Jordie tells Van to waste him.

Van wheels around and designates Reaper as a target.

Jordie has left the Controlled Group

Tavern 2014/10/11(Sat)05:41 No. 597883 ID: 189a54
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Ten flights, one bomber, five tanks, ten artillery pieces, three platoons. That's all Rond has to stop an apocalypse.

The lieutenant tries to ignore the eyes watching him from the wall as he looks over the map. So far Reaper's scout flights have seen ten of these "jotnar," as the pilots had named them. All of them have appeared out of thin air, decimated a major structure nearby, and then frozen in place. Thousands of lives on both sides of the war have already been lost, and as far as Rond knows there is no other group in the country with as large a force as him.

Reaper calls from his spot on the wall, asking the lieutenant if he wants wider scout runs...sir, he adds slowly.

Sergeant Bussard suggests some sort of patrol system be set up, with gradually widening arcs. They have no clue who else is in the area, friendly or otherwise.

Rond got out of command school two days ago. He barely remembers how to order a platoon, much less a small army. He racks his brain for the best way to proceed.

Lieutenant Rond has joined the Controlled Group

Step one, order Reaper's summary execution for insubordination. You need to let your people know you're not to be trifled with.

BAD IDEA!
We know OF Reaper's actions, but let's not forget- it did in fact count as desertion, he was just a massive jerk about it.
He's probably one of our best fighters-let's not piss him off this time.
first and foremost...Let's get the word out about these things if we can. Alternatively, we can inform the troops we have about these things so they're up-to date about them if we can manage it.

>We know OF Reaper's actions, but let's not forget- it did in fact count as desertion, he was just a massive jerk about it.

No, Reaper needs to be executed. He is full of disdain with his slow "sir" and is very likely a traitorous element. Now there's no way for Rond to know this, but anyone who threatens his fellow men for not calling him "Reaper" is more a liability than anything else.

Execute him immediately. Break him, and make an example of him.

Tavern 2014/10/13(Mon)13:26 No. 598146 ID: 189a54
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The lieutenant stares at Reaper, a pit growing in his stomach. The man's shot down five wingmen, now. Sykes, Trevor, Ilya, Van and his RIO Jordie. Dammit, he shot down Jordie...who would ever want to betray him?

This is unacceptable. Rond will not tolerate it.

Reaper, he blurts out, harder than intended.

The pilot's eyes turn ice-cold. Two hard sapphire orbs glare at the lieutenant from behind their flight mask.

Reaper...send a few pilots on recon, Rond stammers.

Of course...sir, Reaper replies.

Rond orders the other officers to tell their respective groups all the intel on these jotnar that they think could be of use. Rond will think more on what their next step is. They are dismissed, he says.

The officers file out.

Tavern 2014/10/13(Mon)13:35 No. 598149 ID: 189a54
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Sergeant Bussard hangs back while the other officers head to their units' areas around the base. He glances at his two self-appointed bodyguards before addressing Rond.

Couldn't follow through? he asks.

Rond watches the flight of F-3s wing for their scouting vector. He doesn't speak.

Bussard lets it drop.

Rond should probably be doing some command shit, the sergeant suggests. The tank force, A, B and C platoons and the pilots could all use a quick inspection. Rond might want to head by the radio room sometime too, to see if they've picked up anyone else yet. Bussard says Randi and West here will accompany the lieutenant wherever he wants to go.

Inacceptable. Execute Reaper IMMEDIATELY or just kill yourself now.

Also, tear out Reaper's Eyes and cripple him first. Remove arms, legs, tear out eyes, remove tongue, and then leave him in the corner hooked up to machines. He needs to be made an example of.

>>598157
O____o

Smik 2014/10/13(Mon)15:03 No. 598159 ID: 3009b4
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I am completely serious.

>>598158
you made someone do something so horrible to be HATED and then got no punishment for it. the first shot down should have resulted in an inquiry AT BEST. the second should have been instant court martial or execution. 3-5 means the person in charge must have suffered massive brain damage and is only suddenly feeling better now that we are controlling them.
not JUST because he killed people but because he blew up allied war machines. the group has five less planes solely because of reaper rather then enemy action. being a good fighter means nothing if you destroy allied weapons.

>>598160

Basically that's my problem too. So! Let's just leave Reaper in the corner with the theme from Bubble Bobble on infinite repeat until he thinks he is a bubble dragon.

Hrrrrm.
Originally I thought he was just a good pilot with a touchy trigger-finger but...That's starting to sound suspicious, like there's more to this man...
When exactly did Reaper appear, relative to the appearance of these Jotnar creatures?

>Originally I thought he was just a good pilot with a touchy trigger-finger but..

In the military, lives depend on team work. The reason why boot camp drills the new recruits so hard is so people like Reaper never happen, and even then sometimes they do... and those people tend to get fragged.

This is why despite everything and despite the fact I would hate being a soldier, I respect the uniform and the people because their attention to teamwork and discipline is so admirable.

Anyone with the slightest tendency to have an itchy trigger finger among the allies needs to be removed. In Reaper's case, he's galling to the point where he needs to be made an example of.

In a realistic setting, he would be at the very least dishonorably discharged. In an emergency setting, executed. But since we've clearly already crossed that line, let's hurt him until he is truly sorry he went down this path.

Hooking him up to machines costs too much, throw him in a pit with nothing and feed him rotten food until he dies. Also cut off his fingers and gouge his eyes out. This needs to be done. The bubble dragon thing will lower his resolve further. Do it.

Tavern 2014/10/14(Tue)03:25 No. 598259 ID: 189a54
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Rond's mind races with a hundred ways to torture the pilot. He has to make an example of him. Unacceptable, completely--

Bussard comes closer. The sergeant puts a hand on his leader's shoulder and says not to worry. He can see what Rond wants done. When Reaper's flight comes back, he and his boys will take care of it.

Rond asks what they're going to--

Bussard's face looks like it's been chiseled from stone.

They'll take care of it, he says.

The relaxed expression that the sergeant usually wears returns in a flash. There's nothing to do until the bastard's back, though, the sergeant sighs. Unless Rond has some plans he wants to put together, the units could still use a brief once-over.

Ooooooh man I feel like they are just gonna tell reaper and side with him then kill you. Take this into your own hands.

>>598264
I get that Reaper needs to die, but that? That would be an unacceptable level of paranoia and mistrust regarding the job.
If we can't trust our men to get the job done we're probably screwed unless Rond is good with a machine gun or something, and there's no way we're not going to come across as crazy like this.

Tavern 2014/10/14(Tue)17:55 No. 598368 ID: 189a54
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Bussard takes one of his shadows with him and tells the other to stay with Rond. He says that he's going to go see to his squad.

The sergeant lets out a cold chuckle as he starts toward the B Platoon area. They've got some knives to sharpen before their flyboy returns, he murmurs.

Rond nods to himself as he begins walking down the rock formation. He was starting to get paranoid from this whole Reaper issue. He trusts Bussard to handle the pilot when he returns to the base. In the meantime, as the leader of this base there's other things he needs to do...

tank inspection time. Even if Air is ah...questionable, there's still the ground.
Then the Radio guys-communications is always a priority.
Finally Pilots, since by then Reaper will have had his admonishment.

Tavern 2014/10/17(Fri)07:03 No. 598653 ID: 189a54
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Rond decides to head by the tanks first. Reaching the gravel-covered area that the armored units park in, the lieutenant sees something surprising.

There's a Hennic hovertank resting in between two of the army's Cubbys.

A Hennic man is standing next to Wale, one of the tank commanders. The stranger is wearing the pants of an Allied tank crewman and the shirt of a Hennic armor pilot. Wale seems perfectly comfortable beside the man, even though the two have probably fought more than once over the course of the war.

Wale grins as the lieutenant approaches. Something crazy happened while the officers were in their meeting, he says. This Hennic crew flew in and landed flying white flags.

The Hennic man speaks in very garbled standard, but he can be understood. Big beast come, break Henna, he says. Crew say "no way," hop in Henja-1 and run. See other things, big things break foes and Henna together. Talk with crew, crew say big things bigger than war, agree. Fly for days, try to find friends, everyone friends, try to find everyone. Find base. Can stay?

Wale tells the lieutenant that he trusts this man. And a hovertank would be a great addition to their forces, especially one as powerful as the Henja-1. Could they let this crew fight with them?

While I am sure it will cause headaches down the road it would be silly to turn down assistance at this point.

Just keep a close eye on the situation so you can defuse any problems caused by differences in language and culture.

I say yes, try and be somewhat friendly towards them, language problems can be overcome. Any headache down the road for taking them won't nearly be as bad as the headache we might have without them.

These guys sound alright. I'd say give them the go-ahead to talk about the Jotnar to other troops, and welcome them to this army.

They've been traveling for days, have they got maps? Other intel? Get the quartermaster out here and figure out how much of their ammo and other supplies are intercompatible with our stuff.

Tavern 2014/10/17(Fri)13:40 No. 598726 ID: 189a54
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Rond doesn't need much persuasion to allow this crew to join them. He gladly welcomes them aboard.

The Hennic man's face splits in a relieved smile. This one named Sa for the shortly, he says. Hopes for big friendship, big friendship.

Rond starts thinking through what should be handled here. He asks Wale to check with quartermaster Blackwell's assistants to find out what on a Henja-1 would be inter-compatible with their Cubby parts.

Wale winces. The explosive tempers of Blackwell and his workers have become legendary in the short time that this force has been together.... It has to be done though, and after a moment Wale sighs out that he'll do it.

Rond asks Sa if they gathered any intelligence during the time they were flying--made any maps, noted where these things were, anything. As if to answer the question, several crewmen start coming out of the hovertank, lugging metal boxes.

Take much notes, such maps, Sa says. Where big beasts attack, where big beasts freeze, where death ship kills most. Sa's second Yor, he find funny thing, maybe. Yor thinks death ship and big things, they big friendship together. Sorta maybe crazy, but all's in maps and movies, many maps, such movies. Will give all to base's, uh...listen-guys, you know, guys who watch movies and radios and maps.

Commander need anything else from Sa, the Hennic asks. Commander probs busy guy, Sa fine if commander got questions or if commander's gotta go.

Wait a second.
Death ship? What death ship?
We've never seen or heard of this 'death ship' before, have we? Maybe we missed out due team-killer Reaper

Tavern 2014/10/20(Mon)15:25 No. 599028 ID: 189a54
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Rond asks what this "death ship" is.

Death ship is death ship, Sa replies. One of enemy's fighting ships, always flies with friend. Flies around, sometimes near Henja-1, looking around, flies close to ground, way up high, all over the place. Then something change. Radar goes crazy, big thing showing up where there's no big thing. Then ship kills friend and runs away. Big beast pops up there soon. Yor calls it death ship, like death-bringer from Hennic story.

The crewmen reach the radio station and carry the Henja-1's records inside. Sa hesitates at the door.

The tank commander bears a slight frown. When he speaks, Rond barely catches it.

Commander, he says. Is ship...of this base? This base, no killing its own, yes...?

No we don't. Not unless it's necessary, which usually is when someone in here does it...Which only happened because of that death ship.

Seems like reaper is the death ship, and he sounds like he might be manipulating events. The Intel seems good to me, as they have no reason to lie. We need that mofo dead so hard. How exactly are we gonna go about killing him anyway?

We call the death ship "Reaper." Same thing, really. It was pretending to work for us, for a while. Anyone who wants to be part of the plan to deal with it permanently should talk to Sgt. Bussard.

>>599028
Death ship is piloted by a human monster calling himself "Reaper". He will pay for his crimes.

Tavern 2014/10/29(Wed)19:52 No. 599777 ID: 189a54
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Rond nods grimly. The base's name for the bastard is "Reaper," he says. He assures the tank commander that the pilot was not acting on orders from here, and one of his sergeants will be handling the issue the second that the criminal comes back.

Sa seems satisfied with the answer. The two enter the radio station.

The head intelligence officer gives Sa a sage nod. This must be the leader of the base's new guests, he says. Captain Geppetto, ready to serve.

Geppetto turns to Rond. All the data has been passed on to the right people, the IO states. It's just a matter of time working through it, now. The lieutenant is welcome to stay and watch, but Geppetto guesses that the base commander has some other places to visit during the wait...

Tavern 2014/11/07(Fri)22:29 No. 600748 ID: 189a54
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The sound of an F-3 interrupts Rond's thoughts.

Geppetto sneers. Reaper's awful early coming back, he remarks. And back alone again--

Wait.

The ship passes the base and keeps on flying.

Tavern 2014/11/07(Fri)22:31 No. 600749 ID: 189a54
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Rond bursts out of the radio station as shouts start coming up from around the area. It doesn't take long to find the source of the panic.

Tavern 2014/11/07(Fri)22:34 No. 600750 ID: 189a54
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A giant is staring down from outside the fort's walls.

Wait. There's a pattern we can abuse here. The Jotnar smash a structure and then stop?
We don't hold the base. Everyone, take what you can but excaping the base alive is our priority. You have until the Jotnar stomps this place flat to leave. Go.

>>600767
I agree with this plan. Watch out for reaper using missiles on you as you leave, if he had a way to overhear the earlier conversation he might attack you now.

Tavern 2014/11/13(Thu)18:51 No. 602147 ID: 189a54
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Rond works fast, sprinting around the base repeating his message. Everyone is to leave now, take what they can and get out!

The five Cubbys roll out the front gate while the Henja-1 lifts off and floats over the far wall.

The remaining pilots scramble for their ships, taking off one by one and starting to circle the site carefully.

Rond hangs back, directing wave after wave of soldiers and personnel toward the exit. All of A Platoon is out now, and most of the radio men, and most of B Platoon too...damn it, this isn't going fast enough....

Tavern 2014/11/13(Thu)18:52 No. 602148 ID: 189a54
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Not fast enough--!!

Tavern 2014/11/13(Thu)19:16 No. 602164 ID: 189a54
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Rond regains consciousness at the base of a tree.

Seeing the lieutenant wake, Bussard sighs in relief. They thought they'd lost the cmmander, he says.

Geppetto looks grim. Lord knows they lost enough men and equipment to that thing without losing the man in charge, too, he murmurs.

Rond asks for the situation.

Bussard winces. The Jotunn was a fast bastard, he says. Before it froze, it struck ships out of the sky and gouged holes in the escaping lines...their little army is almost nothing, now. There's maybe a platoon's worth of grunts left, no artillery to speak of. The only present tanks are one Cubby and the Henja-1, and only three fighters have landed nearby. Anyone or anything missing is probably wasted near what's left of the fort.

The only small win in this mess is that the intelligence officers that made it out managed to bring a powerful radio with them, Geppetto reports. It's got good range and great quality, and it's ready for use at any time.

With this slaughter their chances of being the rallying center for anyone left alive around here are slim, the sergeant concludes. He suggests they get the radio men trying to find any groups in the area that had a similar plan to theirs so the army could link up with them. Whatever Rond wants though, the remaining soldiers are ready to go.

Reaper is still a problem, we need to set up precautions on how to avoid him, and set up a new radio frequency so we are not being listened in on.

I suppose find some basic shelter (that isn't a building) and send signals to find groups to meet up with.

need a foot recon. these things destroy everything, yes, but what do they do next? do they just instantly start walking towards the next target? or will it sit there unless provoked.

Tavern 2014/11/15(Sat)04:28 No. 602423 ID: 189a54
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Rond scrambles to his feet with Sa's help. He tells Geppetto to get his radio guys sending out signals to find other groups. Make sure it's a different frequency than usual, he adds.

The captain nods, glancing up at the sky. He understands.

Rond addresses Bussard next. The group will need recon on foot, he says. They need men on finding some shelter and someone trying to find out what the hell the Jotunn back there is going to do next.

Yes sir, Bussard barks. He'll put his own squad on scouting the wrecked base, they're the best he's got.

Sa and gang stay near commander, Sa declares. Won't let commander be hurt again.

The officers get to work.

Lieutenant Rond has left the Controlled Group

Tavern 2014/11/15(Sat)04:46 No. 602426 ID: 189a54
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Private Ismer looks at the three grizzled men around her. They're a mess, covered in dirt and mud, their weapons so much so that the private doesn't know if they'll function. They're a lot different from her old squad, and she's not sure if it's in a good way.

Quake rolls his eyes. Damn girl, he chuckles, no need to be eying everybody like that.

Korp shrugs from his seat by a tree. In shit like this a girl as little as this chick's got a right to be scared, he muses. When guys think they got no hope, their morals start to fade...

Quake shakes his head. Oh please, Korp, he says. The girl's with the finest motherfuckers short of Young Buzzard's squad themselves. No need to be eying nobody like that, no sir.

Ben shifts his long rifle's position on his back. They should probably keep looking for a good shelter, he suggests.

Quake groans. Shit, this isn't good enough? He turns back to the private. Here girl, he says with a grin. She can choose the next place they try. Should they head deeper into this forest or try to head out and find something on the plains?

Ismer has joined the Controlled Group

Tavern 2014/11/25(Tue)18:49 No. 605566 ID: 189a54
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Ismer stews over the choice until Korp decides for her. The squad moves deeper into the forest with the corporal in front.

The veteran glances back at Ismer as they continue their march. It's fine that she couldn't decide on something trivial like that, he assures her. When big moves have to be made, he knows she'll know what--

Tavern 2014/11/25(Tue)18:54 No. 605567 ID: 189a54
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The ground erupts and Korp is taken in a burst of metal and fire. Ismer and Ben are thrown back by the blast while Quake drops to one knee.

In the distance in front of them, frantic shouts can be heard. Ismer isn't sure if it's just her ears ringing but she thinks she hears the telltale sound of a Hennic gatling gun warming up. The private feels the first twinges of a panic attack coming on--she has no clue what is going on, or what to do.

to cover! behind one of the trees. even if you can't get there in time to stop all hits better then sitting in the open. maybe a potshot in the general direction of the gun.

>>605621
Do this, also look to get away from them by going from cover to cover.