[center][h1]Lieutenant Commander Johann "Rhino" Von Brandt[/h1][/center]

[hr]

Von Brandt had to chuckle a little bit as the kid struggled with Sabine's general demeanor and bearing, offering a half apologetic shrug as he responded in kind to his own comment. Not too surprising, no one forgets their first combat sorties or first kills, though it all blurs together after a certain point. Some things stand out from time to time, but he didn't have the heart to shoot down his compliments by ignoring them or rebuffing them harshly. Not everyone needed to give the kid the hard shoulder, Boss was quick to warn him against overdoing it on the boozing before offering to be an ear in place of the lack of chaplain. That was something that always struck him as odd, chaplains did a lot more than offer religious solace for those who needed it, often times they were someone who could listen and offer advice regardless of belief. The lack of one on board the ship had been something he noticed pretty quick, so it was a small relief that something was in place, ad hoc as it was.

[color=lightblue]"Just doing my job out there kid, much to the chagrin of the support crew stripping the damaged armor and replacing it. Most folk aren't in the joking mood after their first real combat sortie, but you get used to it."[/color]

Or don't make it long enough to get used to it, but Von Brandt kept that firmly to himself. Still, they had their marching orders, get some R&R for a few hours, maybe catch some sleep, before they deployed into the next phase of the operation. Still, given Rook seemed intent on following him and picking his brain a little, he quietly gave up on getting any rest, instead setting himself up near the Secutor while making himself comfortable. Kicking his feet up, he had the courtesy to push a box Rook's way before letting the tension from the combat operation drain from him at least a little bit. Couldn't relax fully, still had plenty of work to do, but there was a time and place for being on edge and right now was not it.

[color=lightblue]"Picking my brain a little, eh kid? I can humor a few questions at least, though I'm sure you could learn a lot more relevant to your chassis information from some of the others. Heavies make bad habits if you start with them, after all."[/color]

[hr]

[color=lightblue]"...and that's why the best armor is not taking a hit. Still don't think the techs have forgiven me for what I did to the reactor getting the Secutor back from that sortie."[/color]

Von Brandt had focused on giving the kid advice between the various questions and concerns, downplaying anything that could be considered heroic and focusing on what could be learned from his experiences. Having spent some time helping test and refine experimental equipment before returning to the frontline gave him some different outlooks, at least he liked to think so, but he wanted to make sure Rook was at least more knowledgeable than he was before playing the game of twenty questions. Still, his train of thought was interrupted before the briefing started by Sabine rushing in and using him from cover from the no doubt agitated Hex. Probably poked at her metaphorical buttons to get her moving that fast, and he caught the expression as she looked at Rook's lack of booze and chimed in with a casually amused tone of voice. 

[color=lightblue]"Well that is an absolute shame to hear Sab, you know the rules I'm afraid. No smokes, no brews. Now if she wants to strike a deal I'd be more than happy to hear her out."[/color]

Of course once the briefing started proper, von Brandt was focused and listening to the orders as they came down from up top. Drop in with the rest of the conventional forces, meet up with supply and set up a FOB, start launching sorties into the city to snag them a nanoforge. Help the 5th along the way, mind, but they were considered expendable in the face of the capturing the nanoforge. Not a pleasant order to receive, but needs must when war called. Even if it left the 5th holding the bag in a possible very compromising position. Kilmer asked about air cover, and the display shifted, giving them the expected OpFor. More of the same, with some aerospace fighter support as well. No signs of any more nasty surprises like Fafnir, but there was no indication of it either until it had turned a ship into an impromptu mass grave. Head on a swivel at all times, as always, then. A question to confirm friendlies were secondary to the primary objective, and Sabine jumped in to, for once, actually be a serious, if still light, influence. Also suggested sneaking off to play hero, which got a snort from von Brandt.

[color=lightblue]"All that being said, we have an objective for a reason Sab. Being fast and agile enough to go running off to play big damn hero is all fine and well, long as it doesn't happen at the wrong time. All part of the good old 'mission-type tactics'. But I'm not in charge, so whatever you decide kid, make sure your ready to answer if it goes south. No questions here, Secutor just got greenlit for deployment. Even got a fresh coat of paint in over the supplemental armor."[/color]

While Sab had made some, in his eye, joking attempt to not be overheard, von Brandt just spoke candidly. Sure you heard stories about heroic chassis pilots hurtling in at the eleventh hour to bail out a faltering front line, or shore up a desperate last stand, but what you heard far less often was the eleventh hour hero getting core'd by a waiting sniper, or the reinforcements doing little more than delay the inevitable order to break off an attack and withdraw. He wouldn't begrudge anyone wanting to save allied lives, if they didn't have any other objectives he'd be happy to lay into reinforcing the 5th wherever he could. He might even suggest having some indirect fire options sent down to the FOB to mount onto the Secutor if things dragged out long enough. It was a point of pride for him, he could pretty much have the entire weapons loadout of the Secutor changed on a whim, it took extremely well to widely varied equipment choices as needed. That being said, it was time to deploy again, and this time it would be from orbit, going feet first into the thick of it. Heading for the Secutor, the scissor lift was waiting, technician bringing him up to the raised cockpit, looking like the old girl hadn't taken a single scratch in the last sortie.

[i]"I'd ask you to go easy on taking hits Sir, but your even worse planet side than you are in zero g."[/i]

[color=lightblue]"Guilty as charged, I'll see what I can do. No promises though."[/color]

Scrambling into the cockpit, von Brandt settled into the seat and strapped in, watching all systems go from stand by to fully online. Decoupling from ship power, the reactor surged as it took up full strain, von Brandt instinctively fiddling with the settings and controls to fine tune the order in which each system came online. Rabbit was first to lock into the atmospheric shields, vocally complaining about them before reporting she was ready. Rhino was next, stepping onto a larger set that were specifically designed for larger Heavy class chassis, watching a new display indicator light up, showing the condition and good links on each of the Secutor's feet to the atmospheric shields. 

[color=lightblue]"They aren't that bad Rabbit, pack enough tonnage and you barely notice them. Rhino, set."[/color]

Rabbit brought up Targovo, and the unshielded drop into atmosphere that they got saddled with for the sake of blitzing a VIP extraction. He would be lying if trying to fly Secutor at full combat load through re-entry without any external shielding hadn't been a challenging experience, but given the near blackened exterior of Secutor proved to have some serious shock value among the Coalition forces when he hauled the chassis out of the crater he made after his loosely controlled impact. Turns out Vulture had part of it right when it came to the speed and shock value of dropping without shielding, but since they were using an orbital assault as cover, well, dropping without would stand out like a sore thumb rather than have the element of surprise. 

[color=lightblue]"Don't bring that up around my techs, it took nearly a week to talk them down from repainting the Secutor like it looked coming out of the crater. It was a good time otherwise. I swear though, we run into megafauna now that you bring it up, its on you to keep them clear."[/color]