DarkRecon

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai had understood what Lorenzo had said to some extent and had taken her seat at the end of the meeting. Hearing who her new superiors were, she had merely saluted and left the meeting room.

Now, she was in her assigned room in the barracks area. She decided it was best to hit the books now. After all, in her mind, she was becoming inefficient...at first, she felt it was the other pilots doing it simply by being around them. But now, she thought it was simply the "environment".

Where she was trained, the environment wasn't..."calm". It was more like "tense" to the point that you were always ready for a fight. Either that or you had a mental breakdown. Again, it was "cruel" by normal standards but some things she learned were sadly true in the war with the Cruxi.

"Normal" was kind of subjective in this world now.

Looking through the books on her desk, she then spotted something. It was an iPhone of sorts with a red casing on it's rims. Knowing that perhaps her certain matience member most likely left it there for her, she turned it on.

She had a text message.

Looking at it, it said the following:

Hello Seven. Hope your doing ok. Just a heads-up though. Professor Lorenzo might pay you a visit. I think he may talk to you about that syncho rate spike you had during the mock battle. I know how you feel about "that" but try not to give your superior trouble. - Rick

Mai just shook her head. So what she saw briefly during that battle wasn't some random hallunciation....

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai quietly watched as everything went down...obviously, emotions got the better of a few. And sadly, one paid a high price. Yet ANOTHER pilot goes down.

...maybe I'm not the only inefficient one here, Mai thought.

But it was the way Lorenzo's perhaps inhuman response time to Ryan's attack that got her attention. Clearly, that alone suggested that Lorenzo was more than just a scientist...the way he reacted...the strength he possessed...the way he suddenly changed from a Professor lecturing his students while eating a sunde to trained soldier in her opinion...

"Is there anyone else who would like to test their luck? We can either stand here and do this all day, or I'll announce the squad leader. Your choice."

"...I will as you say "test my luck" sir", Mai droned all of a sudden.

Not even waiting for an order to do so, Mai stood up from her seat, at attention then walked up to the front of the room approaching Lorenzo. Perhaps getting some stares from the other framework pilots. Yes, what she was doing was flat out insuborniation but for Mai, there was something that she wanted to see for herself.

Even if it means she got seriously hurt in the process...or worse...but Lorenzo's rapid movement...she had seen it before. Only in her previous frameworks division. But...only highly skilled framework pilots who had seen lots of combat had those kind of reaction time and speed. But perhaps she was wrong..."dead" wrong perhaps. But she needed to be sure. Especially...if she was going to take orders from him.

"...sir...throw me out of this division if you must...but I need to evaluate you. What I saw just now...I wish to see again", Mai droned.

That's when Mai suddenly got into a defensive hand-to-hand stance, right there in front of him.

"...attack me sir", Mai droned.

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai sat as the Professor gave out his final analysis of the mock battle. As he started, Mai already knew she had failed. This environment was different than what she was used to. But she should have expected this. This frameworks division operated on a different set of rules unlike the more..."extreme" methods employed from her previous division. Still, Professor Lorenzo did have a mean streak like certain other high ranking individuals who she trained under but unlike them, he had SOME shread of compassion despite the failed mock battle mission. Though that depended on the pilot.

Then, he addressed her.

"Twilight! The purpose of an operation is that you operate, not sit around on your ass and spectate the others like a mindless robot! You have vocal chords as a deliberate process of evolution, use them! I don't care if you have to growl and bark like an animal to communicate with the others as long as you do it! If I wanted a mindless robot, I would have built myself one with better AI, and not loan a piece of junk from those short-sighted fools who can't even terminate a project properly, let alone work on one! Still, you did show capability for teamwork and proper combat skills, but it was too little too late. Next time, you'll have to be more interactive from the very start, and not after a warm-up!"

"...yes sir", Mai droned with a salute from her seat before letting her hand drop to her lap. It was as she thought though. She lacked the things she thought she did: Drive, Emotion, Synenergy. But more important, she didn't follow her own instincts nor did she keep her cool when she thought the other pilots were "rubbing off" on her. When she was trained before, acting without any direct order was insuborniation. Even if your being shot at, you engage when ordered to.

Rather obviously, THAT needed to change here...well at least slightly. She still had to follow orders. Just not to an extreme such as WAITING for the order to be given. When necessary, she needed to trust herself...and speak her mind when needed to like Lorenzo said.

She decided to hold any questions till the others have spoken. At the moment, she didn't really have any questions to begin with.

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Still here...and hey, I did see a post that Mai's Sync rate went up by three? So I should change that to 73% now?

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai was about to move out of Zone E after the Anzu's escape when her Setsuka suddenly lost power. Immedately understanding, she merely braced herself and even twisted her mech in a way so that it fell back first into the ground.

After the hit, she kept her eyes closed...waiting...then the comm line came on...

"Attention all Cadets, the mock battle is hereby over... you all performed as I expected you to do, which isn't saying much. Others performed better than I expected them to! Oh, and one more thing... You all failed the mock battle. Reflect on your failure while you wait", the individual said with a laugh.

"...Understood sir...Mission failed...", Mai droned in the open comm link.

...and I deserve it...I became inefficient..., Mai thought to herself.

Opening the cockpit, Mai climbed out and simply sat on the torso of the Setsuka, still in her pilot suit and black helmit though the "visor" part was a red color. She did check two things there were in place as well in the cockpit. Something she hid under the pilot's seat where no one, not even her team of scientists and engineers, never thought about looking before this whole mock battle started.

Mai had just strapped a utility belt of sorts on her waist. On it were a few pouches that held some nutrition bars, a bottle of water, a synringe with some unknown medication in it. But what stood out more were the hostler holding a pistol and another holding a combat knife. It wasn't a "live" mission but even for something like this, Mai always felt it prudent to be prepared even if others thought it wasn't necessary.

Hearing that there will be a pick-up, Mai simply continued to sit there, eyes closed...as if trying to be aware of her surroundings.

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Well what surprised me was Mai not getting much of anything. Sure, due to her quiet and "drone" like persona, she would go unnoticed but...yeah...even when she broke silence and challenged anyone on a open comm link, no one responded to her. It's only when she started acting rash did she finally get attention...her mech head being blown in half -_____-' *sweatdrop*

Also. I wanted to ask Ariamis about a possible plot device for MUCH later depending on how far this RP goes. Basically, it involves perhaps an internal conflict with Mai's old instructor slash scientist that handled the previous frameworks division before it disbanded. Problem there is that you didn't want any "human bad guys" or any bad guys in general so I wasn't sure if such a plot device would be even considered. Just a thought but I better wait and see how this all goes first.

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Uh regarding the recent post...how did the Anzu get from Zone E to A in one post? Or did I read the map wrong somewhere...

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai tried to get a shot but the Anzu's diversion tatic proved effective. Mai didn't even bother shooting since it would mean wasting ammo.

That's when Mai made a decision...a decision that she was prepared and trained for...

"...Archer. Rose. I shall be live bait...I leave the rest to you both...mission accepted", Mai droned on the line.

Breaking cover, Mai thrusted into the debris and as she did, briefly saw the Anzu's retreat before losing track of it again.

NOW walking towards the Anzu's general area based on where she last saw it and Archer's spot calls, she kept her magnum pistols at the ready...

Even if she knew she might not even get a shot off...

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Checking in...I'm also thinking about Mai getting shot up as a desperate attempt for the Rose to get into melee range.

Hearts of Metal: A Giant Robot/Mecha RP

Mai continued to wait. She knew the Anzu was still nearby, ready with it's rifle. More than likely, waiting for her to pop the other half of her mech's head out of cover to get a fix on him as well as another opportunity to shoot her.

She also knew the combat field had now narrowed dramatically. As far as she knew, there were only four of them left. Mai couldn't be sure since her sensors were damaged. Still...that pain...of being shot...was nothing new for her.

Then, she received a transmission.

"Mai, I'm going try to see if I can spot the Anzu from the top of Zone G. Be ready to react accordingly."

And just like that, she was suddenly looped in with temporary allies. Mai didn't like it but since she had a feeling the higher up's wanted her to "play nice" with team members...she decided to put up with it.

"...inefficient. You'll be shot in an instant and I'm "Seven", not Mai", Mai droned on the line.

That's when she looked towards Zone G and spotted the Archer framework at the top. Then, she heard it's pilot call in the coordinates for the Anzu before it also started launching it's attack.

Seeing this, Mai deactivated the T-link system, the green glow from the Setsuka's hands going out. She did managed to maintain her Syncho Rate despite the damage but she was now over relying on it. Time to switch weapons.

Now drawing her two Magnum pistols from the Setsuka's hip sides, she broke cover and looked in the direction that Archer's pilot had spotted the Anzu. Pointing her two weapons as best she could due to half the Setsuka's head being blown off, she waited for the Archer's attack to cease before she took her shot.

At that moment, Mai knew the risks since that the Anzu was most likely focused on her but with the Archer now calling "spot" locations with visuals and it's recon drones, Anzu had two targets to worry about. And with the Archer's attack, she hoped that it'll at least give her the time she needed to line up her shots since she was, as stated, damaged goods...