Stitches

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Hey man, not your fault. If you want to hop in on this post and make it a collab DM me, I'll get you the link.

I'd prefer to avoid a restart if possible. If anything, a GM post/Ingram post would work better; like bazmund said, funnel people towards orientation. In that case I'd prefer to do a Collab with Hawthorne and get the property damage sorted out then move on with the RP.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

The posts have been very hard to write for. Thus far we've had to make our own start and Hawthorne left a closed question which gave us very little to work with for something of Advanced quantity. That said, I've actually got a post in a doc with me, Dino and Bazmund in it; we're just waiting for anyone else to post and we've been trying to pad it out but I can post it as is if you're not fussed about length.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

@Hawthorne added a little something on the end of our post to sink your teeth into. Sorry about lack of formatting I'm no good at it and I'm on my phone

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

«You ffffucking ape! You absolute idiot!»

Two of the three Savionians of the Seventh were out on Horizon Point, truly living up to the prestigious expectations of their squad's reputation; a ratty little blonde thing in a rapidly dampening jumpsuit had her hand over the pressurised jet of water bursting out of a drinking fountain that was partially bent away from the wall. As she clumsily tried to alleviate the situation, a bulky behemoth of a man stood silently a few paces away from the splash zone and watched. They spoke in Savonian; a difficult language to master at the best of times, were it not spoken by a foreigner and a northerner with strong and vastly different dialects between them. «I know your speciality is property damage but you're supposed to do this to the Coalition water fountains! Not the--ackpphfhphphf--the fucking pit stop on our way home!» the girl shouted and reared back as a more powerful stream of water clocked her square in the jaw, soaking her hair.

The bulkier man was at a loss. He stared at the water fountain in disbelief as he tried to figure out how to stop the endless stream of drinking water from soaking up more of the tiles. «Just leave it! Ever heard of walking away?»

«Even if I did humour the notion, don't you think there's security cameras in every possible inch of the station? We made the mess, we clean it up! Simple as!» Abigail snapped back as she used her shoulder to shunt the water fountain upright against the wall. The water burbled out of the edges. «Maybe... maybe we grab an engineer? Maybe we should go grab Dieuseul? Can Dieuseul fix a water fountain?»

«This is their fault in the first place! You think they know how to fix this if they can’t even get it to work?!» he grunted as he finally helped her with the heavy lifting, stuffing the busted water fountain back into whatever socket he had 'accidentally' ripped it out of.
«There! Now leave it for the janitors to mop up!»

«If you just used the button like a normal person, then...» Abigail sighed. She was sopping wet. «Let's just…get something warm in us before we head back,» she suggested.

Horizon Point didn't have the most luxurious of gastronomic venues out in its food court but a diner called Tommy's had become a regular haunt for their generous portion sizes and simple but delicious recipes. There was also an air of discretion in the diner. They respected the stripes of the 101st to the point where they didn't ask questions, not even when Abigail squelched as she crossed the threshold and sat down. She ordered herself a coffee and a burger with extra fries. Jakunta only ordered a coffee.

«What will you do with your time off?» Jakunta asked, gently cupping his mug as he stared at the girl.

«The usual! Victory tour, talking with kids, celebrating...» Abigail flashed a hollow smile and leant back in her chair. «Ain't easy being a hero, after all.»

«If it ain’t the job it’s going to be you that does you in.»

«And what do you mean by that?» Abigail was half listening; the food arrived but the burger had enough stopping power to keep her quiet, for now.

«Means you need to find a better way of utilising your holidays. You ever heard of R n’ R?»

«I thought that counts as R & R,» Abigail responded blandly. Her expression was blank and not at all excited at the prospect of going home but she hid her discomfort behind a burger.

«Learn to breathe, would you?» he raised his mug, slurping it. «Come to the cabin on one of these breaks. Nice change of pace.»

«You sure? It's... your place. Y'know. Not for other people.» Abigail squirmed, looking sheepishly at the pile of cooling fries as she guzzled her coffee.

«I’m offering it to you. Not your troupé.» he took another sip of his coffee, licking at his moustache right after with both hands still clasping the mug.

Abigail picked at her fries. «So...I can go now, then? We could just go as soon as we're on leave? And you don't care about it getting untidy with me around?»

«There’s some basic rules you’d have to follow.» he nodded, lowering his mug and resting the back of his palm on the table, counting starting with his thumb: «One. No talk between the hours of five and eight in the morning. Two. We hunt our own food.»

Abigail snickered. «Why five and eight in particular?»

«Because usually there’s zero talking. It’s the only compromise I can think of for someone like you.» he raised to stroke some of his whiskers out of the way for another sip of his coffee.

Abigail smiled at her plate. «Okay. Yeah. I'd... I'd like that. Let's do that.»

It was quiet for a little while. Only the sound of cutlery and general murmur of chatter interspersed the silence.

«Okay no but we definitely need to get that fountain fixed.»

«Will you quit talking about the fountain?»

«I am - quite literally - walking around red-handed here.»

Jakunta rubbed his face with his hand wearily.

In around ten minutes, the west wing of the station had a large puddle and the two Savionians walked (or, in Abigail's case, squelched) back to the Roanoke and peeked their heads into the hangar bay. Jakunta had left to get a drink of water, Abigail followed, and now they came back after a significant amount of time and Abigail was still unpleasantly damp with wet hair. Her eyes lighted upon Dieuseul and a familiar, awful, chipper gaptooth grin crept on her face. "Bobbert," she greeted him. Jakunta loomed behind her like a big hairy shadow. "Out of curiosity, what's your take on...general maintenance of infrastructure? Specifically, there's -" she gesticulated vaguely with her hands, "- a slight leak in the west wing that may, or may not, be attributed to the Seventh."

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Baz is in exam hell atm but me and Dino will carry things until then. Our post is 90% done, we paused to make sure the sheet was given the greenlight and will finish it soon.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Thanks for the clear-up, I think I was expecting the basic closed introduction post with a clear cut idea on what to do. It's better that this is more open ended imo. I'll work on a post now.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Pilot Profile

Without EVA suit

Appearance: Lanky, short and oddly proportioned, with large bony hands and knobbly knees. Abigail isn’t what you’d call a pretty blonde, blue-eyed girl. She looks a bit ratty. She looks younger than she is, trapped in some weird pubescent mid-development phase that her parents probably promised she’d grow out of. She’s got a gap between her two front teeth that you can fit a card into. She has scars all over, notably a burn scar on her left forearm, a ragged cut on the side of her neck, all sorts of abrasion marks all over and a sealed bullet hole near her right kidney.
Name: Harlow, Abigail
Age: 21
Callsign: Pipsqueak
Kills: 2

Psychological Analysis: Rambunctious. Abigail has this habit of using humour to cope, chatting incessantly - in both languages - cracking jokes and trying to keep morale up. As one of the youngest in the 101st she can come off as naïve from time to time but carries a weight and presence of character that seeps through her goofy exterior and hints at why she's in the team in the first place. She's naive and not always the brightest but makes up for it by second guessing herself, correcting and learning from mistakes.

Most prominent is her tenacity. Abigail isn't as patriotic as she is stubborn to keep going, even if it endangers her. Hard working, loyal and willing to do jobs most deem disgusting, she's a valuable asset in that sense. That said, she's wet behind the ears. She's seen a lot for her age but hasn't been put in morally straining situations and there's still speculation as to whether she'll be able to stomach the most ruthless parts of the job. She oozes potential, though, with an almost innate ability to predict and react to situations without thinking and has worked well under the physical and metaphorical pressure she's been put into so far.

Abigail doesn't have a lot going for her back home so she's bonding pretty quickly with the rest of the team and holds a lot of admiration towards the UEE. Her connection to Jakunta and Aleks in particular is no doubt being manipulated to maintain her steadfast loyalty and push her to her limits. She's still got a lot of the galaxy to see and an eagerness to see it all before the inevitable crash and burn that awaits all MAS pilots worth their salt.

Personal Record:
Abigail was a born and bred Savonian in the northernmost ice flats of Jaatikar; a denizen out of a few thousand living in one of the remote but highly profitable Savonite mines that follow a seam through a glacier. The output is low compared to some of the high production mines in the mainland but the purity, due to being interspersed in the ice, is incredibly high. The community is tight knit but deeply impoverished with a high mortality rate. To survive in the ice flats, you needed steady footing and quick reaction times. The shale burrowers that lurked underneath the surface would often be a nuisance to the settlement and the sea was a black expanse of megafauna so incomprehensibly large and dangerous that you were better off taking an aircraft to the mainland - and these didn't arrive often, and when they did, they were full of supply payloads for the settlers.

As a result Abigail grew up with regular shortages and a devil-may-care approach to making friends, knowing full well they could one day fall off the scaffolding or freeze outdoors or get eaten by a monumental burrowing worm. But northerners were known for their camaraderie and high spirits - a survival instinct developed against the overwhelming dreariness of their home. They helped each other and learnt very quickly. They had an honour code to uphold. They were hard working, proud people. They had their own customs and rituals, perhaps not to the extent of a Krellian but minor superstitions that helped them cope with the nigh-intolerable conditions.

By all accounts, it's uncharacteristic of the northerners to take to the Coalition's takeover so naturally. But the records do not lie - the Coalition took over the ice flats first and worked their way into the mainland, cutting off the most inhospitable regions first to prevent the locals from using these areas as pockets of resistance. In truth, Abigail is always quick to remind people that the Coalition were shooting down their supply deliveries and forcing the locals to capitulate in exchange for food and medicine. Because of how infrequently they were monitored by the mainland government, Abigail’s mining colony was the first to fall and one of the more prominent losses.

Life under the Coalition was confusing. On the one hand, they were treated to more luxuries but worked harder than ever before. Drugs and crime began to spike. A red light district began to form. People turned to alcohol and narcotics to cope with the chill because the usual parties and celebrations were cut due to longer working hours. The ice flats were broken under the Coalition and changed in a matter of months. There were still sceptics lurking amongst the ice-encrusted railings, people who noticed the change early on and banded together to try and prevent what was happening - then, to disrupt production in any way they can - then, to simply survive in the new rule.

Abigail lost her father to a work accident when she was little and her mother had a severe limp due to a childhood injury which prevented her from working the mines. In order to provide for her mother, Abigail gave up on schooling early to work in one of the refinement factories in the ice flats. She became accustomed to working with older people, mainly blue collar adults and tried her best to fit in whilst monopolising on her youthful innocence. She was The Kid. And if it made these grizzled bastards feel a little better about themselves when they snuck her a pepparkakor or a cigarette, or when they’d infantilize her and go to irrational lengths to keep her safe from the other grizzled bastards, then where’s the harm in playing along?

Abigail’s position in the Ice Flats became even more tenuous and difficult to maintain when the Coalition moved in. She’d been promoted from ‘plucky young labourer’ to ‘symbol of Jaatikar’s community spirit’, as it took a village to raise Abigail and all eyes of the village were on her. She kept going to the factory because she needed the money and even less people were able to provide handouts. She looked the other way when meetings were carried out in the boiler room, and feigned obliviousness when it came to unmarked packages near the factory’s generator. When the sabotages occurred and the fights broke out, Abigail made her decision - and in the simmering aftermath of one of many failed attempts by the locals to retake the colony from the Coalition, she started to join the insurgents. She delivered correspondence and hid ammunition in crates of Savonite. She was hardly privy to the plans of the movement in general but took odd jobs from those that were In The Know and didn’t ask questions. The less Abigail knew, the better it was for everyone. By this point she was still very young (though not young enough to be turned away as a labourer by the Coalition) and didn’t fully grasp the scope of what was being attempted, nor the consequences of being involved. Her mother was kept in the dark about her participation in the movement.

When the UEE finally launched a co-ordinated assault to recapture Savonia from the Coalition, the 101st were sent north as they were best equipped for a guerilla attack in very unfavourable conditions. They initially took the port town of Luminsky and worked their way towards Jaatikar with the help of the fishermen there. But the Coalition were forewarned of their approach and came prepared, mingling soldiers of their own in civilian clothing and muddling the lines between insurgent, bystander and coalition soldier. It was a confusing, bloody affair that ultimately worked itself out as the northerners who sided with the Coalition were just as unwelcome as the Coalition itself. Jaatikar’s population had been almost halved by the assault and there were a lot of families with dead relatives, strangers with dead friends and parents with dead children.

One of the noteworthy reports from the assault on Jaatikar was the attack on the refinement factory. In order to stall production and exportation of Savonite to the Coalition, the UEE took the blow of demolishing the factory’s machinery to lure out Coalition soldiers and MAS reinforcements under the assumption that when Savonia was rid of the Coalition, the locals would have enough time and resources to rebuild. As always, it was Aleksanderin and Jakunta who helped organise the rebels and lead them in for the assault. Tangentially, Abigail was one of the insurgents who placed the charges under the generator and distillery. The explosion caused the soldiers to retaliate faster than the 101st had anticipated and fired upon the evacuating workers. During this time Jakunta was shot in the back of the leg and shattered his kneecap. Abigail, who had kept out of the gunfire and closer to the wings of the factory, rushed out to help Jakunta to safety. They retreated to Jakunta’ MAS. The sustained blood loss and urgency of the wound left Jakunta in an unsavoury position; without covering fire the Coalition would continue to gun down the civilians but there was a very real chance of irreparable damage or severe blood loss if he tried to pilot his MAS to aid the retreat. Whilst tending to his injury, Jakunta instructed the girl on how to activate the MAS’ defences and aim above the battle to fire upon the factory. The chaos of the artillery fire, rubble and noise gave the locals plenty of time to retreat and the 101st regrouped to rout the Coalition forces.

Marked by the local UEE division as an act of Exceptional Service, Abigail’s actions that day were used as something of a propaganda stunt to inspire the locals down in the Mainlands. When Savonia fell under UEE control she was rewarded with fully subsidised academic training to become a MAS pilot of her own. She accepted after encouragement from her mother and her peers, only to find out that her remaining parent died of complications from injuries sustained in the assault. Abigail’s education was shaken by this event and it held her back from graduation. In the wake of her mother’s funeral she reached out to Jakunta and Aleksanderin via electronic mail, using the address that Jakunta provided after the assault. They became penpals and Abigail found sources of comfort with a way to process her grief.

Abigail was inducted into the 101st upon recommendation from the two Savonians. Whilst her merit spoke for itself, the added bonus of her strong bonds with two of the crew and the lack of relatives back home were strong incentives that could be used to make a very loyal soldier. Her training was altered as a result of this decision as they used her experiences to produce a more fitting MAS and role in the division; a mixture of reconnaissance and evasive tactics designed to harass, flummox and disorient the 101st’s targets enough for the professionals to come in and finish the job. She responded well to the test runs of the Kolibri and even enjoyed certain parts of the ordeal, such as the High-G training and simulations. Since joining the division she has two confirmed kills, though both are marked down as finishing blows after heavy fire from her comrades.

Equipment: Standard military affair aside, Abigail has two particular pieces of equipment she keeps on her person at all times: a EVA suit and an encrypted data pad. The suit is a custom build that accompanies her MAS; it plugs in to charge in the cockpit (but has standardised UEE sockets for ease of access) and wraps around Abigail's jumpsuit when she sits down and powers the helmet. This provides assistance to tolerate the centrifugal forces she experiences, has its own O2 mask and Comms unit built in and is designed to withstand the vacuum of space for up to three hours with limited movement via weak thrusters in the back. The data pad is more of a tablet than anything else but it functions like a modern smartphone device and is primarily used to access Full Echo data and for her own personal leisure. She carries a wireless portable speaker to blast the tunes she's downloaded on it as well.

Personally assigned into Abigail's kit list are a set of combat stimulants , typically derivatives of amphetamines, that are administered through a device similar to an epi-pen. They help her intracerebral blood pressure remain stable and keep her alert enough to handle long endurance combat scenarios but make her aggressive with powerful mood swings, teeth grinding and bouts of paranoia. They are to be administered on the pilot's discretion and only when she feels it's necessary to do so. Since her induction into the 101st, she's only used combat stimulants twice in the dozens of missions she's been on - both times she recorded the date and time of dosage as well as alerting her crew of its use.

MAS Profile

Appearance: Designed to look identical to a UEE Sparrow MAS, the only notable exception that identifies this machine in appearance is the MAS designation and serial number are printed.
Designation: Kolibri C-90
Role: Scout
Chassis: Light
Description: Officially recognised as an altered version of the popular Sparrow MAS fitted with state of the art surveillance systems for scouting unfamiliar territory, the Kolibri's true purpose is a gutted, repurposed MAS made to counter, harass and frighten most Light and medium MAS away from the bulk of the 101st forces and into their line of fire. The use of high end targeting systems, radar and sophisticated boosters comes at the cost of its armour, relying upon the skill of the pilot to keep it out of trouble. It still functions as a data gathering unit out of combat to provide the 101st with detailed information ranging from the composition of a planet's atmosphere, a topographic map and infrared imaging software - to name a few.
Systems: Countermeasure System: - Countermeasure systems are often used by lighter MAS's to avoid missiles instead of using body mounted machine guns to intercept them. Using chaff and flares, countermeasure systems have limited number of uses before needing to rearm. Countermeasures do not take up a utility system slot. The countermeasure system on the Kolibri can be manually activated in a pinch to provide distractions and disorient enemies.

Smart-Target AI (Utility): - By improving or replacing the standard MAS computer with a Smart Targeting AI, MAS's can now rapidly acquire multiple targets simultaneously, making 'blind firing' more accurate and providing an edge in close ranged combat.

Full Echo Surveillance Suite (Utility): - State of the art technology has created a sophisticated system of radars and scanners installed deep behind the chassis of the Kolibri. Slow and cumbersome to activate in combat, this utility system can be interfaced with to update the 101st's data on a location and its inhabitants. The energy it uses disables the thrusters entirely, leaving the Kolibri grounded during its surveillance. The longer Full Echo is left on and the more ground covered during the scans, the more comprehensive the results. Sustained use of the system can result in overheating of the MAS.

Faedvir Omnidirectional B67 Thrusters (Utility): - FO-B67 thrusters emphasize manoeuvrability over sheer speed. Interfacing with the Smart-Target AI system and manual controls from the pilot, these thrusters require a light touch and quick reaction times. Whilst only marginally faster than a standard light MAS in vertical or horizontal flight, the FO-B67 allows the Kolibri to perform aerial manoeuvres around its targets and avoid incoming projectiles.

M90C 30mm Autocannon Carbine (Primary): - A cut down version of the standard M90 autocannon. the M90C fires 30mm armor piercing incendiary shells from a 100 round box magazine. The M90C has semi-automatic, 5-round burst, and fully automatic firing modes, and has a fire rate of 900 RPM. Up to 4 additional box magazines are stored within compartments in the Kolibri's thighs, but it has been fitted with 2 extra hollow point magazines under the wings to compensate for the removed claymore missiles and underslug micro-missiles.

M15 Heat Knife (Secondary): - A smaller, lightweight version of the M16 without as much oomph as its descendent, the M15 is a smaller blade with dual-edged heating elements. Best used in sharp stabbing motions against other MAS in weak spots for messy damage, but otherwise incapable of piercing a chassis without multiple blows. Far more effective against lighter targets.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

I'm a little confused as to who we're playing. The premise says this:

"We the players will play the role of the 7th MAS (Mobile Armor Suit) Squadron, a unit from the United Earth Empire's 101st Mobile Armor Legion, as they return to friendly space from a long and grueling campaign and prepare to go home."

But the post seems to imply we're the new pilots. Furthermore, it sounds like these new pilots haven't seen eachother, let alone fought together. Could you clarify this so we can get a post going?

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

Alright here's Pipsqueak, gonna get back to helping the other two finish up their sheets

Pilot Profile

Without EVA suit

Appearance: Lanky, short and oddly proportioned, with large bony hands and knobbly knees. Abigail isn’t what you’d call a pretty blonde, blue-eyed girl. She looks a bit ratty. She looks younger than she is, trapped in some weird pubescent mid-development phase that her parents probably promised she’d grow out of. She’s got a gap between her two front teeth that you can fit a card into. She has scars all over, notably a burn scar on her left forearm, a ragged cut on the side of her neck, all sorts of abrasion marks all over and a sealed bullet hole near her right kidney.
Name: Harlow, Abigail
Age: 21
Callsign: Pipsqueak
Kills: 2

Psychological Analysis: Rambunctious. Abigail has this habit of using humour to cope, chatting incessantly - in both languages - cracking jokes and trying to keep morale up. As one of the youngest in the 101st she can come off as naïve from time to time but carries a weight and presence of character that seeps through her goofy exterior and hints at why she's in the team in the first place. She's naive and not always the brightest but makes up for it by second guessing herself, correcting and learning from mistakes.

Most prominent is her tenacity. Abigail isn't as patriotic as she is stubborn to keep going, even if it endangers her. Hard working, loyal and willing to do jobs most deem disgusting, she's a valuable asset in that sense. That said, she's wet behind the ears. She's seen a lot for her age but hasn't been put in morally straining situations and there's still speculation as to whether she'll be able to stomach the most ruthless parts of the job. She oozes potential, though, with an almost innate ability to predict and react to situations without thinking and has worked well under the physical and metaphorical pressure she's been put into so far.

Abigail doesn't have a lot going for her back home so she's bonding pretty quickly with the rest of the team and holds a lot of admiration towards the UEE. Her connection to Jakunta and Aleks in particular is no doubt being manipulated to maintain her steadfast loyalty and push her to her limits. She's still got a lot of the galaxy to see and an eagerness to see it all before the inevitable crash and burn that awaits all MAS pilots worth their salt.

Personal Record:
Abigail was a born and bred Savonian in the northernmost ice flats of Jaatikar; a denizen out of a few thousand living in one of the remote but highly profitable Savonite mines that follow a seam through a glacier. The output is low compared to some of the high production mines in the mainland but the purity, due to being interspersed in the ice, is incredibly high. The community is tight knit but deeply impoverished with a high mortality rate. To survive in the ice flats, you needed steady footing and quick reaction times. The shale burrowers that lurked underneath the surface would often be a nuisance to the settlement and the sea was a black expanse of megafauna so incomprehensibly large and dangerous that you were better off taking an aircraft to the mainland - and these didn't arrive often, and when they did, they were full of supply payloads for the settlers.

As a result Abigail grew up with regular shortages and a devil-may-care approach to making friends, knowing full well they could one day fall off the scaffolding or freeze outdoors or get eaten by a monumental burrowing worm. But northerners were known for their camaraderie and high spirits - a survival instinct developed against the overwhelming dreariness of their home. They helped each other and learnt very quickly. They had an honour code to uphold. They were hard working, proud people. They had their own customs and rituals, perhaps not to the extent of a Krellian but minor superstitions that helped them cope with the nigh-intolerable conditions.

By all accounts, it's uncharacteristic of the northerners to take to the Coalition's takeover so naturally. But the records do not lie - the Coalition took over the ice flats first and worked their way into the mainland, cutting off the most inhospitable regions first to prevent the locals from using these areas as pockets of resistance. In truth, Abigail is always quick to remind people that the Coalition were shooting down their supply deliveries and forcing the locals to capitulate in exchange for food and medicine. Because of how infrequently they were monitored by the mainland government, Abigail’s mining colony was the first to fall and one of the more prominent losses.

Life under the Coalition was confusing. On the one hand, they were treated to more luxuries but worked harder than ever before. Drugs and crime began to spike. A red light district began to form. People turned to alcohol and narcotics to cope with the chill because the usual parties and celebrations were cut due to longer working hours. The ice flats were broken under the Coalition and changed in a matter of months. There were still sceptics lurking amongst the ice-encrusted railings, people who noticed the change early on and banded together to try and prevent what was happening - then, to disrupt production in any way they can - then, to simply survive in the new rule.

Abigail lost her father to a work accident when she was little and her mother had a severe limp due to a childhood injury which prevented her from working the mines. In order to provide for her mother, Abigail gave up on schooling early to work in one of the refinement factories in the ice flats. She became accustomed to working with older people, mainly blue collar adults and tried her best to fit in whilst monopolising on her youthful innocence. She was The Kid. And if it made these grizzled bastards feel a little better about themselves when they snuck her a pepparkakor or a cigarette, or when they’d infantilize her and go to irrational lengths to keep her safe from the other grizzled bastards, then where’s the harm in playing along?

Abigail’s position in the Ice Flats became even more tenuous and difficult to maintain when the Coalition moved in. She’d been promoted from ‘plucky young labourer’ to ‘symbol of Jaatikar’s community spirit’, as it took a village to raise Abigail and all eyes of the village were on her. She kept going to the factory because she needed the money and even less people were able to provide handouts. She looked the other way when meetings were carried out in the boiler room, and feigned obliviousness when it came to unmarked packages near the factory’s generator. When the sabotages occurred and the fights broke out, Abigail made her decision - and in the simmering aftermath of one of many failed attempts by the locals to retake the colony from the Coalition, she started to join the insurgents. She delivered correspondence and hid ammunition in crates of Savonite. She was hardly privy to the plans of the movement in general but took odd jobs from those that were In The Know and didn’t ask questions. The less Abigail knew, the better it was for everyone. By this point she was still very young (though not young enough to be turned away as a labourer by the Coalition) and didn’t fully grasp the scope of what was being attempted, nor the consequences of being involved. Her mother was kept in the dark about her participation in the movement.

When the UEE finally launched a co-ordinated assault to recapture Savonia from the Coalition, the 101st were sent north as they were best equipped for a guerilla attack in very unfavourable conditions. They initially took the port town of Luminsky and worked their way towards Jaatikar with the help of the fishermen there. But the Coalition were forewarned of their approach and came prepared, mingling soldiers of their own in civilian clothing and muddling the lines between insurgent, bystander and coalition soldier. It was a confusing, bloody affair that ultimately worked itself out as the northerners who sided with the Coalition were just as unwelcome as the Coalition itself. Jaatikar’s population had been almost halved by the assault and there were a lot of families with dead relatives, strangers with dead friends and parents with dead children.

One of the noteworthy reports from the assault on Jaatikar was the attack on the refinement factory. In order to stall production and exportation of Savonite to the Coalition, the UEE took the blow of demolishing the factory’s machinery to lure out Coalition soldiers and MAS reinforcements under the assumption that when Savonia was rid of the Coalition, the locals would have enough time and resources to rebuild. As always, it was Aleksanderin and Jakunta who helped organise the rebels and lead them in for the assault. Tangentially, Abigail was one of the insurgents who placed the charges under the generator and distillery. The explosion caused the soldiers to retaliate faster than the 101st had anticipated and fired upon the evacuating workers. During this time Jakunta was shot in the back of the leg and shattered his kneecap. Abigail, who had kept out of the gunfire and closer to the wings of the factory, rushed out to help Jakunta to safety. They retreated to Jakunta’ MAS. The sustained blood loss and urgency of the wound left Jakunta in an unsavoury position; without covering fire the Coalition would continue to gun down the civilians but there was a very real chance of irreparable damage or severe blood loss if he tried to pilot his MAS to aid the retreat. Whilst tending to his injury, Jakunta instructed the girl on how to activate the MAS’ defences and aim above the battle to fire upon the factory. The chaos of the artillery fire, rubble and noise gave the locals plenty of time to retreat and the 101st regrouped to rout the Coalition forces.

Marked by the local UEE division as an act of Exceptional Service, Abigail’s actions that day were used as something of a propaganda stunt to inspire the locals down in the Mainlands. When Savonia fell under UEE control she was rewarded with fully subsidised academic training to become a MAS pilot of her own. She accepted after encouragement from her mother and her peers, only to find out that her remaining parent died of complications from injuries sustained in the assault. Abigail’s education was shaken by this event and it held her back from graduation. In the wake of her mother’s funeral she reached out to Jakunta and Aleksanderin via electronic mail, using the address that Jakunta provided after the assault. They became penpals and Abigail found sources of comfort with a way to process her grief.

Abigail was inducted into the 101st upon recommendation from the two Savonians. Whilst her merit spoke for itself, the added bonus of her strong bonds with two of the crew and the lack of relatives back home were strong incentives that could be used to make a very loyal soldier. Her training was altered as a result of this decision as they used her experiences to produce a more fitting MAS and role in the division; a mixture of reconnaissance and evasive tactics designed to harass, flummox and disorient the 101st’s targets enough for the professionals to come in and finish the job. She responded well to the test runs of the Kolibri and even enjoyed certain parts of the ordeal, such as the High-G training and simulations. Since joining the division she has two confirmed kills, though both are marked down as finishing blows after heavy fire from her comrades.

Equipment: Standard military affair aside, Abigail has two particular pieces of equipment she keeps on her person at all times: a EVA suit and an encrypted data pad. The suit is a custom build that accompanies her MAS; it plugs in to charge in the cockpit (but has standardised UEE sockets for ease of access) and wraps around Abigail's jumpsuit when she sits down and powers the helmet. This provides assistance to tolerate the centrifugal forces she experiences, has its own O2 mask and Comms unit built in and is designed to withstand the vacuum of space for up to three hours with limited movement via weak thrusters in the back. The data pad is more of a tablet than anything else but it functions like a modern smartphone device and is primarily used to access Full Echo data and for her own personal leisure. She carries a wireless portable speaker to blast the tunes she's downloaded on it as well.

Personally assigned into Abigail's kit list are a set of combat stimulants , typically derivatives of amphetamines, that are administered through a device similar to an epi-pen. They help her intracerebral blood pressure remain stable and keep her alert enough to handle long endurance combat scenarios but make her aggressive with powerful mood swings, teeth grinding and bouts of paranoia. They are to be administered on the pilot's discretion and only when she feels it's necessary to do so. Since her induction into the 101st, she's only used combat stimulants twice in the dozens of missions she's been on - both times she recorded the date and time of dosage as well as alerting her crew of its use.

MAS Profile

Appearance: Designed to look identical to a UEE Sparrow MAS, the only notable exception that identifies this machine in appearance is the MAS designation and serial number are printed.
Designation: Kolibri C-90
Role: Scout
Chassis: Light
Description: Officially recognised as an altered version of the popular Sparrow MAS fitted with state of the art surveillance systems for scouting unfamiliar territory, the Kolibri's true purpose is a gutted, repurposed MAS made to counter, harass and frighten most Light and medium MAS away from the bulk of the 101st forces and into their line of fire. The use of high end targeting systems, radar and sophisticated boosters comes at the cost of its armour, relying upon the skill of the pilot to keep it out of trouble. It still functions as a data gathering unit out of combat to provide the 101st with detailed information ranging from the composition of a planet's atmosphere, a topographic map and infrared imaging software - to name a few.
Systems: Countermeasure System: - Countermeasure systems are often used by lighter MAS's to avoid missiles instead of using body mounted machine guns to intercept them. Using chaff and flares, countermeasure systems have limited number of uses before needing to rearm. Countermeasures do not take up a utility system slot. The countermeasure system on the Kolibri can be manually activated in a pinch to provide distractions and disorient enemies.

Smart-Target AI (Utility): - By improving or replacing the standard MAS computer with a Smart Targeting AI, MAS's can now rapidly acquire multiple targets simultaneously, making 'blind firing' more accurate and providing an edge in close ranged combat.

Full Echo Surveillance Suite (Utility): - State of the art technology has created a sophisticated system of radars and scanners installed deep behind the chassis of the Kolibri. Slow and cumbersome to activate in combat, this utility system can be interfaced with to update the 101st's data on a location and its inhabitants. The energy it uses disables the thrusters entirely, leaving the Kolibri grounded during its surveillance. The longer Full Echo is left on and the more ground covered during the scans, the more comprehensive the results. Sustained use of the system can result in overheating of the MAS.

Faedvir Omnidirectional B67 Thrusters (Utility): - FO-B67 thrusters emphasize manoeuvrability over sheer speed. Interfacing with the Smart-Target AI system and manual controls from the pilot, these thrusters require a light touch and quick reaction times. Whilst only marginally faster than a standard light MAS in vertical or horizontal flight, the FO-B67 allows the Kolibri to perform aerial manoeuvres around its targets and avoid incoming projectiles.

M90C 30mm Autocannon Carbine (Primary): - A cut down version of the standard M90 autocannon. the M90C fires 30mm armor piercing incendiary shells from a 100 round box magazine. The M90C has semi-automatic, 5-round burst, and fully automatic firing modes, and has a fire rate of 900 RPM. Up to 4 additional box magazines are stored within compartments in the Kolibri's thighs, but it has been fitted with 2 extra hollow point magazines under the wings to compensate for the removed claymore missiles and underslug micro-missiles.

M15 Heat Knife (Secondary): - A smaller, lightweight version of the M16 without as much oomph as its descendent, the M15 is a smaller blade with dual-edged heating elements. Best used in sharp stabbing motions against other MAS in weak spots for messy damage, but otherwise incapable of piercing a chassis without multiple blows. Far more effective against lighter targets.

Falling Skies: Reboot (Mecha, Space Opera)

So I went to check sheets to figure out my equipment list and found out I inadvertently copied Ingram's mas to the fucking letter. I never checked his MAS profile before. It's probably going to be several more weeks as I completely work out a new MAS from scratch unless you're willing to remake his @vietmyke.