Ran: Hey, bro, how's it going?
Rom: I think you know how it is. I just joined the Force. Ran: You were always the boy scout. Now you finally live your dream. You happy about it?
Rom: Don't think you are talking to the same boy who wanted to blow stuff up as a kid. We change. Ran: Doens't seem like it. Rumour says you tore an Arbiter apart on your first day...
Rom: How did you---? Ran: Cut the crap, Romeo, I know EVERYONE in Liberty and their dogs. You know you got mom's commitment to duty and all, but I'm the one in the family who got her brains and diplomacy skills..
Rom: Can you please not throw mom's memory against me? Ran: Well, you decided to do the "Dakbeat Family dinner call" at dad's birthday at 20:01 like he always did...
Rom:... Ran: Sorry, man, I know how he was important to you. To both of us. I know his death threw us in a cacophany of family drama. That mom couldn't cope. That she just got herself away from us and further and further into the LSF...
Rom: At least dad wanted to have dinner together, you know. We never got to bury him but we know when and probably where he died. I pass that trade lane almost everyday going to Penn.
.
.
.
. Ran:I know. These are crazy times to the most privileged of us. We started from scratch, remember?
Rom: Yeah Ran: Dad's pension after his death barely made ends meet. Mom didn't even look at my face after he died because she said I reminded her of him. Maybe because I'm older...
Rom: First of all, I regret nothing. Our time with dad was great and he was so nice, so you probably got your trading skills from him. Second, we are twins barely 40 minutes apart. Third, I didn't want to join the 46th of wanderlust. I got family now. How long until Hattan itself falls prey to some rogue or order or insurgent or one of those... things?
. Ran: That's what I thought, always jumping on the mine for family, or friends, or your meathead club at the Navy. You know that's why dad's body is drifting somewhere in the borderlands, right?
Rom: DON'T TALK ABOUT *punches a table* DAD LIKE THAT! You DON'T KNOW WHAT I SAW IN THE FRONTIER!
.
.
. Ran:I'm.... I'm sorry, Rom.
Rom: Yeah, me too. About everything. About leaving our deal years ago. About settling down. I'm barely getting myself up to par on these ship. But this is not for a dream. This is for duty. I want to protect you, and our family, and... Ran:And Liberty. Thanks to you I can focus on making money so we both can support ourselves.
Rom:Let me just say it right here, I don't want your money. Bounties are paying enough. Also, I heard you joined the USI so, we can consider ourselves among the privileged, right? Ran:As usual trying to be the hero. Just refrain from killing yourself, ok? Your wife would blame me.
Rom:And you try not to do any greddy stupid bullcrap now that I'm not there to save your butt. Ran:You are, Rom. Just in another ship. But you'll always be my little bro.
Rom:Ok now you want to piss me off and that won't work.
.
.
Rom:By the way, you know Jocko's callsign in the Navy Corps? I've been trying to tell him I enlisted but his personal address is down.. Ran:Well, clearly I'm better prepared to run intel on this family... Our uncle, John "Jocko" Darkbeat is now the proud LtCmd of the LNS-Discipline, and he's flexing muscles and chasing dudes in Texas just like he did to us back when we were fam-...
Rom:We never stopped being family, Randall. Thanks for the info. Try to hail me from time to time so I don't call you every dad's birthday. Ran:Love you brother.
Rom: Roger. Same. Ran: Ok now you're just intentionally sounding like hi---
::::==::::==::::Terminate Data File::::==::::==::::
☆ To: LNS-Discipline-Actual (LtCmd John Darkbeat's EYES ONLY)
☆ Subject: Personal and Operation News
Safety Protocol Validation:Ok
MESSAGE CONTENT:
Hey dude, how you doing? I hope you like the new ship the Corps awarded you. I'm sending this to let you know that I joined the Navy like you and Dad wanted, although I wanted to stop any talk of nepotism before it even started so I did it without your knowledge, consent and away from your unit. I joined the 46th and have been learning a lot with them. Vice Admiral Tanner is a war hero that has taken me under wing to train. Commodore Van Leer is nuts -- but also a very enjoyable presence and insightful military commander. Admiral Freeman is swift in both praise and feedback. Fleet Admiral Creed is smart and capable, from what I could gather on the two times we interacted directly.
I had already more than a few encounters and even some close calls, so much so that I was asked to not go on patrol so much because I was flooding the report channel....
But I'd like to let you know of my new position and maybe discuss what I saw in my first deployment, in XXXXXXX-Nu. Command straight up asked us to pull out of the system and then the... stuff I've seen there and later came creeping into the heart of Liberty.
I'm stationed at Norfolk right now so if you wanna grab Sunbucks and talk about it in private, I'm here. You know I don't trust these kind of comms, face to face is better..
Message intended for 46th|Romeo.Darkbeat
Access with false or incorrect ID WILL result in
EUCLID-Protocol High Security Military Alert
and send ALL Navy personell upon you.
Continue (Y/N) Y
Scanning Face Biometrics... Clear. Rendering file.
☆ From: LtCmd John "Jocko" Darkbeat
☆ To: Recruit Romeo "Tilt" Darkbeat
☆ Subject: Re: Personal and Operation News
Safety Protocol Validation:Ok
MESSAGE CONTENT:
Sorry if I scared you with the new security system, it's actually from your friends at the 46th and the only protocol that allows me to feel comfortable sending any personal info. So how you're doing, Tilt? I've been trashing on terrorists and insurgents left and right now that they comissioned me a new ship, even did some missions with your Vice Admiral Tanner in the LNS-Adamant. Hella fine ships, both his carrier and my new gunboat if you ask me. Admiral Van-Leer is a great friend too.
So you think you can fly around shooting pests up without me knowing about it, eh? Blake's report on your shenanigans near Manhattan was the talk in the ship last week. And from what I can tell, you've been going hard at'em criminals. I'm proud of you but your father would probably ask you to slow down a little. We are the Navy, not the police here, remember? I know those new escape pods are very safe, but no use in throwing taxpayers money and your life at every rogue scum you find in NY. I'm sure you know pensions for military widows are not good enough and I'm also sure you don't want your smuggler brother provide for Little Richard, right?
Hope this sees you in good health, and no, as the senior officer I have the right to demand that you visit me first before I haul myself, my ship and my crew out of an important position just to grab coffee with a recruit who can't encrypt their comms. Hell, I'm supposed to be the old grumpy fellow who 'don't trust technology."
Ok, dude, no need to go pointing fingers at my brother, he is NOT a smuggler. You know damn well that all his trade runs had me as an escort and I can vouch for him. I've not been in the Navy very long but long enough to know how they behave. Taking jump holes instead of gates, being evasive in both routes and in engaging communications with an officer.
That's just how they think. Randall can be a pushy salesman sometimes but he'll look you in the eye and tell you how it is.
Now onto the subject at hand, Insurgency has been at it again recently, but I don't know, I smell something weird. I've seen those abominations a lot in Omicron Nu, but now they're coming in to freaking New York. I don't know, man, two decades since we first seen those squids and we can't seem to shake'em, now they uncloak right under our noses.
What is my ship worth if one of those... things can come out of thin air and blow Manhattan up? We have to do something about it.
Also, I don't know how do you access internal reports of the Strike Force and I'll don't even ask you to stop because you won't. I'm just trying to do my job and would love you to give me some pointers, directions maybe. I like how they are training us at the 46th but I just recently got promoted and setup a bomber, now things are getting way to complex way too fast and I'm not sure I'm able to pull the trigger fast enough while also pulling it at the right target. The whole "wonder kid" thing is a little over my rank and my head, and all I want is to protect my wife and son, my peers, Black, Labii and Weis and Commanders and Admirals from the 46th..
And you, and Liberty.
If we don't stick together as a House, we're no different than the thugs that plague this beautiful systems we call home.
Anyway, when can you grab Sunbucks? I'm stationed at Salt Lake right now, can we meet halfway at Texas? In the mean time, I'm calling you "Oldman" until you stop using my childhood nickname as my "callsign"
Transmission Recieved from //Jocko.Darkbeat@LibNavyReformationOffice.ln Open File? [Y/N]
Y
Decrypting... Checking Safety Protocol Validation... Scanning......
Done.
Message intended for 46th|Romeo.Darkbeat
Access with false or incorrect ID WILL result in
EUCLID-Protocol High Security Military Alert
and send ALL Navy personell upon you.
Continue (Y/N) Y
Scanning Face Biometrics... Clear. Rendering file.
☆ From: Cmd John "Jocko" Darkbeat
☆ To: LtCmd Romeo "Tilt" Darkbeat
☆ Subject: Congratulations, here's a gift
Safety Protocol Validation:Ok
MESSAGE CONTENT:
Ensign has an attitude, eh? Would love to see if your arm holds as much wit as your lips, but since you've earned the fastest promotion to LTCMD that I've ever seen (before I event drafted the freaking msg congratulating you on your promotion to ensign) you're actually same rank as I am, now.
You know what's THE most important part on a ship, Tilt? Not the trigger, not the gun, not the damn CM dropper. It's the BRAIN inside the human commanding it. No matter if it's a light fighter scouting for tangoes or your Fleet Admiral running the whole thing from the Argonaute. It's all about the brain in charge, how capable and willing to do the right thing is it?
And I trust in yours, so I asked my superiors and your superiors and from now on, the LNS-Discipline is under your command. Try to keep her and her crew well mantained. Some of these folks have been with me since the early days of LNS-Democracy. And don't even think about not accepting, or you'll offend me. Do I look like someone you want to offend?
I'll sort out paperwork at Manhattan this week so coffee tomorrow maybe. Send me a shout when you're off duty. Now off to give my girlfriend the good news!
//OORP Info: this whole interaction was a coordinated effort of multiple players at the #in-roleplay-banter channel of the 46th Strike Force Discord Server. We have multiple channels open for Navy indies and any player to discuss, give feedback and have fun. Come visit us sometime.
*Henry Helon’s Apartment, Manhattan, 17:29 Sirius Time*
(Navy)Romeo: I should put you on trial on the spot for using emergency comms for that
(Navy)Henry Helon: Its still a broke arm sir.Now bring me out of here I need medical assistance please
*Meanwhile, the Klaxons on Salt Lake Station HQ are blaring for the second time in an hour.*
KLAXONS AT SALT LAKE: SITUATION IN NEW YORK AVERTED, ALL SHIPS EXCEPT MEDICAL ARE TO RETURN TO NORMAL DUTY
(Navy) Camile: you are Serious? Damit i Have Interupted a Good Tea Time damit.
*Still at the Apartment Complex*
(Navy)Henry:Wait, you called the whole squadron? Well then its not my fault With all the respect sir
(Navy) Romeo: Well you could be more specific on your SOS, right?
(Navy)Henry:You should have checked the situation before calling the whole squad
(Navy) Romeo:Ok, jelly boy let's get you upright first... 3...2...1...Go!
*severe bone noises rage across the toilet*
(Navy)Henry:Ouchhhh that hurts so badddd!!!
*At Salt Lake*
*Half blown Guardian lands in the hangar"
*Hideo jumps out of the cockpit with his face all covered in sweat. All the docking crew is watching him. Hideo runs to his room*
(Navy)Hideo:where is HC???!?!?!?!?!?
*Hideo checks the message logs and sees that Romeo got his hands full with whatever happened to Helon*
(Navy)Hideo: Damn it!
*Back in Manhattan, the the first paramedic arrives*
(Navy) Romeo: Ok soft boy let's put you in your bed, medical is on the way. You have insurance, right?
(Navy)Henry: I... can't remember... Oh what and headache
(Navy)Romeo: Ok, Iyou have some painkillers in here at least? Someone check his cabinet dor medicine!
*The paramedic starts searching on her supplies bag while Romeo keeps Henry’s back upright*
(Navy)Henry Helon:I... I can't do this anymore
*Henry faints*
(Navy) Romeo: Now that will make things less noisy.
*he reaches for his comm device and hails Hideo for backup*
*At Salt Lake, Hideo is at his room writing a note*
(Navy)Hideo:I dont have time for this right now
He leaves a note on Hilda’s door that reads:
“Akira’s transport blown, Akira is hostage. . .
I am going to the Badlands to get him if i don’t make it back i am sorry .. .i love you ....”
*Hideo then sends a text message over the secure channel that only Rear Admiral has access to, get his ship supplied and lunches off the station*
*In Space near Salt Lake Station HQ, 17:54 ST*
*Romeo is escorting the medical trasport to the station, ready to give Hideo a stern warning.
“So, no time for your fellow officers, eh?” he thinks to himself. “Henry is o effing strecher and Wonderboy here is thinking about the blonde cook…”*
*He then gets the notification of a message from Commander Hideo Black. It reads “To Romeo -- If i dont get back you can have my TV". His brows are SEVERE*
(Navy) Romeo: Now that's a full day
KLAXONS AT SALT LAKE: ALL SNUBCRAFT AND GUNBOATS PROCEED TO THE NEW YORK BADLANDS, WE HAVE A HOSTAGE SITUATION --- REPORT TO REAR ADMIRAL DARKBEAT COMMANDER BLACK RIGHT NOW -- THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
*Romeo gets into his VHF and launches from Salt Lake*
(Navy) Romeo: Ok Hideo channel's secure, I'm on my way...
*Romeo's Sutinga disappears from radars, from the windows of Salt Lake, his fighters just vanishes*
*Hideo reaches the badlands*
*He’s near West Point,not sure if he wants to get in after Yun's death and on this day*
(Navy)Hideo:I wont lose Akira too no way
*He Thrusts at full power on his guardian forward*
(Rogues) Juan Caolho:We got another fool on our scanners muwhahahaa
(Navy)Hideo:1..2....5....8 ,damn it 8 heavy fighters and 2 Gunboats. (Navy)Hideo:Akiraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
*The Guardian enters combat in a certain death situation*
*The Radiomen at West Point Military Academy shout in comms: Commander Black? Please answer, Commander. We lost him he is not on our scanners anymore send a transition to SaltLake ASAP!!!
*At the Guests Quarters in Salt lake*
(OS&C) *Hilda comes Back from the Kitchen and Sees the Note she is Shocked she runns to her Ship and Calls For a Favor.*
*In the Badlands*
(?) ?: comander Black this is Shadow 28 I am here to make sure you will be Able to Return to My Goddaughter.
*A Fafnir Decloacks infront of Hideo. and Shoots torpedos at the Gunboats, Hitting them hard.*
*A Sutinga decloaks right next to Hideo*
(Navy)Romeo: I'm not even asking questions. Lets do this! Hammers are hot. Your call, Wonderboy!
(?) ?: Might be Better Sir, Opening Up.
*The Bomber danced between the Laserblasts.*
*Meanwhile in nearby space, Officer Nightruby was doing his usual patrol by the badlands and noticed many ships in the scanners*
*he gets closer and notices what's happening*
(Navy) Nightruby: What is this a party?
*The Klaxons at Salt Lake blare for a third time*
SALTLAKE KLAXONS: CREW OF THE DISCIPLINE, YOUR ADMIRAL IS REQUESTING BACKUP IN HIS VHF -- THIS IS NOT A DRILL
(Navy) Nightruby: Ok.... well this doesn't seem like an exercise Opening fire on rogues forces!
*Romeo sees a shaken up Guardian dodging blasters furiously*
(Navy)Romeo: Hideo, take these nanobots! You'll use them better!
*The Sutinga jettisons all its nanobots to Hideo's Guardian*
(Navy)Romeo: Rubytron, if I'm down beam me, my gunboat is coming
*While watching his back to see if someone was shooting their tail, the CIC officer of the Rubytron accidentally crashes it on an asteroid which diables their shields
(Navy)Rubytron: I've lost a weapon!
(OS&C) Hilda had Took one of the Fighters from Orbitals Security Details and Cruised into the Fight, seeing her Uncle at Work already there was a relief for her as she Moved in with the Eagle and joined the Fight.
(Navy) Romeo: My fighter is badly damaged! Hideo, you okay there? Rubytron, beam us in if we are taken ou-
*Romeo’s Sutinga is disabled, his escape pod barely making out the wreck, when an old lady of Libertonian design, the LNS-DISCIPLINE Defiant-Class-Gunboat arrives at the scene, accompanied by a whole fighter group*
(Navy)(?): Beaming you in, sir
(Navy) Rubytron: My ship is starting to crack! My nanobots won't deploy!
*Romeo gets out of the escape pod and rushes to the bridge of the Discipline.*
(Navy)Romeo: Okay, bois, Let’s GET SOME! Rubytron, retreat and ask for backup, we'll hold them off! Lets see if Hilda’s blasters as as fast as her knives
(LIA)Jiraki: What in the name of Liberty is happening now...
*Rubytron activates cruise engines but is disrupted before managing to flee*
(Navy) Rubytron: Oh no! They have cruise disruptors.... I CANT HOLD IT ANYMORE
*The Discipline and hilda blast 3 rogues each, while the Wraith holds one more pinned Rogues seem to focus on The rubytron*
(Navy) Romeo: Ruby, LEAVE
(Navy)Rubytron: *stactic*--- what do you think I’m doing? I'm trying to! *stactic…* I've got one on my tail!
*The LIA fighter flanks the Rogues engaging the 46th vessels*
(LIA)Kaiju:Weapons are hot, GOLDEN BLADE hardpoint mounts activated. Engaging Rogue-01 behind Helon's ship
(Navy)Rubytron: HE HAS TORP*stactic*. -----INCOMINGGG!!
(Navy) Discipline CIC: LIA VESSEL, CD THE TORPEDOES
(LIA)Kaiju: CDing the torpedos, shooting at vessel
*One more rogue is down by the weapons of DISCIPLINE
*Inside the Bridge of the Rubytron, everything is burning. The captain closes his eyes and thinks to himself “I loved you mommy. Goodbye”
(OS&C) Hilda: less Talking More Fighting.
*As the Rubytron makes severe metal noises and it’s signal is lost, Hilda and her Uncle Fighted as team and shoot down several Fighters and Bombera that wher a Threat to Hideo.*
*Kaiju beams in Ruby’s pod*
(LIA)Kaiju: Switching hardpoints to Adv. Debs, engaging the remaining rogue.
*With the combined attention of multiple Navy pilots plus the LIA fighter, the OS&C fighter and the mysterious vessel, the remaining rogue doens’t last for long before being destroyed*
(Navy) Ruby: Am I in heaven?
(LIA)Jiraki: No, you are on my ship.
(Navy)Ruby:This must be an angel talking to me
(Navy)Romeo: thanks Jiraki
(LIA)Jiraki: No problem, Darkbeat.
(Navy)Romeo: Hideo, you there?
(OS&C) Hilda: Hideo are you still with me my Love? Please talk to me.
*Jiraki gets of his seat and pours cold sake on Ruby's face
(LIA)Jiraki: Get up, soldier.
(Navy) Romeo: I see an ESCAPE POD, Must be Hideo!
(Navy)Ruby:Hideo? Is he in heaven with me too?
*The Discipline Tracks the pod*
(Navy) Romeo: Sorry to disappoint you Hild, but Hideo is fine, just a bit bruised up. And out cold. But he'll live
(Navy)Ruby:So I'm not dead eh... well this is awkward
(OS&C) Hilda: No more Desserts for your Romeo, that was not funny.
* she Sighs Relived while the Bomber of her Uncle Cloaks again.*
?: Remember Gents i was Never here
(Navy) Romeo: Thanks, vessel that I promise I’ll forget to add on my report later today.
(Navy)Romeo: Ok all 46th active let's go to salt lake ASAP I want a full medical team waiting there we have two wounded officers!
(LIA)Jiraki: Hows the sake, jelly man?
(Navy) Ruby:My engines aren't working....
(LIA)Jiraki: Because they are MY engines. Friend, you are on MY ship
(Navy) Ruby:What are you talking about?
(LIA)Jiraki: I'm fairly certain your ship is pretty banged up.
(Navy) Romeo: course they arent, dude, your ship’s disabled
(Navy) Ruby:Oh... I see
(LIA)Jiraki: I tractored you in.
(Navy) Ruby:Oh... I see So I died... and you fired me... but I'm still alive and you can hear me
(Navy) Romeo: Hey Jiraki, please pour some of that liquid on him, it’s not working apparently
(OS&C) Hilda: i asume i Get Hideo for the next days Right? i Know some Food that will make him Recover Fast.
(Navy) Ruby:Is that it? Eh I'm kind of a detective myself
*Jiraki kicks Ruby on the knee*
(LIA)Jiraki:See, ur not dead.
(Navy) Ruby:Ouch! Why would you do that... oh wait
*Back near Salt Lake Station HQ*
(Navy)Romeo: Salt Lake, this is the Discipline requesting docking to me and and the Jiraki here, we have wounded officers here
(LIA)Jiraki: Darkbeat, can u take care of Ruby here please… Also Kaiju is my callsign.
(Navy)Romeo: Already requested for them to let you dock
(Navy) Ruby:Was my radio on when I was about to die?
(LIA)Jiraki: Yes.
(Navy) Ruby:Oh... now that is awkward
(OS&C) Hilda is Docking at the Hangar amd Jumps out to Rush to Hideo.
* the (LIA)Kaiju fighter switches out Adv. Deb for GOLDEN BLADES*
*Romeo docks the Disciplie and takes Hideo to medical bay, commanding the staff to allow Hilda in*
(Navy) Ruby:You really gotta tell me what happens though Why were you all there in the badlands..
(Navy) Romeo: I'll investigate further on why Hideo went into the badlands alone, you make sure he sees a pretty face when he wakes up, ok Hilda?
(OS&C) Hilda: thank you Romeo.
*The blonde cook thanks the Admiral by Giving him a Kiss on the Cheek. After the crazed day they all had, he’s just glad his friend is safe.*
(Navy)Romeo: Good. I know you care about him as much as I do. Maybe more, Good fighting there my friend. Also, CAN SOMEONE GO GET HENRY HERE TOO FFS!?
*Romeo starts walking to his chambers... heavily tired. He gets in and shuts the door behind him. In his cabinet, close to his bed, the picture of his wife is hanging. He looks at it*
(Navy)Romeo: We did good today, my love. No one I cared about lost a loved one.
I did it. Well, it was a joint effort between me, Mr. Camios, a fiend of Hideo in Bretonia, my brother Randall and my new recruit, and it took us the whole weekend, but it's done. I'll get my own Jump Drive. And since that tip from Julios actually made me spend no taxpayer money at all on it, I decided to upgrade the Bridge a bit from my own pocket.
With This the Ulysses will be able to take whole squadrons of Recoil Operatives to faraway places in a short time, and we'll also be able to go on the offensive. I know the Insurgency isn't as active as it was a few months ago, but since the 5th and the robot lovers have been beefing, I might need to be prepared soon enough.
In another note, I'm rather impressed by the new recruit, she's higly skilled for a Noble Lady and from Bretonia no less. Most fools me and Rand met there barely knew which end of a blaster they should point at people. I'll be sure to put some more challenging assignments in her plate than just escorting my brother or running supplies for Van Leer's research.
I miss Helen. And my son. I can visit him on LA but.. I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet.
::::==::::==::::Terminate Data File::::==::::==::::