An ace (re)appears?

[transgraham]

[1]
[there's a huge commotion in the hangar. It seems like a new group just arrived over from the AEUG HQ. But it seems they brought a little something else with them. A large crane is hauling in what looks like...is that a FLAG? Yes it is a black heavily customized FLAG in fighter mode (members of celestial being will be very familiar with this FLAG) and walking out of the shuttle bay doors is a blonde blue eyed man with a smart military pilots uniform on. He gazes up at the machine and smiles.]

"it seems we've arrived"

[talk to him?]



[2]
[Inside the mess there's the usual crowd of late evening stragglers trying to grab a quick bite before heading out to duty. Among the mechanics and pilots and officers one seems to stick out. He walks over to the counter. He seems to be perusing the menu]

"what looks good today?"

Comments

(1)

[rods_and_cones]

"Graham Aker..."

Hixar wastes no time just calling him out by name.

"The Ace of the AEUG here on the White Chalice. Or... is it former Ace?"

Re: (1)

[transgraham]

former ace...

"Heh, I'm too young for retirement I guess you could say I've had a change of heart

I'll be an ace as long as I can still draw breath no matter what banner I choose to fly under"

Re: (1)

[rods_and_cones]

"Is that so, mmm? And you won't be having a second change after flying under our flag; one associated with Celestial Being?"

Jab jab. Though the 'former ace' bit was in reference to his AEUG career. He'll have to become an Ace again under this banner.

"You have a lot of work ahead of you if you're trying to be our ace."

Re: (1)

[transgraham]

"No, Celestial Being hasn't done anything wrong to me (at least not recently) I have no problem fighting alongside the gundams."

[He smiles devilishly at Hixar (if Graham had a visible aura it would be quite strong and you can almost feel his pilots strength radiate)]

"Who says I need to try."

Re: (1)

[rods_and_cones]

"You're competing with a lot of other pilots if you're looking to be the best on the ship. And that also means mastering combat in simulations and video games as well."

[space_macgyver]

Black mobile suit? Looks like an ace model to me!

[transgraham]

"Yes it sure is. I supervised its construction and numerous modifications myself. Some may say its an obsolete piece of junk with all the GN suits flying around. Call me a romantic but there's nothing like the feel of G forces on your chest."

[he looks at Lowe thoughtfully]

"Are you a mobile suit pilot?"

[space_macgyver]

Am I ever? Junk Guild's ace pilot, Lowe Gear! That'd be me.

Not that many suits use GN particles for power yet, no? Sure, there are Celestial Being people... and those new models used by the Federation.

[transgraham]

"Graham Aker, nice to meet you Lowe

I suppose that's true GN is still relatively new. I've tuned this suit enough so that it can keep up with most units but I still wonder if it'll be enough."

[Graham is appraising Lowe with his piercing stare]

"I've never heard of the Junk Guild before, it doesn't sound like a military outfit. So what brings you to this ship of all places Lowe?"

[space_macgyver]

Nope! It's not a military group of any kind. We still do mercenary work, but it's engineering projects - building, repairing, stuff like that.

And that's why I'm here! White Chalice has a lot of mobile suits that break or get damaged all the time. Well, I help with fighting bad guys too, but that's not in the contract. That's personal.

[transgraham]

"well it's definitely a good thing to have a group of skilled mechanics on board any military vessel. especially when you have specialized machinery like custom mobile suits."

[space_macgyver]

Hehe, and you're talking to one of the best there is!

[And the most humble, obviously.]

[transgraham]

"Great! If you'd like I can use some help tuning my FLAG. You seem to know your way around a mobile suit and I can always use skilled help."

1

[not_the_deer]

It's you!

Re: 1

[transgraham]

"have we met? I'm sorry I don't think I've had the pleasure."

[He extends a hand]

"Graham Aker, nice to meet you."

[not_the_deer]

Tobia Arronax. Remember when your unit attacked us but we ended up fighting the Thrones together? I was among White Chalice forces back then.

[Handshake get.]

I didn't expect that you'll join us now!

[transgraham]

"That was you in that gundam with the jolly roger on it? Color me impressed, I had no idea. Such a beautiful unit, and you fly it very well."

[he looks distant for a moment]

"We lost too many that day."

[A pause]

"I joined you because you helped me when not even my own side would. Sometimes there are no right choices in life. But this time I feel like I made the right one. Lets hope I did"

1/2

[not_the_deer]

Really? Gee, thanks.

[Tobia decides not to mention there were several Crossbone units out there, and he had the weakest one.]

2/2

[not_the_deer]

And yeah, that wasn't the happiest day... But it could have been even worse. The Crossbone Vanguard always tries to save lives, but we don't always succeed fully.

Re: 2/2

[transgraham]

[Graham wonders if he should put a hand on Tobia's shoulder.]

(Damn it! Soldiers shouldn't be this young... but I suppose was I any more ready when I went in?)

[He does]

"All you can do is remember the dead. And honor that memory with your will to fight. Don't ever lose it."

[not_the_deer]

If I lost it, I'd be dead long ago. If anything, past memories make me try even harder! I'm fighting to end this war.

1 (And hooray for same VA shenanigans!)

[azure_savior]

[Hey, a FLAG? That's kinda odd...]

AEUG decided to send someone over to back Patrick up?

Re: 1 (And hooray for same VA shenanigans!)

[transgraham]

[Patrick?]

"Don't Tell me Patrick Colasour is on this ship. Figures, I would end up on the same ship as him. I suppose The AEU's number one ace has been busy eh?"

[one sec...]

"you look familiar, have we met somewhere before?"

[azure_savior]

He's done a good job over here. He was the one who got Kyrios's GN Drive back when it was stolen, after all.

And yeah, I think we crossed paths once before.

I'm Joshua. We fought in Alaska.

[transgraham]

(Fancy, Patrick being useful... who knew?)

"Yes, I remember that machine of yours packs a hell of a punch. Glad I'm on your side now."

[azure_savior]

Same here, Graham. A man who can stand up to multiple GN Drive-equipped Gundams with just a customized FLAG isn't to be trifled with.

1

[sunshine_maiden]

Huh. An actual military man. We don't get a whole lot of those around here. Usually it's more the vigilante type... or an independent group like mine.

Flashy looking mobile suit you're flying, there. [Mr. Aker, there's a redhead looking critically at your Flag.]

Re: 1

[transgraham]

"Quite the machine eh? It takes a pilots eye to appreciate a FLAG [he smiles at you] what independent group do you belong to?"

[He appraises you with his intense stare]

(Damn...they get younger and younger, first that gundam pilot and now this one. Is this a military ship or a high school?)

"Well I guess I was a military man. Now I'm a member of the AEUG which while comprised of mostly ex military personnel is largely a political movement. But yes I am a soldier, always have been.

[sunshine_maiden]

I'm a pilot for Project PreDestiny, the magical girls with the floating amusement park. [With a completely straight face... nope, she starts laughing.] Oh, I've always wanted to pitch it like that. Anyway, my team's got a few screws loose, but we're reasonable people, I promise.

[The girl continues to look at the Flag absently.] Former soldiers fighting for a political cause... I'm not sure how to take that. But I guess it's not important just now. Welcome aboard. We're always glad to have another hunk of metal for the cause.

[transgraham]

"M-magical...girl?"

[A quick summary of what is going through Grahams head right now Picture a cute witch riding a broomstick with guns and missiles mounted on it sort of a Marisa Kirisame meets Mazinger Z thing and you'll get the gist.]

[he smiles to himself]

(this ship is crazy! am I going nuts or what? what's next, talking cats?)

"Well you truly do have quite the interesting crew here... I'm sorry I don't think I introduced myself, Graham Aker"

[Sora you are being offered a hand]

[sunshine_maiden]

What, exactly, are you thinking? [She smiles all the same, shaking the offered hand.]

Sora Myoudouin. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Graham.

[transgraham]

"Oh, nothing."

[He gives you a roguish grin]

"It's nice to meet you Sora."

"And It wouldn't be a proper unit without a few screws loose. Trust me.

[sunshine_maiden]

[She raises an eyebrow, but shakes her head.] If you say so.

And I'm well aware most units are a few crayons short of a kid's meal. But we're arguably worse than usual. [The redhead waves a hand dismissively.] It's a long story, I'm not sure you want to hear it. And you probably won't want to talk to me again.

1

[immortalfrenchie]

Aker! Didn't expect your face on board!

[And here's Patrick, strutting up like he owns the place!]

And I see you're still piloting that clunky old Flag of yours.

[He's preening now.]

Still... if it isn't broken, why fix it right?

Re: 1

[transgraham]

"Patrick Colasour. didn't...expect to, see you either!"

[He seems exasperated and apprehensive]

(wait what did he say about my FLAG?) (Dead. maybe not right now, but dead.)

"Hey, she may not look like much but she's got it where it counts. And what about you, still flying that crap made AEU knockoff of a superior design? Or have you graduated to something with bigger training wheels yet."

[immortalfrenchie]

Oh I dunno... that Knockoff got me a lot of kills...and I graduated alright... I got a Gundam!

[Oh yes! Patrick did get his hands on a gundam alright! And he's going to rub Graham's face into that fact.]

[transgraham]

"Heh, I guess even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while."

(Who let Patrick have a Gundam? are they crazy!?)

"You should make sure to put it back where you found it when you're done with it. Celestial Being probably doesn't want you taking their Gundams without permission."

[Try as you might Patrick. But Graham just doesn't take you seriously at all. and he ain't cracking.]

1

[future_kaiju]

(Emmy approaches Graham. Graham can tell that she is part of a military group herself by the way she holds herself.)

Pardon me for asking, but what business do you have here?

Re: 1

[transgraham]

("stiff" comes to mind)[he smiles and faces her]

"I'm Captain Graham Aker. I've just transferred here from the AEUG. I've been sent to assist the crew of this ship as a pilot."

[future_kaiju]

(Emmy nods and gives Graham a salute.)

Emmy Kano of the Global Defense Forces...Well, in my universe that is. It is a pleasure to meet you.

[transgraham]

"In, your... universe?"

(Ok this day keeps getting weirder and weirder.)

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you miss Kano. May I Ask what's your position on this ship?"

[future_kaiju]

Yes. From what I've come to understand, much of my universe's events are actually movies in this world. Specifically, the...Godzilla series. It still astounds me that the most terrifying kaiju of my universe has its' own movie series.

I just work as an engineer here.

[transgraham]

[Graham desperately looks like he's trying to figure out how to respond to this being that he's seen all the Godzilla films.]

"Wow, that's, that's pretty amazing. That must be quite something to deal with. I may have seen one or two of those a few years ago. I never thought something like that could exist in reality though, let alone separate universes."

[future_kaiju]

It is rather unbelievable. But on the bright side, fighting kaiju does wonders for your fighting abilities, which is important when you fly something as unique as Mecha King Ghidorah.

[transgraham]

"Wow, you fly that thing? That's truly something. It must take quite a lot of skill to control something like that."

[future_kaiju]

True, Mecha King Ghidorah is extremely hard to control and even harder to repair, especially if the organic parts of it get injured. But I have M11 to help me pilot it. It may have taken some time to prepare the disc to reprogram him but in the end it was more than worth it.

[transgraham]

"Ah, an AI I'm guessing? that makes sense."

1 (Sorry I'm late.)

[orewagundamda]

[Well now, finally, a federation pilot he can respect. (Because who can take Patrick Colasour seriously?)]

Graham Aker. I worry how the AEUG will fair if they keep sending us pilots like this. [Gundam boy cracking a joke? interesting times indeed.]

Re: 1 (Sorry I'm late.)

[transgraham]

[He looks at Setsuna with surprise after all this is Celestial Being Gundam pilot!]

"Thats High praise coming from you, a member of Celestial Being"

[He looks amused]

"I didn't know that I was respected among the Gundam pilots

You must be Setsuna F. Seiei, Funny I thought you'd be more,[he smiles] serious..."