srwug_alpha_rp | 03: Rebounding via Montage! The Light of a Brigadier's Nova Broadens Horizons!

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03: Rebounding via Montage! The Light of a Brigadier's Nova Broadens Horizons!

[1]

[After the crushing of the Bandits in Fuso alongside Resnick, Mad Caine, Casshern, Sendou, and a proud Fighter of the Jersey Club, Matthew's Nova has been...trashed.

The armor plating has been battered and dinged, everything dented from some rather harsh impacts with the ground, and the the legs were done gored by a Robotic Bull.

It's just barely repairable. But it is.

Matthew thus has none of the despair of a Mechwarrior suddenly Dispossessed. As he sits by his mangled mech, he activates a holo on his tablet, manipulating icons with a light pen, sipping some tea, and pouring over a design of his Nova that is...intriguingly enhanced.

With the Logo of the Gurren Brigade stenciled across it's nose.

Eavesdropping and advice?]

[2]

[Long term repair work and epic upgrading aside, Matthew's going to need a backup mech to sortie in for the immediate future.

Pouring over the various unused mechs in the hanger, Matthew is...flummoxed.

Help him out?]

[3]

[Test Drive Time!

Over a stretch of land and on the decks of the White Chalice, Matthew tries out some Mecha to see which fit his piloting style the best!

Keep him from crashing?]

[4]

[Matthew's time on the White Chalice has taught him that it is possible to achieve the Impossible, with the right tools and determination!

But what does this mean for him? How should this revaluation shape and influence his life's path?

Matthew, yearning for advice, goes to seek out Warleader Kamina and/or Simon the Digger, the two being the closest expert on impossibilities that he knows of!

He may run into others?]

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[After a long fruitless search for Kamina, Matthew actually find him back at his Nova. Hands on his hips, looking up at it. Specifically at the brigade emblem.]

You know, I kept meaning to ask if you were going to do that at some point.

[He notices Matthew's expression.]

Something up?

"Aff, it was overdue." Matthew replies. "I should also find myself a new set of fatigues, more befitting my status as a member of the Gurren Brigade."

Matthew clasps his hands behind his back and musters his thoughts...and inner passions. Burning passions.

"And that relates to a matter close to my heart. A manner a wish to ask of you."

He meets your eyes.

"What path should I forge for my life as a member of the Gurren Brigade? As a member of the brotherhood of overcoming all obstacles, in a universe that has more room for miracles than I ever could have imagined..."

He notices he is rambling. He stops.

"What is the legacy, I, Matthew of the Gurren Brigade, should leave for the future when I am gone?"

Kamina nods and looks thoughtful through the rambling speech, up until the end when he blinks.

"You're asking me? If I tell you then it's not your legacy, is it?"

Matthew blinks.

"Aff, but that is how it has always been. From the moment of my birth I was imbued with the values of the Jade Falcon, and told to uphold a legacy of honor and valor in combat that would bring a brighter future for my Clan."

He spreads his hands out. "And now I am in the Gurren Brigade. I have heard much of the Brigade's values of exellence, of doing the impossible, breaking through obstacles and forging one's own path..."

He pauses.

"But for who?"

Edited 2013-02-15 21:47 (UTC)

"For you."

Kamina punctuates "you" by prodding Matthew in the chest with one finger hard enough to make him take a step back.

"Don't follow me just because you feel like you have to, follow me because you think I'm a totally badass leader worth following. Don't fight for the glory of the Brigade, fight to make your own legend! If you make yourself a man among men, then you make the Brigade stronger as a whole by being part of it. THAT'S the Gurren way of doing things!"

Matthew is righteously knocked back by that finger poke.

"For...me?"

Eyes wide, he absorbs the meaning of this revelation. Becoming legend not because of duty or Clan...but for himself? With his own conviction and belief–

He blinks. He grins. Then chuckles.

Then he throws back his head and–

"HahahahahhaHa!"

Doubled over, he wipes tears form his eyes.

"Blood of Kerensky, you told me this at the very beginning! And only now do I hear it!"

"If you yell loud enough, eventually people will hear you."

He folded his arms.

"So what will people remember about Matthew of Team Gurren in a hundred years?"

Matthew closes his eyes in thought.

Finally, he opens them.

"That he worked miracles. That he fought for Justice, and Honor."

He smiles.

"And that he had many good friends."

Kamina pounded Matthew on the back in a friendly male-bonding sort of way.

"It's a start."

Matthew returns the pound. Right in the kidneys.

"Aff!" He replies.

"Mind you, I still think Zelbrigen is a good principle to adhere to, but never mind."

He strokes his chin in thought. "More immediately, while I upgrade and repair my Nova, I will need another mech to sortie in. There are two that intrigue me."

He points to one unused mech in the hanger: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/MS-09F/trop_Dom_Tropen

He points to another: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/MSM-04G_Juaggu

"What do you think?"

Edited 2013-02-17 03:50 (UTC)

"Yeah I get the appeal of that Zelbighand stuff. But there's a time for taunting and challenging, and a time for just fighting dirty. You know what I mean?"

He peered at the two mobile suits thoughtfully, having imparted this last bit of wisdom. Eventually he pointed at the Juaggu.

"That one seems more your style."

Matthew looks up at the Juaggu, noting the large rocket cannons it mounts.

"Hmmm..."

Matthew gets approval, and climbs into the Dom Tropen in all it's purply, disco pants glory.

This is the first time he has piloted a non Clan (or even non Battletech mech) so the first question that comes to mind is:

"Where is the neurohelmet?"

They don't have any. The controls are all manual.

[The Lambda is waiting beside the Dom. Mad's arms folded and regarding the newbie to MS piloting with a small grin.]

Oh and... whatever you do, don't press that red button on the upper left until you're sure you're good with the controls.

Matthew considers the button.

So tempting...!

Finally he, exhales with a sigh.

"Aff. I will obey."

He straps himself in and settles into the cockpits, reviewing the controls.

Jostick/Arm Manipulator, Joystick/Throttle, foot pedals: the same principles seem to apply as with Battlemechs.

Matthew depresses the foot pedals and tries to take a step forward.

The Dom moves smoothly. So smoothly that Matthew's instincts cause it to over compensate, leading to a stumbling sort of action out of the hanger bay!

"How do you get these things to balance themselves?" Matthew blurts out.

Its really complicated stuff, has to do mostly with the frame of the MS itself and some of the systems near the legs.

You know everything you know about your Battlemechs? Don't apply it here.

"Aff. I believe i understand." Matthew allows.

The Dom begins trotting out of the hanger at a more or less smooth pace.

"All systems nominal." Matthew replies.

He tries increasing the walking pace. And stumbles again.

"Stravag-Blasted-Surat-Zeon Spawn Mechs!" He snarls. "It is like...there is another pilot in here with me, trying to steer this along with me!"

That'd be the Operating System. It'll get the MS to do all the movement compensation for standard maneuvering. Just take a deep breath and pretend you don't have to worry about the compensation.

Matthew listens to Mad's words, and nods.

He bites the insides of his cheek and fights against his instincts, attempting to simply move forward and not worry about micro-managing.

The Dom stabilizes.

Matthew relaxes, then laughs breathlessly. "Fascinating! Your computing technology is very potent."

He increases the speed a bit, then slows to a stop. The Dom halts. Then he picks up the pace again, until he is at a full on trot.

"Excellent! I believe I have the hang of it."

He turns around and heads back to the hanger.

"Now then. Let me see if I can pick up a weapon and shoot with it. Though why they do not simply build weapons into the frame is beyond me."

Inside the hanger, he extends a hand to reach a mounted beam rifle. He gets...a very poor grip, and the beam rifle falls from the hand to clatter on the hanger floor.

"Er–".

Edited 2013-02-21 22:26 (UTC)

Built in weapons can be a liability if they break or something. With handhelds you can just pick 'em up and use them if they're registered with the OS. If not it just needs time to adapt-

[Mad blinks as the Beam Rifle meets deck plating. She sighs just shakes her head, the Lambda retrieving the weapon and putting it back into place.]

Lets avoid using weaponry that can carve through armor UNTIL you get the hang of this Matt. Seriously. Ayame'd be on both our asses if you punch a hole through something by accident.

[She picks out an MMP-80 and loads it with training rounds.]

Now... Be Careful.

"...That makes a modicum of sense." Matthew replies, pouting in the cockpit.

"But fear not. I could hardly call myself a Clan Mechwarrior if I did not have the ability master strange new Battlemechs!"

This time, he aims the Dom's hand carefully, letting each mechanized finger roll delicately around the MMP-80, until a light chimes green, indicating a successful interface.

"Ah-ha!" He cries out. "That is the power of a trueborn!"

Who took 15 seconds to pick up a gun. Still, progress.

"Let us test this out on the range."

He turns about, trotting out the bay, gun barrel pointed upwards in a 'safe' position.

This time he's testing out the Amphibious Model Zeon Mobile Suit Juaggu in all it's....elephantish glory.

He's learned how to operate computer-program balanced mobile suits with the Dom Tropen by now, so the first question that pops into his head this time is:

"Where are the jump jets?"

Edited 2013-02-17 03:54 (UTC)

It's an aquatic mobile suit. For underwater operations.

"Underwater operations?" Matthew replies.

"That is ridiculous! Even if it made sense for mechanized robots to fight underwater, they would be more...fish shaped, quiaff?"

He pauses.

"Although that does explain the shark sigils–This Line of Conversation is Pointless! Mechwarrior Matthew, Juaggu, moving out!"

Matthew wrestles with the strange controls, and the Juaggu begins trotting forward on it's stubby little feet.

Matthew shivers a moment. Earth Sphere Mechs are a little creepy, the way they seem to have their own sense of balance. As if they can think and operate on their own.

"Hmmm...the land speed is adequate."

A fish wouldn't be able to walk on land, would it? A Mobile Suit that can only move in water wouldn't be able to launch surprise attacks on bases or ground forces. So it's still bipedal.

[Raynor follows, Paragon slowly riding on its motorbike.]

"...Aff. That makes sense." Matthew reluctantly allows.

He trots back and forth, raising and lowering the speed multiple times to get a sense of the Juaggu's inertia. The Juaggu's movement becomes more smooth on the way. The Elephant head pivots this way and that.

You hear a grunt over the comms. "It is almost like riding a horse, piloting these types of Mechs. Or at least I assume so."

He throttles down and brings it to a stop.

"Movement exercises complete. Now turning to weapons testing. Disengaging safeties."

He moves the rocket arms out of the way, straightens the head, and bares the chest cannons.

"Beam cannons...firing!"

Laser-like particle beams leap out from the chest and melting a clump of rocks, charring them bright red.

"Not bad!" Matthew exclaims.

Edited 2013-02-20 21:30 (UTC)

I've never ridden a horse, but I don't think it's very similar. Horses are living being and do what they want, Mobile Suits are machines and only respond to controls.

[Raynor watches the results of the beam fire.]

Juaggu might look like an elephant, but it's an artillery unit with strong guns and armor. A robot type you're well familiar with, I'm sure.

"Aff. It is the model of 'robot' that is the rule to which mechs like yours prove the exception." Matthew replies.

He lifts up the Juaggu's rocket cannons, taking aim at the same clump of rock.

"Practice rounds are loaded...firing!"

Matthew expects the standard brief swarm of missiles, then a period of cooldown.

Instead, the rockets pour out in a swath of burst fire, peppering the rock column with puffs of smoke and minor blasts. Matthew holds down the button for a moment, marveling at the extended rapidfire capacity, then lets off to conserve his ammunition.

"I believe this mech shall uphold the honor of the Gurren Brigade." He says with satisfaction. "Still...further testing is required."

The Juaggu's monoeye shifts to look at Paragon.

"Care for a bout?" He asks.

Depends on the criteria. Most front rank Mobile Suits are built for agility, not armor. It's a better defense against beams... Usually.

[Raynor draws Paragon's giant claymore from the robot's back.]

It'd be against he virtue of Valor to turn down a challenge without a good reason.

"There are mechs designed for lightweight dashing...The Firemoth in particular. " Matthew admits. "Stravag are they fragile, though."

Matthew pivots the Juaggu around to face Raynor in response to his acceptance of his challenge.

"Then well bargained and done...PARAGON RAYNOR JOZ!" Matthew yells.

He pauses. "let me turn down the particle beam settings first. Okay...DONE!"

He kicks the Juaggu up to full speed, and strafes to the side, letting off a chattering volley of training rockets.

I'm sure you'll find out Paragon is much less fragile than that!

[Raynor pushes full throttle, circling around Matthew and driving behind some large rocks to serve as a barrier against the missiles. Speaking of rocks, he throws a not as large one at the Juaggu when he appears in sight again.]

Matthew raises the thick arms of his Juaggu up to his face. The rock bounces off, driving the Juaggu back a few steps.

He makes up for that lost ground...by charging at Paragon, particle cannons lighting up and firing!

[Raynor is going to take these on his armor, because he's already moving from behind the rock, charging forward as well to slam Steed's front wheel into the Juaggu! No spikes though, because it's just a training fight.]

Matthew reflexes reaches for his jumpjets...

He has none! Derp!

He gets bowled over by the Steed's wheel!

[Raynor turns around behind Matthew rapidly on his front wheel, and stops.]

Are you okay there?

Matthew rolls over, props his cannon hands into the earth, and pushes himself up.

"Erf!–There, I am better. Some old reflexes interfered with my piloting."

I know that feel. Paragon is not like the Mobile Suits I used to pilot, even if the controls are the same.

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03: Rebounding via Montage! The Light of a Brigadier's Nova Broadens Horizons!

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[3] Test Drive 1: Dom Tropen

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[3] Test Drive 2: Juaggu

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