September 10th, 2007

 

Fortress V - Bridge

 

        The true brains of the Repliforce Fortress, the bridge is always bustling with activity as reploids move in and out, the crew here always watching out for the systems, subsystems, and weapons of the might Fortress V. Comfortable couches with long panels allow the bridge crew to sit while commanding the vessel, while other stations allow people to stand as they work at them. A combination transparisteel window/viewscreen rests at the front of the room, and a large steering wheel, seemingly taken from a pirate's vessel, rests in the back of the room, its purpose seemingly decorative. Doors here lead to the offices of Colonel and General, as well as the ready room.

 

 Contents:                               Contents:                     

 Blues [Protoman] [H]

 Control Panel - Fortress V

 

 Starboard <S>:            Fortress V - General's Office

 Port <P>:                 Fortress V - Colonel's Office

 Aft <A>:                  Fortress V - Ready Room

 Turbolift <TL>:           Fortress V - Turbolifts

 

Storm Owl is standing at one of the round console stations in the middle of the bridge, conferring with his XO and the flight leaders. The console itself is showing a holographic map of the area surrounding the FV. There are holographic representations of ground and air patrols extending out from the ship.

 

        Protoman walks onto the bridge of the Fortress V as he just finished up doing Kitchen Patrol down in the Mess Hall. He does his part for Repliforce in terms of the drudgery when he's not off fighting the good fight nowadays.

        Besides, Nurse Owl told Protoman that Storm Owl should be up on the bridge right now. "Commander," Protoman says flatly. He actually stays just to the side of the entry hatch, he doesn't want to actually antagonize Storm Owl.

 

Storm Owl glances up from the console, pausing in the conversation. It looked fairly routine. Comm Bat and the pair of flight leaders also look in Protoman's direction. "Welcome to the bridge, Protoman." Storm Owl says in his neutral tone. He pauses in case Protoman is here for a specific reason.

 

        Protoman doesn't flinch as all the flight leaders that Storm Owl was conversing with suddenly turn to look toward him as Owl does. "I was wondering if you had a moment to talk, once you're done?" Is this... politeness?

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Let's get ready to play some Murderball! Folks, get to the Biodiesel locker-room!"

 

Storm Owl glances at the others and nods. "I'm available now, Protoman," he says, gesturing to the ready room. Comm and the others can make the decisions involving patrol routes and brief him on it later.

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana lets out a faint chuckle.

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Berky, we could use some medical assistance, if you're interested."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Blaze Heatnix transmits, "Oh, hey, Surf, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be able to make it tonight."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana transmits, "First off, it's Berkana to you. And I'll be on standby here at the Fortress Five... though I'll send a metool to keep an eye on things."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Aw, man. Bummer."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Zero transmits a pleasant, "Surf, who's captain?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Awww, a metool!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Zero's captain!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "I think I missed something while I was busy researching and inventing more or less untapped, uncharted territory."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "What's going on?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Cinnamon transmits, "Murderball."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "We gotta play Murderball against the Saskatchewan Massacre! If we lose, little Jimmy dies of cancer!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Michael Eildath transmits, "You'll have to forgive Surf. He's an idiot."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Zero transmits, "In short, to save some football players from some contract of evil POX pushed on them... I had to get a team together to play against some Mavericks in their twisted little game."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "Uh-huh."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Orion, dude, we could totally use you!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Cinnamon transmits, "You guys, um, have fun?"

 

        Protoman only walks to the door the Ready Room as Storm Owl gestures to it, not through it. He's not particularly modest, so he doesn't care if others on the bridge hear what he's going to request. "I know you don't think highly of me Commander, but I wanted to bring up my concerns for using a naval setup as the primary means of assault on Weil's territories. As we saw in Bonn this past Friday, the navy was completely neutered in the first few minutes by them freezing the waters and punching holes through many of the ships."

        Protoman doesn't stop, adding a clarifier, "I think it's fine as a distraction, especially after they saw us use a naval assault on Bonn. If we use a naval force as a feint on Elysium, they'll think it's the real force because of Bonn. I just don't want to see a host of Hunters and Repliforcers killed because you've got a tempermental Stingray who got royally pissed off because of a tactical suggestion."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "Call me if you need medical assistance... Or someone to drop a large transport on the field of athletics."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "It is an excellent day for..." Pause. Dexter's Lab-like voice, "/SCIENCE!/""

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Burn Dinorex transmits, "Wait...It's Monday already?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Zero transmits, "Don't push people to play, Surf. If I have to, we'll take them on ourselves. These people didn't promise to play. Just me. Of course, I'd be grateful for anyone that would help out. As for medical assistance, I think that's gunna be assumed from the way the game is going to play out."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, "I'll have someone prep a medical transport then."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "I'll help you out, Zero."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana transmits, "As mentioned earlier, I'm on standby; if you need me to drop by, then ask."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple, dumbass. "We'd love to have you on our side, Berkana!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana replies with a cold, berating tone. "...as medical support. I'm a scientist, not a linebacker."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth asides to Berkana, "Don't mind him. He's Canadian."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Protoman transmits, "Do you have a problem with Canadians, Corth?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Canadians are just like us, except that they're made out of sausage!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "It'd be a morale boost all the same, Berkana."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana lets out a hmph. "Regardless, if you see a purple and gold metool wandering around, keep it off the football field. It tends to be slightly... disobedient."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Orion Corth transmits, immediately following Protoman, the sound of metal straining and breaking. "Excuse me. I seem to have overloaded a large portion of my condenser prototype."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "Does this mean you'll be there to cheer us on, Berkana?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Zero sounds amused, "Could always be a wide reciever if you wanted, Berkana. In all seriousness though, if you want to come, please do. As for the Metool, try and keep it off the field or it will be considered a player."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana transmits, "No, unless a situation arises that might call for medical assistance. I'll be in my lab, with a video feed wired to my monitor."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "Ah well. We appreciate you looking out for us nonetheless."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Berkana transmits, "And I'll keep that in mind. DX-832, did you hear him?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] A metool lets out a meep.

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Hey, Metool dude!"

 

Professional as always, the other Repliforcers go back to their work and don't pay either their Commander or to Protoman. Or at least they don't appear to be listening to what they're saying. Owl stops short of the door and listens intently to Protoman, not giving any hint on his opinion. "I understand your feelings on the matter," he says once Protoman is finished.

 

        Just as in the meeting, Protoman's tone is flat and near emotionless. Almost like he's stating a clinical diagnosis that people are going to die. But what Storm Owl says isn't an answer, it is a dismissal, "Very well."

        This was just the first of a few things Protoman had to talk about tonight though. "I made a suggestion at the meeting that was already being worked on by Doctor Cain. Freezing the tunnels. We're looking to actually use subspace to deliver the payload as well."

 

Storm Owl ultimately isn't going to be making the decision on a navy anyway. That's going to be General and Colonel and maybe Prism's job. Storm Owl generally doesn't like passing the buck, but in this case it might be for the best. Storm Owl nods, silently marvelling at the fantastic science that Maverick Hunters have at their disposal. "You think you can teleport the payload in?" he asks. There's got to be more to it.

 

        "I'll need to go down myself to deliver the device, from there Doctor Cain will do the rest. The device is basically like Fliptop. A subspace device full of water. It opens the flood gate, floods the tunnels, then a charge on device goes off and boom -- filled frozen tunnels." Protoman glances to his right toward the bridge crew, "I'll need Phase for it most likely to be my hands on the surface while I'm underneath."

 

"Phase is reluctant to participate in a mission underground," Storm Owl comments, understanding Phase's opinion on the matter. He could order her to do it, but if she's just going to be a nervous wreck over it then there's no need to put the mission in danger over it. "Why her in particular? Is there no other assistant you could use?"

 

        "She won't need to go underground unless something goes horrifically wrong," as in Protoman is caught and eaten by Alexia Ashford. Protoman says, "she and I understand the tactics we use when teleporting. But the big reason is that she's -fast-. Her physical speed and teleporting will be my eyes and ears, and hands, on the surface as the techs tell us where to place the bombs."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Who's handling the kick, coach?"

 

"If she is willing, then I have no problem with her participating," Storm Owl says. He'd prefer that she gets over her little... phobia? Worries? Whatever they are. He doesn't like his soldiers having mental problems (though you'd think he'd be used to it by now).

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Zero transmits, "You want to handle it, Surf?"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Got it!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Someone, hold the ball for me!"

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "Not it."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "Wait, no, that's not how it works. Uhhh."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Stalwart Maple transmits, "Just use a tee."

 

[Radio: (C) Joint-Chat] Surf transmits, "I got it, I got it!"

 

        "Alright," Protoman says. "Now to the final thing. I want to do more around here if possible. I want to rebuild bridges that I burned early last year. Being on parole with Repliforce I thought would help, but I've not really been called on to do much so far."

 

Navigation mechs continue to press buttons. Comm officers continue to chat into their headsets. Comm et al continue to coordinate patrol routes. Noooobody's listening in.

        Owl speaks frankly about this. "Overall I believe you have done well in Repliforce. I think it has done a world of good for you, both regarding your image and your ability to work in teams. I will do my best to include you in further missions."

 

        Protoman nods simply, this is all of his concerns addressed in short order. And for the first time that Storm Owl and Protoman have had a face to face conversation, no one died or was injured. "I'm going to stick around up here then and just get a feel for how you guys handle operations on your bridge."

 

"Feel free," Storm Owl replies, stepping back away from Protoman and back to the patrol discussion at the navigatin display console. The bridge meanwhile continues to run smoothly. Perhaps more smoothly than normal. They know they're being watched, and nobody wants to be the guy that screws up in front of a Hunter while Butterball's there to see it.