[Nexus] Altaran Irregulars HQ/IAV Sanctuary

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

Eventually they'll be able to get enough juice flowing into the mech to "Jump" the emergency generator, and it starts back up. As the machine comes back online, it doesn't actually move, instead, the back opening up and extending a platform. on the platform is a black steel pod, which opens slowly to reveal... a girl in a flight suit. She can't be older than twenty five, her reddish brown hair cropped short, and she's scrawny, though medical scans will show she's healthy, if unconscious. Shortly after the cover of the pod opens, a set of plugs will disconnect from her body; from the back of her head, her spine, her arms, and her legs. The mech was connected directly to her nervous system, and the pod was there to make sure she couldn't move her body and disrupt things. Likely she wouldn't even need to normally, given the beastly machine she was piloting.

The flight suit is a skin tight black material, with various plugs in various locations for her to sit inside the mech, of course. One might even note that she's covered in freckles, and her eyes would have a cute, droopy quality when she was awake. All in all, she's neither pretty nor beautiful, but rather cute. She also happens to be falling out of her pod, towards the waiting ground. If nobody catches her, she'll hit the dirt, but not hard enough to even cause a concussion.

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

The pilot will be brought to a room normally used by pilots here. Of course, it's rather sparse here, given that it's a backup facility for use by those who cannot reach Sanctuary for whatever reason.

Especially comfortable, it is not.

That's just until she wakes up. The guards outside will be waiting for that.

And all that is if she doesn't wake up before all that can happen, of course.

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

It'll be an hour later that the pilot awakens, her heavily augmented nervous system reacting relatively rapidly to no longer being hooked directly into a huge machine.

She'll take in her surroundings quietly, before stepping off the bed - she's a bit off balance, but on the whole looks perfectly fine. she calls out, though, "Hey! Where the hell am I?"

After all, there's probably someone outside the door. This looks like a corp compound, rather than her hangar.

[Rebonack]

[Spire Conference Room]

As is often the case in official functions Allo has a tendency to key her behavior to the attitude of the highest ranking officer nearby. And right now that means stoic and no-nonsense. She accepts the medal with a curt nod and a simple statement, "It is an honor to serve, sir."

Nothing more needs to be said, really.

She signed up to help protect the people of her new home from any threat, whether internal or external. It's what she's done all her life and that isn't about to stop just because she got dumped head first into some kind of crazy mashup world.

There's a pretty good chance that she'll continue to stand in silence until she's dismissed. Unless someone does something inexplicable like throwing streamers into the air and shooting off party poppers, which would be pretty darn inexplicable.

[Backup Airfield]

As is often the case when giant robots (ostensibly created by unknown factions) show up in the Nexus for no readily apparent reason there's a security detail attached to the group of engineers and medics.

Why?

On the off chance that a bolt of lighting were to strike the giant robot, grant it sapience, and cause it to begin watching The Three Stooges on Netflix.

What?

This is the Nexus! You never know.

The armored personal aren't doing a great deal aside from being nearby and letting the noncoms do their jobs. Hopefully the security detail won't have to do anything aside from stand around. There's a tense moment the pod opens, but thankfully it disgorges an unconscious human woman instead of a slathering, violent monster.

Once the pilot of the machine is secured the majority of the detail are sent off to other tasks whilst the remaining two wait outside the door...

~~~~~

Allomyrina doesn't mind guard duty. It certainly isn't as exciting as patrol duty, but at the same time it isn't as potentially lethal as patrol duty. And she's often tapped for Emissary N'alae's security detail when that particular service is required. After a few missions together, both official and otherwise, the two have built up something of a rapport.

At the moment, though?

At the moment she's standing outside the recovered pilot's temporary housing and waiting for said pilot to wake up. Thankfully it doesn't take too long.

Allomyrina ques up her com, "Emissary N'alae, the pilot of the unknown combat mech is awake. We'll be along shortly."

That message sent, she gives a nod to the other guard. "Private Davis, if you will."

He replies by opening up the door.

The pilot's first sight aside from her room will be Specialist Allomyrina in her light armor. Thankfully without the helmet or re-breather attached. That would be unnecessarily intimidating. Allo looks unremarkably human. Almost forgettable, really.

"Your questions will be answered in due time. Please, follow me," Allo says. Her tone makes it clear that despite her polite demeanor this is by no means a request.

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

The pilot takes in this new person. the height and size difference is considerable, but the pilot looks ready to be able to kill her if need be. Thankfully, the need isn't currently being, and so she walks towards the door, "Uh huh. Vague answer. Where's my AC?"

[Rebonack]

[Backup Airfield]

Vague answers are the best answers.

When one spends several years in the black ops branch of the MoA one learns very quickly how to supply vague answers. It's kinda sorta required since the alternative is getting court-martialed.

Or, depending on the severity of the security break, one might simply disappear.

Allomyrina doesn't reply to the pilot's question, but instead leads her back outside where the engineers are inspecting the giant robot and Emissary N'alae is waiting. The two guards will escort the pilot to the Emissary and then take their position with the rest of the security detail.

Allo will be feeling out the emotions wafting off the pilot like a spider tugging on the strands of her web, hunting for any sign of hostility or danger. She has a job to do, after all.

[The Bushranger]

[Spire Conference Room]

"Thank you, sir. Just doing my job." Red salutes as he receives the medal; he actually seems properly respectful and formal for once.

...of course this dissapates as soon as Vyrn moves on to the next recipient, with that infuriatingly broad grin returning.

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

"Ah, you're awake, sooner than I had expected," N'alae says as she spots the pilot and the guards coming. "Please, do not be afraid, we have no intention of harming you."

The pointed ears might or might not be a bit odd. There's more to that, too, though it's not evident thanks to the hat.

"I'm guessing from the dramatic drop-in that you happen to be a new arrival? There is quite a lot you will want to know about this place, and after that, I have an offer I want to make you, if you'll hear it."

[Lost_Deep]

[Shooting Range]

"Personally, I want to see if they come out with some shotgun-type energy weapon, just for the hell of it. Think I'd miss the kick, though." Pewpewpew. "Might as well use this skeletal structure of mine."

"Statement:I am aware of a few of those, but they're generally in use by underworld groups and either shoddily made or poorly maintained." HK comments as he finishes up his round. "Statement: If they have a military-grade weapon of that kind, I have yet to hear about it."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

"How'd you disable Greenstriker? I didn't even see what happened - a flash, all the systems shut down, and I passed out. Never heard of a weapon like that, and I do a good job of staying informed. EMP based doesn't make sense, I'm protecting against such simple bull. Ion pulse mines of some sort? Some sort of artificial upload to my AC's systems?"

A disabling, an offer. This seems convenient. The pilot's cute, droopy, hazel eyes are currently locked in a scowl; she obviously hasn't grasped where she is, likely having just come from a warzone. She also clearly cares deeply about her mech, and the idea that they might have done something to it...

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

N'alae just shakes her head. "Oh, no, no, you're mistaken. We did not do anything to your vehicle beyond jump-start it to get you out. We're monitoring it to make sure nothing unfortunate happens, as can happen with unfamiliar technology. It appeared over part of the city, fell down, and collapsed, unpowered. We're lucky it didn't crush more than just a parked car. We found it, had it moved, and got you out. You are...ah, what is that 20th-century human phrase I have occasionally heard...

Not in Kentucky anymore?" It's Kansas, N'alae.

"Or even on your own planet anymore, really. It happens. I got here via a spacecraft encountering a temporal anomaly, one of our pilots, the one that originally reported your vehicle's arrival, was swept up in an extradimensional hell storm. Whatever the rules of your world were, you can forget them, because many things you thought to be impossible are going to be common here. And what's worse is, nobody you know is here. I'd go on, but I don't know what all that means to you." The question there is implied, raised eyebrow and all.

[Shooting Range]

"Yeah, don't see those so much. There's some really exotic stuff, but we don't have much of that lying around too. Think one of the pilots has something like that, though. Dunno how it doesn't break her arms." Hill is, of course, referencing Major Xanatov's bolt pistol. "That thing fires rocket-propelled bolts that dig into the target and then explode."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

The pilot looks at N'alae with that permanent scowl, and it might feel like she's trying to bore into the emissary's skull with her gaze, "You expect me to believe I, on a planet in the middle of the MSB, somehow stepped into a wormhole to the ass end of the galaxy? Are you high?"

Well then.

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

N'alae just takes off her hat, revealing the V-shaped ridge on her forehead. "And I bleed green, though I'd rather not have to demonstrate that one. If you are still feeling skeptical, there is a shapeshifter present as well, but I'd rather not parade around my blood and her abilities just to make a show here. So please don't make us resort to demonstrations of how much different this place is compared to what you know. We'll be here all day."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

The pilot shakes her head, "Right, so say I believe you. That still leaves the question - who are you, and where exactly am I?" She walks by, towards her mech, trying to shoo the engineers away from it so she can detach the jumper cables herself. Might as well get some work done while speaking. Ugh, no hangar? Who were these people?

[Lost_Deep]

Shooting Range

"Comment: Sounds delightful."

Presumably he would have prefaced that comment appropriately if it was sarcastic, so...

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

N'alae follows her over there. "We're the Altaran Irregulars, one half of the military and law enforcement of this city. I am Emissary N'alae, in charge of diplomacy and, well, things like this. This is one of our facilities, a backup airfield we use if our aircraft cannot reach the carrier for whatever reason. Or, if you want me to be less specific, this is the city of Inside. Strange name, I know. But it is hardly the strangest thing around."

"So all that said, who might you be?"

[Shooting Range]

Hill seems remarkably unperturbed. "The ammo's kind of expensive. I think she only gets away with it because she doesn't actually use the thing. Because, you know, pilot." Pilots don't generally shoot people with pistols, bolt or otherwise.

[Lost_Deep]

Shooting Range

"Statement: Everyone needs to be armed, just in case." 585 states. "Statement: Don't want someone to be helpless if down behind enemy lines."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

The Pilot begins walking around the mech, looking over various parts and important bits, including fiddling with the pair of antenna on the head, "Marley Godlark, Pilot of the Greenstriker, usually employed by the Kelsar government as a mercenary contractor, though I doubt I'll be renewing my contract with them if what you say is true." Apparently satisfied, she backs off, turning back to N'alae, "Gonna take some tuning to get this back to optimal. Don't suppose you have a hangar around here? What sort of threats do you commonly deal with?"

I'm not sure if N'alae knows the significance behind the name Godlark, but from the way Marley states it, the pilot herself doesn't.

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

N'alae looks a bit taken aback for a moment, before her neutral expression returns. "...To answer your first question, yes, but they're mostly set up for aircraft. This vehicle is not huge enough that it should be too much of a problem, however, as long as you don't stand it up. As for the second question, answering that would take a rather long book. This place is a sort of reality blender that mixes up elements of worlds with incredibly different life and even laws of physics. Threats we might face range from cybernetic collectives bent on assimilating all sapient life to talking Earth felines that want to destroy all of reality. Plenty of jobs for a mercenary, but...you see, there is a problem." She puts on a frown. She didn't comment about the name, oddly enough.

"Most organizations here in the Nexus lack heavy vehicular support. Spacecraft are nearly nonexistent, and we in the Altaran Irregulars are the main military organization with heavy vehicle support. Even we focus heavily on aircraft. Our counterpart organization, called Remnant, lacks significant amounts of heavy vehicles completely. The mercenary organizations about lack such heavy support entirely, and most jobs for mercenaries are not likely to pay for your...Greenstriker's operation costs, as they tend to be more geared toward individuals. If you don't believe me, you are free to investigate on your own, but you will find that we are the only organization with enough resources and vehicle support to keep you working consistently. Our counterparts in Remnant and perhaps Evolution Industries might manage, but the former, as I mentioned before, probably won't manage, and the latter is not...usually...active in such a manner." She seems sympathetic enough, though how much is an act is unknown.

"So I suppose what I am saying is...do you want a job, Ms. Godlark?"

[Shooting Range]

"Yeah, just ain't likely, is what I meant," Hill clarifies. "That requires that somethin' get her down in the first place, and you don't get that rank so easy without having somethin' to you."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

Marley stops and looks at N'alae, trying to get a read on her facial expression. The short, scrawny woman is trying to judge whether this is a setup or not. It does seem like she being honest though...

"Tell you what. you write up a contract - I'll work with you on a case by case basis and It gives me time to shop around and see if what you're telling me is true. Maybe get myself some clothes other than just a flight suit, too."

[Inigo Montoya]

[Spire Conference Room]

Okay, that's entirely enough waiting. I will assume everyone is here and post anyway, and anyone who missed this can post as if they were here.

Vyrn himself is present in the room, and once everyone arrives, he stands and speaks. Strangely, he is holding a long black case of some sort.

"I am sure all of you have noticed by now that you are all the participants of Operation Ascendant, and all that implies. I will let the Emissary explain."

"The structure the Borg were building at the base was a transwarp gateway that would have allowed a full-scale invasion. It was not large enough for use by full-scale Borg ships, but their smaller vessels would have been able to use it easily. We averted a massive invasion that I doubt anyone was prepared for. The amount of damage the Borg could do with even a fraction of the Nexus's potential assimilated is..." N'alae shakes her head. "Incomprehensible."

"Therefore, it is my honor to present you all with these," Vyrn says, as he opens the case. This reveals a number of medals, most gold and bearing the image of a spiral galaxy, one of those for each participant in Operation Ascendant. Then there are are four others, silver and with the image of a bird wreathed in flames flying upward. A phoenix, most likely.

"All of you have earned the Golden Realm for your service against an apocalypse level threat," Vyrn orders, and if everyone's cooperating, he will personally pin the medals on them. Then he gets to the other ones. "And for those injured in the line of this service, I present you with the Ascendant Phoenix." These ones go to Hill, Balthazar, and Blu first, before he reaches N'alae. "Of course, due to the secrecy of certain aspects of the operation, you know you cannot wear this publicly. But it is yours to have."

N'alae takes it regardless. "Of course." She sounds like the situation isn't new to her, oddly enough.

"...But for all else, wear these with pride, for you have earned them."

The observant, through it all, might notice that Vyrn himself appears to sport the Golden Realm on his ever-fancy uniform.

Balthazar stood up straight and proud as he was presented with his medals. Finally, something he had won through his own work, not just given to him. He salutes Vyrn.

"Thank-you sir. I will honor it." He then steps back. There really was wasn't much more he could say to that.

[Lost_Deep]

Shooting Range

"Statement: In this group, maybe. In other groups you can bribe or blackmail your way to the top. Reminiscence: That kind of group can be interesting to take down. Surprise, surprise, we took out your incompetent middle ranks. Now what are you going to do?" 585 goes over to switch to the next gun. "The brass are all so surprised when their rich, well-connected fellows are incompetent in their appointed position!"

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

"That will do nicely. You'll be given temporary housing, along with a guide and escort. The former is not going to be that fancy, as we are talking about military bases here, but it is better than being thrown into the Nexus of all places with nothing at all," N'alae rightfully states. The best kind of manipulation to get someone to work for you is the kind that is actually true, after all. "The minutia can be worked out when we get the actual contract written up."

Which will probably be skipped over.

I don't speak lawyer.

[Shooting Range]

"Then somebody slips up and accidentally blows everyone up?" Hill jokes.

Pew pew.

[Lost_Deep]

Shooting Range

"Statement: I've never seen it happen. Usually what happens then is that the top people get killed and the peons disperse naturally. Clarification: No, not always as a red mist. Sometimes killing them all is just not worth the trouble."

[Halae]

[Backup Airfield]

Neither do I. We can basically assume they treat each other fairly. "Sounds good. Is it possible to be housed with my AC though? I prefer to be close to it, so I can tune and adjust as needed."

[Darkcomet]

[Backup Airfield]

"If you wish, we can keep it here and you can use the barracks you woke up in," N'alae suggests. "Would that suffice?"

[Shooting Range]

Well I'm at a loss at this point, really. Not so great at small talk.

[Arkhosia]

Front Door

Akmenos knocks on the door.

[Darkcomet]

[Spire Entrance]

Well, there are guards there, so Akmenos, whoever that is, will have to talk to them first.

"State your business," says one of the two guards, sounding pretty bored.

[Arkhosia]

[Spire Entrance]

Well, there are guards there, so Akmenos, whoever that is, will have to talk to them first.

"State your business," says one of the two guards, sounding pretty bored.

I have knowledge beneficial to solving the recent kidnapping at Trog's
The tiefling paladin replies

[Darkcomet]

[Spire Entrance]

"One second."

The guard activates his commlink after a bit of fiddling. "Spire Doorman seeking the Emissary, yes about the kidnapping, wait, what?" Then he looks back up at Akmenos. "...Uh, she says she'll be right out to meet you."

And indeed, if the paladin waits, out comes Emissary N'alae herself, in the same old uniform as always. With a pistol of some variety holstered.

"Tell me everything you know," she states. It isn't a request, going by the tone.