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1.6 - Fire, Ice and Rock? Part 1
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Curiosity getting the better of her after seeing the simulation scores - Una tapped the screen of her handheld and brought up 'Stat-Master' the app used by all to grade, quantity and judge the lives of everyone - Loathed by some, a goal for other - The program claimed to be able to tap into reality in some fashion and truly ascertain a persons qualities;
User; Una O' Conchabhair
Vitality 51 ( -4, Status: Winded) Physical Strength 27 Mental Fortitude 25 ( - 2, Status: Mentally Exhausted) Magi Score N/a Occupation; Junior Pilot Simulation Rank D- (+40 Points) Estimated Real Ability D- Leadership Skill N/a Close Combat Skill E+ Marksmanship Skill D- Manoeuvres Skill D
Una sighed at the overview, her stats as low as ever - With some added tempary debuffs for good measure.
After a little longer, Una gently pressed the shutdown sequence on her monitor screen - Listening patiently as outside the small cockpit came the sound of bulkheads un-screwing and minute machinery disconnecting the simulator module away from her Vijaik.
The cabin was dark now, only a faint ceiling-light emitting a small glow. She ran her hand over everything again, checking that all the control levers and switches really were still there. Of course she had been informed the Fluchtig had the most advanced in simulator technology but this had been more than she could of ever predicted. Back in the academy, simulators were bulky enclosed boxes, with a standardised set of controls and limited visuals.
They certainly hadn't shaken violently with enough force to match the movements of the simulation - Never had one physically winded her before. They had used a couple of old Gen1 Vijaik MBTs, which were for doing practise bouts in - But those had always felt like practise, they had never made her feel trapped or scared. No this had been different.
The simulator was a large grey rectangle on a miniature scissor lift of sorts, which raised it up into the air to attach straight to the raised cockpit of the actual mechs used by each pilot. Said machine had only arrived that very morning, it felt like an oddly faint memory to think back on how excited she had been when the small transport craft had arrived.
How she was nearly giddy when the lieutenant had offered to get everyone together and do a 'proper' simulation test, to help her 'break-in the new model'.
That excitement felt very distant now.
The sounds of whirring outside her enclosure now quietened, replaced with the faint screeching of tyres reversing slowly, indicating the simulator mechanism had been fully released and that she could now leave.
Stand up and walk (well float) out, away from the machine, her machine - 'Just a simulation.'
She reached out, moving her hand to grab the control connection or CC, a small USB like object, from its mooring - When her eye caught something. Positioned above all the monitors, above eye level in fact, and just below where the entry hatch still lay shut, was a collection of small cupboarded compartments. Akin to glove boxes in a regular vehicle.
Their use, quantity and position often varied from model to model but generally one would be empty and free for the use of the pilot (that one could often be found beneath the pilot's chair), with the others normally holding a number of different fire extinguisher types, emergency tools, possibly rations or spare clothing and of-course protection.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Una timidly felt at the surface of that last one, having to reach her hand up to its smooth face. Unlike the other boxes, this one had a small slot for an old school brass key. Half heartedly she pulled free the CC and haphazardly stared at it. She couldn't believe it had passed her notice when Lt.Kolme had first handed her the thing.
'It must be some sort of mistake...' - Una pondered but indeed there on a thin ring next to the mech's starter, was a dainty dust-coloured key. The young woman swallowed hard, unsure now if she was simply still feeling stressed from the simulation or from this new quandary.
She reached up key first.
The little lock clicked and she let the key fall from her hand, dangling freely from it's footing with-in the lock. The now open cupboard fell away slowly, there was after all only a small amount of artificial gravity aboard the hangar bays of the ship.
'....It's really there... A gun.'
A submachine gun to be more precise. From what she could remember it looked to be a standard issue one, the stocky bodied type that could be easily disassembled - Quick to reload and near useless at any real range.
A completely ordinary thing to find in any Mech's cabin, for use in the extreme emergency that the enemy actually attempted to board your machine. Totally regulation, as was the spare ammo magazines, all held in place by little, easily pulled away straps, to ensure a pilot quick access but without ever worrying about the thing rattling around inside the box.
Clunk
Una's heart dropped, her mouth barely suppressing a scream, as suddenly a blinding line of light appeared before her accompanying the sound of boots bouncing onto a metal surface - All just above the gun she had been staring at so intently.
Thin but bright, like dawn creeping in under a pair of curtains, said glow soon grew larger.
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A moment later Una laid back, reflexively sinking into her chair with relief, now remembering that it was simply her cockpit's hatch opening. Then she tensed, realising the box to be still open, its contents lay bear - She moved to close it up but found herself stopped half way when the world suddenly turned black once more.
She felt at her face, half panicked before again feeling remarkably embarrassed at her own skittishness as she patted her face with the warm towel which had been thrown at her.
"Make sure you take the key out and turn the lights off Rookie, no need to run down the battery." - Came the stout voice of Sabban Vint. It was somewhat weird hearing it now, close up and personal. It was a gravelled voice that seemed to exclusively speak in monotone and with quant grunts between sentences, as thought the act of talking presented an efforted strain with little returns given for such labour.
He stood with one hand held to the rim of the open roof that acted as the cabin's exit & entry point, looking down at her impassively. He seemed intent on two things, Una wondered if one of those things was that.
"Kolme is a real idiot ain't he, really threw you at this eh?" - He said with a raised eyebrow, now getting a better look inside the cabin.
Una was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in Sabban's way of referring to the group leader outside of combat;
"There'll be the proper gear in your quarters, should make piloting a little more comfortable for ya, new or not the Neo types still get pretty damn warm inside."
Una flushed a little, concluding he must be referring to the sweat she now wiped away with the towel.
It was a natural part of any profession of course but it still felt a little weird hearing it be mentioned by a former classmate, then again she could hardly deny the fact that the cabin was indeed warm
'This warm for just a simulation.'
She had little time to think on this before Sabban nodded his head in the direction of the still carelessly open gun-box;
"Something missing?" He added poignantly.
Una blinked absently before flailing her arms, "What? Eh no, no. I mean er... umm, it's just I think there's been a mistake. I'm not sure this should be here-",
Before she could flounder any further - Sabban cut back in; "Leave the brass key in it, no one else ever bothers taking it out. After all if you do ever need it last thing you want is to be fumbling around looking for where you left your keys. Oh and don't worry about any of that bullcrap from before".
He still held that absent look on his face, his off-hand planted firmly against the back of his head amongst his black-mottled hair - A sort of crew-cut that had been left grow out, with the air of having been once maintained but more recently fallen on hard times;
"When that ass from the Investigations-Bureau started trying to give Miss.Hoki trouble over 'What you could and couldn't have' here, well let's just say Kolme stepped in and gave the man a taste of what talking to a real soldier is like".
Sabban had finished that sentence with a visible sneer before continuing on;
"He'll see to getting you a sidearm soon enough too so don't worry about it" - With that and not waiting for another further response, Una watched Sabban shove himself downwards, back towards the hanger floor and out of her sight.
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