[GAME] Pacific Rim: Angel Brigade

[Scotty Rave]

“Well, you heard the man,” said Eddie, and gave Rachael a pat on the bottom. It resounded with a comical sound. “Let’s go get our tools.” He had already acquainted himself with the layout of the Shatterdome – Angel’s Haven, they called it – and had a general idea of where he was going. His pace was brisk, not so much walking as outright striding with great purpose towards the lifts that would take them to the highest point of the base, close to where the Conn-Pods were prepared.

Just as in the case of a true engagement, the Rangers would be encased by technicians in a high-tech shell. The first layer was laced with circuitry designed to interface with the wearer’s nervous system and put them in physical contact with the Jaeger. By feeling every sensation as it was by their gargantuan mount, the wearer’s fighting instincts would be sharpened exponentially. The heavier second layer, a polycarbonate battle-frame, protected the body of the Ranger from the intense physical strain of their position. Finally came the helmet, designed to supply the wearer with oxygen and aid communications through the use of impulse-amplifying Relay Gel.

Drivesuits, Eddie recalled, came in many different variations depending on the Jaeger’s origin and generation. The Mark 1 suits were mockingly referred to as antiques by some of his old colleagues during his academy training, but he liked them. Eddie was an avid collector of antiques, in a way. He had spent a small fortune over the years bringing it all together. The chance to don one of the first types of suit was very appealing to him, because it would be like stepping into history. He clenched his hands into fists with anticipation. The thing to remember about the Drift was not the Drivesuit. Above all else, it was that he was about to open his mind to a stranger, and hopefully they would do the same for him. It was the only way he would ever set foot inside that gorgeous Conn-Pod.

It was make-or-break time.

 

[Tigerhawk21]

As Rachael felt Eddie's hand pat her bottom, something inside the woman snapped. Whipping around Rachael nearly delivered a blow to Eddies egotistical head but was stopped by a quicker hand.

Turning slightly, Rachael felt the grip tighten as Major Stern stared coolly at her. Rachael's gaze returned to the walkway, and realized that Eddie had blissfully gone on ahead.

Silently steaming, Rachael stalked down the hall after a few more moments held in place by Stern. And a silent command to cool her heels. Finding the Drivesuit room was easy, as Rachael knew the Shatterdome well. Feeling the sting of Eddies of touch even as her senses dulled briefly and the suit encased her, a lone thought ran through her mind.

"That man... just touched me..."

 

[Arieoelle]

Riona missed Eddie's actions as the small woman darted past the British pilot to were they would be suited up. As she was encased in the drivesuit she would need so she could pilot Riona tried not to fidget too much, however she was sure the technicians were relieved to have her out of their hair once she was done.

Back out into the shatterdome Riona quickly found her way to Ronin hazard, bouncing a little like an eager puppy while she waited for Amber to join her.

"Wegettodriveagiantrobot!" a tiny child-like voice squeed in Riona's head. This may be the only way to save mankind and the world as she knew it ... but she was still going to have fun while doing it.

 

[Milky Rose]

Unlike Riona, Amber was able to catch Eddie giving Rachel a pat on her rear end. However, she didn't really think much about it; She was more or less focused on the Ronin Hazard, having received the go-ahead from Marshall Stern to board, and prepared herself for the Drift -- a procedure in which both partners are to unify their minds, thus exposing their thoughts to each other.

Also unlike Riona, Amber looked at the Ronin Hazard, the frown upon her lips getting deeper. To her, it wasn't all fun and games; she saw the Ronin Hazard as an important tool for exacting revenge against all Kaiju. Glancing over at Riona, she merely maintained a frown as she watched her bounce in a childlike manner.

 

[Denjin_Zaboga23]

Unlike some of the others, Perla did catch Eddie's little pat on Rachael and smirked a little inwardly, though a bit out of nervousness. Ah heh...hoo boy, one of these guys, huh? That's probably the first time that's happened to her... She had experienced the same a few times from some of the workers at the circus...it was inevitable, given her looks. Unlike Rachael, she punched those that touched her. She was playful, but she didn't give just anyone a free pass.

Pushing that our of her mind for the time being to more, to her anyway, important matters, she was soon in a drivesuit and looking at Howler Magnum. She wondered how the Drift would go between her and Marcus. She didn't really have anything to hide and thought it would go smoothly, at least on her end.

 

[Kain]

Marcus found himself face-palming at Eddie Way to make a good first impression man...... and he as more than a little surprised that Marshall Stern didn't let her smack him either, though it may have just for the sake of keeping things moving along. Marcus was noticeably more tense than Perla was when in the drivesuit room, being suited up by the J-Techs, partly from concerns about his drift issues, and partly from trying not to stare while the J-Techs tried to find a chest piece that would fit on Perla, it was actually kind of funny to see them just trying to squeeze one onto her.

Each duo was brought to the Conn-Pods of their Jaegers, where their suits would be linked to the up to the Jaeger's systems. Around the pilots the systems were coming to life as the techs in LOCCENT Mission Control started activating them. It was at that point that each of them would hear the voice of Marshall through their comm systems. "I would highly suggest you brace yourselves. You know what part comes now." he said, following it up with a chuckle as the Conn-Pods suddenly plunged downward into each of the Jaegers.

While not exactly a smooth landing, Marcus was relatively unshaken by it, if anything the fall was worse than the actual landing. He took a deep breath, here it was finally the drift, the moment of truth and the main thing on Marcus's mind was trying to not think about Perla's sizable chest.

"Connections are stable preparing to initiate neural handshake. Be ready." one of the techs said via the comms.

And finally it started.

In each Jaeger the drift was initiated, thoughts and sensations would being being shared, secrets would probably cease to exist.

In the Howler Magnum the drift felt lopsided, barely anything came from Marcus outside a few blurry and unclear mental images, the sensations were dulled. It was like being deaf in one ear almost.

 

[Scotty Rave]

Eddie braced himself for the touchdown as the Mark 1’s Conn-Pod entered its chest cavity. Unlike the later models such as Ronin Hazard and Howler Magnum, whose pilots were connected through the vertical drop into its neck-socket, the first generation fighting machines required their shoulder-space to accommodate their power plants, and so were controlled closer to the centre of their great bulk. The British pilot closed his eyes as the Drift began. A bolt of lightning burst in the back of his mind, as he and Rachael were suddenly neuro-slammed into one, colliding like meteorites in the primal chaos of the new-born universe. Some say that a man is the sum of his memories, and if that were true, then the essence of Edward Hood was being poured out like water into the intangible conduit linking him to his new partner, and by extension, to Iron Hound.

Rachael was bombarded with images in blue and white light through her mind’s eye.


The coming of K-Day.

His father, a soldier, a shadow. The absolute paramount of his kind. A stern taskmaster. Still, a hero.

His mother, a scientist. An argument, like nothing a young mind could comprehend. Taken before her time by the Kaiju War.

Anger. Hate. Loathing.

A strip of cloth, still binding his arm beneath the suit.

Honour. A promise made to himself.

The need to seek bigger and more dangerous thrills. Failure not a choice. Refusal to be held back.

Brave as a lion, with no patience for those who are not the same.

A hunter.

Jaeger.


If Rachael were to look in his direction, she would see grey eyes peering calmly at her.

 

[Tigerhawk21]

A strike of lightning searing her skull signaled the drift was connected. Images flooded her mind, shaded a blue and white hue. Images and sensations of a life not her own.

The coming of K-Day.

His father, a soldier, a shadow. The absolute paramount of his kind. A stern taskmaster. Still, a hero.

His mother, a scientist. An argument, like nothing a young mind could comprehend. Taken before her time by the Kaiju War.

Anger. Hate. Loathing.

A strip of cloth, still binding his arm beneath the suit.

Honour. A promise made to himself.

The need to seek bigger and more dangerous thrills. Failure not a choice. Refusal to be held back.

Brave as a lion, with no patience for those who are not the same.

A hunter.

Jaeger.

This was Eddie. The true Edward Hood. Even though she couldn't see him physically, Rachael could feel his grey eyes peering at her... waiting for her response. But Rachael didn't give him one. Or much of one. Her instincts had kicked in from the moment of connection. But Edward Hood had been honest... open with her. Rachael struggled to do the same but her heart was buried too deeply. But Rachael didn't want to just disregard the images Edward had shown her. It seemed... oddly disrespectful. Carefully, Rachel gathered the bits and pieces of Edward Hood and tucked them in a more private place.

She'd never done that before. Perhaps because this was the real thing and he was going to be a part of her life from now on... A strange sensation indeed for Rachael Mars.

The only things Eddie would feel through the drift was a sort of static. Along with a single fleeting feeling.

Sorrow

 

[Denjin_Zaboga23]

As the drift started for Perla, she noticed things were a bit off right from the start. The thoughts she was seeing were kind of static-like, with the sound drowned out. The majority of the drift from Marcus was like this, save for some more recent thoughts (a few directed at her and her...assests), and what looked like a younger Marcus at the Academy, being ridiculed by other cadets for a low scoring paper.

Thinking this was rather odd, Perla was still very open on her end as her thoughts were wide open for her partner to see.


Her first introduction to the various acts she could take up in the circus.


Her first tryout, which did not go as planned.


A much more successful public debut. Adoration from the crowd. Approval from parents.


Seeing the images of monsters for the first on TV that was NOT movie related.


The dying of her hair and an argument she got into with a fan over it.


The dissolution of a relationship with a fellow performer, with her striking him.


Feelings of sorrow over seeing the damage of Kaiju attacks.


Anger over a con man selling tainted blue meat to survivors, which results in another strike from her.


Fear at seeing a Kaiju in the flesh for the first time. Fear turning into hope as a Steel Giant fights the Kaiju.


Arguments with family over a new purpose.


Hard work rewarded, tempered by somewhat poor first impressions with higher officers.

Perla was baring it all, so to speak, so she couldn't help but feel annoyed that Marcus was not doing the same, especially since this could affect their overall performance.

 

[Milky Rose]

Having been hooked to the Conn-Pod with Riona, Amber felt herself being plunged into the Ronin Hazard in order to go about with the drift -- the most important procedure in activating and operating a Jaeger. It is a procedure that distributes the neural load between the two pilots, making the operation of the Jaeger safer and more effective than if one person were to handle it alone. Just like in the Howler Magnum, however, things were already starting to go awry inside Ronin Hazard as the drift started. As her thoughts were opened up to Riona, the look of determination slowly turned into anger, her fists slowly being clenched tightly.

With her mind opened to the drift, the following images were played back in Riona's mind:


The sight of destruction and devastation in the city


A Kaiju, stomping about the city, causing general chaos


A man and a woman, half buried in a pile of rubble. Their bodies mangled and bloodied


A little girl, crying and screaming "Mommy, Daddy," as she saw the two mangled bodies in the pile of rubble


The same girl -- herself -- screaming into the sky upon making a vow to kill all Kaiju


Practicing sword strikes by herself with a stick she picked up, a look of determination etched onto her face


A demonic-looking face amidst a raging inferno

Despite her thoughts being open for Riona to see, Amber could not "see" Riona's mind, however. Her thoughts began to dominate the drift, practically drowning out Riona's thoughts and preventing her from seeing them.