Gene You're somewhat annoyed. No booze, and nothing to eat but ration bars? That sucks balls. Grunting out a thank you, you grab your ration bar and head to a table. You feel Brenna's eyes staring a hole in your back as you walk away, but soon hear her greet someone else in line.

Grumbling, you sit yourself down at a table (clearly, it used to be bolted to the floor, and the hold thing is somewhat tilted) and start eating.

You immediately stop, and pull the bar away from you, staring suspiciously at the wrapper. It doesn't take a thing like a burrito. It tastes more like... chicken. It says burrito, though. These ration bars must be as shitty as the service here. Glaring at no one in particular, you slowly begin chewing again.

...at least, until someone slides into the seat across from you with no less than two ration bars. This is the person that was behind you, you think - and, who you think you overheard begging the serving lady for extra rations. She has large bangs, straight dirty-blonde hair, and bright eyes behind a pair of glasses - she looks startlingly young, especially compared to everyone else you've seen here. You stare at her blankly, chewing with all the grace and beauty of a cow.

"Hi!" she says, breaking the silence as she rips into one of her ration bars. You glance at the wrapper: avacado salad. It smells like potato chips. "You're one of the new guys out of cryo, right?" she asks, around a mouthful of food. "I have a bunch of questions to ask you. They said you did nonstop combat sims for the past ... how many years? Multiple years, at least, is what I heard. That's incredible!" She takes another large bite of her potato chip bar, and then pauses for a moment. She wiggles around a little. Her chair rocks under her. "...what?" she mouths, looking down. After a moment, she ducks under the table completely. You'e just making up your mind to look under the table to see what she's doing when she pops up again. "Okay, that's better. How are you feeling? And what was cryo like? My combat sim record was twenty-seven hours straight."

((This is going to go really well. ))

"Name's Weber. Uh, Gene Weber. I've, uh, supposedly been doing combat sims for the past thirty-something years, supposedly. It's hard to tell when you're dead." Grin wryly. "As for how I feeling – I feel terrible, there's neither booze nor food on this ship, and I just got snapped back into reality."
"So… yeah." Shrug awkwardly.

Finish up my ration bar and stay in the mess if nothing demands my attention.

Gene You've never been good with people. This is probably going to be no exception, but you suck it up and decide to say the most inoffensive things you can think of. "Name's Weber. Uh, Gene Weber," you mumble, trying to raise your voice loud enough for her to hear.

"Oh, nice to meet you!" she says by way of courtesy. She's already starting on her second ration bar. "I'm Jinna Reeds. I do VR stuff."

You nod awkwardly, then say, in the least offensive manner possible: "I've, uh, supposedly been doing combat sims for the past thirty-something years... supposedly." You inwardly cringe. This was not the best wording. She doesn't seem to have noticed, though. "It's hard to tell when you'e dead." You grin. "As for how I'm feeling... I feel terrible. There's neither booze nor food on this ship, and I just got snapped back into reality."

Jinna nods, brushing the bangs from her face, and looks at you expectantly, hoping for you to continue. She pops the rest of her second ration bar into her mouth as she does so.

You clear your throat uncomfortably, not sure what else to say. "So... yeah," you finally finish, shrugging awkwardly. You feel... very out-of-place.

On the other hand, the girl across the table from you doesn't seem to notice the awkwardness at all. She points at your food. "Are you going to finish that?" Her eyes dance with the prospect of getting to eat the rest of your ration bar. She eats like she's starving. You just got out of cryo, though. It's been thirty years since you had food. Staring her right in the eyes, you raise the bar to your mouth and take a bite, slowly and deliberately chewing as you imagine it tastes like burritos. (It still doesn't.)

Now Jinna looks awkward as well. Her eyes drop to the side. "...Right. Well, um..." She clears her throat. "Nice meeting you, anyway, Gene!" Getting up, she walks quickly away. It's only now, as you creepily watch her dark pants recede into the distance, that you realize she's not in uniform. This seems... somewhat out of place.

And finally, it dawns on you: You really screwed that up. You cringe at yourself. What were you thinking? You just totally botched any chance of making friends there. On the other hand, this is... rather normal for you.

((Welcome to the epic fails of -2 charisma. ))

Gene
Your PDA begins beeping, and you pull it out of your pocket, looking at it curiously for a moment before tapping the button on the screen.

It's a pre-recorded message, and a bit loud. "Gene Weber, get your ass down to the hangar. They've finished up your ship and they're launching you in five minutes. If you're late, I'll decide there's something wrong with your head - more than most, anyway - and terminate you early. I'm sure there's someone still in cryo that deserves your CASKET more than you do. SCAMPS out."

((THEY told me it couldn't be done! But I did it! I rolled a nat 1! On a charisma roll no less! ))

Alrighty. Between just embarrassing myself in front of that girl and getting yelled at by that fukcing AI bastard SCAMPS, I really have no desire to be "terminated".
Walk to the hangar at a brisk pace.

((Important note: Gene is starting half a turn before everyone else. What this means is, I'm going to let you leave the Nemesis "early" for the current turn, so you'll be able to travel wherever you want in one turn, and start fighting with half a turn's worth of actions. This also means that, starting now, you're allowed to post in the mission thread. Good luck out there.))

You pocket the wrapper for your ration bar, get up, and leave the mess hall, headed for the hangar.

-----

The hangar, a cavernous room in the center of the ship, is abuzz with activity. A handful of engineers are working on a patchwork CASKET setting at the front, right near the lift you just stepped out of. "Gene? Gene Weber!" someone shouts - a man standing beside your ship waves his arms at you to get your attention, and you head over. As you approach, you see a bright flash from the back of the CASKET, and one of the engineers perched atop shouts in surprise, falling off the back. The man ignores it entirely. "I'm Hale," he says, shaking your hand. He then points at a wadded-up suit on a little cart beside you. "Suit up fast. You need to be out of here now. After you're done, get in the cockpit and strap in. SCAMPS or Cho will give you further instructions." Without waiting to answer questions, or even wishing you good luck, he turns and leaves at a brisk pace.

You pick up the suit and look around. The engineers nearby don't look at you - they're too busy shouting about your CASKET's PSI unit. You didn't think you needed one, and it seems they're debating this as well - but there's nowhere to change clothes. Clearly, modesty isn't appreciated here. You'll have to change right where you are.

-----

A few minutes later, you're sitting in your cockpit, suited and ready for combat. The items you've purchased are already strapped to your suit in their appropriate holsters - a Gauss shotgun, a machine pistol, and a first aid kit - along with a great many spare ammo mags. You hit the button to close the canopy, and as it does, sealing down the middle, the din of the hangar dies down, muffled. Engineers outside make hand motions at you to start up your CASKET, and you do, pressing the appropriate buttons. You've never done this before in your life, but somehow, it feels like you've done it a thousand times before. The screens about you flash and light up, and the engines sputter and hum behind you. You sit there a moment, wondering if the feeling of deja vu might have something to do with all those in-cryo combat simulations you don't remember, but have little time to ponder it: the comms crackle to life.

It's SCAMPS again. "What are you waiting for? Get moving! Your ship won't fly itself! Take off, head out the launch tube and get up into the sky. I'm transferring you to Lt. Cho, and don't think she'll let you back before the mission is complete. I expect results. Now, move already!"

Feeling a bit uneasy, you apply power to the vertical thrusters. Your CASKET lifts up from the floor, hovering effortlessly. As far as cheap fighters go, it's quite agile. You turn toward the launch tube at the front of the hangar and apply power to the engines; your ship responds accordingly. It's not much longer until you're leaving, accelerating down the launch tube - and then you're out into the harsh, bright light of Nanyej's sun, beneath the pink-orange sky.

"Hi!!!!!" It's a surprisingly chipper voice, belonging to a woman you haven't had the pleasure (or displeasure) to meet. "I'm Lieutenant Cho, and I'll be your FTO for this mission! You're Gene Weber, right? Your files said you served in the UGM - that's so awesome!!! I bet you have great stories! I wish I had time to get to know you better, but... well, SCAMPS wants me to get you out there quickly, just like he always does..." Her eyeroll is almost audible. "I guess we'll have to get better acquainted later. I'll just give you a brief summary of what's gone on so far, okay? Great! So, squads Alpha and Beta are split up right now, and they're both out of range. Alpha went up to the north to get the stellaplex from Huhoba, and Beta went back down to the nacelle. I heard from Beta just a few minutes ago, and they seem to be doing okay! You should probably visit Alpha - that way I can check up on them too! I really wish I was out there with you guys though! It's so sunny out! Anyway, just fly low, and you'll be totally fine! I'm here for anything if you need me! Stay safe out theeerrrreeee!"

You gun the engines, rocketing off down the dusty, orange-tinted canyon. Above the mountains to the north, you see a fierce battle taking place between hiltorel fighters and REKT veterans. You keep your distance, hoping none of those enemies try to attack, and speed toward your objective.

Welcome to REKT.

((You may now now post in the mission thread. This thread will be locked for the time being.))

((Unlocked for posting. Everyone is currently still in the hangar. They may choose to talk to each other, or go wherever they wish from there.))

Bewildered, to everyone around me, shout:

"Wait! We can't go! Thems squids stole my nuke! We have to go back and get it!"

Hapchazzard wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 30, 2018 1:42 pm

"Wait! We can't go! Thems squids stole my nuke! We have to go back and get it!"

Look at the drunk shouting man gravely, but say nothing. Give a nod to Saoirse. Shake Caleb's hand.

"Caleb, Esteemed Warrior, it is good to see you again. We have lost good men today - many good men. It saddens my heart, but we must bear with it, for they are in the Lord's tender Appendages now."

Inspect the remains of my tentacle. Go wander around the ship, till a sufficiently lonely and empty place is found. Sit there and brood, then say a long prayer to the Lord, thanking him for deliverance, and honouring the dead.
Then go to the cafeteria and ask for some liquid food. Downplay my facial injuries as a mere trifle in the service of the Faith, if asked about them.

I throw my hands up in the air and shout
"WOOHOO! We did it, we're awesome
Thank you Anabais for saving my life, you're awesome too!!"
"...where's Gearhead?"

Run towards Saoirse and give her a hug.
SAOIRSE BOSS LIVE!
BOB LIVE TOO
BOB HAPPY

I grin and hug Bob back.
"I'm happy Bob lives too! Nobody can defeat the Saoirse-Bob team!"

When Bob lets me go, I do a little awkward hop to retrieve my crutch from the floor.

"So...now what?"
at this point, something that has been poking at the back of my mind gets my attention
"Waidaminute, if we could lift off without the stellaplex, what the hell was the point of the mission?? "

Realizing that no one is paying attention to what I'm saying, and that we're lifting off anyway, let off a deep, frustrated sigh and murmur:

"I'll be gettin' my nuke back, mark my words! Fuckin' squids... this time they really went too far!"

Approach Brom, Frank, Vynkor and Gene (assuming they're clustered relatively close by) and start ranting:

"Man, this here's some bullshit! Those thievin' squid scumbags cast some kind o' enchantment on my nuke and stole it! I can't really be the only one that's concerned about this!? Squids - that now have a nuke! MY nuke! Imagine all the evil things they could do with it! We've gotta come up with some kind o' smart plan of gettin' it back!"

Hapchazzard wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:43 pm

"Man, this here's some bullshit! Those thievin' squid scumbags cast some kind o' enchantment on my nuke and stole it! I can't really be the only one that's concerned about this!? Squids - that now have a nuke! MY nuke! Imagine all the evil things they could do with it! We've gotta come up with some kind o' smart plan of gettin' it back!"

"Hey, you're right. How about you hop out the 'lock and go find it?"

Hapchazzard wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:43 pm

"Man, this here's some bullshit! Those thievin' squid scumbags cast some kind o' enchantment on my nuke and stole it! I can't really be the only one that's concerned about this!? Squids - that now have a nuke! MY nuke! Imagine all the evil things they could do with it! We've gotta come up with some kind o' smart plan of gettin' it back!"

"Pff. Big deal. It's not like I plan on coming back to this shithole anyway. And if they decide to do anything funny with that nuke, we'll just nuke them a hundred times over."