Testing Boundaries [ Open ]

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

The Sensorium...of all the various strange and bewildering places she'd found aboard this madhouse, it had proved to be the most interesting. It was like an old science fiction movie, one of the improbable ones that gathered a cult following and generated money for greedy toymakers. It was like being plugged into the Net again, almost, with the freedom and power to change the world around her at command, and after only a few hours in the hollow, Netless silence, it was blessing to have something to take the edge off. Unprofessional, that, but still reassuring to have something so utterly human inflicted on her.

The Major had spent a few hours sifting through the available simulations and programs. Heavy-arms training runs, adventurous little role-playing games, even a few tactical simulations. Mostly it was just fluff, or half-finished or any of dozens of things that were little else but dry educational or pure entertainment in value.

So, what else could she do but program her own?

'Begin with what you know,' ran the old adage, and so she had. The city spread out before her was dark, tinted glass made inky black with night time and reflected neon and streetlights like a spectrum of eyes from every corner. This wasn't exactly accurate, as a simulation; Tokyo had never had as Jiggabachi helicopters or powered exoskeleton-toting soldiers wandering it's streets and skyways. Perhaps it had as many criminals, but they weren't so blatant. Then again, the point of this exercise wasn't realism, was it? Nostagia made these lacks seem obvious, maybe, but as Motoko stood on the edge of a flat-topped roof at what she'd deemed the "beginning" of the course, she decided it would do for a testing ground. Varied landscape and opponents would be a good measure of her teammates skill— among other things. Damned if she was going to go haring off anywhere with nothing but a blind knowledge of her teammates and hopeful wishes.

Comments

Sure, Motoko. Go take a break while Samus does all the work.

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Wonderful. Samus has a long history of enemies that can't seem to stay dead, this was typical.

Avoiding shots was much harder at a close range. She slips into the morph-ball, zipping around, avoiding being stepped on, and leaving a trail of bombs behind her as she goes. She had to think out a new strategy and fast. This wasn't as simple as she had anticipated.

Fine, I will. *lays out on the beach*

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

For close to fifteen minutes, Motoko watched the proceedings, increasingly impressed with Samus' endurance, speed, and her stubbornness. The Multi-ped tank had never been intended to be engaged— she'd put it in as an obstacle to be avoided rather than an enemy to be fought. It was clear, however, that if she let this go on, Samus would probably die before realizing the point of the exercise. Still, the tank wasn't something the Major could take down on her own. With a sigh and a roll of her eyes she initiated her thermoptic camouflage, rippling into invisibility with a brief hiss.

The tank stomped and shot, trying vainly to turn and face Samus with it's twin forward facing mutinions. Deftly, Motoko slipped under neath, and seized a mine laying aside on the ground. Blind and out of time, she dropped the camo, and a roughly grappled the explosive into a wedged gap as a hind leg extended. This wasn't the sort of maneuver one person might have managed alone; if the tank hadn't been distracted, the Major would have been an easy mark.

The blast was relatively minor as she leapt out of immediate range with a low hum and release of the powerful servos in her legs, but it was enough to wring loose the corner of a joint-plate and force the tank to turn and face her, presenting it's newly acquired weak point to Samus' guns.

*disapproving frown* B(

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Samus' thoughts were that she was taking too long to complete the exercise, not that she was missing the point entirely. The interference annoyed her. Of course this was a longer fight than normal for Samus, but it was expected against a new opponent. She was experimenting with what worked best and was starting to formulate a new strategy against the tank just as Motoko intervened.

However, this did not stop Samus from taking full advantage of this new weak spot, unleashing a fully charged blast she had been saving for an opportune moment. It was a crippling blow to the tank, leaving it unable to move with the same dexterity and swiftness as before and making it a much more manageable target.

Pffff XD

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

Three-legged and gimpy, the tank sagged, waving it's stump of a hind leg uselessly. Undeterred it unleashed a belated barrage of slugs in Motoko's direction, handily shredding an innocent storefront. Cloaked again, the Major crept around the edges of the destruction, hoping for a repeat of the performance.

She wasn't disappointed, and in short order, the tank had lost it's other leg. Pathetic...she'd have to reprogram it. This AI wasn't as smart as it should be. Maybe next time she'd let Max run the damn thing, bloodthirsty as that AI was.

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Rinse and repeat. Another leg down. With only two legs left, the tank dragged itself towards Samus, who in turn met it with as much firepower as ever. The tank was undeterred by her efforts continuing forward.

At the close range, Samus ripped the hatch in between its front legs open and unleashes a barrage of missiles and blasts straight into its belly and finally ending the battle.

This is also her mild amusement icon

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

"You know," Motoko mentioned mildly, leaning against a bit of scrap that had once been a stabilizer, "You weren't actually supposed to fight that one. But, I have to admit; as far as pure stubbornness goes, you're pretty impressive."

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

She knew that her stubbornness has gotten her into her fair bit of situations, but she never backed down. It was an aspect of her personality not everyone appreciated, but it was who she was. She smirked about it, but the amusement was there and gone before she even had taken her helmet off. No smirks or smiles when that came off.

"If you didn't want it destroyed, you shouldn't have sent it this way," Samus remarks. Her face was back to it's stone cold-self, but her voice has the slightest hint of sarcasm.

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

"It's procedural," the Major remarked, unperturbed, perhaps even a little smug. She'd gotten what she wanted after all; Samus fought like Batou, bullish and brawny. Good, she could use that, it complimented her own sneaky style well.

"The AI reacted to the initial attack on it's own," Motoko explained, simply, "While a byproduct of this exercise is a lesson in tactics, and a workout for you, it's main goal was to gauge your reaction. Not that that was a particularly urgent goal, but it's still useful information."

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Hn. Samus was no stranger to that technique. In fact, she had tested her own team by siccing a giant space spider on them. She, however, had not been pleased with the results.

Samus dematerialized the rest of her suit and placed a hand on her hip, "I hope it has been informative."

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

"We could work fairly well together," Motoko pointed out. It wasn't an answer to Samus' half-unspoken question, nor a proper evaluation, but it was true. They had a complimentary skillset; brute force and subtlety. Her weaponry and speed was something new as well. Oh, well, at least things would be interesting. Idly, Motoko wondered if Stacy bothered to find anything out about people before arbitrarily assigning them to teams.

Most importantly, Samus was a professional. She moved and reacted a certain way, and would probably do similarly in most situations. That much, alone, would make her a better choice than most. Professionals were dependable, and in a world of messy amateurs, that was a valuable ability. Still, it was hard to know how this would pan out, staring at each other like alley cats over the 'corpses' of their vanquished foes. A damn t-60, and she'd blasted through the bearing like they were half the temper they ought to have been.

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Samus should have said right then and there that she works alone, but she didn't. She didn't flat refuse Motoko's suggestion explaining that she only works in teams because she is forced to take responsibility for a group of people who would probably be flat out helpless without her.

Instead, she thought about the half-proposition. She crossed her arms in consideration, examining each point over and over and over again. There certainly seemed to be some pros to a cooperation between the two of them.

"Perhaps," Not a yes, but far from a straight 'no.' Motoko's abilities were certainly impressive to merit that answer.

[standaloneshell.livejournal.com]

Motoko simply nodded. She was more a master of persuasion by force than by words, pure pressure of personality and will driving her forward. Anything she could say as a reply would only tip the scale against her. The fires burned and in the near distance the heavy thump-whir of an approaching powered exoskeleton grew louder. She didn't want to deal with it, and so gave the silent, wireless signal to reset the simulation. Sickeningly, the world whirled around them, and when it reformed the setting was again the semi-peaceful neutral-ground rooftop that was the starting point.

"You have to adapt in order to survive," Motoko quoted softly, looking out over the blackness and lights, "Bend your morals, or you'll break eventually."

[gogopowersuit.livejournal.com]

Samus stood in silence, arms crossed over her chest, eyes surveying the change of scenery. She thought; Motoko's words impacted Samus more than she'd care to admit. She knew she had to adapt; she would have never survived if she hadn't. However, Samus was lone wolf, through and through. Always responsible for only her own actions. Deep down, Samus knew that Motoko is just as professional, responsible, and capable as herself. Still, Samus refused.

"I haven't broken yet," her answers just as terse as ever. More important matters started to crowd the mind of the Hunter. A temporarily forgot search took priority again. Samus left without another word, pushing this issue out of her mind to replace it with a more pressing one.