Space Invaders!

[cityship]

After everyone and all of their ships were properly loaded the Quarter had launched successfully. The journey from Stacy to the Trojan Asteroid field trailing NiSaris took several hours, but they managed to approach the field with the people of the nearby world being none the wiser.

The problem was that the NiSarians weren't the only ones watching the skies.

As the Quarter approached and entered the asteroid field, all was quiet. But it was only going to be a matter of moments before that would change.


((ooc: See this post for instructions, but otherwise, have at it, and have fun.))

Comments

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

Eva doesn't like quiet. Quiet lets her think too much. Quiet lets all the nagging doubts and empty control and negative emotion take over. So it's with some degree of muted excitement that she notes there's activity on her sensor screen. She puts a damper on it when she realizes it might be dangerous, but the rush is still there as she clicks into business mode.

"Everyone hold. The sensors are picking something up," she announces.

[pinkbridgebunny.livejournal.com]

"Enemy signals confirmed from both port and starboard sides. All units prepare for battle," Feldt's quiet voice cut through the chatter in the communications. She was the one going to coordinate the fighters like she usually did. The Quarter wasn't the Ptolemy, but she would deal with it.

"00 Raiser, Arios, Seravee, Dynames, remember to be careful around the other units, the communication lines need to stay open," she said. She knew what the GN particles could do to other systems.

[shroudedintent]

This would be the chance to show just what the Quarter and Starfighter Command could do. The Sangheili Captain sat back in his raised command chair, a sharp nod given at the announcements made by his Tactical officers. It was time.

Keying the communications channel to the fleet frequency "Macross Quarter to all Squadrons, we are upon the enemy, it is time to take the fight to them. All squadrons are clear for launch, good hunting, Quarter out," With that he cut the channel, his long fingers dancing over the controls attached to his command chair.

"Bring reactor up to full power, I want power to the main gun within three minutes. Tactical, ready point defense systems to cover our fighters. Beam cannon arrays to aid in point defense where Shrike swarms are thickest." He ordered crisply across to his Tactical officers.

"Helmsman, take us in on heading zero-three-zero by zero-zero-seven, let us give them a fight they will not soon forget,"

First Wave

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

Eva hardly needs to hear Rtas Vadum's orders before she's readied the Macross' defense systems to cover the fighters.

"We have a stream of fast-moving enemies approaching from five o'clock of the Quarter."

First Wave

[ohm-nom-nom.livejournal.com]

A (relatively) small swarm of Shrikes, roughly 20 of them, were speeding in towards the Quarter. A couple advanced on a strafing run, firing off psychic lances in attempt to cut a hole through the hull.

Re: First Wave

[yubyubcommander.livejournal.com]

"Rogue Leader to Rogue Squadron, lock s-foils in attack position and engage those incoming uglies. Stick close to the Quarter." The orders come naturally, just as he fulfills his own orders. It's natural, easy. Muscle memory. Something he's done a thousand times and more before this moment. He swings his fighter around and 'dives' towards the enemy, expecting that his squadron will follow.

[morphitudinous]

The Thunder Megazord was fairly slow to get out of the gate, but they were ready. Billy hooked in from the back, carefully monitoring their resources as they went.

"I think we'd do best providing backup and protection to the Quarter from the rear. As a slower craft, we're good for intercepting, but we'd do well to have a blast charged. Right?"

((We can skip straight to the second wave if y'all want since I fail at keeping up.))

[andyallgrownup.livejournal.com]

Andy nodded, looking over at Billy. "That sounds like it'd be the best idea we could really do right now," he said, taking a deep breath. First real combat in the zord. He'd have to be ready.

Second Wave

[pinkbridgebunny.livejournal.com]

Feldt's eyes went wide for a moment. No, this couldn't be right. Her fingers flew over the keys as she tried to get a good reading on what was going on. Once she finally got all the sensor readings she opened up the com channels to all the fighters.

"Attention all pilots, a second wave of fast moving enemies approaching from 11 o'clock. It's bigger than the last wave. Much bigger. I can't get an exact enemy count, they're moving too fast! Keep your guard up and be prepared to engage!"

Re: Second Wave

[shroudedintent]

'Vadum regarded the sensor contacts with collected calm, nodding. The course of the incoming swarm would cross right into the firing path of all of the fore facing beam cannon turrets, and into the firing arch of the Monster currently parked on the flight deck.

"All fore beam cannon's lock on incoming swarm and fire at will," Trusting in his crew to get it done before keying a channel to the Monster on deck and to the squadrons, "Macross Quarter to Monster, give the incoming wave a proper greeting. All squadrons, clear of the line of fire and engage survivors,"

Re: Second Wave

[shootingblancs]

The bad news was that there were many, many more of the newcomers, and Michael still hadn't found a good sniping perch so far away from the battle - so he'd instead attached his magnetic lock to one of the unused flight decks on the Quarter.

The good news was that the Koenig Monster was engaging. And as one of the only people on board natively familiar with what the aptly-named bomber could do...

"And he means it," Michael broadcasted to the fighters. "If you're in the Koenig Monster's firing arc right now, I suggest you move. Or it'll be your funeral."

But the better news was that the next wave of Ohm was entering his sniper railgun's range. Michael set his sights on the pack - the swarm - and opened fire.

[leafonthewind]

Flying the Quarter was one thing in the sims, but in an actual battle it was a completely different beast. She handled a little like a whale in carrier mode, but her shielding was holding against the Shrikes and that's all that really mattered. Still, Wash's pulse was pounding as the new wave approached, staring out the front window at the looming fighters. "Let me know when you're ready to engage, Captain," he said. "Let's not let the flyboys have all the fun."

[praises]

With the new Shrike waves approaching fast and in such close proximity, it was proving to be an effort on Allelujah's part to keep Arios clear of the other squadrons. Failed communications and radar systems weren't an option for any ally on this battlefield, so Allelujah resorted to what his Gundam did best. In the aftermath of the Koenig Monster's assault, the cockpit still rattling and illuminated from the impressive force of the detonations, Allelujah wheeled Arios' jetfighter mode further out into the oncoming wave.

"If I can steer far enough, that should be enough," he murmured to himself, shifting the controls and gunning Arios forward into a pocket of survivors. The Meisters could either linger back or they could go forward without compromising ally systems ... the choice was clear enough. "Setsuna! We're going in."

The GN Vulcan guns mounted to the nose of his Gundam hailed fire against oncoming enemies as he navigated through the bursts of evaporating energy left in his wake; Allelujah knew how to dogfight. And he could give them something to chase.

(ooc: feel free to come into close quarters to take advantage of the enemies he's distracting or have him zip past you since he can't account for everyone, just beware that your comm links and radars will jam if you're close to arios for too long!)

Call for Backup

[goodenuff2kill.livejournal.com]

Hilde was doing the best that she could fighting these creatures. She couldn't do as much as the Gundams. She needed a faster suit. The Taurus was one of the fastest units that OZ ever created. Still, her piloting skills were no where near that of Kira or Duo.

She was quickly becoming surrounded. She needed to get some help and move to a less dense area. She keyed her comm, doing the only thing that she could.

"Hilde here. I need backup!" She didn't even know how she got separated from the rest of the squad.

Incoming!

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"We're surrounded," Eva says, drumming her fingers in a rapid, frantic beat against the console as she tries to figure out what to do and waits for an order. "We've got high powered plasma blasts coming from all corners of the Quarter, and it seems like they're coming from those sad hunks of rock masquerading as asteroids."

Re: Incoming!

[ohm-nom-nom.livejournal.com]

Those sad hunks of rocks were asteroids. But they had a few guests who decided to take up residence.

The firebugs had set up shop, anchoring themselves to the more massive rocks in the field. Now that the Quarter had gotten far enough in to be surrounded, they unloaded one high powered burst of plasma after another, each one carrying the destructive power of several ballistic missiles. Their aim wasn't perfect, but it didn't need to be; Even getting grazed by these blasts would do serious damage. Even worse, they didn't care whether or not they took out a Shrike or two with each shot, so long as the crew was going to die with them.

Some of the bugs moved after each shot, taking a new position then anchoring themselves each time, while others took cover in craters and hunkered down while they charged up another shot. Either way, these suckers weren't going to be easy to hit.

Leviathan Approaches!

[pinkbridgebunny.livejournal.com]

Feldt had been keeping a careful watch on the battle, it was a bit confusing, making sure that all of the different units were still there and preforming well. She was used to the chaos of battle and she wasn't afraid. Still, she the Ohm were a lot faster than most of the mobile suits that she had encountered with any of the armed forces in her world.

She had been surprised already, but this one really made her double check her readings. Double check and then triple check. Once she was sure that what she was seeing was real, she quickly keyed the comm for all units.

"Attention all units, incoming enemy from the outer edge of the asteroid field. It's bigger than anything I've ever seen and heading straight for the Quarter. All units, be prepared to defend the Quarter." Feldt said. She knew that the Meisters would be there to make sure that they would be safe.

(OOC: Please keep all responses to this in one thread. Thanks!)

Re: Leviathan Approaches!

[fieldpromoted]

"Eva, put a dent in that thing!" Trudy shouted - Eva's communique told her they needed to take out that Leviathan, and quickly. Without the head, the body must die - "Aim the Quarter's main gun forward and try to hit something that looks like a bridge. Wash, get her in range." She'd apologize to 'Vadium later for superseding his orders, but this was no time to be worried about chain of command. "Rogue Squadron prepare for a bombing run. Blade, keep the Shrikes off the Quarter - and Skull, you keep the shrikes off everyone else." She paused - she hadn't issued orders to Setsuna's group for the battle, but now was the time - "Celestial Being, if any of your craft have significant firepower, run with the Rogues. Otherwise stay back with Blade Squadron."

Now it was just a matter of seeing whether they could do it.

Final Wave

[vissernone.livejournal.com]

"That may be a little more action than I was hoping for," Eva mutters to herself, double-checking her read-out, before clicking on the comms. "Attention all units! Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we have hundreds of warp gates opening up and shooting out Shrikes...we've got thousands on us. Prepare to engage them."

She takes her right hand off her console to quickly cross herself before settling back into that headspace that knows neither fear nor mortality. Between the Leviathan and now these enemy forces, the battle could go really sour right about here.

Re: Final Wave

[cow-abunga.livejournal.com]

Cowabunga checked his own computer. just to be sure. The results were not reassuring at all. "Oh we are so screwed it's not even funny."

Re: Final Wave

[not-edd.livejournal.com]

"And this is where Serpentera shows off its TRUE power!" Zedd boomed. The massive dragon zord straightened itself upward, towering over even the Quarter in that form. "Putty! Main cannon, full power! We'll wipe those monsters out in one blow!"

The Putty Patroller looked back in panic. Their fight had drained a lot of their power. Full power would put them in the dark.

"Argh... do I have to do everything MYSELF!?" Marching to his throne, Zedd flipped open a nearby panel, revealing a large red button. "And now, Ohm, say farewell to your miserable existence! And to those who survive, tell your masters that they need to fear the power of Lord Zedd!" With a maniacal laugh, he pushed the red button...

...and Serpentera powered down.

"What... what's going on?! Why are we powering down?! There's no way we could have lost THAT much power!" Zedd snapped. "Putty! Repower us NOW!" Before the Putty could react, the Zord rumbled as the Ohm took aim at the sitting duck that was Serpentera.

Aftermath, Celestial Being

[eltneg.livejournal.com]

The badly mutilated 00 is has been hastily docked within the Quarter's hangar, the Seraphim and Seravee pair alongside it. The hatch of Setsuna's Gundam is ajar, having been forcibly pried open by Seraphim before its pilot had left the unit.

With Setsuna's helmet removed and left to float aimlessly in the enclosed space of the cockpit (Tieria's own languidly following), Tieria presses a pair of fingers flush against the junction of his neck and jaw.

... Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Relief floods him and drowns his anxiety, when he hears a familiar (and frightened) voice call out both their names. Gripping the threshold of the open cockpit, he leans out to respond.

"Feldt, call for help. He's alive, but he's unconscious. Allelujah, confirm the vitals of the woman in the 00 Raiser." He commands briskly, businesslike (he could compartmentalize with the best of them), before returning his focus to the comatose Meister.

[pinkbridgebunny.livejournal.com]

She nodded, quickly finding the closest comm in the hangar to call medical. They were going to need it for Setsuna. Still, once she was done she raced back towards the Gundams. Her worry for Setsuna was all over her face. She was concerned about all of the Meisters, but right now Setsuna was in the worst condition.

Aftermath

[fieldpromoted]

Trudy's X-wing coasted into the hangar instead of landing on the flight deck, the reason immediately apparent when one saw Cowabunga dangling from a tether line behind the craft. "Passengers off, I need to land without worrying about smoking you," she said.

As soon as the X-wing was clear, the tether reeled back up and she put the craft down for a neat landing, immediately punching the cockpit release and dropping out of the craft. Screw ladders. She went straight for Sam's X-wing, clambering up a ladder to his cockpit. "Hey, Winchester!" she said. "You alive in there?"

Re: Aftermath

[jesushasagundam]

Several of the DRAGOONs had been destroyed in the fight, and the mobile suit bore deep scores on its armor from that last charge - but Kira Yamato and the Strike Freedom were mostly unharmed, if a bit mentally exhausted from the fight.

He landed on the flight deck of the Quarter, elevator lowering him down into the main hangar bay of the ship... and reached up to pop off his helmet, little drops of sweat flying off into the zero-G cockpit, glittering in light.

They hadn't lost anyone today, had they? A close call.