Draco
Rogue
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Post by Draco on Oct 22, 2009 2:45:29 GMT -5
 "Everyone strapped in tight?" the shuttle pilot asked. "We're about to begin re-entry!" Most of the passengers aboard the shuttle, mostly new recruits into the Terrestrial Assault Force, ignored the pilot and went about with their own card games, listening to their music players, writing letters to their recently-left familes, and more. Rhett Paruta, however, was listening intently to the pilot's every word as he held an empty bag in front of him, held at a moment's notice to intercept wayward nausea. "What's the matter, Paruta?" asked Lonnie, a future Dopp pilot. "Don't tell me you're still space sick?" "Somehow, my stomach and my lungs deciding to trade places doesn't work for me," Rhett answered. "My poor heart just doesn't seem to be able to mediate their issues." "And you can't even close off the proceedings with a nice, stiff shot of Side 3 brandy," Lonnie sighed. "Poor bastard." The shuttle bucked a little, sending cards, coins, and Rhett's lunch flying. "Whoops. Nothing to worry about though," the shuttle pilot stated. "Just an air pocket." The shuttle shook a little more and Rhett felt that even though the shuttle was going down, he'd left something important a few hundred meters behind them in lower orbit. Nobody else seemed to have the same problem, but as far as Rhett knew, he was the only one not born in the colonies. Anyone who hadn't gathered their cards back up was not trying to look out the port holes. Rhett noticed the patch of dark clouds ahead as they flashed. Several of the others yelped or shrieked at the site, but Rhett felt a flush of nostalgia. "What the fuck was that?!" "Holy shit! Holy shit!" "Are we under attack?!" The last comment sparked a small panic amongst the lighter-of-heart amongst the new recruits. Nervous chatter erupted and the pilot's hollering to settle down, that it was a natural occurrence, it couldn't hurt their ship, shut the hell up, get someone back there to quell things went mostly ignored. Rhett simply watched the bolts of lightning dance back and forth, making a light show the likes of which he hadn't seen in over a decade. "I don't know how you can remain so calm during this shit but get sicker than a Feddie grunt in no gravity," Lonnie croaked, reaching for his own vomit bag. "If you think this is bad," Rhett offered. "Wait until a real storm comes along." Lonnie's reply became lost as the thought of being in worse conditions than the present ones caused him to continuing the evacuation of his stomach.
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Oct 22, 2009 3:38:15 GMT -5
OOC: Sprite comics are quasi-canon for Rhett. They're an attempt at humorously interpreting things that happened to him. 
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Oct 24, 2009 2:45:44 GMT -5
The bar on base was almost as luxurious as a hole in the ground, but at least it was hygienic enough that you wouldn't catch a disease from the barstools like some dives Rhett had visited before enlisting. The place seemed to be lit primarily by the cigarettes of a group of patrons in the corner - probably low-grade officers by the regs they were flouting - and nobody seemed to be doing much but looking for the bottom of their mugs.
The base at Beijing was, as far as Rhett was concerned, a bit of a dive itself. Anyone permanently stationed there seemed to have enough of a personality disorder to warrant stationing away from active combat but not enough so that they could be drubbed out of the service, not with a huge war going on. Rheet briefly despaired of finding some companionship for his stay at the base until he saw a woman that seemed incredibly out of place. Shaped, busty, somewhat lively, and - most importantly - she looked young enough not to have been born before this base. Rhett didn't recognize her from his flight, but he hoped to find that she wasn't some Admiral or General's daughter. He quietly walked up behind her and began to speak.
"Yeah, don't hit on me," she said before he could.
"I'm sorry?" he asked in response.
"Don't hit on me," she repeated, turning to look at Rhett. "I can tell that's what you came over to do."
"Oh really?" Rhett asked. "Are you one of those Newtypes in children's fairy tales?"
"No, you just walk too softly for someone coming for a drink," the women replied. "Only the horny guys walk like they're stalking prey."
Rhett laughed, a little disappointed.
"Are you sure you're not reading my mind?" Rhett laughed. "Can you tell what I'm thinking now?"
"Like that's going to be hard," the woman replied. "You want to tell me your sign, hoping I'm some ditz that'll find that sooooooo interesting and start humping your leg, right?"
"Got it in one," Rhett confirmed as he extended his hand. "Rhett Paruta."
"Marlin Newhall," she said back. "What're you in good ol' Beijing?"
"Hopefully just passing through," he spat, leaving a small glob on the floor. "I predict this place will have fifty percent casualties before a Feddie even so much as looks at this place."
Marlin took a drink from her mug and nodded. "Yeah, this is the base where careers go to die. I'm not long for this place myself, one way or another."
"That sounds miserable. I've only been on Earth for a couple of days and I already wish my Zaku had a heat sword to throw myself on," Rhett sighed.
"You're a Zaku driver?" Marlin grinned. "What kind?"
"Cannon type," Rhett said. "Make things go boom from a klick away."
"Dittos," Marlin agreed. "If you're a bad enough shot that an enemy gets close enough to use a heat hawk on, you deserve to get stabbed."
Rhett signaled the bartender for a couple of drinks. "How long have you been in the service?"
"Two months," Marlin answered, taking a drink from her mug. "Haven't seen any of those Feddie MS, though I hear they're thick-skinned juggernauts."
The two got to talking and before long a sound rang through the bar that most people thought didn't exist within its walls: laughter. After a few rounds, the two had begun a storytelling contest to see who had the stranger experience.
"So as he crouched in the alley trying not to crap himself and vomit," Rhett said whimsically. "I said to him 'I told you we should've gone to that Japanese place across the street. The worst they would've done is bust your balls.'"
Marlin snorted with laughter. "That's good, but I've got one that'll make you shit yourself." She motioned for Rhett to lean in.
"I've never told anyone here this but," she whispered, pausing for dramatic effect. "I'm really a post-op."
That statement swam through Rhett's head for a few moments before registering. "You mean...?"
"Yeah, I was born a man," Marlin giggled. "And then I got an operation courtest of an old buzzard who wanted a mistress who couldn't spoil things with an inconvenient pregnancy."
"You're shitting me," Rhett protested. "Really?"
"Yeah, but if you tell anyone," Marlin threatened with her beer mug. "I'll break your balls."
"Yes ma'am!" Rhett giggled in replied. "Or sir! Or whatever!"
Moments later, another soldier began walking over to talk to Marlin. She spoke with the soldier for a few moments before turning back to Rhett.
"I'll buy the first round next time, Rhett," Marlin promised. "But Neil here promised to share a bottle of pre-UC champaign with me in exchange for some quality time."
"Fair enough," Rhett nodded. "Nice meeting you, Marlin."
Rhett could barely hold back a chuckle as he watched his new friend leave and thanked Buddha for gaining Marlin's confidence BEFORE they'd gone back to his bunk.
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Oct 24, 2009 21:02:14 GMT -5
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Oct 29, 2009 2:47:00 GMT -5
Rhett had been standing at attention for nearly ten minutes while his instructor conferred with a couple of other officers. Rhett had been called in, presumably for an explanation about how he managed to fall off a Dodai in the middle of training. The Zaku had been alright though and he'd managed to achieve the exercise's objective in decent time. And the Dodai was fine too, though Rhett privately swore the pilot had intentionally dumped him off.
"Paruta," the captain said, bringing him out of his reverie. "We've been reviewing the results of the Dodai training and we've come to a decision."
Rhett waited for his captain to continue; he learned the hard way that if his opinion was wanted, the captain would expressly ask for it. The only response he gave his superior was a slight raise of his eyebrow.
"We're divided on whether your stunt on the Dodai was a brilliant maneuver or a really dumb error that you managed to get through with dumb luck," the captain stated. "We've all agreed that you will receive additional training with the Dodais."
Rhett tried not to show how much the prospect of being a permanent Dodai user bothered him.
"Whether it's the advanced or remedial course will be decided when you return from your mission," the captain continued as he pulled out a folder. "You are to accompany and support Lieutenant Ando Shoji on an attack on a Feddie MS that seems to have gone astray in Cambodia."
"Yes, sir!" Rhett saluted as he took possession of the orders.
He quickly returned to his quarters to look at the mission details: Lt. Shoji piloted a Zaku II S, the enemy was some kind of sniper, and he was given authorization to use as many missile pods as he could carry.
This didn't sound so bad after all.
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Draco
Rogue
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Post by Draco on Nov 2, 2009 19:21:37 GMT -5
Shortly after "Ando Shoji and Rhett Paruta ambush Aurem Senaiha""Damn," the captain spat. "That's a lot of damage for one shot." Rhett stood silent and motionless as the captain made his comments. The other officers murmured similar opinions as they took down notes. The Federation's mobile suits still had some surprises for Zeon, it seemed, and every bit of footage and information was useful. The battle video moved into Rhett's weapons barrages against the enemy GM, explosions all over the hill, and then the hit on the sniper rifle. "This was some good intel you've brought us, Paruta," the captain acknowledged. "And you've possibly saved the life of a Zeon officer. The brass like these kinds of things." The captain reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small baggie. "That's why it is with great pleasure that I am to give you this insignia showing your promotion to the rank of Corporal. Congratulations." "Thank you, sir," Rhett answered as he saluted. He replaced his old Ensign insignia with his new rank and made sure it was straight. "And now that you've shown us you're capable of taking orders," the captain continued. "You will now be given a chance to GIVE orders." "Sir?" "You will be assigned two Dopp fighter escorts now and your own Dodai unit after your next mission," the captain explained. "None of the local commands currently have room for them in their squadrons, so we're giving you a chance to lead." The captain pulled an envelope from his desk and handed it to Rhett. "You will accompany Corporal Steiner's team and an experimental mobile armor from Lhasa in attack another one of those Federal mobile suits. We expect you to gather more good data for us, Corporal Paruta." Rhett saluted, turned, and left the office. He noticed a pair of pilots, a short, chubby woman and a dark-skinned man standing at attention right outside the door. "Looks like whoever's next can go in," Rhett said to them. "They're in a pretty good mood too, it sounds." The woman said something that was lost to Rhett as he walked off to go find out who Corporal Steiner was. He heard the sound of coordinated footsteps behind him and wondered for a heartbeat if the rumored "secret police" hadn't found some excuse to spirit him off into the night, but out of the corner of his eye he noticed it was the pair of pilots that were standing outside the captain's office. "What are you two following me for?" Rhett asked, trying not to be annoyed. "Well, sir, as I said outside the office," the woman answered. "We're your new wingmen." "Oh." Rhett hadn't been listening. "I'm the kawaii Private Alta Flemister!" the woman answered, jiggling a little as she saluted in an exaggerated manner. "It's an honor to be serving under you, Corporal-sama!" "I'm Private Louie Longanecker," the dark-skinned man replied, extending his hand to shake. Rhett shook Louie's hand. "Glad to have you aboard. I just got our first orders as a team, but we don't deploy until tomorrow so we have time to get acquainted and have a briefing. Any questions?" Alta "ooh"ed as she bounced. "Will we be working with..." she blushed. "...Captain Char? He's such a bishie!" Rhett raised an eyebrow. He had no idea what a "bishie" was, but he knew for sure Char Aznable was nowhere in their immediate future. "No, we'll be working with Corporal Steiner's team and a mobile armor." Alta's eye wibbled with disappointment, but she said nothing. "This is a real combat mission, sir?" Louie asked. "Not a simulation or training exercise?" "Um...yes," Rhett answered. "This will be genuine combat against, to our best knowledge, a single opponent. A cake run pretty much." Louie's face paled a little and Alta looked a little more interested. "Is there a problem, Privates?" Rhett asked. Louie shifted from foot-to-foot and Alta looked down at her feet. "They told us you would be training us, sir," Louis said. "They taught us the controls, but we haven't done more than a simulation flight after we got here." Rhett sighed and rubbed his nose. He'd thought he'd gotten through the hard part of the day after the battle with the GM.
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Nov 4, 2009 4:13:57 GMT -5
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Nov 9, 2009 5:05:57 GMT -5
Shortly after Over Tunisia"Sir?" Rhett sat in the office he had been temporarily assigned in the small outpost the Pink Panthers occupied between patrols, staring at the portable computer in front of him. The beginnings of a letter to Alta's family hung there, ready for their friends to come and form a complete sentence. "Their things arrived from Beijing, sir. A courier just dropped them off." Rhett tried typing a few more words, but they just wouldn't come out. His eyes kept drifting to a piece of paper sitting on the desk, a letter Alta had written to her father. He sighed and picked it up to read again. "Sir?" Rhett set the letter down and turned to face Cora Posada, who was shakily holding a couple of boxes. She briefly tried to salute, but almost lost her grip on the box in her arms and settled for smiling at him instead. "Thank you, Private," Rhett said at last, taking one of the boxes from her. "This is everything? Really?" Cora shrugged. "They told me to fit everything I could in my cockpit before we left Beijing. There's a small box with my stuff in it too, but nothing for you." Rhett hadn't brought a lot of stuff to Earth with him. Just a few photos, a few old novels, a small video player, and a Geode his father had brought back to Side 3 with him after he began working for Zeon. "Fair enough," he replied. "Go find some packing tape and we'll have this stuff sent off as soon as I'm done writing." Cora nodded and left Rhett to his writings. What brave words could he say to reassure the families of two kids who had gotten throw to Earth that their loves ones hadn't died in vain? Louis would probably be easier to write for; he hadn't fired a shot so he could rightfully tell his father that he had been true to his beliefs and been brave at the same time. But Alta? She'd been a thrill-seeker with a crush on a bonafied Zeon war hero and a weight problem. Rhett had tried pushing her into the kind of routine he'd gone through at the academy, but they hadn't been working together long enough to make a difference. "If I'd known she was just going to die a few days later," Rhett mused. "I wouldn't have taken away that Pocky stuff she liked snacking on." He mulled over what kind of letter he would write when Cora reentered with a couple rolls of tape. "Do you know anything about writing, Private?" Rhett asked, leaning back in his seat. "Well, I was in a creative writing club in high school," she replied. "Why?" "I'm a bit stumped about what to write to Alta's folks," Rhett answered. "All I know about her was that she felt like she was some kind of super hero for flying a Dopp and that she had a crush on Captain Char Aznable." Cora thought about it as she began taping the box of Louis' possession shut. "Well, she gave us that warning about the Cods behind us right? Write about how she saved our loves at the cost of her own and that she was a hero." Rhett nodded and began to finish the letter. "So where are we headed next?" Cora asked after she finished sealing the boxes. "The Pink Panthers are getting replacement pilots in, so we're going to have to move out," Rhett answered. "We're moving to an outpost near Kimberlite until my Zaku's repaired." "Can we visit Johannesburg while we're down there?" Cora asked, smiling sweetly. "Please?" Rhett shrugged. Johannesburg was as good as a pit in the middle of the plains. "Sure, just as long as we can find a Japanese place while we're there."
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Draco
Rogue
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Post by Draco on Nov 11, 2009 5:29:08 GMT -5
 To Be Continued...
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Draco
Rogue
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Post by Draco on Nov 12, 2009 0:56:47 GMT -5
Hushed patrons ooh'ed and aah'ed as the Teppan grill chef casually juggled a trio of eggs with a spatula. With the ease of a practiced master, he tapped them on the top and poured their contents onto the sizzling grill. Cora Posada laughed and cheered as the chef caught an egg in his hat and turned to Rhett.
"This is so exciting!" she whispered. "Who knew cooking could be this much fun to watch?"
"If you think that part's good," Rhett whispered back. "Wait til you see what's next."
While they weren't looking, the chef had put a small pile of rice on Cora's plate.
"Special sauce?" the chef asked.
"Oh sure," Cora answered half-aware.
The chef lifted the small bottle and suddenly squeezed it at hard as he could. A small red string shot out at Cora's face and she recoiled, screaming. Rhett laughed lightly as he picked up the private's glasses and helped her back into her seat.
"Told ya you'd like it," Rhett said with a wink.
"D'oooooh!" Cora moaned. "Got me good."
The pair enjoyed their meal thoroughly, finishing at a leisurely pace when he heard a gruff voice.
"I'm looking for this man," the voice said. "Have you seen him?"
"He-he's right over there!" the panicked cashier squeeked before hiding underneath the counter.
The footsteps grew increasingly louder and sounded like the thick-soled body-stompers the Zeonic military police tended to wear. It wasn't until the sound stopped right behind him and harsh breathing flowed over his hair that Rhett realized that the gruff voice was right behind him.
"Corporal Paruta," a stuffy voice bellowed. "What are you doing here and not at Kimberlite as you were ordered?"
Rhett turned and stood to look the rude man in the eye, though he had to look down to do so. A small blonde man wearing what looked like a cape stared back up at him with several muscles on his face twitching.
"You're a little short for military police, aren't you?" Rhett asked.
That riled the short man even more. "If you weren't my commanding officer," the man swore. "I would slap you for that insult."
Rhett glanced at Cora, who simply shrugged as she packed their remaining food into a to-go container. Rhett shook his head.
"Uh...sure," Rhett muttered. "Let's take this outside so we don't disrupt these nice folks."
Rhett and Cora followed the stuffy man out of the restaurant and onto the curb where a sedan waited with its engine running. The small man climbed into the car and motioned for the two pilots to follow him.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" the man demanded. "Get in!"
"I don't know who the hell you are," Rhett growled. "But I'm not getting into a non-descript car just because some toadstool who calls me his superior says so. I want some answers first."
"Stop the car," the short man said to the driver. "I'm Private Dino Kofutua, the newest member of your mobile suit team. This car is taking us back to the base here in Johannesburg and our mobile suits."
Rhett rubbed his chin. "No, I think Private Posada and I will be taking alternate transportation to the base. You go on ahead and meet us there."
Dino looked like he was ready to bite Rhett's head off, but instead muttered something about commoners and ordered the driver to go.
"What an unpleasant fellow," Cora remarked. "Doesn't sound like the subordinate type."
"If he really is our subordinate," Rhett added. When Cora looked at him strangely, Rhett grinned. "Can't let you be taking orders from the squad newbie until he earns a higher rank."
Cora grinned all the way back to base as Rhett hailed a taxi.
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
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Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Nov 13, 2009 18:24:21 GMT -5
Immediately after Memory of Friends, Memory of FaithRecommended Listening: Gary Jules - Mad WorldRhett watched the marines round up the small group of prisoners they had found and herd them into a marching line. RF-1 wasn't too far away from their current position, but it was still a dangerous time of day to be out. The Weasels were moving into a position behind the on-foot personnel to keep from blowing sand into their faces. Hopefully the weather would stay as it was. Rhett briefly remembered as a child watching his father try and clean sand from his jeep's engine and shuddered, both at the memory of a father who was missing and at what such sands could do to the joints of his Zaku. "Looks like we got mostly a group of marines and a female officer," Dino reported, marching his slightly damaged Gouf up to Rhett's Zaku. "I also got this shield off of that mobile suit I killed." "You mean that Private Grace destroyed," Rhett corrected. "Bring it along. I'm sure someone in Alexandria will be interested in it." "Yes, sir," Alain replied. The Gouf walked off to oversee the prisoner and Rhett turned to look at wreckage of the Benedictus one more time. Was it fear that drove its captain to refuse surrender? Was it courage that caused him to drop all of the mobile suits and marines out of his ship before it died? Was it desperation that made him stay in the area despite the possibility of Zeonic counterattack? Rhett wondered if he'd be that kind of man some day. He shook his head at the though. How would he know if he were that kind of man when he didn't even know what kind of man that was? One of his red Dodais flew by, preparing to loop around so Rhett could jump his Zaku onto it as it passed. "Got some new orders, sir," Cora reported. "An acquaintance of yours is coming to the region and we've been assigned to help him on whatever mission he has planned while here." "Who is it?" Rhett asked, throwing his Zaku into the air. "A lieutenant Ando Shoji," Cora repled. "We're to go rendevous with him ASAP." "Ando Shoji...what a crazy sonovabitch," Rhett thought to himself as the Zaku shook with its landing. "Probably need me to keep him from being vaporized by snipers again."
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
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Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Nov 24, 2009 13:41:38 GMT -5
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Draco
Rogue
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Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Nov 26, 2009 3:53:56 GMT -5
An hour after The Battle of Malta"Looks like you got a little beat-up out there, Sarge," Genevieve chuckled, coughing up sea water as she did. "Lucky for me," Rhett answered as a Dragon medic picked bits of metal and plastic out of his gut. "It drained all the water out of me after I fell into the pool." The two pilots of the "Hot Lightning" team shared a moment of relief following the tense battle for Malta base. Two of their number had suffered injuries, one confirmed KIA, and another MIA. Only two of their number had escaped without injury. "Where is Dino right now?" Rhett muttered. "Probably off using the story of his noble beating of a GM to impress local women who for some reason haven't forgotten that their island used to be under Fed control earlier today," Genevieve replied before coughing more water into a dish. An orderly came in with a stack of papers and a disc. "Orders for Rhett Paruta and a recording of a soccer game for Genevieve Garner," he mumbled as he left. Rhett looked at the envelope and considered getting up to read the folder's contents before the firm hands of the medic silently ordered him to stay down until told otherwise. The plunking of bits of metal into a dish reminded him of the bits of plane falling of Cora's Dodai before Rhett had launched his Zaku Cannon from it and fired his cannon at the fleeing Medea. Her screams rang through his memory even though at the time he had drowned them out so he could shoot. He'd had to eject that cannon to help keep afloat until a rescue barge could be sent to pick him up. In the overall calculation of the battle, one Dodai and a 180mm cannon probably were worth the destruction of a single Medea. Still, losing an able pilot, a good executive officer, and a loyal friend hurt almost as bad as the piece of plastic being pulled out of his shoulder. "Careful with that!" Rhett barked, feeling a tug as the plastic caught on his skin. "Whoops," the medic said. "Needs a little more anesthetic." As gas filled Rhett's lungs, he heard Genevieve asking for a video player and someone looking for Nute Gunray. He couldn't be sure of any of that at the moment though... Genevieve ignored the sounds of her sleeping commander as best she could. She was lucky that the Lugguns had been able to tap into television broadcasts or she would've missed one of the best games this season! It was too bad Rhett seemed to be in such pain even after the medics had gotten his wounds patched. He'd been muttering something about being in Hell, something about a couple of Privates, and, oddly, something about BURNING COURAGE (whatever that was). After that, he seemed to settle down in his sleep. Genevieve paused the recording when she heard a slight rapping from the other side of the door. "Come in," she answered. With a bandage on her leg and a crutch under one arm, Cora Posada hobbled into the room. "How's everything in here?" Cora asked as she settled into a chair. "The docs think I'll be well enough to leave after a night's rest," Genevieve boasted. "I'll be back to practicing soon enough." She turned with a worried look towards her commanding officer. "Sarge didn't seem to be hurt too bad, but he's been having some nasty dreams since they drugged him though." Cora nodded with concern. "Keep an eye on him tonight, please. And page me when he wakes up," she ordered. "There's only so many forms I can fill out before I actually need his signature for something." The two pilots nodded at each other while Cora rose to her foot and crutch. "You going to be okay, Cora?" Genevieve asked. "I can get around well enough and Dino's available for heavy lifting," Cora answered. "He sure seemed fine," Genevieve agreed. "What about Nostrildamus? I haven't seen him since before the operation." "He'll turn up," Cora reassured, though nobody seemed to know what happened to him after he had landed after the battle. "He was in even better shape than Dino."
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Draco
Rogue
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Post by Draco on Dec 1, 2009 3:42:39 GMT -5
Loud, wet footsteps rang through Rhett's ears. A rhythmic pounding of giant feet filled the air with their metallic thunder. He could feel the hard handles of a Mobile Suit's control sticks in his hands and he flexed his fingers to find they weren't covered by the usual pilot's gloves. Though the entire cockpit was dark except for the main camera monitor, which glowed darkly, showing nothing outside. He shivered a little and felt very little on his body, just a scarce hospital uniform.
"Where am I?" he asked aloud. "Is anyone out there?"
He felt for the mobile suit's communications gear and set it to broadcast on an open channel.
"Hello?"
A faint "hello" echoed through whatever chamber Rhett was moving through. The ground shook lightly with the passing of the echo and Rhett stopped his mobile suit in his tracks. The cockpit panels and monitors suddenly lit to life, showing Rhett that he was in a Zaku Cannon's cockpit. Not his, he thought, as that was currently being repaired in Malta Base. The chamber he was in suddenly lit up around him, showing an endless tunnel with strange, vine-covered walls which began squirming as the Zaku's eye looked back and forth.
"Hello?"
The echo had somehow bounced back to Rhett as the chamber dimmed again. Rhett stopped the Zaku from moving forward. He lifted its arm, hoping to see a weapon in its hand. A dark grey heat hawk greeted Rhett and he ordered the weapon to come to life, hoping the weapon still had juice. Fortunately, the dull blade began glowing a fierce orange, showing that it still had teeth. Thankful for that small miracle and the twenty live rounds he found in his new ride's backpack.
As he flicked the heat hawk off, the walls began to writhe and Rhett could hear something slowly lowering from above, as if being dropped by a crane. Rhett turned up to look to see a red and black mass being lowered by a pair of thick, yellow trunks. It looked like a large mobile suit's head with a mobile suit torso on top.
"Well, well, well," the giant head said, grinning. "Looks like another little lost Zeon found his way into my den."
"Who are you?" Rhett demanded, aiming his cannon at the thing.
"Haven't you heard of the White Devil?" it asked, shocked. "The great and powerful Gundam that can't be killed even by the Red Comet?"
The yellow cables, which were connected to large hands, retracted into the Gundam's shoulders. Two large, think legs extended from its second head and it towered above the Zaku Cannon.
"You can't even kill a cheap copy of me!" it bellowed. "How do you expect to survive against me?"
Rhett raised the heat hawk to defend himself, but it refused to light up.
"Damn you!" he yelled to the heat hawk. "How could you only have the juice for five seconds?"
The Gundam swung a giant fist, catching the Zaku in the chest and sending it reeling. Rhett tried to fire his cannon, but the shells wouldn't launch. With no other options, Rhett charged into and slugged the Gundam on its shin, the only part of the strange mobile suit in the Zaku's punching range. With a chuckle, the Gundam casually kicked the Zaku in the side and watched it sprawl. The large claw extended from its shoulders once more as it prepared to finish Rhett off.
"Corporal-kun!"
The voice cut through the air and into Rhett's heart. A pair of Dopps seemed to fly out of nowhere and began to pepper the giant Gundam with their machineguns.
"Alta?" Rhett called out in surprise. "Louie?! But you're dead!"
"That's right, sir," Louie said as he strafed the Gundam with missiles. "But we're the only backup you have right now."
The Gundam roared as it swung its claws and fists around, trying to catch the agile fighters.
"I failed you two once before though," he moaned. "Like I almost failed Cora at Malta."
"You need to stop blaming yourself for that by the way," Alta stated. "Captain Char wouldn't be freezing up like this. He knows that it's a soldier's duty to risk his life."
Rhett tried to get the Zaku to stand, but it refused to move. A wave of shame at how casual his two former subordinates were treating their deaths washed over him.
"I'm sorry I wasn't a good enough leader or pilot then," Rhett cried.
"It's not your fault we didn't have the skill we needed," Louie agreed. "You did the best you could in the time we had. If anyone's at fault, it's the Tin Cods who got behind us that are to blame."
Rhett took in their words as he slowly brought the Zaku to its feet.
"Thanks for the letter you sent my dad, by the way," Louie continued. "Hearing about my death hurt him, but he was pleased to hear what you said about me."
The two Dopps narrowly avoided being clubbed.
"You're a failure!" the Gundam roared. "You hide behind the strength of others!"
"It's not hiding!" Alta screamed, blasting the Gundam's face. "Being part of a team is relying on the strength of your partners!"
Alta's Dopp swooped in from behind the Gundam and spun after nearly being hit. The Gundam's face twisted into a grin and swung one of its large claws to destroy the annoying Dopp. Within the rounded cockpit, Alta shrinked back as impending doom rushed towards her.
Before it could end Alta's afterlife though, a flash of orange cut through its yellow arm and the claw fell lifeless to the ground.
"That was ridiculous," Rhett said. "Throwing a heat hawk is something Lieutenant Shoji would probably do."
The Gundam turned to see the Zaku standing tall and proud, with its cannon aimed at the Gundam's face. Round after round was spat from the cannon and smashed into the Gundam's body. Chunks of armor flew everywhere as its body shattered like glass. Rhett stood over the broken body of the Gundam, but turned in time to see the two Dopps flying away.
"It's time for us to go now, sir," Louie said, his voice slowly fading.
"You've been sleeping on the job, Corporal-kun," Alta joined in. "Very unprofessional."
Rhett reached for the two to stop, but they were gone before he could take a step. A grinding cough brought his attention to the ground, where the Gundam looked up at him with dead eyes.
"The mind is a scary place, Zeek," the Gundam growled. "But the real world is even worse."
"Then I'll see you in Hell after we meet," Rhett countered, crushing the Gundam's head beneath his foot.
The Zaku turned to look around the tunnel. The walls had stopped moving and the light was slowly fading away, even those inside the cockpit. Rhett sighed at the approaching darkness and looked for something, anything, as long as he could see it. The world went dark and stayed dark, and soon the only thing he could hear was his own breathing. He starting the Zaku moving again, if only so he could hear its powerful, familiar footsteps.
"Hello?" he called out again. Again, his voice echoed down the halls.
For what seemed like an eternity, Rhett's world seemed composed of the thundering of his Zaku's footsteps. Unexpectedly, his call suddenly went answered.
"Hello?"
It didn't sound like his own echo had come back like last time, so Rhett paused in his march.
"Hello? Rhett?"
Pain filled his body as the echo rang again.
"Sergeant Paruta! Wake up!"
Rhett's world was suddenly filled with light again as he found himself lying in a bed instead of in a Zaku's cockpit. A medic, Genevieve, Cora, and Dino were standing around his bedside.
"Thank God! What the hell was that, doc?" Genevieve yelled.
"Just a bad reaction to the drugs we gave him," the medic noted. "We'll have to make a note of that in his medical record."
"Bad reaction?" Cora said. "He was practically screaming in his sleep after that little dose."
"The hell is going on?" Rhett mumbled, too tired to sit up.
"You were having bad nightmares after the medic gave you a tranquilizer while he was patching up your chest, sir," Dino answered, the only one not berating the medic at the moment. "You were shouting a lot of gibberish too."
"I bet I was," Rhett replied. "Can I get a drink?"
"Water only for now, I'm afraid," the medic apologized. "Not until you've gotten it all out of your system."
Rhett sat up long enough to take a large drink offered to him by Dino. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment. "Where's what's-his-name, Nostril Guy?"
"He's fine, sir," Dino replied with a shiver. "I saw him walking around base with the MPs making suit there were no hidden surprises."
"Oh, good," Rhett grinned. "You mind letting me go back to sleep then? And no nightmare juice this time?"
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Draco
Rogue
Anaheim Electronics Employee
Anaheim Hitman
Posts: 1,240
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Post by Draco on Dec 3, 2009 2:34:41 GMT -5
During Rhett's Drug-Induced Nightmares...
Dino grunted as he carried the small crate of parts to the area where the 25th's mobile suits and planes were being serviced. Grunt tasks such as this were no job for one of his standing, but he could hardly refuse orders from a superior officer. Especially when that officer was a lady in need. Cora Posada had gone ahead with the folder containing orders for the 25th and would probably read them while Sergeant Paruta was unconscious. He set the crate down and considering prying it open.
He decided against it; there had been more than a few thieves caught sneaking onto the base already. Military police and infantry teams were on constant alert for such intruders. Better to leave the crate shut so evidence of theft would be obvious, Dino decided. He wiped the sweat he'd developed off his brow, noting that at least the task wasn't difficult for a prime specimen such as himself.
As he pruned his own ego, he heard a quiet sound, almost like his grandfather when he was carving a roast fowl. Dino drew the special sidearm his parents had given him: a golden desert eagle that had been in the family for decades and was lovingly maintained. He crept towards the sound, getting a firm grip on his sidearm. As he approached, the sound of cutting meat stopped, then started again, though slightly further away.
Dino shivered slightly as he heard the cutter giggling to himself, obviously too intent on his work that he failed to notice Dino's approach.
"Halt!" he shouted. "This is a Zeon Terrestrial Assault Force facility! Identify yourself!"
The cutter turned and stood, snorting as he did.
"Oh, hi Dino," K'Dar Biqam greeting, wiping off a small butcher's knife. "Wonderful evening isn't it?"
Confused as his partner's activities, Dino lowered his weapon.
"What the hell are you doing, K'Dar?" Dino demanded. "Hiding in the shadows...if I'd been one of those foot soldiers, you'd be dead!"
K'Dar giggled as he put his knife away. "I was just stopping some thieves who tried stealing some food from the supplies."
Dino looked at the two bodies, both sitting in small puddles of blood. He couldn't tell if they were military or not, just that K'Dar had done something brutal to them. K'Dar crouched to the side of one and picked up a small box.
"I'll just be returning this to the MPs then, sir!" K'Dar said, nostril twitching, carrying away the package. "Take care!"
Dino nodded as he holstered the Desert Eagle. He made a show of following slowly behind until K'Dar went around the corner. Dino immediately walked over to one of the bodies and pulled out a small lighter. He looked it over carefully, hoping to identify who the lost soul had been. Through bloodstains, he saw it was a Federation forces soldier, dead by bullets wounds and not by any blade. In fact, the only knife wound the man seemed to have was on his face.
A quick look revealed a similar condition of the other body; both men were missing their noses. Dino looked back to where K'Dar had walked off, wondering just what had really been in that box.
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