From Rifles And Roses, Chapter One

by **Shyluz** » Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:42 am

Hope & Gray Homegarde
Resident Estonian Siblings

Gray was still rubbing his neck from where he'd been spun around, and Hope was hiding behind him, wary of the new person.

"Yeah. Though I'm still wondering why she's here." Gray looked happy, but quite confused as to why the little sister that he hadn't seen in six years was here, also, why was his sister being shy. Totally unlike her.

"Ära ütle talle, et ma ei räägi inglise keelt." Spoke the girl, her face pressed against Gray's side. She glared at Caia with hostility, but more like the 'Who the hell are you' hostility than the 'You're dead to me' hostility. Gray looked down at his sister, who was digging into his side just below his ribcage. It was quite agonizing.

"Miks mitte? Ta on lihtsaltsõber. See ei ole nagu ta läheb hammustada teid või midagi." He replied to his sister, looking back up at Caia.

"Erh, she's being shy. For some unknown reason. Very unlike her. Sorry." He said, shrugging his shoulders gently.

by **Sonitusia** » Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:46 pm

Harry 'Harriet' Collins and Fauna Pool

Harry and Fauna were slightly surprised when Gray was ambushed from behind, but they giggled when it turned out to be his sister. "And here I though that he was cheating on another girl," Fauna said, clearing her throat. "Her name is Hope?" Harry asked, "She's ah... Cute, really." The unmistakable similarity made Harry a bit light headed.

"How did she get here? HALO drop? Personal escort?" Fauna inquired, "It's odd she turned up only now."

by **TriStates** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 1:11 pm

Sixty minutes.

At exactly one millisecond after time, a chirping sound rang out in the atrium. Like the sound of an electronic car lock. And just like a car lock, the entrance doors of the building suddenly closed, bolting shut on their own accord, without so much as a how-do-you-do to the few students still arriving.

Their muffled cries of fear and curses of anger, some begging breathlessly to be let in, could be heard by those inside. Not that there was anything they could do for their end. For those already in the threshold at the time of the closing, each had to make the split decision to either jump forward, or jump back. The only other choice was being sandwiched between two rapidly shutting pieces of metal. For all present, this was the signal.

The end of the run.

As if on cue, a ball of green digital code materialized in the middle of the room, causing a bright flash. As the light died down, where the ball had been a large, uniformed man now stood. Staring at the gathered group of teenagers, his dark eyes seemed to glower at them, rotating like twin cannon barrels as he surveyed what pitiful wretches stood before his worthy gaze.

"GROUP! A-TEN-SHOON!"

The booming report from the mans mouth echoed along with the heavy tread of his khaki combat boots, as he strode across the floor, getting up and personal with the teenagers.

"Welcome. To Fort Navarone: Eureka Academy's Proving Center. My identification is 'Mac', short for Dogulas MacArthur. I am the Artificial Administrator of this facility, and the Commadant of the Island's STAG Academy. But to you I am, will forever and always be known as, sir!"

At random it seemed, the Commandant would lean in to one of the Cadets faces, or sneak up behind them, his growling granite face less than an inch from their own.

"And you, are prospects."

Never has a word been filled with such disdain.

"You are no longer Civilians. You are not yet Cadets. Some of you, by UN charter, are not even human-fucking-beings! But as of now, you are all united as nothing. Nothing! Only as unorganized pieces of unfiltered genetic filth, that by the grace of some dark power, managed to climb up from the primordial muck, as if you were worthy!"

Relenting from his diatribe, he worked his way back to the front of the group, staring at the length of the group as one.

"You'll get your chance to prove so. During your stint at my Proving Center, you will show me that you capable of being a Cadet. You will speak, only when spoken too. You will eat, only when told. You will drill constantly, whether you are order to or not. You will be given equipment, you will be taught training, and you will be expected to preform as experts!"

"If you wretches leave my island, if you survive the Entrance Exam, you will be a weapon. You will be a disciple of Death, praying for war, and reaping for peace. And you will hold you heads high with the knowledge you hold the title of STAG Cadet, do you wretches understand that?"

There was only one answer for there to be given:

"Sir, Yes, Sir!"

Giving a careful nod, Mac took one last microscopic inspection of every face in that crowd of thousands. "Damn right you will."

A series of holographic signs appeared on the monitors of the atrium walls, each showed a luminescent green arrow, pointing in a variety of directions. One of them read:
'First Year Prospect Sim Room'

"Now on the bounce Prospects! Double-time!"

With that final order, the digital avatar disappeared in a flurry of green-code. Leaving the students to prove that they had the ability to at least follow signs.

by **The Tophat Empire** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 2:45 pm

OOC; Seeing i am not entirely sure on what have happened since i left, i will just try to avoid those subjects, so apologies for the short post

Wiking Björnsson

Wiking had completed the run rather fast, he was in shape, and just running for 4,5 kilometres where not much. So he waited in the atrium.

As the alarm went to life, blearing a alarm signal of sorts wiking rose, he having been sitting down. As the massive doors quickly smashed together wiking could only think of one word to describe the situation "Flashy". This thought continued as the holgrapical AI arrived. Wiking complied with the orders he was given, and immediately stood to attention.

Wiking had also taken some time(whenever it was presented, could even have been on the boat) to change into his usual uniform the M/90P, or Model 90 Pansar(armoured, referring too tanks and the such) as it would be easier to use then the parade uniform he wore when he was dropped into the sea during the morning.

When the hologram was done giving orders, and dehumanizing those in the local wiking made his way towards wherever the correct green arrows took him

by **Empire of the Rising Moon** » Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:53 pm

(OOC: If anything is wrong with this post, inform me and I will edit/delete it)

Kai managed to do the run rather quickly. He didn't know why they were given an entire hour for them to do this short run. It was more than likely a hidden test, or it was intended to make those who weren't in shape snap to their senses. Either way it didn't really matter to Kai. While he was waiting in the atrium he started to fiddle with his "uniform", he was still wearing what he was wearing when he arrived, a black shirt, cargoes and a rather thick metal torsos plate armor, and metal elbow and knee plates. He must of been quite a sight to the others when they arrived looking at this tall man, or to be specific, a partial. Yes, he was a partial and a rather scary looking one at that. It was visably obvious that he was mixed with a bear, with a muzzle and incredibly muscles that were quite visible.

After waiting for a little while, it started to push his patience. The silence that was. Here he was standing in the atrium and it seemed like everyone was too tired or didn't want to socialize. It was around then that he sat down with his legs crossed and tried to calm himself down before he gets the urge to beat somebody into a bloody pulp. That wouldn't be a great way to start his life here now would it? Making another cadet into mush wouldn't exactly work out in his favor, no matter how great it would make him feel. Enough with those thoughts, I'm not here to hurt my fellow students.

After what felt like an eternity of meditating later, a loud chirping sound rang out followed by what sounded like a crashing sound. Kai looked up to see the doors closed and the muffled cries of those outside the atrium. "That's what you get for being lazy." Kai said aloud while getting onto his feet, but quickly said a prayer for those who didn't make it inside, "May you all find your life's calling outside of the academy." He then noticed a ball of green that materialize with a bright light. Once it died down, Kai saw a uniformed man. That was...Unexpected. When the man yelled, he complied and stood at attention.

As the man went around talking with his booming voice, Kai was getting more and more annoyed. It might have also been stress. He closed his eyes and tried calming himself down. As the man continued around explaining that they were no longer civilians, he passed by Kai and gave him a look that really annoyed Kai. Kai started thinking of things that he was hoping would calm himself down, as he was visibly about to become aggressive. He then followed in the chorus of the other cadets when they gave their answer to the man.

When the man disappeared, he started to follow the green arrow to wherever they were to take him.

by **Sonitusia** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:07 am

Fauna Pool and Harry 'Harriet' Collins

Fauna and Harry reacted on instinct, helping one person each to get into the fort while they still could. "T-Thanks..." huffed one, not really one of the fittest people Fauna had ever seen. "I-I'm not cut out for this..." muttered the other, who looked like he rarely got off the couch. The two just smiled and, returned to where they were earlier.

When the spectral General appeared, Fauna stood at attention, Harry doing the same, albeit a bit nervous. "Isn't that General MacArthur?" he muttered. And then the General stated so himself. "I thought so..."

Suddenly the General was right between both of them, as telling them both a secret, and Harry almost wet his pants. After they both shouted "Sir, Yes, Sir!" Fauna and Harry dashed for the room that was marked 'First Year Prospect Sim Room' in a nice hue of green. Fauna was steadily jogging after awhile, but not watching where he was going, Harry accidentally tripped over someone's feet.

"Oof!" he cried, trying to push himself up. "Ah, sorry prospect." A hand gripped his, and he was pulled up. It appeared to be one of the base personnel, but he looked rather young to be one. He was also a bit androgynous, but he knew it was a guy. Only guys smile like that. "Go on, hit 'em hard girl!" He chuckled, pushing Harry on his way, waving to him. Harry embarrassingly waved back, and continued running.

His eyes looked pretty distant...

by **The BranRiech** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:01 am

Being the idiots that they were, Yulain and Johann weren't really in the main room, but more of an offshoot, resting on a staircase after the run had finished. There, they were spared the awkwardness of watching all the failed applicants who hadn't been able to complete the run. They were also able to somewhat avoid the demeaning speech by the avatar of some dead general. "Johann, hey, we gotta' go." Yulian poked his acquaintance on the shoulder, looking back to make sure they weren't being watched.

With an unsteady hop, the boy launched himself to his feet right as the General's avatar was dissipating back into code. With a beckoning motion to Johann, he quickly made his way back into the main room, now seeing the figures of failed applicants at the windows.

With his head turned, the young man almost failed to spot the instructions, though he followed them anyways, sticking with the rest of his comrades as they made their own way to the Sim room, almost bumping into some of them as well, though missing them deftly at the last moment as he joined the crowd.

by **Atlannia** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 11:15 am

TriStates wrote:-Drill Sergeant bit-

Tch, cliché much? Thought Lilliane derisively, although the sudden change in volume left her ears ringing a little. She had been faintly hoping they might be able to skip the whole "You are human maggots" routine but she supposed in retrospect that it was inevitable, these were people who had dropped their new recruits out of a moving plane after all, there was no way they'd be above a little yelling. Not that it really mattered, there was a certain... weight missing from the whole thing. As impressive on a technological level as the hologram and the Ai behind it were they just weren't capable of projectable intimidation and violating one's personal space like a physical person who was large and aggressive could. To cap it all off the AI didn't smell like anything. Lilliane wasn't exactly sure what an abusive officer should smell like, tobacco and cordite maybe? But the fact that the AI didn't smell like anything made it impossible to mistake him for a real person, or a physical threat, although Lilliane supposed he could have any one of them booted off the island on little more than a whim and that made him dangerous enough to her plans at least.

I don't see why they don't just hire someone to do this bit, they must prioritise showing off their fancy tech over intimidating us. But we already saw the hologram A.I thing, feels like a redundancy to me. mused the rabbit eared girl. The audio work is excellent though she noted, listening closely to the heavy crunch of Mac's boots. Even her sharp ears detected no inherent artificiality in the noise, or any desyncing with the timing of his footsteps. 6/10 overall I'd say, I wonder if they could pump in an artificial scent through the vents? Rather wisely Lilliane elected to keep her evaluation to herself, she even managed to feign a semblance of enthusiasm when everyone was obliged to shout. Her eyes light up with real enthusiasm though when she read "First Year Prospect Sim Room" Simulation? Like a game? It makes sense, a system that can efficiently evaluate behaviour in a variety of situations, if the run proved that we meet the minimum fitness requirements than there's no need to rely on obstacle courses or anything. Lilliane's purple eyes glinted with excitement. She hadn't had the chance to game for months now with everything that had happened. She wondered how realistic the simulations here were, with everything she had seen so far it seemed impossible to overestimate what this island was capable of.

by **Brechalht** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:47 pm

ignore

by **Shyluz** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:58 am

Hope & Gray Homegarde
Resident Estonian Siblings

Hope was rather not amused by the whole stereotypical 'drill sarge' gig. Never the less, she was at attention, giving MAC her full respect and such. After all, he was one of the heroes of WWII, and therefore in some small manner, he helped liberate Estonia, and hence she had a debt to pay. Gray kind of followed her lead, standing stock still.

Though it was all he could do to keep from laughing at poor Harriet and Fauna. He had a gut sensation that those two were going to be fine here. He wondered about himself, a career pickpocket and musician, and his sister being here to worried him even more. Was she going to be strong enough?

Well, he had to be. At least for his little sis. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted at his short sibling raced up his back, and sat on his shoulders. The wiry boy smiled, and asked sarcastically, "Where to, your majesty?"

"The sim room!" She said, pointing the direction he was supposed to go. He began to walk slowly, his hands clasped tightly around his sister's shins.

He walked backwards, gesturing for Caia to follow the duo.

by **Legatia** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:39 pm

Caia E. Savoy

Caia's attention quickly snapped to a hologram of a man yelling at the group. General Douglas MacArthur. It didn't take a military historian to know this was one of the greatest generals of her own home country.

This Douglas MacArthur, though, was designed to be a drill instructor of sorts, giving a doubled-edged speech to her and the rest of what were now designated as "prospects".

After he'd finished talking, a door lit up to what was labeled as the "First Year Prospect Sim Room." Students started herding into the room, and Gray gave her a wave in.

She followed the group into the room, quietly. What could be in there?

by **Shyluz** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:48 pm

Hope & Gray Homegarde
Resident Estonian Siblings

Hope, riding piggyback on Gray, went into a backbend, much to her older brother's dismay. He groaned in pain as the girl's bony knees dug into his sides. She merely smiled and looked at Caia as the trio walked through the halls.

"Minu nimi on -- Ah, sorry. Habit. My name's Hope Orav Homegarde." She said, extending her right hand, then realizing that she should probably extend her left because she was upside down. "What about you?"

Big Bro acts... different around this one. Who is she? Is she trying to steal Big Bro's affection from me? I'll-- I'll set you on fire you-- you BITCH! Hope screamed in her mind as she spoke.

by **Legatia** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:04 pm

Caia E. Savoy

Caia was greeted quite quickly by Gray's little sister, bending backwards on her big brother's shoulders. She gave a tiny nervous smile at the situation as Hope addressed and introduced herself, extending to Caia her right hand.

It took a moment for Caia to register this, but she smiled and gently shook Hope's hand. "I'm Caia Savoy, a.. Uh, friend.. Of your brother. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hope." She gave a smile, nodding.

by **Sonitusia** » Wed Jul 22, 2015 10:03 pm

Fauna Pool and Harry 'Harriet' Collins

Slowing down, the two noticed that Gray, Hope, and Caia were close behind, so they walked at a calmer pace to overhear the conversation. "Oh, but I think Caia is more than a friend. They did ki-" Fauna was saying before Harry grabbed her mouth and muffled the Brit before she could say more. "Don't listen to her, carry on!" He said, pulling Fauna away from them slightly.

"Don't say anything Fauna, it's not good to say that in front of someone's sister..." he muttered. She glared at Harriet in annoyance, and pushed the trap's hand off her mouth. "You think I don't know that? Geez, what does it take to make a joke sometimes..." she grumbled.

by **Altito Asmoro** » Fri Jul 24, 2015 6:18 am

TriStates wrote:
"GROUP! A-TEN-SHOON!"

"Welcome. To Fort Navarone: Eureka Academy's Proving Center. My identification is 'Mac', short for Dogulas MacArthur. I am the Artificial Administrator of this facility, and the Commadant of the Island's STAG Academy. But to you I am, will forever and always be known as, sir!"

"And you, are prospects."

"You are no longer Civilians. You are not yet Cadets. Some of you, by UN charter, are not even human-fucking-beings! But as of now, you are all united as nothing. Nothing! Only as unorganized pieces of unfiltered genetic filth, that by the grace of some dark power, managed to climb up from the primordial muck, as if you were worthy!"

"You'll get your chance to prove so. During your stint at my Proving Center, you will show me that you capable of being a Cadet. You will speak, only when spoken too. You will eat, only when told. You will drill constantly, whether you are order to or not. You will be given equipment, you will be taught training, and you will be expected to preform as experts!"

"If you wretches leave my island, if you survive the Entrance Exam, you will be a weapon. You will be a disciple of Death, praying for war, and reaping for peace. And you will hold you heads high with the knowledge you hold the title of STAG Cadet, do you wretches understand that?"

"Sir, Yes, Sir!"

'First Year Prospect Sim Room'

"Now on the bounce Prospects! Double-time!"

With that final order, the digital avatar disappeared in a flurry of green-code. Leaving the students to prove that they had the ability to at least follow signs.

Radiansyah Bagaskara

After the groups of new prospective students including him stood in lines for the announcement via hologram, from the Drill Sergeant, ended, and that there is the arrow pointing to "First Year Prospect Sim Room", he began to moved forward alongside others to the room where the arrow is pointed at.

He noticed the rest of the crowd (by rest he means Caia, Gray, Fauna, Harry, and the unknown person beside Gray) and then he approached them. "Hello, people, good to see you all again. Gray, who's the girl beside you? I though you are with someone now..." said Radi, smiling, happily, to the point of somewhat creepy smile.

by **TriStates** » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:41 pm

The automatic door opened with a soft chime, allowing the prospects to enter into the Proving Center's Training Sim Room. The scope of these Virtual Reality facilities caused a feeling of awe to enter in Sozin, even now. His breath hitched in his throat as his eyes took everything in. He was a fanatic when it came to technology. An Otaku for it, even. And the sight of such was like a treasure trove to the young Japanese teenager. Rows upon rows filled with pod-like devices. And among them stood the Inspectors. Machine constructs that maintained the Navarone facility, most remained indoors, as that was where most of their tasks were done. There was more than enough to fit every single prospect for the exam, and probably have room for another half-League of Cadets. They were the doorways to a world of limitless potential, probabilities and outcomes.

At least, thats how the Academy brochure had described them.

This is the secret of Ravencroft. This room, and the others like it. This is how they maintain the spot as the leader of the mercenary enterprise.

Virtual reality technology had been an idea since before the enterprising Institute had even been a thought. But it had been Dr. Ravencroft, who had taken the technology to its next leap. And it took the form of the ARIES-S. While similar combat simulations were available and up for sale in the market, ARIES was an improvement on them all by containing a critical element the others did not.

ARIES-S represented a way to entirely recreate reality in a almost limitless amount of forms. But going beyond that, it enhanced the experience by tapping into the most complex processor known to man. The human brain. When immersed into ARIES, the system would intertwine itself with the subjects nervous system, as well as their mind. Any action done or stimuli sensed in the sim would be augmented by the individuals previous memory and experience of it , in addition to ARIES’s pre-programmed reactions. Smell, taste, sight, hearing. Both pleasure and pain. The brain would register no difference between the simulated stimuli that caused these and the real thing. It could be said, that the reason ARIES-S was so successful, was that it wasn't virtual reality. To the brain, everything in ARIES's it was as real as life itself.

Startled out of his reverie when an Inspector blindsided him from the right, the machine seemingly appearing out of nowhere, its sensors going about a sudden examination of him. Looking like a cross between a crab and a squid, the solid metallic shell of its body had multiple visual receptors.A flurry of robotic tentacles were its arms and legs, though the repulsar lift underneath it gave it the ability to hover. This non-humanoid design, and the way they traveled effortlessly across surfaces, unnerved many for the first time. Not for him. Being a Cadet, he took their presence for granted now.

“Yamagoto, Sozin. Year Rate Two. 2nd Leuitenant. Invictus League. Operating Number 1313 - S.T.A.G. - 1724,” stated the machine in a clear, modulated male vocal tone.
“The Leuitenant and his party is 1 minute, 32 seconds, 12 milliseconds ahead for the scheduled simulation... ALERT: Schedule of Entrance Exam simulation has been moved forward to present time. This unit applauds such efficiency."

Turning off its repulsar lift, for whatever reason, the large cyberbot held itself from falling by the use of eight tentacles which grasped at the ground. Impromptu legs and feet, which gave it an arachnid appearance.

"Please proceed an unoccupied ARIES-System pod," it intoned, speaking now to the whole group of gather teenagers. "Access the virtual interface through optical, vocal and DNA recognition software, and follow all instructions given by your pods Virtual Intelligence."

Without another word, the Inspector scuddled off on its appengades, disappearing into the interior of the vast, crypt-like room.

"Pick a pod, any pod..." stated Alastair with a chuckle.

"Alright Prospects, start claiming them!" stated the short Leuitenant, shouting to be heard by everyone in the group. "Leave anything your not wearing next to your pod, and follow the VR's instructions accordingly. Since this is an Exam, you'll be learning on the fly. No tutorial and no lobby time. You'll be spawning directly in-sim with a pre-determined loadout. Remember, this is an evaluation as much as an Exam. Just because you ace the second, does not mean you pass the first."

"That said, don't even think about it. Just listen to your section leader, do as they do, and your on the track to making the cut."

After the little speech, the group began to break up.

“Well, see you on the other side amigos.” stated Lynch with his trademark devil-may-care grin, patting Sozin roughly on the back, throwing a two finger salute to the party as he walked backwards to his own pod.

Departing from his friend and the group with a casual nod, the Japanese teen chose the pod nearest to him. Opening the pod with a quick scan of his hand, Sozin entered the metallic looking coffin. Lying inside of the ARIES unit, Sozin synced his NetSet with the interior devices of the system, finalizing the procedure as he put on the visor-ed head gear.

The Prospects, not having NetSets, would use the physical touchscreen directly above their heads to interact with the systems software. Lying back, fully outfitted for the sim, his exhaled sigh sounded unnaturally loud in the snug simulation chamber. After what seemed like a few more minutes, a cheerful chiming sound originated from within the pod itself, followed by a perky female voice:

Body-software integration complete. Welcome back to ARIES: Leuitenant Yamagoto! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?... Thank You for your confirmation... Remember to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

A brief chilling sensation took hold of his body, though he didn't react to it. A normal part of ARIES, as the cybernetic software began to intimately access his cerebral cortex. The first thing to go was sight. Darkness slowly ate at his vision until that was all that remained. The next, his sense of taste. Then smell. Feeling. Hearing. All naturally part of ARIES, as the VR slowly synchronized his brain to the simulation that was being uploaded. A small primal fear took hold of him, every time, even so. Even being deprived of all your senses for a few seconds, felt unnatural. Felt wrong.

Calm yourself. Inhale. Exhale. Count to five. One.. Two... Three.. Four.. Five...

Upon opening his eyes, they revealed that his new surrounding. He was behind the wheel of a car. A white pickup truck. There was yelling, and hollering. People, some armed, some not. Running, either solo or in small groups, in all directions. Up ahead, a hastily made blockade of tires, cars and furniture was on fire. The smell of burning oil and rubber assaulted the Lieutenants nose. Looking in the trucks spider webbed rear-view mirror, he could see the pole of what could only be a machine gun mount.

He spawned in a Technical then. Inside the bed with the mounted gun, was a prospect. A girl. The one who had given him all that grief on the train. There were another seven positioned around the truck. Variable Squad. His squad. All outfitted in a similar mix of Western-Middle Easter garb and Cold War-era gear. All new faces, coming into better view as his eyes adjusted to the glare of the shining African sun. He couldn't help but chuckle sourly.

Yeah.. welcome to the program..

"Variable Squad, this is Chaos Variable. Sound off!"

A snap and crackle of static came over the comms followed by a familiar New Yorker accent.

"Chaos Variable, this is Alpha-Wolf," stated Staff Sergeant Lynch. "Wolf is prepped and ready. Awaiting your head count and orders to kick ass-"

A bursque feminine voice jumped in mid-sentence. "Certifiable here. Keep that AK in your pants Al, till I get my Maniacs in order! The Cajun Southern accent belonged to one Remy Rinzler. Cadet Sergeant and volun-told squad leader for the Entrance Exams.

Ignoring the chatter that followed, satesfied his other two units were present in-sim, the Leuitenant reached outside the glassless drivers window. Thumping on the door of the truck, it was clear that he wanted Variable ready to move out on their Technical. They all needed to get mobile ASAP. "Look alive Prospects. Its testing time!"

by **Brechalht** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:57 pm

ignore

by **Sonitusia** » Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:24 am

TriStates wrote:
Fauna Pool and Harry 'Harriet' Collins

"Alright Prospects, start claiming them!" stated the short Leuitenant, shouting to be heard by everyone in the group. "Leave anything your not wearing next to your pod, and follow the VR's instructions accordingly. Since this is an Exam, you'll be learning on the fly. No tutorial and no lobby time. You'll be spawning directly in-sim with a pre-determined loadout. Remember, this is an evaluation as much as an Exam. Just because you ace the second, does not mean you pass the first."

"That said, don't even think about it. Just listen to your section leader, do as they do, and your on the track to making the cut."

Looking at each other with faces of determination, Fauna and Harriet mutually agreed through a swift nod each that they would pass this exam. They had both come all this way, and they weren't going to come home without graduating through the entire academy. Both had come for a single purpose; finding self potential.

They separated, finding a pod each. Both of them left behind their luggage next to the pod, but both went in with everything they wore. Well, except for Fauna.

Without any sign of embarrassment, she stripped her pants off. The standard army dress pants were thrown onto the girl's satchel, and she stretched her legs to get used to it. Her face did not show any blush or sign of trying to be flirty. Fauna's reasons were completely different, but she paid no thought to it as she entered the pod.

As the lid closed, her face was brightened by a screen which showed some system checks and other technical processes. She heard a slight hum for a few moments, and finally something spoke to her.

Body-software integration complete. Welcome to ARIES: Cadet Pool! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?...

Her selections were yes or no, and of course she chose the former. The Battle of Mogashidu?... Ah, Black Hawk Down.

Thank You for your confirmation... Be sure to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

Fauna was then shocked with a mind tingling sensation, as if a current of electricity ran through her nerves like lightning. This was followed by her losing her vision. The world went dark, and Fauna began panicking slightly. She was proud of her sharp eyesight, and slowing going blind was not on the top of her list of things to do. Her heart pumped faster, her other senses also going away. She could no longer smell the stale air, feel her sweaty palms, or hear the growing high-pitched sound of the machine at work.

She cursed whoever had made this death trap.

Her mind went blank.

...

A few moments later, her breathing came back. She inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of a marketplace, filled with dry fruits and rotting organic trash. Her skin burned intensely, and she could hear the frantic yelling of those using a language foreign to hers. There were pops of gunfire hear and there, with the sound of an engine revving up loudly.

And then her eyes. Opening them slowly, she fully took in the sight of the Somalian market through the slightly cracked glass of a pair of goggles. Her mouth was fully covered, as was her head. She could feel a hot wind blow through her legs, a pair of worn army boots covering her feet from the scorching desert sand. The dark skinned people took no notice of her, minding their own business to prepare themselves. Many held used weapons, AK's, bolt-action rifles, whatever they could get their hands on it seemed. There were no longer any shopkeepers, who were replaced by militia who hid behind their kiosks ready to pounce on anyone who passed by.

Recalling the weapons, Fauna looked at what was cradled in her arms. It was an AK-74U, a very reliable carbine, though personally she wouldn't have chosen it for most situations. For urban combat however, she believed that it would be quite lethal. She carried only a few extra magazines for it, so she worried about running out.

Then she noticed the weight on her back. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes widened in joy as she beholded one of the most classic and lethal weapons of many rebel, terrorist, or revolutionist warriors: the RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launcher. She then noticed the extra grenades she had for it, and instantly felt satisfied with the amount of power she was packing. Not to mention when she almost giggled out loud when she found out there was an entire satchel of explosives hanging from her shoulder. For when you just really need to level a building.

She checked her other pieces of equipment, finding a TT-33, a machete, smoke grenades, a small tool box, and her trusty sniper scope. Pulling it out, she watched its lens gleam in the African sun.

"Maniac 2, sounding off!" she yelled, going over to the Technical that was near her squad. She admired the Somalian handiwork, and seated herself on the back.

Body-software integration complete. Welcome to ARIES: Cadet Collins! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?... Thank You for your confirmation... Be sure to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

...

Harriet gasped for air. The transition from the pod to the world surrounding him had been mortifying, and he thought that this was the afterlife. It took him a full minute to adjust to his surrounding and calm himself down, before he could fully take in what was going on.

In front of him first of all was a truck. A white truck with a machine gun on it. A girl was manning said weapon while someone was inside telling them to get ready or something. Harriet was still having a bit of trouble hearing, and the keffiyeh around his head didn't help at all to ease that. His hair was still as long as ever, and it blew slightly as the desert wind passed by.

"Uhm... Variable 1, here!" came out of his mouth, though he didn't know what it meant. Sure, that was his codename, but did it have any significant meaning? His leader, as he presumed, was called Chaos Variable. Most likely that meant that Harriet was second in charge. Oh wow, that's... Unexpected. He looked around at his group, who were most likely still adjusting as well, and he looked at the equipment that they were all holding.

Mind yourself first. He pulled his hands up, bringing him face to face with his weapon. It looked like an assault rifle, but it was much heavier than he was used to and also longer. It looked like it fired bigger rounds than the AR-15 he usually shot with, when he realized it looked strangely familiar. Dad used an SIG Manurhin F.S.A... Battle rifle? Yes, battle rifle. He remembered the gun that his father usually shot with him, which could reach much better ranges than his lighter rifle. Nodding slightly, he made sure to familiarize himself with the gun.

Ooooh, it's German! With that aside, he checked the other things he was carrying. It wasn't much, with a few spare magazines, two pistols, his trusted tantous, and a pair of binoculars. After that was set, he pulled his sleeves up wearily, which revealed his pure white skin that glistened with sweat from the radiant sun.

"It's so hot..."

by **The Burning Sun** » Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:13 pm

Violet von Kanin and Silas A. Hunt

Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out again.

Almost entirely oblivious to the world around her, Violet walked, slowly trailing behind the group of prospective cadets. True, she had known this day would come for several months or more, but in the face of reality, all her rationalizing and self-delusion melted away, replaced, at last, by an all too familiar presence.

Fear. Anxiety. Each hovered over her, silently taunting her as she struggled, step by step and thought by thought, to banish it. She didn't know why, and she didn't know how - to her, it could have been the result of any of a myriad of possibilities, each more terrifying than the last. A flaw in her genome - was she doomed to live as a damaged reject? The result of a lifetime of isolation and abuse - was she cursed to walk the path of a loner?

With every step she took, her mind spiraled ever further downwards, submerging itself into the darkness. It was, more or less, a familiar cycle. Eventually, she would lock up, and cease to function - overwhelmed by herself, and doomed to failure yet again.

Then - something changed. Crashing in from outside her mind, it shattered her thoughts, disrupted the cycle. It was merely a hand, gently ruffling her hair, and a word, questioningly whispered into her ear, but it changed everything.

"Violet?"

A pause.

"Are you okay?"

Another pause. Then, as her mind slowly resumed its normal functions and she yet again arduously grasped the concept of reality, the droopy rabbit ears twitched, Violet stirred, sighed, and said, "I'm scared, Silas. It's happening again, and I don't know what to do."

Silas A. Hunt - her boyfriend, confidante, and fellow Cadet of three months. Trailing behind her in the line, he had entertained his own such thoughts. He remembered, of course, his family, and all the grief, pain, and anger he had felt at their deaths. But, he also remembered his promise to himself - to become stronger, more successful, and someday, perhaps, to avenge them. This promise, forged in the dark depths of his heart by the fiery brand of hatred, had given him purpose. But purpose is nothing without an anchor, and his short time on this island, he had found his: Violet. She was weak and frail, but she reached out when all others had forsaken him, and the peace and silence she brought had proved invaluable. She had allowed him to grow, given him time to find his strength, and in return, he shielded her from the mysteries of the world.

And so, he found himself, moments away from passing through the Sim Room's door, comforting the pink rabbit, when what he wanted and needed most was comfort from her.

"Calm down, Violet. It'll be all right. Remember, this isn't the real thing, just a simulation. If you need me, I'll be there too. Just - stay strong. You can do this, Violet. I believe in you."

A final parting glance, and he was gone, carried away by the tide of bodies. Slowly, but more confidently, she made her way to an open pod, dumped her luggage, and climbed in. A brief moment of blissful silence, inevitably interrupted by the chime of an artificially cheerful voice.

Body-software integration complete. Welcome back to ARIES: Cadet von Kanin! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?... Thank You for your confirmation... Remember to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

Spine tingling with an unexpected chill, her senses slowly faded - but not before she caught sight of one final message, lurking in the corner of her vision.

Cadet: Violet von Kanin
Unit: Wolf Squad
Designation: Wolf 1, Executive Officer
Status: Online

A brief surge of alarm shot through her brain, as she desperately focused on one line with her fading vision:
Designation: Wolf 1, Executive Officer

Executive Officer

...

Gasping for breath, she shot upright. Eyes still adjusting to the piercing desert sun, she blearily looked around, making out the shape of seven bodies...bodies, she realized, was in command of.

A shrill voice crackled through her headset. Nervously scanning her surrounding squadmates, she switched on the microphone and let her training take over.

"Wolf 1, Executive Officer...reporting for duty, sir."

Hourai the Wolf

It is among the laws of the wild that one must eat, or be eaten. This Hourai knew, and as she watched each cadet confidently strut towards their individual pods, she supposed that it wasn't too much of a stretch to apply it here, even amongst the most civilized of men.

I promised I would become great, renowned throughout the land. Well, here's my chance. I just have to make the most of it...before it's too late.

Walking with all the pride and dignity she could muster, she strode pass several cadets, studiously ignoring them to the last; even the one who seemed to be stripping. Standing in front of a pod, she carefully removed her cherished brown traveling cloak, neatly folded it, and placed it next to her small pack of belongings. After some thought, she subtly bent down and moved it, so that it entirely covered the beaten and worn leather bag. she felt no shame, of course, as that would be undignified, it was just...complicated.

After some further deliberation, she climbed into the pod and navigated through the menus. Feeling a sense of smug satisfaction, she leaned back, relaxed and prepared, as the final message flashed before her eyes.

Body-software integration complete. Welcome back to ARIES: Cadet Hourai! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?... Thank You for your confirmation... Remember to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

...

She awoke to heat, and the bright Somalian sun. Climbing to her feet, she hefted a gun, felt the weight of cold steel in her hands.

"Variable Three, Acting Officer, reporting for duty, sir."

At last...the hunt begins.

by **Altito Asmoro** » Thu Aug 06, 2015 11:39 pm

TriStates wrote:
Body-software integration complete. Welcome back to ARIES: Leuitenant Yamagoto! You are scheduled for: The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. Is this correct?... Thank You for your confirmation... Remember to always check your auto-eject before accepting the final synchronization. Thank you for using Aries and as always,

Welcome to the Program & Have a Happy Conflict!

"Variable Squad, this is Chaos Variable. Sound off!"

Radiansyah Bagaskara

This is it. This is the exam they all said about, this is the chance for him to proves his worth, to the academy, and to the less extent, his friends. Or what he considers as friends now. His transition from the pod to the field is not bad, to be said. But it's not good, either. So it's in balanced scale.

"Variable 4, ready to serve!" said Radi, as all of the members of the squad are in the truck. He dropped off from the truck alongside others, and then he checked his armaments. Let's see....a bipod and a modified version of light machine gun? It means he's holding a light machine gun with bipod. It's good. His pistol...seems old, but that's the perk of being Somalian, using outdated weapons and less advanced, too.

Machete, Frag and Flash Grenades. He knows how to fire with pistol well, as for the LMG...let's just say that he tried it twice in Singapore, in his father's arms company, obviously. Multi-tool, water canteen, and spare ammunition as well, he has them too.

by **TriStates** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:34 pm

The Square - Somali Spawn Point

Music, Maestro!
Ambiance

Variable Squad
2nd Lt. Sozin Yamagoto (Chaos-Variable), Presiding CO

Sozin rolled his eyes, dropping a heavy sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. This is why he didn't volunteer to break in Prospects in the first place. Out of 7 squad members, including himself, 2 had not reported in. And 1 of them was being smart. While the first didn't sound like much of a loss, in a League where every body in uniform counted as a added chance of victory, it was. The second... he didn't get enough Sovereigns in his officers allowance to deal with that. All thanks to Roxanne. That damned Invictus Leuitenant who commanded the 2nd years of the League. Though she was pretty hot shit just because of those gold bars on her shoulders, instead of the silver shave tails Yamagoto had on his. She was the one who volunteered him at the officers meeting... She was the one who was to blame...

Accessing his NetSet, Sozin found the troublemaker via his sim duty roster. It was common practice, if not professional, by most of the Cadets to not bother with learning a Prospects name. With the Exams 50% failure rate. With odds like that, why get to know any of them? Taking a quick glance at the list, Sozin opened the squad wide channel.

"Hourai, you're slated as Variable 2, not 3. If your going to jerk around, stay off the comms." The rebuke spoken into his NetSet had no heat to it, coming out bored and monotone. Sozin didn't want to be here. And he especially didn't want to deal with that furry freak of a women. Not after her Hulk episode on the train... Hopefully this embarrassment in front of the other newbs would keep her in line.

"All Variables, make your approach from your current position to grid mark Oscar-Six-Zulu-Zero. Objective code-named, The Route. Stay tuned to this channel for further information."

Turning the wheel of the truck, Sozin pulled off the street, next to one of the burning barricades. While the unpleasent smell was a lot stronger here, the barricade offered more cover than if he had parked at the cross roads ahead, out in the open. Sozin opened the rear window of the armored pickup. "You," scrolling through the list, the name came up," Liarz."

Not even asked as a question. More like a dull observation. "Get on that DSHK," he pointed to the large machine gun mounted upright in the truck bed, "and shoot anything that gets on that cross roads ahead." Saying what he needed to say, Sozin ducked back into the cab. His attention was immediately re-routed to his NetSet. Accessing the VR Battle-Net, Sozin submitted his first communication to their Observer. The illustrious MAC. Who else, really?

Chaos Variable: Variables 1, 2, 4, and 6 accounted for. Proceeding to nearest location objective: The Route. Will maintain defensive posture and establish ambush positions along said objective
MAC: Acknowledged Chaos Variable. Pick up or bag and tag your missing Variables ASAP. Points may be deducted for this failure.

That last bit irked Sozin. That his GPA may significantly fall due to the newbies inability to get their shit together, was in itself, bullshit. Breaking off the communique, Sozin started another. This one, addressed to his other two Squad Leaders and their XO's

Chaos Variable: Variable is approaching objective Route. Will monitor, dig-in, and provide ambush for enemy forces in AO. Maniac, move to grid mark Oscar-Seven-Tango-Two. Objective location code-named The Hotel. Engage enemy forces in the American Convoy located at The Hotel. Do not allow them to transfer VIPs to their custody. Repeat, VIPs must be extracted or eliminated at all costs.

Wolf, move to grid mark Oscar-One-XRay-Zero, location code-named The Rooftops. Establish over-watch to assist Maniac and Variable, and deny American Marines and Army Rangers use of the high ground.

Certifiable-Maniac: k whateves
Alpha-Wolf: Teh Hype Is 4 Real! OPFOR won't know what hit'em bro!

After that quaint chat, Sozin started up the truck once more, driving away from where they parked and continuing forward through the rubble and smoke choked streets. Getting back on the horn.

"All Variables.. repeat, all variables.. you should either be at The Route or on your way. Chaos-Variable and Variable-6 are nearly there. Once Variable is formed up on The Route, rally around the squads Technical. It will be our cornerstone for blocking the American Convoy. Maniac will be engaging the Convoy's rear guard, and Wolf will be assisting us with Overwatch. Lets just do this by the numbers and go home..."

Wolf Squad
SGTMAJ Alastair Lynch (Alpha-Wolf), Presiding CO

"Sup Wolf-4-dude!" The friendly shout came to Aaron from behind him, followed by a heavy handed, but good natured pat. An athletic, tanned teenager, who the hand and shout presumably belonged to, came into view as he walked past him. "You ready to get some points scored man?" The grin given was infectious. A roguish, devil-may-care quality projected an unshakable confidence, while the beefy teenager cradled a scrappy looking M16 M203 "Just stick by me bro. I know all the good kill zones are."

A sudden squad radio report turned the grin to a large, toothy smile. Tapping on his NetSet, the teenager responded. "Kanin right? Hey babe, whats happnin'-- Oh shit.. thats right.." Sudden realization flashed across the teenagers face, as he tapped his forehead with the palm of his hand, chuckling sheepishly as he tried to assume the persona of 'Le Commander'.

"Uh-- right. 'Sup Wolfs. This is your CO for the Exam, Staff Sergeant Lynch, better known as The Al-ster, coming to you live across the air waves courtesy of ARIES. Got a few announcements for ya, so huddle up over comms. According to Sozzy, our Fearless Leader, we'll be pulling Overwatch from the roof tops. That means I need all you little bros and babes to make your way to this locations."

After a series of finger flicks and typing, a message was set to all members of Wolf Squad. It detailed the location that had been given to Al by Sozin. It also displayed the quickest route there for the Wolfs, depending on their location.

"So.. right guys.. if you all have questions, just shout'em out. In the meantime, I think we've got enough room on the Technical for everybody. Might be we have to squeeze some of you in, but hey, what better way to get friendly!"

With a final, satisfied grin, Lynch started jogging over to the white technical, parked just outside the square. Hoping in drivers seat, the Sergeant looked out both windows expectantly, waiting for the rest of his Wolves to get aboard and other their way to the objective.

Maniac Squad
SSGT Remy Rinzler (Certifiable-Maniac), Presiding CO

by **Brechalht** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:40 pm

ignore

by **Shyluz** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 6:55 am

Gray Homegarde 'Wolf-2'

Gray climbed into the bed of the technical, idly fiddling with the scope on his SVD. To be completely honest, he'd found it was quite similar to a camera. He finished his example of the weapon, looked at the NetSet, and quickly memorized the route and position. He gave brief sigh, then a bright smile. He liked this guy who would lead him to not-so-certain victory. But hey, it was going to be the most fun he'd have in a long time.

Right?

"Boss, erh, Sarge? Al? The hell should I call you? Alpha-Wolf?" He said, chambering a round in the longarm.

Hope Homegarde 'Maniac-1'

Hope had fallen in love. With her CO.

She rode next to the good boss, smiling like a little madwoman as the white truck sped through the bullets. She gave a brief laugh, and stuck her arm out the window, and proceeded to reveal a single finger to the OPFOR Americans as she sped through the firefight under the sky of helicopters.

"Sarge, I think I'm in love..."

by **The Tophat Empire** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:41 am

"Bollocks!"

That was the only word in wikings mind as he integrated with the simulation, sure, he had been in simulation units before, but none this advanced. So loosing his senses was a bit freaky.

Then, then wiking saw the mission, The First Battle of Mogadishu, as Somali Militia OPFOR. "Cocks" was the new word in wikings head, he did not do the heat well, not surprising, he had spent his entire life in Sweden, and now he was to "Play" as a militia man in Somalia, "Perfect, Somalia, only slightly less hot then the devils ass" wiking thought as the sim loaded up. Wiking saw his designation, Maniac-6. under command of Certifiable-Maniac.

Then wiking saw the sim world, he was sitting in a Technical, wearing a rather heavy backpack. Looking into his gear he noticed his side-arm, a tokarev. a bayonet, some spare ammo, some water and food. and in the back, a fucking toolbox with al kinds of tools, nuts, bolts and the such. Then wiking spotted a problem, his main gun was, well, a Frankenstein. Built out of different AK versions, wiking doubted it would work, and to make matters worse, the fire selector switch was gone, permanently stuck in full-auto.

Accessing the squads comm-link wiking talked to the commander "Certifiable-Maniac, this is Maniac-6, reporting. I also feel obliged to inform you that my weapon lacks a fire-selector. I repeat, my main armament have no fire-selector."

Then the rounds started to hit the car, starting a internal monologue in wikings head "Lots of heat, check. A broken AK, check. no tank, check. under fire and under the command of a nut-job, check.. Well, Fuck me."

by **Legatia** » Fri Aug 14, 2015 7:28 pm

Caia E. Savoy (no I'm not dead yet)
Maniac-5

Caia jolted awake into a bumbling Cold War era technical, herself grabbing hold of the side of the bed of the truck. She could feel the desert heat beating onto her face, despite her clothing and the brimmed boonie hat she had on her head, the sides upturned. Quickly turning about and getting a grip on her situation, she nodded as she took her surroundings in.

The first thing she noticed is that her unit's call-sign of Maniac most likely derived from the unit's commanding officer. The girl was overflowing with energy.

She'd already been informed she was a Somalian, but her gear was rather high-end. Sitting in her lap was a familiar, yet older version of the German G3 rifle, with a short-range scope and a small foregrip. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, the color of peanut butter with dark brown lines making a quilt. She was rather light on equipment, with a basic ammo vest which offered little protection. She had a boonie hat in basic desert camouflage which sort of matched her military-like garb, a full desert camo itself. She had worn boots on, and her sleeves were slightly rolled up for heat and ease of access. In a holster on her utility belt was a familiar sight, a M1911 with nothing fancy. It looked kinda worn, even. The opposite side of that, a knife was secured in a sheathe, a Soviet-style bayonet, presumably.

She didn't have too much time to rifle through her pouches, but she noticed a first-aid pouch, a radio, and a canteen immediately visible, and could feel grenades in various places. She nodded, giving a tiny smile, as she turned her face skyward to sound off.

"Maniac-5, reporting!" She nodded, pulling the G3's bolt as the techncial sped off.

From Rifles And Roses, Chapter One

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