Theme Song (
Mobile Armor)
It had started small, with reports of strange debris approaching from the Philadelphia’s eastern flank, not too long after the Promethean’s crew were rescued. Pill shaped metal craft the size of a shipping container that bore no markings, and broadcasted no IFF signals. Unidentified craft that nevertheless followed after the Philadelphia with a dogged tenacity. Steadily building up speed as the ship meandered its way through the debris field, while seemingly oblivious to the presence of the ship’s scouts. Scouts who found themselves unable to figure out what the damned things were, only that more were starting to drift into view.
Both wary of their apparent pursuer’s intentions, and all too aware of the battered and patchwork nature of the Philadelphia and her crew. The captain ordered the ship to gradually accelerate out of the debris field, hoping that their measured retreat and lack of hostility would convince their pursuers to give up their chase, or to at least buy them the time they needed to repair their damaged fighter craft.
Unfortunately, neither of that happened, as long before the scouts could pull themselves back to the relative safety of the ship, something strange happened within the enemy ranks.One craft after another began to break from their ranks, and seemingly break apart. The smooth gray metal coming apart in two halves to reveal the strangely humanoid form hidden underneath. A jagged, angular frame that pointed one end of the blocky, if all too recognizable tool it held in both hands, and opened fire. Pressing the scouts into service as the first line of defence against an all encroaching threat.
Which leaves the four of you here. Cramped inside of your cockpits as you stare out at the vast expanse of the Philadelphia's hangar bay. All too conscious of the teeming mass of machinery, supplies, and men in your way, and the disquieting sound of explosions in the distance that seemed to grow louder with each passing moment as your vehicles made their way to the ship’s catapults.
Of course, none of you were particularly eager to be here, as one of many squads assembled from volunteers and survivors from both sides of that grand battle. The four of you are only together by chance, either blessed or cursed to be one of the last charging into battle by the amount of work needed to turn your damaged or prototypical MAWs and Fighters into something more than a glorified metal coffin.
But as the steely grays and bright white light peels away from the ceiling above, and the unbroken mass of displays reveal the vastness of space lying just outside of the catapult’s walls. The four of you are given a moment to steel yourselves before the airlock seals itself shut behind you, a stark white line lights up on the floor, and the ‘dulcet’ sound of the radio operator’s voice crackles in to wearily state, “Teal Squad please be advised, you are about to be launched into an active combat zone, assume any vessels not broadcasting a valid Trojan or TAU IFF signature are hostile.”
A simple message appears on the lower left corner of your screens as she speaks, requesting that the four of you form an orderly line on the launching platform. “And be mindful of your distance from the Prometheus, your orders are to reinforce the defensive line, not to chase down retreating enemy vessels. We’re lost in space, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to retrieve your vessel if it goes down behind enemy lines.”
Another message appears on the lower left, reminding each of you that the gruff woman called ‘Spirit’ was nominally this squad’s leader. “If you have any questions I will be on station, but do remember that any information we have on enemy vessels is fragmentary at best. All we can say for sure is that they are numerous, well armed, and agile”
The catapult’s armor plated doors slowly slide open as the first vessel lines itself up on the electromagnetic rail, giving them a glimpse of a still distant battlefield littered with rapidly moving vessels, lingering wreckage, and the occasional explosive flash. “Godspeed ladies and gentlemen, godspeed.”
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Topic: [IC] Frontier Breaker M.A.W.: Far Future Mecha Combat (Read 467 times)