ic Joint Operations

[RocketLord]

GM

 

1:30 PM, March 7th, 2020

Emerald Skies Airshow, Joint Army/Air-Force Base Clark-Gordon, Cascadia

 

The show had been coming for a while. The skies were clear and blue. Fighter jets roared across the sky, drawing colorful, emerald smoketrails behind them. The crowds cheered, the people of Emerald City was getting into the airshow. Even if the air was cool, the sun was warm.

 

Mattus had sent Chromium to provide security. Since his arrival in Emerald City, he had spent time training at Clark-Gordon, learning to be better. Now, he was security. Just in case, Commander Irons had said. Nothing was going to happen, but it was good to get out there. See the people, see what he was fighting for. No need to be seen unless necessary, of course. A big shiny guy would stand out, but he could at least enjoy the show from the shadows.

 

Nolan Aeronautics was here by invitation. In fact, they had asked for one Anne Mistral in particular. She was famous, after all. If anything, her presence would only draw larger crowds. While another jet soared across the sky, painting emerald circles with its smoke, the call went out that Levity was up next...

[Tarrakhash]

The last six months had been spent in training, and the training had involved learning a lot about his body, what it was made of how it worked and how, eventually, he'd be able to shape it more. The lack of academic knowledge had held Chromium back from increasing his shape changing just yet, although he'd mastered taking the form of most tools that he would ever need it didn't let him be anything more than what he already was....a shiny heavy dude and a sports car. Of course daily sparring, regular meals and people who encouraged him to grow stronger meant that he was heavier than ever, and stronger, but he was also bored.

 

So this was a nice break, and an airshow was cool, watching the planes fly over he couldn't help but wish that he could take a form that could fly. That would be super useful, right? But for now he was a Porsche, and for today he was a dude in a trench coat, a fedora hat and staying in the shadows of the buildings, the allys between the hangers and other places where he could see what was going on without his nature being spotted.

 

So he was, trying not to lean on the fragile buildings around him, hands shoved in his pockets as he eyed the planes flying overhead, apparently they had some famous person coming to fly. He was keen to see that, he loved daredevils!

[The Sailor]

Levity

Levity sat on the Tarmac, spinning up her engines. Planning out her routine. In Airshows Nolan Aeronautics would let her plan out her routine for airshows compared to the prescribed test routes and maneuvers that the hard-hats at the hanger would want. Her G-suit system tensed up in anticipation of movement, as she slowly rolled out... then moved the thrust to the VTOL system, bringing up her wheels. She hovered there motionless, compensating for cross-air flow from the slight wind, almost like a ghost.

<<This is NEAR 1, Hovering to 75, then following the taxi in front of the stands to give the VIPs a look.>>

The control tower responded. <<Wilco, thanks for letting our hotshot get himself out of the sky.>>

She pushed forward on the stick, guiding her pride and joy along the taxiway. The crowd was amazed at the stark difference in airframe design between the F-15 doing it's thing and the advanced fighter moving along to the runway. Many cheered knowing that was the Peregrine. Nolan Aeronautics' pride and joy, clad in the trademark blue with golden yellow on the leading edges of the wings, tail surfaces, and canards in front. The prominent Nolan Aeronautics roundel on the tail surface was more an advert, but even a firm known for humanitarian and charitable efforts has to advertise.

Anne missed the chatter from the back seat. Jaime, her usual backseat was over at Site II which was still under construction off shore... She didn't get the flight clearance Anne did for this particular show.

That was the one thought in the back of her mind.

Soon she was hovering at the take-off position after the last pilot did his rounds and got himself off the runway.

She pushed her throttle and with just a quarter of the runway used was at a 90 degree angle and was already at flight speed. She was at 1000 feet before she leveled out, using the unstable geometry of the aircraft and the VTOL system's thrust vectoring to move like a ballerina, the geometry of the craft blunting the sonic boom into something akin to a car door closing loudly. Eventually she came back down, going back about 150 feet, going sub-sonic, but as fast as would impress the crowd, before heading to a hovering stop, dead center in front of the crowd. She tipped the forward ailerons and dipped her nose a little, like a gymnast doing the pose they do when sticking a landing.

The crowd cheered as she patched in to the event speakers. <<That was just the start everyone. Callsign's Levity, Chief test pilot for Nolan Aeronautics, and this craft is the Peregrine, a fast crisis-response design and loadout. Equipped to deliver rescue supplies to a scene at a moment's notice.>> She said before returning comms to the emcee of the event.

She heads upward with the vtol system, activating her blue smoke on her wing tips as she goes back to standard flight rocketing up into the sky, twisting in the air as she flies through one of the circles still in the sky left by the last pilot, looking like a double-helix thread, then again doing what looks like a stall, pulling off a flip before using the VTOL and thrust vector system, to get back in control and fly by the stands once more.

Even with her suit and her own powers, she did feel those G-Forces. As she flew by she used every ounce of talent to do a skid-stop like move 200 feet above the runway, over the pond. She demonstrated the rescue system by dropping a rescue pod into the water deploying it's life raft and supplies. There was a pilot in the water who was part of the only planned portion of the event, they got the short end of the straw, but they didn't mind considering they were in a pretty comfortable spot now to watch the rest of the show. She could hear some cheers and laughs from the crowd... seems the emcee of the event was putting on a show as well.

<<Heh, had to show off to the crowd before dropping that?>> The appreciative but impatient "survivor" quipped.

<<Well you hired me for a show didn't you?>> Levity said with a giggle before pulling away. Centering herself again above the runway.

She knew after this she would be getting a message from the tower, probably either an advisory to head back in or to go freestyle depending on weather conditions.

"Just another day in the circus, eh Anne?" She whispered.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Ladies and geeeentle-men! I give you... Levity!" The announcer's voice barely cut through the roar of the crowd, as Levity took to the sky, her jet cutting through any static and noise. 

 

Clear skies for Levity to start her show, all other planes had circled far away or landed by now. She was, after all, the main attraction. Nothing in her way, nothing but her and the plane.

 

Of course, from the ground below, things might look different. At least to Chromium. As he stared up at the plane, he noticed something else. A rapidly growing shadow in front of the sun, something or someone rapidly approaching.

[Tarrakhash]

Chromium was grinning, watching the plane do tricks that planes weren't really supposed to, this Levity pilot was pretty damn awesome, but he was also doing a job and so he narrowed his eyes, looking up past the plane at the rapidly growing shadow....for a moment he just stared and the he moved and shook his head.

 

Grabbing his radio he hissed into it,"This is Chromium, we have an incident, repeat we have an incident. Something is coming out of the air, blocking the sun, something big....or someone....repeat, we have someone or something coming in hot. They are in the air, get the pilot out of there."

[The Sailor]

Levity

Anne pushed her throttle, rocketing back into the sky. The cleanest transition she's pulled yet before heading into the blue. Then something on her radio crackled, that she caught from the corner of her hearing. <<...we have someone ...coming ...hot. ...in the air, get the pilot out of there.>> Damn engines... louder than she thought.

Levity wasted no time, setting her aircraft into it's auto pilot bringing it level, then opened her windscreen, in one smooth motion she disengaged her restraints and entered some commands to her auto-pilot. <<NA-Emerald, sending Perigrine back to base, security protocol Black.>>

She jumped out at 5000 feet as the windscreen closed. Once she was clear of any back-blast the aircraft followed it's pre-determined flight path out of the area at top speed. She slowed herself down to a stop at about 500 feet. Who needs a parachute... Well, as long as your flight power didn't get pushed too hard... <<This is Levity, please repeat ground. What is inbound? Give me a location.>>

She didn't know where to look... Not yet.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[RocketLord]

GM

 

It was but a moment. The shadow in front of the sun roared, and soon, Levity would know where to look.

 

The figure that blocked the sun spread out its massive wings. Its long neck stretched out, its tail hung behind it, waving as it slowed down in front of Levity.

 

A massive dragon with grey scales, completely white eyes with no visible irises. It dwarfed Levity as it flapped its huge wings. For the moment, it just stayed there, staring at the flying heroine.

[The Sailor]

Levity

Levity cocked her head, the dragon hovering in place in front of her was NOT part of the show. <<"Uh, disregard, I have visual.">> What she did was the right call. If she was gonna have to duel this thing, it would have to be without her plane. But she can't engage just yet. Not without a clear threat being posed. <<"Do not engage it. It isn't known if it's a friendly, but it hasn't attacked yet. I'm gonna attempt to communicate.">>

She turned on the speaker to her helmet. "Okay... I wager you're not here for the show, aren't you?"

She loosens her stance looking at the majestic... and slightly terrifying beast. "The name is Anne Mistral. What brings your travels here?"

"Most dragons are quite intelligent and at least they can speak human language... at least in fiction... maybe this is one of them?" She thought, while minding an escape vector if it looks like she might be it's meal.

Edited March 25, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[Tarrakhash]

Chromium's eyes widened as the shadow turned into a full fledged creature from a movie screen, this of course was rich from the mini-transformer who was made of liquid metal, but his eyes boggled as the Pilot ejected and then...flew there. Apparently she was a super hero....and not above talking to Dragons.

 

Of course Chromium wasn't going to talk to them, but he was going to be ready for if things went sideways. Shrugging out of his coat he looked around for something heavy enough to throw at the Dragon if it started attacking...sure fire way to get it's attention if things went sideways.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Agent Chromium." Commander Irons made his presence known in Chromium's earpiece. He was, as ever, stern. "That thing is an enemy. Prepare to engage at the first chance." As always, the commander's tone left little in the way of discussion. Chromium had been given his orders.

 

The dragon breathed out, steam releasing from its nostriles. Levity could feel the winds blowing across her as it flapped its wings to stay airborne. "Anne Mistral." It spoke with the voice of an old man. "Do you stand in the defense of this city? Do you stand to keep things as they are? Or do you wish to embrace change? Do you want to free the shackled masses?"

[The Sailor]

Levity

 

She quirks her eyebrow before flying back down to the ground, hovering just a couple inches off of it. She turns off the speaker to her helmet. << I don't think this thing is friendly... He's talkin' like a cult leader. I wager weapons free is probably the name of the game? >> She says over her radio before powering herself up, the air around her distorting light like a lens. Her helmet speaker turns back on. "Yes. I defend the lives of this city. And I'm telling you this. Stand down and leave. This is the only warning you get."

<< Evacuate all non-essentials. I think it's about to turn D&D here real quick. I got his attention. Could use a wingman. >>

Edited March 26, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[Tarrakhash]

Chromium nodded as the Commander Irons spoke, already looking for a weapon he spotted a garbage can and walked over lifting it off the ground easily. Looking up at the son and the flying pilot, now without a plane, wow....a super hero?

 

Shaking is head he did a double step, unaware that he was answering her question about a wingman that he couldn't hear. The garbage can flew through the air at high speed towards the massive winged creature, it was time to rumble and he was already looking around for something else he could rip and throw at the flying thing....now if it would just land he'd be happy to slice it up.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Your city is ruled by the strong! They stand on the shoulders of the weak, they keep them chained in the dark!" The dragon snorted out smoke, as its massive frame stared down Levity. "You would stand to defend these masters? You would stand to keep the weak chained?" It leaned closer, snorting smoke in Levity's face. "Insignificant flying mosquito."

 

Then, Chromium's flying trash can flew through the air... and hit the dragon straight in the face. It roared, pulling back from Levity, breathing smoke everywhere. "Who dares!?"

[The Sailor]

Levity

"How rude!" She says, before moving back from the raging dragon, but while in range she holds out her hand and what looks like the air lensing around the dragon starts to happen.

"Gravity... is a harness... I have harnessed the harness." And in a moment it seemed the smoke the dragon snorted was slammed to the ground. But will it also hold the beast? "You've underestimated the gravity of your situation. Stand down and surrender. This doesn't have to end in a full on brawl."

Edited April 10, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[Tarrakhash]

Chromium snorts, moving forward, his silver form coming into sight as the Dragon has the garbage can careened off it's face as he laughed,"I dare, you big scaly lizard." With out a thought he grabbed one of the iron barricades, little fences really, that separated rows of patrons from each other and sent it flying in a similar arc to that of the garbage can. The power of his silver body sending it hurtling through the air with a low whistling whine as the wire over it's body cut through the air at high speed.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Who dares!?" The dragon twisted and turned, looking around to try and find the source of the attack. Not just smoke, but fire released from its mouth as it breathed out heavy fumes. And then, smoke and fire were pulled down. The dragon's glare turned to Levity, as it flapped its powerful wings to remain airborne. "What treachery is this? You dare to lay a hand on me? Do you not realize that I have come here to liberate you all?"

 

It seemed to be working itself up, more and more smoke and fire coming from its mouth and nostrils, and then... a barricade hit it. The dragon slammed the barricade with its tail, breaking it apart, then focused its eyes on the silvery champion below. "YOU!"

[The Sailor]

Levity

Using her enhanced mobility from "ground skating" with her flight, she gets behind a heavy cement barrier. The Draconic thing was something motivated by anger it seems, and now that silvery guy wanted a piece. She needed a moment to assess the battlefield. Going in and shooting wild might pose too much a risk. That and seeing her trying to hold the beast down didn't work out as well as she thought. But she wasn't above taking a pot shot, but she needed an idea and right now there wasn't one coming to her. If the second guy entering this conflict was THAT strong, she'll come in for backup.

Patience... Let the Dragon develop tunnel vision, then fire a shot up his tailpipe. Classic strategy.

[Tarrakhash]

Chromium was not running out of ammunition any time soon, the big bodied silver man grabbed things as he moved, tossing lighter things that did nothing but bounce off of the dragons scales till he found another barricade. Grunting he hurled that through the air but the difference between it's weight and the lighter things was too much and he way under threw it, the barricade slumping down just a few feet from him and he laughed at the Dragon's words.

 

"Big scaly lizard, come on down and get your ass whipped, I got a shiny fist with your name written all over it."

[RocketLord]

GM

 

Strategy, or luck? Whichever it was, it seemed that Levity's strategy worked, as the dragon dove towards the ground as the thrown barricade drew its attention. It roared loudly, drawing in breath as it dropped. It moved far faster than something of its size, propelled only by its wings, should be able to do. Something else was keeping it aloft than just physics.

 

"Stop that! I am here to help! Why are you making this so difficult!?"

 

The dragon sounded genuinely hurt as it shouted at Chromium. Then it let loose, blue flames streaming from its mouth as it flew above him.

[The Sailor]

Levity

"That's a paddlin'" she thought, calculating out her move.

Almost reflexively she keeps behind her target, remembering some old wisdom in simulator training while learning some dogfighting tactics. Gravity warps around her hands, before it surges from them in a concentrated orb of lensed spacetime, created from the warped gravity under her control flying at her target's back. She sees the orbs burst, she hopes because they made contact. "Oh no you don't, you don't help people by tryin' to barbecue 'em!"

Edited April 29, 2020 by Torpedo Lass

[Tarrakhash]

Flames burst over the silver skinned man, he dived, rolling out of most of the flames and bursting out the other side charging towards the Dragon roaring and unharmed as the billowing fire curled around him melting tar and causing smoke to rise from the ground but the Silver skinned man seemed immune to such minor inconveniences like heat and roiling flame but the silver man had a target and Chromium bent to lift a man hole from the melted tar, lifting the heated metal disc he curled his arm around his body.

 

With a spin he hurled it like a discus sending it hurtling towards the head of the large dragon,"You don't help people by attacking airshows, freaking lizard jerk!"

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The burst from behind sent the dragon to just above the ground, stopping only by flapping its mighty wings, then barrelling forward towards the still fleeing crowds. The manhole cover hit it, but did little more than annoy it before it landed around fleeing crowds.

 

"ENOUGH! I come to help, to offer aid to your people, to free you from your masters, and this is how you respond? I come in peace, and you attack me? Is this how you wish I respond? Should I strike the innocents in your charge? EVERYONE STOP MOVING!"

 

The dragon released flames into the air to make its point.

 

"Do you believe me a monster, little heroes? Do you wish to attack while I stand among the innocents in your care?"

[Tarrakhash]

Chomium froze, his eyes narrowing as he stood amongst the debris of his attacks, flames still licking up around him from the asphalt that the dragons flames had caused. Big metal fists clenching he growled at the dragon,"You're threatening innocents? How does that make you anything less than a monster? No one comes in peace threatening their power....that makes you a bully and a monster." His eyes flickered out over the crowds, all he had to do was wait till the crowds had run away but he couldn't be the one responsible for the Dragon roasting the people...give them time and let them get away,"Fine......tell us all about your peaceful offer and how you'll be so much better than our masters?"

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"I am threatening no one! You attacked me!" The dragon obviously didn't see the the contradiction. "But I had to do something to get the two of you to calm down!" Its voice was rumbling as it stood amongst the crowds. Its wings moved around them, preventing them from moving and escaping. 

 

"A wizard came to me, and he told me about your city, about your world, and how it was ruled by evil men! How could I not come to aid you, in this, your hour of need?"

 

The dragon made a bow with its head. "Now, please, would you show me in the direction of the Emerald City, so I can aid in its liberation?"

[The Sailor]

Levity

She turns on the speaker to her helmet again. Sighing out of frustration she decided to just let it out. "Whom are these evil men? For that matter... who is this wizard you speak of?"

"And additionally, you've taken hostages to "calm us down", when really we're just trying to figure out what you're on about. If anything what this sounds like is you've been lied to, and you yourself aren't that big of a hero."

"And note, I gave you opportunity to leave peacefully. The only thing correct was you were attacked first. But if you're claiming you're a hero, the issue is heroes don't take hostages."

"I think it can be stated you're... not behaving like you can be trusted."

She figured the dragon was stalling at this point. She kept her distance, Hovering right at the edge of where she knew she could get a quality shot in while being outside of it's physical reach.

Edited May 14, 2020 by The Sailor