Vance sits eating his military fare, simply eating for energy.  He would like to have done the same as Bednar ut had not yet found a female that saw him that way. He looks over his troops, hoping that when the time comes they can all come home.

Having already fought the aliens, in a much smaller scale though, David have some ideas about the coming operation and like Vance eat to make sure his body can keep up.

He is though quite jealous of the recent events from the Sgt Bednar.

In reply to David Stephenson (msg # 51):

Marie had carb-loaded for the past few evenings anticipating the battle. This morning's breakfast was nothing but fruit (watermelon, grapes, honeydew and cantaloupe-absolutely NO pineapple-OOC), for simple sugars and up front energy and eggwhites for protein, with the carbs to carry her through the day. She also hydrated heavily, first with some electrolyte glucose drink, and copious amounts of water eschewing her usual light-sweet coffee for its diuretic and dehydrating properties. She'd probably sweat off most of it in combat anyhow, and what she didn't... Well that's why she had a box of adult diapers...

"Good morning Mike Battery." She smiled and sat with the unit, making sure she was at the head of the table.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Sun 29 Aug 2021.

Good morning Ell Tee. Hope you slept well last night. Sgt Bednar certainly had a good night.

Vance swallows half of his cup of coffee in one gulp then goes back to his eggs, bacon, pancakes and sausage.  He watches the LT with amusement at her careful food preps. He never had to worry about that, his body just seemed to run on whatever fuel he fed it.  Plus the powdered supplement he took. Whey powder at night, Casen and creatine pre workout. And a few others. Some of it his body just produced naturally, making him the freak he was.

"Morning ma'am. Ready for a busy day?" David ask in a joking manner with a small grin.

In reply to David Stephenson (msg # 54):

Marilyn smiled and enjoyed some of her fruit, breaking it up with a bit of the eggwhite now and then. "We've been drilling for this for months now. I hope it goes off as well as it has in training, and we're prepared for when it doesn't. I couldn't ask for a better battery, though. You guys are going to do a-o-k."

She looked over at Vance, and his healthy appetite, noticing a bit of extra spring in his step. "Well, I hope we all got SOME sleep, UT. It's going to be a marathon today." She thought about her own romance with Romy. Her own superstition prevented her from saying "goodbye" and all. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about her new friend, but they had certainly spent a good deal of time together. Saying "goodbye" now could make it sound like more than it was, but what exactly was it? Marie took a moment to swear an oath that she would come back alive, and bring Vance back as well.

"You guys need to hydrate, and make sure you make a pit stop, too. They don't have any Buck-ees out there for us to pull over."

Once breakfast is over the members of Mike Battery head to the armory to receive a number of items to place in the web gear worn over their space suits. The last item to be received is a sidearm and three magazines of ammo. This last item is referred to as the condom, better to have it and not need then to need it and not have it.

---

The members of Mike Battery are then shuttled over to the Prometheus, where the destroids were parked the night before. The massive aircraft carrier turned into a massive hanger for the UES Macross is a beehive of activity. Personnel are going this way and that way carrying out their assigned duties.

While most destroids assigned to provide close in defense are parked in the unpressurized outer sections of the hull and do not need to be moved into postion those destroids assigned to the flight deck are parked in a hanger shoulder to shoulder and packed in bottles of beer in a refrigerator.

At this point the members of Mike Battery are about to split up and to climb into their assigned mecha.

[Private to Marie Chambers:
This will be the last time for a long time for you to address your entire unit.

So if you want to deliver a motivational speech now is the time.]

Vance will motion for the young pilots to gather with him. Once they are there he talks to them.

Alright, as of now you are no longer noobs.  You are young warriors. Training and simulation are over. Today you will enter into your first real battle. There are no extra lives or do overs. Get that notion out of your heads. Because we are Mike Battery and Mike Battery always comes home. David and myself won't be in your platoons but you have our radio freq. Listen to me carefully. YOU. DO. NOT. HAVE. PERMISSION. TO. DIE.  Is that understood?

The young troopers, scared but excited yell back YES SIR!

Vance yells back.
I AM NOT A SIR!! I have not earned that rank yet.  I am not your Sergeant. What I am is the scariest motherfucker you'll ever meet. And I am not giving you permission to die.  I will come hunt you down in the afterlife and make it hell for you.

He kneels down in front of them.

I have gotten attached to you lunk heads. And I don't get attached to many people.  Now go load up and make Mike Battery proud.

He holds out a fist to them and sends them off.

Then he stands and turns to David.

All that goes for you also Dude. The whole thing. Be careful and dying today.
He holds his hand out to David.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:29, Sun 26 Sept 2021.

David chuckle at the faces of rookies when Vance "inspiring" speech and gladly grasp the offered hand in a firm shake and turn to the others.

"You all heard Vance! We are Mike company and we do our part on this ship as a team and first round after this mess is on me! Now move out and stay safe!" he say what is on his own mind before turning to Vance.

"You too man, the world will be boring if you don't make it back"

Vance laughs his deep hearty laugh.

I ALWAYS come back.  not always in one piece but I always come back.

Vance heads to his mech.  h meets with the chief mechanic.

All good Chief? She gonna bring me back?

"Roger that." The crew chief replies, tapping the leg cowling with a wrench.

"Be careful with those RCS packs." He waves his hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah, I know, I know: you've been in sims and live fire." He says. "Just be careful all the same. Sims are programed to behave as they should, and your live fire was under controlled conditions." He adds, loud enough to be heard by the other new pilots in the area.

"Shit you boys and girls are heading into, anything but." He adds; it's not sure if he's talking about the RCS packs specifically or the combat they are going to face in general. Smart money is he's probably talking about both.

He pauses. "Your tread is ready when you are." He says finally, pointing up to the boarding gantry and the rating (ground crewman) waiting above to tuck them into their cockpits.

Gotcha Gunny. It ain't real until it real. I know you're work is good but I don't trust those packs as far as I can throw them. Probably not that far. I come back and I'm buying you some of those cheap cigars you smoke.

Vance mounts the gantry and eases into his cockpit, ready for a live fight.

In reply to Vance Sampson (msg # 59):

"I prefer one piece man, no heroic now" Jack reply to Vance and clasp the man on the back before moving over to his own mech.

"Hiya chief! We good to goo?" he calls out with a friendly smile.

It's abut an hour before the destroids assigned to defend the flight deck of the UES Prometheus are grounded guided to a nearby aircraft elevator and brought up the flight deck.

Each destroid takes ups its assigned position the deck.

• Mike Six the ADR-04A1 Defender piloted by First Lieutenant Marie Chambers (NPC) takes up a position next to Elevator Two (dark blue dot)
• Mike Three-Three the ADR-03 Cheyenne piloted by Private Second Class Vance Sampson takes up a position between Elevator One and Elevator Three (aqua blue dot).
• Mike Two-Two the ADR-03 Cheyenne pilot by Sergeant David Stephenson takes up a position near a VLS (vertical Launch System), and near where the aircraft carrier's command tower used to be before it was torn down (aqua blue dot).
• Mike Five the ADR-04A1 Defender piloted by Lt (jg) Faye Powlowski (NPC) takes up a position at the stern near Elevator Eight (dark blue dot).
• Mike One-Two the ADR-03 Cheyenne piloted by Petty Officer Third Class Zachary McCullough (NPC) takes up a  position near Elevator Seven. (aqua blue dot).
• Mike Three-One the ADR-04A1 Defender piloted by Staff Sergeant Kitty Summers (NPC) takes up a position near the CIWS near Elevator Six (dark blue dot).
• Three of the Russian piloted MBR-07 Spartan's are positioned in the center of the flight deck (green dots), with a fourth positioned at the stern between Elevators Eight and Nine.
• In reserve and waiting below deck is Mike Two-One the ADR-04A1 Defender piloted by NPC Cpl Lane Mann (NPC) and Mike Two-Three the ADR-03 Cheyenne piloted by Petty Officer Second Class Hunter Sauer (NPC)
• OOC: I am refencing the game map in regards to your potions.

---

It's another hour of waiting on the flight deck before the 'light show' begins. It first begins with a greenish glowing blob showing up in the relative 'above and to the right of the UES Macross. A minute or so later the UES Macross fires off its main gun at this blob of green glow.

It's a long agonizing five hours before anything else happens. Luckily the destroid cockpits are roomy enough to heat up an MRE and take a piss in a bottle if need be. Of course the urinating act is easy for the male pilots, but with a FUD possible for the the females pilots too.

Five separate greenish glows of energy appear at various points in front and tot he side of the UES Macross. These are then fired upon by the UES Macross main gun, but a bit more frequently and it seems like the energy blasts themselves are not as powerful.

OOC: Just setting the stage for you guys.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Sun 05 Feb 2023.

In reply to Darkside Trooper (msg # 63):

"Mike Six actual to fires... Alright, battery. Stay frosty. Sound off by the numbers, and give me the status of all your lights. And let's all hope for green across the board"

Having been in the military for quite some time and fought in the battle of Macross island, David have little trouble finding the uneasy peace sitting in his mecha.

"Mike Two-Two here. All systems green and waiting for some actions"

Vance keys his mic and sends his deep rumble across the airwaves.

Mike One-Four here.  Reading 5x5 and all green.  Ready to ruummmbbbllleee.

It still more of a waiting game for the destroid pilots on the deck of the UES Prometheus as a large number of inbound missile contacts are announced over the open radio band, coming from the compass points where the green glows were seen.

Once in lock on range, the Mk. 41 VLS on the UES Prometheus and UES Daedalus launch a full magazine’s worth of missiles. The Mk.88 missile launchers on the UES Macross do the same. The twenty, newly designed SDR-04 Phalanx Destroids, loaded with a mix of missiles for long and short range engagements are then ordered to fire their missiles to intercept. The bow mounted torpedo tubes on the UES Prometheus and UES Daedalus also join in, but with each tube capable of firing only one missile at a time they have a low firing rate.

After several minutes the salvo of missiles makes their intercept.

A second salvo of missiles are fired to intercept the remaining missiles. Then a third.

Then another large salvo of missiles is fired at a second large salvo of missiles fired from the alien ships. Then a smaller salvo of missiles is fired to intercept the ‘leakers’.

This missile vs missile exchange continues for about an hour, until all of the longer-range missile magazines, are empty.

But there are still alien anti-ship missiles inbound towards the UES Macross…

---

The destroid pilots onboard the UES Prometheus, they are notified that there are at least thirty inbound missiles vectoring towards the UES Prometheus itself…

OOC: Just for perspective...

• The seven Mk.41’s launched a combined total of 500 missiles
• The four Mk. 88’s launched a combined total of 360 missiles
• The twenty SDR-04 Phalanx Destroids have a mix of long and short range missiles). Between them they launched a combined total of 600 LRM’s.

For those mecha with missiles, we can assume there are four sets of reloads, but you will need to go below deck to reload (unless the reloading crews come to you).

You’re in range to fire with all of your weapons.

You do not need to roll damage, so you can make Weapons Systems (adds to strike bonus) and strike rolls.

"Oh, oh boy" David mutter softly as he reads the amount of missiles still heading towards them.

"Mike Two-Two engaging" he report as he fire four GH-33 Starswarm from his left side, hoping that the blast radio will take out even more.

Action 1: Fire GH-33 Starswarm Nat 20
Action 2: Fire GH-33 Starswarm Nat 20
Action 3: Fire GH-33 Starswarm unnat 21
Action 4: Fire GH-33 Starswarm unnat 16

Weapon system 44/40 fail

[Private to Darkside Trooper: 10:19, Today: David Stephenson rolled 44 using 1d100 with rolls of 44.  Weapon Systems.
14:44, Today: David Stephenson rolled 23 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 20.  Fire GH-33 Starswarm.
14:44, Today: David Stephenson rolled 23 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 20.  Fire GH-33 Starswarm.
14:44, Today: David Stephenson rolled 21 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 18.  Fire GH-33 Starswarm.
14:44, Today: David Stephenson rolled 16 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 13.  Fire GH-33 Starswarm.]

Kitty keys up her SHORAD and links up her battery, then begins picking out targets, in short methodical bursts of ABM select she then goes to work.

"SHOARD up! Mike Eight engaging." She calls out.

She alternates her fire from arm to arm in order to keep the barrels from overheating in vacuum.

---

Roll of 12: Weapons Systems: PASS

UNAT 28 Fire Short Burst ABM
UNAT 18 Fire Short Burst ABM
UNAT 16 Fire Short Burst ABM
UNAT 25 Fire Short Burst ABM
UNAT 15 Fire Short Burst ABM
UNAT 14 Fire Short Burst ABM

OOC: IIRC, this is also the battle where the Pin Point Barrier is debut.

The first wave of missiles targeting the UES Prometheus are destroyed without any hitting the massive semi-submersible aircraft carried that has been converted into a large hanger and launch platform for the UES Macross.

The onslaught of alien missile waves continues for over an hour. The very large anti-sjip missiles are rather easy to shoot down. But as the missile launchers and ammunition runs low prompting mecha to go below decks to reload, a number of the smaller missiles do get past the defenses. Five large 100 foot wide holes are blown into the deck of the UES Promethues. Unforntunelty Mike One-Two an ADR-03 Cheyenne, and one of the Russian piloted MBR-07 Spartan’s were in the same location as two of the five missile impacts. One of the VLS missile launchers, and two of the CIWS are also destroyed.

About a half hour later, a missile impacts Mike Six, destroying the upper torso of the mecha along with its pilot, First Lieutenant Marie Chambers.

A second ADR-04A1 Defender, Mike Two-One is destroyed a few minutes later, along with a second Russian piloted MBR-07 Spartan’s.

OOC: I am just narrating what occurs on the UES Prometheus.

Entering his focused mode David almost missed Marie being destroyed, only notice it by the lack of commands even if they were not needed as their main and only objective thus far was to survive and shot down the missiles.

So it is with a hard grimace he continue to lock onto what he can and use all the weapons that he have available, he had first thought of conserving his missiles but as more of the defenders are killed and missile batteries run out of ammo he think himself stupid and begin to use them as well.

"Vance, you around mate?" he call out somewhat tired just to get his mind off from all the death around him.

NPC'd



"I'm still here but the Ell Tee bought the farm." Was Vance's reply as he continued to target incoming missiles. It was shame about the LT, with a little bit more work she could have been a good officer.

As the battle continues, the hull of the UES Prometheus takes a considerable amount of damage, as do the mecha assigned to defend the vessel. Smoke, and other gaseous vapors billow out of several points of the vessel, obscuring the battle for the five mecha still remaining on the flight deck, which is pockmarked with numerous holes. Reports from a few veritechs that have landed to provide some support, report that nearly the entire hull on the port side of the vessel has been blown away.

At some point either whatever was the cause of the smoke and gasses was exhausted or damage control teams manages to get things under control. The sight that befalls the eyes of the destroid and veritech pilots is nerve wracking.

A large alien vessel almost 900 meters wide, and a little over 400 meters tall, and not to mention being a little over 2 kilometers long is fast approaching the UES Macross, as if on a suicide run. With most of the larger weapons out of commission, the multitude of small caliber weapons fire poured into the approaching vessel just isn't enough.

Over the comms there is a call out for all of the MBR-04 Tomahawk mecha to relocate to the UES Daedalus. The only two Tomahawks in Mike Battery, Mike Seven, and Mike One-One have been destroyed, pilots' fates unknown...

---

As the alien vessel gets closer a radio call is made to focus on firing on any location that is disgorging alien mecha as it seems like a never ending supply of the headless ostrich mecha are being deployed. Veritech fighters are assigned to target any of the alien Tri-Thruster space fighters, and other targets of opportunity. The surviving weapons emplacements are then ordered to fire on their counterparts on the alien ship.

As the alien vessel is almost close enough to ram the UES Macross it appears to stop it’s advance, as if instead of ramming it just wanted to get close enough to unload its complement of mecha.

At this point from the vantage point of those still fighting from the flight deck of the UES Prometheus the UES Daedalus is pulled back as if it is a boxer winding up for a powerful punch with the three energy discs forming at the bow of the UES Daedalus roughly where the ‘fist’ would be.

The UES Daedalus is then rammed into the bow of the alien warship, with nearly the entire length of the vessel pushed inside the alien warship. There is then what seems to be a massive decompression of the alien ships atmosphere, followed by explosions coming out of weaker points of the hull.

The UES Macross backs off from the alien ship, pulling the UES Daedalus out of the alien ship, and getting some distance away before the massive alien vessel explodes. At this point the UES Macross recalls any veritechs and no sooner has the last bird been recovered then the hard burn to conduct a slingshot maneuver around Saturn is initiated.

---

Although a slight change of plans, docking with the UES Enterprise doesn’t occur until after the slingshot maneuver.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:48, Wed 26 July 2023.

David just like the rest of the stare at first at the enemy captial ship charging them and with only falling back on his training he don't fire everything at the ship, as it would not make any impact. Instead he fire everything at what he actually can kill and follow the directions given to him from either the tower or a higher ranking officer.

As they are called back inside for some special maneuver he really hope they re-arm him, they didn't get this far only to be rammed to death.