It's Just Business (Finished)

[Raider867]

High Center Bridge
"What's the GM III's specialization?" Synapse asks.
"Miller, you're rear guard. Alan and that other Mobile Suit can handle the up front action." Synapse orders.
"What?! C'mon! Why can't Gideon be rear guard?"
"He will. You two will make sure the two ships are supported in case."
"Fiiiinnnneeee."

Outside

The Mobile Armor used its thrusters to evade the slash while the lower half turns to fire at the Musha Mk II.
Alan fires at the upper half now, drawing it's attention again.
"Focus on breaking the connection. There isn't many weapons on the upper half. We'd effectively be crippling it." Alan says again.
The Mobile Armor's lower half charges up their shoulder cannons before firing at the Musha Mk II. At the same time, the upper half fires its double cannons in the center of the body. Alan evades the shots, firing a few shots back at the Mobile Armor to keep it focused.

High Center Hangar

"It's either that or you can try to find a semblance of a sniper rifle in that mess. And even then, the motors on one of the sides of the scope visor are out. You'd have to eyeball every shot." Chief Donahue says to Arthur.
At this time, the Re-GZ sorties out of the Hangar, moving to a defensive position close to the High Center.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

Regalia Top Bay

“Long range supressing fire.”

Atop the Regalia in a strong blue color scheme, the GM III Blast Master arose from the bay, swinging it’s Changeling Rifle towards the battle. “Been serving me well for fifty years...” Thomas started leading his target, carefully, waiting for an opportunity...

Outside

The Musha spins as they landed on hull of a wreck, swinging it's spear overhead before planting it firmly in it's catapult deck. The suit's hands moved to it's katana as they lowered down. "Understood!"

A flick of their thumbs loosened the blades in their scabards, pushing themselves off of the wreck and towards the mobile armor.

"Kotesumaru Slash!"

As fast as they could, Morgaine drew both blades from the sheathes on her waist as the Mark II did the same, screaming out as she attempted to slash it's "waist" open.

 

[Raider867]

High Center Bridge

"Alan sent me his plan .As it is, that thing's mobility is too high for a sure killing blow. He's currently trying to keep that thing's attention on him while he leads it to the wreckage of the Dolos Class. ."
Synapse brings up an image of the Dolos mentioned. It had a large hole in the side of it.
"He plans to trap it in there then hit it on all sides. It'll have nowhere to go in that wreckage." Synapse explains. "Have that GM III keep that Mobile Armor from straying too far from Alan."
Synapse looked to another officer.
"Tell Donahue to ready the Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher. Once Alan sends word, Miller will bring it to him."
"Aye, sir!"

Outside

It was getting increasingly difficult to dodge the Mobile Armor's attacks as they got even more random. Even so, Alan would keep firing at it and leading it closer and closer to his destination.
The funnels are already in position. Just gonna have to bring the main piece over.
Meanwhile, the damage the Musha did caused the lower half to drift off the main body of the Mobile Armor. Alan noticed.
"Nice job!" Alan said to Morgaine with a smile and thumbs up, quickly slamming his hand back on the control as he evaded a large beam shot.

If Morgaine was to continue on towards the upper half that was still following Alan, she would be met with two beam shots heading for her from behind. If she looked, the bottom half was still activated and moving.

We were one.
Now we are split.
You will die as many others before.
Both Alan and Morgaine heard the machines' statements.
"Shit..." Alan muttered to himself.

High Center Hangar

An engineer floated to Chief Donahue.
"Chief, we may be able to get around the compatibility issue." The engineer says.
The engineer whispered to the Chief and he nodded. He got onto the communicator to Arthur.
"Hey, boy. We might have a way to solve your armament issue. Give us fifteen." Chief Donahue says before looking to another engineer who relayed the captain's order.
"Connect the Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher! Bring it beside the High Center!" He orders a few men who then went off to do their work.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

“Well. This is unfortunate!” Morgaine laughed as she threw herself under the beams, something having pinged her instincts moments earlier.
“I’ll get in close and start pushing.” She was smiling in her cockpit, charging the bottom as quickly as she could. Both blades were crossed as she slammed into the Preator, firing thrusters as hard as she could. If that failed, she could at least start to hack away.

-------------------
“Copy. Keeping my eyes on the… Targets?”

-------------------
Arthur just sighed, nodding. “Yes sir.” He pushed himself bac to the GM, checking the system quickly himself. “I should just keep my mouth shut next time.

 

[Raider867]

Outside

"Roger. I'll lead the-" Alan was cut off by a shot coming too close by the top half. He had to use his funnel shield to block it.
"Dammit, it's learning my moves! Gotta finish this quick!" He retreats to the Dolos wreckage, to which the Preator top half follows him into.
Alan ducks into a corner of the Dolos. This much wreckage will keep the Preator's top half from finding him. He flicks open the transmitter.
"Now, Miller!"
"On it!"
Alan fires the funnels outside the Dolos into the wreckage at the Preator, confusing it with the multiple points of fire. Using the confusion, Alan darts out of the wreckage to receive the HMBL from Miller.

Meanwhile, the Preator bottom half was proving to be a bit more capable than the upper half. Due to it's smaller size, it is more nible and manages to dash away from the charging Morgaine. Now to the right of Morgaine, it tries to fire a volley of vulcans from it's chest. It knew it is too close to fire without risk of losing it's rifles to a slash from Morgaine's blades.

High Center Bridge

"Come again? Did you just say targets? As in plural?" Synapse asked. He looked at the feed from Alan's Mobile Suit and his question was answered.

High Center Hangar

An engineer floats into the cockpit with a tablet, opening a panel on the left side of the cockpit. The display flickers a bit as if the system was rebooting. The engineer gave Arthur a thumbs up before closing the panel and taking the tablet with him.
The cockpit closes and the Chief was floating beside a long rifle. His hand was against his helmet, transmitting to the GM Sniper 2.
"Alright, here's your weapon. We found it a while back and decided to keep it in case any weapons got destroyed." Chief says.

"Hope you're good with snipers. Once you equip it, we'll hook a cable between the optics of the rifle and your head unit. You'll be able to use the scope, but you won't be able to stop unless the cable is removed." Chief explains.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

The vulcans sparked along Morgaine’s armor, almost causing them to flinch at the onslaught. However, minor damage was acceptable in the long run as the Gundam Fighter lunged towards it’s right, slashing at the Mobile Armor’s beam rifles in an attempt to disable this attack as fast as possible.

“You guys focus on taking down the top! I’ll give this bottom bitch a hell of a show!”

—————————

“Copy!” Tommy replied as he aimed the Changeling rifle towards the Dolos, closing his eyes and breathing, focusing. Colors swirled around in his vision as he ever so carefully envisioned his target before-

KTHEEEYYYOOOOOM!

A sniper beam pierced the hull, hopefully skewering at least part of his target as the funnels did their job.

—————————-

Arthur simply nodded as the GM Sniper connected to the rifle, sighing as he reopened the cockpit so he could see where he was walking out onto the catapult bridge. “Arthur Miyla, GM Sniper 2, entering the fray.”

He didn’t launch per-say, but did walking himself out and used the thrusters to get out of the way just in case. “Ready whenever.”

 

[Raider867]

Outside

The lower half tries to pull backwards to avoid the slash, but the rifles get caught. Releasing them, the lower half of the Mobile Armor continues emptying its vulcans' ammunition reserves at Morgaine, boosting back fast.

Tommy's sniper shot pierced one of the engines. The small amount of visual Alan had confirmed it.
"Direct hit on the thruster!" Alan reports to Tommy.
"Miller, where's that Launcher!" Alan turns towards Miller's direction.
"On it's way" Miller replies.
Soon after, Miller's Re-GZ shows up with the HMBL in its arms. Miller pushes the cannon towards Alan. Alan moves the controls, causing the Hi-Nu Gundam to grasp the cannon.
"Cannon recieved. Return to rear guard." Alan says.
The Re-GZ gives a slight salute before boosting away back to the High Center. Meanwhile, Alan aims the HMBL towards the Dolos. He can still see the top half in the Dolos. Strangely it hasn't moved. He soon gets the answer as to why it wasn't moving as a few of the anti air defenses come online and began shooting at him. With the large cannon he was holding, he was having some difficulty avoiding it.
"Someone take out those AA guns! I can't get a clear shot!" Alan says, pulling his funnels back to block shots he couldn't avoid.
Tommy could see four AA guns from his position.

Outside the Hangar of High Center

"That's your queue kid!" Chief says to Arthur.
If Arthur looked through the scope, he would be able to see two AA guns from his position firing away at Alan.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

Morgaine grinned as the Mobile Armor lost two of it’s main weapons, flourishing a bit with her blades before pushing herself back off of it. “Broke some of it’s toys!” She declared happily as she dodged most of the Vulcan fire, sheathing her blades as the enemy boosted itself back. “Oooh, if only that would help you.”



From the back of the suit she retrieved one last instrument, the Shoryumaru Beam Rifle, fairly basic in functionality, but as she fired at the retreating Mobile Armor, it would serve its purpose.



Thomas and Arthur were having a fairly different exchange, trading careful shots with the AA guns. Tommy and the GM III were clearly fairing better, blasting two of the guns in quick succession while Arthur struggled at first while lining up his shots.

 

[Raider867]

Outside

The Mobile Armor lower half couldn't avoid the beam shot quick enough, an explosion triggering after the Mobile Armor was pierced.

Meanwhile, Alan was attempting to dodge the anti-air fire. A shot getting through his funnel barriers and hitting him.
"Aah!" He calls out, stabilizing himself from the knockback.
Suddenly, three turrets out of the eight explode. Alan glances over to see Thomas and Arthur shooting the AA Guns. Avoiding the remaining turrets online, he brings up two barriers in front of him with his funnels. Alan uses this moment of calm to charge the HMBL again.
The turrets break through the first barrier. Alan brings those three funnels back to the wings.
"C'mon, just a bit longer..." He mutters to himself, watching it rise past halfway complete.
Arthur could barely see a third turret from his viewpoint. It would require him to adjust his position to reach.
Thomas as well could see another turret along with the last turrets he didn't shoot.

Bridge of the High Center

"Alan, if you can't get a shot through, abort and try finding a weak point in that thing's armor to exploit." Synapse says, his hands gripping his captain's chair tightly.
"Understood." Alan responded. "I'm almost charged."

 

[Tackle Jackie]

"Going back in!"

She grinned, jumping back over to the wreck she planted the spear into, retrieving it with a twirl. She glared back at the Armor, and took a ready stance. "Thank you for the fight. I'll remember this." And she lunged forward, thrusters at full output as she shot towards the damaged Praetor.

"Breathing Push-"

The blade of the spear pierced right below the head unit of the armor, the spear vibrating as she planted their feet on the shoulder as it seemed to vibrate as well.

"Of the Harmonious Behemoth!"

And with a large release of energy, green light began to leak out of the Preator, before falling completely limp. An exhausting release of Ki, the Musha falling a bit limp.

"Oooh... Fuck..."

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Aaaah, fuck it."

Thomas let go of the Changeling Rifle and started to fly towards the Dolos, hands on the Binders and starting to fire at as many AA Guns as he could, beam scattershots peppering everything he could.

 

[Raider867]

Outside

Alan noticed Thomas and contacts him.
"Stay at a safe distance of the Dolos. I'm firing." Alan says, his voice strained.
Alan sees the charge at 100% and immediately presses the trigger. Disengaging the funnels and having them attach to the wings again, the Hi-Nu Gundam fired the HMBL towards the Dolos.
"Go back to hell, you damn robot!" Alan shouted as bright light enveloped his vision.
A single large beam tore through space to the Dolos. From a distance, it looked somewhat pretty.
Thomas could see that he was at a safe distance, but just barely.
Morgaine could see the beam from her position.

High Center Bridge

Captain Synapse sits up in his chair, hoping and praying that that shot will take out that heavily armored upper half of the Preator.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

"...Looks like it's dead." Morgaine sighed as she watched the beam tearing through the Dolos, grabbing the corpse of the botton and pulling it towards the ships.

Thomas had to try and cover their face, blasting back considerably. "I think you got it."

 

[Raider867]

Outside

The Hi-Nu Gundam floated slowly in space. Hearing Thomas' comment, he smirks.
"You think? I feel I should shoot it again, just in case." Alan says with a chuckle.

High Center Bridge

Synapse sighs, sitting back in his char. He transmits to his men.
"All Mobile Suits, return to the ship. Good work." Synapse says.
He takes another deep breath.

Outside

The High Center's mobile suits go back into the ship, save for the Hi-Nu which handed off the HMBL and looked towards Morgaine's mecha.
"Pilot of the Musha Mk. II. Thanks for helping out." Alan says with a friendly smile.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

"Hey, it's my job. I'd be dead if I sucked at it." She chuckled, the mobile suit giving him a small salute as she flew towards the others.
"The names Morgaine Montgomery by the way, a pleasure to meet you."

Thomas and Arthur were just going back to their respective ships, Arthur goiing to drop off the GM specifically.

 

[Raider867]

Outside the Hangar

"My name's Alan Reber. Pleasure to meet you as well." Alan says, returning the small salute with his own.
Returning to the hangar, he disembarked from the hangar and floated towards the door, heading for the bridge.

Meanwhile, Arthur was given a hearty slap on the back from Chief Donahue once he got out of the GM.
"Nice shooting out there!" He says, laughing a hearty laugh.

Bridge of High Center

"I must say thank you for your support. Seeing our ace pilot having trouble like that really worried us. I was glad your pilot assisted him." Synapse says, talking to the person on the bridge of the other ship.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

"A pleasure, Alan." She grinned, disappearing into the Regalia's hangar bay, followed by Thomas and the Beam Master.
"Could have been worse." Tommy chuckled as they docked and left their cockpits. "Might have been some Plumas!"

The two made their ways back up to the bridge as well, popping up next to Leah.

"Your Ace was vital to our success as well, Captain. The feeling is mutual."
---------------------------

Arthur just nodded as the Chief patted him on the back, laughing a bit nervously. "Thanks, thanks, was happy to help..."

 

[Raider867]

Bridge of High Center

Synapse nods. "I'd offer to buy you all a round, but we're rather far from a place to go." Synapse says with a chuckle.
It was at that moment, Alan floated in, landing beside the Captain's chair and taking his helmet off. He waves at the group on the video feed. Miller and Lightning came next, standing next to Alan and giving a wave and salute respectively.
"I present to you, our ace, Alan Reber, and our two backups Clyde Miller and Gideon Lightning." Synapse introduces to the group on the video feed.
"Hey." Alan says with a friendly nod.
"Ladies." Miller said with a smile, his tone quickly changing once Lightning and Alan smack him upside the head.
"It's a pleasure." Lightning says, his tone never wavering from his straight laced and strict attitude.

High Center Hangar

"Need help pushing to the Ball?" Chief offers.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

"The feeling's mutual Captain."

Morgaine gave a small salute in return to pilots on the other ship as she drifted over to her own chair and strapping down. "And no offense captain, but Wingmen are a bit more than backups. Just sayin.”

Thomas chuckled a bit as he took to his own seat, yawning as he buckled down. “I’ll hold you too those drinks next time we meet somewhere more hospitable.”

——————-
Arthur accepted the offer, admittedly a bit embarrassed as he returned to his ball, returning to the Regalia’s hangar.

 

[Raider867]

"Noted." Synapse says with a nod.
Smirking at Thomas' remark, he replied. "Better not be too expensive. Scavenger life isn't well paid unless you find some good antiques. Our haul should be good, though, in case we ever meet each other again anytime soon."

"Morgaine. Thanks for the help out there." Alan says with a thumbs up.

Outside

Donahue pushed Arthur off before returning to the hangar, the doors closing up once everyone was in the hangar.

 

[Tackle Jackie]

“Hey, I was just doing my part Alan. And, you guys know...” Morgaine looked at the other two, biting her lip as she tried to decide how to put out an offer...

“It’s not all sunshine and roses, but MS Hunting is always an option. Striking down the Preators where we can, building up the place we call home... It’s a possibility.”