Paradigm: Backstabber
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Post by Daniel Gage on Oct 2, 2014 1:20:48 GMT
"Have a seat, gentlemen." Oh shit. What else could he do? Silence was its own language. It could be interpreted when spoken. Gage quietly sat on the second row; Not too far from the front, but not too close either. His back was stiff as a board it never touched the back of the chair. Jamitov wasn't too mindful of their presence. After identifying each of the pilots, he began flipping through some pages of a dossier in front of him. Age wasn't too kind of him. His gloves hid his fragile hands. His face had deep crevasses- representing the landscape of some hazardous mountain range. What little youth he had was in his eyes. They were sharp. They were alert. They never lost sight of their prey.
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Paradigm: CO
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Post by Henry Lynch on Oct 2, 2014 2:12:38 GMT
Henry had made his way down to the briefing room ahead of his pilots and setup the conference call with Jamitov. He smiled as his men came in, most of them doing a decent job of hiding their surprise - and alarm, if they have any sense - at seeing the leader of the Titans staring them in the face. Well, seeing the four-star is pretty much never a good thing unless you've got stars yourself. Seeing how I'm the only one remotely in sight of that...he sighed, not liking his odds of making Flag now that the nukes he'd never wanted in the first place had been ripped off. "That's everyone, sir" he said simply, nodding to Jamitov as he kept his place in the back of the room, letting the large screen display with the Titans Commander In Chief dominate the meeting.
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Post by Jamitov Hymem on Oct 2, 2014 3:09:10 GMT
Without glancing down, Jamitov neatly stacked the dossier he was reading and set on the side of desk. The audience was now the center of his attention.
"Gentlemen, we're at war; A war not of our choosing against an enemy not of our choosing. I cannot resolve you on your history or history thereof, but I can erudite you on the reasons you might've joined the Titans. We can neither undo the past nor submit ourselves to false beliefs in the present- false beliefs that, sooner or later, bumps up against solid reality on yet another battlefield. Only the messages we carry and the victory we bring can prevent a return to a false peace."
"It is for that purpose that our message remain sound. In precisely two weeks, you find yourselves thrust into a parlous spotlight. The Earth Federation Assembly and the media will ask you many questions. You will give them only one answer: The AEUG stole those warheads and disavowed all knowledge of their existence. Do I make myself clear?"
The admiral dared everyone in that room to speak out against him. He thrived in the tension he created. It was of little consequence to be audacious.
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Paradigm: Steamroller
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Post by Julian Miller on Oct 2, 2014 3:44:42 GMT
It didn't take long for Jamitov to set the stage for just what this unexpected meeting was about. While it was true that the leader of the Titans wasn't the most charismatic figure alive, his intensity more than made up for it. Jamitov didn't control the loyalty of his men through close-relationships or being well-liked. He did so through the sheer palpable force of his will and the knowledge that he might actually be the most powerful man alive.
Arms crossed over his chest, Julian listened silently as his commander-in-chief began to explain the situation. 'We're at war'. It was almost as if Jamitov thought that statement would be shocking. While it was true he had yet to face the AEUG in combat, he had been well aware of the fact that the fight against them was no minor insurrection. What had began as a small terrorist organization had managed to gain greater and greater power over the course of the last year until they now posed a direct threat to the elite unit that was the Titans.
As far as Julian was concerned there were still plenty of questions that needed to be answered. While he was certain that much of the AEUG's support came from the remnants of Zeon, he also knew that they wouldn't be able to account for everything. More likely than not there were elements within the Federation itself that supported their efforts for whatever reason. But how far did the rot go?
The very thought of it caused the grip on his bicep to tighten audibly even as Jamitov went on to speak about the situation with the stolen nuclear weapons. A cover up of the situation was to be expected, especially when the loyalty of the Assembly and the regular Federation Forces was being called into question. They couldn't give the AEUG any ammunition no matter what the consequences were. It was this understanding that lead Julian to remain silent in response to the Admiral's question. Then again he doubted he really cared for their answers.
Simple words were meaningless now.
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Paradigm: Bushwhacker
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Post by Yazan Gable on Oct 5, 2014 14:42:43 GMT
Jaime felt his mouth drop.
It can't be...it just can't...it can't...
He had felt bad before about letting his target away away before. Even if he had been ordered to fall back, he had been determined to do...something. And now, as the admiral spoke, a horrible sense of recognition washed over him.
"Nukes..." he whispered.
In an instant, he was back. He could hear the wail of sirens, he could hear the crunch of mobile suit's digging into the concrete of the roads. He could feel the white hot heat on his skin as backwash as beam weapons fired.
Jaime could feel his fingers digging into his seat, and he could feel his eyes narrow as he felt his muscles tighten and coil, ready to snap at any moment.
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Post by Henry Lynch on Oct 7, 2014 4:04:58 GMT
Henry had a fair idea of what Jamitov had in mind - not that he'd say it in front of the men. Only one reason to want people to think the AEUG is nuclear-armed... and I really don't like the notion. Of course, with the regulars as mutinous as the politicians are corrupt... what choice is there? he thought unhappily, keeping his expression neutral. Instead, he kept an eye on his pilots, noting who stayed composed and who didn't for future reference. Instead, he just waited for the Admiral to continue, giving his superior the privilege of announcing the unit's participation in the upcoming counter-offensive.
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Oct 9, 2014 1:13:48 GMT
And here it was the official message, AUEG stole those nukes and they're hiding the fact they did. The best way to get a pass and do 'whatever' was required. Plus with the 'disavowed' part no one would believe if the AEUG said they were destroyed or used where no one was looking, the Federation and the Titans could just keep chasing them and hounding them with a blank check at this rate. If someone wanted something stopped the best way would be to link them to the AEUG after this announcement. Despite her thoughts Victoria nodded towards Jamitov. "Crystal clear sir." The whole situation and the framing of it seemed all too familiar but she wasn't keen on bringing that up.
What they'd be involved in was what she was more focused on, if they were going to be in the center of attention like the admiral had said then something big was planned for them. The 'what' however still was in the air but she could think of a number of things that they'd end up doing, it seemed all high profile however something she hadn't had to deal with yet.
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Post by Jamitov Hymem on Oct 9, 2014 2:56:49 GMT
"I'm short on time, so I'll get to the point: As of now, you're now members of the newly created Magi Squadron. Lieutenant Commander Ennis will be left in charge. For your first assignment, you'll be dispatched to Jaburo. There, you'll partake in reconnaissance operations. The AEUG has been scouting around the amazon for days. I'm confident in Jaburo's defenses can repel a major attack, but I'd rather not leave our enemies to run around her lands freely. Remind them whose ground they tread upon. That is your directive."
The transmission abruptly cut- leaving the others in the room to breathe a sigh of relief. Even in the presence of Lynch, the threat of authority paled in comparison.
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Paradigm: Bushwhacker
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Post by Yazan Gable on Oct 10, 2014 0:35:32 GMT
Jaime finally swallowed, the realization about the AEUG's place as a nuclear threat finally sunk in.
"So, this is war..." Jaime felt his fingers dig into his arm. However, they did slack as his new deployment orders came in. "Jaboro? We're going landside?" In spite of himself, Jaime couldn't help but smile a little. He was fairly tolerant of living in space after so many years, but the idea of being able to breathe fresh air, and look up at the sky...suddenly, Jaime felt very homesick.
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Post by Julian Miller on Oct 10, 2014 1:54:37 GMT
As the transmission from Jamitov cut off, Julian was feeling a strange concoction of feelings broiling up within him. The most immediate one was excitement. So it would be under the name of the "Magi Squadron" that he would once again do battle with the Federation's enemies. It was a good name, one that harkened back to the darkest days to the Middle Era, the time period from which Julian drew much of his inspiration from. With such a label they would ride into battle for the first time in over a year. Perhaps the AEUG would put up a better fight than the typical Zeon rabble.
More than that, however, Julian felt a degree of anxiety. The fact that their orders would bring them to Jaburo meant little, honestly. The exact location of the battlefield made no difference to him. No, what bothered Julian was that this would be the first time that he'd be back on Earth since the end of the One Year War. Earth...where so many of his comrades had fallen in battle....where his loved ones had died. Though he'd never admit it, in many ways Julian had been avoiding returning to his homeworld for the sole reason that he didn't want to reawaken those memories. The spirits of the dead still haunted him.
To compensate for these concerns, Julian unconsciously made a little show. Gritting his teeth, the blonde haired pilot slammed his fist into an open palm with an audible thump. His eyes flashing with a killer's intent and intensity he hissed, "Alright...I'll crush them. I'll crush them all."
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Paradigm: Lone Wolf
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Oct 10, 2014 2:11:24 GMT
Katharyn, seated in the back, listened with practiced detachment as Jamitov made his pronouncement, though internally she was seething with rage. That the AEUG bastards had not just defeated them, but stolen nuclear weapons to boot was almost more than she could bear. 'It's Operation Stardust all over again, damn it.' she thought, her mind floating back to her earliest days in the Federation Space Forces, a rookie pilot forced to bear witness to the atrocities perpetrated by Zeon all over again, after the brutal year of Zeke domination of North America during the One-Year War. The decimation of the heartland she and her mother called home. The murder of hundreds, if not thousands of residents in rural North America, including her mother.
Then she was in for another surprise, as Jamitov announced that their team was headed to Earth to take on enemy forces sneaking around Jaburo. She knew the Earth Federation's GHQ was located in the Guiana Highlands of South America, and had been the real target of Operation British. Moreover, after joining the Titans she had heard some people speculate that Jaburo had been Stardust's target as well. If so, the Zeke bastards had missed twice.
'Whatever the case', she thought, 'We'll take them on...and take them down, assuming the REMFs don't fuck it up again.' She had not been to Earth since leaving four years earlier. She had no reason to anymore - there was nothing left for her on Earth but bad memories. Still, she would go...at least they weren't going to North America, and hopefully from Jaburo they wouldn't be screwed over like they had been in that first op up here. Besides, so far as she knew, nobody had developed any mobile suits capable of true flight on Earth, which made combat a lot more simple - and at the same time, more difficult due to the effects of gravity. Still, in some part of her deep down, she couldn't wait to get down there...
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Oct 12, 2014 9:18:56 GMT
Victoria glanced at Ennis as he was listed as the commander of 'Magi' squad, a bit odd considering they didn't look like wise men or magicians, they couldn't pull a miracle out yet. Still a search and destroy mission against AEUG elements seemed much better then waiting to get hit by the AEUG. From there all Victoria was left with was her squadmates. Some like Jamie and the new Julian seemed normal, nervousness and rage respectively. "Not alone you won't we're all gonna be there."
What did surprise Victoria was Holcroft's lack of a more visible reaction like Julian's, she was the one out of the group she expected to react more aggressively. Maybe she was better at keeping things to herself then Victoria had originally thought. Still getting back to Earth was something she was looking forward too, despite the reason she felt much more at home on Earth where 'flying' actually meant something instead of the combat in space. "Still Earth. It's been too long."
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Post by Henry Lynch on Oct 12, 2014 23:37:25 GMT
Lynch smiled faintly as Jamitov just closed the line abruptly. He'd already known everything that was coming from the Admiral; no surprises. He really didn't like committing his squadron to Jaburo, and he wasn't sure how they'd be employed - if they'd be dropped to defend the ground, or if they'd remain in space as part of the denial force Bask Om was assembling in the orbitals. It made little difference to him - there'd be air cover regardless if he was in a task force like that.
Instead, he moved from the back of the room up to the podium, taking center stage and addressing the squad. "These 'AEUG' rebels are to be taken seriously. This isn't like the Remnant we've been fighting - they have the resources to mount a significant operation, and Intelligence has recently revised their force estimates of them to... significantly more capable than their previous assurances. Go figure" he said, rolling his eyes drolly as Intel dropped yet another ball. "Now the burden is on us to carry the shit end of the stick as the rebels mount a major operation. Do not mistake this for another police action against the Remnant, or underestimate the enemy based on your contempt for them" he said, looking specifically at Holcroft with his last comment. "Commodore Om has overall command of this. As soon as he informs me whether he intends to commit your squadron to groundside defense or orbital defense, I will relay that. Until then, check your gear and be ready. I would anticipate a squadron-strength patrol mission to be forthcoming before we join up with the Alexandria task force. Questions?" he asked, face neutral.
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Paradigm: Lone Wolf
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Oct 13, 2014 1:37:10 GMT
'Contempt is one thing - stupidity is quite another.' Mudie mused to herself as she caught Captain Lynch's pointed glance in her direction as he spoke. She respected the Captain as her CO, and as a veteran officer who knew what he was doing. But if he thought she felt contempt for the AEUG, he was badly misjudging her. Contempt was too weak a word to describe her feelings towards the AEUG, which she lumped in together with Zeon. Hatred would be the word she would choose to describe her feelings on the matter.
At the same time, Katharyn was no fool. She knew damn well, based on the previous two operations alone, that the AEUG was a far more dangerous enemy than the Delaz Fleet had been, nor the Zekes she'd faced when she was with the Hurricanes. Her expression remained uncharacteristically neutral as Captain Lynch spoke, but there was a gleam in her cold blue eyes that was far from pleasant, as she contemplated what their next assignment would be.
At the same time, she had mixed feelings about going back to Earth. She was too used to fighting in space by now, and since Operation Stardust, had not returned to Earth even once. 'Got no home to go back to. No family left anymore...' She thought bitterly, but glancing discreetly around, she saw that she was apparently not the only one with concerns. Whatever the others did or thought was their business. It was like the Captain said: Their orders would come in soon enough, and then they would see...
She had no questions at the moment, but waited. She doubted that nitwit Neston would say anything, but perhaps Lieutenant Sinclair would.
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Oct 17, 2014 20:21:03 GMT
When the screen winked off Victoria relaxed and eased back against her seat. Of course they weren't done here and it was Lynch's turn, thankfully the atmosphere wasn't anywhere near as tense with Jamitov, something she was glad for as Lynch ran things down. Honestly she wanted to figure out where the people from intelligence were getting their info or if they were just eating scraps that anyone wanted them to find. But from how things were being framed it was almost like they were at war again. Anyone with the guts to attack a base with anything substantial like that ether were delusional or had the things to back it up. The latter of which worried Victoria and quickly provoked her next question as she sat upright.
"I have one sir, since we're in this taskforce and intelligence has revised the figures for the AEUG, are we getting arms to meet these revised figures? They easily had the same level of weaponry at least for mobile suits I'd rather have an edge then leave things to purely experience and luck sir." That and any hints about anything coming their way would be enough for Victoria at least for today.
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