you're in the jungle, baby / you gonna die

[lucetimods]

Who: All draftees
What: Fighting the Third Party... and perhaps the wildlife.
When: June 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. (Characters will be pulled out at 11:59 of the 6th.)
Where: An as-yet unmapped by the Malnosso tropical rainforest.
Summary: Here are your details. Try to stay alive, won't you?
Rating: Anywhere from PG to R.

No cut for you. Most of you will know how this works by now; if you don't, follow the lead of the others, or perhaps look to the last draft's fighting post for ideas. Don't forget to use your handy dandy character tags. Go forth and conquer thine enemies!

Comments

[simplestgift]

[Color him impressed.] Excellent. I rate you ship's gunner. Or jungle's gunner, at any rate. Take hold of the lanyard but don't fire until I order it.

[daisy023]

Sir.

[In the tone of accepting an order. Cannons could be fired first, and then she could mow down the stragglers with the dot fifty. It was a shame she didn't request a "confetti maker"... but then again, her enemies could fly. There had to be other ways to cover the area.

The figure looks back to the camp, then at neighnoring trees -the skinny ones, particularly-. Once again, another idea coming in.]

Don't think that should be our only defenses.

[simplestgift]

[He was just about to prime the cannon for her, but...]

They're not--oh! What have you come up with?

[daisy023]

They have big wings. Cannons will work when they go on foot, but airborne ones will be harder to hit. Even with the MG. [SPARTAN-023 would probably rip it off if that happens, but it wouldn't be the only thing that would be needed to stop them.

Her armored hand points at the trees. Old tactics of warfare in both Ancient and Middle Ages com to her mind.]

If we put some tall pikes around the field, they'll have a hard time landing. Especially with those wings.

[Kelly-087 would agree on the idea of making chicken kebabs.]

[simplestgift]

Agreed. It'll make them think twice, at least.

[Internally, he's rejoicing at finally finding someone competent in warfare.]

[daisy023]

[A little too much so. The place a Spartan feels the most comfortable on is the battlefield.

She stands up.]

Anything else to do for the cannons, sir?

[Perhaps it would be adequate to load the rest along with him before they went along with that plan, though.]

[simplestgift]

Take hold of the lanyard again. I want you to feel what it's like when it fires. [There's no other way to put it.]

[daisy023]

[She sets herself in position, ready.

Every weapon had it's recoil, and the massive rounds these things expelled would be different from firing a stationary Magnetic Accelerator Cannon.

This is the sort of thing Chief Mendez would prepare them for. Letting them know how a weapon feels.]

[simplestgift]

[Hands behind his back.]

AND...FIRE!

[daisy023]

[She ignites the cannon. The cannon fires both round and smoke with a scream that seems to come from the earth itself.

The MJOLNIR hampens the sound to protect the hearing of SPARTAN-023, but the knockback and the resonance of the weapon are felt even beneath the layers of titanium. It feels like the punch of a Brute.

There is a brief silence. The Lieutenant Kennedy had fought in his own hell. It was one Daisy needed to know, as well.]

[simplestgift]

[The wind carries the smoke back toward them, tasting of sulfur.]

How many years of service?

[daisy023]

[The taste of war is only felt when she is outside her suit. It was the reason Spartans felt the MJOLNIR as parts of themselves. Inside her armor, she is safe.]

Classified.

[There is a pause. The truth is known only by a handful in Luceti.]

... Five, minimum.

[Fourteen counting training. She is twenty.]

[simplestgift]

[He looks at her sharply.] Only five years?

[daisy023]

Minimum.

[The rest of those years was training as grueling as warfare. Sessions that could turn into a trap at any second.]

I'm no stranger to war.

[Spartans won where alien abominations burned, and men died. But they could hardly turn a losing war for survival.]

[simplestgift]

[He considers this. He supposes Horatio joined late, too.]

I've been in the navy since I was eleven. Quite a few have had odd reactions to that.

[daisy023]

[The figure softens a little, and her head turns. She was six when they took her from her family.]

It will keep happening. [Not just by third-world nations and revolting Outer Colonies.] But you know your stuff.

[She sympathizes. It also means that the Lieutenant knows as much as she does about war. Maybe Kennedy would get to know the truth behind her sooner or later. But not now.]

[simplestgift]

[That...sounded sorrowful, and it gives him pause. He stares at her for a moment, not quite sure how to respond.

Five years, minimum. How long has she actually been...

It's one thing for an adventurous young boy to volunteer in the navy. It's quite another for it to be a girl, and while he's learning that he shouldn't underestimate based on sex, something basic in him rejects it.]

So do you.

[daisy023]

Only a handful wear this armor. I wouldn't be inside it... if I didn't.

[The best warriors of humanity. All of them had to be raised from childhood.

She moves the cannon back into position, her hands safe from the heated metal. A wordless gesture that duty and experience mattered more. In the end, both the Lieutenant and the Chief were made stronger by it. Happier?]

[simplestgift]

[Duty. It's slowly becoming a four-letter word to him, since it's been badly abused all his life. Happier? Truth to tell, Archie was never naturally suited to any of this--it was a long, hard learning process. Nor was he exactly made stronger by it, although many of his comrades would claim otherwise. Kennedy himself felt too frail to say any such thing.]

What is your full name?

[daisy023]

[The Spartan pauses from her actions for a moment. Then continues at a slower pace.]

Daisy.

[She doesn't remember it.]

[simplestgift]

[He picks up the swab and dips it in water, glancing at her every so often. After some hesitation, he offers his own.]

Archie.

[There's something about this strange soldier, and giving her his first name...ranks don't mean a thing here, really. He hands her the swab.]

Use this to swab the inside of the cannon. It'll put out any sparks and clean out residual powder. The heat of the gun will evaporate the water before we reload.

[daisy023]

[Unfortunately, Daisy-023 is coming to realize this. Perhaps, that rank held little meaning in this place. Only power, knowledge, and who you were.

She remembers this. Maintenance similar to her own firearms, and reminiscent cleaning procedure for arquebusiers and muskets. These being more outdated weapons, they needed far more care than her firearms would.

Once done, she stands ready.]

[simplestgift]

[He jerks his chin up slightly.] Well. Now you know how it's done. Normally there are about six men to every gun.

[daisy023]

How many volunteers we have so far?

[Non-combatants could be instruted to fire them. But even firing these weapons was risky. It was still war experience.]

[simplestgift]

Depends on the day. Sometimes enough for one, sometimes enough for all three.