Induction (Part 1 of 3):
by Tremor3258!
Disclaimer: Don't own Megaman, for my own enjoyment, see other disclaimers for more details....
A few months had passed now since the Repliforce incident, and things were starting to get into a more normal groove at Headquarters. Integration of old Repliforce staff into the Maverick Hunters was going very slowly, due to the lengthy background checks and medical examinations Dr. Cain had authorized. It hadn't been his idea, but since Repliforce had been a pawn of Sigma's latest scheme, public sentiment was rather against Repliforce members, and the public's peace of mind meant Repliforce's discomfort. Most accepted it, due to the only way to erase the stain on their honor was to serve against Mavericks, and currently, the Hunters were the only game in town for Maverick-bashing.
Zero, slowly, started to move past Iris's death, in the sense he stopped fighting his final mission with her over and over. Still, he was a bit more withdrawn than before, and specialized in creating new scenarios to bedevil the Hunters' training missions, and Zero became an expert at spotting holes in Headquarters security, leading to weakly memos starting with "And this is our week's prayer to your deity of choice that Zero is on our side.." Still, if Zero tended to make the Hunters more cautious in their actions and his name a curse word on their lips in general, he was far worse to his own Unit. Zero was ruthlessly removing the dross from Unit 00, what little there was of it. If the special hit-and-fade teams of Unit 00 had been feared before, these stealthy assassin-Hunters made being Maverick far more of a losing proposition than ever before. In his small amounts of spare time, Zero was either bugging X or bugging Jazz about what she mentioned about 'design similarities', but Jazz had clammed up, pleading glitches from her hibernation.
X, hero of the Uprisings, was swamped with paperwork, as his Unit was more open and larger than 00, and the 17th's elite status meant it was swamped with transfer requests. Not to mention X had volunteered to help the Repliforce members settle into the Hunters out of a sense of guilt, and now the amount of work involved there threatened to avalanche off his desk and swallow his office, especially with the difficulty of reconstructing damaged records after the battle.
As if deciding who was a Repliforce officer and who was a very clever Maverick wasn't hard enough, there were still occasional sets of new Hunters suddenly, and apparently spontaneously going Maverick. X had half the administrative corps working overtime to do background checks, and Signas, a young Reploid in charge of the training process, had the other half of the administrative corps tracking down similarities between the various Hunters who had gone Maverick. So far, all Signas's overworked clerks had found was that the more military-capable of the new Hunters were going Maverick, and most were young and only recently assembled. So far, the old Repliforce staff was clean.
Jazz and Bebop, mental stability increased with a cat's ability to always look towards the positive (food!), had spent quite a bit of their time being surveyed by the Hunters medical staff, and probably a few pieces of their circuitry were going to end up in the next generation of Reploids. For that matter, the effectiveness of the armor to enhance their systems meant support units were being seriously considered for the Hunters, though Bebop and Jazz were objecting on moral grounds of creating war dogs that probably would be put down. X was of two minds: he had seen Velguarder, Sigma's old pet in action. On one hand, Velguarder was a ruthless killing machine, and pointed at the Mavericks had done a lot of damage. On the other hand, Velguarder was a ruthless killing machine, and the odds of simply wiping the First Law from such a thing's data banks gave X nightmares of the First Uprising.
Still, the medical staff had, as Jazz had put it, "Squeezed about all the blood from these turnips." Jazz and Bebop had little to do but sit there for the tests, and had first watched modern TV after there history lessons were done to catch up their linguistic files to modern slang. After they withstood far more daytime television than X had thought possible, the two had settled into catching up on classic literature with a sense of relief.
X frowned as his thoughts continued about his siblings, as most among the base dubbed them, to X's slight dismay. That, of course, only served to make sure more people used the phrase. He had recently come across two particular applications to join the 9th Unit, a special forces/unique terrain group in the Hunters from two very special relatives. X had to admit, after seeing them in action that they'd do rather well in the Hunters, but the fact that they seemed to accept their viable career path was through a quasi-military organization depressed X, as it wasn't really their war as much as X's, with his various rebellious 'children'. Still, what worried X more was that they were in the profile for suddenly going Maverick after completing training, and X had tried his best to push back the issue. Still, it was coming to a head. The two were to start training tomorrow.
Meanwhile, a pink-armored humanoid female reploid, short blond hair visible as she had her helmet off, was lost. Which was pretty depressing to Alia, considering one of the main features that had called the Hunters' attention and convinced them to sign her as a trainee was an excellent sensor system and amazing abilities to handle and analyze multiple sets of data at the same time.
Now, instead of being near her quarters, she was apparently in the medical wing, which was apparently deserted at this time of the day. Well, it was near lunch, and except for the critical care ward, most of the staff was in the commissary. Alia jumped in surprise as she heard a horrible ripping noise. Pinpointing it was a snap, and she ran towards the particular room, arm morphing into a blaster. She took a deep breath and opened the door, firing as she did, and hit a frisbee with a lot of electricity, causing it to explode into plastic shrapnel.
"Oops!" said Jazz, currently without her armor on, and using her permanently installed small claws at the ends of her fingertips to hang on the wall of the small medical bay. Her weight was slowly dragging her down the wall, leaving a set of grooves into the wall, and was responsible for the sound Alia had heard. Kicking off the wall with now-practiced ease she landed lightly on the floor, looking apologetic.
Bebop, also without armor, was running over to Alia, glaring at Jazz with an exasperated expression. "I'm really sorry about that," he quickly apologized, "I keep telling her not to rebound off the door." Bebop reached down and delivered Alia the helmet, who took it in surprise. Now that she was in the room, she looked around in surprise. A small 'overflow' triage ward, two of the beds were taken up by apparently empty suits of armor, mounted with claws similar to those Alia noted on the hands of each Reploid in front of her. An array of diagnostic equipment floated overhead, apparently scanning the suits. Alia also noted with amusement a small array of recreational equipment, mainly foam football and baseball sets, with a few frisbees and also a set of spaced-grooves in the walls.
Jazz apologized, "I will try and be more careful about the door. No one visits over here anyway unless there's a battle, and we've been pretty much in the medical bay for the last few months. You'd be literally tearing up the walls, too." Jazz pointed at the armor and explained, "Right now we're making sure they didn't do anything to our combat systems with all the tests."
Alia suddenly connected the events, "Oh! You're those Reploids they found a few months back." The two nodded in agreement. Alia's eyes narrowed, "So, you actually know you're way around here, then? I'm looking for the trainee quarters."
Bebop snorted, "I don't think Dr. Cain knows his way around the entire complex. Still, we're heading over there in a few more minutes anyway, so we can take you with us. Which Unit are you planning on joining? I don't see any insignia, so I guess you're in training, like us."
Alia nodded, and explained, "I was originally designed as a surveying Reploid for large areas of wilderness, so probably the Ninth. With these little guys," Aila sent a mental command and four small drones were released from the shoulder areas of her armor, "I can get a really good range. They're mobile sensor platforms, not really heavily armed, but I can see everything." Alia laughed nervously, "I'm not really built towards war, so there's a limit to the modifications they could do, but I always wanted to join the Hunters. With the new more information-based warfare, I thought I had a chance, if I can survive basic training." Alia looked at the heavy equipment and armor on the tables in appreciation, "That way outguns my little lightning gun."
Jazz reassured her, "Actually, we're looking at the Ninth too, and if it makes you feel better, we're a bit worried. That Unit rarely gets called upon for shear raw firepower, so they'd probably like something who can watch every approach to a base from one position." Alia smiled
Bebop remarked, "Not to mention, that when it comes to heavy firepower, there are several former Repliforce members in our training group. We're as outgunned as you are."
Jazz corrected, "More so, probably. We're used to taking care of enemies with heavy firepower, and when there are bigger guns, we probably can't do a lot. Heck, since we've been on the base, we probably think we know what to expect in the introduction scenario tomorrow, and knowing Zero, we're going to be completely floored."
Alia grinned, she liked these two. They were refreshingly open. Most trainees tended to guard everything about them so that they could show their specialty powers and win lots of points in the eyes of the referees. Alia was feeling ostracized, paradoxically, due to her openness, since her special abilities pretty much relied in everyone taking advantage of them, not just her. She quickly put on her helmet, one more resembling a headset than usual, and picked up a frisbee, "Here, catch."
Jazz bounced over and caught it. "Hmm, a decent throwing arm. I think I like her, Bebop. I've gotten so used to your corkscrews..." Bebop muttered under his breath. Of all the luck for a new opponent to show up when it was his turn to watch the diagnostic.
After a few minutes of frisbee sports that would be impossible at human level strength or agility, the diagnostics beeped merrily. To Bebop and Jazz's minor surprise, the medical staff had actually resisted the urge of scientists everywhere in the common situation know as the "what happens if I do this?' phenomena. The two quickly warped it over their bodies, and, Alia following, braved the Labyrinth that was Headquarters.
The trainee headquarters were louder than when the two Reploids had moved in a few months back. Overconfident greenhorns boasting about various powers gained from the industries they had worked on, with a few tweaks granted by Maverick Hunter engineers, mingled with the former members of Repliforce, who weren't about to put up with this sort of bravado, especially since the Repliforce members could take on an average of three normal Hunter cadets. Obviously tensions were high.
Jazz calmly ducked as a froggish looking cadet went flying through the area, "It's amazing how fast you can get used to some things," she commented, moving past a few over energized cadets who were going to have some serious hangovers when they woke up. Alia looked in surprise at one. It was her roommate, but Alia thought her roommate was off the drink...
Bebop mentioned, "This is why the rooms are soundproofed," as they passed a rather loud argument between a few Hunters who had lost friends to Repliforce and a Repliforce soldier. Alia stopped beside her door.
Alia smiled, "Thanks. Guiding me back here is about the third good thing to happen to me today. You'll be at the meeting tomorrow, right?" The two nodded, and Alia commented, "Good to meet some nice people around here. Stop by at about 0700 and we'll hit the commissary together." Jazz and Bebop gave synchronized mock salutes (amazing what you can practice when you're busy being scanned by every device known to sentient beings). Alia chuckled and walked into her room, and closed the door behind her.
Jazz was frowning slightly, "Hmm, great frisbee player, and she thinks we're nice. I think we're losing our edge, Bebop. Used to be people saw us as weird." In response, Bebop pointed at a bizarre cross between a sea lion and an elephant that was their next door neighbor. Jazz laughed merrily, "Good point."
The next morning was fairly stormy, but inside Headquarters, one couldn't tell. Even Alia's sensors couldn't detect weather conditions without a nearby television tuned to the weather report in the middle of the fortress. Especially since the Headquarters was getting another upgrade to frankly insane levels of defense as Repliforce heavy military equipment became available to the formerly quick response force Hunters.
Quickly getting the top-notch cuisine at the commissary, the three managed to find a relatively quiet table. Jazz and Bebop explained a little about their history, especially there rather elaborate looking armor. Alia nodded, "I've heard a little work's been done on figuring out the data systems Dr. Light used. It's something that always struck me as interesting, since you could use data downloads to keep Reploids up to date once they were initially constructed. I mean, I'm only about a year old, but I'm suppose to be able to commune with nature in my old job, but they were always bombarding me with data downloads so I could put the newest little feature on my drones. You know, even with replication technology, field striping hover-units in the Amazon stinks."
Jazz nodded in complete understanding. Keeping her missiles homing ability intact through ever-improving Electric Warfare systems meant pouring over the science journals. Of course, Alia was forced to it more by her superiors desire to have the best of the best.
As breakfast was finished with minor small talk and jokes about various public figures in the Reploid and human communities. Soon, a chime came over the P.A. system, followed by a voice, "All prospective Ninth Unit members, please report to the Main Auditorium," there was a slight pause, before the voice said as if suddenly remembered, "Oh, right, newbies! It's two levels down and about half a kilometer north from the commissary guys," the voice said in a chiding tone, as if they should have memorized Headquarters by now in a few days.
"I hope that wasn't our unit commander," remarked Alia, "Shouldn't we head off?" she asked the two Reploids, sitting lazily across from her.
Jazz explained, "We've seen a few classes come through here. Give it a moment." With a sound like the Concorde taking off, about half the people in the Commissary ignited dash thrusters and started scooting off. The old hands were sitting down, out of the way. Other new cadets desperately dashed or jumped out of the way of the stampeding mass, each struggling to be first. Jazz nodded, and then said, "And now we'll take the elevators that are a little south of here, but they're faster than the stairs and connect to a moving walkway. Dash thrusters don't last forever, and half of those hunters are probably going to drain their fuel supply halfway to the Auditorium." Alia laughed at the image of a marauding band of Hunters coming to a sudden stop and falling over. Quickly dealing with their dishes, the trio walked off.
They weren't the first ones in the auditorium as they jogged in, but Alia noticed they had beaten almost everyone in the dining area, without having to use their dash systems. Though Jazz and Bebop had hovered along the moving walkway as they were still running checks on their systems. Alia's response was to show off the light defensive lasers installed in her drones, giving mildly painful zaps to the other Reploids. Somehow, it had degenerated into a running game of tag through the halls. Bebop had explained it simply, "Felinoids know how to have fun." Alia decided not to voice her addition of 'constantly and always without regard to the situation' to Bebop's phrase.
The Auditorium filled up quickly over the next few minutes, most of the dining room hunters looking a bit battered. Once the room had almost fifty cadets in it, the lights dimmed and an impressive looking Reploid, fairly large and broad, with a primarily black color scheme walked out on the screen.
"Greetings, my name is Commander Signas, and I'm in charge of guiding new recruits for the basic process. Unfortunately, Commander Lancer of the Ninth Unit is on assignment in South America, and so I'll also be in charge of taking you through the rest of the audition process."
A map was displayed in midair, highlighting mainly forested or mountainous ranges. Signas explained, "The Ninth unit was designed as a 'Ranger' style unit, mainly for difficult terrain areas where it's difficult to move in heavy weapons. Due to the fact most Reploids who work in these sparsely populated regions have little contact with other individuals, very few tend to go Maverick due to circumstances of human prejudice. That said, most Reploids who work in mountainous or forested regions typically have qualities that can be converted to military applications, so most Mavericks the 9th is assigned after tend to be berserkers. Thus, the Ninth is one of our smaller units, kited out more for destroying targets rather than capturing them. It calls for a rather specialized sort of Reploid as well, one who can operate with little support besides their teammates. The only ones who will see you as heroes are probably your fellow Hunters, as our actions don't get a lot of press. That said, the Ninth is the main unit providing coverage for almost a quarter of the Earth's landmass. If you're lucky, you may get selected into this group," finished Signas grimly.
The reploids in the audience knew the statistics. The Ninth wasn't the most prestigious unit, mainly because during major Uprisings, there skills made them useful towards scouting, rather than storming fortresses, or containment of problems, rather than straight up combat with large groups of Mavericks. During 'peacetime', with Mavericks acting in a more terrorist-style manner, the Ninth was invaluable, second only to Unit 00 in quick in-and-out extractions of Mavericks, not to mention the ability to ferret out bases of Mavericks. It was a unit that most of the praise came from other professionals, as opposed to the elite ninjas of 00 or the main-line units like X's own 17th elite, who were the apple of the public's eye.
Still, Bebop came to be with Jazz, and Jazz saw it as the ultimate use of her abilities. She, and Bebop for that matter, were fast, quick, and maneuverable, designed to fight in one-on-one situations, and the Ninth gave them the best chance to do that, and with the recent upgrade, they could hear a Maverick's fusion reactor from a few hundred feet on a quiet day. Alia was there because she would be deployed to terrain she was familiar with, and the role of nature's guardian was one she was familiar with. Most of the other reploids had similar reasons, of more private natures or not.
Signas smiled, "Remember, the Ninth's application process is similar to most other Units. Failure here simply means you may not be ready for this Unit's particular style, and the Commanding Officer's from each unit tend to watch cadet's scores, and grab people for their own Units if it fits their own personal style, so do your best, even if you're caught off-guard in the environment, and you may do better than you expect."
The hologram switched to an image of Tokyo, and most reploids took a moment to figure out why it looked wrong. Then they caught it. Maverick Hunter Headquarters was much smaller and less fortified, and several of the newer pieces of skyline were missing. Signas smiled, "Obviously, if you wanted to hear me talk, you'd have joined the press corps. You're here to fight for peace, and you're going to get your first chance now. This simulation is based upon Sigma's initial attack seven years ago, which, if you might recall, was disrupted by X. The Mavericks then scattered to various locations around the city to gather resources and initiate plans to destroy the people living within the city. We've made a few modifications."
A purple dot, in the shape of Death Rogumer, Sigma's old airship, appeared in the middle of Tokyo Park Signas explained, "Sigma's troops are currently on board the airship Sigma stole from our Headquarters, and has taken the Park, due to its relatively central location and large visibility radius, as the launching point for his attack against humanity. He's releasing drones, primarily, to attack the city, which the Rogumer has an amazingly large supply. We'll be splitting you into three teams." Three dots appeared around the park. One towards the city core had an alpha, one leading out towards the waterfront had a beta, and the dot set on the main access highway into the city, which ran near the park, had a gamma.
Signas clarified, "Team alpha's job is pure defensive, at least until the other teams complete their initial objectives. Alpha has to stonewall Sigma's troops so they can't leave the park and enter the core of the city, which is still evacuating. If Sigma's attack force gets among the buildings, estimated casualties are in the tens of thousands. Team beta's job is to drive in from the waterfront, and ensure the security of the military equipment in Tokyo harbor. Appropriate what you can, lockdown the rest. Beta will then start the main drive into the park, clearing Sigma's troops out of the industrial region so they can't gather supplies. Gamma will be the largest group, and is in charge of ensuring evacuation of the city. When you leave the room, assistants will direct you to our primary simulator room for this engagement, and give you your team assignments. Good luck," Signas finished. Mild applause broke out as Signas walked off stage. The reploids quickly began filing out of the auditorium, receiving small slips of paper with a letter and directions on them. The teams would be entering different simulators, linked together. Impressive as the illusion of reality the simulators were able to provide was, the simulators were too small to fit in fifty separate reploid into a single one.
Alia, Jazz, and Bebop were surprised to find themselves on Gamma. Alia complained, "I'm not that good in a standup fight, really. I mean, you've seen the tapes made of that day, right? I'd be better suited to rooting out opposition on the docks." Jazz and Bebop agreed, though several of the hunters sniffed at the apparent cowardice.
A huge reploid, probably seven or eight feet to most reploids being in between five or six feet, and covered in slabs of the most advanced alloys, with a beam saber placed across his back and several obvious weapon ports on his chest and shoulders, noticed the conversation. He was a vaguely lupine model, claws visible on his hands and wolf ears and an elongated nose and mouth said, "I've seen this basic simulation before. You don't want to be on the docks, they're a death trap." The reploid held his hand out, which, as Jazz watched, swallowed her hand in its massive embrace, though the war machine was careful not to cut her, "I was a Lieutenant in Repliforce previously. My name's Laser Wolf." He rolled in eyes in response as the trio snickered, "Were all the technicians drunk when they came up with reploid naming conventions?" he asked in exasperation, "You don't know how much grief I get."
Alia countered, "They're Jazz and Bebop." The reploid signaled defeat in the silly-name department as Alia continued, "My name's Alia. Why's the dock portion a deathtrap? I mean, I don't think I've ever been sneaked up on by anything."
The former, and perhaps, future soldier explained, "The computer typically assigns four of the eight Maverick Generals to that location, since Sigma was busy preparing to build his fortress. Team beta has the smallest set of forces. Besides, you're going to feel crippled in this simulation. Wait when we get in and you'll see," rumbled the cadet mysteriously.
Everyone got in, and as the door closed, the lights were cut off in the room, which was effectively a giant cube, several thousand square feet wide. The hunters could still see, barely, using infrared systems. Signas's voice, probably pre-recorded, since each group was starting at the same time, said, "Greetings gamma team. Your mission is to keep open the highway, ensure a smooth evacuation, and then proceed to the airship. However, due to the relatively obsolete nature of the opposition in this scenario, auxiliary systems beyond standard reploids, such as remote weapon platforms are not allowed. Only built-in weapons systems are allowed, and only up to level-3 charge. No thruster systems beyond dash thrusters are allowed. Upon receipt of system transponder codes from all units to such effect, the exercise will begin."
"He just blinded me!" said Alia indignantly. Sensors were practically her life, and she needed her drones to get full use of her sensors.
A Hunter called out of the crowd to various chuckles from a clump around him, "Don't worry, I'll lead you anywhere you want to go-OWW!" finished the Hunter.
"Sorry," said Bebop innocently, "I haven't had a chance to use this armor a lot, and the claws slipped." Jazz gave a thumbs-up.
"Impressive," said Wolf, "Except will you two be all right? Those are thruster packs on your back, so you're grounded, correct?"
Jazz said brashly, "Don't worry about it. We're in a precision shooting match here. Keep the drones away from the civilians. We shouldn't need a lot of mobility through that portion."
"I hope you're correct, Jazz," said Wolf gravely, "Overconfidence in battle can be quite a damning thing."
The hunter from earlier, who evidently hadn't learned his lesson, said, "Oh, Mr. Maverick talks about overconfidence when he tried to take on the Hunters earl-OWWW!" the unfortunate braggart yelled again.
"Sorry, I was trying to tap Jazz on the back to tell her a joke, and you have to tap her pretty hard through the battle armor. Didn't mean to clout you," said Alia innocently.
"Why I ought to.." what he should have done remained forever a mystery, as Signas's voice came back on.
"Gamma cadets, we have received confirmation from your transponders that systems in excess of exercise specifications have been deactivated. Relax, this isn't a common occurrence in our training, we just had to put you on a level playing field. Simulation begins in 3, 2, 1.. go!"
The simulator cube loaded up, giving an accurate depiction of dusk on one fateful day so long ago. June 4, the beginning of Mavericks moving from a violent protest for Reploid rights to a true threat to everything on the planet, when the infected Hunters started their reign of terror. The Gamma group found themselves beside a large, multi-lane highway. An on-ramp started slightly behind them. Buildings could be seen in the distance, but the highway was surrounded by green space. No one wanted to live next to a noisy highway, and technically, the portion under this overpass was part of Tokyo Park. In the distance, the purple lines of the Death Rogumer could be seen. Tiny dots separated from the airship as drones were launched to ransack the city. Cars flowing into the city stopped, and traffic outbound was picking up
A small, red and green Hunter, who resembled a feline far more than Bebop or Jazz, and the same voice as the heckler from earlier, said, "All right! Time to kick booty!" The hunter leaped forward, but was held back by Wolf.
"Hold it. Our mission isn't to attack the Rogumer. We have to ensure the safety of the humans," said the officer wisely.
The cat cadet sighed, "Hmm, they must have wiped your mind when they got you into the Hunters," Wolf growled, but said nothing as the cadet continued, "Taking out the true Mavericks, not some drones, are the big point measures, and that airship is the biggest point value of all. You can stay here and be left behind, or come with me! You never win a war by playing on defense! X did it, and we should be able too with a lot more of us! Charge!" Of the group of twenty-five hunters, twenty were eager to join the cat and armed with a testosterone-inducing array of weapons, thoughts of mission came second to getting to blow up some Mavericks.
Alia, Bebop, and Jazz stood behind, as Wolf looked at them in surprise, "Wait, you're newbies, shouldn't you be off on an authorized rampage?"
Alia said, "Gee, should we listen to a person who was in the sister organization to the Hunters, and probably has experience if he's a Lieutenant," Wolf nodded, and Alia continued, "Or go off on a straight charge with no tactics, and no knowledge of what we face? I wouldn't call that a tactically brilliant maneuver."
Jazz sniffed, "I'm sorry to actually share a design basis with that loser."
Bebop nodded his agreement, before asking the career soldier in front of him, "What would Repliforce do in this situation?"
Wolf thought for a moment, "Well, with HQ being half-trashed by Sigma following his initial outbreak, we can't get the kind of data support I'd like. Probably a good idea is to head to the last on-ramp before the park, and watch to see if anyone attacks."
Alia's eyes were glowing faintly as she shifted spectrum and listened to a massive list of receivers, "Well, comparing this with the map I saw earlier of the park, we're right near the initial on-ramp, except there are still people escaping from above the park?"
Bebop said, "Cat-boy should be able to deal with the first wave, assuming he knows how to handle a blaster. The first thing is to wait and make sure traffic moves smoothly, right?" Wolf nodded agreement, and the reploids spread out to direct traffic onto the highway, though keeping a nervous eye towards the Rogumer.
Neither group had long to wait. A set of nasty looking helicopter drones, armed with large spiked half-circles on their bottom started to appear towards them, backed up by a Bee Blader. The first group of Hunter cadets went for the big target first as it began to attack the cars, and the Crushers were mainly ignored, along with a few pieces of the second wave. This led to an adjustment in attack profiles, so one medium-sized unit, like a megamech, got sent with a swarm of small Bee Bombers or Ball de Voux walkers. As the group ripped their way further, most got left behind, each claiming a tiny portion of a kill a small number could have distracted while the others cleaned up the small fry.
Signas, looking on, groaned, "Simulation Sigma is going to cream them when they get into heavier areas. If they can't pick different targets, massed fire will pick them off once the rest of the people clear the area and Sigma can concentrate on the opposition."
Alia supported Signas's conclusions with her own groan, "Those idiots are dodging the big problem!" Slightly beyond a clear view still, the others looked at Alia, and she explained, "Crushers. They're used for demolition work, but Sigma stole some, and used them to shred the overpasses, leaving the humans in the city where they could be attacked. They can smash through a bridge structure in a little under thirty seconds. Luckily, if these are like the ones Sigma used, they're lightly armored." The electronic warfare expert focused on one with her sensors, "They're going to start be among the traffic shortly. There wasn't a lot in the middle of the park, and once Death Rogumer appeared, I think most people would detour around. Also, aim for the bottom halves. My scans indicated the fusion reactor is there, and if you blow the bottom half up, the top half goes. If you take out the top half, the bottom half explodes on the road surface," advised Alia. Jazz and Bebop pulled off a salute, and Wolf reached behind him and pulled out his beam saber.
"So, we need to head forward, and hope traffic takes care of itself here," Wolf summarized. He ignited the beam saber, his face eerily lit by blue lighting, "Let us show our referees and judges what we're made of, shall we?" The four started off, walking by the side as frantic traffic spilled the other direction. Soon, the headlights passed, and the only light were the slight crackle of three charged blaster systems and a beam saber, along with the faint puddles from fading street lights. Those lights stood as the darkness swooped down as the onslaught began.
To be continued.
Our collection of characters grow. Since many Hunters seemed to once have civilian occupations, I tried to come up for one for Alia the Spotter. I thought watchdog for a rainforest sounded like a good one, and the data probe idea came from the fact Alia seems to be able to multi-task (reconstructing armor, and on sensor-watch, and relaying information). By the way the other two things Alia was alluding to was meeting Jazz and Bebop (aww).
Also: I wonder if I there's an award for most unnamed redshirts in a single chapter. Well, they'll survive and learn, it's a simulation. They'll probably be less nasty from now on if they get beat up a little.
Wolf, Jazz, and Bebop have combat experience, so they're inclined to be cautious. Most Hunters probably get some weapon training time prior to their first few combat simulations, and the judges are going to rely more on things like teamwork and watching how they behave under fire. Success is good too, though.
Alia is cautious because she's under gunned compared to most hunters. With her job as some sort of game warden, I assume she's armed with some sort of taser weapon, which was amplified into a lightning gun by the Hunters.
Wolf has his beam saber and a few other attacks built in. Hopefully, that will allow our heroes to succeed against a modified Megaman X highway stage.
