Outside Local Sasleyria Space | Sweet Child of Mine | Ship's Meeting Room
"If you can't take the heat... How did that idiom go again?"
[hr]
As other members of the crew started to file in after Mary's ear-splitting whistle over the intercom, Mar continued to look at-ease as she leaned back in one corner of the room. Really, she was mainly there to have them tell her what her role in this mission was. Neither tactics or strategy were a part of her wheelhouse as the saying went, so she was content to let the others pitch in as far as that was concerned.
However, thanks to both the light ringing in her ears and the quick back-and-forth of the others, she was finding it a little hard to actually follow their suggestions in full. Walker thought it was a good idea to have Edward and Brian act as heavies to clear a path for the rest of the ground team, with Shanoa and Velka as scouts. Which wasn't a bad idea.
Elliot, however, brought up a rather unsettling development regarding their recent meeting with Chronus: The guards aboard the ship had been androids, and they didn't move like androids. The possibility of Chronus using exclusively advanced robotic soldiers was more than a little worrying. He also suggested that they keep the artifact rigged to blow as another safeguard against the inevitable betrayal, while Grace mentioned giving close air-support in the Archer.
That was immediately followed up by Shanoa mentioning that she was everywhere aboard the ship, and that she was better used for more than just glorified door-access. Which prompted Mary to make a suggestion that Shanoa seemed a little...
too eager to follow through with: Install an 'insurance policy' aboard the Chronus cruisers, just in case.
Of their two Catican Members, Irina told the others that she had sent a warning via a painted drone to the local ground forces, telling them that their capital was about to be under attack. While Ed was audibly disappointed about the idea of less targets on the ground, he agreed that it was a good idea to send him in first, since he was apparently more than qualified for an operation like that.
By that point, Mar was having a hard time keeping up with the conversation, and she grimaced a little at the thought of going into this with only having half an idea of what was going down. She made a mental note to remind Walker to recap the plan, once there was a solid plan in place.
When Resha, their rescue, stepped in, it didn't take long for the meeting to begin to devolve. She made a sensible, if obvious suggestion to the others: Don't use any Chronus acquired equipment for fear of sabotage, and otherwise assume the worst. Edward... Was less-than-impressed with her input.
"I believe that the humans have a phrase seems a fitting response to your advice, Test Pilot, 'No shit, Sherlock.' Unlike test pilots who contribute from far behind combat lines, soldiers must be conscious of their equipment and ammunition stores. It stands to reason that if we are to be betrayed by Chronus and the TGR, it would not be until after we retrieve the artifact. This would mean that any monitoring or disabling devices that they have installed on the equipment issued by them would not be activated until after we retrieve the artifact. It would behoove them to give us equipment that is functional, at least until a certain point. Should we opt to not use their equipment, we will be forced to use our own equipment and our limited ammunition stores, something that test pilots do not have to worry about. I am not sure about you, little pilot, but I would rather have a larger cache of ammunition and undamaged equipment if Chronus does decide to betray us."
"Uh-oh..." Mar murmured quietly as she stood up a little straighter and unfolded her arms from across her chest.
"Im sorry not being a combat vet disqualifies me from voicing an opinion and different view. Another possibility im sure your omnipotent vision of all things combat glimpsed was the fact they could have given you equipment meant to faulter mid mission and leave both you and these locals weakened. So while you and the rest of the crew are dealing with half broken weapons against an alreay weakened colony force, this company which apparently is using us as a fallman according to everything i've picked up, could do this without us; could come in and steamroll two weakened forces, claim whatever they want as most of this group if not all would be dead and come out looking ontop of this whole thing as the saviors of the day, keeping the artifact off the black market by 'securing it' from some space pirates who wanted to sell it. Next time you open your fucking mouth, think about the fact i may be concerned for the people around me instead of chastising me for offering input. You may wind up being likeable and not an absolute flaaghasbend."
Since it was clear that Resha's back was up and things were only going to get more heated, Mar stepped up and placed herself between them in the hopes of breaking up this fight before it started.
"Alright, Resha, I think you've made your point: We can't trust Chronus equipment. Not until we've gone over it with a fine-toothed... Ah, comb. And Edward, I can understand wanting to have as much equipment as you can get to make the job that much easier. You both have good points." she said, glancing between the two of them before she turned to face Resha properly.
"But, Resha, you need to remember something; You aren't officially part of this crew. You're a rescue that we picked up not too long ago, and you haven't signed up for this like we have. Now if you want to volunteer, fine, but that's up to Walker seeing as he's the Captain. But until then, while your input is appreciated, I for one think that using you for this mission would be questionable at best." the Shree pointed out.
