Stardust Academy

[Grrxmaster]

Seth was afraid he'd be late for the appointment at the range. Even at his mech's full speed, others were passing him as he went. As he approached the range, it seemed his fears were realized. One of the instructors he'd seen on stage earlier was addressing several students. He cursed as he came within the final few feet; he guessed the grizzled vet was not likely tolerating of stragglers. Regardless, he parked his mech with the rest of them, and hopped out. "Sorry I'm late, did I miss anything?"

[KaneQuicktail]

Cyrus turned his attention to Julian.
"You can't disable the targeting routine? It should be a controllable subsystem. Well, this is why we're here. So I know in advance about you all and your machines. Very well, do your best to aim unassisted."


As the archaic police mech approached, a smirk came across the fox's greyed muzzle.


"My, that must be... either a Generation I or II police model, and it looks a bit pieced together. Your machine is almost as old as mine, you have my admiration, but I digress. No you have not missed much, I was just giving the instructions to this little practice. Don't fear, you'll not be reprimanded for tardiness in extra curricular activities, but the same grace wont be given for class and scheduled exercises. I've set up some target dummies, five in total. Which you must destroy as quickly as possible with your targeting subsystem disabled."

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Sorin grinned at the chance to show off. Stepping onto the field first Sunset Angel's golden and orange plating glinted the sun. "Seraph, drop the target assist. I'm flying solo on this one." Seraph dropped the assist and let Sorin have complete control. Sorin spent hours training with no targeting assist. He was one of the few none gun toting Mech users left. It took him only moments to read the field. Three on the ground mostly clustered easy to handle. Ariel target has a shield so try to get behind it. Now where is that hidden Mech. With only a few seconds he found it. Nestled between a few trees was a smaller Scout Model Mech. Clever old man hiding the Mech in plain sight.


With a flick of his left hand he exploded into action. Darting forward he slammed into the ground Mech directly in front of him smashing it's head with his shield. Using the Motion he had to spin left he hit the next Mech in the skull by flicking his plasma blade just briefly to pierce it's face, and then spun on a dime, a complete one-eighty and flew barely off the ground slamming his blade into the skull of yet another Mech. He grabbed the Mech he'd just downed and tossed it at the Ariel Mech giving him just enough time to get behind him and flick his blade on and cut right through it's torso. Using his height as an advantage he flew right over the Scout and turned on his blade tossing it at the Scout. The Scout went to leap away but the blade pierced it's ankle joint pinning it to the ground. Smirking he rammed the Scout with his shield smashing it's chest in.




Stepping out into the Center field after retrieving his blade he smile big at the group of on-lookers, before stepping back in the mix next to Suzumi.

[KaneQuicktail]

Cyrus enjoyed watching Sorin tackle this task. Not too many pilots flew blind, it was a useful skill to have. Though this was an easy trial, he passed admirably. Upon his return Cyrus gave a small applause.


"Good work, I'll be sure the next exercise isn't so easy. So, who is next?"


He tapped a few keys on his data-pad and the field reset.

[Grrxmaster]

'This'll be a breeze!', Seth thought to himself. In the beginning, when he was still fixing up Socrates, he spent many long hours shooting without any aiming systems. Seth cried out to Cyrus, "That would be me, sir!"
Hopping into the mech, he disengaged the aiming subsystem, and walked out onto the field. The guns he was toting were fully auto, but aim would be better using short bursts. Another factor was his sub-sonic rubber ammunition. It flies slower, so aiming higher than usual was a necessity. Taking careful, yet swift aim, he targeted the aerial mech first. A few short bursts sent it hurtling to the ground. Moving steadily forward, the three ground targets fell in a similar fashion. Seth expected the final target to be where it was previously, but such mistakes do not go unpunished. Several rounds struck against the hull of Socrates. However, this mech was designed to take a beating, its heavy plating causing the rounds to bounce off without any punch. Seth raised the mech's arms and leaped, sending Socrates dual arm blades crashing into the target, obliterating it.
Seth came back to the rest of the class, sounding over the intercom, "Socrates is a bloody tank!"

[Oedipus Rex]

Sam nodded when she received the objectives, and hopped back comfortably in her mech. She watched as the first two students did their thing, and smirked as the second yelled in celebration. She spoke up, her voice sounding crystal clear through her expensive mic. "Impressive indeed, but while that armor may protect you from damage, it also slows you down." She rolled her neck and clasped her hands, as if cracking her knuckles. "Let me show you what you can do without it."


She waited for the professor to reset the field.

[KaneQuicktail]

Cyrus couldn't help but chuckle at Seth's enthusiasm. "Excellent work, but keep in mind, those were just dummies. Had this been a real battle you may have faired worse at the end."


He reset the targets and awaited the next student's performance.

[Oedipus Rex]

Sam nonchalantly strolls onto the field, and unholsters the plasma SMG at her side. "Doctor, disable aim assist protocalls." a beep is heard, followed by "Aim assist disabled madame."


Sam springs into action, dashing forward and sending a shrot burst directr at one of the ground mechs, popping off it's head. She dashes at the other two, which are grouped togeather, and fires a burst into the one on the right, chosing instead to slam her fist into the head of the left one. With that done, she searches for the concealed one ans spots him sneaking between a few trees. She puts a couple plasma bolts in it's head as a reward for it's effort.
However, in all of the excitement she compleatly forgot about the flying mech, and only remembered it when she saw it divebombing out of the sky towards her, about ten feet from her face. She quickly fell onto her back and sprayed it with her SMG, melting the things head with hot plasma bolts. She then roled back, kicking up with her legs and sending the bot into the air.

Post Merge: March 09, 2014, 05:59:06 AMShe stood to her feat and holstered her SMG, walking back to the students. a voice echos in her cockpit that only she can hear. "That was too close madame, you very nearly messed up on your first exercise." Sam frowned, "I know Doc, but I handled it, didn't I?" The AI remained quiet.
She spoke cheerily over her mic. "Next!"

[KaneQuicktail]

Cyrus clapped his hands together.


"Another excellent performance. Be sure you're aware of your surroundings next time, it only gets harder from here. You're all doing a fantastic job thus far. Who is next?"


Again, he reset the field.

[KaneQuicktail]

"Well done, well, I think that's everyone. If no one else would like to go then you are dismissed. I will remain here for the next hour as I promised should someone else like a turn." He reset the field again.
"But, not until after this old man has had his turn." He had a big grin on his face. It wasn't every day he got to show off.

Cyrus stepped on on the lift and was brought back into the cockpit. The six-legged artillery platform stomped onto the field. For a heavy mech it was surprisingly agile, yet still slow compared to other classes. He flicked a few switches and activated the rear leg compensators. HotG leaned forward and slammed the rear legs into the ground, large hydraulic pistons extended and increased the contact area with the ground. "Address Hammer: Load MIRV round - triple shot." Cyrus aimed the cannon at the three ground mechs now aware of his position, the machine whirred and clicked as the round was loaded. Not even a split second after the munition loaded signal turned green the massive cannon fired. A cloud of smoke and dust erupted, sending the projectile straight for the group. It split into three warheads and connected with each mech. Direct hit. Cyrus acted on a dime though, immediately after firing he barked another order. "Address Hammer: Load AA Flak."

He flicked a switch and the pistons retracted and the mech returned to normal mode. He marched at maximum speed, turning the turret to take aim at the aerial mech. The round clicked in place and again, there was almost no hesitation in firing. A single round exploded out of the barrel, flew towards the flying mech, then exploded into a large cloud of shrapnel, tearing it to pieces. After firing the flak round, the cloaked mech took fire and revealed its location. "Address Hammer: Load Earthshaker round." He turned the turret and the body to compensate for the slow turret speed. Hammer chimed in "Confirm Earthshaker round" to which Professor Cross replied "Confirm." The mech whirred and clicked in the round. The barrel started glowing, the metal heating up the round.

Hammer stopped in place and the barrel was pointed straight at the soon-to-be unfortunate mech. "Earthshaker round ready. Bring the rain." The round exploded out of the barrel with the thunder that only artillery fire knows, the ground shook just from the round being fired. There was a large ball of fire and shrapnel where a mech had once been, a shockwave knocked down all of the trees and shook the ground with the force of an earthquake, no doubt living up to its name. Cyrus returned to the students and reset the field.

"No doubt each of us can hold our own salt as mech pilots against multiple foes. We already know you're lone-wolves, you've proved that much, able to withstand several foes on your own. We're here to destroy that mentality. When you're facing a squad, a battalion, or even an entire army, you'll need your partner to have your back. Where you fire, they fire right next to you. When you charge in, they cover your flanks. As many of you have seen, we've all taken a few rounds in our arrogance. In our first class, we will begin deconstructing this. You are dismissed. You may remain here or return to you mech bays and resume your day. I look forward to seeing you all in class."

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Sorin watched in awe. That man was preforming with reaction speeds that most pilot's in their prime wouldn't be able to replicate or come even close to. Sorin was beginning to see that this man would be a professor worth knowing on a personal level.

[Oedipus Rex]

After Cyrus had finished, the ground began to shake slightly as a 20 foot tall Titan mech strolled onto the field. It aproached Cyrus and the students, before it's cockpit opened with a hiss and revealed Professor Cunningham. He spoke to Cyrus, ignoring the students, "Showing off to the new students, Cross?" He said matter-of-factly. "I wasn't aware classes started untill tomorrow."

[KaneQuicktail]

"Greetings Cunningham, I was giving the cadets a chance to flex their muscle. Perhaps you'd like to demonstrate as well?"

[Oedipus Rex]

Cunningham shrugged, as did his mech, and he closed the cockpit, speaking over his mic. "Ah what the hell." He stepped into posisition, readying his AT cannon, and waited for Cross's mark.


When Cross indicated, Cunningham sprang into action, quickly firing three bolts down range at the ground targets. the heavy AT shells burrowed into the armor of the dummy mechs, before exploding half a second later. The result was devistating.
His eyes scanned the battlefield, and after no luck of finding the concealed mech he spoke to the combat AI in his mech. "Computer, switch to thermal." The visioned changed to the bright colors of thermal imaging, and almost immediately pointed out the hidden scout. It was up in a nearby tree. Cunningham grinned as he stepped forward and grabbed it by it's leg, yanking it down from the tree, and facing upwards at the arial mech. It was advancing on his posisition, but didn;t get far as Cunningham launched the scout mech towards it, almost like throwing a football.

Post Merge: March 10, 2014, 12:02:55 AMThe two mechs colided in a brilliant fireworks display, raining scrap down on the field.


Cunningham disabled the thermal imaging and strolled back towards the group and opened his hatch before hopping down from the giant mech. He took a cigar from his pocket and lit it, taking a few puffs before saying "And that... is how it's done."

[Frost]

Julian stood watching the other's much larger mechs preform, knowing that  his go would have to be a little more personal than the others were. "I think I'll go next, if no one will mind..."

Post Merge: March 10, 2014, 02:32:49 AMJulian lifted D to his face be fore takeing a deep breath and speaking in a calm tone,"Grand Delilah, activate bio-merge." A black substance was emitted from the back to the mask enveloping the Skunk. The mask turns into a full helm piece, Julian's eyes lining up with the eye sockets Soon Armour plating vaguely resembling skeletal structures begin to cover his vital regions and vulnerable areas. Next appears a long rod with dual plasma vents on either side along with a small energy pistol. When the merge was completed   Julian was only about an inch taller than he was normally and had been covered by a black and silver armored body suit.


"Bio-merge successful, adjusting weapons' energy levels to assignment standards....Successful, ready to proceed"
Julian nods in confirmation before stepping on to the the range's field. He finger's the lower controls on what would be his plasma scythe, judging the amount of kick it has when he activates it's secondary compression blast function, seeing that it was to his liking he took off towards the first set of dummy mechs.


As the first one opens fire on him, he uses quick compression blasts to strafe out of their way, until he felt he was close enough to his target. Quickly he rams the back end of the rod into the ground using a compression blast to boost him into the air. the 'blade' of his scythe sparks to life as Julian comes down onto the mech, driving his scythe into the back of the mech's head piece. With his first target collapsing he uses the body to spring-board onto the next one repeating the process. Unfortunately the final of the ground trio was to far away for a leap, so instead Julian compression boosted between it's legs and fired off a few rounds into it's leg joint's hoping it would fall like a top heavy tree. When it failed to fall Julian attempted to stay in it's blind spot doing damage to it's undercarriage and legs until it did so.


Next came the hard part, The Arial target, using the fallen mechs as coverage Julian took aim and fired a few shots at the the air based mech's suspension system, missing one of the shots. He continues the process of firing and taking cover until the mech had been downed.




Finally came the hidden target, Julian fired a few blind shots hoping to draw it out. In response to his shots a few wizzed by him grazing his armor, Julian turned in the direction the shots came from, quick enough to spot it, Julian took aim and built up a charged shot, only releasing it as the mech appeared to let off another round.


Although his session took longer than the other students Julian felt slightly proud of his training session. "I..I think i'm finished."