The Expendables

[skati]

This rp focuses on a militia squad from the country Austere. Austere is a fairly large republic situated between two warring factions. It has always had a policy of neutrality towards both sides. For a while, this was respected. Eventually, one side decides it will be quicker and more efficient to cut through Austere and take whatever it has, despite the country not being involved in its conflict.

This is a fictional world with influences from steam punk. It’s just that steam is not the primary form of energy and all. Think diesel punk if you have to put a name to it. The technology is similar to what was in use at the end of WW1, first year of WW2. This includes the way cars looked, cameras, and, of course, weaponry. Now for the more fantastical side of the setting, mechs are in use. However, they are very clunky and are not really that reliable. They are a very recent piece of technology, having only been around for about a year or two.

Austere has a national military education system. At the start of the second year of secondary education, all Austere citizens receive basic military training. This training lasts for a year. Upon completion, the student has the option of either focusing on just his/her own personal education or undertaking training for one of seven military classes. Unless otherwise noted, all classes are capable of using and do use a standard issue rifle and a standard issue sidearm. The classes are as follows:

Trooper: this is pretty much the standard class. Unless a student takes one of the other classes, he/she will be considered a trooper immediately upon graduation, though there is secondary trooper training. If a student takes on this secondary training, they will also be capable of using a variety of weaponry, though they will not be as proficient with sniper rifles and incendiary weapons as snipers and demolitionists.

Medic: though capable of, and trained in, combat like the other classes, their main skill lies in healing.

Sniper: this class excels at marksmanship and is capable of hitting targets much farther away than what the rest of the classes can hit. Despite the name, however, the “sniper” rifles are little more than just standard rifles equipped with a telescopic sight.

Demolitionist: this class excels at explosives. They are proficient with a range of different incendiary weaponry as well as rigging and diffusing explosives.

Pilot: as the name implies, these soldiers excel at the use of vehicles. The class is also the only one capable of operating a mech. While they are capable of using standard issue rifles, they are usually seen with just a sidearm. This militia squad only has two mechs.

Engineer: as the name implies, this class excels at combat engineering work. This can range in fixing defenses (more adept at it than other classes) to mech maintenance. Communications also tends to fall under this class as well.

Scout: these are soldiers that excel at reconnaissance, much more so than the rest of the classes.

Upon graduating from secondary education (at 17), everyone is required to spend a minimum of two years in some form of military service. This can either be the military, militia, or a town watch unit. Unfortunately for them, the military will not accept women into their ranks (those women that do serve must disguise their gender lest they be discharged and hanged for their deception), which leaves only the latter two options for their choosing.

Below is a list of vehicles in use in the RP.

Aeroplanes:
The Transition from Bi-Plane/Tri-Planes to the faster more accurate planes installed with an engine with more horse power capable of out running anything that created before it. The newer models are few in numbers compared to the older reliable Bi/Tri-planes though.

Airships:
The Great airships are still used for scouting and bombing raids but never leave far from home with out at least a four airplane protection unit. The onboard protection consists of four heavy machine guns positioned at port and starboard sides.

Mechs:
A large bipedal machine, with a main cannon in the belly, and two machine guns near the top protected from within.
There are two compartments stacked on top of each other. The bottom contains the entrance, which on the floor and as well contains the cannon, and a storage compartment. The top compartment contains the pilot seat which is basically a glorified stool, with a small back, positioned in front of pedals and levers. Behind that is a higher stool for the look out/Gunner to sit, above the gunner is a hatch to climb on top of the mech. Behind the mech covered in armor is the Engine.
One key factor to know about mechs is they are slow and clunky but they pack a punch. The other main factors are they require Kerosene and spare parts to run at full power.
Crew: 1 pilot
1 Spotter/gunner(Capable of piloting)
2 Cannon loaders/ Mechanics

So, what can be played here for the rp. All characters must be of the Aldir Militia. There are two ways this can be. One is that the character joined the militia directly. The second is by way of military personnel being assigned to aid the militia. This is how it is for the mech pilots, as the two mechs were loaned out to the militia. While overall most members of the Aldir Militia are accepting of any woman from the military, it would still be wise for her to disguise herself (be it her gender or her being from the army) when dealing with other units, lest they turn her into the authorities.

***
Profile

Name: Kara Westfield
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Class: Sniper
Description: Kara stands at 5’5” and weighs in at 118 lbs. Though not tanned, she isn’t pale either. While in relatively good shape, Kara is neither heavily muscular nor overtly toned. Her eyes are blue and her black hair reaches a bit past her shoulders. It is usually set in two braids framing her face.

Weapons: Eddie – a sniper rifle resembling a M1903 Springfield with a telescopic sight. This was a gift from her father upon graduation from the national military academy. It sports a custom paint job of dark blue (wood) and black (metal) color scheme. The color scheme was chosen due to them being Kara’s favorite colors.

History: Kara is the only child of Jonathon Westfield, esteemed sniper and war hero from the Bleece/Austere War thirty years ago. Having tired of his fame, Jonathon moved to a small town on the outskirts of Austere. While his reputation was known here as well, it was not something constantly brought up, like in his home city.

Not long after he arrived, Jonathon worked with the town watch. Thanks in part to his status as a war hero, Jonathon quickly rose through the ranks, eventually getting to where he was its most senior officer.

Kara was born several years after Jonathon assumed command of the town watch. From a young age, Jonathon instilled in her a value of life. He would also speak a lot about war. Sometimes these would be old war stories, other times he would go into reasons why wars occurred in the first place.

One particular lesson he taught was one of respect. Though on different sides of a conflict, no one group is purely evil nor is any one side purely righteous. Both sides in war have its fair share of heroes and monsters…and even enemies can show respect for each other.

From the age of ten, Kara had been learning how to shoot. Once she was competent enough, she would often join her father and his friends/acquaintances on hunts. Sometimes competing with them over who would catch the biggest buck.

Given all of this, it was little surprise when Kara decided to follow in her father’s footsteps. After two years at the national military academy, Kara decided to follow the sniper’s path. It was a choice that surprised no one. The classes were grueling but in the end, Kara succeeded. Upon graduation, Kara returned home to serve her mandatory service in the militia. She has since been stationed in her hometown of Alrid.

***

IC

Focus, Kara thought. She stared through the scope of her rifle. She could see her prey clearly through the lens, a medium sized buck. It was about eight hundred yards ahead of her, grazing. It stopped and lifted its head for a few seconds. It looked around, as if it heard something. It returned to grazing shortly after.

Kara breathed slowly. It looked like a decent sized deer. It ought to feed some of the squad at least. Kara held her breath briefly. She took aim at the buck’s head. It was more than close enough to hit, especially with her rifle. Exhaling, she pulled the trigger. Up ahead, the buck dropped. Kara smiled and gave a silent cheer.

[spectrum]

Name: Amelie Amsel
Fake Name: Heinrich Amsel
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Class: Mech Pilot
Description: Amsel stands about 5’4” weighing about 55kg. She is thin, and pale from not getting much sun. She has some muscle from her pilot’s training. She wears a loose fitting pilots uniform and is usually never seen with out her jacket. She has red hair cut to military standards, and freckles. Her eye’s are a lighter green.
Weapons: Standard issue revolver, and her Mech
History: Amelie was born to an upper-class family but due to her sex, was forced to dress as a boy, as her family wanted a son not a daughter. When she went through school, and having to change her figure to that of a boy, was able to continue and soon became a Mech pilot. Though her new unit she was assigned to, is close to the boarder with the towns guard.

*****
Man I feel like my history is really shitty compared to Skati's though this is my first non Gaia RP so I'm freaking happy

****

Amelie layed prone next to Kara watching her aim down sights at the buck. She stayed quite as possible not wanting to ruin her shot with a needless noise to scare off the buck. She inhaled then exhaled her attention steady and watching, and tensed when she heard the rifle shot, watching the buck go down. Amelie leapt up and pumped her fist up in excitement. "GO, KARA!" she said loudly. "Wish I could shoot from that distance" Amelie said kneeling back down. Her gaze went around their surroundings, then to the sky. "Let's get it back to camp, it will be dark soon." she added standing up and puffing out her pilots jacket.

[skati]

Kara smiled as she stood. "I learned from the best," she said as she shouldered her rifle. She looked up at the sky as well, noticing it starting to darken. Kara sighed. She was hoping she could get at least one more deer before heading back. Oh well. She started towards her kill, stopped, and turned to look at Amelie. "By the way," she added with a wider smiler, "you are going to be carrying this one."

[spectrum]

Amelie looked at Kara and folded her arms when she was told to carry the buck. "Just because your a little taller, then I am..But I have age and rank on my side.." She said under her breath. Though Kara had Amelie's secret a definite fright to her. "How about a little help. it will be faster if we both drag it back to the Wulf, the crew is waiting so the faster the better." Amelie said puffing her jacket out again to try and make her mass bigger, in a show of authority.

Amelie started to make her way to the buck. She stopped in front of it and lifted it up a bit, 'This thing is heavy!' she thought sourly, looking back to Kara for help. Since she met Kara and since they brawled and she lost Kara, and Kara noticed Amelie's secret, she had always acted as superior in rank since that day.

[skati]

Kara shook her head as she reached her kill. "Hold," she said as she knelt down. The younger girl put a hand on the buck's side and closed her eyes. She whispered, "Thank you brother deer for providing nourishment for the clan. Your sacrifice is not in vain, for your death aids the balance of nature. Respect and peace, brother spirit." Kara moved to the buck's back and grabbed its hind legs. "Ready?" she asked. "On three."

[spectrum]

Amelie took a step back when Kara said 'Wait'. She watched as Kara gave a prayer to the dead buck. She wondered if a prayer would do any good, but she wouldn't question it, her family was heavily into religion and she had been whipped for asking a question.

When Kara was done and gave directions to pull on three, Amelie moved and grabbed the buck's front legs. "Once we get it back to camp, let's let some of the others clean it, you shot it, we brought it back, they can clean and cook it" Amelie chuckled, of course because of her raising she didn't want anything to do with cleaning an animal but she would never openly say it. She already got some jokes cracked at her, for being beaten by a girl, of course that has gone down, and she hadn't been made fun of that for what seems like a few weeks.

On three Amelie started pulling, and slowly the buck was being dragged. "So any new news from the fronts?" Amelie asked, she had been working on the Wulf earlier in the day and had missed hearing the news.

When they had reached the Wulf the crew was sitting around the legs of the beast, when they came into view. Amelie put her lips together and whistled to get their attention to have them come over and help the last leg of the pulling before they hoist it up on the front to keep the meat away from the fumes of the Kerosene. "We should have brought a truck or a wagon, not poor Wulf" Amelie added looking at the clunky machine.

Amelie stopped pulling when the buck was in front Wulf, She looked up the front adjusting her cap. "We can wrap it in the netting, and hoist it up, just under my view port above the cannon, to keep it away from the exhaust fumes" Amelie put simply. "OK, guys get up top and lower some ropes and we can get out of here." Amelie added watching three of the four crew member climb up the chain ladder into the belly of the mech, and soon emerged on the top, with the rope in hand, and started lowering the rope with the netting.

[skati]

"I'm all for that," Kara replied with a giggle. Unbidden, the thought of the war crept into her mind. She didn't answer Amelie. Kara hadn't heard anything new prior to leaving for the hunt. She wondered if anyone had during her absence. Maybe she ought to check on that once they returned to camp.

To take her mind off of things, she aided the crew with moving the buck into the netting. She watched with satisfaction, hands on hips, as it was lifted. It may have been the only kill Kara got today, but at least it was a good sized buck. Maybe the antlers would look good on a mount at the mess hall or back home. Maybe they'd work as a gift, who knows.

Kara moved to the mech's entrance as the crew finished raising the net. She heard the sound of rapid feet on metal as she neared. Before she could even start to climb, one of the crew members appeared. "Here Kara," he said. He didn't look much older than herself. His black hair was cur short and his eyes were a caramel color. A devilish smiled touched his lips.

The sniper found herself getting lost in his eyes, in his smile. He is pretty cute, she thought. Kara found herself smiling back, a kind of timid smile. It was a couple moments before she realized he held a hand out for her. Her face turned a deep crimson as she accepted his hand. Kara didn't look at the boy as she was lifted into Wulf. She took her usual spot, the gunner's seat, whenever she traveled in the mech. She didn't notice the other two boys' snickering at the first.

OOC: Was given permission to use the three npcs used here by Spectrum.

[spectrum]

Amelie nodded, to Kara's agreement, with the cleaning of the buck. She dropped her friendlier attitude and became more serious. If she didn't make the part then it probably would be obvious. As the Buck was lifted and tied in place, Amelie frowned it covered the emblem of the Wulf, which made her mind go back to when she was assigned as the pilot to the behemoth. It had looked lonely with out some character looking like the other six in the line. Now it had a drawn wolf on the breast plate of the mech, and a noble's surename from her mother's side.

Amelie looked down seeing Kara being helped into the by the only other crew member her age. Amelie snickered and jabbed one of the loading crew standing next to her showing him the scene. The Crew-member jabbed her back "Hey he's taking your stake" He chipped in laughing before walking to the Wulf and climbing in after Kara.

Amelie stomped her foot when the loading crew person walked away. 'Asshole!' she thought sourly. Though then again she couldn't really say anything. She took a breath and started walking after him, climbing in after him, and then up through the bottom compartment to the top compartment.

"OK, Wulf here we go, CLOSE IT UP, let's go!" she called out in a serious voice showing what years of impersonating a boy has given her, an upper edge in talking the talk. She hopped onto the pilots chair placing her feet on the pedals, then reaching forward and pulling the choke, and getting the Wulf to come to life. Soon a shudder went through the mech as the two large engines sprange to life with a groin. She pushed down on the pedals and grabbed a hold of the saunters. Soon, Gears could be heard groaning as the mech lifted into the air, and started to wobble a little, then started shifting left then right as it moved forward.

Inside the mech was very noisy with a large vibration from the large engines on the back. "GO WULF!" Amelie yelled out.

After about half an hour of travel the town of Aldrid came into view. "KARA, Town in view" she called out over the noise of the mech.

[skati]

Kara as best she could on the stool. The ride was bumpy, as usual. Truth be told, the hard stool and the mech's rough vibrations made it almost impossible to relax. Kara just made do with what she could get. It was quicker to travel this way than on foot, after all.

During the trip, Kara hummed to herself with eyes closed, head lowered. She perked up at Amelie's call. She could see other people from their unit clearing way for the Wulf.

Kara found herself wondering who she should get to clean and prepare her kill. Even considering she was one that brought it down, Kara herself had never learned how to do it. She was really only good at the shooting and cooking part, though it had to be pre cleaned for her. Her father always handled that. It was not something Kara particularly enjoyed watching.

"Hey Heinrich," Kara tried to call over the noise. "Who should we get to clean this thing?"

[spectrum]

Amelie heard, Kara over the thrum of the two Engines vibrating the Wulf, though she didn't answer. She looked out through the slats of her view window looking down at the ground, watching for the people standing at either side, most likely looking at the dead buck tied up under the view window and resting on the cannon. When they had gotten to the few month old repair shed for the two mech's Amelie lowered the Wulf so the bottom hatch was closer to the ground, so they could lower the chain ladder. Amelie powered off the two engines and soon the vibration of the mech stopped. "Alright you two get up top and get the buck down, and cleaned" Amelie said climbing up on the pilots seat and onto the floor of the top cabin. She stepped back as the hatch to the bottom compartment opened and the two cannon crew climbed through and onto the top. "Come on Kara" Amelie said climbing down to the bottom deck, then down the ground.

Amelie puffed out her jacket and stepped out from under the Wulf to the front to watch them take down the Buck.

When the buck had been brought down and dragged away, and the netting put away, she looked up at the behemoth that was Wulf.

Soon the ringing of the bell tower came fourth, Amelie looked towards the tower. Soon a uniformed soldier came running up. "Heinrich, Taulia, Taulia Airships in the distance" Spoke the Soldier as he ran by to warn the other town watch. Amelie looked back to Wulf looking for Kara.

[skati]

Kara climbed out of the Wulf, her rifle strapped to her back. She heard the bells as she landed. Her body tensed. The bell could mean only one thing. Invasion? Now? Kara found herself hoping it was a false alarm. Regardless, she now held Eddie in her hands.

[spectrum]

Amelie, scanned for her crew, soon they came into view around a corner making it back to the Wulf as quick as possible.
“Fill up the main tank and top off the reserve tank, Check pneumatic lines and gears, I want to be up and running NOW!” Amelie spoke slightly jogging back to the chain ladder where Kara was, now with her rifle in hand. “Kara your with me… You won’t be much good on the ground with your rifle against an invasion fleet if that is truly what it comes to be… I want you to be my eyes when looking in the distance your going to be in the top hatch looking out when I tell you to, and be in the shell when I tell you..” Amelie spoke not waiting for an answer, she started to climb up the chain ladder and started checking the munitions.

She popped her head out the bottom. “MORE POWDER AND SHELLS!” Amelie said before pulling her head back in and moving to the hatch to the pilots compartment. She climbed up and out onto the head and moved to the back on top of the two powerful Engines. The Beasts were off but she could feel the rumble from her time in the machine. She looked down they were still filling the Wulf back up. These were magnificent machines but lacked the fuel, and the longevity of the parts made them in constant need of repair. They were a pain but they packed the biggest punch and brought fear into the hearts of enemy’s and allies alike.

When the Wulf was done being serviced and the crew inside she leaned back looking at Kara. “Get comfortable, sit in the top gunners chair and await for my signal to open the hatch” Amelie spoke the times in training with the training mech’s and her assigned mech the Wulf had given her the demeanor as if the armor was part of the pilots body and that they would only worry in time of battle if the mech as down, and do anything in their power to make sure that didn’t happen. But it was unmistakable Amelie didn’t quite have that demeanor there was still fear in her voice, her first bit of what might turn into action for them all. Real life or death was now seemingly at hand, as Amelie powered up the duel engines, The mech first shook with the force of the engines starting then soon changed to the deep rumble and vibrations from them running. Soon they stood at height with the buildings and moved away from the mech barn down the road in the direction of the airships.