Chapter Three (C): Jake & Thorchan

[Akirapryde]

Jake and Thorchan: Going Right!

(OOC: It is understood that the party has at this time recovered the remaining of their equipment. The party weapons are still MIA, however any non-weapon has returned to its owner)

As Jake and Captain walked out of the medical bay and turned right, it became clear to them that the crew carried a great deal of mistrust in regards to the party. Both Jake and the Captain remembered that there was a large set of windows in the lounge. Instead of wasting time checking doors, the pair made for the lounge. However, on the way both men had a chance to recap the situation they found themselves in.

For Captain Eraden, the situation offered a number of puzzles but Captain Eraden couldn’t help but think about the things that led up to them being thrown back in time. Did Alice have a hand in it. She was after all Professor Angsoft’s right hand helper. Alice’s revelation was convincing but was it true, this was the most important question. As he looked around, things simply didn’t add up.

For Jake, his mind was lost in an entirely different set of questions. Most of his questions were centered on Kimiko. He couldn’t deny her beauty, but there were so much more to her. She had this open and inviting personality that drew him deeper in to her world. Despite what she said, Jake knew he heard her voice over his headset. And these feelings brought a conflict within him. Being Lyran-born and a nationalist, Jake felt a great sense of pride in his nation. But that nation was the Lyran Commonwealth of 3161. If they did travel back in time, its 3061. His Lyran Commonwealth has been born yet. It was in that moment, he wished he had paid more attention in history class than he had.

[CarcerKango]

Conflicted, Jake sighed as he walked down the hallway, rubbing the back of his head in a gesture of weariness. A hundred years, possibly, turned back. And he may never return to his own time. What would he do, then? Would he be a bystander, or an outcast? Would he be a prophet of sorts, heralding what was to come, trying to warn people of the fiery conflicts that lay ahead? It's too much, he despaired silently. Too much for a handful of average people to handle.

[Kunanaki]

Thorchan had no such thoughts. It was mainly what was going on right now, and what to do about it. "Jake, how do you see the situation we're in. Your own words." Inquired of the man to his side.

They were walking at the pace of ease established by Thorchan. With Jake wrapped up in his own mind so stiffly, he'd probably be in a rush and with his head down. Thorchan would stop that with a gentle touch to the shoulder to keep him paced at the military step pace. Moving with a purpose, without looking like you were in haste. It was a valuable thing to have. Jake seemed in trouble mentally, so the Stranger would do his best to see what he could alleviate and get the kid's head in the game.

[CarcerKango]

Jake jerked at the touch to his shoulder. He calmed down, however, as he took in his surroundings again.

"Huh? Oh, this.

"Well, if we /are/ in the past--and I'm still not sure of it to be honest--then we could change history. We're standing on a cataclysm, and a catalyst, hoping it doesn't shift beneath us and swallow us up. We could save millions of lives.
At any rate, let's check out the window."

[Akirapryde]

As Jake and Thorchan continued their search, they found themselves walking back in to the lounge. The lounge was filled with a number of crew members. It wasn’t hard to see the two units represented aboard the ship. There were the crew of the dropship its self in their Combine naval uniforms. Then there were the pilots of the air wing in their own Imperial Palace Guard uniform. The vast majority of the people within the lounge paused what they were doing just to take noticed of the pair walking in to the lounge. Within seconds everyone went back to what they were doing.

To Jake and Thorchan’s surprise, on the far side of the lounge was a set of large windows. Despite the windows. Jake couldn’t help but notice the group of crew members sitting at a table listening keenly to a story being told by that Clan Nova Cat pilot. As the pair moved closer to the window, Jake could hear what could only be a war story in the mists of being told. The story was near the beginning and seemed to be a war story from one of the most famous battles of Inner Sphere history. It was a story regarding the Battle of Tukayyid.

[Kunanaki]

Gestured to the surroundings. "The best thing we can do is keep our cool and cards close to the chest. Use every shred to our quiet advantage." offered Jake advice.

The Stranger listened into the Clan Nova Cat Pilot. That's right, weren't there some sort of inter faction rivalries that were intense in this particular piece of history. Scratching his nose, the man glanced out the window and around at the local star clusters. Jake seemed to have a cool head on his shoulders. The situation was unbelievable, but the Stranger was proud of the man. He was adapting rather well!

The Stranger didn't have such a wide access of knowledge, only his gut feelings to work off of. That and the sparks of memories as they came in here and there. In this, he would need a spark to really know about History and the Battle of Tukayyid.

[Akirapryde]

As Jake and Thorchan walked up to the table filled with crew members and the Nova Cat pilot. The focus of the attention had shifted from the Clan pilot to another member at the table. “In the heat of the battle, that was when it happened! There was the Sho Sho making her stand, alone against over fifty Clan Omnifighters across the skies of Tukayyid. While her fellow pilots were making a run for it, she stood against the might of not one, but two Clans! And it was at this moment, that the legend was born!”

There was a dramatic pause to build anticipation, “she turned her fighter around and charged in to the heart of the Clan formation. Sho Sho Tetsuhara’s fighter vanished from all radars and sensors. She flew right in to the middle of them, firing all of her lasers at any moving target. No one could touch her as she cut through their lines. As the story goes, she fought to buy her own aerospace fighters time to regroup while sacrificing herself before the Clans. But that is not what happened.” The story was compelling as the eager crew member recited the legend. “Within minutes of the battle being joined, she dropped thirty-five clan fighters by herself. Through the mystical powers of the universe she had become invisible to their targeting systems!”

It was in that moment one of the crew members spoke up, “you’re lying. It couldn’t have happened like that.” He turned to the Clan pilot, “you were there, is that true?”

The clan pilot leaned back in his chair, “I was shot down by Sho Sho Tetsuhara early on, so I don’t know about her ‘becoming invisible.’ But I can tell you that she is a remarkable pilot who did stand up against incredible odds and was victorious. The air battle what has become known as the Battle of the Jaguar and the Storm was one of the most remarkable events I had ever heard of. This one battle was the reason why I left the Clans and joined Sho Sho Tetsuhara air group.”

Another crew member spoke up to the younger members of the crew listening to the story, “supernatural powers had nothing to do with. But that doesn’t take away from the battle that she took part in. I had seen the vids of the aero-battle. The last time I had heard of anything like that was during the duel between Yorinaga Kurita and Morgan Kell. What Sho Sho Tetsuhara did that day allowed her unit to regroup against overwhelming odds. If not for her actions and those like her of the Hurricane Legion during the larger conflict, Comstar would have never had their decisive victory on Tukayyid.”

[CarcerKango]

Jake was content to listen, although he was aware of the Captain's appreciation of his calmness, and basked in it momentarily before listening to the story. It reminded him of a story he knew, about a 'Phantom 'Mech incident' where somebody disappeared from sensors in the middle of a duel. He listened to the story in awe. Clearly the unit was led by a skilled pilot.

[Akirapryde]

From what Jake and Thorchan could tell, the Battle of Tukayyid wasn't what they remembered from the history books. While the battle was no less legendary, Comstar didn't face off against the Clans alone. Under their banner, they brought within them a mercenary command by the name of the Hurricane Legion. This unit took a leading rule in the first two major battles between Comstar's factions and Clan Smoke Jaguar and Nova Cats.

Due to this, Comstar was able to hold its forces in reserve and focused on the rest of the Clan forces. As our party would remember, history cited that Clan Wolf and Clan Ghost Bear each did well and even scored victories against Comstar. It was these victories that cast a shadow over the fifteen year treaty that the Clans made with Comstar after the battle. From what our party is learning now, Comstar was able to defeat all of the invading Clans. This change in history created a stronger support for the Treaty.

Jake and Thorchan were able to learn that New Earth is the home of this mysterious mercenary command called Hurricane Legion. More importantly, Sho Sho Tetsuhara flew for the Hurricane Legion under the call sign Ronin for much of her combat history. As the conversation goes, Sho Sho Tetsuhara and her sister were cast from Combine space in shame after their father lost a critical battle and failed to take the honorable death offered to him by his superiors. During the clan invasion, Sho Sho Tetsuhara fought with the Hurricane Legion during the defense of Luthien and later on Tukayyid. She was allowed to return to the Draconis Combine as hero and had washed away the shame of her father's actions.

As the majority of the lounge were drawn in to the debate regarding the myths behind Sho Sho Tetsuhara and her skills as a combat pilot, something caught Jake's eye.

Near one of the entrances to the lounge, a shadowy figure gestured towards Jake. The figure was wearing a hooded cloak and was clearly a small framed female. In Jake's mind there was no question that this was Kimiko. However Jake could see if she was with her bodyguards. But it was clear that she wanted him to join her. She made a clear attempt to remain hidden in the shadows.

(Any character in the lounge aside from Jake: can make an optional Perception check at base +2 to see Kimiko drawing Jake away. If Jake alerts Thorchan to Kimiko's location, this check is assumed to have been a success. Jake you can, with a base stealth check, sneak off undetected. Character actions to this post are required in a timely manner, please.)

[CarcerKango]

Jake's eyes locked with Kimiko's, and as if in a dream, he crept towards her, picking up his pace to be a casual, milling stride after a moment. However, his initial moves were painfully obvious, and more than a few people followed his progress with curious, and in some cases challenging, eyes.

Regardless of this, he reached Kimiko after a moment and joined her in the shadows.