Private Bubblegum Crisis Jar'kai 902

[Junko Ike]

The sounds were always beautiful when they arrived. Atrisia had been attacked and... they endured. She had seen the reports and they were impressive. All these governments making a brave stand, a final line against tyranny... It was quite the read. She did love the planetary devastation even though the attack had been in a small area. Jar'Kai was one city on a massive planet where the planetary shielding had never been deactivated. Most of the Atrisian ships and stations had been ignored by both sides which allowed the resource stations to deploy the noble class drones for clearing debris. THeir allies in the Kiliean and Frisal sectors within the Commonwealth had released their docked stations to repair the breakwater The attack had done things to show the people where they needed to focus. After now twelve attacks, they had little to fear and more to just be annoyed with. THe reconstructor droids were developed for that purpose and the towers with the nanite swarms.

That was why as she stood near the city walls gates she could see the massive doors opened. People were coming through as many had come back once they could get off of ships trying to take them away from the planet. Citizens were trained soldiers, the elderly and the children were able to and had gone down into the smart bunkers that would protect them. Some had been breeched and opened by both sides... the Empire to kill and the other groups to rescue them. Junko stood there as Phaidor had followed. The people had been clearing the kazue stone, repaneling with the jade wood where it had been slammed into by drop pods which those that hadn't been broken down were assembled in front of the gates. A long line.... or several. The emperor had approved a tournament as it were for the people to show they did something that they had been preparing for over twenty years now. They had survived which was the most important as they could rebuild the broken pottery.

The debut of the improved Pocket Tank MK.X was something the people hadn't been expecting... most of the wide scale improvements were not expected as Miyoung had gotten to work quickly. The fabrication and duplication engines had been able to start going to work thanks to all of the quantum energies that was being created with their displacement and teleportation to bypass defenses. It served them better as that energy had been converted into the material needed to upgrade the thick kazue stone walls. THey were adding more emplacements to the already fortified walls, new droid platforms here and on the larger walls around the city... the walls around the villages and towns that were smaller. Farmers had their protective areas as different clans close to the capital had a framework for what they could do and it all connected to the smart tunnels under the surface of the mountain and planet. Allowing rapid transportation.

Junko was able to see more, the Anshin was functioning at full capacity once again.. the disruption to the shields from the drop pods corrected, augmentation with their newest as they were installing one of the new systems that Miyoung had been developing. The planetary phantasm... a massive hardlight projector that spoofed the entire planet... over several dozen projections of the planet so all of them would look normal. She had a small place to sit as the smells of food being sold, the sounds of the citizens cheering as tanks were racing around a track... others were facing off against recovered imperial walkers and it was less for show and more like watching a sugar rushed four year old moving around a two hundred year old elderly man or woman.. no contest as it unleashed firepower. Kappa riding for the kids in some areas as they hung on with safety gear before they were being bucked up into the air. Longma riders were doing the same for the adults as it was made to be a big show.

"Well this is something fun." She said it as there were reports coming in and she had seen more. Debris had touched down and been tagged by the towers.. they would be able to purify with the solari infused nanites before it was being broken down by the planetary nanites used to maintain and reconstruct structures across the planet. The other cities were taking the new aegis and hydra network itself.. a protective network that would modernize many of the cities. She would see it done and they had the towers being brought up in more networked areas. The few they had managed to erect had been helpful, now having them able to overlap would serve better on the world. The city of Jar'kai was getting many of those upgrades itself as the cities no mans land was being filled with new defensive measures and facilities. Improving parts of the designs going around and down into areas of the mountain and underwater sea. "We'll just have to enjoy the races."

Aethelwulf Bergen

 

[Aethelwulf Bergen]

Junko Ike

---

A monthly allowance, a promise to complete the next step of her studies within the next four years (though only two were actually needed), and swearing upon her life to not enter active war zones. Those had been the terms dictated by her mother if Aethelwulf wanted to have her freedom to explore the galaxy, and not just in a come along with mother to volunteer somewhere sort of a way. The girl had screamed in excitement when they shook hands over it, and then frowned when she realized her monthly allowance would permit her to live on a good level, more or less, but only if she stayed put somewhere. It hadn't broken her mother's terms, but it was foul play nonetheless according to the teenager.

Then again, unless she was going to get a job, which she absolutely wasn't going to right now, it was what it was. However, the upbringing given to her by her mother had taught her a few tricks. For instance, sometimes, when you volunteered, or when you told your mother you needed travel funds because you were going to volunteer, it relaxed your financial constipation just a little bit. She'd used it up right away, begging her mother to give her money to travel to Atrisia. The planet had recently seen another one of those giant wars, and volunteers were needed for the aftermath.

Aethelwulf had been working all morning, assisting with moving things from place to place, pouring fresh food into the bowls of the recovering, and mostly, waiting for her shift to end. When it did, she changed into a summer dress right away, let her hair down, and hopped off to the city, ready to meet people and explore, this time sans a mother hen who would try to find her right away.

The streets pulsed with noise and light when she reached the festival grounds. She could smell fried dumplings and other spices, and hear engines revving somewhere beyond the crowd. People had gathered near the city gates to watch the new Pocket Tank MK.Xs thunder across the track, something about living proof that Atrisia could rebuild faster than anyone could destroy it.

Aethelwulf stopped at the edge of the viewing platform, breath catching at the sight of their sleek armour and the way the sunlight flashed across their hulls. She didn't just want to watch. She wanted to feel the engines, the vibration of the treads under her feet, the raw power of it. Maybe, she thought, if she smiled at the right mechanic, no one would notice one eager volunteer slipping into the line of people waiting for a ride. Her hands came up and pulled her hair down around her face a little as she began to give puppy doe eyes at the mechs that were walking around. Surely one of them would agree to help a girl out?

 

[Junko Ike]

Aethelwulf Bergen

The sounds were some of the main things to draw attention. The air in the arena crackled with energy, but the true thunder came from the Longma. These ten-foot-tall, eight-legged beasts were mountains of muscle and power, and they had no patience for riders. One after another, they erupted into a storm of bucking and spinning, their powerful legs driving into the dirt like living pistons. Riders were launched from the saddle in quick, brutal succession, sailing through the air to land in the safety of the soft soil. The crowd roared its approval for the few stalwart riders who managed to cling on, bodies swaying like sailors in a typhoon as they fought the Longma's raw power. When the time-limit horn finally blared, these victors didn't celebrate; they flung themselves from the heaving backs and scrambled, hearts hammering, toward the safety of the barricades, putting solid metal between themselves and the irritated giants. It was a thrilling, impressive display of sheer grit.

The Kappa riding that followed offered a different, more frenetic kind of chaos. The frog-mouthed creatures were smaller, hound-like in their agility, but no less determined to unseat their jockeys. They bounced and zigzagged across the field, their movements comically jerky yet surprisingly powerful, sending their riders flying in a series of undignified, tumbling dismounts that had the crowd howling with laughter. But as entertaining as the beast-riding was, the crowd had truly come for the demolition. The ground began to tremble as the tanks rolled in, their diesel engines growling in a promise of destruction. They were the main event. The air filled with the shriek of tearing metal and the crunch of collapsing structures as the armored behemoths raced, rammed each other, and reduced towers of cars and concrete to rubble. Between the orchestrated chaos, other tanks sat in demonstration areas, swarmed by eager spectators waiting for their chance to climb up, grip the controls, and feel the immense, dormant power for themselves.

Junko offered smiles and handshakes to others who were here as they moved and from the wall many more of the people were showing their pride and everything. "The relief workers who came to the planet are doing well. Some have come to the impromptu festival." She said it while looking at Junko but offering a nod. The princess got the idea and moved with a nod of her head. "They are valued and should be honored." Junko said it with a look on her face when she was moving to the end of the wall and spoke. She had many of the people around them who turned when they saw her. Those who knew and had been here before when she delivered the speech are the commencement of Syuri, an operation to purge and exile those who served Mythos and the drones brought up the image of a younger Junko standing in the same place as it talked about her speech then which had seen those who profited from their deaths.

"Citizens of the Commonwealth, sons and daughters of Atrisia, defenders and proud people of Jar'kai: We have witnessed the latest attack through two critical lenses. First, the one the galaxy chooses to see: where the established governments of the galaxy united to confront and successfully repel Imperial oppression, forcing them into retreat. And second, the one that belongs only to us: where our preparations, our relentless rebuilding, and our rigorous training were not merely rewarded, but proved to be the steel wall that saved our homes. Neither perspective is false, but one carries the truth of our own strength." She didn't discount anyone who had come... had read their articles in the galaxy yes, had seen talks about it but the Commonwealth didn't comment on that. "We welcome those who have come to aid us, those who saw an attack and wanted to help the people. Compassion like that should be valued in the galaxy."

There were cheers and it wasn't the greatest speech sure but it did provide an idea of what was happening... what was being done and seeing the people who had come here without thought of a reward well she always was warmed by that. "So we welcome them and hope that they find some enjoyment in the accommodations."

 

[Aethelwulf Bergen]

Junko Ike

---

Aethelwulf had barely finished the dumpling she'd been working on before the ground began to shake. The roar that rolled through the arena made her pulse jump and she began to look wildly around, expecting something big. She pushed through the crowd until she could see them, Longma bucking and spinning, riders thrown through the air to land in the dust while the audience erupted in laughter and awe. She'd seen holos of Atrisian beasts before, but that was so not the same like watching it live! Live, she could the smell the sweat and dirt, and the excitement that pulsed through her body made her feel so much more alive!

Then the tanks arrived. The crowd surged as the machines rumbled onto the field, sunlight flashing off their hulls, cannons tilting toward the wreckage. The air filled with the smell of fuel and ozone and every crash and shriek of metal pulled her closer. She forgot about her tired arms and the ache in her feet, all that mattered was the thunder in her chest.

When Junko's speech carried over the noise, Aethelwulf stood still for a heartbeat, caught by the words defenders and proud people of Jar'kai. It stirred something inside her, the same stubborn pride she'd inherited from her mother. She didn't quite understand why. She was not a fighter. She hadn't been here for the war. She didn't know what that war had been about. But she felt pride swell within her nonetheless.

And when the cheering started again, she moved, weaving between clusters of spectators until she reached the demonstration area where people were lining up to climb the tanks. Aethelwulf's lips curved into a grin. Volunteering, she decided, could take a very practical form.

 

[Junko Ike]

Aethelwulf Bergen

Junko watched more of them coming around as she could see the people. Many of them were excited now but others were having fun... festivals were entertainment but also the food... no matter where in the galaxy you went the food of a festival or a fair was somehow the same and different... greasy, oil filled but exploding with sugar and flavor. She was enjoying it while going down from the wall with the crowd... best seats were not well they were not on the wall they were on the ground at the edge of the small arena that had been made up. There were people able coming around as one of the announcers spoke.

"Step right up! STEP RIGHT UP! Feast your eyes upon a marvel! Straight from the brilliant, the unparalleled, the one-and-only mind of Miyoung Atrisia's very own gem of genius!" The man's voice boomed across the plaza. Junko glanced at the handmaiden, who stood rigid in her jade robes, the hood doing little to hide the blush creeping up her neck. "But don't just stare experience! We're not just giving tours, we're giving you the reins! Feel the impossible glide smoother than silk over broken cobblestones! Gawk at the sleek, unbreakable armor a mandalorian warrior reimagined! And the speed? Don't get me started on the speed! It'll leave your average swoop racer eating its dust! So, who's first? Who among you will seize the future?!"

 

[Aethelwulf Bergen]

Junko Ike

---

Aethelwulf had been swept along with the crowd, the scent of frying dough and spiced meat thick in the air, her summer dress catching the warm breeze as she slid between taller bodies with practiced ease. Festivals, Atrisian or otherwise, were always noisy, bright, and chaotic, but there was something about this one that felt supercharged, and she absolutely loved it. Maybe it was the Longma still rumbling in their pens. Maybe it was the tanks tearing apart scrap towers. Or maybe it was the fact that, for once, no one here knew her mother. No one was watching. No one was stopping her.

The announcer's voice boomed like a challenge hurled directly at her chest.

"…Who among you will seize the future?!"

Aethelwulf didn't hesitate. Her hand shot up before she even realized she'd moved. "Me!" she shouted, pushing forward, elbowing a path through the wall of excited people gathering around the demonstration yard. Someone laughed behind her. Someone else cheered her on. She didn't care. The gleaming tank sat waiting, hatch open like the jaws of some great metal beast, and every thrum of its idling engine vibrated deliciously in her ribs.

She reached the barricade, breathless, eyes wide with a kind of awe she'd never admit to out loud. Up close, the Pocket Tank MK.X was even more beautiful, all smooth angles and reinforced plating, the kind of machine that could turn an entire battlefield inside out.

Aethelwulf flashed her best, brightest smile at the technician manning the steps.

"I volunteered all morning," she said, planting her hands on the rail. "I think I've earned a ride."

And before he could answer, she was already putting one foot on the ladder, heart racing, ready to seize exactly the future the announcer had promised.

 

[Junko Ike]

Aethelwulf Bergen

The crowd cheered as the woman stepped forward and it brought Junko's attention over while she was eating one of the frozen planets. The stick in her hand holding the string which connected to the dangling orb of sweet creams swirling in different flavors. To look like a planet as the chill came off of it. It was very very frozen to be good but eating it was an artful and skill compared to many other things as the voice of the man announcing spoke. "Well the pretty lady is certainly eager and a volunteer at that. So she has our appreciation." He smiled and it was highly preformative while offering the hand for her to get up and over to the cockpit so she could sit in.

"The drivers seat will adjust and the interface will guide you through it so you can have a handle on it." He said it while moving back an onto another tank that others were getting up into. The chance to race and drive was appealing to more as Junko stood off to the side and watching. Phaidor looking at it as she moved to try it out. She had driven one in the fight and now there was a newer model. "PHAIDOR NO." Miyoung said it while she was looking at Junko for help. The woman stood tall on the tank and she held a dist to the sky. "PHAIDOR YES." She said it getting a few cheers. as Junko shook her head. "We might have doomed us all."

 

[Aethelwulf Bergen]

Junko Ike

---

Aethelwulf accepted the announcer's hand with a grin that was half gratitude and half triumph. Up close, the tank smelled… Well, she wasn't sure what she was smelling, beyond the gasoline used as fuel. There were other smells, to be sure, but she couldn't recognize them. The cockpit was surprisingly comfortable, the seat shifting around her body until she sank in like it had been made for her. Lights flickered to life across the console, symbols blooming into recognizable paths as the interface synced to her movements.

"Oh, this is dangerous," she murmured, fingers hovering just above the controls. "I love it."

The tank responded with a soft mechanical purr, almost like it approved.

Then the crowd erupted again. Aethelwulf twisted in her seat just in time to see Phaidor climbing atop another tank, arm thrust to the sky in victorious declaration. The cheer that followed was loud enough to shake dust loose from the scaffolding.

From somewhere behind her, Miyoung's cry of despair cut through the noise. Junko's dry verdict followed a beat later.

Aethelwulf laughed.

If she had ever needed confirmation that she'd chosen the right planet to volunteer on, watching a woman gleefully declare war on common sense from the roof of a prototype tank was probably it.

She braced her hands against the controls, eyes shining.

"Alright," she whispered to the machine. "Let's see what you can do."

And with the interface guiding her, she nudged the power forward, ready to join the chaos on the track.

 

[Junko Ike]

Aethelwulf Bergen

Junko watched as Phaidor reveled in the cheers with a nod of her head. Pumping her hands into the air before she was hopping into the tank. The woman sitting for a moment while it adjusted to her and the interface came on. Showing it all.. the power readouts from the reactor, the weapons might have been disabled for safety but that was fine she could still swivel the cannon and her hands were pushing it forward. The tank nudged at first but then started picking up speed.. she knew how to drive.. oh she knew how to drive as the tank was coming out fo the small gate and the sound of metal on metal came. The sensors indicating she had been riding into the gate and spoke. "Now that we have given this character."

She said it and was moving as she went further and further joining the other tanks on the track with a look at the proximity sensors. Maintaining them so she didn't scuff the others... some might not take too kindly to that but she was feeling it. The speed and the corners of the track was easier with the drift kit.. its repulsors making it so they were not losing speed as they went around them. She didn't know which tank the other girl was in but she wasn't worried about that. The guidance systems of the inbuilt droid brain would make sure she didn't crash or at least it was alerting the otherrs she was coming.. so see she was an awesome driver if no one got in the way