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Brave Maximus
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['New RPG'] Contact

Post by Brave Maximus »

This thread is for the events on Earth, prior to the main arrival of the Transformers.

Currently the date is May 3rd, 2017


Had a post all set up, comp shut down and lost it, I'll post it tomorrow
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Brave Maximus
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Marine Corps Base - Camp Pendleton: Company Grade Officers - Family Quarters

Post by Brave Maximus »

Captain Daniel Witwicky sat back at his desk and enjoyed something rare - silence. Little Sam was out at school and Alyssa was at work - her unit was on Anti-Terrorism drills this month, so she was in and out quite a bit. His unit, on the other hand, was on stand-down for the month, which ment he had quite a bit more free time then he was used to. Currently, he was just relaxing, enjoying the few moments of peace and quiet - because what was going to come next would pretty much ruin any downtime he would have for the forseeable future.

Part of him felt guilty. He hadn't told Alyssa anything. She was his wife... and yet... everything that happened with his father and grandfather, all the insane stuff at Sector 7.... it was hidden from the world. He did warn her that he might be deployed in the near future, and that it would be special assignment... but no other information. That was the problem with a military family.... every time you turned around... Something would happen.

Unfortunately, these moments can't last. He leaned forward and brushed the papers on his desk. Some of them were almost 50 years old, belonging to his Grandfather. Written beside his neat, proper writing was Daniel's own scrawl... little notes to himself to figure out the location.

Reaching into his desk he pulled out a rather high-tech looking cellphone and dialed the only number programmed into it.

"Simmon's? It's Sparkplug.... we need to meet."
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Brave Maximus
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Post by Brave Maximus »

Glitchy double post... sorry
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Classified Sector Seven Base, 2013

Simmons was staring off into space.

Figuratively, of course, for he was in a closed office, resting his feet on top of his table. A cup of now-cold coffee rested dangerously close between his feet and a stack of important-looking documents.

He felt tired.

Oh, it's not that Sector Seven isn't making progress, because it is. The weapons department had new prototypes up, by calculated leaking of information they've improved cybernetic and spacefaring science decades from what would've been possible with normal research and there hasn't been any more firework shows from the weird sarcophagus, or any of the older extraterrestrial specimens they unearthed.

But it was all so damn boring. Simmons had felt this nagging sense of unease since...

2012. Five years ago.

His first actual (and brief) encounter with a being of another plane. An alien? A 'god' maybe? An extra-dimensional traveller? Someone from the fourth or fifth dimension? Parallel universes? Paranormal creatures?

Simmons had poured over many books and gone through more unconventional sources in order to search for answers, yet none matched his account...

And his best bet at decoding this, that Whackity army brat... had been sent home to do his decoding work once he's determined that he didn't need to see the sarcophagus to do his work.

And, just like clockwork, a ringtone filled the room. The Sector Seven agent reached out a hand and flicked a phone identical to Witwicky's off the table, miraculously avoiding spilling the coffee in the process.

Simmons read the name of the caller (which actually ID's the device), and smiled.

"This is Simmons." The secret agent said. "Do you have something to show me?"
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Post by Brave Maximus »

"Simmons...." Daniel almost supressed a sigh, he had half hoped that the spook wouldn't answer the phone. "I do. I've figured out what my grandfather knew. It doesn't really have to do with the sarcophogus... that was my father.

"Anyway, he apparently observed a lunar collision almost on the Dark Side.... Normally this is nothing new, but he spotted flares and fire - which he though might be retro-rockets firing. What ever it was, still impacted hard, according to his notes. Over the next few months, he spotted flashes and things moving near the site. He was trying to triangulate the position, but that's when he was bought out..."

Taking a breath, Daniel readied himself for the next bit of news:

"I figured out where it is Simmons. I have the exact location. I have the location of a non-terestrial impact on the moon..... and I've been watching it. I can't explain it, but it shifts. It doesn't look like the photos my grandfather took. It doesn't look like the pictures from the lunar orbiters (which are different as well). Further more... it's bigger. We need to get up there Simmons.... so.... Can you borrow a rocket?"
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Post by Blackjack »

Classified Sector Seven Base

"One way or another, your family's got interesting information." Simmons replied to Daniel, chuckling without any hint of disappointment in his voice.

As Witwicky continued to speak, Simmons hopped off the table, his feet miraculously not knocking the coffee cup over. The Sector Seven Agent pulled out a sheet of paper and began scribbling on it with an expensive-looking ballpoint, taking notes, as Daniel spoke.

"Collision. Dark Side of the Moon. Flares. Rockets. Flashes. Movement." Simmons muttered, a silly grin growing larger and larger on his face. "Hah. The exact location... what, exactly, is up there, then?" Simmons asked. "Extra-terrestrials, huh? And all the while we've been sending probes to Mars and Titan, and instead our nearest galactic neighbour has all the aliens."

Simmons mulled as he tapped his pen against his table. "Borrow a shuttle? Maybe. You think this warrants a personal investigation, Wit-wi-ky?" The special agent had learned how to say Witwicky's name, but he still has trouble pronouncing it properly. "Not just sending up a simple probe or something?"
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Post by Brave Maximus »

Daniel smiled in response to Simmons. He knew he had him hooked. Daniel didn't care that he had to play the agent a little bit... they were both going to get what they want. What ever this was, it connected to the sarcophagus and more importantly, to the death of his parents and grandparents. This was a big part of the puzzle - and he wasn't going to let it get away.

"I figured a probe would be the worst thing we could send up...." he told to Simmons. "We'd have to cover all the telemetry. You know there's some hackers out there that will get wind of it and just wait to see what's up there.

"If we go by ourselves, we can classify it, so that only the people in the launch room know anything.... AND, when it comes time to investigate... we can just claim 'dark side of the moon' or what ever. Hell, we can claim it's a mission to the dark, looking for water or rare resources. Then we can down the satellite and no one will be the wiser. No data stream, less people... only me and a couple of astronauts."
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Post by Blackjack »

Classified Sector Seven Base

Simmons twirled the pen as he listened to Daniel's reply, the movement sending a drop of ink splashing on the folder topmost on the pile inhabiting one side of his desk. If Simmons cared or noticed, he did not show it.

"I agree with you." Simmons replied to Daniel after a short silence. "While I am confident that the tech-heads below know what they are doing and can block out any hackers... all it needs is a slip up and we'll have this all over Wackyleaks or whatever it is the kids use nowadays."

Also, the idea of a space mission excited the little kid inside Simmons.

(He always wanted to be an astronaut.)

Simmons kicked against the wall and rolled his chair across the office towards the sleek laptop tucked onto a smaller table, and began typing. "As it is, NASA's been working on a successor for the Shuttle Program, since its shut-down six years ago in 2011. Been doing so for a couple of months now. Apparently mysterious alien tech -- classified as a breakthrough, of course -- kind of sparked some interest, and we've been upgrading our shuttles for more efficient travel."

"The Orion should be launching in... three months or so, Weet-wee-cky." Simmons tapped his chin. "I can get you in. We've got spies everywhere in NASA. You've got military background, and hopefully the astronaut crash course won't be too tough for you. and I can keep in communications with you for advisory reasons. Much as I want to join you, though, sneaking you in would be already too risky."

"Give me a moment. I am conversing with our people in NASA."

Simmons continued to type, conversing with the NASA team. Agent Thompson (like Simmons, a successor of one of the earlier members of Sector Seven) was the head of the NASA team there. After a short moment, he replied to Witwicky. "You'll be drafted aboard the Orion, and you'll land on the Dark Side alone. You'll have six hours or so to explore before the Orion picks you up again. This leg of the mission will be made silent to the public and a good part of the NASA ground team other than those deemed absolutely necessary -- and I'll handle the 'technical difficulties' cover story on this end when the Orion drops you and picks you up."

Simmons paused, and sighed. "This is your own decision, right, Whit-wee-cky? You sure you want to do this? You wanna take some time to sleep on it, think about whether you want it? I'm very excited, obviously, but I'm not the type to, you know, be all Hitler and force you to do whatever I want you to do." (Simmons had trouble keeping out the enthusiasm in his voice, though) "Once I send out the word to NASA, there's no aborting the mission."

(OOC: No, Orion's not a cheap uninspired Transformers reference. It's a real, as-of-the-time-of-writing still WIP shuttle for crewed missions to the Moon. In the RPG-verse, by 2017 I'm assuming S7 interference led it to be built.)
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Brave Maximus
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Post by Brave Maximus »

"One of these days I'm going to teach you how to pronounce my name Simmons....." The words were out of Sparkplug's mouth before he could stop it - Still, it was the truth....

"3 months until launch.... which means I'm going to need to hit that boot camp 9 weeks before... at the latest... so let's say 11 weeks...."

Daniel folded his hands and tried to think for a moment - that means he would have to leave within the next week. They could find additional help for Sam and to help Alyssa out...

And he'd be going alone. He was never afraid of a mission, but everyone knew that one was not the best choice for things. Maybe he could talk to Simmons about that one. Still.....

"I'm in Simmons. I want this mystery solved. Though I don't think this will provide all the answers - but it's a start. I've been thinking on this for a while, since I found the location.

"I have concerns though Simmons. The last time my family came close to this.... the all died. I want protection for my family while I'm on mission. Either someone covering them while they're off base, or transfer them to a secure base, I don't care.... but that part is non-negotiable. You can probably work it out with her command as Second Lieutenant Stall."

That should cover the family. Alyssa would hate it of course, but he couldn't do any less. As a matter of fact, he'd have some of his men keep an eye on them as well....

"Lastly, are you sure about me going alone? I'm not exactly a diplomat - and this could be pretty major? I'm a little uncomfortable with going solo, but if that's what you think the mission needs - I'll do it."
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Post by Blackjack »

Classified Sector Seven Base

"But I pronounced it the way it is written, no? Weet-wee-kee?" Simmons replied to Sparkplug, a confused frown on his face. The Sector Seven Agent listened to Witwicky as he spoke, grinning.

"I want answers as much as you do, so we agree on that front." Simmons grinned unsettlingly. "Ah, yes. That mysterious phenomenon. The research department still have no leads on who killed your family, I'm sorry to say. Regrettably that bit isn't my department, but you'd think they would've gotten some information for us by now."

Simmons nodded. "Protection is no problem, Weet-wee-kee. No need for negotiation at all. So long as you give your family a cover story. Like, oh, you're being targeted by ninja assassins or something, just not, well, the A-word." Simmons tapped his fingers on the table. "Transferring them to a secure base would be easier for us to keep an eye on them. I'll have Agent Howard -- you know him, don't you? -- keeping an eye personally on them."

Simmons grinned. "I'd be more comfortable if you went alone than with a bunch of non-informed people. And you won't be alone, I'll guide you via live communications. Technology would allow that to occur... it'll just cost one hell of a phone bill." Simmons frowned. "Just don't try to start an inter-galactic war."
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Post by Atif »

OK, let me start off by stating that I've not gone mad, and, even as a boy, I recognised the difference in quality between the US and UK-originated stories, especially once Uncle Bob's earlier inspiration had started to run dry (some of his earlier work was quite good, and the thrust of my argument later largely stems from his best work). I also preferred the art of the likes of Geoff Senior to US art, but, that said, I never cared much for Dan Reed, say, so I didn't automatically love anything that came from Marvel UK just because of its origin



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Post by abeha »

"I agree with you." Simmons replied to Daniel after a short silence. "While I am confident that the tech-heads below know what they are doing and can block out any hackers... all it needs is a slip up and we'll have this all over Wackyleaks or whatever it is the kids use nowadays


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