Message 14: Deja Vu Something Awful [Closed radio channel; filtered to anyone in Halo/PF armor]

[unrecovered]

[Wash is terse and obviously very unhappy. Not a good situation.]

In case anyone missed Luna's post, we've got four big Nightmares in the city. One of them is the Meta, or at least a Nightmare version of it, which means it's worse.

It still behaves like the Meta, which means it'll go after AI. Anyone in armor is a target, so no one goes out alone. North, South, Epsilon, you're with Carolina. Church, York, Grif, you're with me. Noble-Four, Noble-Six, either pick a team or stick together. Call for backup if you see it. Don't be a hero, don't be an idiot, and don't get killed.

Comments

[chatterbox_recon]

They didn't really equip this suit to carry a sniper, sadly.

[Oh, recon out in the field how he missed you. He definitely sounds excited.]

[spaceracist]

Bet your Spirit could carry it. He's big enough.

[And like an overexcited puppy dog, but.]

[chatterbox_recon]

Yeah, make Carter lug it around for me. [He chuckles] Nah, I can manage. It'll be nice to carry one again.

[Carter yarfing excitedly in the background? Yup!]

[spaceracist]

You can have my grenade launcher till we find somethin' more accurate.

[Aw, Emile letting one of his weapons out of his sight! How nice.]

[chatterbox_recon]

[Man. That doesn't happen ... ever. Jun's wondering if he should feel honored or frightened should anything happen to it.]

I appreciate it, man.

[spaceracist]

[Look, he missed his team, okay?]

Just till we find somethin' better.

[chatterbox_recon]

So ... what's up with these other guys? They ONI, too?

[He's been watching the other conversations and they haven't exactly instilled him with any sort of confidence.]

[spaceracist]

They wish. [Okay, nobody actually wants to be part of ONI unless they already are, but.] Far as I can tell, it's some kind of beta testing project for MJOLNIR. Armor looks a hell of a lot like ours, but they ain't augmented.

[chatterbox_recon]

I thought they looked a bit small. Is this MJOLNIR variant supposed to be used for regular soldiers?

[He hadn't thought that was possible; even the IVs he trained had to be augmented to bear the MJOLNIR.]

[spaceracist]

Think they still passed some heavy tests, but not like our training. Didn't ask too much on the details, but you're more of a talker then I am.

[And wouldn't that be something, especially if they could get the manufacturing cost down?]

[chatterbox_recon]

Heh, I'll unleash my endless charismatic charm on them, see if I can't get some more answers.

[Which wasn't as enthusiastic as it had been in the past. Still, he's curious now too about this armor, and whether it holds up to the Mark VII]

[spaceracist]

[Honestly, Emile wouldn't be surprised if Jun wasn't as enthusiastic as he had been. Orders or not, he wouldn't have gone out of armor if he felt he was more useful with it. He'd had PTSD before Reach, for God's sake.]

See if you can talk to North, he's their sniper. Maybe you two got somethin' in common.

[chatterbox_recon]

'Course we do; excellent taste in weaponry.

[A man can only take so much, and though Spartans more so than most, losing Noble had been the last straw for Jun.]

[spaceracist]

[Spartans may be able to take more, but goddamn, do they get put through more. Maybe Jun can talk to Luna with him - he'd been putting it off, but everyone said she was the closest thing to a shrink here.]

Looks like Epsilon is gonna let you have his rifle for now.

[chatterbox_recon]

[That is definitely a thing they should do.]

Excellent! He'll be alright without it?

[spaceracist]

Says he shot his own damn Spirit with it once.

[Honestly, who issues a sniper rifle to someone who can't aim?]

[chatterbox_recon]

[Jun's thoughtfully quiet for a moment.]

You know what, maybe I should hang onto it after this whole thing has passed.

[spaceracist]

Nah. Freelancers are touchy enough as it is.

Safety training, now. With a threat you'll keep it if he don't pass?

[chatterbox_recon]

That's definitely something I could get behind.