YOU'D LIKE TO THINK THAT, WOULDN'T YOU?
Seriously, though, I've really messed up the pacing on the Quattro subplot. There are segments that I've written (not posted yet) that need to happen sooner, segments I've not written that need to exist... it's pretty much, as my boss's boss would refer to it, a charlie foxtrot. >.<
But yes, this is the 'official' start of the war subplot. Not a direct lead-in to hostilities- these things need time to ramp up, after all- but the point at which combat missions start to become a bigger part of the plot. It and the bounty-hunting subplot are, collectively, tutorial mode.
**********
...aw, man! Why can't I be out destroying things?
At the end of the doctor's little speech, everybody went their separate ways. Uno and Quattro just opened up their respective interfaces, and began to research. Tre and Cinque headed down into the base, talking shop as they walked... leaving me somewhat at loose ends.
I should've expected this. What was that old military saying- 'hurry up and wait'? Well, I'm waiting.
...guess I might as well work on that spell some more. Now, where was I?
Oh, right! Inversion testing. To the containment room!
It was the work of a minute to pull up a new target, and load up what I'd been working on before the call went out. [Begin Test 2a.]
[LOADING MM-ZS-PT01. CASTING.]
WHOOSH.... SPLASH.
PWWWW-WZZZZZZ!
...
...what. What was that? [What WAS that?]
[SCAN DATA EVALUATED. READINGS CONSISTENT WITH DIMENSIONAL DISTORTION. SPACE EXPANSION TYPE. UNIDIRECTIONAL- DISTANCE- 47.2 METERS.]
[So it expanded the space the target occupied to extend off thataway?]
[AS STATED.]
[...don't give me any of that lip. Load the next spell.]
[LOADING MM-ZS-PT02. CASTING.]
WHOOSH.... SPLASH.
WZZZZZZZ-PWWWW!
[Let me guess. The space the target occupied was compressed along the same axis for a short time.]
[...]
[AFFIRMATIVE.]
I couldn't help but smile at that... while I was busy pulling up my spell design program. Grab the math from PT02 for payload, change the values to alter the location to one edge of the target and wherever I designate for the other end, add a small push effect based off of Air Comet (and pull the vector for it from the compression calcs)...
...now I just give it a name (arrange for a test dummy delivery with the other hand), aaaaaand... saved! Now to copy it, strip out the 'on-target' mechanics, and save the rough personal version before I forget. Done... finally.
[Mal, FS-PT01 (50m behind target). Cast.]
[CASTING FS-PT01.]
The spell appeared, flashed out towards my poor target... and with a visible bending of space and a relatively loud WZZZZZZZ-PWWWW!, the target disappeared, only to reappear an instant later, and fall to the ground.
[TARGET IS 48.2 METERS DISTANT. DISTANCE TRAVELED-]
[-is 42.4 meters. I know. Only 85% of expected efficiency- not all I'd hoped for, but understandable. I'll refine it when we move past prototype stage-]
"Imma, please report to the main lab."
[-after this brief interruption.]
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.
Seriously, though, I've really messed up the pacing on the Quattro subplot. There are segments that I've written (not posted yet) that need to happen sooner, segments I've not written that need to exist... it's pretty much, as my boss's boss would refer to it, a charlie foxtrot. >.<
But yes, this is the 'official' start of the war subplot. Not a direct lead-in to hostilities- these things need time to ramp up, after all- but the point at which combat missions start to become a bigger part of the plot. It and the bounty-hunting subplot are, collectively, tutorial mode.
**********
...aw, man! Why can't I be out destroying things?
At the end of the doctor's little speech, everybody went their separate ways. Uno and Quattro just opened up their respective interfaces, and began to research. Tre and Cinque headed down into the base, talking shop as they walked... leaving me somewhat at loose ends.
I should've expected this. What was that old military saying- 'hurry up and wait'? Well, I'm waiting.
...guess I might as well work on that spell some more. Now, where was I?
Oh, right! Inversion testing. To the containment room!
It was the work of a minute to pull up a new target, and load up what I'd been working on before the call went out. [Begin Test 2a.]
[LOADING MM-ZS-PT01. CASTING.]
WHOOSH.... SPLASH.
PWWWW-WZZZZZZ!
...
...what. What was that? [What WAS that?]
[SCAN DATA EVALUATED. READINGS CONSISTENT WITH DIMENSIONAL DISTORTION. SPACE EXPANSION TYPE. UNIDIRECTIONAL- DISTANCE- 47.2 METERS.]
[So it expanded the space the target occupied to extend off thataway?]
[AS STATED.]
[...don't give me any of that lip. Load the next spell.]
[LOADING MM-ZS-PT02. CASTING.]
WHOOSH.... SPLASH.
WZZZZZZZ-PWWWW!
[Let me guess. The space the target occupied was compressed along the same axis for a short time.]
[...]
[AFFIRMATIVE.]
I couldn't help but smile at that... while I was busy pulling up my spell design program. Grab the math from PT02 for payload, change the values to alter the location to one edge of the target and wherever I designate for the other end, add a small push effect based off of Air Comet (and pull the vector for it from the compression calcs)...
...now I just give it a name (arrange for a test dummy delivery with the other hand), aaaaaand... saved! Now to copy it, strip out the 'on-target' mechanics, and save the rough personal version before I forget. Done... finally.
[Mal, FS-PT01 (50m behind target). Cast.]
[CASTING FS-PT01.]
The spell appeared, flashed out towards my poor target... and with a visible bending of space and a relatively loud WZZZZZZZ-PWWWW!, the target disappeared, only to reappear an instant later, and fall to the ground.
[TARGET IS 48.2 METERS DISTANT. DISTANCE TRAVELED-]
[-is 42.4 meters. I know. Only 85% of expected efficiency- not all I'd hoped for, but understandable. I'll refine it when we move past prototype stage-]
"Imma, please report to the main lab."
[-after this brief interruption.]
My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.
I've been writing a bit.