Howdy.

You gonna hop on? I've gotta move quick.

[the-abmis]

[An armored van begins to pursue the plane, bringing a radio signal with it.]

Well, howdy, there. Fancy seein' you again. - @hunterbusdriver

<< Ah you must be thinking of my predecessor. This is the JANE “Cloudy”. Who am I speaking to? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, what happened to them?

[the-abmis]

<< They went AWOL and I am their replacement. Please state your business. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I was jus' catchin' up with an old buddy. Y'know how it is.

Cloudy, eh? Nice name. You're GBI too, I'm guessin'?

[the-abmis]

<< Yes. I am proudly a part of the GBI. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

That's good to hear. Shame that ABMIS turned traitor.

[They feign bitterness as they grab their portable radio, searching for their suit.]

[the-abmis]

<< I am not sure what you mean. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Nevermind.

How long has ABMIS been gone?

[the-abmis]

[An armored van begins to pursue the plane, bringing a radio signal with it.]

Well, howdy, there. Fancy seein' you again. - @hunterbusdriver

<< Ah you must be thinking of my predecessor. This is the JANE “Cloudy”. Who am I speaking to? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, what happened to them?

[the-abmis]

<< They went AWOL and I am their replacement. Please state your business. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I was jus' catchin' up with an old buddy. Y'know how it is.

Cloudy, eh? Nice name. You're GBI too, I'm guessin'?

[the-abmis]

<< Yes. I am proudly a part of the GBI. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

That's good to hear. Shame that ABMIS turned traitor.

[They feign bitterness as they grab their portable radio, searching for their suit.]

[the-abmis]

[An armored van begins to pursue the plane, bringing a radio signal with it.]

Well, howdy, there. Fancy seein' you again. - @hunterbusdriver

<< Ah you must be thinking of my predecessor. This is the JANE “Cloudy”. Who am I speaking to? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, what happened to them?

[the-abmis]

<< They went AWOL and I am their replacement. Please state your business. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I was jus' catchin' up with an old buddy. Y'know how it is.

Cloudy, eh? Nice name. You're GBI too, I'm guessin'?

[the-abmis]

[An armored van begins to pursue the plane, bringing a radio signal with it.]

Well, howdy, there. Fancy seein' you again. - @hunterbusdriver

<< Ah you must be thinking of my predecessor. This is the JANE “Cloudy”. Who am I speaking to? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, what happened to them?

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, phew. I was just hoping you didn't steal our kill through some absurd time shenanigans! We judged Them to be... not very good :). You don't have to worry about Hell anymore, though! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Nah, we're gonna have to in a little while.

[the-abmis]

<< Wait, what? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, y'know. Events and plans and all.

Also I literally have fought a half-demon and killed numerous full demons

[the-abmis]

<< Friend, I'm not quite sure how you did that. But fair enough! You interested in a job? Or are you a more self employed, boots on the ground type fella? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I got somethin' of a moral compass, y'know. Meager scraps, but it's still there.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, that's quite a shame. I would have thought a person like yourself would be only gifted in physical navigation, but oh well! >> << (Hmm, backup seems a bit slow...) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

And what's that suppose to mean, wise guy?

[They chuckle.]

[the-abmis]

<< Hey, I used to be a hitman before all this. Would have thought I'd come across a similar soul to mine, but clearly I was wrong. >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Well, in the end, ain't we both a couple'a souless fucks?

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, phew. I was just hoping you didn't steal our kill through some absurd time shenanigans! We judged Them to be... not very good :). You don't have to worry about Hell anymore, though! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Nah, we're gonna have to in a little while.

[the-abmis]

<< Wait, what? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, y'know. Events and plans and all.

Also I literally have fought a half-demon and killed numerous full demons

[the-abmis]

<< Friend, I'm not quite sure how you did that. But fair enough! You interested in a job? Or are you a more self employed, boots on the ground type fella? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I got somethin' of a moral compass, y'know. Meager scraps, but it's still there.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, that's quite a shame. I would have thought a person like yourself would be only gifted in physical navigation, but oh well! >> << (Hmm, backup seems a bit slow...) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

And what's that suppose to mean, wise guy?

[They chuckle.]

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, phew. I was just hoping you didn't steal our kill through some absurd time shenanigans! We judged Them to be... not very good :). You don't have to worry about Hell anymore, though! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Nah, we're gonna have to in a little while.

[the-abmis]

<< Wait, what? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, y'know. Events and plans and all.

Also I literally have fought a half-demon and killed numerous full demons

[the-abmis]

<< Friend, I'm not quite sure how you did that. But fair enough! You interested in a job? Or are you a more self employed, boots on the ground type fella? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I got somethin' of a moral compass, y'know. Meager scraps, but it's still there.

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, phew. I was just hoping you didn't steal our kill through some absurd time shenanigans! We judged Them to be... not very good :). You don't have to worry about Hell anymore, though! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Nah, we're gonna have to in a little while.

[the-abmis]

<< Wait, what? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Oh, y'know. Events and plans and all.

Also I literally have fought a half-demon and killed numerous full demons

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, phew. I was just hoping you didn't steal our kill through some absurd time shenanigans! We judged Them to be... not very good :). You don't have to worry about Hell anymore, though! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Nah, we're gonna have to in a little while.

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[the-abmis]

<< Jesus fucking Christ! I... don't know how to respond to that one! >> << Wait, you didn't kill... God as in the Abrahamic one, right? That guy's just dead? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Partner, I got no fuckin' clue. I dunno if They ever existed in tha first place.

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

<< Not really! I've never met a god before. Not that I know of, at least! >>

<< Why? Is there some kind of god-slaying weapon you have? A sword, or something? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Ah, nah, I ain't at the level to kill 'em myself- bein' a mortal.

But I can make 'em ripe for pickin'. Lost m'god-slayin' tools, tryin'ta find 'em again..

Y'know unicorns? [They laugh cheerfully]

She really put up a fight, there. Got a nasty scar on my arm right 'ere! But Pegasus paid handsomely.. shame, unicorns were really pretty beasties. Nice, beacons of hope n' all that.

[hunterbusdriver]

[shuffling, muttering] Hello? This thing on? Uh, hi! Anyone on this... frequency? That's what it's called, I think.

Eh?

[home-soon]

Hi, yes, hello! How are you?

I am on the road and have nothing better to do, so might as well figure out how to use this radio.

[hunterbusdriver]

Mmm. And who'm I speakin' to?

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[the-abmis]

<< Awww, come on! Realistically, everyone's full of themselves, all the time! Why not boast while you're still around to have it effect you? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hmm. Alright.

Y'know how, when gods die, what they represent dies too?

[Hunter lays on their back. Just vibing.]

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh believe you me, I'd love to bust some heads too. Sadly, it's a "breeeeeeach of commmmpany proootocol" to literally bust heads, so the metaphorical kind is all I've been doing for the last month or so. Those poor engineers have been in integration hell, while I've been in literal integration hell! Though I must ask- what kind of busting have you done? You seem awfully confident on the subject! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Aw, I don' wanna sound fulla' myself.

[hunterbusdriver]

[shuffling, muttering] Hello? This thing on? Uh, hi! Anyone on this... frequency? That's what it's called, I think.

Eh?

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Quite swimmingly! I'm pointing over a hundred electronically powered devices of war at someone. How's the weather down there, groundie? >>

<< Hmm. That plasma blast is probably not going to just buff out. But hey! It'll give the eggheads back at base something to bust their heads over :). >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Presumin' it ain't gonna eventually cause some havoc?

Would love to bust some GBI heads wide open.

[the-abmis]

[An armored bus speeds under the ABMIS, following it closely.]

<< Wa-hey, who're you little guy? ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here! What's your business in these parts? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

What's yers?

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, y'know, just a quick ol' test flight to see how good my hardware's doin. You? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm. Jussa huntin' trip. Hol' on.

[A hatch opens up on the armored bus, and out crawls out a person in a black biker-esque type of armor, wielding a cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< Ooh, hunting? What of? I've not heard of anyone hunting anything around these parts! >> << [a sharp shriek of electronic feedback] >> << Sorry! Still getting all these systems and injects under control. It's quite complicated up here! >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Hm. Just a typa' bird.

[The person aims directly at one of ABMIS' wings and fires the cannon.]

[the-abmis]

<< OOH! Bird hunting? What kind of bird? Is it big? >> << Whoops- watch out down there. Something just popped up on sensors! Might have been an earthquake or something. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, would we? That just wouldn't be very [STATIC], hmm? >>

<< [The cannon shot fails to shoot high enough or fast enough to do any significant damage.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

(Damnit.. this one won't work. This guy stupid or fuckin' wi' me?)

Sure is. Gimme a second.

[The person on the bus retreats back inside.]

Mind flyin' lower so I can take a better look at'cha? If yer amenable, o'course. Jussa bit curious.

[the-abmis]

<< Oh, so sorry, but I'm not allowed to deviate off of this flight path! It's my maiden flight, you see- it'd be a terribly misinformed decision to fly lower than prescribed by HQ. Perhaps you'd like a flight up, instead? If that's quite alright with you. :) >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Mm, I think I'll be fine. I get it, though.

[The person comes back out with a much, much larger cannon that they seem to be straining to carry. It glows blue as it prepares to fire.]

So, what company are ya for?

[the-abmis]

<< The good ol' GBI, of course! Who else could have produced such a large and great plane? Heheh! >> << (Oh! Something on radar! Wonder what that is..?) >>

<< [The sound of readying railguns echoes throughout the valley. The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" starts their planned descent to 30,000 feet] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

GBI?

Ooh, that makes a lot of sense. Thought I saw green on ya, haha! Good folk they are.

[The cannon fires, firing plasma at ABMIS' wing as it begins to descend.]

[the-abmis]

<< Heh heh heh! We sure are! >> << [The ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" begins to descend, and a lance of plasma blows a not-insignificant hole in its left wing. Backup nanites quickly begin to patch the hole, but the plane veers left by a little bit, and loses approximately a hundred feet.] >> << ...what was that? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I'unno.. crazy as hell, that came outta nowhere.

[Beneath their helmet, Hunter grins as the cannon charges again.]

[the-abmis]

<< ABMIS "Hallowed Ground" here. Hey stranger, I didn't get your name! Mind givin' me some information as to your intent? How's'about some IFF data, if you have any? It might come in very, veeeeeeeery handy, soon... >>

<< [The sound of railguns arming shrieks through the air. Hatches across the "Hallowed Ground"'s ventral half open up, and hundreds of almost bus-sized turrets crop up. Some are armed with railguns, and others missile racks, some even sporting point-defense systems or ECM feedback nodes. A large, circular door spirals open on the bottom of the plane, showing a huge, train-sized laser system complete with targeting nodes and point defense. Electronic warfare screams into the valley, and the sound of gears and motors rolls over the hills and forests. A test run was ordered, and that includes weaponry.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

I told you.

[This time, they aim for the very center of the aircraft.]

I'm a Hunter.

[They fire.]

[the-abmis]

<< A Hunter, you say? Well, this seems like a good time to test that new GBI defense system! >> << [The airplane suddenly stills from its forward and downward momentum, appearing to hover in place for a split second. Then, a burst of green-blue energy spirals out of the ABMIS's central laser, and time fractures around the plasma. The ABMIS is enshrouded in sky, and the air around it hums with energy.] >> << [Unfortunately, this gout of superheated material isn't the direct weapons fire the system was designed for, so it quickly overheats and a splash of magma splats onto the laser's barrel. That thing isn't firing again anytime soon, but the active-temporal defense system is already activated.] >>

[hunterbusdriver]

Couldn't make this easy, huh, big bird?

I'm a patient guy, lucky fer me.

[the-abmis]

<< Ho-ho-ho! You'd better hope you are! >> << Unfortunately for you, I'm just a lowly intelligence-gathering plane. Have you heard of this thing called GPS? It's quite fun! You should try getting pinpointed on it sometime. Maybe even right now! But alas, I'm only training 150 railguns on you at the moment. No more, no less! Though I'd much rather not fire on the ground- there may be untoward animal casualties. >> << So, for the moment, we're stuck with each other. How is your fine day going, little fox? >>

[hunterbusdriver]

[Hunter snorts and sits down, the cannon fully charged]

Well, I've got over a hundred railguns pointed at me at the moment. Yers?