[D11 EA] First time in the Saddle (Hanger, Expecting)

[Klaus von Zinzer]

"So, guys, gals and enby pals, do we have any wagers on how the young Lady will do?" Klaus asks, happy to play bookmaker to people if there is interest.

[GM Yuusha]

She surmised a Scorpion was a quad mech, but she didn't even know they were a thing. One thing she had learned in noble society was to shut up if you either didn't have anything to say or didn't know what you were talking about. She was both.

"Right... okay..." She tries following along as Ez points things out. It was a lot to take in. "OH! Okay." She makes sure not to go anywhere near the emergency eject. She blushes a little at Ez's crudeness, but nonetheless tilts her head to peek past Ez's butt to see the displays. "Okay... that's a lot to take in."

Lia glanced around the cockpit to see if there was a book or reference sheet. "I feel like I might need a manual at some point."

One of the assistants, a young woman with short black hair, shakes her head. "The Sergeant won't let her control it. She'll probably nearly hurl the first time she jumps."

[Ezmeralda]

"Yup, pick a mech you like, or are likely to have easy access to, like, as a Lyran, a Commando or Griffin, and ask to have a copy of the TRO printed out. Those include a cockpit layout map."

She slipped in beside Lia in the cockpit, "So any questions or are you ready to find someplace to try and fit while we go for a little trip?"

[GM Yuusha]

"Okay, I will do, but what's a T-R-O?"

Lia was nervous, yet that feeling was overpowered by how excited she was. She rubs Ez's shoulder and smiles. "I'm ready. Show me what you can do."

[Ezmeralda]

"A technical read out, likely the mechwarrior abridged copy if it is on offer," she laughed having failed to spell out the jargon at the last moment, "Not that knowing where things are and how to maintain internal components is a bad thing but that is over half the pages."

"Alright, we are preparing to take this out!" she yelled down to the ground crew.

She slipped into the pilot's chair and sealed the hatch before unzipping her suit and peeling it off down to her waist, "This thing is more for modesty than piloting. You know the procedure to start up or should I walk you through it? Some simulators do and some don't."

[GM Yuusha]

A few of the assistants who might be in the war are quick to move to the sides of the hangar. Someone else gives a signal for a hangar door to open.

"Technical read out..." Lia commits that to memory too.

Lia removed her jacket and gives a nod. "I might be a bit slow as the control layout is different, but... ah..." She points to the reactor controls. "You start there, right? Power and, oh, you need your neurohelmet so you can pass the security check."

[Ezmeralda]

"Stow your coat in the strap on the storage compartment."

"Yup, I" she put her helm on and hooked it in. She adjusted some switches causing the panel to voice: 'Reactor: Online', "And next?"

[GM Yuusha]

"Sensors." She calls back, unclasping herself to go put her jacket on the strap. She hurries back so she could strap back in.

[Ezmeralda]

'Sensors: Online' was heard as she returned.

"Alright, last step?" Easy asked, "And then we go stomp around a bit."

[GM Yuusha]

"Err, trick question. Weapons and systems." She had a smile on her face that she'd caught the trap.

[Klaus von Zinzer]

Klaus can't help but allow himself a smile. They might just find themselves an unexpected recruit...or patron.

[Ezmeralda]

Weapons: Online.
All Systems Nominal.

"Alright, we are good to go," Easy pushed the throttle forward and they began to lurch towards the hangar doors, "How do you like the ride?"

[GM Yuusha]

"It's pretty similar to the simulation. Light swaying. Suspension is better than I expected. We're pretty high up." The smile grows. "Fun so far!"

[Ezmeralda]

They moved into the yard. "Let me check my telemetry and... we are clear. You ready to jump? Because here we go!" she hit a couple switches (one giving a brief warning noise to those outside) and held down a button on her throttle as the leg jets blasted them up, over and past the perimeter fence.

[GM Yuusha]

"What, already? Wait-WHA!" Lia squeals as it feels like her stomach is lurching south. The momentary feeling of weightlessness is fun, but then comes the dread of the fall.

She held her breath.

[Ezmeralda]

"Wooooo~!" Ez howls as the Panther crashes down to the ground, "I forgot how fun those are. I mean, terrible for your aim but fun."

She glanced at Lia, "How was that for you?"

[GM Yuusha]

Upon landing Lia lets out another squeal of shock. She gives Ez a timid look as she tries getting her breathing back to normal. "Fun, but, wow. That'll... that'll take some getting used to. Is, erm, is it better because you're in control of it? Have you ever been the passenger?"

[Ezmeralda]

"Pilot seat does have better straps," she tugged one, "But it gets better once you are used to it. You up for another one?" She grinned and pointed at a hill they were approaching.

[GM Yuusha]

"Maybe some walking and running first? One step at a time...? Please?" She wasn't saying no, just 'not yet'.

[Ezmeralda]

"Oh, this is full throttle. wooo," she half-heartedly shook her hands in the air, "Bask in that almost 65 kph power. Almost highway speed! On, like, a slower one. More off ramp speed, really."

"The point is the Panther, like most mechs, aren't what you'd call fast. It gets the job done and they handle hills and forests well though," she explained as she just pushed through some trees with minimal loss of speed, "Wasps and Locusts can get proper fast though. A Locust racing a sports car probably would be a contest. Probably."