|
Post by Maxine on Mar 13, 2020 6:05:28 GMT -8
“…I see. So what you’re saying is – you didn’t manage to bring Jack Raker to me. Is that correct?”“Yes, sir. My team did our utmost, but that man… he’s a professional. Ex-special forces, with qualification and training from six different nations. He knows every trick in the book. In several books! And that experimental weapon he stole from our labs… it seems like it’s very powerful.” “And can you tell me anything I don’t know?”“Sir… what is that weapon, exactly? Without your details on its potential, we don’t know how to face it. I’m aware it’s meant to be classified, but it’s – well, it’s full of surprises…”“No. The only surprise here… is your incompetence!”The man easily stood at 6’, in black military garb; padded with armour and scrawled with skulls. Yet, he didn’t tower over his company – he was only an inch or so taller than the man; a similarly built albeit dark-skinned soldier with more professional garb, albeit with a blue beret that stood out like a sore thumb. While his face bore untold fury, the taller man merely stared his accomplice down… before turning around to face the wall of the facility. “Thankfully, I don’t believe I’ll need you any longer. You and the rest of your forces are no longer worth my time, or my money. As you have… ‘tried your best’, I shall give you a vision of the future – allow me to introduce your replacements.”The wall slowly opened, gradually revealing another room – white tiles, fluorescent lights; and countless rows of androids. Though they still had human skin, their identity was clear at a glance by their glowing red eyes and the serial numbers printed on their foreheads. All of them were clothed in smooth, futuristic armour; more akin to diving suits that anything armoured or practical. Slowly, the taller man waltzed up to one, gesturing for his company to follow. “As you can see, Major… unlike you, this new line of machines does not even flinch at the sight of danger – even though I think it’s perfectly understandable for anyone to cow before me, even a… ‘professional’, such as yourself. But, they have a host of other benefits.”Raising a hand, the man clicked his fingers; and a large monitor slowly descended from the ceiling… but, it was totally blank. Yet, he continued – “Able to withstand the force of a tank shell. Faster than a Saiyan in flight. And most of all –”The hulking man placed a hand on the android; gentle, at first. But, with an expression of depraved pleasure, he gradually began to crush its forearm… it simply crumpled in his grasp, squeezed until it was completely disfigured; and then wrenched from its socket with a spray of white blood. While he relished in the violence, the machine did not move a muscle. “...most of all, it is unfeeling.”A moment of pause, while he worse such an intensely vicious expression…
"Unlike you."
That powerful arm reached out, and -
stopped, floating with an empty grip in midair; only grasping at a camera's lens.
“Cut! Finally got that shot done. Take five, everyone; take ten, actually, make-up crew’s gonna be a while. Get that machine fixed, and move to set thirty-three. Make sure the CGI crew know they can start painting in that monitor sequence now that we're done here; at least 'til it ends up on the cutting room floor. Whoever found those Azure guys who can actually act, get them rounded up again; they’re needed for the next set of scenes. If they’ve repainted that APC, then that’ll be good to have in the background for foreshadowing as well; otherwise we’ll stick with the prop one. Okay, double-time! O-On that break!”------------------------- The tingling sensation after reattaching her original arm was deeply uncomfortable. It’d be around for a good few days… but a job was a job. And what a job it was. Maxine had gone through a lot of odd work under the yakuza’s orders over the years – golf caddy, party MC, and drift racer (just once, it was mostly just embarrassing); but this was something new. Movie star… well, no. Technically, she was a stuntman, but really she was more of a particularly convenient prop. Who doubled as a make-up artist. And personal assistant. And coffee slave. At least she got to wear her suit. Off the set, anyway… Suffice to say, it wasn’t much of a high budget project, but they’d cobbled together enough from investors to bring in some… interesting extras. Of course, the real big shot and surprise was Mister Brussels himself, the iconic Jack Raker; an Earthling intelligence agency analyst who matched his extreme intelligence with the mercenary training he learnt after a Saiyan coup went sour. And now he faced off with the worst foe of all – a multiple movie contract with a company that suddenly went downhill, leaving the famous actor and character in this mess. Of course, a few other stars were on that list too, but Maxine definitely wasn’t… and, personally, she was far more fascinated in one of their other interesting choices. That small entourage from a PMC was the one she’d had her eye on. Apparently they did this work a fair bit… or so she’d overheard, from that overeager girl with pink hair. Maxine still wasn’t sure she believed that she was in the organisation, but… she had to take it at face value for now. She’d heard of their name before; she’d even had one client suggest she might have had a background with them. Apparently they were the professionals among professionals. She was a little starry-eyed, but… their time with the Central City’s defence forces made her more wary. Efficient, personable, and… far too clean. Very insular… Sensational equipment, though. The things she’d do to try out one of those MA-422 microguns they’d been field-testing in their appearance a few months back. She’d tried an LMG before, and that’d been thrilling enough; but that new personnel-carried model was very exciting. Sure, the scaled down vehicular miniguns built for power armour were nice, but you couldn’t really feel the weapon’s roar in them, from what she had heard. User-selectable rate-of-fire, good onboard ammunition load, that ever attractive ammo feed chute, and, most of all, that wonderful number – '13,500 rounds per minute'…For now, though, work came first. While idly working her right arm to try and get the tubing worn in (new parts were always a bit stiff), Maxine headed through the makeshift accommodation on set – she’d gotten to know it pretty well by now. Reaching the end, she checked her tablet… she needed to check in on – hm, ‘Miss Azure’? She’d been out when she checked half-an-hour back, so hopefully she’d be luckier this time. ”Miss Azure, it’s the director’s… personal assistant’s assistant, here. The director is asking for your advice for the formations in the next action shot.” stated the android, giving the door a sharp knock; ”He’s still insistent that he’d like you in a scene, so I’ve also been asked to help you get ready for that as well, if you’re willing. I understand you had some… disagreements about the script earlier. Ah, and I have your coffee, of course. Marshmallow and all.”She tried to keep her own thoughts out of it, but inwardly she wasn’t too impressed herself. For having a PMC on staff, they definitely didn’t want to portray any firefights realistically… but, she was but a machine. Creativity wasn’t her strong suit. Best to leave it to the professionals. …hadn’t she heard the name Miss Azure before, though? [1278/1278/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Apr 3, 2020 4:36:11 GMT -8
"Two simple C's, Major," a deep, stern voice could be heard just on the other side of what bare bones accommodation was put up for any sort of privacy on the set, "Cover and concealment. This is a basic tenet of combat. Even older war films understood this."Colonel Azure wagged a finger at the holographic projection of the script, and the positioning of various simulated troops on the planned set. It was a tactical catastrophe. "But to invent such a process that eschews realism for spectacle..." She waved her finger and the simulation played out. The troops would rush out into the open in coordinated, outdated formations and open fire on the protagonist - played by GWF champion Brussuls - who would then avoid their fire in a truly stylistic-looking fashion closely akin to martial arts katas. ”Major, what does this look like to you?”Major Carnation reclined into the long white couch, part of a living room set also including a pair of easy chairs. She placed her boots up on the coffee table that filled the space in between the three sitting furniture pieces and contemplated, toothpick in her mouth in place of a cigarette thanks to this no smoking area. ”Looks like one-a those East City ‘Low-Pow’ martial arts flicks, but with guns thrown inta the mix. Gotta say, Hoss, it looks some purdy durn impressive fight choreography.””I see your interest in films extends beyond the Wild South.” As a film aficionado of some sort, she surely should have had appreciation for some other genre. This was the nail on the head. ”Ah like movies, and ah cannot lie, Hoss,” she chewed into the toothpick. ”The thing is, Jack Raker’s always had this as ‘is signature fightin style. It’s integral to the character’s lore.”Azure sighed and rubbed her nose. ”Yes, but soldiers have our own form of CQC. This isn’t it.” ”Methinks the Colonel’s havin trouble reconcilin reality with ennertainmunt,” the Major flicked the chewed up toothpick into the nearby trash bin, replacing it with a fresh one dropped from her little toothpick box. Her comment was met with the steely gaze of a narrowing pair of azure eyes. Carnation raised her hands in a shrug. ”Jus’ sayin.”Fortunately, this was her field of expertise, and as adjutant, she played a crucial role in mediating between the Colonel and the movie people. Executives, crew, everyone. The silence that followed would have been unbearable for any lesser person, especially given Azure’s reputation to the battalion as the very stern mother. The silence broke when a third voice joined in on the conversation, one that followed a knock on the door. She introduced herself as the director’s PA, an android who also happened to serve a number of production roles behind the scenes, plus a third role as a stuntman. Truly a very useful personage, one would wonder what she was doing running all these errands in the industry. Carnation puckered her lips and the toothpick pointed at the door. Azure sighed and waved in acknowledgement with her hand. The grey boots slid off the mahogany table and hit the floor as the adjutant stood up and opened the door. ”Well ain’t this a nice surprise!” She greeted the android with a grin. ”The Colonel’s just ‘bout ready ta talk formations and the script, so why don’tcha mosey on in an’ help ‘er get dressed?”The truth, of course, was that the Colonel had completely forgotten about the proposed part she would play, focusing instead on the technical minutiae of the combat choreography. Everything about the weapons, the safety handling, the Dragoons could handle that easily. It was the direction they were given that was seen as the problem. But as for her own role… that was a completely different beast. As Carnation escorted the PA inside, the Colonel glanced down at another tablet, this one displaying the role description with script on the lower lines. This wasn’t exactly what she’d signed up for. As much as the Dragoons would take any sort of funding during relative peacetime, she expected herself to be more of a consultant, with the boys and girls playing extra parts as needed. But to actually take a role on screen and act? Well… General Cerola was certainly experienced in acting. But her role as Colonel Azure meant that she was straightforward, stern but fair. Just another soldier who sought an… outer haven for her men to be able to do as they would. To showcase the ability to act might not be a big deal to most, but to the discerning of her potential clients, it would mean she might lose some credibility. It would bring up the question of how much of her was real, and how much was acting for PR. On the other hand, publicity for the Dragoons was a good thing. So then… Azure picked up the tablet and held it in her off-hand, as she extended her dominant right hand to the PA. ”Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am the commanding officer of Azure’s Dragoons, Colonel Azure.”She led their guest to the living room set and took the tray with the drinks, setting it down on the coffee table as she sat in one of the two opposing easy chairs. Taking the cup from the tray, the Colonel took a short sniff and nodded in approval, before beckoning the PA to sit across from her. Carnation took her place on the couch, though as per how she acted in the presence of outsiders, she kept her feet down. ”Before we get to the proposal and preparation for my onscreen part, I would like to start by saying I understand that this series of films is known for its fantastic gunfight choreography. And while I do have my own thoughts about it,” Her eyes briefly wandered to the frozen projection of a dozen fake corpses lying almost artistically in a circular pattern around the lone standing figure of the protagonist. ”I would like to have your own opinions on the question of the formations.”Depending on how they were built, androids could be anything from mindless drones, to actual people. Now she wanted to gauge how far this one would be on the spectrum. After all, if the director was going to have her liaise between the Colonel and himself, then she should at least be a reliable one. How much of her multi-purpose activity was programming, and how much of it was experience? WC: 1137/2415/14000 Maxine
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2020 8:10:06 GMT -8
The shadowy board of directors presiding over her super soldier program had contacted Tangerine with a request—one that sought to humiliate her far beyond what had ever been acceptable parameters. The bioengineer understood that in some ways, this program was a way to both reward her initiative and courage in transforming herself into the quintessential super soldier—a flawless melding of flesh and machine—as well as keep her under strict surveillance. The proverbial noose of their authority around her neck was embarrassing enough. But this? This was unthinkable. She grumbled to herself as she followed the set assistant to the rooms housing the actors and stuntpersons. The ISLET subcommittee had informed Tanga in no uncertain terms of her mission—infiltrate the movie set as a stunt person for hire, and compromise the action-movie hero known as Brussels the Muscles. They wanted a strong ally in the entertainment industry, and they expected Tangerine to procure his loyalty or at the very least, establish herself as an acquaintance. Anyone could see it was utter nonsense! This was just one of the many ways they sought to remind the ambitious doctor that she was but a pawn in their game; she was no more than a chess piece to be moved about at their discretion. So far, it was working. The T-shirt emblazoned with the famous actor's face and studio's logo they provided was far too small and kept bunching up around her ample chest so that Tanga struggled to tug it back down and not expose her chiseled midriff. Considering her great strength, this would be quite the task. Ripping the shirt would only draw more undue attention to herself, and she didn't want to tear away what was barely there to begin with. With a huff and a pout, Tanga shoved past the stage hand and pushed open the door to the room. She spied three women already occupying the room. Two were unfamiliar, but one of them... Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head at the sight of the renowned General Cerola. What was someone of HER caliber doing here!? Of course, ISLET didn't bother to tell her there was another asset in play. Probably as a back-up measure in case Tanga failed at her own mission. Figures. Not wanting to seem obvious that she recognized the general, Tanga decided to forego any greeting and stomped over to the coffee pot to pour herself a cup. It was flat and listless, much like her own enthusiasm with this "mission". It kept her out of her lab, which meant she couldn't run diagnostics with her team and there was still the problem of determining her great loss of fighting power since her last excursion into cryostasis. Not to mention the looming threat of the escaped Saiyan subjects. So much work to do, and so little time to do it. This was an utterly ridiculous assignment. (487 words) (2902 of 14000 words)Emargine "Azure" Cerola Maxine
|
|
|
Post by Maxine on Apr 4, 2020 4:20:11 GMT -8
Hearing the thud of boots beyond the door, Maxine anticipated trouble – a PMC owner… well, that could mean anything. She braced herself a little as the door opened; she ought to be on her best behaviour regardless! That said, no amount of mental preparation could prepare her to handle a pastel pink cowgirl. S-She was the one in charge? No way. Maxine had spied her before, but thought little of it. Perhaps she’d… ah, nevermind. Though, she wasn’t sure what ‘mosey’ meant…
”Yes, understood. I hope I didn’t come at an inconvenient time.” remarked Maxine graciously; as frustratingly polite as ever. With her little tray in hand, she’d let Carnation lead her inside, where she first met the Colonel… Maxine couldn’t help but jump a little bit. W-Was this for real? Meeting her here, of all places? Geez, well, she could never say that her job was ever boring!
The violet-haired android’s eyes sparkled with recognition, and her stoic aura crumpled completely; replaced with the look of a starstruck high school girl in front of her favourite boy band – a much closer simile than it had any right to be. It all added up! ‘Azure’, ‘Azure’, duh! Not that there was any lack of people named after colours, but this was the ‘Azure’! The Azure Clause; the Dragoons; the professionals! The professionals among professionals! Sure, not the biggest or scariest PMC nowadays, but they were her favourite. She remembered the day her firearms magazine arrived, several years ago, and had that sensational spread about them… she’d even had that poster up for a few months. She’d lost interest in all that business over the years, but the sight of the Colonel herself reconnected those little wires in her head. Probably literally wires…
A-And. Um. She was. Err. Um! Maxine just stared for a few seconds. W-Well! She didn’t consider herself to be someone who got too preoccupied with looks, and she was a machine, so she wasn’t qualified for matters such as… romance, or the like. B-But, she felt like something finally clicked right now. A little saying she’d heard a few times… ‘nothing like a lady in uniform’. Sure, she was proud of her suit, but right now – she felt rather outgunned.
It’d take a few seconds before Maxine stopped giving the Colonel a doe-eyed stare and realised that there was a hand extended towards her. ”Yes! Understood! UN-11 Maxine. I’m merely a personal assistant here. I-I, ah, it’s an honour to – m-meet you!” At first, the lady tried to bow as per usual, only to remember what a handshake was. She’d take it, of course, but her stiffness would be obvious. S-She was trying her best, though! Really! Really really! Internally, the poor girl was having a (thankfully metaphorical) meltdown, and for once… it was kind of obvious externally as well. A robot built to blush… curse those demons.
Nodding meekly, she’d just follow the pair – Cerola would have to wave a few times before she’d finally take the hint and sit; clearly totally out of her depth all of a sudden. She’d awkwardly survey the little living room as the Colonel spoke – little? This was far nicer than her quarters… err, but, she was an android, so her living requirements were… rather scarce. Checking her tie, Maxine did everything she could to regain her composure… she couldn’t let her RAM be wasted on getting flustered! Gradually, she got a handle back on herself. The distraction of the projection particularly helped, and the… treacherous, but straightforward question.
”I must admit that I have very limited experience in cinematography, but… while I see them being effective from a media standpoint, I think they could be more… reasonable. The use of improvised weapons is very typical of urban combat; and I think the choice of guns is exceptional, if not always practical; but the formation and tactics involved are not – ideal, to me. Surely amongst that number of armed accomplices at least one would just wait until Mister Raker needs to reload before making such an advance? But, I did also notice that Mister Raker also often does not account for the additional bullet in the chamber during his reload procedure – which is exceptional, I must admit – and his safety is often off while it is holstered, so I got the distinct impression that… the circumstances were not exactly… realistic… b-but, I am just a machine, so I cannot claim to understand the creativity involved…”
Trailing off like a student asked to give their essay in front of the class, Maxine gradually got the feeling that maybe she was talking to herself again, and this was a trap question – it wouldn’t be the first time. Especially given her hobbies were rarely shared; at least never to the degree that she cared for them. But, she’d try and recover! ”Perhaps you should talk to the production designer or cinematographer? I think they might be – eh?”
With a thud, the door swung open – and, well, Maxine was back to looking like a kitten. T-T-Tall! W-What was this situation?! First the cabaret, and now this… she was a worthless professional! She was getting distracted by everything! But, seriously, with looks like that, who wouldn’t be…?! No, no no no, she should focus! This would be her chance to regain her dignity! ”Oh, e-e-excuse me, Miss. Are, you, err –“ Maxine stalled for time, eyes zipping along the new lady’s top for a name badge – she found one, but, uh, she felt like she lost more dignity than she gained. The poor android went a deep shade of red again. She was feeling very, very small right now… g-g-gotta disarm this situation! The new guest looked kind of mad!
”A-Ahem! So, you’re in the stunt crew, too; so so so s-s-so, you might be able to help us – err, me. We will need an extra member if we plan to rehearse, and I would certainly appreciate the extra pair of hands here. Perhaps it might prove easier than grappling with the director out there…?”
[1016/3918/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Apr 6, 2020 3:44:08 GMT -8
It was quite evident from how flustered the android PA appeared - Maxine, as she presumably preferred to be called over her unit number - that something was not quite right with her. Apparently some sort of starstruck before noticing that a handshake had been offered - although she eventually did take it. Colonel Azure did not really give much attention to whether or not she was generally intimidating. She was merely straightforward. People could react in whatever way they were so inclined to her particular attitude. Although in the case of androids, there had to be a causal reason for this. After all, unlike biological beings, androids were built. There were three possibilities that quickly came to mind. Either she was programmed to be jittery, which didn't seem the case, given how well she had acted that scene from earlier. Something hard coded in such a way was difficult to suppress convincingly enough for the camera, from what she understood of acting. Another possibility that between then and now, something had happened, and she was malfunctioning. But since she eventually took a seat and answered rather competently for someone who was new to the industry, she seemed to be running just fine. Granted there was still some delay between the Colonel signalling - a few times in fact - for her to sit down before she did so. This left the last scenario in mind, then. It was neither something programmed into her, nor a result of the malfunction. Rather, it was a properly constructed personality's reaction to external stimuli. In which case the only difference between now and when she first knocked on the door to offer that marshmallow coffee - which the Colonel was clearly enjoying as she listened to the well thought out answer - was the presence of the Colonel herself. They certainly hadn't met before. And the PIFFI gene would've told Cerola if Maxine was a Tuffle plant. So then that brought up another interesting question. At the very least, however, she was in enough control of herself that even this nervousness was overcome to competently answer the question. Colonel Azure nodded and smiled warmly in satisfaction. "I see that you have a keen sense of observation and a level head, Maxine." She'd heard enough, even with the disclaimer, and completely ignoring the mention of the staff by the end. That's good. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I'm assuming we will be working together more often, with you liaising between myself and those in cha-"Even before the door had finished opening to reveal the tall, powerfully built woman, the mere sight of her face sent the general through what outside would have been an instantaneous flash. Something she'd gotten used to over the years, so as to not even faze her now. The PIFFI gene - Psionic IFF Interface, one of the many psionic genes that had been integrated into her new body - instantly streamed a burst of data from ISLETNet's personnel database. Name, rank, present designation, installation of origin, service record, the works. What was she doing here? Well, even the best computer networks were no match for human error, or perhaps inefficiency. One of her standing was cleared to see every last detail of most dossiers, save for information classified by an even higher power. In this case, it wasn't even that there was anything redacted from her view. Rather, it was that her present mission hadn't been updated yet. The last entry logged described her as awakening from her last bout of stasis and tuning herself back up to baseline performance. In which case they might have to get alone at some point to talk. Right here and now, though, there were others. In which case the facade would have to continue. And already, Maxine was demonstrating initiative with suggesting what Major Tangerine - or whatever her alias happened to be - might be able to do to help work out this particular conundrum they were finding themselves in. "An excellent suggestion, Maxine." She took another sip of that coffee, wiping the molten marshmallow from her lip with the provided napkin. "We could certainly use the help, Miss."Major Carnation quietly chewed on her toothpick and watched, sizing up the mountain who had just entered the room. Her superior and the PA Maxine, who minus that little bit of, what seemed to her, a blatant fan crush, performed in the kind of way the Colonel would approve, were already talking. No need to say more. As the wise old man once said, too many cooks spoiled the broth. Still, it would definitely be interesting to see how this played out, and if she would be given a role to play here. After all, she couldn't entirely be herself, not in front of the outsiders. For that part then, unless called upon, she would remain the silent, relaxed adjutant. Just without putting her boots up on the table. Oh, man... WC: 820/4738/1400 Maxine @sozo
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2020 4:44:51 GMT -8
She stewed over her steaming cup of coffee. Her too-small clothing felt tight and restrictive: her movie set T-shirt seemed determined to only offer to cover her bust or her stomach (far too inadequate to properly cover both), and the black nylon gym shorts seemed poised to rip beneath the strain of her thick leg muscles. She'd rather go bare foot than wear these silly tennis shoes that were provided for her as well. It felt as if any moment she'd pop right out of her outfit—an undesirable outcome for everyone involved she was certain, even despite her own anatomical beauty. Tangerine made up her mind she would have words with the subcommittee that presided over Project Goliath—her special super soldier project. Tangerine tried to calm herself with a sip of coffee, but she could scarcely bring the cup to her lips; her main focus rested on the blue-haired warrioress before her. General Cerola sat prim and divine in her seat. A rather anatomically blessed woman herself, her uniform was pressed to perfection. Her smooth pale complexion was to die for, and not a single blue hair fell out of place—how did she get her hair so straight!? It was infuriating on so many levels that the Colonel was here. She'd heard of the Dragoons. They were extremely efficient, and with Cerola at their forefront, it seemed there wasn't a single enemy who could stand before them. It took her a moment to realize the purple-haired android was addressing her. The woman seemed supremely flustered for some reason, turning a shade of crimson Tangerine didn't know was possible for a machine. Then again, wasn't she half machine herself? Initializing diagnostic scan of person UN-11 designation: "Maxine".... analyzing... analyzing... The scientist rolled her eyes at Maxine's suggestion. Who cared whether or not they properly rehearsed for this? It was a sham, and the little bit of data her lab assistant Pit had managed to gather informed her this cinema series was more parody than anything. But she would play along and pretend to be the good little soldier she portrayed herself to be. Because one of these days, that subcommittee would answer to her. And then she would exact recompense for every humiliating task they'd forced upon her. Colonel Azure, as the woman had deigned to identify herself, seemed to agree with Maxine's assessment. Tanga eyed her with suspicion. Such open insubordination was punishable, to be sure, and the woman understood the Director often tapped into her visual feed for surveillance purposes. Tanga didn't care. A part of her wanted to test herself against the colonel and see if such legends were true. From the little she knew about the colonel, they seemed to share quite a number of similarities. Both women were spearheads in the conflict that sought to place the Tuffles at the top of the food chain. It was inevitable that they would meet face-to-face. But the red-haired woman hadn't expected it to happen this soon. She needed to keep it together until an opportune moment could present itself. For the time being, she refocused her attention on the waiting android whom she had deigned to respond to until this moment. "Fine, whatever." She waved a dismissive hand, tossing her cup's contents in the nearby sink before crumpling the cup and dropping it on the ground. Even in tennis shoes, her heavy footfalls echoed through the enclosed space as she took a few cautious steps toward the seated women. "We can rehearse. Fair word of caution—don't blame me if you get hurt." She didn't plan to do anything halfway, whether that was tossing someone through a wall or choking them out with a vice grip. Besides, she had a mission to fulfill. "So where is this Brussels guy anyway? Shouldn't he be rehearsing with us? More importantly, how long is filming supposed to take? I do have a life, you know."Cherry and Pit wanted to show her a new modification—something called the Goliath Protocol. She didn't have time for this nonsense. (Starting PL: 229) (679 words) (5417 of 14000 words)
|
|
|
Post by Maxine on Jun 19, 2020 6:42:49 GMT -8
While perhaps the Colonel was quite pleased with Maxine’s response, the android herself was too caught up in her own head to realise it until it was stated up loud – until then, she was gradually becoming more and more fidgety. However, met with praise for her well-intended blathering, the machine regained some of her usual professional guile… and then some. For just a moment, she looked like a pleased puppy. Well, so long as one could see the tics beyond her usual stoic demeanour, anyway: eyebrows up a little higher; fingers outstretched and palms down; the uncharacteristic smile, as slight as it might be. Definitely a robot designed by a demon. Dreadfully inefficient, but… perhaps, charming.
While at first the new appearance continued to throw her off-guard all over again, thankfully the storm passed, and so the worthless consumer model was able to scrape together some semblance of dignity once again. The towering lady clearly hadn’t had time for their nonsense… err, their important work, that is! This was a job like any other! Even if she was playing meet-and-greet with a PMC boss in the meantime, her original job was still as important as ever! E-Even if a PMC boss thought she was a catastrophic mess of nerves and crossed wires thanks to a wildcard director, her original job was still as important as ever…
However, the swift absence of the guest meant the spotlight was back on Maxine to drag things back on track. Checking her tie yet again as she felt the pressure, the lady considered her options… she’d only skimmed the script so far. Sure, she had it downloaded and all, but while she was fast in terms of processing, she couldn’t infer or imitate creativity faster than a real being. She could search and cross-reference in seconds, but making a conclusion from that would take as long as anyone else. And right now… it was taking even longer. There were only a few scenes Miss Azure’s character was in, err, but, they were all a bit…!
”Well, w-well, perhaps the most efficient approach would be to rehearse the scene he suggested, and then I can take your notes during it and discuss modifications afterwards.” suggested Maxine hastily, scrambling to come up with a good answer to the suggestion – no doubt Carnation was getting quite the show, until those violent LEDs squared on her. ”As our recent volunteer has made an exit, maybe I could ask you to fill in any extra characters we need…? If it’s not unreasonable. You’re quite welcome to portray it as a line-read, rather than doing any actual acting…”
As if Maxine knew what acting was in the first place. Ugh, she was digging herself so deep, this was a disaster! Could it get worse? No, it was probably just action nonsense that the Director had in mind, so it’d be fine! They could just talk about guns and tactics and it’d be fun! Nothing to worry about! The worst it could be is just fussing over stage directions or something… ”I have the latest draft of the script, so I should introduce the context. I will forward you a copy through the local network… though, please be warned that the Director has not – well, he hasn’t spell-checked it just yet, so you might want to take it slowly.”
Could she play for time? No, should she play for time? That’d be a bad look… no, absolutely not; a leader would certainly see through it. She’d have to just – go in blind…! Thankfully, her processing could give her a couple of shortcuts, but in the end she’d be about as accustomed to the script as Miss Azure. ”I suppose we should just move ahead to the scenes in question, rather than worrying too much about all that…” mumbled the android, her eyes glazing over as she focussed on her processes, ”I believe the main order of business is among the final scenes. I had been anticipating that you would be cast among the villains, but the director assured me that you had a protagonist role, so I’m…”
Oh no.
”A-Ah. So, in this scene, we have Jack Raker intending to return home following the false climax, and having saved the president of Capsule Corp singlehandedly from the mindless android threat. And so, he reunites with Sammy, his surrogate daughter and hacker and intelligence officer and snarky sidekick, and Natasha Ortana, his – well, love interest, at least in this movie. So… Miss Azure, the director suggested that you play Natasha…”
Maxine hesitated. And not because of androids being classed as a mindless threat again.
”P-P-Perhaps w-we should start with - um, maybe we should just talk rather than r-rehearsing it? Some s-silent reading? I’m sure – the director would be fine with that…”
[807/6224/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Jul 23, 2020 8:39:55 GMT -8
As the sudden intrusion of the mountainous woman ended as abruptly as it began, it became clear that Colonel Azure would not be meeting the crew member's identity assumed by Major Tangerine. Perhaps someday, General Cerola would meet her, but now was not the time to be doing so. There were more important things to do than insist on the cooperation of someone who only wanted the coffee... As soon as the door closed, and the number of persons in the room brought back down to three, the fleeting tension reverted to the previous tension. Which, while not exactly as thick as the former, was still clearly weighty on the shoulders of this android Maxine, who so far, was demonstrating a meaningful level of competence. Someone who knew her equipment and tactics, and at the very least, someone who knew enough to serve as the director's aide. Azure was not exactly familiar with the duties of a content creator's assistant, but how different could it have been from the competencies of an adjutant? Perhaps that was the problem of living a scrappy life of survival in the Southern Demonlands before enlisting with the Red Ribbon revivalist organisation, the Golden Gate Army. A certain unfamiliarity with civilian life here in the more civilised regions. The same could even be said of General Cerola, who spent most of her time on tours of duty, rather than paying attention to the intricacies of Smoothie City's unparalleled entertainment industry. And so, one would have to apologise on her behalf, if she was rather ignorant of an entertainment industry personal assistant was expected to be capable of, or even compare it to an adjutant. Already, Maxine was suggesting what was expected of someone with a reasonable understanding of the film industry, or at least the concept behind it. Much like drills, PT, and combat exercises, rehearsal was a key part of the foundations of the performing arts. After all, if one could not deliver a convincing performance, then the audience would have trouble maintaining their break from reality, their immersion into the living fiction that was film. Azure nodded. ”Yes, rehearsing for the part would certainly be apt. See if I can get a feel for meeting the director’s requirements.”And of course, film admirer that she was, the Colonel’s adjutant enthusiastically accepted the proposition of serving as third-party characters. If not necessarily to assist with her commanding officer’s immersion, then to simply indulge her own interests in being part of a movie for once. Sure, it might not have been something that would be seen directly on film, but the crew played just as pivotal a role as the cast, if not moreso. A beaming grin now on her face, Carnation picked up a tablet and swept over to the recent downloads folder in eager anticipation of the upcoming draft. ”It’d be a pleasure, Maxie! I’m goin’ all out on the performance, if it calls fer it!””The Major is something of a dilettante for film, you see,” the Colonel explained. ”You might consider her involvement in this project the happiest accident in her entire career.””It’s a hell of an opportunity, Hoss, I’ll give ya that.” She sucked on her toothpick, drumming her fingers on the bezel of the tablet, anxiously awaiting the fresh download. ”Thank you for the forewarning, then. I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for odd typographical errors. Please, carry on.” Azure looked down on her own tablet, waiting for the latest update on the script rather than bother checking the current draft already on memory. If scripts were anything like battle plans, the simplest unexpected change in the situation could make an entire strategy obsolete. Which was why one had to be open to change and flexible enough to have alternatives in place for the inevitable OCP. Whatever it was before, the new draft would be far more appropriate. As the file appeared among their list of streamed items, the android continued her briefing of the role’s context. They were instructed to skip forward to the latter scenes, bookmarked pink after the false climax. From the phrasing of the term, one would rightly conclude that it was a lull in the action. Perhaps the villain had survived and was preparing for his grand reprisal, or somesuch. Whatever the case, it was a false peace where the protagonist might lower his guard enough to become vulnerable. It was around this part that Maxine froze. It was only for a moment or two, but as combat veterans, even that slight delay before she resumed speaking with a stammer. What could have possibly been the cause of this? As it turned out, it didn’t take long at all to discover the reason. All the Colonel knew before that pause was that she wasn’t going to play an antagonist. And while she didn’t see the whole script, she had seen something of her share of action movies before courtesy of Major Carnation. There was a certain formula to action movies, whether they were Spaghetti Southerns, or science fiction, or something more modern like this one. And the number of possible characters was shrinking, as Maxine spoke with more deliberation. She was certainly not the Capsule Corp President, as from the sound of things, she would have had earlier scenes, presumably as the android sent by the villain. She most certainly wasn’t the android. They had all the androids they needed to play that one, including Maxine herself, given her part in the earlier demonstration scene. And she was simply too old to play Mr. Raker’s surrogate daughter. Which meant, in the calculus of character archetypes, her possible roles had been narrowed down to just a few. Love interest. ”... ah.” Well, even someone who grew up scavenging in the demonic Southlands, or someone who studied military strategy from the age of ten, could understand why the director might make such a choice. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carnation’s grin widen into a childlike glee. Well, she always did like the stories where the occasionally nameless, occasionally mute, occasionally masked, but always lone gunman rode off into the sunset with the girl. No surprise, then, that she would be this kind of ecstatic to be involved in just that sort of action movie. Maxine stuttered back into speech after revealing that particular detail, seemingly backing away from the potential challenge of having to subject the Colonel to rehearsing such a scene. Azure granted her the dignity of finishing her piece, before looking her straight in the eye. Not with the cold, steely gaze she would give a soldier who misbehaved, but certainly with a particularly piercing quality. BGM: Steadfast Iron”So be it. We will rehearse.” That came out less aggressive, and more factual in its assertiveness. Inside, the Colonel’s heart beat faster. Not because she was particularly excited about the role, or angry that Maxine would try to back out of an understandably difficult situation. She wasn’t irritated that Carnation could barely hold in what looked like a squeal of excitement about to erupt. It was more of the usual adrenaline rush that resulted from live engagement on the battlefield. Whether the obstacle was overwhelming enemy forces, particularly gruelling terrain, or sudden, unexpected equipment failure, any suitable challenge riled her. General Cerola’s new brain had been programmed with extremely convincing acting faculties. One might even call it method acting programming, as she immersed herself into the all too familiar role of an officer and soldier. And this particular officer, Colonel Azure, didn’t know how to act. That was why her adrenaline was pumping. This was a new challenge to conquer. ”As a soldier, I am not very good at acting. Which makes the rehearsal all the more important for my given role.””So yer actually gunnin for it, Hoss?” Carnation sounded almost surprised. Azure’s eyes wandered to a side. A very rare moment of visible vulnerability. ”I don’t really understand the specifics of romantic love,” specified as “romantic”, for she knew very well the love of camaraderie. Brothers and sisters in arms, loyal to each other to the death. ”Which makes this an opportunity to become just a bit more knowledgeable about it… just a bit more experienced in acting. These aren’t what we usually do. But a good soldier never stops learning. Understand, Major?””Right, that one yer old man said.”The Colonel nodded, and her refocused on Maxine, softer now. ”I see your hesitation, Ms. Maxine, but I ask that you steel yourself for this. Clearly, you have remarkably human programming, and that is just what is required to rehearse this part. My company has a reputation for performance, you see. Our commitment to our clients is a hundred percent. And as our liaison with the director and executives, all I ask is that you give us the honour of seeing you also giving your all.”That was a fair exchange, was it not? [1518] Maxine
|
|
|
Post by Maxine on Jul 29, 2020 6:32:14 GMT -8
While Maxine was still balancing on a knife’s edge internally, Carnation’s exuberance... well, at first the android was happy, nodding a little in appreciation for the support (not in appreciation for the new nickname); but her cheer faded a bit as Miss Azure explained her comrade’s interest. Movies and television… it wasn’t like Maxine didn’t appreciate them, but she could never call herself a dilettante, or even a casual film fan. Most of the time she just ended up watching that sort of thing when she had to pull PA duty for one of the Shinobu Clan’s higher-ups and had nothing useful to do. She still had her favourites! But, most of her knowledge was cherry picked from keyword searches rather than from experience. So, maybe… she was even further out of her depth now…
Thankfully, her company seemed at least self-aware that this was a work-in-progress, and hopefully had also picked up that Maxine was hardly skilled in this area herself. The script was at least workable in its current state, but the amount of typos and utterly vague or meandering stage directions was only just palatable. The android herself was not sure what ‘one of those zany between-the-thighs shots’ was, nor what ‘macking like beastmen on prom night’ referred to, but she had a strong hunch that she did not particularly want to know. But, even with all the technical difficulties aside, some of these lines were just… w-wasn’t Maxine meant to be a stuntman, once upon a time? Hadn’t those been such good, innocent times?
At least she was glad she’d left Two out of her system for this ridiculous role.
But as she tried to sink into her shell and find an excuse… she found the spotlight was on her. The pair of icy blue eyes that shot into her made Maxine’s focus turn away from her processing again. S-She was busted… no, worse than that! She knew that gaze – that was the gaze of –!
”So be it. We will rehearse.”
Almost instinctually, the android straightened her back and lifted her chin; all business at last. For how ever many misgivings she had and all the madness that might unfold, she knew that call to action like nothing else. The world called for wetwork, and she would answer. A boss with ambition made a machine like her surge to life. Seeing a plan come together, hearing everyone weigh in, and witnessing the gears in motion… it was the sign of the counter attack! Not for honour, not for vengeance, not for such alien things; but for results!
And Maxine – she always got results.
”That is correct, Colonel. If it as the client wishes, then those orders should be considered absolute. Success is not measured in possibilities or percentiles; the operation is complete or it is not. Until the directive is achieved… there is no other ideal to even consider. That is the nature of a machine… so, I shall not disappoint you. I’ll capture the heart of Jack Reacher!”
Whether it was Azure’s practiced charisma, Maxine’s programming, or a buried wish deep in her drives for a moment like this; the android was immediately swayed by the lady’s request. She hadn’t quite considered what came next, but she didn’t get to make that speech very often, so she’d take it. And, Miss Azure was correct – what the client requested, the client deserved. Of all things, a machine should not possibly argue such a thing. In the name of the Duchies, she would complete this duty…
…and, well, an autograph from the gorgeous head of a cutting-edge PMC would be pretty great too.
Pulling herself together, Maxine instinctively adjusted her tie. ” I wouldn’t wish to distract you from your other feedback on the script and other roles in this production, so we will make this first run as optimal as possible. I shall set the scene and begin, as you command; to minimise any extra reading.” stated the android with newly found confidence, while her gaze glassed over briefly as she focussed entirely inward; ”Let’s begin the operation.”
Ahem. She had not had to read a story in a long time, but here she was.
”As we fade into the shot from the smash cut before, we see the smouldering ruins of UNCAP’s decimated manufacturing plant; though the alpine forest around it untouched and the snow still gently falling. A few remaining wounded UNCAP soldiers incompetently attempt to haul each other from the rubble, only for the nearby wrecked APC to explode extravagantly. As the camera zooms out, the full breadth of the destruction is revealed, before the shot settles upon heap of… of, and drums? Of and duds… of androids – of androids’ motionless bodies.
Jack Reacher’s arm shoots out from beneath them with an orchestral sting! And the hero gradually drags his heavily injured form out from under them. Director’s note: Brussuls has requested he does not have any scars added to his makeup, so keep it simple, and don’t worry too much about consistency with shots after this. As he rises, several more UNCAP remnants rush onto the scene in the background; but as the depth of field moves to focus on them he shoots them down effortlessly with an android’s arm-cannon snatched off of the ground. Tossing it aside, he continues to walk through the rubble.
Moving to a more practical effects set based on the wreckage, preferably with some impressive PMC props in destroyed states with the UNCAP logo prominently displayed across them, Jack finally finds some rest and sits down upon a stack of his own spent magazines from the earlier firefight. Linger on the shot so the audience notices his trademark red and black stripes on the props. Add his guns as well if it looks good. Finally, he perks up at the sound of his radio – added in post-production – and pulls the damaged machine from the rubble. The dialogue is barely comprehensible. He shouts into it for Sammy to respond… only for his eyes to widen in surprise!”
To her credit, Maxine’s eyes really did widen in surprise, though maybe she was just reading ahead and regretting it.
”Cut to a scene of the alpine forest as Sammy’s drone copter lands, and heroic music stirs as she hops out with a beaming smile. Insert a one-liner here from Sammy later. In return, Jack says…
‘Looks like this family vacation really blew up. And UNCAP’s robot plan… experienced an unexpected error.’”
Pointing a bit too dramatically to the Major and Colonel, Maxine gave a sharp nod – ”Sammy; continue! Natasha, your big scene and monologue is coming up!”
Well, at least no one could say she wasn’t giving it her all.
[1128/8870/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Aug 6, 2020 8:56:06 GMT -8
What a response! Such bravado. Committing to the cause in as full a capacity as possible, particularly clever, rooting it within her nature as a machine. One built to perform just as required. Was this her programming defaulting to more fundamental routines, or was it simply a logical deduction used as a justification upon which to steel herself? However you sliced it, it was a commitment to action, and results. Nobody could be faulted for such dedication. To capture the heart of Jack Raker. Which, from what she could tell, was something of a popular action hero, if the number of films featuring the character was any indication. Though between the three of them, only Carnation was likely to fully understand this character. Although seeing some parts of the shooting was rather helpful, and Mr. Brussuls, reigning Galactic Wrestling Federation champion, was certainly at home in the role, from what she could see. The Colonel gave an approving nod, and Maxine began with the script. She laid out the scene as written, setting the context for their parts. As stated earlier, a reunion after the false climax. Not so much the calm before the storm as it was the eye. This would be the time for unexpectant jubilation and naive premature declarations of victory. Although the way it was written, all seems well, as Mr. Raker himself singlehandedly performed the mop up operation. And while action movies might convince audiences that this was enough, it appeared the director had enough sense to subvert this particular expectation. Perhaps someone with a good feel for time might even notice that the film had much more runtime left than would fit for a simple denouement and credit roll. That said, she couldn't help but notice that as Maxine transitioned into Mr. Raker's character and began to speak his lines, that her performance was less than a final cut, one might say. Perhaps one could be forgiven if one was like the Colonel, who grew up outside of a world of comforts, and merely assumed that a 'personal assistant' possessed similar competencies to an adjutant. Even then, it was only fair to conclude that her expertise would be more in assisting the director - and serving as a stuntman in another case - rather than actually acting, per se. These skill sets would understandably be compartmentalised. In which case, one could only conclude that despite her lacking a particular competency in acting - at the very least as poor as the Colonel herself - she still provided results, and commitment. Carnation took her cue and brought up her tablet, her poker face giving away nothing of what she thought of the android's performance. She certainly didn't expect all too much from the director's PA. That didn't mean she had to keep herself to a similar level as either her... or her boss, who was definitely not the best actress around. "Sammy looks over the wreckage, green screen the distant background interpurple...ated..? with background footage... Sammy beams brightly."She briefly paused, put on the appropriate expression, then opened her mouth, her experience becoming clear. "It'll take em a long time to reboot from this mess!"The Wild South accent was completely gone, replaced with the inflections of a West City suburbanite teenager. One might almost mistake her for Sammy's actress, with this execution. "Sammy turns around to look back at her adopted dad and then the copter. Mischievous smirk and aside glaze- glance- at the camera.""Oh and Pops... there's someone here to see you."Azure cleared her throat as her eyes found the appropriate line in this convoluted typo-ridden draft. The difference between it and the more polished sections of script she'd seen earlier made her wonder if the writer was fully sober when typing this up, or not... Her voice was stern as per usual, if attempting to sound more than just dryly reading an after action report. "Natasha steps out of the copter gingerly. Her boots are careful not to touch any cert... sort of wreckage. Her hesitation eviscerates...? when she spots Jack, who is dirtied, but alright. Immediately, she makes a b-line run to him and a type embrace."She stopped. Her eyes shifted between Maxine and her adjutant. The spoken line was up next, and she could probably decipher the intended meaning of the statement, but was unsure if this part actually had to be acted out. "Ye'll wanna start rehearsin yer physical action too, Hoss," Carnation answered the unspoken question. "I see. Yes, that would be a sensible approach." Still with some uncertainty in her voice, the Colonel took a few moments to go over the spoken hug line, before setting her tablet down on the table. She then closed in on Maxine in a cadence and gave the android a "type" or rather, tight embrace. The walk certainly needed improvement, as the script implied a hurried rush with all caution thrown to the wind, but this little lounge area was tight enough as is. She didn't want any undue accidents happening. "Jack! I'm so glad you're safe!" That said, she sounded more like a soldier seeing a comrade back from a dangerous mission than a civilian woman in a panicked declaration of relief. "When we saw the explosion in the distance, I thought..." More like someone reading an AAR forgetting what to say next, rather than a lover trailing off into dread over what she previously thought was the end of Jack Raker. This acting thing was a true challenge indeed. Already, Carnation had made some sounds of deep thought. Whether she didn't know what to make of the performance, or if she did know, but was trying to figure out how to sugar coat her evaluation, was now the question at hand. 962/9832/14000 Maxine
|
|
|
Post by Maxine on Aug 11, 2020 14:13:29 GMT -8
It was difficult to put a finger on Maxine’s acting issues – she put on the voice somewhat successfully, and she didn’t come off as totally stilted; but it was more like… she could conjure the situation, but not the mood or theatrics of it. It was maybe a bit surreal that a machine couldn’t just mimic the actor entirely, but no doubt Maxine wasn’t made or programmed for that. Yet, her flaws were certainly not the same as a human’s, in spite of many other similarities. All the same, her performance certainly wasn’t near a final cut… in fact, it was sort of hard to see the final cut from it, but maybe the script’s typos and vague directions could carry that blame as much as the android’s eccentricities and misguided intentions.
As Carnation took on the scene, Maxine seemed to grow more comfortable, no doubt relieved that she wasn’t bearing the spotlight alone. Her usually straight back hunkered down juuuust an inch, and her eyes narrowed into a familiar squint rather than her usual glare; she was definitely trying! However, it mostly just made her look old rather than like a wrestling legend. Of course, if there was one flaw in the android, it was a complete lack of introspection once she got into a role… usually it was just her abysmal dancing, but in this case it might actually help her. Even as she was impressed by Carnation’s voice acting, she kept her cool – no, more than that, she became more involved instead.
Not even reading her directions, Maxine actually followed along as if acting the scene; even before Carnation’s suggestion! However… coming from the android, the direction of ‘Jack gives a dubious gaze to the side, before his eyes widen with surprise and relief’ looked considerably less like a tiny moment of vulnerability from a badass, and instead… far more like… well, err, the blushing and starry-eyed heroine of a very different genre of media; which would usually be putting blossoming lilies around the frame right about now.
It did not help that the android was, indeed, blushing. That was definitely not in the script, nor was it ambitious method acting.
For a moment, she lowered her defences a little, as the Colonel showed a hint of vulnerability. No, in truth, she’d been rather humble this whole time… she didn’t have an aura of command, like Maxine imagined, but an aura of leadership. It reminded her a little of the best oyabuns she had served under; bosses who knew how far they needed to reach with their commands but also when to leave room for their subordinates to get things done. People who knew their skill for leading, rather than leading for their ambition or ego. It was reassuring… maybe she ought to look into the Dragoons a little more seriously, rather than just as a fantasy.
But – Maxine should not have lowered her defences. Her processing had already read ahead, but her emotional emulation had not caught up with the stream of data; too distracted by other parallel flows. As Cerola took a few steps forward, though, the android’s computation all halted at once as all kinds of emotional triggers set off. F-For some reason – she found it very hard to ignore how noble that suit looked, and how severe those icy blue eyes were, and how well-groomed that long hair was, and – err, well, okay, her acting was stilted, but usually her voice was –
”E-Eeek…”
A tiny, pitiful little squeak came from Maxine, as both her processes and reality caught up with her… in the form of having a particular gorgeous commanding officer currently wrapped around her waist. Now, maybe for others, the fact that her acting was less ‘romantic’ and more ‘satisfied’ might make the gesture a little underwhelming or awkward… but, Maxine had a monopoly on being awkward around attractive girls, so… it wasn’t a fair contest, by any stretch.
The android simply froze on the spot, turning bright red – which was curious, really. Maxine felt warm, and soft; like an Earthling girl of her statue. Admittedly, if the grip was any tighter, Cerola would probably be able to feel that there was a harder skeleton underneath and a lack of many familiar organs or joints, but as it was Maxine may as well not be an android. She even had that deer-in-the-headlights look spot on. Acting, certainly; just not really on the same script as Carnation or the Colonel.
”U-Um… um, um… w-well…”
For just a few more agonising seconds, Maxine continued to be totally paralysed – however, a glance at Carnation made her realise just how bad her situation was. With an expression of comical shock, the machine locked up even more – before just closing her eyes and trying to get it over with! An admirable job of imitating a human, a terrible job of imitating a functioning human being. ”Abriefpause! Jackdoesntmove! Then – claspshershoulders!” blathered the poor girl, like she was giving a speech to her primary school class; ”Youneverhadtoworryaboutathing,yourememberwhatSammysays-Jackalwayscomesback!”
Hm, well, she could squarely place being a stunt double as a more dangerous job than a hostess club manager and a stock market racketeer. No, maybe not more dangerous, but instead more – intensive. She was hoping to add ‘impressed a PMC head’ to her CV, but maybe she ought to leave this as a personal learning experience rather than a professional one…
[905/10737/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Aug 20, 2020 7:01:24 GMT -8
It was one thing for the Colonel, a mostly no-nonsense officer with a stronger hold on her emotions, to register all of these - at least thematically speaking - inappropriate reactions without breaking character, or even losing composure. Perhaps even somewhere in her mind, she had stopped paying attention to the fact that she was practising with an android, rather than simply another humanoid organic. After all, the way Maxine responded to the current stimuli of the Colonel's own inappropriate acting looks rather human. Particularly the part where she seemed more like a starstruck fan than an impression of an action hero. It was another thing for Major Carnation to see these. With a bit more background than merely just fighting and training, and a colourful appreciation for the more normal things in life, like movies, she couldn't help but internally squee. This android was a real cute one. From the way she dressed and presented herself on set, she was usually probably a more serious type, but this was one of her more vulnerable moments for sure. Maxine might just get an invitation to a cup of coffee - or whatever drink she preferred - during off hours, of course. Not so much out of personal interest, but Carnation was starting to get the impression that maybe it was the Colonel that was causing this, in addition to the general awkwardness of two ladies who can't perfectly nail their roles. She'd have to file this away for later use and discussion with... well... herself. What purpose would this serve? Well, she could probably find some logical justification later, but at least for now, this was probably going to be at least as entertaining as the movie if the production crew did their parts right. That perfect simulation of a beet red blush - even with the Colonel's piss poor attempt at a "love interest hug" - scored a perfect ten, right up there with the attempt to continue with the practise session. She could watch this sort of drama... comedy... dramedy... for weeks! Pure entertainment gold. Cerola herself wasn't sure if she was feeling embarrassed at her awkward attempt to pretend to be a lovestruck worried-to-death love interest, or at how it seemed to be wildly rattling Maxine. Her human emulation truly was impressive, surely comparable to top of the line models the General had seen out there in the world. Or perhaps she was a more advanced model capable of soundly passing a Turing test with a consciousness indistinguishable from that of an organic sapient? The General wasn't actually an expert in the intricacies of such things. Back in Planet Plant's Yarvind Military Academy, they only taught the basics of such things. As she pursued a command role in Mobile Warfare, she was instead more specifically trained in far cruder machines built for battle, rather than negotiation. Power Armour, drones, gunships, the works... So at the end of the day, how Maxine was able to so convincingly play the part of a human who was blatantly out of her depth with acting... or perhaps driven so by Cerola's own poor performance... was not really her concern. The doctor would have to explain that herself, if ever they had an opportunity to meet and discuss androids any time soon. Maxine rushed out her verbal instructions, along with Mr. Raker's catchy, assuring response. Azure looked down at her tablet, then at her adjutant, who raised a hand. "And don't you forget it!""Sammy giggles at the ingenuous...? Ingenious maybe... comeback." The Major muttered something about how this script was starting to sound self-gratifying, somehow. She pointed at her commanding officer, who cleared her throat as she read over her directions and lines. "Natasha steps back and similes. Smiles." This looked much more like a commander proud of her men accomplishing their mission, than say... someone genuinely happy to see their beloved wasn't just alive, but also still had his great sense of humour. "I know at first I considered you to be liek a Bed Bug, and I don't need to tell you why it got its name..." Azure couldn't help but raise her eyebrow at this comparison. She wasn't expert in romance, for sure, but she at least had some idea of what it usually amounted to, with comparisons to sweets, flowers, or something similar. Insects, though? Was the screenwriter afflicted by a substance when he wrote this? "Major, I seem to be having difficulty with uhm... the romantic qualities of this...""Hang on fer a tick, Hoss." Carnation swiped back some ways, finding the context of how it ended up this way. "Yeah, Natasha's an... 'entymologist'.""Entomologist?" If her memory served her correctly, that was a scientist specialising in insects. In that regard, it made sense she would turn to her specialisation. "Could also be etymologist, honestly. A lotta yer lines gotcha explainin where some bug or other got its name."... well she wasn't completely foreign to such an academic lifestyle. But still, insects... and the origins of words, for the matter... were completely out of her league. "Remind me to go over all of my lines after this is done. If I am to do the role of Natasha Ortana justice, I should know what her occupation is, especially if it plays a major role in the part.""Noted, filed, and sealed, Hoss." The adjutant quickly got to work with finding all of her superior's scenes and putting them into the proper context. "Alright, where were we..." Azure smiled at Maxine. One of reassurance. Then she got back to her draft. "Don't worry, Maxine. We'll get through this.""Then I became unsure. This ride has been petty rocky all the way. Maybe you were a dragonfly, fast and unpredictable." Mouthing out her stage directions again, the Colonel took each of Maxine's hands in one of her own. "But now I know! You're a mighty Hercules beetle, just like the champion of Orange Star City, the legendary Hercule Satan!"Well... perhaps that could be inspiring, if performed properly. And that was the whole point of practising like this. "Oassionate moth to mouth..." It didn't take much thought to consider that the standard West City-style keyboard had the O next to the P. In fact, one probably didn't even need to know that to figure out what it was saying. Azure had never really kissed anyone before. For that matter, Cerola never got a chance to settle down and have a family. The first person she'd gotten close enough to consider dating was blown away by space pirates before they could get to anywhere significant in a relationship. The next candidate's head was punched clean off by a Saiyan. Which made this her first potential kiss. Of course, technically, they might have been capable of pulling off such camera tricks, but the Colonel was committed to only the highest quality, and would practise a proper kiss if that was what it took to perform as best she could. That being said, there were two parties involved, and Maxine seemed flustered enough no matter how bad her acting was. She set the tablet down on the coffee table. "Personally, I don't mind doing so for practise. I haven't really had this sort of experience before, so every bit helps. The key question here, Maxine, is if this is a line you can't cross. This sort of act would understandably upset most people. If so, I will respect your wish, and we can just gloss over this part to move on to the next one."[1258/1195/1400] Maxine
|
|
|
Post by Maxine on Aug 29, 2020 2:28:52 GMT -8
Maxine merely trembled gently after blurting out her lines in such a hurry, totally lost in the horrors of her own – could one call it imagination? To analyse possibilities of the future without the shackles of the past or present; it could be called something like imagination. But, put those processes across multiple cores; like parallel trains of thought… and, you might create something even more crippling, should they all be going down such dangerous paths. UN-11 would protest that it was not something that called be called a ‘fantasy’, for she was built to only register and focus on realistic considerations in these processes… however, the time she had spent on naming her firearms would undermine such a claim.
And, well, at the moment, maybe even Carnation could tell it was a lie; as those processes were focussing less on perfecting her acting or remaining on guard and instead on the Colonel’s plummeting neckline.
Honestly, the adjutant’s actual effort in her role and Azure’s own stiff acting didn’t help Maxine’s state much; but what did actually help was having the CO finally take a step back. The android was outright leant back at the time, but tilted forward ever-so-slightly as Azure loosened her embrace… before hastily snapping back to that familiar straight back; albeit with a less familiar blush and look of utmost worry on her face. She tried to just focus and forget what just happened, but it unbelievably hard… s-she’d just have to shelf it all, and focus on processing it later! T-That was the practical and efficient solution! But, but, it might be important now… no no no, business! Business first!
She tried desperately to just focus on Carnation and Azure’s conversation, hunching forward a little as she attempted to take part albeit without being able to think fast enough to toss in a word of her own. She took a good few seconds to even think of checking her script… but, that was put on hold again as she met with a – a smile she wasn’t used to! A smile she really wasn’t used to, coming from a lady of Miss Azure’s standing! Maxine looked ashamed and red all over again for a good second and a half before giving a pathetic little nod and the puniest smile imaginable in return; desperate to recoup her composure. N-N-Not one more step back! Because, if she took another step back, she was pretty sure she might melt…
Checking her tie, Maxine did everything she could in that tiny break to refocus herself; all her little personal cues that reassured herself. Well, she couldn’t check her magazines and clear any chambers right now, but she could do the rest. A quick filing of her loose logs, and a brief emotional diagnostic… it’d be fine. She sighed gently, and her eyes returned to their usual narrow glare. She was a professional.
Miss Azure was holding her hands now. She’d barely been listening. But that was fine! She was up to speed on the script, so she could handle that! Steadied and running on her second wind, Maxine was confident; giving a sharp nod in return for her staged compliments. She was now Jack Raker! Professional, legend, badass! ”First time I’ve been called a beetle… at least, as a compliment.” growled the android; her feminine tone not really doing the impression any favours, but still – an ad-libbed line! Unbelievable! She was back in –
"Oassionate moth to mouth..."
A-Ah. Unbelievable.
Maxine’s system halted briefly; shifting to redundant components in sheer reflex. This was an emergency situation – she had to prepare for impact. B-But, she got a hold of herself again; she shouldn’t let herself get out of hand like that! This was just a training scenario, wasn’t it? She didn’t care for training, but she was under orders; so she should at least consider it like a simulation. No, more importantly than that – she was under orders, so she should finish the mission. No matter the cost.
While Miss Azure mused on the instruction, the android stood stock still and stiff – before interrupting her, eyes sharpening like knives. ”---I shall carry out my orders. The operation is complete, or it is not. Until the directive is achieved… there is no other ideal to even consider.” declared Maxine, almost threatening in how serious her tone was – this was a bit like how unfeeling machines were scary in movies, wasn’t it? As they were meant to be in this movie, in fact… but, Maxine was currently playing another role; which arguably made her effort to sound dedicated far, far more distressing. ”Miss Azure – prepare yourself.”
She did not even check the script internally – she needed full focus for this. She had knowledge of it. A hand slammed the wall behind Cerola, over her shoulder (a grand effort given the height difference, though Carnation might notice Maxine was on her tip-toes). The android’s eyes weren’t cold anymore, but instead fiery and desperate; like she was staring down an unbeatable foe… she’d fight to the bitter end, and beyond, until her orders were complete. She shivered for just a millisecond, before she leaned in with a sudden gentleness.
A handsome violet rose, that bloomed for just a single moment –
…Maxine looked up. Debris and dust trickled down her back, and smoke filled the air. What had just – was this what they meant by the world moving, in those old phrases? No, this was –
”I told you – geez, and there were staff in there, too?! We could have been shelling out millions in insurance! You incompetent… no more rigging the PMC gear with any of your remote control garbage, understood? Leave it to the owners! I can’t afford this kind of trouble!” howled the director from past the gaping hole in the wall, storming towards a trio of terrified pyrotechnicians; all pointing at each other – but, with all their eyes on the scene they’d just uncovered. The director followed their gazes – the personal assistant, on her hands and knees over the PMC’s legendary leader –
”See, see?! That’s talent! That’s effort! Rehearsing, and even adlibbing! That’s perfect!" cheered the man, marching over with his fury replaced with beaming enthusiasm. ”Right, writer – get this to the writers – add to the final scene that Jack meets Natasha by saving her from an explosion. It’d be totally romantic, and it’ll give Jack even more of that star power. That is spot on. You’re a sensational actor, Miss Azure; I knew it was right on the money for me to ask you to take an acting role as well as an advisory!”
And with that, the tornado of a man whirled away; whisking most of the onlookers away with him.
”…w-was I too rough?”
[1130/13125/14000]
|
|
|
Post by Emargine "Azure" Cerola on Sept 4, 2020 6:33:47 GMT -8
Now, the pleasant surprise in all this, of course, was the measure of Maxine's commitment to accomplishing the mission. Even when presented with an option to take the easy way out - as she had suggested at the very beginning - she instead chose to put her other foot across the line in the sand. Very encouraging. One had to wonder if this commitment was based on a particular bit of programming, a failsafe that prevented last second indecision for example, or one made by something organics might usually refer to as a 'heart'. Either way, Colonel Azure was impressed, and could only smile. Not the sort of misaligned smiles from earlier where she intended one effect, but resulted in something that was more familiar to her line of work. Not the smile of a proud commanding officer for a job well done, attempting to masquerade as a smile for a relieved lover. No, it was indeed a proud commanding officer's smile for that one soldier who kept fighting on until she achieved the objective. Just as impressive, nevertheless, was the boost of empathic characterisation that Maxine suddenly began to exude upon her confirmation that she would follow through to the end. She might not have looked the part. And she was most definitely shorter than Mr. Brussuls the Muscles. But her confidence multiplied tenfold, from her words to her actions. As a matter of fact, it was very much reminiscent of the steadfast final commitment of troops to a potentially disastrous operation that had no better alternative. The iron-willed resolve that led desperate missions that despite the odds, somehow came out a resounding success. This cool, but firm internal strength. That was the sort the Colonel wanted in her Battalion. There was a reason why she set the selection and training regimen to hit a 48-52% washout rate, while most modern armed forces' hovered at around 11-14. They did not have the backing of an entire army. All they had were each other, and the chance always existed for an employer to betray them in a way that made conditions hellish. A client had betrayed them, once. A warlord in the Southlands. There were many of those, between the multiple Demon Kingdoms and the like. He'd hired the Dragoons to take out a nearby rival so that he could take control of his holdings. And then after they gave the all-clear signal, he swept in with his army, used some ancient Demon tradition to assume control over the survivours of his rival's, and assaulted the Dragoons' position. Something about maintaining his honour, or the like. What a farce. Suffice it to say, the Battalion fought a long, hard battle to get out of that mess. And after regrouping to lick their wounds, they demonstrated to the Southlands just how they would react to a client violating their contract in a most despicable manner. At the end of that debacle, a third Demon warlord had to pick up all the pieces. Azure looked down at her as the arm rose up over her shoulder and slammed into the wall behind her, denting the fragile aluminium. She would no doubt notice the extent to which she went to close the height disparity, rising up to her toes as their bodies met. That last comment at the end, though. Perpare herself? Was so daring it almost made her wonder if perhaps Maxine was open to another job opportunity. Her knowledge of weaponry and tactics implied either experience in those fields with past or present employment, or at the very least, programming that would come in handy in a combat role. But that was for the future. For now, she would see this mission to its conclusion. Up at her own face approached those closed eyes and puckered lips. And in response, as required by the script, down went her own. To the side, Carnation barely held in a high pitched squee. They would meet in between, the touch of one mouth to another alone already absolutely electrifying. So this was the beginning of a kiss. But what about the rising tension? The climax? Denoument? The question would have to be answered later on, though... for just like many a tragedy, a cruel twist of fate would interrupt the absolute completion of the mission, such that it would be, at best, technically accomplished. A slug blasted through the wall, flew through the room, out the other side, and into a pile of sand being used for some nearby construction work. Fortunately, it was an inert slug. Carnation rushed to inspect the damage through the hole in the outer wall, while Azure eyed the trail of smoke from the inner wall, before setting her gaze back down on the face that touched hers, looking back up at her in confusion. Just outside, the Director barked out at some technicians, their fiddling with Dragoon equipment, and the like. While Carnation visibly giggled and peeked out the hole, winking with a teasing smirk as she wagged her finger in their direction, the Colonel remained stoically focused on the person in front of her. Yes, the Major backed away from the hole, and yes, the Director was convinced that she was perfect for the job - despite only seeing this last and arguably best part of their rehearsal. This meant of course that her part in the film was assured and there was no turning back. But for that, she would undertake all the rehearsal necessary to make it happen. She would take all of that and then some to deliver the best possible performance for the client. Yes, that was all true. But for now, the only thing that mattered was a bit smaller. Specifically, the two-foot radius surrounding her, and the android who gave it her best shot, regardless of the potential risks in the result. The Director's voice faded as he didn't wait for her feedback before coming to his own conclusion and then leaving. Which was fine. All she had to do was perform. Maxine was still down there, looking up at her with the inquisitive look in her eyes. Her voice shrunken as she asked sheepishly, if that was too rough. Azure replied with a proud smile. "It was perfect. You don't look like Mr. Raker. But after committing to the task... you might as well have been. Mission accomplished, Maxine. May it not be your last.""That was a rollickin scene, ladies!" Carnation clapped aloud. "I think we can take five fer now. But the Director was clear, so Hoss is now Natasha." She giggled. "Guess that means we'll be rehearsin right as rain!"Another commitment wasn't a problem. That was simply part of the contract, and as Azure's Dragoons, they would accomplish it to the letter. More importantly, however, they found someone with a strength of commitment that one did not find in most people. That, was the real climax of the day. 1160/14285/14000 Maxine
|
|