Femtroopers - Revision history

Joysweeper: Minor rephrasings, adding or subtracting a sentance here and there... Probably about done, now.

2008-01-14T21:50:45Z

Minor rephrasings, adding or subtracting a sentance here and there... Probably about done, now.

Show changes

Joysweeper: And I am DONE! Whew! Might come back and find errors to correct later, but by and large it is done. 70 kilobytes!

2008-01-04T04:18:26Z

And I am DONE! Whew! Might come back and find errors to correct later, but by and large it is done. 70 kilobytes!

Show changes

Joysweeper: STILL not done. Just back from the land of no wireless Internet; this chunk was typed on Word.

2007-12-29T22:35:13Z

STILL not done. Just back from the land of no wireless Internet; this chunk was typed on Word.

@@ Line 275: / Line 275: @@
 ''I've gotten spoiled.  This isn't much of a fight - yes, we're being worn down by attrition just like the other side, but in this case it's not lethal; they're far enough away, too, that I don't think anyone will get dragged off.  All we have to do is hold out for reinforcements - even if Julia's people don't come, another patrol will get here sooner or later.  Then their Force-Sensitive can drive off or ... incapacitate ... Twentyone Twentyeight, and we can likewise deal with the other Femtroopers.  We have definitely been in worse situations.''
-The stormtrooper's eyes flicked to the helmet display that showed him what was directly behind him.  The display was fairly low-resolution, but he did see a number of humanoids coming closer
+The stormtrooper's eyes flicked to the helmet display that showed him what was directly behind him.  The display was fairly low-resolution, but he did see people, humanoids, closer than the others, and continuing to come forward-
-[More lead-in.  Sheesh.  I need to quit skipping over writer's block sections.  When did this story get so damn complicated, anyway?]
+-and then the monitor showing what lay directly behind him wavered, the color leaching out of it, and it went grainy before vanishing entirely, as if its power supply had run out or been cut off.
-[Finish the story, Joysweeper.  Come on.  Duel, outcome win/lose.  Use Dun Möch technique?  Tempting, overly complicated...  RL appears.  Conflict, physical/verbal/mental.  Wrap up.  Ending.  Contemplative?  Amusing?  Finish the story.]
+It didn’t work.  The prongs, now wet, withdrew and folded back into their compartment.  His audio pickups seemed to have failed as well; TK-0480 could hear faint, muffled curses that presumably came from his patrolmates, who were apparently involved in a similar malfunction.  James added his voice to theirs, momentarily raised in frustration.  Apparently the com wasn’t working either.
 [[Category:Story]] [[Category:Joysweeper]] [[Category:Xanadu]] [[Category:Alien]]  [[Category:Transgender]]

Joysweeper: Still not done.

2007-12-22T17:33:11Z

Still not done.

@@ Line 247: / Line 247: @@
 ''Femtroopers, James.  Worry about random acquired knowledge when they're no longer shooting at you.''
-The stormtrooper turned up his external audio pickups, and rather more quickly turned them back down.  The faint possibility that the enemy was discussing plans "out loud" amongst themselves was outweighed quite quickly by the fact that he had ''no'' desire to hear Twentyone Twentyeight taunting her counterpart about nasty little details that no trooper could possibly want to know.  And SL-0075's responses were just as bad, if less heated.  James supposed that they both might be using the Dun Möch technique, essentially attempting to distract and make the other doubt.  Vaders tended to do that a ''lot''.
+The stormtrooper turned up his external audio pickups, and rather more quickly turned them back down.  The faint possibility that the enemy was discussing plans "out loud" amongst themselves was outweighed quite quickly by the fact that he had ''no'' desire to hear Twentyone Twentyeight taunting her counterpart about nasty little personal details that no trooper could possibly want to know.  And SL-0075's responses were just as bad, if less heated.  James supposed that they both might be using the Dun Möch technique, essentially attempting to distract and make the other doubt.  Vaders tended to do that a ''lot''.
 At any rate, he was better off ''not'' knowing - and if they were using a verbal combat form, by listening he was in danger of falling into duel entrancement.  Again.  Which, now that he was forewarned, was the same as deliberately failing his squad.  And ''that'', he would not do.
@@ Line 255: / Line 255: @@
 ID-4102 was back up, the lines of her face set with pain.  Her weapon was not an E-11 blaster rifle, but the smaller, slower-firing, and more accurate DL-44 heavy blaster pistol, the same model Han Solo used.  Back before Xanadu, Julia had always preferred more conventional sidearms.  Things changed.
-A burst of blue rings sizzled and caught one of the distant Femtroopers in the throat as she was dragging an unconscious comrade; her body's reaction was to contract every muscle, throwing herself backwards violently before going limp.  James grimaced in in the privacy of his helmet.  It was a good shot, but the patrol wasn't making enough of them.  "Blue rings" were just too slow.  But to switch to more accurate and powerful bolts was to risk killing one of the downed opponents - yes, everyone on the patrol rated at ''least'' "Sharpshooter" with his or her chosen weapon, but stun bolts didn't always fly straight.
+A burst of blue rings sizzled and caught one of the distant Femtroopers in the throat as she was dragging an unconscious comrade; her body's reaction was to contract every muscle, throwing herself backwards violently before going limp.  James grimaced in in the privacy of his helmet.  It was a good shot, but the patrol wasn't making enough of them.
 [Finish the story, Joysweeper.  Come on.  Duel, outcome win/lose.  Use Dun Möch technique?  Tempting, overly complicated...  RL appears.  Conflict, physical/verbal/mental.  Wrap up.  Ending.  Contemplative?  Amusing?  Finish the story.]
 [[Category:Story]] [[Category:Joysweeper]] [[Category:Xanadu]] [[Category:Alien]]  [[Category:Transgender]]

Joysweeper at 04:19, 21 December 2007

2007-12-21T04:19:43Z

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Joysweeper: Setback: Computer keeps eating story. Word backup needs to be updated more often to prevent author meltdown.

2007-12-20T23:32:44Z

Setback: Computer keeps eating story. Word backup needs to be updated more often to prevent author meltdown.

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:32, 20 December 2007
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	“It had better be just a slip up,” he said absently in response to a query of what he thought. “It might be smartest to try and ignore it. I don’t want him mad at ''me''.”		“It had better be just a slip up,” he said absently in response to a query of what he thought. “It might be smartest to try and ignore it. I don’t want him mad at ''me''.”

	The temporarily semicrippled trooper - one of the few nonofficer women who'd ''stayed'' women - stood watch as James and the others collected fallen Femtroopers. The patrol was too professional to kick at the Fems or otherwise take much frustration out on these fallen foes, but more than one was dragged by her hair, and each ~~one~~ was dumped quite unceremoniously into the pile.		The temporarily semicrippled trooper - one of the few nonofficer women who'd ''stayed'' women - stood watch as James and the others collected fallen Femtroopers. The patrol was too professional to kick at the Fems or otherwise take much frustration out on these fallen foes, but more than one was dragged by her hair, and each was dumped quite unceremoniously into the pile.

	It looked almost disturbingly like a collection of limp Barbies that happened to be dressed in skimpy trooper-inspired outfits. James had seen weirder.		It looked almost disturbingly like a collection of limp Barbies that happened to be dressed in skimpy trooper-inspired outfits. James had seen weirder things.

	“Looks like people are already starting to trickle back through here;” the watching trooper observed, her voice tight with discomfort but otherwise fine. “Usually it takes them at least a few more minutes after the firing stops – oh, ''~~fierfek~~.''”		“Looks like people are already starting to trickle back through here;” the watching trooper observed, her voice tight with discomfort but otherwise fine. “Usually it takes them at least a few more minutes after the firing stops – oh, ''fusst.''”

	Looking up, TK-0480 saw them. This time he ''did'' swear, just prior to switching back to the helmet frequency. “They brought backup. My Lord” – he’d meant to rattle off SL-0075’s designation – “we are going to need you now.” Blasters drawn and aimed, the troopers edged together back into the protection of the remaining shields. The Vader shouldered past to stand between the patrol and the Fems.		Looking up, TK-0480 saw them. This time he ''did'' swear, just prior to switching back to the helmet frequency. “They brought backup. My Lord” – he’d meant to rattle off SL-0075’s designation – “we are going to need you now.” Blasters drawn and aimed, the troopers edged together back into the protection of the remaining shields. The Vader shouldered past to stand between the patrol and the Fems.
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	Her response was only local silence, broken only by SL-0075’s harsh breathing and the click of armor against armor as the patrol and the Fems shifted subtly. Out of sight, the insanity of the rest of Xanadu continued unabated, but here it was quiet.		Her response was only local silence, broken only by SL-0075’s harsh breathing and the click of armor against armor as the patrol and the Fems shifted subtly. Out of sight, the insanity of the rest of Xanadu continued unabated, but here it was quiet.

	"There's more." Twentyone Twentyeight smiled broadly, actually dimpling. "I can sneak out, walk around outside of Xanadu. And you know what? Nobody runs. Nobody calls the police. Everyone stares, it's true. Out there, I get a lot of attention. But it's the good kind." Her smile shrank, became more sympathetic, as did her voice.		"There's more." Twentyone Twentyeight smiled broadly, actually dimpling. "I can sneak out, walk around outside of Xanadu. And you know what? Nobody runs. Nobody calls the police. Everyone stares, it's true. Out there, I get a lot of attention. Not many women are almost seven feet tall. But all in all, it's the good kind." Her smile shrank, became more sympathetic, as did her voice.

	"Have you even called your parents? Do they even know what's happened to you? They love you and care for you, sure, but you know how hard it would be for them to accept ''this,'' don't you? Give in. It feels unpleasant, sure, but no more than living. You lose something - ~~but~~ really, does it matter? You get ''people'' back. You keep power. The Force doesn't care."		"Have you even called your parents? Do they even know what's happened to you? They love you and care for you, sure, but you know how hard it would be for them to accept ''this,'' don't you? Give in. It feels unpleasant, sure, but no more than living. You lose something, sure." The Fem shrugged. Her face and voice were extremely nonchalant - her body language, on the other hand, was tense and intent.

			"And you can't stay with the old costuming group. They're too caught up in the delusion of Empire to care. You also have to give up a thing or two up here, sure." Twentyone Twentyeight prodded her forehead with one finger, in a gesture that was probably supposed to look casual. "But really, does it matter? Individuality is overrated anyway - you're already going by a ''number'' instead of a name. You get ''people'' back, ''regular'' people. You keep power. The Force doesn't care."

	And then the Fem was silent again, waiting.		And then the Fem was silent again, waiting.
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	Fortunately, Lieutenant Julia finally asked the questions that TK-0480 hadn't been able to phrase.		Fortunately, Lieutenant Julia finally asked the questions that TK-0480 hadn't been able to phrase.

	"And what happens in return?" she asked boldly. "Nothing comes without a price. What happened to Sir Ken? What happened to TK-7095, to TX-1332, and BH-3842, and TI-9711, and all those others? Why have they been ambushing us, if they only wanted to help? Why is this the first time we've ever heard from ''anyone'' who they took away, part of the 501st or not? They've been abducting us, and abducting supersoldiers and bounty hunters, and there has to be a reason for that."		"And what happens in return?" she asked boldly. "Nothing comes without a price. What happened to Sir Ken? What happened to TK-7095, to TX-1332, and BH-3842, and TI-9711, and all those others? Why have they been ambushing us, if they only wanted to help? Why is this the first time we've ever heard from ''anyone'' who they took away, part of the 501st or not? They've been abducting us, and abducting supersoldiers and bounty hunters, and there has to be a reason for that. And it isn't that they've been offering this all along. There's really nothing any of the others could have gained from this."

	The distance was surely too far for James to see the color of Twentyone Twentyeight's eyes. But for a moment, as ~~her~~ face briefly twisted with rage, he thought he saw. They were bright, smoldering yellow.		The distance was surely too far for James to see the color of Twentyone Twentyeight's eyes. But for a moment while Julia spoke, as the Fem's face briefly twisted with rage, he thought he saw. They were bright, smoldering yellow.

	"Don't listen to her!" The Fem's voice no longer sounded as compelling as it had before. She didn't seem to be aware of that. "She hasn't been there, she doesn't know what it's like! The ''schutta'' doesn't even wear armor-"		"Don't listen to her!" The Fem's voice no longer sounded as compelling as it had before. She didn't seem to be aware of that; obviously, she hadn't expected anyone to interrupt. "She hasn't been there, she doesn't know what it's like! The ''schutta'' doesn't even wear armor-"

	"I would hear the Lieutenant speak," SL-0075 rumbled. The vocoder made it hard to be sure, but James thought he heard a touch of irritation.		"I would hear the Lieutenant speak," SL-0075 rumbled. The vocoder made it hard to be sure, but James thought he heard a touch of irritation.

	"I don't know, and that is truth." Julia's face bore little expression. Her voice was ~~calm and~~ clear and reasonable.		"I don't know, and that is truth." Julia's face bore little expression - James knew her well enough to see that she was nowhere near as certain as she sounded, but he doubted many others could see that. Her voice was still a bit strained but otherwise clear and reasonable, and although there was authority in it, it was far from a command. "Impulsive behavior rarely works out well. We simply don't have the whole story. And I hate to dismiss your problems, but what would happen to ''us'' if y- urk-" This time, as ID-4102 lifted off the floor and started to choke, her neck began to bruise, bands of angry red blooming across her throat like stains.

			"''Shut up''..." Twentyone Twentyeight was hissing, gloved hand clenched in that familiar gesture.

			[insert rapid lead-in here]

			SL-0075, rather than debate this, gathered himself and in an instant had crossed the distance, lightsaber swinging in a two-handed grasp. The Fem was too distracted to react in time and dodge or mitigate the attack. She could have been cut in half then and there - but instead, SL-0075 struck her with his fists, still locked together around the hilt of his weapon. Twentyone Twentyeight recovered almost instantly, activating her own lightsaber. The scene took about two and a half seconds.

			If TK-0480 hadn't been living and working in proximity to Vaders and other Force-Sensitives, he would have thought that kind of speed was impossible - and had he been a civilian instead of a stormtrooper, he might have gaped in surprise. As it was, while it happened he was changing the angle of his E-11 blaster rifle, aware that the rest of the patrol was thinking along the same lines and doing the same. The moment he was certain, he opened fire.

			Not on either side's Vader. That was practically tantamount to suicide. Instead, while the Lieutenant dropped to the ground, he fired at about knee-height, strafing the massed Femtroopers before they could react. One E-11 couldn't have taken down many before they wised up. Six, even coming from one point, was a different story. They fell like seed-heavy grain before an advanced harvester droid.

			''Click.'' The selector levels on all six rifles switched from "Kill" to "Stun" almost as one, as if the squad had rehearsed this strategy beforehand. Just because most of the enemy was down and thoroughly disorganized didn't mean they were harmless. You didn't need use of your legs to shoot.

			It was really something of an anticlimax. Maybe Femtroopers had some kind of a hive mind, maybe it was due to the Law of Conservation of Ninjitsu, which James had seen in action on several occasions - one ninja, monster, or cyborg was tough, but mass a bunch together and they were target practice - or maybe it was because they were too focused on their Vader, but in short order there were only a handful of moving Femtroopers in sight. There'd been some scattered and poorly-aimed return fire, and James had been winged by a glancing hit to the upper arm that stiffened his fingers, but the majority of them had been shot down with almost laughable ease.

			The remainder, finally showing signs of awareness, were now taking cover and firing more carefully, but this was at a far enough range that TK-0480 felt he could check on ID-4102.

			The Lieutenant was alive, and conscious - not that he'd really expected otherwise, but it was still a relief. She looked ''terrible'', but was mobile enough that she'd opened up her medkit and wrapped a white salve-bearing band around her throat. Julia looked into his eyepieces and jerked her chin, a clear if nonverbal order. James complied. To linger where he was not needed and neglect to be where he ''was'' of use would take a far less professional trooper than him.

			Unfortunately, at the moment there wasn't much he could do in terms of combat, either. The remaining Fems were a good distance away, far enough that the stun bolts - sometimes accurately, if derisively, called "blue rings" - weren't all that effective. The stun bolts produced by an E-11 moved relatively slowly, and by the time one reached a target she had had ample time to duck out of the way. Fem's bolts were faster, but the patrol too was able to dodge at this range.

			At some point another of the portable shield generators had gone down. James helped another trooper bring the remaining pair up in front of the patrol while the others kept them from being shot. But the remaining Femtroopers weren't aiming particularly well - they seemed to be shooting more to provide cover while they went after their fallen brethren.

			The fallen Fems - and there were more than a few of them, James estimated around three dozen or so - didn't look like they would be getting up any time soon. The brief spate of full-power strafing had clearly burned through the thigh-high armored boots of many of them

			[Finish the story, Joysweeper. Come on. Duel, outcome win/lose. RL appears. Conflict, physical/verbal/mental. Wrap up. Ending. Contemplative? Amusing? Finish the story.]

	[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Joysweeper]] [[Category:Xanadu]] [[Category:Alien]] [[Category:Transgender]]		[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Joysweeper]] [[Category:Xanadu]] [[Category:Alien]] [[Category:Transgender]]

Joysweeper: Not done yet! I'm just saving it here for now.

2007-12-16T20:47:01Z

Not done yet! I'm just saving it here for now.

Show changes

Joysweeper: New page: {{WIP}} {{Universe|Xanadu}} {{title |name= Femtroopers |author=Joysweeper |user=Joysweeper}} {{author endnote|While not exactly a sequel to 501st, this does contain some of the same ...

2007-12-12T19:23:03Z

New page: {{WIP}} {{Universe|Xanadu}} {{title |name= Femtroopers |author=Joysweeper |user=Joysweeper}} {{author endnote|While not exactly a sequel to 501st, this does contain some of the same ...

New page

{{WIP}}
{{Universe|Xanadu}}

{{title
|name= Femtroopers
|author=Joysweeper
|user=Joysweeper}}

{{author endnote|While not exactly a sequel to [[501st]], this does contain some of the same characters. What can I say? I like stormtroopers. Story is also not entirely finished - I have to write my take-home exam before I can write the ending. Sorry!}}

[[Category:Story]] [[Category:Joysweeper]] [[Category:Xanadu]] [[Category:Alien]] [[Category:Transgender]]