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Super Robot Wars ∀: Deep Space IC Thread - Part 3: Crisis Point


Nanami Touko
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Tarquin's co-pilot appeared slightly shaken by the battle's end but was quickly able to regain her composure. It was an admirable trait, although it would not be a suitable excuse to neglect her wellbeing entirely. She did raise an interesting point, the sheer number of unlikely events and chance happenings was almost comical. It were as if fate had designed a farfetched elaborate take for them all to partake in. Meeting Nikolai, Nina, even Jess herself, he would have never expected any of it to happen but there was no chance he'd change it.

"A whole collection of jokes, one after the other." Tarquin replied, pausing as he began reminiscing some of the less fortunate events. "I've gained a friend in Nikolai then watched as he was shot from the sky. Not long after, I work alongside the man who performed the deed. I cannot say it was a particularly thrilling prospect for me. To be fair, there are not many people that I enjoy the company of. I'm grateful that you are one of them, Jess."

There was always going to be part of him that wanted to enact his revenge against Carlos, the part of him that was a child rather than a soldier. Tarquin looked forward to the day that child could act on his own whims - even if it were just to vandalise Carlos' quarters. Nikolai would have been thrilled by the concept, Tarquin could already imagine his friend's vulgar commentary.

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It's over.

Finally.

"Aaaagh..." The Italian put her head down on the console, a little rough but not rough enough to damage blood cells. It felt like an eternity, but it was done. She had hoped casualties were kept to a minimum, the intensity of the battle made it hard for her to keep track of everyone. Speaking of which, the thought of checking up on everyone crossed her mind. Aly was the first to come to mind, but... 'She must be going through so much...I want to but, should I give her space to think?' She hovered her finger over the button, about to hail her shark friend but... '...no. I think Tristan has her covered. She has to be talking with him now.' She had hoped that was the case anyway. For the time being she contacted someone who seemed to have a good time dipping in the lake. "Uh, Mr Tycho?" She spoke through the comms. "I'm Aliza Silvavolke, uh, are you alright? Or y'know, alive? Please say yes."

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Right on cue Louise had chimed in with no interest in staying on guard duty while all of this new and interesting was going on inside the ship. At first, Firmia was just annoyed. After all, Hannah may not be made of the same stuff, but she was more trustworthy. In the situation Louise was describing, Hannah was Firmia's go-to. That said, Louise had her strengths as well, and the Alkaev wondered if she couldn't take advantage of that here ... get back at that mouthy Ayyl'Vern for insulting her. It certainly wasn't a hard decision. "No need to apologize, just come back and wait for me in the hangar," Firmia said. Hopefully she could annoy the Sacarian as much as anyone.

Getting up from her seat, Firmia grabbed her tablet, took off her TK headset, and made for the door. "You two have the bridge. Don't wait for me if fighting suddenly picks up again."

With that, she left the bridge and started down the port side corridor. Along the way, she remembered the message she'd received during the battle. She turned her tablet's screen on and opened the message, more curious about its exact sender than the contents. She was expecting a message from her grandfather, Dima. Instead, it was 'Gabriel Katz.' By now, she knew who he was thanks to her access to the Alkaev Journal, but she didn't know why he was contacting her specifically.

The first paragraph of Gabriel's message read:
[Cousin, this is later than I planned on writing to you, however, I wanted to wish you well in your final battle with the Sacarian King, Trel'Vaar. I can only hope this message reaches you before then. In that vein, there is something you should know about the Sacarians. From what I've been able to gather, your side has been fighting a very uphill battle, but you needn't. The rank and file Sacarians are known as 'pawns' and are treated as such. Defeating their specific leaders can lead to an immediate surrender of the pawns, provided they have no other options available. This information is somewhat sensitive, however, I'm entrusting it to you in the hopes that you and your allies will use it to bring this war to an end more swiftly, and spare at least some of the Sacarian fighters you'll be facing. Their way of life is foreign to us, but their loyalty is beyond question.]

Firmia grimaced at the timing of that. She also wondered why Gabriel was sympathetic to the Sacarians. Had he encountered them and survived? How was that even possible? It took everything they had to keep these battles from snowballing in the enemy's favor. A lack of serious casualties denoted strong, sound tactics, not weak opponents. Still wondering how Gabriel knew about anything Sacarian or Riese related, she read the second paragraph.

[One more thing I'd like you to keep to yourself, at least for now, is the conflict in Russia. I can't spare many details, but you should know that our own final battle will be underway, soon. By no means can we end things before you reach and confront Trel'Vaar, however, my people will take back Russia within a month's time at the absolute latest. Perhaps we'll get lucky and Trel'Vaar's death will have a negative impact on the morale of the Knight Shia'Naar and his men. Even if it doesn't, we're still going to fight. We have everything we need to end this war, and I hope your side does as well. With that, please remember what I said, earlier. The Sacarian way of life is foreign to us, but their loyalty is beyond question. Should you find one in your service, please treat them well. They are not your enemy, the Sacarian King himself is your true enemy. I hope we'll have the chance to speak in person at some point, Firmia.

Gabriel Katz]

Firmia scowled at the message, figuring Gabriel must have some Sacarian oddball fawning over him day and night, biasing his views on them little by little. That said, the Alkaev could sense from nearly the get-go that Ayyl'Vern was more or less resigned to his fate. He wasn't plotting anything truly harmful, though that was all. It seemed the orange furball wouldn't spare her any unnecessary commentary unless ordered to do so.

As for Gabriel, they definitely had time to talk now. She was considering calling him directly once the salvage operation was underway. The Riese crew was still recovering from the battle, and so they wouldn't be setting up a debriefing just yet. First, Firmia wanted to set things straight between her and Ayyl'Vern, and having just made it to the hangar, it was simply a matter of heading over to whichever vacant MS dock he chose for his Praxis.

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"It's over." Seung-Min affirmed, as the flood of emotions coming from Christina quickly filled the space inside of her head. Setting the Artemis to hover in place for the time being, Kim left her seat, circling around to the second chair and tenderly embracing the blonde. Petting her hair gently, it seemed the reality of everything was crashing down on Christina.

"We can go back whenever you want, Chrissy. Mmm..." Kim began, pausing for a moment. It certainly was a... heavy thought, the blonde was having. Astin and Avery were gone now, for good. Even despite their betrayal it was a bitter pill, but at the same time.

"They... they made their choice, Chrissy. Even Astin... if only we could have seen their true colours earlier. If it hadn't taken me so long to- no. No use worrying about that now." Kim shook her head for a moment, allowing her fingers to brush through Christina's locks as she held the girl.

"You felt... what Astin said was true, just like I did. They didn't have any reservations about taking us out, if we had given them the chance. I... I wish I could have known what would drive them to feel that strongly, despite everything... I suppose it is sad, in that way." Kim added, biting her lip slightly as Christina even extended her grief to Avery. For the Lieutenant, she was the far more... tumultuous of the pair. Astin had been reliable and amicable, but distant. Avery had been... well she had been a proper friend. Even a supportive pillar, for a time. Replaying those moments in her head, yet at the same time... Seung-Min squeezed Christina tighter, burying her face in the blonde's hair to hide it, but the grief coming off of the Lieutenant was obvious. Grief, loss... a spike of anger every time a pleasant memory was interrupted in her head by a gunshot, a macabre reminder looming over everything.

"Even Avery... you think you know someone, huh?"

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Tycho was caught by someone calling his name on come. They said, 'Alize Silvavolke'. Right, right... the... Saggitae, I think? Tycho was too fixated on units over people during briefing. It was a lot easier that way.

"I'm fine, Sergeant Silvavolke," or would she prefer first name? Uh... "Or... Miss Aliza, whichever you prefer. And you can just use Tycho, that works." It was definitely a different world. He shook his head, "Anyway, it's just a small wound and some other things. Nothing major," and he soon followed up with a small laugh, "I think I feel worse for your shop when they see my Velite."

Edited by Silver Gallade
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With readings lighting up that the Hexis was indeed out of commission, Roxanna could finally rest against the seat in the infirmary. This had been a tiring, tense hustle with low morale looming over her, as tiring as an extensive exercise regime. Tristan's report on their casualties stung differently knowing that it only stood for their pilots out in the field, especially with memories of the bridge still vivid in her conscious, moments before the attack. She turned to Jessica's tank, pensive for a moment.

It took a moment, but Roxanna finally realized Tristan had said something more.

"Ah? A Velite-- ah, un, understood." Roxanna tilted her head in mild confusion, trying to make sense of the information as her eyes gazed at her device's screen, lacking focus. Perhaps he had his reasons. Most importantly, she was the acting captain now... for, however long that would hold.

Moreover, Jessica had intriguing news waiting for her. "Surrender signals?" Her attention whisked away from Tristan's matters, Roxanna winked as she stared into Jess' tube. "If that's so..." Her thought process was rattled, but, shifty eyes and all, Roxanna collected herself into an answer: "Tell them to come closer to the Riese and turn off their machines. I'll... send some of the ground crew to pick them up?" That'd be a good way to handle this, possibly. They could check the suits and pilots separately, in case of anything weird.

Furthermore, as acting captain, one more thing fell to her duty: "All pilots, please return to the hangar for repairs. We've confirmed the end of hostilities." Roxanna had opened the general communications channel for that specific message, leaning onto her device.


Esther felt... dissatisfied. Even taking action on her own, there was a dissatisfaction with how little she could contribute --was her machine already that limited? These Sacarians are such a mess... Leaning back onto the pilot's seat, Nina's words brought her to mull over the situation a bit more thoroughly. "I'm fine... I know of at least one person that needs several hugs, though." Esther rectified her posture on the seat, gripping the controls as the Metis began steering back towards the Riese. "...I won't say no to a hug, though."


Makoto could finally relax as the Hexis fell, the towering behemoth finally brought down with a battleship's beam. "Wow..." The Sacarians were something else, especially those knights. They only made the gap wider... "Man, this isn't easy..." It was kind of a miracle he had survived it all in his diminutive machine (relatively speaking).

It was time to move back to the Riese, and contemplate about what he learned. If his father was indeed working with the terrorists, then, he probably had a hand on those suits as well...


"Mantle to Avalon, requesting further instructions." Bonner expedited the message with the same professional tone as usual, the Mantle readily making a U-turn after readings on the Hexis had faded.

"Hard to believe we've won without a scratch against these guys, Major." Lynx had relaxed into a contemplative mood, observing the debris on the battlefield, several mobile suit pieces, almost entirely from Apotheosis' side.

"I wouldn't say so, the Riese took a major blow." Bonner was quick to remind the fact, pointing a finger, "I'd say our chances are good, but we need them to recover from it quickly."

"Are you thinking of paying a visit?"

"Perhaps..." Bonner trailed off, the feed of the Mantle showing a peculiar movement rom another unit... a, thumbs up?

"Kazue seems to be in good spirits." Lynx picked up on its pilot first, some levity in his tone.

"Ah, that's who it is." And sure enough, Bonner had a mellow smile, something to lighten up the mood after the mission. His comms opened. "Good work, Lieutenant Fujiwara."

Edited by Xinnidy
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"Come closer an' turn 'em off. Sounds sound! Got it~" Jessica went about doing that fairly quickly, sending the message into both of the Praxis models. One of them responded by flying closer and shutting down, the cockpit opening, a furiously burgundy Sacarian stepping out, her hair fluttering in the wind. There was no further message to the Riese, either because she hadn't received direct words, or because she'd picked up on Roxanna's orders mentally. Either way, she was waiting for someone to come and pick her and her suit up.

The other had chosen to follow after Abigail's machine, setting down near where the Deliverance was maintaining height. "Hail! My apologies, victor. I had assumed you belonged to the much more impressive ship..." Another female Sacarian was sending a transmission to Abigail and Calina's machine, hoping they would respond.

"I got one of them, Roxy, but the other went towards the... Verrrgloria. Weird name. Doesn't seem hostile, so, it's fine? I think?"

And there went Tristan, a Velite Mk.II taking off and heading out in the direction Alriana had gone. "Is... That fine? That's Tristan, right? Is he gonna be fine?"


"She's just banged up! That's all! Geez... And no way. I ain't tellin' Sena nothin'. Girl's had the look of death since... Yeah." Terry was up for a battle behind the seat of the ship, not face to face.

"I'll do it, Abby," Calina cut in. "Make sure it really sinks in--"

"Hail!"

"Huh?" The Vergloria was getting called on by one of those remaining suits... A woman? Wait, a Sacarian!? "The cat wants us, Abby... Uh..."


"Meet you in the hangar!? I could kiss you! I might, don't tempt me~" Louise wasted no time in racing towards the Avalon, almost cutting off the Praxis, if it hadn't flown over so quickly. "Hello, new friend. I'm sure we'll get along wonderfully~" Speakers were a switch, Louise didn't feel like hitting channels for transmissions right now.

"Ugh... You're not even human, are you? Androids..." It seemed that Ayyl'Vern was at the least acquainted with the concept of Louise, the Praxis and the Luna sharing entry into the Avalon. He set it in the first unoccupied space he could find, wasting no time in getting out and riding a wire down. He was already exhausted from the battle with these shockingly strong humans, leaping out would've left him worse for wear. Already, Firmia was easy to spot, so he stood at attention, even if it was difficult to remove the scowl from his face. "Pawn Ayyl'Vern, awaiting command, Captain."

"Ooohhh, so respectful... I'm shocked. You sounded so much like you hated working for a human~" Louise had not opted for the wire, jumping out of the Luna with enough of a thud to make even the Sacarian flinch, smirking her way towards him as she laid out her commentary. "Tell me, pretty kitty, what's it like to lose to a bunch of monkeys~? I've always wondered how you lot would act with that thick pride shattered... 'Oh no, the inferior species put me in my place, my life is over', and that sort of waterworks. You're not going to cry, are you?"

"Tchh... Tin cans... Do not seek to upset me, you will find no such success. What's done is done. Whether or not I like it, I will not shirk in my pride as a Sacarian."

"Huhuhu, hehee~ Mhmm... I'm sure you won't. For now~" Louise didn't go anywhere, though, arms crossed in her pilot suit, it was fun watching his scowl worsen.


"Ah! Yes! Good work to the both of you, as well!" Even if it was brief, it made her smile. It was nice to see them well, the fight had been taxing. That they were all living through this was testament to the crews aboard both the Riese and the Avalon. Such a fighting force, could they be stopped, at this point? There was no telling what was left, but... "Take care to keep on fighting, Bonner, Lynx." With orders to return to the Riese, Kazue turned on the Crescent's boosters, heading towards the hangar.


"Hicc... Ahh... I wanna go home..." Christina new she couldn't, at this point. For one, she knew far too much of the Riese and other machines' inner workings to simply be let off, she was already technically a captured enemy combatant, something she was likely going to be grilled for when this was over... And leaving Kim to fight alone when they were so close to the end would've left a horrible taste in her mouth. Even if she wasn't doing much to help the Artemis, with all these Sacarians, she was helping. It was painful, but she was helping... "I'm sorry, Kim... I, just... I need to rest. I-I'll be okay. I think..." The shivers told a different story, but she was trying. Astin and Av... Marianne, had been a painful experience. One she wouldn't soon forget.


Nina's hands slowly found their way around the seat in front of her and hugged Esther gently, nodding. "I can do hugs, then... I'm... Sorry, about Vera. She is not a good person... But... No one deserves to go through what happened today. I... Am sorry." This situation was awkward and new. Vera had killed so many, even if against her wishes. Perhaps it was a sort of karma, but even then... To lose all her family in a single day, was fate so cruel? Would she even be able to continue forward from something like this? Would Esther? She clearly cared a fair bit about the woman. "If... I can do anything more..."

Edited by SnakeMomMelissa
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"I'm pretty sure she wants all suits except the Gunner back inside," Tonya responded to the Mantle from the Avalon's bridge, "... otherwise you can just hang out and help the drones pick up the pieces. They're coming out soon." It wasn't a serious offer, but it also wasn't a bad idea.

In the meantime, Tonya was steadily guiding the Avalon to the flattest stretch of land she could find, hoping to land the ship and keep it level.


Firmia hoped that someday she would be so used to 'commentary' from both ends of the spectrum that neither Louise nor Ayyl'Vern could frustrate her this easily. For now, she focused on mentally preparing herself for whatever back and forth could happen when she and Louise met the Sacarian in person. It may not have been Louise's first time meeting one of the Sacarians, but it was definitely Firmia's, and it wasn't going to be easy. She really didn't like them after all they had done, and this talk of honor and loyalty stood in stark contrast to their actions in the war, in the Alkaev's view. They reminded her of a certain nation in the Far East and their shenanigans during the Second World War.

Firmia caught up to Louise and Ayyl'Vern both after taking the stairs down to the hangar floor and making her way over to the Luna and the Praxis Gamma. Ayyl'Vern's introduction was concise, but one thing the Alkaev didn't like was what he called himself. A pawn. That was the same wording Gabriel had used. He wasn't being needlessly dramatic; the Sacarian pilots really did view themselves that way. What an awful 'rank' to hold in a so called honorable society. What an awful thing to have any pride in whatsoever. Firmia let Louise get in her prodding before she weighed in and introduced herself, though ...

"I'm Captain Firmia Alkaev ... and don't call yourself a pawn anymore. Those days are over."


The Regalia arrived soon after the Luna and Praxis, and made its way over to its own dock. Rather than hopping down to the ground floor, Brant opted to step out onto the upper level walkway once the Regalia's hatch opened, even offering Chris a hand out of the machine. He didn't even realize just how tired he was getting until he was back on his own two feet. After those showers, it would probably be a good idea to get whatever rest they could. No matter what the situation on the Riese was, it was unlikely that the Regalia's TKs would be out of combat for long. They had hours now, not days like they were accustomed to.

The thought of welcoming the new pilot did cross Brant's mind, but he didn't really know what to say. Neither Firmia nor Ayyl'Vern looked or felt particularly happy about the arrangement, which was understandable, but also unusual. His usual shtick of welcoming anyone and everyone to the 'team' didn't sit right with him this time. "I honestly didn't think she could top Louise, but now we've got one of the Sacarians on board and standing at attention like a soldier"

Come to think of it, maybe this wouldn't be all awkward. "... Aki did want a cat though, didn't she? Problem solved?" Jokes aside, Brant did wonder how their daughters would handle the news; there was no hiding a tall orange alien, especially not from Akilina.

Edited by Phoenix
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"If Tycho's fine then Aliza will be fine too." She answered back with a bit of pep in her voice. "And good to hear, we'll need all hands on deck soon enough." She turned to the ship. "Anyway meet you back there." She took off toward the Riese. By this point she also wanted to check in on a certain shark alien, see how she was holding up. So Aliza pressed the button. "Aly, it's Aliza. Are you alright?" She awaited her response, not knowing how far off she had gone by now, or that Tristan was hot on the trail.

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"Copy that," and that was all he could get out before he noticed her machine take off. "Just when we were getting to know each other," He calmly joked to himself. Tycho was aware there'd be time to learn about these people. Unless everyone else preferred the comfy confines of their bunks... something he understood immensely.

With that, Tycho finally docked in with the Riese. He had already spent way too much time today in the cockpit, he needed way more things right now than he'd be willing to admit.

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Elaine let out a sigh of relief, her hands still shaking as she relaxed her grip on her controls. The Oberon had taken a beating, the smell of burnt electronics was a sign that the LTP hadn't been wired completely correctly, but then again she wasn't entirely sure how you were meant to wire a system that went beyond the machine's intended capabilities. They'd completely torn through the Sacarian forces... but they'd lost two people they'd considered allies. Astin... Avery, two people who actually seemed to tolerate Elaine's antics and temper. They had all united to face the alien army, but Elaine still felt incredibly alone. The remaining crew weren't exactly fond of her and she had a feeling she'd be facing a decent prison sentence on her return home. Her uncle had always warned her about keeping out of trouble and controlling her temper - something that she had finally learned the hard way.

"Hey, Kim." Elaine broadcast, sinking back into her seat. "I know that they were traitors the whole time, but like... did they get you too? I mean, they both had me fooled like a fuckin' moron but I don't get how they could hide it from you psychic guys for so long. Shit, it just sucks. I figured we'd have all been in it together from the start. Only ones left are me, you, Brant, Thorvald and the plant kid."

Elaine noticed one of their units heading off. Was it Alriana? Elaine was half tempted to chase after her but someone else was already in hot pursuit - the last thing she needed to do was get herself into another situation. They'd gained another prisoner, one of their enemies had surrendered. So far the Captain had recruited basically everyone they'd captured, but she wasn't too sure about this one.

-

To be truthful, Talia had spent most of the battle hiding away in her room. The constant shakes and impacts the Heion Riese had been terrifying, she couldn't help but recall what had happened at Corona Ten - she was powerless again to stop the carnage. It was another situation where she hadn't been able to help out or fight... she'd relied on everyone else again. I can't keep hiding away whilst other people put themselves at risk, I know I would have gotten in the way... Talia shook her head, it just seemed so easy to slip back into negative thought patterns. She'd practiced with Makoto in the simulator, it was the first few steps. She looked over at one of her manga volumes on the table. She'd read hundreds, possibly even thousands, of stories over the years. There was always some sort of threat or crisis in the tales, the characters must have been always under constant pressure. There was no way she'd have wanted to be a protagonist in a stressful story like those. Perhaps part of her did, just to have that glimmer of appreciation, the knowledge that she was worth something.

"If this were some sort of story this would be the time I'd gain the courage to change." Talia laughed drly. "It's not like Gorilla Rider... he just used to snap back when a challenge came up."

It had been eerily quiet for the last few minutes, there hadn't been any sudden movements, or shakes or explosions, had the battle ended. She didn't want to bother anyone, but she just needed to know Makoto was OK. He wasn't a soldier like the others but still found a way to fight with everyone else, part of her wished she could have that sort of courage. Tapping into her communicator, she sent a message, worriedly waiting for a reply.

"Hey Makoto, has the battle finished? Are you OK? Please message me back! Love Talia."

Talia took a few moments, realising how she'd phrased her message. Letting out a silent scream, she buried her face in her pillow, trying to hide from an unseen audience. She could feel the warmth in her cheeks, the embarrassment spreading across her face. Kill me now.

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"Chrissy... the ANF owes me... owes both of us, a hell of a lot after all of this. They aren't going to whisk you away like some criminal... not as long as I'm still breathing. We'll get you home." Seung-Min replied, answering both the blonde's spoken and unspoken worries at the same time, giving Christina a tight squeeze, laying her cheek against her shoulder.

"We'll get back on the ship, and you can rest. I know it's hard... it feels like the world is turning upside down, but... it's almost over. We'll win. We've come way too far not to... okay?" Kim followed up, leaning up a bit to place a tender kiss on Christina's forehead. Elaine's message came through clearly through the speaker, but all she could really afford it at the moment was a quickly typed

"Yeah, they got us too."

before hitting send on her wrist console. If the fiery pilot had words for her later on for responding via text, well... she'd deal with that when and if it came to pass.

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Alriana continued you her trek north, leaving the battlefield and her allies further behind. Even as the Riese hailed her she continued on, not daring to respond. She knew it was Tristan, and she knew what he'd do if she told him why she was going of by herself. He'd reassure her that it was over, that these feelings were being confused for others, and to come back to the Riese. He cared too much about her to let her do what she needed to do. Even if she was right, she knew she could handle that if needed to.

Another communication, this one from the Sagittae, meaning... Aliza. She didn't seem to have caught onto her disappearance; Alriana would've expected much more pointed questions if that was the case. Pressing the button she answered, "Yes. I'm, fine. Will be, more fine, soon... How you, Aliza?" As long as Aliza didn't catch on, the alien was content to let her friend stay on the line. Just because this final task was for her to do alone, it didn't mean she couldn't have company in the interim. 

Edited by Ursali
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There it was! Thorvald's 250mm rounds had caught the Hexis's attention for long enough: he'd caused the pilot to pivot his direction, thus allowing Firmia blast to catch the enemy machine square on the broadsides. And it had proved enough, finishing the long process of wearing it down to disrepair. There looked to be enough left to salvage, though, the prospects of which would certainly excite many, not the least of which the young Russian captain. But for now, the number one priority for most everyone would have to be licking their wounds. Both physical, and emotional. There was a lot to unpack.

Thorvald had been considering raising comms to Miller's man, making sure he'd survived the loan okay, but he broadcast first and Aliza (of all people) came out of her shell a little and responded. Looks like that's one hassle he can put on the back burner. He'll do that meet and greet after they both unload in the hanger, make sure the newcomer feels properly welcomed. For now, though...

Operating the levers and switches required to transform the Odin back into its hulking giant humanoid form, rather than the lumbering tank he'd spent most of the combat in, Thorvald cast his gaze closer afield. That policebot was looking rather battered. A bit of a weak smile, he hailed Makoto using the same mistaken code from the colony, the small inside joke trying to be a meager patch of brightness amid the dark and stormy mood they'd all been plunged into.

"Peace Officer, your ride's looking like it's seen better days. Need a lift?" The offer was accompanied by the Odin kneeling down to bring an open palm to ground level, so the Phalanx could step on if he wished. The lad seemed eager to acquiesce, but not especially talkative--maybe something else had his attention? No matter. The pair of them began making the hike back to the Riese, arriving not much behind the others that had begun heading that way. Well, relatively, at least. Tycho and Tarquin had a significant geographical headstart, of course, and even though they started a lot closer to Esther's Metis and Vera's Mark III, those machines did have an edge on his in terms of speed.

Speaking of those last two... he'd promised to look after Esther, and technically was still succeeding at that. It felt like she was still trying to keep him shoulders' distance though. Andy's death had hit Vera like a ton of bricks, how was the impact on her 'sister'? Time to play nosey father figure and find out. What was her call sign again? Eh, time to just guess and hope he got it right. As they rode down the elevator to the hangar, he opened a private line. "Gamer Girl? This is Papa Bear. How you holding up?"
 



Monty had been given the go ahead by the boss, so he waved goodbye to the android that had been keeping him company till now, boarded one of the small automated shuttlecraft, and hummed to himself as it pathed its way toward one of its few preset destinations: the Heion Riese. The doctor had cleared the Avalon's airspace before everyone else began crowding in, which was good, with enough traffic he'd probably have needed someone to pilot for him, and that might have been asking a little much.

Hmm, better phone ahead and let them know he was making a house call though... Poking around a few menus on the console, he finally found what he was looking for, a connection to the larger ship's infirmary. "Dr. Amparo, I presume? This is Monty, the Avalon's physician." His introduction showed that he was willing to extend formalities if she wanted them, heavens knew some people were stuffy on principle, but that she didn't need to extend any back if she didn't want to. First name basis was ripe for the taking.

"With no need of my services on the Avalon, I figured I'd offer to lend a hand over there. I'm assuming you could use the help? That damage looked rather horrific..." He probably should have asked before he left, but if he ended up not being needed, well, an excuse to hobnob with some folks outside of his usual company. It'd be like a small little vacation, and nobody could blame him.
 



"Wait, what?" The pilot who'd shot down Nikolai--Jess remembered the boy in the tank from her time in the infirmary, and from her previous conversations with Tarquin--they were on the field here, working together? Which had it been? Given the tone, and the nature of the conversation, it was probably not one on some distant corner of the battlefield, maybe even...

She turned her head, staring out the Aria's viewport. Thankfully the craft she suspected wasn't on her blind side, so she didn't have to turn far. "The Eidolon," Jess inquired, before quickly appending an apology. "I'm sorry, if I had known..."

If she had known... what? The contributions that craft had made fighting the aliens had been vital. If she'd urged Tarquin to pilot to a different sector, to avoid dealing with unpleasantness, the battle might still be raging on. And to begin with, she'd been busy enough monitoring energy levels, accumulated damage, and her other tasks, most of the strategic choices had been left in the main pilot's jurisdiction. She wasn't to blame for this. But even so...

"...Still," her voice softened and she tried to move past the unwelcome realization, back to something rather more pleasant. "It's good to hear you feel we get along well. It'd have been a shame if I were the only one thinking that."

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"Ah, they're splitting one machine for each ship?" That only made things more suspicious, Roxanna was glad with her decision, with that in mind. "If you can keep the Riese stable for long enough, we should be able to remain in a safe distance until the crew checks the suit." It was one way to ease their worries, at least. That burgundy haired alien was willing to step out of the suit, at least, so that was a start. "You didn't send that one a message, did you? Er, bring her in before we examine..." Aliens... "I'll tell that to, uh, Specialist Schmidt." With a passing swipe on her device, Roxanna got to work.

Seeing Jessica mention the Vergloria in such a passing comment was sobering, however. A reminder that Jessica had lost her memories of the recent past. "Ah... Tristan knows what he's doing." As much as the comment made Roxanna remember when she passed down command to him back when she finally had a chance, the XO had to admit his potential. "This probably has to do with Alriana, judging the radar... he'll come back if it gets actually dangerous." And then they'd have a talk about Alriana's actions.


"Take care as well, Lieutenant." Bonner saluted to his live feed, cutting it off in short notice.

"Needed a bit of that after this combat." Lynx was a bit more comfortable in his relatively-small seat, leaning back as his body relaxed. "Hope the next one is our last."

"It should be, Lynx. It should." Bonner's comms readjusted to the Avalon, having received the answer he wanted from Tonya. The Mantle prepared to dock in the hangar, slowing its speed as it approached the ship. "Understood, the Mantle is preparing to dock."

"Don't want to help the drones and gain some favor, Major?"

"I'd prefer a good meal at the moment."


Makoto was hoping the Riese would fly low enough that a jump would do it, but it seemed like a helpful call from his trusty guardian would do it again. "Ah... yes, I'd like a lift again." Good thing that veritable titan was always this thoughtful. "Heheh, thank you sir. You did great out there." It was a deserved compliment, Makoto felt.

With his lift sorted out, Makoto reached for his communicator, recently beeping with a surprising notification. This wasn't the kind of time he'd get a message from anyone, so what was that about...?

"A-ah?"

Makoto blushed lightly, reading that message to its end. His eyes didn't deceive him, but he didn't quite know how to reply. Was Talia coming onto him? "Ah, geez..."

"Hi Talia! The fighting is over! That was rough but we're in better shape than the ship... you holding out well there, right?"

Maybe the best decision was to ignore it... No, he was too curious, really.

"Wanna hang out later?"

Smooth.


"I don't care that she's not a good person." Esther blurted out, leaning back against the hug. "She's important to me, and I hoped she could..." A sigh escaped her mouth, Esther shaking her head. "At least acknowledge she can count on me now. It's not going to be fun talking to her later, but someone's gotta do it." If only she'd stopped being treated like a little sister, she thought.

"You're fine, Nina. It doesn't involve you, but thanks." Christina's clone tended to the kind and helpful even when so suppressed. Esther appreciated that bit of respite, but she also wanted to act strong, to look stronger. "I'll still need your help, so launch with me next time, alright?" It felt right to ask that much, at least.

And then... a call from a 'squadmate', right. "I don't remember deciding on that callsign, but I'm good." Esther repressed a chuckle, the levity of it all was a good way to relieve the tension. "I'm more worried about the suicidal sword girl, really. Shooting cats is cathartic." Perhaps that'd ease their worried.


And a few moments after Roxanna issued the order, a certain Legionary stationed itself in front of the burgundy alien's machine, opening its cockpit. "H-hi, I... I was told to pick you up." Caroline was trying to repress the existential dread of being in front of an alien from a clearly more advanced, military race. It had mixed success. "There's no extra seats installed, but, ah, please hop in." The Legionary stepped closer, a ladder dropping from the cockpit's opening, providing access. Caroline wasn't going to chance a hangar jump with the alien dangling from the Legionary's hand or shoulder, after all. Wait, does it even understand me?

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Jess' condolences resonated with Tarquin, it was pleasant to know that there was someone who could understand the difficulty faced in working with Carlos. It was hopefully not an arrangement that would continue for too long. Sadly, it was something he would have to accept for the better of not only the crew, but for the human race as a whole. "Yes, Carlos Santana. The Aria was originally part of a pair, the Aria and the Umbra. Carlos shot down Nikolai in the Umbra... he was salvaged from the wreckage." Tarquin replied solemnly, the memory of him trying to sift through the flaming crash site for Nikolai was still very vivid in his head. "It is OK. Nothing can change the event, accepting it is the most I can do. The rest is ensuring that we try to ensure the safety of everyone else. Your safety is a matter of great importance, especially aboard the Aria."

Perhaps it was petty to continue holding his grudge against Carlos, he'd forgiven the rest of the crew they'd managed to recruit... but it felt far more personal. Part of him felt he needed to be mature about it, but then again, was he not entitled to feeling as such? After all, his best friend's legs had been blown off and he had been fated to recover inside a chemical vat.

Ruminating was unlikely to be helpful, Tarquin still needed to function in the rest of his life. He had the hope that soon a war against an alien race wouldn't be his only priority. That being said, it was best to the rest to the Heion Riese - the Aria certainly needed some work.

"We should head back, I'm sure there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done. We should also rest whilst we can." Tarquin added, guiding the Aria in the direction of the Riese. "Just one moment, I feel I should contact Nina, just to see how she is doing."

He didn't necessarily need to send a message, but he didn't particularly feel the need to justify in doing so. 

"Nina, this is Tarquin.  can see the Metis has taken damage, are you harmed? Is Miss Taylor well?" Tarquin asked his fellow clone. He would probably see them both aboard the Riese, but part of him wanted that little bit of reassurance. 

-

Talia had taken a few moments to scream silently, trying to drown her embarrassment. She heard the ping from her communicator, suddenly sitting upright and frantically rereading the message over and over to ensure she hadn't made a mistake. 

"Hang... out..." she whimpered, completely stunned by the response. Makoto actively wanted to spend time with her... was it a date? Was he going to make a move, no that was impossible, he was far too polite. Had he told T-4? No, maybe he talked to his mother? Was she going to chaperone... why was she overthinking it so much? What was she going to wear, did she need to brush her teeth and brush her hair? "Calm down, Talia... don't get ahead of yourself... but what if it's like Steve and Emily when she joins the Reliables? Calm down, just play it cool. You've got this."

"That sounds great! I can't wait to see you! Talia xx"

And sent. She paused for a moment.

"Crap." she muttered, falling backwards onto her bed. That was about as smooth as a cheese grater made from sandpaper.

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"More fine...soon?" She caught that, but wasn't sure what she meant exactly. Maybe a rest? Yeah, that had to be it. "Hm, I uh could be better honestly." She shook her head. The battle was over, but something weighed on her more than anything. "...Aly, I killed Astin." She took a sigh. "I know it had to be done, but...I just can't believe it." Regardless of their brief encounter, Astin showed some kindness to Aliza. Something she'll never forget. She never imagined she would repay that through a killing blow. It was enough to make her groan in frustration. "Hm...but it really did have to be done...right? More people would have died...it really sucks though."

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...It was looking like Abigail's Riese run might need to be put on hold. They had company. She and Calina hadn't managed to dock yet, so at least there was that, but she hadn't expected to be approached by the enemy machine that had flipped its IFF signal to 'surrender', discarded its weapons, and had its hands up. She'd seen it on the Vergloria's monitors, sure, but after it had ceased to be a threat it hadn't really registered as important... until the direct comm contact at least.

"Look! If you'd seen what she looked like before we got our hands on her you'd agree she's plenty impressive..." Abby quickly shot back, before managing to rein herself in. "I'll be right with you, just. Wait there."

Aborting any further efforts to board the Deliverance, she gave a short message to Terry instead, "...Understood. Looks like we'll be a moment more... got some things to deal with out here yet, it seems." Then, turning her mech back to face the foe, she began slowly walking it back till only maybe a dozen meters separated the two.

There was also the Sena matter to worry about. While Abby's initial comment to Terry had been made rather lightly, it was a serious issue, and having Calina step up to the plate would really be a relief, given everything else the rebel commander needed to juggle. As they piloted over to the alien craft, Abigail turned to her partner and let her know how much it meant. "Thanks. About Sena. It means a lot. I'm afraid of dropping the ball on this with just so much... Knowing you'll help look after her is..."

But that was all the time for awkward sincerity they had. "Okay, I'm going out on the hand. Cally, hold me out close, and keep an eye on things," Abby transitioned back to the matter at hand, pushing the buttons to open up the Vergloria's chest cavity and step out into the fresh air.

"Hail, vanquished. Open up. Show me your face, and state your business."

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A confused glare and salute met Firmia. "Why not? What do you humans call it... Chess? We use these terms in English to establish our rankings. To my understanding, the pawn is a crucial piece in your game, so it should not come across as something I need be upset about. Really..."

"Look at the pretty kitty getting all upset about his ranking~ Who's a good boy?"

"Begone, tin can." Ayyl'Vern had no further words for Louise, just a low growl and frustration. The Sacarians were typically good at comebacks to claims from others, but without being able to read her mind, he truly had nothing. "Assign me to a station, or ask what questions you require, captain."

"He's so funny~ Anyway, I've had my fun, and I need to get changed. I don't sweat anymore, but this pilot suit is way too tight, and last I checked, no one's looking me over. Their loss, but I'm getting back into my dress if I don't need to be in the Luna anymore. Speaking of the Luna, the mechanics might want to get the hose. I left it in quite a state." Louise, satisfied for the moment, happily left Firmia to her new toy, humming quietly. The Luna had definitely seen better days, from the damage it had sustained from Sacarian assault, to the mess of oil and stuck machinery that were plastered across its torso. Louise had reveled a bit too hard in her piloting freedom.

"What a mess of a robot..." Why the humans needs such tools was beyond the young Sacarian.

"She's not the only one," Hannah cut in, having made her way into the hangar and over to the conversation taking place, replacing Louise as the android on hangar duty. "You're gonna have to get used to us if you're gonna work here, cat."

"Grrhhuhhh..."


"Thanks," Chris breathed out, taking Brant's hand out of the machine and lazily holding onto his arm for support. That fight had been exhausting, she didn't want to imagine there was a tougher one to come. "I don't think that really counts. Probably not great with kids." Chris had no idea, she'd been sent off to die before getting to know or meet any of the Sacarians. "We should go before--"

"Aw, don't want to stop in and say hello? I'm sure he'd love to meet the inferior telekinetics that helped defeat his wonderful squadron leaders~" Louise was already up the walkway, having chosen to hop up to where Brant and Chris were on purpose, always up for bothering someone.

"No thanks... Louise. Need to relax before we're fighting again. Still meat over here."

"Don't remind me. Well! If the cat acts up, I don't mind giving it some necessary punishment~ Just let me know." Louise walked past them and off to her change of clothes.

"We'll get right on that... We might have a Sacarian, but I don't think any alien is going to top how off that just felt."


"Y... Yeah. Let's get back, to the ship." She couldn't quite get herself to stop crying, but they couldn't sit there and wait for her emotions to come back into order. They still had more to do today... This had been step one, step two was waiting. Seemed like they weren't the only people to be upset by the situation. Even Elaine... "I'll... Manage, Kim. You can take us in.


"Alright! I'll take your word for it, XO. Uh... Not that I wanna rush anything, Mmmegumi, right, but... Am, I getting out of here any time soon?" She gave a glance to the engineer in the room as well, wondering if there were temporary parts or otherwise they could give her to let her walk around.


With greetings over and some with, the Crescent made it back into the hangar, landing next to the Mk.III that Vera had used for combat. Kazue stepped out of her cockpit and eyed the machine, before taking her wire down, slowly flipping out her communicator. "Uhm... H-Hello? Miss, Vera? I... It, was an honor to, pilot alongside someone, as skilled as you. I am... I cannot fathom how you, are feeling. You have my, apologies. I am sure everyone around here... Is just as sorry. If there is anything w-we, I, can do..."

Silence. The comms were going through, the connection was still there. Simply, silence. Vera had curled up into a ball, hugging her knees, not moving.

"Ah... W-Well... We may not, be your friends, but... We, we can be your allies! If you, need us. That is all..." Kazue bit her lip, closing her communicator. What exactly could be done? She'd lost... So much. "I should, get changed. Maybe the therapist could assist..."


"If you are worried, then we should go and see how she is, Esther. Of course, I will launch with you, next time, too. I want to be of help." Nina was sure that Vera still cared about the girl, she had been very adamant on not letting her fight, after all. Why go so far for someone you didn't like? It would seem their plans would be halted for a moment, as calls came in from two sources. Thorvald was one of them... She let Esther handle that one, surprised that the next one was for her.

"Tarquin?" The boy that had given her a name, she was surprised to hear from him beyond that. "The Metis has taken a bit of damage, but we're both okay. Physically." It was probably important to clarify that. "You did very well fighting out there. Good work with your machine. It is... Nice? It is nice... To know that you are okay." Nice... So it felt good that Tarquin was fine. A faint smile fit her lips. "I am glad."


"Mm," was the only reply that Caroline received, the Sacarian hopping into the Legionary and quickly getting out of Caroline's way. "This... Cockpit is small." No other comments, about the defeat or the fight in general. She was staring at Caroline, though... Oh my goodness... Humans! Honest to goodness humans! I never got to meet any of them working in Apotheosis! I'm so glad I survived this fight! Thank you for losing, Scorpio! Her inner glee wasn't presented on her face at all, keeping a gentle watch over the girl as she began to move the Legionary.


"We're family, aren't we? Everyone on the Deliverance. What kind of woman would I be if I let your cute ass handle everything? ... Don't answer that." Calina wasn't the sharpest joker around, but she could at least make due on her promises. She'd get Sena to open up just a bit, even if it killed her.

"Of course! My apologies, Captain." The Sacarian cut her comms and started to open the cockpit, leaving Calina a bit stunned.

"Captain already, huh? Have fun out there, hun." The Vergloria was ready for Abby to hop into its hand, the Praxis now close enough to do the same, should Abby request it.

"Well met, Abigail Rockefeller... I have heard more odd human names before. I am Reed'Nahl, Pawn of the Sacarian forces! You have defeated my commanding officer, and attempts to flee would be met with death-- at either end! There are no reinforcements waiting for us. As such! I surrender myself to the stronger fighter. I am yours to do with as you see fit!" The tall, grey, and curly haired Sacarian smiled back at Abby with a salute, waiting for orders.

"... Are you, serious? What? Fuck's going on...?" Calina was incredibly confused, as one would be.

"Ah! I can understand your confusion, Calina Rydelle! Yes, we have been at odds during this war, but these are the rules of Sacarian conflict! Were we able to retreat to gather reinforcements, we wouldn't be talking right now, but... I am sure you all understand just how close this conflict is to being over." She didn't seem at all upset to have been defeated or surrender, still saluting in her pilot suit, ear twitching happily.

"So you just don't give a shit that we killed one of your bosses and your pals?" It was probably not a good idea for Calina to egg this on, but...

"On the contrary! As I have survived, I am more than excited to fight for someone strong enough to defeat a knight. I welcome whatever glorious battle awaits!"

"Geez... They're nutcases."

Edited by SnakeMomMelissa
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Getting out of here? Did Jessica mean the SIEG tank or the infirmary? If the former, not likely. If the latter, not today. She didn't realize just how serious the situation was; she'd lost pretty much all relevant memories and had been at ground zero of that horrific assault. Megumi wasn't sure what to do about her lower half, but she wasn't going to allow Jessica to leave the infirmary until they figured out exactly why the captain had lost her memories and what, if anything, they could do about it. The infirmary may not have been an ideal place to command and control the ship from, but as of right now, it had a better track record than the bridge.

Megumi simply shook her head at Jessica as her console notified her of a call coming in. It was from the Avalon, and their medic of all people. Apparently he didn't have anything to do; Megumi's hands were full so she couldn't relate. Monty's offer to come over and help out was a welcome one, though Megumi wasn't sure how he'd feel about helping with what was essentially tending to a cyborg, tending to some miraculously light injuries, and tending to the dead. "I'll take all the help I can get, Doctor. A word of warning though, we do have casualties over here."

With that sorted, Megumi took a moment to reconsider Jessica's situation. She didn't really mind her getting out of the SIEG tank if her own 'systems' could continue acting as life support. She just didn't want her to leave the infirmary. It wasn't as if she had anywhere she needed to be right now, anyway. She wasn't going to be handling the debriefing in her state, and there was no bridge to go back to.

As for Jessica's legs ... Megumi didn't have any ideas there. Actually, one did come to mind. Nikolai's prosthetics were more or less completed and ready to go. Using those would cut out half the work. She was quick to reject that idea, though. Those were for Nikolai, and if one could argue that it wasn't essential for him to be up and about right now, one could make the same argument for Jessica. She had such a degree of control over the Riese at this point, that it was almost counterproductive to move her anywhere, or keep her anywhere but in the deepest, most structurally secure part of the ship. Now was the time for patience. Ignatius could handle fabricating something temporary for Jessica if she really needed to walk around.


So that's how Ayyl'Vern justified his pride in such an expendable position? Firmia could understand where he was coming from, but she still disagreed with the notion. Important or not, they were sacrificial pieces in both theory and practice, and that was the one 'strategy' Firmia hated most. It couldn't be helped when one's playing pieces were priceless. "This isn't a game, and there are no pawns on my ship, so drop it. You're just Ayyl'Vern now."

Louise hadn't taken long to get her fun in before she was off again, which had Firmia wondering if the two would ever talk much in the future. It felt like there were some fundamental incompatibilities there .... Regardless, the Alkaev had to find some way to get Ayyl'Vern integrated here, and fast. There wasn't much time to figure out how best to employ the Sacarians, and Firmia hadn't forgotten that there were three of them. If she got a head start on this, she could pass along the information to the Riese and help them that way.

With Hannah's arrival, Ayyl'Vern seemed to now realize just how difficult things could be for him going forward. Yes, the Avalon's crew was mostly made up of humans, but more AI and drones were being added all the time, and not just in anticipation of replacing any crew that decided to return to the ANF once the war was over. Firmia had a vested interest in AI in particular and wasn't about to let up.

"She's right, but I'm not too worried," Firmia weighed in, "If you can handle being an expendable pawn, then you can handle this."

"And touchdown~" Tonya's voice came over the comms.

Firmia hadn't felt the landing itself, just a minor shift in her own body as they stopped moving. The crew and drones knew the drill, so she didn't have to do anything other than focus on their ornery new recruit. "There isn't really time for my questions, right now. I need to get you situated here, first. To start, since you're an MS pilot, that's your primary duty. If you aren't currently deployed or on standby, then you're free to do whatever you want. Just be smart about it. That said, if you have any other skills that are useful around the ship, like mechanical, medical, or things like that, you can help out in those areas. This isn't a military ship, so I don't care what people do when we're not fighting."

Firmia couldn't help but look at the Praxis unit now parked in her ship's hangar. She'd never seen an intact one this close up before. Naturally, she wondered if their other machines could be improved in various ways by referencing this one machine. Unfortunately, it was a problem for after the war. They were out of time for meaningful upgrades. This was going to be over, today. Tomorrow at the latest.


"Naturally," Brant sighed. Louise was kind of a wildcard, and not being able to sense her intentions always left Brant a little guarded around her, but at least for now everything seemed to be alright. Not under control, but 'alright.' As for Ayyl'Vern, that situation seemed to be so under control as to be uncomfortable. Brant couldn't hear what Firmia and the Sacarian were saying to each other, nor Hannah when she arrived, but from what he could sense, all of that frustration was accompanied by resignation, on both sides.

"I'm sure Firmia's going to want to debrief us once the salvage operation's done, so we should definitely freshen up first." Brant wanted to see the girls, too, and thankfully that was a quick visit they could make on the way.


Another call came to the Avalon's bridge as soon as they landed. Tonya had nothing better to do, so she opened the channel. "Avalon here. If this is Apotheosis or the Sacarians, please direct your complaints to the Heion Riese."

"So the battle's over already."

Tonya squinted at her console. "Rex, why are you calling?" Judging by the signal strength and estimated source, Rex was fairly close by. The Athena couldn't be here that quickly, so Tonya suspected Rex had launched on his own in something very fast. "What happened to the Athena?"

Rex's face appeared on Tonya's monitor in short order. Rex had his flight suit on but no helmet. Thankfully he looked cool and collected. He probably wasn't up to anything rash. "The ship's fine. That ambush sounded bad, so I went ahead to try and help, but everything looks fine, now."

"Not really. The Riese took a real beating this time. So you're just coming to say hello?" Tonya suddenly had a bad feeling in her gut, and she didn't know why ...

"Not to you people, no. How's Vasiliy? I came all this way, so I should meet him before the fleet moves on to the target."

Tonya cringed in her seat; her instincts were on point again. He was coming to meet his son. She wouldn't have her new student around much longer.

"... alright, what's the problem, Tonya?"

"Nothing," she looked away, scowling.

Edited by Phoenix
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Docking into the Riese felt... bizarre. It was a much different mood than he had been used to. A lot of silence, not a lot of energy going around. For good reason. It was a rough time for everyone, it seemed.

He popped open his cockpit, and took a whiff of... well, hanger air, but it had been better than the cockpit having the scent of blood and water in it. Unbuckling his belt, he grabbed onto the wire and let himself down. A woozy feeling came his as his feet hit the ground.

"Tired, hungry, and annoyed... not a fun combination." Then he realized something else. Now that he wasn't with Miller, nothing came with him. "Damn... could've brought a book too... needed to finish Bloodline. Then again..." He looked back up, remembering the condition of his machine, "...I'll have to see what I have online to read, I guess."

He caught the site of someone else who had also just gotten out. Seems she had just gotten off her communicator. He called out to her, walking her way.

"Hey. That was some good fighing," 

Fuck, shouldn't have started like that.

"Er, sorry. You feeling okay, ma'am?"

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Unlike Esther, Thorvald didn't suppress his chuckle at her response to his choice of name. But the mirth didn't last long, with the woman bringing up her concerns about Vera, though she didn't call her by name specifically. They were concerns he also shared. "Haaa," he sighed and wrestled with the right approach. "'Suicidal Sword Girl' brushed aside my earlier attempt at contact, but with the battle still raging that was only natural. Suppose knocking on the hatch and paying a physical visit is the next step? You want in on that with me?"

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Gently petting Christina's hair as she set the Artemis' autopilot to dock on the Heion Riese, Seung-Min pressed against against the nape of the blonde's neck in the few moments they had remaining before the Artemis entered the Riese proper... there would likely be little time for moments of tranquil calm once preparations came afoot. Soon they were docked, and the Artemis' hatch opened to the inside of the hangar. Pulling ever so slightly back, Kim placed a gentle kiss on Christina's lips, pulling away from the quick peck to look up at her.

"Are you ready to go down to the hangar, or would you rather stay up here, for a few moments? It doesn't look like everyone is back yet, so..."

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Jess nodded, listening to Tarquin's explanation. Finishing up the diagnostics on the Aria, she found herself wondering how she would fare, if placed in similar circumstances. If forced to work alongside the animal that had massacred her squad, could she handle it in as mature a fashion as this young boy seemed to be dealing with Carlos? She... wasn't sure, and that bothered her. Another item to discuss with Cheryl, perhaps.

"Ah, if it's just the docking sequences, I could certainly take over and let you focus on your conversations." It was almost a pointless offer, it was basically all autopilot anyway, but she'd finished speaking by the time that fact really sank in.
 



Abigail shared a bemused glance with Calina upon hearing 'Captain', but with neither of them having any answer, there was nothing to do but go with the flow. Have fun out there, sure. A bit of a wry smile on her face as she unlatched her helmet and held it casually to her side in her right hand, Abby raised her left hand to her brow and used it as a visor to cut the sun as she peered into the Praxis's opening cockpit.

The speaker was one of the cat aliens, tall, with grey fur. Looked strong enough, and she was offering her services, maybe this could work? But then Rockefeller hit her like a slap on the face. It was like all of her unfounded fears about Kim's telepathy had been multiplied tenfold and brought to bear in the worst possible way. Abigail had told nobody that name but Jess, so it wasn't like the moles had just passed information along. There was no way this Reed'Nahl should know.

Well, not just Jess, Abby mentally corrected herself as Calina spoke up, thankful the woman had glossed past the issue of name entirely and stuck with just general disbelief as to how quickly the enemy seemed willing to turn her coat. She was waiting for orders, time to give some.

"First order: Never use that name again. You don't have that right of familiarity. I'll figure out something I might be comfortable enough to allow later, but for now 'Captain' is fine, I guess." She paused here, squinting and frowning a bit, deep in thought. "Second, tell me which Knight--that's what you call them, right? Who did you serve under before we killed them?"
 



"Roger that," Monty replied as Megumi gave him a bit of a heads up on the Riese's current situation. "Should I head straight for the infirmary then, or are some of the wounded still elsewhere?" His shuttle was just settling itself down onto the hangar floor, so as soon as he got directions he could head to where he was most needed.

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"Yes, more fine, soon." She reaffirmed for her friend. Aliza still hadn't caught on, so it was fine. Rather, it seemed Aliza was wrestling with her own issues. She hadn't personally known the traitor before their reveal, so she couldn't imagine how Aliza was feeling. Still, even though this wasn't the alien's forte, and perhaps it spoke more to her current mental state than anything else, Alriana's answer came quick and with absolute certainty. "Sometimes, death is only answer. You did, what you needed to, to survive. Astin, made their choice. It was, not the right one." 

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