Mercenary on the Winds Posted March 20 Share Posted March 20 Marianne blinked, once, twice, and then a third time. If there was anything she'd learn about Alouette in their short partnership, it was that the woman was very meticulous about who she sent out. It was easy to see why; most of the rebels were hopped up on righteousness and justice, and weren't exactly knowledgeable about what it would really take to be able to stand against AHI. She looked at Senri, and then, let out a sigh of relief, "This is the first I've heard of a right hand... Last I'd heard, Alouette was really a one-woman show for her group." From his reaction, and him relaxing, it was clear to her that Senri was not lying to her. Marianne melted a bit onto the table, "I guess if we're doing introductions again... Marianne Linan, I'm... both an informant, and thief of sorts. Not formally a part of her group, but if there was any group I was going to be associated with, it would be hers." It felt weird to say that she was aligned with the work of one of the Callistan aristocracy, but even such a morally bankrupt group of people was bound to have a handful that bucked the trend. Which made the mention of a niece intriguing. "Lucille? Who's that? Kind of odd that this is only the first time that I'm hearing about her, and you... I guess she's been doing some recruiting or something..." Marianne then sighed, "If you're so close to her, then it probably wouldn't be any trouble to call her, right? She's the one who usually handles this with me. In fact, she was the one who sought me out originally. She's normally around by now, but... Nothing's happened to her, right?" "I plan on holding you both to that... Mon dieu..." Sia sighed, it was nice being able to speak in her native tongue--it made it easier to channel her frustrations in a neater way. French wasn't the most common language amongst CEN, so she often got away with saying things in French that would have caused her problems. Fortunately, nothing about this was truly upsetting, more annoying if anything. While it really was nothing new for people to be after her hand, it got exhausting, and annoying to have been arguing over her. The last time it had happened, ended with a whole tirade from her, in French, to the point that she'd almost caused herself to collapse. She'd been so out of breath, but the words kept coming and coming. 'If the both of you are so incapable of going about this like normal people, then there was no chance for either of you to stand by my side anyway. Compete for someone else's hand; I'll choose who I see fit, and not because someone wooed me better than the other!' Sia shoved the memory from her mind; she didn't want it to sour her time away. Louise and Leon were already lightyears better than those two from before, at least able to come to an amiable standing after their argument. "We'll have to speak with either Iskra or Esther, but given Iskra's disposition, and the way she seemed after our fight... I think it was best to leave that for another time, or defer to Esther..." The embassy wasn't far away, and with the sparsely populated streets, it was a simple drive. The building was rather unremarkable compared to the almost gaudy AHI headquarters, but that seemed to be a theme with the buildings. It was easy to tell when the buildings were AHI, or some rich oligarch's business, and when they were the buildings of just the common people. As if thing couldn't be more stark here... Almost like something out of a history book... Sia pulled the car into one of the parking spots, "Alright, let's go see if we can find anything about our missing ambassador. I am getting more and more of a feeling that it's not unrelated to our other growing problem." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 Azame went off as soon as they hit the road, Leon let out another laugh as she indulged herself. "Well you got the spirit that's for sure." He couldn't help but hum the tune himself, but he kept his eyes through the window as she drove off. He studied the city as best as he could, but he still managed to have a good time riding shotgun with someone fun like her. "Nice drive." Once they got to the entrance of the bar, the red head stepped out with Azame and eyed the doors. "Hammered like a nail I'd bet, looks like a fancy enough place to get what you want." He looked at Azame. "Hell if I get something juicy here I'll treat you to whatever you want!" He partially wondered if he just signed a blank check, but decided it was something to deal with later. The merc scanned the bar as soon as they got inside, and he liked what he saw. "Not bad at all. I've seen plenty of bars back on earth, but this one's pretty cozy. I'll be in view don't worry, just gotta get to work." With that said he stepped through the bar at a slow pace while he continued his search. Now...who stands out the most here? Other than Azame anyway. He briefly caught Marianne and Senri. She certainly stands out, think I'll give that a shot...just need some build up. So he stepped over to the bar and waved at the bartender. "Yo. I was hoping to send a pretty lady a drink, think you can arrange that?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted March 21 Share Posted March 21 (edited) "H-Hey, supermodel!? I... Mhnn, Catrin..." Selu could feel herself flushing... But it didn't feel bad. It had even been expected, of course, but in this dress... It felt more warranted. More like she believed it. She managed to calm down in time to hear how this lady seemed to know them, nodding slowly. "O-Oh, okay... I suppose... But we, work for CEN directly, uhm..." Or at least, CEN was funding their projects. It was still a little off putting, Selu sliding a bit closer to Catrin. "Ahhhh, I seem to have put you both on some serious edge... Don't worry, don't worry~ I'm head of security at AHI's headquarters... It's why I know so much! Got my fingers everywhere on Callisto. Don't worry, don't worry~ I don't know exactly what you're working on, but you two are pretty famous upstairs. We see the testing you do on the field, with those thrusters, woo! That's one hell of a project~" Selu felt herself let go of a sigh, nodding. "That... Makes a lot more sense. Sorry, miss. Things are just... Tense, and all. There's that big ship that touched down, the rebels, there's... A lot." Selu poked back out from behind Catrin and let out a proper sigh. "Right. I'm gonna try on some more clothes... Something I picked out. You two, enjoy chatting? I suppose...?" She wasn't really sure how to exit the conversation properly, so she dipped quickly, heading back over to another rack of dresses. "Cutie. You're real lucky, Catrin. Buuuuuut, I'm probably getting in the way of a lovely date... Nice to meet two of the most famous test pilots on Callisto. Hope you two have a wonderful day." Toki threw on a pair of shades she'd picked up and made her way to the cashier to pay for them. "Mmm..." Cheryl did her best to listen without interrupting. She didn't have the full background on Esther's files, but there was some terminology on her Newtype abilities that outlined things more clearly. She had been raised for this position, as a pilot, as a member on the Dawn, and now that she wasn't performing to the specifications outlined for her... The dream she thought she'd be living was turning into a nightmare. "I'm going to ask you a few questions and say a few things, Esther, and you answer me with as much as you're comfortable saying... A lot of our self perception can be clouded by expectations and how we imagine our lives should be going. Has anyone on the piloting team told you that you didn't do well enough out there? Has the Captain reprimanded you for your piloting? This person you lost to in the sims, losing hurt. Your feelings are real. You aren't making anything up to hurt yourself, but... You might be being too harsh on yourself. To my understanding," she flipped through a small dossier and nodded, "that engagement with the supposed terrorists was your first time in live combat." She quietly cleared her throat and leaned back. "I think having friends on the crew is a good thing. I'm really grateful to that other pilot for messaging you... I think you should keep talking with them. Maybe some of the others, as well. I'm sure that you don't need me to tell you that your first time under live fire situations can reveal things you wouldn't have expected from simulations... I think it's a good thing that you're reflecting on how things went." It's not good that you're doing so by dragging yourself through the mud, but reflection comes in all shapes and sizes. All that remains is separating that reflection from all the negativity... "Is the person you trained with in the simulator someone you want to be close to? Or do you think that they're someone you'd be better off distancing yourself from? We're all packed into this ship, and things can feel rather tight at times, but there's enough space to get away from others, especially when you need to." "You'd rather? For the practice, huh~?" She snickered a little as they approached one of the Dawn's transport cars, finally letting go of his arm and making her way around to the passenger side. "Y'know, Markus... I don't mind. If you go a little... fast." She leaned around the car and stuck her tongue out at him, before popping the door and climbing inside. Hopefully her red skin would hide her blushing to some degree. "Okay... We're off! Adventure! To whatever they have on this moon~ Where too first, Markus?" A movie, a bookstore, an arcade... I'm down to go anywhere. Am I too easy? Maybe... But he's so cute. And he's doing his best... I didn't spend those five years just standing there getting photographed; I know when someone's trying to put on airs. Relax, Marky Mark. Today's gonna go just fine. Marianne had a few questions for him, questions he felt somewhat comfortable answering given her knowledge of Alouette in the first place. He bit back a sigh of relief; he always hated playing this game, but it was necessary. He just wished there were easier ways out of it whenever they went wrong. He wasn't a fighter, and as much as he carried a firearm, firing it was always, difficult. People fear a gun being waved in their face, no matter how brave they are. That fear... It makes pulling the trigger harder. Always... "She's ill," he said with a nod, "which is why I'm out here doing this in the first place. Had been planning certain... moves, with her group, but they needed some more information, and perhaps some more help," he said with a glance at Marianne and a raised eyebrow, "and we certainly can't do anything with Alouette in the state she's in." He'd been about to answer her question on Lucille when a familiar bundle of emotions entered the bar. No way... Why!? Here, now!? Ugrrhghh... He managed to keep his sour feelings inside, a stoic smile on his face, as... "Oh yeah? You offering little ol' me a date, hot shot~?" She wiggled her eyebrows, but it was just for show. It was clear something was going on between him, miss teal hair and the Captain, so playing along was just lip service. As soon as they got into the bar, though... "Oh my gooooosh, Senri!" Leon was going off to do his own business, so it was fair for her to handle her own, right? "Woooow, I never thought you'd visit some place ritzy like Elegy... Figured you like the seedier bars more~ Who's your friend here?" Azame welcomed herself to their table, sitting down next to Marianne and batting at her with all of her lovely eyelashes. Senri cleared his throat and let out something of a cough. He'd met miss Nishimiya in another one of Remansburg's bars... More seedy, as she'd put it. "Yes. Hello... I, figured I'd go more uptown for a change. Ahaha... This is, just someone I met today. A work colleague, you could say. Didn't realize we worked with the same people until we got talking." He was doing his best to be honest without mentioning details. Marianne's name and affiliation were her own, and Azame was CEN. No need to tell her anything more than that. Anything more than I've already told her about myself, eeesh... Those guns are deadly. At least all she got was my name and that I work for a small rentals company. Most convenient lie I've ever told... "Mysterious, as, always... Well, gorgeous," she was not referring to him, eyes squarely on Marianne, "my name's Azame Nishimiya. Funny little ensign for the CEN... Can't believe Senri knows someone like you. Boring guy like him, working rentals, can you believe it? All those good looks, gone to waste..." She sighed, but very clearly wasn't that upset, still smiling, finally leaning against her hand and looking Marianne over. "Do I get to know miss beautiful's name?" Senri coughed. "Ahah... mon dieu indeed." Louise knew enough french to pick up on that, even if she was lost on the rest. The idea had been established well enough. Still... It felt more like a weight had been lifted. Despite Sia being definitely upset with her, likely with Leon as well, it felt good to just... Get it out there. Set things right. She held a smile as the transport drove towards the Embassy, for once, not bogged down with negative thoughts. I'd forgotten what it was like to have things quiet, up here... Good. This is good. Remansburg was less heartwarming, the stark contrast between their visit to AHI's headquarters and the rest of business operations leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Just how much money does that woman need? Honestly... Arielle Avyndor, if you've anything to do with the problems on this moon, don't think yourself above the law. She couldn't do anything herself, but the CEN wouldn't let someone get away with such unrest if they were truly involved. As they pulled into the Embassy, Louise got herself out of the car, straightened out her outfit, adjusted her glasses and nodded. "I'm sure they'll have more to tell us than nothing, especially regarding AHI and the whereabouts of our missing ambassador." The Embassy itself wasn't much of a building, likely holding few personnel. Those few personnel were going to allow them to get to the bottom of things... Louise approached the front desk as they entered, gently saluting the secretary working it. "Greetings. Lieutenant Junior Grade Louise Park, accompanying Captain Selensia Silverwind, here to speak with your acting Commander." Edited March 21 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcd900 Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 (edited) Cia raised an eyebrow as the girl in front of her just about melted into her sweater at her greeting, raising an eyebrow. Huh. Real shrinking violet. How'd she get on board a ship like this? If she's someone's family, they got a real mean streak for bringing her along... "Ehh... no, I'm not gonna kick you out or anything. You're fine right here if you wanted to look." She wiped a bit of sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her jumpsuit. "Not that it's that much to look at. They're not movin', or anything, and half of them are worse off than they might look right now... Well, don't let me get in your way or anything. I gotta get back to it." She turned, giving Vivien a quick wave, starting a jog back towards the center of the hangar, calling across it. "All good over there, Amy?" Security at the embassy entrance was light; a quick scan of the transport by a camera at the gate, and the doors slid open without any trouble. Mira was seated at the reception desk as usual; idle - there was a real lack of people around, lately, and the commander was not exactly the most personable of people... She sighed, spinning her digital pen, rotating in her office chair - though she straightened up with a smile as the two new faces came in - both dressed in casual clothes, but she'd known to maintain a touch of decorum before they arrived thanks to the embassy security systems. "Ah - hello, welcome, Captain, Lieutenant. The Commander...?" She gave a bit of a sheepish smile to the two women, not even bothering to pull up the schedule. "He's available. His office is through that door, on the right. Can't miss it." Their entertainer for the night had seen fit to sit down with one of the bar's customers for a while. It was no trouble for Reisa; as much as she recognized that the woman was quite a good performer, most of the bar's patrons had their attention directed elsewhere - their own conversations, mostly. She sighed quietly to herself as she cleaned a glass, setting it down behind the counter as two new patrons walked in - one bubbly woman, already bouncing her way over towards Marianne. Not that either of them were looking, but she gave them a deadpan stare anyways; really, that kind of size... I guess miss Marianne is drawing attention anyways, even offstage. The man, on the other hand... "I can do that." His request was easy enough, at least. She bit back the urge to say 'Got anything more specific?', settling instead for a sardonic eyeroll as she turned to find one of the nicer bottles with which to make Marianne's usual, dexterously pouring, already shaking the cocktail by the time she turned back towards Leon. "Just a moment, sir." The businessman from down the bar gave Leon a smile, raising his eyebrows. "Caught your eye, has she? Heh. She definitely looks to be pretty popular... good luck, pal." Reisa groaned internally, her aimlessly wandering eyes reflecting more of her similarly wandering mind than she realized. Oh, great. Not what you wanna see in a regular. And this other guy... wow. Talk about an old school kinda line... whole lotta weird people in here tonight. 'Least most of them are ordering... Her shaking complete, she poured the cocktail into a short glass over ice, setting it on the counter in front of Leon. "One drink for the lady." Edited March 22 by mcd900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 "Did Oi stutter? Supermodel." Catrin pressed, unable to help but let out a small chuckle at Selu's flustering, especially when Tokiwa eased the tension some. Head of security at AHI headquarters... quite the big wig, and she even knew about the thruster testing. Things seemed to be lining up too well for the woman to be lying about her position, so as long as she didn't tip any cards that Tokiwa didn't already clearly know, things should be fine. Allowing herself to relax, conversation flowed a bit more naturally. "'Ead of security, ya said? Bloody 'ell Oi left my fancy threads on base. Well, you certainly seem a lot less stuffy than the folk Oi usually report to, so it should be foine. No offense intended a'course, as a security bigshot Oi'm sure you can get 'ow that stuff bein' brought up outta the blue would be just a lil' bit jarrin'." Catrin added, giving Selu a nod as the woman stated her intention to go and try on some more items. "Oi'll be expectin' ya to knock moi socks off, Selu! Show me what you've got brewin' in that 'ead a'yours." She called out after the Martian with a wave, turning her attention back to Tokiwa, who seemed about poised to continue along with her own outing, leaving the couple to their date. "Oi really am, she's a swell lass, just needs to get that fact into 'er own 'ead too. Noice to meet you as well, Oi'm sure that the 'ead a security is a lil' more famous than us, really. And sorry again for the rough start, aye? Just caught me a wee bit off guard. Bloody good day to you as well, y'hear?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Daeran had already started to tune the brat out as he turned to drag her towards the hatch, not caring for the attitude after the kind of day he'd had. He hadn't expected her to suddenly step in front of him to shove him back, before plopping herself on his lap and locking herself in place with her... tail? She hadn't had one a second ago as he'd yanked her out of the seat, had it been wrapped around her underneath her sweater-dress? He shook his head, letting out low, annoyed, growl. "And what makes you think I want some backwater CEN scientist's brat in my machine?" If her father was actually as important as she'd said then maybe he was playing with fire, but he didn't have it in him to care; he had faith in his Captain to keep that man's reach where it belonged. "And you don't have permission to be in my machine, Thesephine; if you were, we would've been briefed on it. So I suggest you take the hint and leave before I think of some other 'cute' names to call you when I make a report about this to the Captain. Just because you're some scientist's daughter doesn't mean you have permission to go as you please, and I don't have time to entertain you. The order to scramble could come at any second, what do you think happens if you're found to be messing around with a machine when that happens, hmm?" He huffed, then sighed, refusing to resign himself to playing babysitter just yet. If he couldn't scare her off with that, then he didn't know what else he'd be able to do aside from drag her kicking and screaming out of the HEX, and he didn't have it in him to go through the mess that would make. Alriana made her way to one of the bars she frequented, Elegy - one of the nicer ones, where a... Disturbance was unlikely to happen. It was unlikely that any of her 'assignments' would show up in the seedier places around the city; not the high priority ones anyway. She scanned the bar as she entered, her visor hiding her eyes flicking from one person to the next as searched for any familiar faces or builds. No 'targets' in sight, but as she approached the bar her eyes fell on a familiar face, her stoic expression shifting into a toothy smirk. She wasn't supposed to kill anyone on the Dawn, not yet anyway, but that didn't mean she was prohibited from interacting with them. She took her seat in direct view of Leon, as if to challenge him to do something about it. She kept her head facing forward, as if she was addressing the bartender, but she was side-eyeing him through her visor. "The usual." Came her muffled voice from her helmet, identical to what Leon would've heard during their little standoff. She made no outward sign that she'd even noticed Leon, leaving the ball squarely in his court. The man seemed a hothead, or at the very least very prone to act. Her attention had been elsewhere during the meeting, but that hadn't stopped him from running his mouth. Would he take the bait, or would she just end up bored? It was out of her hands, at least if she didn't want Tokiwa to nag her about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 "Oh my God, you're being so BORING." She flopped against him completely and tilted her head back to stare up at him, giving him a pretty neutral stare. "Are you REALLY that opposed to having a beautiful maiden on your lap, just watching you do some sims? Look, ping your Captain or XO or whoever, I don't care, they'll recognize my name immediately and then the egg will be on YOUR face for not taking my words at face value..." She squeezed her tail around him tighter, folding her arms and her legs. "I'm not going anywhere, so if you want to remove me, you'll have to remove yourself~ Hmph... Honestly, treating a woman like me so poorly, ughhh. Is this how you handle everyone that is just, a slight inconvenience? Hmm? I even gave you the privilege of being my seat. There are people that would've paid money for this, and you're just getting annoyed by it. You'll hurt my pride, at this rate..." Thessy sighed and weakly beat her hands against his legs, grumbling. "Just get started with the siiiiiiims~! Come oooooon~!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Markus gave a small sigh as Miz made her way to the other side of the transport car. It felt... good. He was ready to have the most fun date he's ever had, even if it was his first one. He opened the door, and sat himself in the driver's seat. Closing the door, and igniting the vehicle, the blonde froze as he was about to put his hands on the wheel. He hadn't felt this way driving a car before. "I'll try fast, but, I wanna be careful just a bit." He was carrying precious cargo. Firmly grasping the wheel. He made his way out of the Dawn. "I thought I'd wing it, y'know? I didn't look too deeply into what they head. Adventure awaits the bold, I think." He said to Miz with a smile. In less than hour, almost a half an hour with the way the blonde German was driving, they finally made their way to the mall inside of Callisto. He was pretty quiet most of the drive, focused on the road. It'd be worth it, as the duo made it into the mall's parking lot. Finding a place, he parked their vehicle, and he gave a deep breath. "Finally. We made it." The blonde laughed, looking over to his passenger. "Hope the drive wasn't too bad. Come on, let's see what we've got in store." He gave Miz a little nudge before making his way out of the vehicle, hurrying over to help Miz out of her side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) Marianne frowned at the news, "Hmm... that might explain why the message was a bit more detailed then... Wish she would have just come out and had said that it was probably wasn't going to be her... But then, who, because it doesn't sound like it's yo--" The door had swung open, but it was the loud call of Senri's name that got Marianne to finally turn towards the door. Approaching with a hefty bounce, in both step and body, was an augmented woman whose dress matched the tone of her voice and seeming personality. The man with her was a tall, red haired man in a jacket, not quite as loudly dressed, but definitely still stood out especially amongst the engineers that frequented Elegy. The woman plopped down right next to her, and was already batting eyelashes at her; not exactly offputting, the woman was attractive, and, at least at the moment, she wasn't acting the same way as the man towards the front, or any number of other folks who 'tried' to shoot their shot. Marianne nodded, "Aha... Yes, we're work colleagues, I'm sort of the secretary to the higher ups, delivering messages, performing my own tasks, that sort of thing. I perform on the side." Then Azame gave Marianne her name, and Marianne gave Senri the faintest glare for a moment, the kind of glare that might have said, 'I swear to god, if you were lying to me, you better not sleep anywhere in Remensburg, or you might be six feet under...' The glance was so faint that she wasn't even sure that Senri would have picked up on it, before turning to Azame with a bright smile, "Well, it's not every day that I meet a CEN ensign. Anne, my name is Anne Saoirse, appreciate the compliment. And don't be too hard on Senri, work is cutthroat up here on Callisto, it might not be the best paying job, but working in rentals is way cushier than you think it is. Don't have to deal with all of the politics, and the higher ups... Senri could probably have any other job he wanted, but honestly, it's not worth it." Marianne then looked over at Leon, still camped by the bar while Reisa worked, "Speaking of guys, did you come alone, or is red over there with you? Am I correct in guessing that you're both CEN?" Suddenly this routine meeting was turning into something else; CEN had a very small presence up on the moon, a consequence of their 'agreement' with AHI. For what could be two CEN members to just show up in Elegy after that massive ship had landed... What are the odds that these two are with that ship? Hmm... Maybe there's something here, certainly they aren't going to need everything they've got on that ship, right? Especially if they're potentially working with Ayvndor... Sia smiled as they walked in, Louise handling the introductions, "Yes, Selensia Silverwind, Captain of the Imminent Dawn. We'll just be a moment with your commander, we have a few questions that we need to ask him about recent happenings on the moon." There hadn't been any need to explain as the receptionist rather quickly pointed them to the man's office, but it was a force of habit still from when she had been XO. Just more things to get used to, or perhaps she could just leave them as they were--there wasn't any harm in it anyway. Sia lead the way to the Commander's office turning back over her shoulder, "I sure do hope that they can tell us more than nothing... to say that he's the foremost expert when it comes to tensions on this moon would be an understatement, and for him to be missing right at this very moment is a coincidence that I can't rule out as foul play." Hopefully it was just a case of the man having returned home to see his family or something, Sia did remember that Virion Altair had family both on the moon, and back on Earth. Sia peered through the door on the right, looking into a large office, with a man sitting at a desk staring at the computer screen. Sia knocked on the open door, "Pardon the intrusion, Commander." Sia walked inside, and then gave the man a salute, "My name is Selensia Silverwind of the CEN Celestial Navy, currently serving as the Captain of the Imminent Dawn. I know my attire doesn't make that statement, but that is neither here nor there. If you have the time, I was hoping that you could inform us of some events here on the moon. I am aware that one of our ambassadors was here earlier, but I would like to confirm some information directly." Amy watched with a cocked eyebrow as whoever was in the machine was arguing with the pilot, and as the pilot tried to drag the unknown out, the pilot found himself pulled in instead. He did just say that it was nothing he couldn't handle, but these machines were their responsibility, fortunately, Cia called over to her, "Uh, yeah, I, maybe?" Amy pointed up at Daeran's machine, "One of the pilots is arguing with someone in the pilot seat up there; he said he could handle it, but..." Amy gave an exaggerated shrug, unsure what exactly to do in this situation. "Should we just leave it to him, or...?" Edited March 24 by Mercenary on the Winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) Toki gave Catrin a final wave as she walked out of the shop, just in time for Selu to come back wearing... Much different than a white sun dress. White thigh highs, a black miniskirt, a tight white tank top, with a sheer, long sleeved, button up black shawl over top it, and a small choker with a bell around her neck. She'd done her hair up into a ponytail, placing herself in front of Catrin and slowly looking up at her with the brightest red on her cheeks. "I... I, uh... Decided to try something else. Is... How does...?" She was far out of her element, clearly embarrassed, but not uncomfortable, not trying to hide herself or shrink, just... Knowing that Catrin was about to unload some feelings and compliments on her. "I-It, all fits pretty well. Mmm... Where'd, uh, miss security go...? She, finish shopping...?" She gently put a hand around her neck, rubbing at it, trying pathetically to change the subject. As they drove into Remansburg, Miz was combating her brain, slowly winning. What ifs kept cropping up, and she'd logic circle around them and swat them down one by one, finally relaxing into the car seat and enjoying the drive. It was definitely slower than she'd been expecting; Markus really was taking it safe, but no bumps, no harsh stops, no pot holes in the road... The people at AHI took care of their infrastructure, it seemed. As they pulled in, she quickly got herself out of the car and reattached herself to his arm, beaming. "Adventure favors the bold! Let's get to it... And whatever we find, we throw ourselves at. I'm looking forward to it~" And if some dweeb tries to come up and demand an autograph or something, I stick out my tongue and kick them to the curb... No one's gonna recognize me out here on Callisto. They're all business folks. It'll be fine! Vivien collapsed against the wall and sunk to her knees as the engineer walked away, holding onto her head some and taking deep breaths. "You're okay... You're okay... Breathe. Breathe... D-Don't... Don't, vomit... Scheisse..." She managed to calm her breathing, but her heart was pounding in her chest. Just one extrovert and she was already like this... "You're not going back to your room," she ordered herself, slowly pushing herself back up against the wall. "You... Can do this. One person, at a t-time. Even if it's hard. Even if you panic... You have to. One, person, at a time..." She managed to calm her breathing, though her heart rate was still plenty up... The important part was that she'd survived. "Ohhh, hot shot over there? His name's Leon... I was asked to babysit him so he didn't get in any trouble when he left the ship~ I tried to flirt with him a bit, but... Between you and me," she leaned a little closer and whispered to Anne, "he's got his eyes on the Captain, so play him like a fiddle if he tries to stir you up. Not me, though~ I'm available, fun, pleasant on the ears and the eyes, and more than willing to start things off with a bit of a fling... If you're looking for some fun in that easy little rental life of yours~" She confidently chuckled to herself, as Senri was thankful to have the heat off of him. As soon as Marianne had looked at him, he kept smiling, but his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes cracked open ever so slightly, giving her glare a return 'I barely know her and have no idea who the red head is, please be calm' stare. He let out the faintest sigh and spun his glass around on his hand... Before his eyes looked past the women, staring at the most recent entry to the bar. Black armor, black helmet... His smile faded. Tokiwa's dog... He had no idea who this person was. Their gender, their appearance... beyond the black outfit and the stark white tail poking out from behind it all. An impressive and terrifying aesthetic attachment in every right. What's on the menu today, hound... Excitement, anticipation... Boredom... What are you thinking about? He stared right at her for a solid moment, before looking back towards Marianne and Azame. "You said you were from the ship? The one that just touched down? I had no idea, Azame. I understood you worked for the embassy...?" "Oh, I just got reassigned. No longer a local lackey, I'm part of a real crew now~! Isn't that crazy? I was content to fly around in Junkyard doing what needed to be done, but now I've got this important job, keeping machines in order, making sure the crew is safe... It's like I'm back to my nursing gig, except I'm nursing from the inside of a metal office, eheheh~" "Hmhm... I see. Glad to see you in such high spirits over it." And a touch concerning that they're already moving soldiers onto the Dawn... Louise walked quietly after Sia, taking in the embassy's offices... It was definitely small, but, even if he was a figure head, Commander was a high rank in the CEN. Hopefully he'd be able to shed light on things... Things Sia was already getting directly to, Louise giving the man a salute as she came in after the Captain. I hope he doesn't take my uniform as showing up the Captain... She just, didn't change right away, and I... Ahh, I'm probably over thinking this. Still... Don't think less of her. Please. "Specifically, might I add," she continued off of Sia's remarks, "we'd like to inquire as to the last known whereabouts of Ambassador Shiva. Virion Shiva... We met with one of your pilots-- one of ours now, it seems-- Azame Nishimiya, who claimed she was searching for him when we encountered her. She didn't have anything else to tell us... So..." Hopefully the Embassy's commander held... Something. A crumb, a clue, anything. Edited March 24 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Getting a parting wave from miss security, it didn't take long for Selu to finish changing, Catrin's eyes snapping over to her as she announced her presence. She had been expecting something cute, light flowy... those sorts of things just seemed to fit Selumine's vibe, but what she saw couldn't have been more different from her expectations. Catrin's face flushed red as she looked over her date, tail starting to flutter back and forth behind her as she slowly approached Selu. Looking around quickly... the store was still practically deserted, especially with Tokiwa having departed, and the few staff weren't paying them much attention, Catrin took her chance. Practically pouncing on Selu, Catrin forced the smaller woman's back to the wall, letting her finger run across the little bell on her choker and giving it a ring before stroking across her lips, wrapping her arm around Selu's slim waist and playing with the hem of that incredibly enticing skirt. "She paid for 'er stuff and left, said she didn't want to interrupt our date. Bloody good timing looks like... enough about 'er though." Catrin purred into Selumine's ear, before darting in and stealing a kiss. She didn't linger too long, as much as Selu was practically egging her on with her choice of attire, it wasn't the time or the place for an especially sloppy makeout session. Pulling away from Selu's lips after a few moments and giving her rear end a playful squeeze through her skirt, Catrin didn't give Selu much breathing room despite calling off her attack. "It fits on you perfect, so it looks to me. Perfect in more ways than that, though... you 'ave no idea 'ow much I want to drag you off somewhere and risk gettin' us kicked out roight now... but Oi'll be a good girl. You're dangerous, Selu." Another kiss, slightly longer than the first but still not left to linger, and no groping accompaniment the second time as Catrin continued to look Selu over, red in the face as she licked her lips. "Bloody wonderful... and 'ere I thought Oi'd be the one to 'ave to put you in somethin' sexy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 "C-Catrin? H, Hey, wait, ah--" Selu's squeaks were shut before she could even attempt to stop the shove up against the wall, eyes scanning across the larger woman in a slight moment of fear and excitement, hands touching the choker, the clothes, her waist... The skirt!? "H-Hey! Don't, not here! Perv... I, I know that I put this on to, to get this sorta reaction, but... Ahhh, C-Catrin-- Mghn!" Getting touched and kissed here was too much for her brain, fizzling out on the spot and melting up against the wall, eyes empty and staring up at Catrin as the first kiss finished and she had time to breathe. "I... No, risking th-things. Be... Be good. We'll be back, soon enough... And then you can, do whatever you want to me." She whispered the rest, knowing Catrin would hear her, and hopefully none of the employees. "Besides, I have to pay for this first-- Mghhhnff..." A longer second kiss, Selu was melting away, quietly huffing and panting as she was once again freed. "Hhhahhh... I... Few, other things, to buy... G-Give me a... A moment, please." She weakly pushed at Catrin and tried to find her legs, standing up after a second. "Mmh... Th-Thigh highs and, miniskirt. Good, buttons. Noted... N-Noted..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ether Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 "Oi'll be good... reluctantly." Catrin teased, pulling away from Selumine far enough that her date could breathe and extract herself from the wall. It seemed that Selu had been wholly unprepared for what her outfit had stirred... perhaps she had been banking on Tokiwa's protection to save her from the consequences of her actions, but the fox had departed too soon to shield her. "Anythin' that shows off that gorgeous figure a yers is a good button to me, Selu. Did you want to try on a few more things 'ere then, or pack up what ya got and ask about that dress before movin' on?" Catrin asked, reaching towards Selu and holding her hand tenderly as she prepared to follow her in whatever direction she decided to choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 "I'm glad your so excited, haha." Miz had latched herself onto him again. He leaned into it a little as they made their way inside. "The first thing we find, yeaaah." Markus confidently spoke. There was a tinge of red in his face, but he wasn't gonna let his timidness get the better of him. Once inside, it was about the standard busy for mall. It wasn't packed, but you could see people in every direction. Of course, Markus watched the crowd like a hawk, despite him going to enjoy their day, he had to keep an eye out. Both for himself and for Miz. Markus led himself and his date to the directory, and he looked at the nearby map. "Let's see," he read around, then noticed something pretty. "Hey, the arcade's right down the right. How about we start there?" He looked to Miz for approval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) "Well I got an eye for beauty I guess, and fortune favors the bold." It was a very text book approach, one he expected the lady in his eye to know well, but he had to play his hand no matter what. When the cocktail slid out he took it and rolled over a card to take care of the tab. "Much appreciated. If she's really that popular then I got my work cut out for-" But his gaze drifted enough to notice someone completely unexpected. The person in his eye wore something akin to a biker helmet, and was rather short. As soon as they spoke Leon's eyes widened. "..." Ah, is this really how tonight is gonna go? He changed his plans and pulled the glass close to himself as he settled in. "Howdy." He shot her a glance. "Pretty sure we met earlier, in your boss' meeting room if I remember that right." He couldn't help but eye her figure and wonder what her deal was. "Come here often?" Edited March 24 by TheRoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 (edited) Marianne's eyes bounced between Azame, and Leon, "Sounds like the Captain's a stunner, if he's ignoring you for her..." It didn't take much to grasp the full scope of Azame's charms, bubbly, sharp enough to have become a CEN ensign, and if she leaned any further, her chest was going to overflow--her cropped top doing everything in its limited power to hold her back. She has to redo that knot constantly, jeez. Marianne hadn't seen Azame walk in, but she was fairly sure that she'd sport her lower body to match. Certainly an attractive woman, and to say nothing of her confidence, "Well, if it were a different time, I don't think I'd mind, but there's so much going on nowadays that I've barely got the time to get out and do this. I really do appreciate the interest, but Callisto really drives a girl ragged, and it's only getting worse with all that's happening." Marianne watched Senri from the corner of her eye, and he'd turned over to where Red had been standing. She couldn't turn to look, but something had caught his eye over there. "So you're a part of that ship now? Weird... What's it up here for anyway? I've never seen one so large, and well, I guess you'd have to have a captain in order to command one of those things, but I don't think I've ever heard of someone that high up coming all the way out here to Callisto. Did AHI request some assistance with something?" Edited March 29 by Mercenary on the Winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemask 96 Posted March 31 Share Posted March 31 Gean rubbed her shoulders as Sen evaluated her casual fit, before taking her hand. “I’ve always been a bit boyish compared to my friends, but it’s what I like.” As they strode down the hallway, the engineer chose to nominate Gean as the driver. “I can do that, I’ve been around military vehicles for so long driving one comes naturally.” This wasn’t that big of an exaggeration, she had been around them for most of her life thanks to her mother, she even practiced in one when getting her license. “You just tell me where and I’ll handle the rest.” Once they made their way to the hangar, Gean opened the passenger door for Sen, holding it for the engineer. “Good they should have plenty of space for whatever we get. After you.” Roku let out a sigh as he sat down on a bench in the middle of a lovely park. His excursion into Remansburg had been… eventful so far. The idea of running into two idols like the Rhapsodia’s when he was just looking around like a tourist, well the odds rocked his mind. Thankfully a place like the park was nice and peaceful, just what he needed to relax and wind down. He closed his eyes and leaned back, wondering where else this journey might take him. He was a long way from home for sure, but it wasn’t all that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursali Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 As Thesephine locked herself even tighter to him Daeran exhaled a heavy sigh, sinking into the pilot seat as he gave up. His stoic, trending towards incredibly annoyed, expression gave way to one of unadulterated tiredness, no longer having it in him to try and drive this brat out of his machine. "If you'd have had the day I've had, then you'd understand why this 'slight inconvenience' is the last thing I want to deal with right now. And if your pride is so wounded, you're welcome to leave..." He huffed after his final attempt to get rid of her, adjusting in his seat and sitting back upright. If she really wasn't going to move then he didn't have much of choice, aside from leaving himself and getting the engineers and mechanics to pry her off of him, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stand and safely walk to the hatch with the added off-center weight of this girl. The other optional was to give in to his tiredness and fall asleep, but that would defeat the entire point of letting this, as far as he was concerned, random civilian have free unsupervised reign of his machine. The one good thing about this girl, if it could even be called such, was her height; even with her squarely on his lap he could still see over her to the console. He selected a random 'moderate' difficulty sim for himself, waiting as it initialized. "There. It's starting." [/i]Now quiet down so I can focus...[/i] Too easy. Leon had given Alriana all that she needed; plausible deniability. She would have been content (bored, willing to escalate further if needed) to sit there and mind her drink, but he was the one who chose to interact with her. She could no longer be blamed for anything that may happen in the near future, as far as she was concerned. She coiled her tail around the base of the barstool to keep it contained, it wouldn't do to have it cause an 'incident' and ruin the present Leon had just given her. Now that he was addressing her she actually turned her head to stare at him, sizing him up as properly as she could while seated. Nothing I can't handle... "Often enough." Her reply was curt, an attempt to at least seam disinterested, something only helped by his inability to see her face and the muffledness of her voice. "Did meet earlier, is true. G-" She had to stop herself from directly challenging him, at least while they were in a public setting, stifling the provocation before it could leave her mouth and quietly growling into her helmet. "Suprised first thing you do after meeting like that is go to a bar." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcd900 Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 (edited) Alrenne sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he made rounds through the winding hallways of the Dawn. With little to do upon the bridge but idly stare out the viewport at the shipyard they were currently docked in, and the Captain away in the city for... something - well, no matter what it was, it left him ill at ease. In all reason it made sense that there would be little danger in allowing her to do so, and not to mention she was with Lieutenant Park, but - simply put, it didn't quite feel all as if they were dealing with reasonable people in the first place, and that set every conclusion they'd made at risk... His idle wandering had set him on a course towards the hangar, and he paused for a moment outside it, debating whether to continue on a more solitary route or duck into the hangar to inspect the machines (and the engineers), though after a long moment's consideration eventually settled upon the latter. The personnel-sized door slid open with a quiet hiss, and the first thing in his view was the sight of their HEXes in various states, standing, kneeling; engineers bustling about in a frenzy to get the machines fully in spec for the next day's expected combat, Chief Warrant Officer Howe exchanging shrugs with Amy as they gestured up at one of the HEXes - Lt. Vhane's, from the squad numberings tagged on the machine. It took him a moment to hear the heavy breathing coming from the nearby wall over the din of maintenance, and he glanced over to find Vivien slumped against it. Nobody in particular had noticed, it seemed, which was rather concerning, but putting that aside - he went over to her, worried. "I didn't expect to see you here at this time of day, Vivien..." He glanced over his shoulder at the rather significant amount of people. "Too many people all at once? Pushing your limits is good, but this is a big jump..." Commander Mick was slowly working through finalizing the personnel transfer documents for Ensign Nishimiya and the nurse, Manami, when two women walked into his office; one dressed casually, the other in uniform with a lieutenant's rank pinned to her lapel. "Ah... It seems our little embassy is quite the destination today." He blinked for a moment as the lavender-haired woman introduced herself, standing and snapping a quick salute - professionalism not lost to him during his time on Callisto, though he had grown quite used to interacting with civilians that casual dress had become rather tightly associated with leaving aside matters of rank. "Captain. Yes - of course, ma'am. I spoke with the ambassador earlier today about the general state of matters, but if you have any specific questions I will of course answer." He nodded towards Louise as she continued Sia's line of inquiry. Right to the point, Lieutenant; and confidently, too. Perhaps she's the Captain's adjutant? They're certainly on the same page... "Ambassador Shiva... yes. The particulars of his location are something of a mystery to us as well - I can tell you we last saw him some time before he arrived. About a month, I'd say. He was on a regular route that he took between Remansburg and a couple of the smaller outlying settlements - goodwill, outreach type of things, I'd suppose. The CEN doesn't run Callisto, but that doesn't mean we close our eyes." He sighed. "Security was relatively light. He was traveling along well-known routes between the towns, his vehicle, a truck of security personnel, one HEX carrier with a standard mark 2." A grimace, now. "He didn't check in one night. We sent Ensign Nishimiya out the next day, and the convoy... well, it was in the state you might expect. Not a lot of signs of who it could have been; no idea of how many of them, even, but they left all our guys there." He pulled up a map, projecting it on the wall behind him, highlighting a road. "About... here. We'd been sending out the Ensign to look for him, but with only one HEX and no clues there's been not even a hint of the man around." He turned back to face the two of them, a grim expression on his face. "I won't lie. We haven't officially declared anything as of yet, but about two weeks before you arrived we sent a message along with one of the passenger ships bound back for Earth reporting the situation - we didn't stop looking, but the outlook is not optimistic; even with your ship here." Edited April 2 by mcd900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanami Touko Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) "Hahh... I... Yeah. I'm, we can, yeah. The dress. I'm good." Selu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself after... that. She'd almost played along with it and suggested they go to a hotel, but she bit back the thoughts and managed to remain sane. Not like I won't be thinking about it all day, anyway... I know what's happening to these clothes as soon as we get back. Hope she's gentle with them, since they're new... "I, think I'll wear this out." She put the dress on the counter to go and then hopped up on it herself so the things she was wearing could be scanned. "Anything else you want to do while we're out, Catrin? We didn't have any tests scheduled until tomorrow, so... We've basically got all day. Could get something to eat, see a movie, go to the arcades... All the Earthly amenities, right?" "Sure, the arcade sounds good." Miz put her eyes to the mall as they walked through it, looking at different stores for so many things. Apparel, electronics, home living, niche commodities... Is that an 'as seen on TV' store? Damn, they still make infomercial products? Crazy... You'd think they'd have all gone to the internet by now-- and really, out here? Maybe Callisto just has an outdated view on Earth's entertainment and the like... She didn't pay it much mind; it was an interesting looking store... And much more fun to stare at then meet the gazes of the onlookers she was getting. Even if they didn't recognize who she was, her augments still stood out like a sore, red thumb. "Which games are you good at, Markus? I, uh... Maybe some Mario when I was younger. I think it was called that. Super Mario... something." "If you think Callisto drives you ragged, just wait until we're alone, and I'll happily redefine the word for you." Azame really waggled her eyebrows at that one, happy to come on strong so long as she wasn't getting met with a no. It didn't seem like Anne here was gonna bite, but it was worth trying~ "Oh, yeah, the Dawn. Imminent Dawn, pretty good name for a spaceship. Couldn't tell you why I got reassigned to it so suddenly, but I'm there now... And it's here for... ... ... Uh. Hm. Y'know," Azame stared off into space for a second, an embarrassed look on her face; wry smile, furrowed brow, slight blush, "I, uh, forgot to ask. I was so excited with the assignment and all... Just saw the Captain and then, bounced. Ahah. We do have a Captain, though-- just mentioned her. Real pretty lady. Selensy Silverwindow or something? I'll check when I get back to the ship... You want a tour~? Could show you around the hangar, the ship's amenities... Maybe we get cozy in my machine's cockpit?" Senri's eye twitched slightly, not at Azame's blatant lack of protocol, but at the swift and seamless motion of that thing's tail. That's NOT an augment. What the fuck!? Even the most advanced prosthetic tail couldn't wrap around a stool so swiftly and perfectly... What the fuck are you? Senri's left hand twitched a bit, quickly balling it into a fist to keep it stable. Thinking about his history with prosthetics had made his own shift some... He'd seen plenty in his time in the CEN. Aesthetic ones, prosthetic ones, ones meant for unorthodox combat and adding the use of a third limb, so to speak... This was too perfect. Too extreme. It was either some new tech that AHI had access to and he was wildly unaware, or... That's just your tail, security guard... Fuck. What are you, then? A mutant? A science experiment? Am I overthinking this? There's no way aliens exist and this is just, the only one we've made contact with... Maybe it really IS just new AHI tech? Ahhhh, I hate this! Stress! Calm down, Senri, calm down... Focus on the breasty pilot-- make a pun, it'll bring down your tension. "Yes, I'm sure you've been bouncing all over the place," he interjected, giving a perfectly well trained smile to add to his comment, "but are you sure you're allowed to give tours to civilians? Isn't that a, how should we say... Security risk?" Azame scoffed. "What, you two people I should be worried about? Two little apartment contractors? Pfffft. Who cares. You see a robot, you see a robot. AHI's got a bunch of their own products being tested all the time... I'm sure you could go for a half hour walk and see some through the fences on their lab grounds." "Fair enough, fair enough... And you should only be worried about me if you try to turn those wiles on me instead, miss Azame. I'm ready, this time." "Don't threaten me with a good time, Sensen~" "N-Nicknames already, huh...?" Maybe he wasn't the match for her he thought he was... "Hmph~ Good boy. All you had to do was let me watch, goodness. Exacerbating your own long day into something even longer..." She smiled smugly, leaning back against him, eyes focused on the screen. "I can see that... Mmm... Whoa. They really... And the thrust, is... It's this much of an...?" Thesephine seemed to be genuinely paying attention to the simulation, mumbling things to herself as her eyes shot across the simulation's viewscreen, then glancing down to the controls Daeran was implementing. "This is state of the art... I mean, duh, but it's so much sleeker and more powerful than the HEX-2s... What does CEN even need this strong a machine for, anyway? And your ship has so many of them. Hmmm... What a curious little company. Well, it's an impressive model, even if I think it's overkill~ Show me some more, yes?" "A-Alrenne?" Vivien's panic subsided somewhat as one of three people she felt comfortable around showed up, slowly shifting back to standing properly. "M-Maybe... But, let's not beat around the bush. You don't want some neet that's gonna be shut in her room for the rest of her life... And my trauma with people is from years ago. Just, dumb, stupid teenager bullshit... Kids are hell." She sighed and shifted over to him a little, slowly leaning against his arm. "So... Trying to push myself. Hard. Not that I'm succeeding yet, but I will eventually... The human mind can be taught and trained to do all sorts of things. Even overcome fear and anxiety... Just needs enough pushing. Wh, uh, what about you? Not that you can't, like... Be here. You're the XO and all, but, what brings you to the hangar of all places?" Tristan had walked into the hangar, taking some of his allotted free time to see Amy in her natural habitat. He passed by Alrenne with a wave, and... Cocked the slightest eyebrow at the girl hanging by his side. She looks young... Well, not my place to barge in. His gaze not lingering for long, it wasn't hard to spot Amy among the engineers in the hangar. She was rather unique, in plenty of ways. "Hey! Amy!" He gave her a wave and did a small jog to close the distance, all smiles. "Hope I'm not bothering you or getting in the way... I'm just on break and, truth be told, I am rather curious about what you're working on. It's fine if you don't wanna show me, just, being honest. If not, you mind letting me help with whatever you have going on? I might have switched career paths, but I still remember how to put the machines back together. As long as you're supervising, I make a good helping hand. Louise met the man's grimace and information with a small frown and serious stare of her own. "That's... troubling. Very troubling. Ensign Nishimiya reported as much-- that she hadn't found anything, but... But that he was attacked..." Louise crossed her arms and looked down, letting out the faintest sigh. "Well, I have some suppositions. We were engaged in combat against some of AHI's automated units on our way into Remansburg. I will assume the details are in the Ensign's report... Alongside those automated units were men claiming to work for AHI security. No serial numbers, no names, no callsigns, no proof. We labelled them as terrorists and took appropriate actions. We're... Aware, the CEN doesn't run much up here. But, to have enough enemies to have one of the ambassadors attacked... It could've been this terrorist faction, or one of the rebel groups, or... You don't possibly think it was AHI, do you, sir?" Louise began to fiddle with a bit of her hair, mind racing, but... "The state of the convoy when you found what was left of it, if I may ask, what sort of weaponry was fired at the scene? Rather, traces of it. Ballistic, beam? And-- if you've photos of the incident, that would help greatly. If it was ballistic ammunition, it doesn't rule anyone out, but... If it was beam..." She bit her lip and glanced at Sia. "If beam scorch marks or residue were found at the scene, and not the kind that a close combat weapon would make, we could be looking at an attack from AHI. We've only just recently acquired a beam weapon-- a prototype, for HEX use, but... Here on Callisto..." It was a lot to take in all of a sudden, and a dark path to tread down, but what choice did they have? Edited April 3 by Nanami Touko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRoon Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) Contact was made. Leon didn't expect to be face to face with one of Shezsacosh's affiliates, but it wasn't a terrible outcome. He wanted information, and he couldn't think of a better source at the moment. It just so happened to be the riskiest source. Well, I got her talking...she was small back at the meeting room but I remember seeing a tail on her. He couldn't see her lower body from the angle he was in, but he remembered the tail moved somewhat during the meeting. Just the thought of not knowing exactly what she was put a little bit of fear in the mercenary, but he kept a straight face. If she came here often enough she wouldn't cause trouble. So she might not be normal, big deal. I don't think she'll start a fight but if she does I'm armed with...a lighter. The joke he thought to himself got him to lighten up a little, he smiled at the helmeted bargoer. "Ah just a habit of mine really. Every time I visit a new city I just gotta get out there and see what the deal is. Dunno how much Shezsacosh told you, but in my line of work info can save lives." He took a sip of the cocktail he purchased for Marianne and leaned in toward Aly. "So that said...wanna help a guy out? Your boss encouraged us to learn what was going on with the moon anyway, and since you're here I may as well ask: What's going on?" He didn't expect a direct answer, but he sure hoped for one at least. Before he had to resort to desperate actions anyway. Edited April 3 by TheRoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xinnidy Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 (edited) "Hmm..." Iskra still seemed pretty insular, all things considered. From her perspective, things still hadn't changed, which was unfortunately not wrong, what she needed was a healthier perspective. Seemed like, more than Bonner's words, a break well-spent would do her well. "Maybe indeed, just don't feel like you have to tackle it all at once. While we're on break, it might be worth looking at what you missed." Bonner felt it was best not to impose, much as Alrenne's concern was valid, his skill at handling this had its limits. Nothing to be done but slowly learn what ailed Iskra. "They've got some record stores by the civilian complex, you could put some of that salary you've been assigned to use." A little nudge here and there would be the most appropriate, he believed in Iskra's ability to find her first step --couldn't be taking those in her stead, after all. "Eh... no, the captain didn't reprimand me. I did feel judged by one member... well, rather, I guess we've been jabbing at each other's performance for a bit, and she clearly came off better this mission... nobody else. The guy that messaged me didn't bring it up, appreciated that. And the person who I challenged in the simulation is just some shut-in dweeb. Got my number and talked shit when I came back in a busted up machine..." And then she lost to her, were the words following in Esther's mind, leaving her quiet and pensive. "I don't know about her. I'm embarrassed by the way I just yelled at them, but I'm also a bit pissed off when I think about their messages. I don't feel like reaching out right now... but I think I left my jacket in the sims and she grabbed it, so I'll ask it back later." A low energy chuckle escaped, Esther looking down to her knees. "Everybody back at the lab had been expecting my results, I could feel that every day, so when I got to the ship having finally aced my sims, I thought I was going to do just as well. It's, not as easy when there's people throwing my mind off." Edited April 4 by Xinnidy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldsbroTSG Posted April 4 Share Posted April 4 "Alright, let's do it." Markus smiled and led the way for the two of them. It was weird being back in a mall again. He was basically locked to a base exchange for the start of his career, and it was more of a Walmart with a food court than a mall. There was a hobby shop, and some clothing stores, something that looked like one of those old tv product stores. He gave a soft chuckle thinking about the things Leili would grab for them. After a bit, they reached the the arcade, and he could already see the dim lights and strobe lights inside. "Mario? Well, yeah, Mario's like, super big, and easy to get into." He answered, "They may have like, the arcade kart game, but I don't know if they do arcade stuff too much anymore. For me though, hmm..." Markus did give it some thought, "I dabble a bit in things, but my favorites are probably adventure games. Zelda's a huge one for me. And in general like, games where I just run around and look for stuff. Though, an arcade won't exactly have something like that, either, haha." He scratched his head, then taking her by the hand and leading her into the arcade. As they walked in, it was clear from the outside, but once inside, the music was booming, it wasn't horribly busy, but there were plenty of people inside enjoying themselves. All sorts of games from fighters, to sports, to puzzles. "They have people in who get these little cards, and they hold all your tokens and tickets on it. If we play games that get tickets, they have a bunch of prizes you can get. Do you wanna share a card, or do you wanna get separate ones?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorri Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Sen raised an eyebrow, and stopped walking, tugging on Gean's hand. "I didn't mean for you to feel the need to defend your outfit. Let me be clear. I think you look lovely in that outfit, it absolutely suits you. I just wasn't expecting it." She paused and then grinned, pressing her body against Gean's arm as she leaned in to add, "Besides, it makes a good contrast for my outfit~ I like it, makes us look like a cute pair." Pulling back, she followed after Gean, enjoying the warmth of the other woman's hand as she easily agreed to drive. "Well, we aren't going nearly as far as the town just yet. Near the docking area there are usually all sorts of parts shops. They want them to be close in case of repairs needing to be done quickly. We can start with the official CEN ones, parts depots, that sort of thing." She pulled out a attack of papers, flipping through them as she considered. "We might need to hope that we get lucky for some of these parts though. The beam splitting and focusing mechanism especially... That might need to be a specialty shop visit. Hmm... For now just hit the first official looking shop you find nearby. It'll be a good of a place to start as any." "Mmm, yes, sir." Iskra just nodded along to Bonner's thoughts, not knowing what else to say. Record shops were all well and good but to leave the ship? Deal with the crushing effect a crowd could have on her? It wasn't worth the effort and risk. She had her collection of music, that was enough. It had to be enough. She couldn't just say that to him though. Not when he had taken the time to come talk to her. "Ah, perhaps... I will have to consider that, yes. Uhm. More music, could be nice." She looked down, knowing that he was concerned, appreciating it, but also not knowing how to handle it. "Thank you, for your words. And, uhm, time. I know that you probably had your own plans but. T-thank you." And sorry for making you need to waste your time like this. I'm so useless, can't even deal with my own problems... She glanced back up at him, wondering if there was more or if he was going to go. Maybe after he left, she could sneak off, try and find some food or do some training or... something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary on the Winds Posted April 6 Share Posted April 6 Sia smiled at the man, it was always best after establishing contact to return things to cordial as best one could, and this time, she could be mostly sure that they were on the same side here. "It's good to hear that embassy does keep their eyes and ears open." Unfortunately for Sia, that was the last time that she could smile, as the commander continued explaining when they'd last seen, and heard, from the ambassador. "You've got to be kidding me..." Perhaps was some annoyance from what Louise had informed her of on their way over bubbling over, but the veil of professionalism dropped from the Captain, quietly cursing under her breath. "We were supposed to meet with him to ascertain more of the particulars on the moon, but... I can't rule out the possibility that this was done in response to our dispatch." Sia put a hand to her lips, running through the series of possibilities... Louise was generally handling the questions--asking all that Sia would have, but one question stuck out to her. "I... don't believe it was AHI. Not from our encounter with Miss Avyndor. Unless she's pulled the wool over my eyes, she doesn't strike me as the type to authorize something like that. There's always the possibility that it was our other friend but even that seems... nonsensical. I'd place more stock in it being a terrorist group of some sort, the rebels of course are also plausible here... until we know how many of them fall, there's no telling what they would be willing to do to exert their will..." Sia hadn't been speaking to either Louise or the Commander, simply airing her words out as she usually did. She met Louise's troubled gaze, "Yes, anything we can learn about the scene now would help us start narrowing things down... because our net just keeps getting wider and wider, and I'm afraid that we don't have enough manpower to search the entire moon for answers..." Amy and Cia had both been standing around watching the argument? Lover's spat? unfold between one of the pilots, and what sounded like a woman. Amy shrugged and was about to get back to work when, she perked right up as she heard Tristan's voice, spinning around towards him, half way through venting her jumpsuit before getting back to work, "Tristan! Hi, no, you're not bothering in the slightest, actually; I'm well ahead of my repairs and stuff anyway~" If Amy hadn't been radiant before, she was now as she beamed up at the navigator, "Oh, uh..." Amy then suddenly turned sheepish as the man asked about what she was working on. That could have meant one of two things, the work she was doing right at this very moment, which was fine to show, or the work that she kept to herself for countless reasons. Amy then shook her head, and returned to beaming, "Well, I can show you what I'm doing right now! Come on." Amy strutted her way back over to her work area, and let her hand dance across the console to bring up a couple screens, "I'm on diagnostics duty, so I'm not working on actually putting anything back together; running all the tests, downloading important data into the database, making sure all of the systems are operating together properly, all of that sort of jazz~ Not really a whole lot of helping to do, I'm just kind of updating, and repairing some software that may have gotten a little scrambled during the fight." Amy finally took a breath through her rapid fire explanation before plopping her elbows down on her bench, and staring over at the navigator, "So! You're on break? Whatcha been doing in the interrim, huh?" Marianne stifled a laugh as Azame decided to go all the way in, "Wow, okay, I don't think I've heard that one before... points for trying. And you know? Just by looking at you, I can tell that you're not joking..." There was a method to doing something like that, a lot of the time, it was done by people who hadn't quite established a reason to be relaxed with them. More often than not men who had a very tangible vibe about them, the kind of feeling that if she ever let her guard down, or was alone, that there was much more than a non-zero chance that if she'd never turned then down, her life would be endangered. Azame threaded that needle, and Marianne could appreciate. Marianne then blinked, "Wait you got assigned to the ship, met with your captain and don't know her name, or even why the ship is up here?" Marianne couldn't tell if that was obfuscation, or something being a little too all over the place. Azame was a very bouncy woman, and in more ways than one. Quickly, it became apparent that it was the latter; Azame was already offering a tour of the ship. It appeared that Azame was definitely interested, and if all she had to do was to work her charms a little to get aboard and feel somethings out, then Marianne could certainly work her charms. Senri was the first to respond though, the correct response, finally pulled himself away from whatever had gotten him so focused, Marianne stifled another chuckle as the first thing the man mentioned was a pun at the obvious, "He is right, you know... couldn't that get you in trouble? I mean, I'm not adverse to seeing such a state of the art ship up close and personal; I've never quite been in the seat of a HEX either... I'm not quite sure we'd both fit in one anyway..." This cannot be this easy... there is no way that this is how I'm going to get on that ship. She didn't even see me dance, but maybe having some tricks left in reserve would be good... Hmhmhmhm... Today might be better than I hoped for~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.