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6.3 - Rock and Fire Part 1
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"So you wanna' be included in the meetings?" Asked the earnest voice of a young woman.
"No, no, I don't have the time for that. No I want 'them' up top to understand that you can't just put up a new foundry and not expect there to be a massive strain on the water network understand?"
Replied a gruff but kindly, almost jolly toned man.
"So you think, maybe that the captain should know about all the stuff below him? Wouldn't that be a bit much?"
"Not all of it, just the a little bit of everything, enough to ask when he has a question ya see?"
"Oh! So you mean like Mr.Nilas then?"
The man, tall and well built if aged looking, 40 something, wearing a pair of old blue overalls - Seemed to give due consideration to this last question;
"Well I suppose he ain't afraid to get his hands dirty atleast. I guess he's an alright sort ya."
The young woman opened her mouth again to ask her next question, when a call from the far side of the room broke her attention;
"Una get you hide back here, 'the boss' wants us".
Una politely apologised to the burly chief-fitter she had been conversing with and pushed herself off from the upper gang-walks of the under-hangar, floating back down to ground level.
Hoki watched this quietly, taking note of Una's increased comfort in chatting to members of the crew outside of her immediate circle, and her more natural movements in the low gravity area. Her and Kolme had made their way from the canteen, straight to one of the service elevators and down to where they now stood in the under-hanger's doorway.
From this point they had an interesting perspective of the room, with grey crates of machine parts and supplies directly in-front of them (one of which Scarlet sat atop and another which Sabban leant on, arms folded). Behind the crates were the 5 mecha of the team, held in their cages, lining the three other walls of the room - Almost as though they too were keeping a watchful eye on everyone who came in and out of the space.
Next to them by the doorway her and Kolme stood partially inside of, was the service corridors - Long narrow passageways that ran around the outside of each wall of the under-hangar. Being dimly lit and seldom used, they reminded Hoki of the area one could find behind a stage in most old theatre's back home.
As expected it had been easy to find the rest of the squad whom had apparently been all three training that morning. Sabban had on whim joined Una and Scarlet's tutoring session for the day. More pressing was the scowl on Scarlet's face as she tapped her prosthetic leg repeatedly against the metal surface of her make-shift chair, creating a grating 'clang' over and over again that echoed through-out the broad room.
Once Una had made the short trip across and taken a position standing to attention between Sabban and Scarlet, was when Kolme began to talk - Of course not before first having to tell Una to stand at ease.
The quintet made for a somewhat eccentric group.
Hoki knew she stood out most, still dressed in her full ironed-out uniform, cap atop her neatly tied auburn hair. Una was the closest to her in a mix of a similar black uniform with silver highlights, as-well as the sensitive gloves and light hiker-style boots that pilots all had for their machines. Una was a naturally short woman compared to Hoki, with a youthful face, overly eager yet somewhat dim eyes and that slightly tinted, short cut hair style - Popular among young cadets back on Abhaile.
'She looks a little happier today' - Hoki mused to herself.
Scarlet's fashion sense wasn't far off Kolme's, though for all his scruffiness he had atleast donned some of his dress uniform for the meeting that morning, his black jacket now slung over his shoulders like some delipidated cape - As he stood slightly slumped in-front of the group of assembled miscreants. Scarlet hadn't dressed any different to usual, with her normal light sleeveless jacket, non-descript blue jeans and knee high boots, along with fingerless worn-looking gloves.
Her long crimson hair was, as normal let to flow out far past the small of her back, and over her forehead. Held only slightly in place by her somewhat basic eyepatch.
As for Sabban he fell in an odd middle ground. Hoki winced as she recalled Una half-mumbling something to her about Sabban; 'Looking older then he should' - Which Hoki couldn't help but somewhat guiltily agree on.
The boy had always been tall for as long as she'd known him, easily dwarfing the likes of Una. This impression seemed to be added to by his stern, unyielding expressions, long dark bags under his eyes and a general demeaner of dis-interest.
If one could try not to focus on these details, Sabban was a mostly healthy looking young man, handsome even. Well built with broad shoulders and an impressively imposing posture. However getting away from the face and unkept hair, generally proved too uncomfortable for most who made the acquaintance with the uncaring young man.
True to form the second meeting of the day went about as well as expected. Kolme was to his credit, a little more focused than in some of the previous lectures Hoki had witnessed from the man, but the others reacted with their usual pattern;
Sabban simply grunted in place of any coherent answers, Una went more and more pale at the mention of each detail and Scarlet.... Scarlet protested;
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"You're saying you want to send two Vijaiks out there, against a brand new Casnel? I thought you were thick Nilas but this is a new high!"
"Now look this ain't up for debate, we've got our orders and besides the two will only be a distraction. The Clover will 'ave two of its own and the rest of the Fluchtig's team will be nearby."
Even as he spoke Hoki could sense Kolme wasn't entirely convinced of the idea himself.
Scarlet's face scrunched in response, clearly picking up on Kolme's own apprehension. He'd not given them all the details of the mission yet, or his interpretation of the event, but he had conveyed the most relevant parts at this stage - Causing in turn a lull in the conversation for Scarlet to capitalise on with this current 'disagreement' that had already lasted some minutes;
"Ha, well then I guess I have to accept this farcical job don't I?!" She proclaimed suddenly.
"Claim what?" Hoki found herself spluttering aloud with raised eyebrows and a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Tch, the job 'princess', can hardly let one of you kids be in charge of fighting a Casnel can I? Be like lambs ta' slaughter".
'On no...'
Hoki turned her head to Kolme, hoping he would divert this course of action, only to find a devious grin slowly enveloping his face from eye to eye. The older man quickly nodded to Sabban, "You al'igth with that Sab-lad?"
Sabban murmured his approval with a roll of his eyes, clearly catching on to what was occurring. He also offered Hoki a sympathetic glance & tilt of the head.
"Ah, er- Sir maybe we should, ah--"
Hoki began hurriedly.
"Ah shut your trap princess, no need to get in the way when the man is finally about to make the first good decision of his whole life!"
Scarlet crowed from atop her vantage point of the packing crates.
"No but I don't think you--" Hoki tried again, only a hint of agitation creeping into her voice.
"Enough already, get on with it old man."
Scarlet interjected once again, sealing her faith once and for all.
Kolme with that stupid grin plastered all over his face, was all too happy to oblige;
"Perfect that's settled then, Hoki and Scarlet will be the advance team!".
"Yu-you what?!" Scarlet stammered, for once at a loss for words.
"But a 'course Scarlet. After-all t'was the only thing the captains didn't make a fuss over, that Hoki had to be the only one qualified enough and with the right stat spread to use th' long range rifle. And like 'ya said - Only you are experienced enough to adequately guard her during such a dangerous task right?"
Hoki didn't know how to feel, this certainly seemed more in-line with the 'normal Kolme' than the other things she had seen of him today - She only wished this wasn't the time he'd chosen to be typical.
Likewise Scarlet seem to grasp for a retort, caught between tackling Kolme to the ground for making a fool of her or trying to back-track her own statements.
"Ah don't make that face woman."
Kolme said waving his hand around lazily, "T'would of always been this way, you volunteering just makes it all the more, 'fitting'. The fact is we got a chance 'ere.
I've said it before but we don't really matter ya know? We're invisible--"
'This speech again now of all times? What's he thinking?'
"--It's like this, Fate can't see us ya hear? She don't want anything to do with us normal peoples and our normal abilities, so why should we do anything in return. Screw it I say. Us five can make it with this, Nate's... steerable, and with that on our side we 'ave a real chance. We can watch each others back's, keep our heads down and all make it through this alive ya hear.
No point any of us dieing for something stupid like destiny's sake! Even a Casnel can be managed."
At first Hoki had been more concerned with her newfound partnership to Scarlet than the words of the speech, but as it continued her attention was redirected to the Scourge, whom visibly shuddered at the words.
'I've seen this before too haven't I?'
And just like before, Scarlet shoved hard against the crates, strode across the short gap between herself and Kolme (elbowing past him poignantly as she went) before disappearing out the door behind them without another word. Kolme sighed ruefully, stretching the arm Scarlet had pushed.
His speech cut short, Hoki could only presume that was the end of this more curt 'meeting'. Briefings involving both Scarlet and Kolme always seemed to end when he gave that speech, but instead after a few moments the man nodded to her with the words;
"Better go sort that eh lass? You lot are dismissed and 'an all that. Thanks again for your 'elp today Hoki." With a pat to her shoulder, Kolme disappeared out round the doorway in the same direction as Scarlet had gone.
It was Una's docile tone that broke the silence of the young trio that remained, "I don't understand. All officers say that sort of stuff before battles don't they? He speaks...um, differently but it's normal stuff about watching out for each other and coming back alive right?"
The question wasn't directed at anyone in particular and as Hoki herself was considering the same thing - It was Sabban who provided the answer; "Sure but difference is, Kolme Means it - Every-word of it, and Scarlet knows that too."
With that the tall man spun on his heel and began making for his machine in the opposite direction to the doorway Kolme and Scarlet had exited from.
Una glanced concernedly to Hoki.
'She still looks so young, no different to back in the classroom. No, maybe a little different, more wary perhaps?'
"You go on ahead with Sabban, Una. I'll just go see if I can help, I am supposed to be second-in-command after all." Hoki said, doing her best to put on the smile she always tried to keep for when masking apprehension, while addressing her students - 'Well former students atleast.'
Una nodded politely and quickly followed after Sabban.
Hoki took a deep breath and turned to follow after the two older pilots - 'Right, Vice-Commander, that's definitely why I'm about to stick my hand in a lions mouth......'
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