UC Chapter Header A [https://i.imgur.com/LTseeZG.jpg]
Front 2 - The Next Day
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2.1 - Class Is Out Part 1
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As ordered, Una was taken on a more extensive tour of the ship by her former teacher, Ensign Hoki Bachika, on the day following her first experience on the Vijaik simulator.
Starting from the main hangar, a cavernous place that was as wide as the largest sections of the ship's dome itself. Most of the hangar was filled with loading cranes & crates of supplies. The ship's massive interior allowed smaller transport vessels to come the whole way into the Fluchtig rather than transferring things from one transport to another. This in effect, resulted in lines of raised platforms for the transports to ‘moor’ alongside, like some bizarre series of railway sidings; at least, that was what it reminded Una of.
Additionally, while the hangar would originally have contained extra mech holding cells to one side - Much like the under-hanger from yesterday - In the main hanger, these had been replaced with one of the Fluchtig's main innovations: A massive onboard production and maintenance facility.
This extensive workshop easily took up a third of the hangar, and Una couldn't help but express some awe at it as she and Hoki strode along the upper gangway, looking down at the makeshift factory from above. Massive slates where pieces of armour seemed to be operated on ominously by a dozen spindled arms, multiple areas filled with workers welding & making fine adjustments to some piece of tech or another. A whole area to one side was half-walled off and filled with an array of computer equipment, where designers and engineers alike set about their work - And finally, a single remaining Vijaik cell, containing the old Main-Battle-Type (MBT) Mk2 mech that Una had so earnestly pointed towards on her first day.
After waving to the person who seemed to be the chief mechanic, Hoki explained the old machine was there to simply move items around the workshop, as well as also being the prototype for the Fluchtig's current battle simulators;
"Unfortunately, all the experimentation they have done on it means the poor cretin's no good for combat anymore. All the safety features were removed. Then again, it was getting pretty outdated,” Hoki had stated matter-of-factly as the two women passed by the antiquated weapon.
Una noted an almost nostalgic look in Hoki's eyes when she stared at the bygone mech - A lightly orange, almost red tinted, its design not all that dissimilar to their Neo-Type Vijaicks - With the exception of the cockpit jutting out where the simulator prototype had been permanently fitted.
From there, the duo headed past one of the secondary generator rooms, glanced at the control centre for one of many gun arrays, and briefly stepped into a meeting room.
Finally, they rounded the corner to the canteen. To Una's surprise, the canteen wasn't all that dissimilar to what they'd had at the academy; a long rectangular room filled with foldable benches with affixed stools lined the entirety of the floor space.
While the top of the room boasted large cut-outs in the length of the wall, from behind which the kitchen staff busied themselves preparing various dishes. Lastly, the dim glow of suppressor fields covering the ceiling gave the room an above-average field of gravity and a warm lighting glow. It was almost mundane to look at if Una was being honest, but it, combined with spending time with a former mentor, did have the effect of reminding her of her school days. For example, they'd had a similar canteen in her old high school, plus a not-so-dissimilar style of railway platform to that of the hangars, lay abandoned near her aunt's house back on Bhaile. And as for the briefing room, from its plastic chair décor to the furnishings in general - It almost felt like a miniature version of the academy's classrooms.
Having Miss Hoki explain everything as they went along also elicited quite a number of memories; it was, after all, only a couple months since her own graduation (although it felt much longer).
As a teacher, Hoki had been strict and practical at times. Una remembered a particular time Hoki had caught some students complaining about the intense heat inside the training Vijaiks;
"-- Just ten years ago, the average temperature inside a piece of armour could oftentimes exceed double that of a regular Vijaik, with little to no cooling systems for upwards of over five crewmembers.
By comparison, while you cadets will one-day pilot machines that can reach above twenty-six C, always keep in mind that when you think you've sweated every drop, there is - That you are the lucky ones, that you have it easy.
Vijaiks operate in space more often than not, allowing for better shedding of the mechanism's generated heat, combined with great strides in technology, and they are mostly single-crewed. So keep that in mind next time you feel the urge to complain that your machine's cabin is 'too warm'. "
Then of course, there had been 'The Technical stuff'. Una had personally always struggled with the finer details, but she had admired Hoki's delivery of such things - She had a way of making piloting seem almost romantic;
"The inception of the Vijaik changed the field of battle indefinitely. Not since hundreds of years prior, in the second age, could a single soldier truly expect to change the battlefield with just their hands. No rifleman could defeat an army, and no ship's captain or tank commander could hope to defend their country borders alone - But with a Vijaik, that all changes.
Even now, a decade on, when all ships have developed new countermeasures, it is still perfectly possible for any one of you to sink a whole fleet with your single unit. Should you grow to be skilled and lucky enough.
This all came due to the realisation of the value attributed now to the metals 'Goibniu' and 'Lanthanides'. With these metals, the Hindenburg miniature generator was finally turned from a hypothesis to a reality, but further, Lanthanides proved to be a highly mailable and resilient substance, perfect for both the generation of power and the defence of a war machine.
It would only be topped when the mining of the comparatively scarce Goibniu began, leading to the line of machines now known as 'Casnels'. Goibniu could be conceivably described as a down-right 'Wonder-Metal', far more resistant to energy-based weapons than a Vijaik's armour - Light but extremely durably and remarkably heat resistant - This substance allows for even greater power generation, offensive and defensive capabilities than even 'Lanthanides' previously afforded.
Moreover, it is also believed that it may have a direct link to the presence of the magi in our history, with its extreme levels of radioactivity possibly being a direct cause for why so many of Bhaile's races differ from one another so greatly.
Of course, all this is believed to be due to the element ----"
It would usually be around this time Hoki's speeches turned to the genuinely scientific, that Una would start to lose all semblance of focus, but still, those passionate lectures hung in her mind.
Hoki hadn't been a year-head but rather had trained almost every student of the academy for some period of time or another. Partaking in the supervision of practical bouts and specialising (despite her young age) in the design and history of Mechs;
"--Now, as the express course students have only recently joined us I find it imperative that we should discuss the greatest misconception I hear amongst new cadets such as yourselves. The humanoid shape of Vijaiks and Casnel's is most certainly not because the designer are unimaginative or egotistical; rather, the case is that the human form is a remarkably versatile creature. What other species so aptly carries exceedingly heavy packs leagues across the land, scrambling up hills and over dykes? What tank or fighter jet can swap their weaponry at will and be as effective at close range as they are long?
Make no mistake, many have attempted to design ground-based Vijaiks with conventional tank treads or claw-like shafts. Along with more ergonomically sound space fairing types but these designs have for the most part proven fruitless with only a few exceptions.
It is also prescient to remember the source of all Vijaiks and Casnels, the material 'Goibniu' and, to a lesser extent, ‘Lanthanides'. They are so rare that the concept of creating multiple types of mass-production specific-use Vijaiks is untenable.
That is why most all MBT-Vijaicks can be found with two arms, two legs and a head of some description - Capable of combat in space, on land and even in the water with only minor modifications - The most versatile of weapons."
Indeed, now that Una thought on it, Miss Hoki had owned a propensity for rather long and detailed lectures… Now in this new setting, however, Una found herself seeing other parts of her former teacher. Firstly, she was her way with people; she watched as Hoki spoke familiarly with the kitchen staff, who, in turn, appeared to have special crockery with fine inlays put aside for the woman.
Further, the food Hoki ordered left Una feeling entirely inadequate, much of it she didn't even recognise to look at.
For her part, Una sheepishly ordered as 'refined' as she could but knew it to be a vain effort. That said, she appreciated the surprisingly large array of food available; dishes from all walks of culture were present and faint holographic signs indicated that more could be ordered than was displayed if one so wished.
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Her food ordered, Una quickly followed after Hoki, who seemed to walk casually towards a pre-established place in the canteen, this being a particular table near the back corner of the room - Slightly more private than many of the other spots.
It was while heading in this direction that Una really acknowledged for the first time just how quiet the room was. A quick glance revealed seven diners excluding themselves - Despite the hour of the day being peak lunchtime.
Hoki had begun to sit down and seemed to note Una's searching expression. Realising eyes were on her, Una quickly stumbled out a reply;
"Oh! Umm... I was just thinking it was busier at breakfast time, but even then, pretty quiet, umm-m..."
Una flushed slightly as she awkwardly approached the end of the long table and over to the seat opposite Hoki.
"Ah yes, it would seem traditional eateries really have gone quite out of fashion, I'm afraid,” Hoki said back in a slightly formal tone.
Una nodded from the seat opposite, and before long, the two began to eat in relative silence.
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"You see--" Hoki began suddenly, giving Una a start;
"--It is not that I'm one of those naturalists or anything but really, there is just something that sits wrong with me about alternative foods, don't you agree, Una?"
By 'alternative foods,' Hoki was referred to the legendary franchise machines: Unmanned units that prepared and served all manner of food and drink that, while all looking relatively the same, could be artificially adjusted to taste like anything a crewmember so desired - And having an array of nutritional options available without compromising the taste.
Every ship had one of these 'Magic-Burger-Vending Machines' (as Una had once seen it written by a critic), and she had already passed the remarkably long queue for the Fluchtig's one that very morning - Only now realising how that might explain the more generic canteen's lack of business.
Una nodded again, "Well, back home, we lived pretty far out from the city, and Auntie isn't really a fan, so I guess I never really got used to the artificial stuff Mi-- Ensign." Una added meekly.
Hoki frowned at the formality of the statement, "Just 'Hoki' will do when we are off duty like this."
Una's face grew flustered at this, "Wh-ah-erm but!" Despite her protest, another frown from her dining partner finally made Una relent;
"Yes, Miss Hoki."
Hoki still looked a little put out by the added 'Miss' but decided to settle for the compromise. Silence seemed to fall between them again, and Una began wondering how best to broach further conversation topics when one suddenly made itself apparent. She watched as Hoki poured a faintly coloured liquid from an ornate porcelain teapot into a dignified ceramic cup.
Two things caught Una's attention here, one simply being the pleasant but distinct aroma of the newly poured tea - The other being the realisation that she had somehow forgotten to get herself a drink. She cussed internally, which Hoki beckoned Una's direction - "Would you like a cup?"
"What?" Una blurted on instinct, "No, no I couldn't possibly!"
Again Hoki frowned in evident disappointment, and Una found herself compelled to act - Glancing down, she realised, without asking for it, the kitchen staff had left an empty cup of the same make on her tray, too. She now timidly handed that cup across, which garnered her a satisfied smile from her former instructor.
Una sipped tentatively at the finely brewed beverage. The colour was a faint green shade that seemed to inspire images of plants in springtime bloom, while the scent made her think of a sunny autumnal evening at her aunt's home.
For a moment, she found herself utterly transfixed by it. It seemed out of place in all the chaos of the last few days, within the bizarre circumstance of dining with her superior, to drink something so very relaxing.
"It's wonderful," Una muttered quietly.
Hoki stared at her in disbelief, her own cup halfway to her mouth.
"W-What's wrong?" Una asked hurriedly, putting the cup back down on the table as though it were some precious historical relic she had just defiled.
Hoki, for her part, blinked back to her senses;
"Sorry, it's just, well, no one else has ever liked it."
"Really? Well, ah, I think it's quite lovely," Una added with her own kindly smile.
And so on went the conversation in much that fashion, with Hoki before long explaining the finer details of how she had found herself with a vast collection of rare teas;
"-- I mean, really, we finally joined the IAFS recovery team, and what had father smuggled onto the shuttle alongside me? Boxes upon boxes of tea leaves, his whole collection, no doubt! I swear, if I hadn't also had the data stick with me, they might well have told us to head back home - And who would have blamed them? It looked like some elaborate practical joke!"
Hoki finished with a sigh, but one accompanied by a fond smile.
"How, umm, how is your father doing now?" Una asked, hesitant to sound rude but not wanting to let the conversation's momentum die out;
"Oh, the old man seems to be holding up just fine from what I've heard. For now, at least, it seems TSU are still too afraid to go public that 'The Hero of the Eastern Front' tried to escape Bhaile to try to help the so-called 'IAFS Menace'. Honestly, they are such dramatic names.
Notwithstanding that, he and the others are still just being kept under house arrest. Yes, for now… But enough of that, how are you finding your time here to be?" Hoki asked with another bright smile.
Una pondered the question momentarily as Hoki poured them both more tea, their food long since finished off.
"I'm not sure, really." Una finally said with a slightly forced laugh, "There's a lot to think about, I guess".
Hoki nodded her agreement; "Well if you have any questions, do feel free to ask. I was the one who wanted you on the team, after all, and I really do feel bad for what you witnessed yesterday. I was quite uncouth, wasn't I? Arguing with Miss Scarlet in front of my juniors like that and after what happened the day before. I do apologise, Una," Hoki finished with a flash of remorse about her earlier argument, "I really don't know what came over me. Something about that woman just seems to get to me..."
Una put on a puzzled expression, more concerned with the former half of the sentence than the latter, "After what happened? You’re not the first person to say that recently, did I miss something? No, wait, you were the one who picked me for this job?”
"Hmm-m? Oh, of course. Did they not tell you that before you accepted the post? I was in charge of scouting every member for the Fluchtig's new pilot team," Hoki replied back earnestly, a hint of concern in her expression.
'Oh! "The uppity woman who sticks her ore in where it doesn't belong", that the barrack's commander kept complaining about whenever he saw me' - Una thought to herself, and then the most pressing question of all seemed to alight itself upon her;
"Oh well, um, they didn't really tell me that much before I got the order to come here. But err, if that's the case, can I ask you, well, why pick me for this team, Miss Hoki? It makes sense for Miss Hikari to get to lead her own escort squadron, and Sabban is already here, but what about all the others from our cadet year?"
Across from her, above the slightly angular, almost regal features of Hoki's face, her brow seemed to furrow at the question, "Well, I won't pretend there wasn't a degree of nepotism to it --".
"-- But there were plenty of better people from my class you could have picked if you wanted a former student; I was always right at the bottom of every test!" Una interjected, suddenly letting her thoughts spill out.
This time, Hoki's brows did more than just furrow, "Una.. You must know why that isn't the case, right?"
'Must know? What's that supposed to mean? Must know what? I know for a fact I was the worst in class!'
Hoki lowered her voice a little, "--You and Sabban, well, you are all that's left."