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6.2 - Rock and Fire

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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 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;

  "I suppose he ain't afraid to get his hands dirty, at least. 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 your hind 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 gangwalks of the under-hangar, floating back down to ground level.

Hoki watched this quietly, taking note of Una's increased comfort in chatting to crew members outside of her immediate circle and her more natural movements in the low gravity area. She 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 five 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, were 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, who had been all three training that morning. Sabban had, on a 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 makeshift chair, creating a grating 'clang' over and over again that echoed throughout the broad room.

  Once Una had made the short trip across and taken a position standing to attention between Sabban and Scarlet, 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, shortcut hairstyle - 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 at least 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 standard light sleeveless jacket, non-descript blue jeans, knee-high boots, and fingerless, worn-looking gloves. Her long crimson hair was 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 into an odd middle ground. Hoki winced as she recalled Una half-mumbling something to her about Sabban, 'Looking older than 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 was added to by his stern, unyielding expressions, long dark bags under his eyes and a general demeanour of disinterest. 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.

"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 more, sealing her fate 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 advanced team!"

"Yo-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 to use the 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 seemed 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 have always been this way; your 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 doesn't want anything to do with us ordinary folk, so why should we do anything in return. Screw it, I say. We five can make it with this, Nate's... steerable, and with that on our side, we 'ave a real chance. We can watch each other’s backs, keep our heads down, and all make it through this alive, ya hear?

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  No point in any of us dying for something stupid like destiny's sake! Even a Casnel can be managed."

At first, Hoki had been more concerned with her newfound partnership with Scarlet than the speech's words, but as it continued, her attention was redirected to the Scourge, who visibly shuddered at the words.

  'I've seen this before too, haven't I?'

And just like before, Scarlet shoved hard against the crates and 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.

Una's docile tone 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, Sabban provided the answer; "Sure, but the 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 at 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 when masking apprehension while addressing her students - 'Well, former students at least.'

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 lion's mouth...'

****

Hoki stopped just short of turning the corner and hugged the wide doorway on instinct. Out of the corner of her eye, she had spotted her query - Scarlet had marched down one of the service passages, heading for a side doorway probably intended as a fire escape - Kolme had diligently followed after her, and now in the narrow echo chamber of the tall corridor, Hoki could hear the two going at it once more.

"Scarlet, Scarlet! Would ya' wait just one damn minute!" Kolme jeered.

As Hoki carefully peered around the corner to get a better view, she watched as Scarlet stopped in her tracks, turned around and began striding back towards Kolme with one hand pointing insidiously towards him; "Where do you get off, old man eh? Do you think this is funny, or have you just gone completely senile? This ain't some stupid game!"

Kolme held firm, standing up straight more so than usual, "Don't ya think I know that for Sun's sake? I mean it, we have a chance here, and whether you like it or not, I ain't letting you throw that away."

Scarlet seemed to visibly bristle, as though her long flowing hair were a mane poised to attack. She slammed one hand hard against the silvered walls of the space, causing a loud metallic 'clang' to reverberate out; "Excuse me? The heck do you think you are, man? You think I haven't tried. I've done everything you can think of and more to keep my people alive and every, every time they die! It's a damn war Nilas, we can't stop that, we chose to be here.

  People die, it's normal. I'd expect this from some whelp on their first tour, not a damnable old fool like you!"

"This time is different."

Hoki held her breath. Kolme had said it in a completely level tone and in all sincerity, which, if anything, had only added to its impact as the words seemed to bounce around the walls. Scarlet raised her arm and strove forward - Punching in low gravity is more complex than one might imagine - But Scarlet made it look easy as her fist flew through the air, aimed squarely at Kolme's face. In a single brisk movement, Kolme's own hand swung upwards and grabbed Scarlet's with a flourish, the force of the impact pushing him all the way back to a few inches from his face, centimetres from a broken nose. His eyes never flinched as his loosely held dress jacket slid from his shoulders, floating dramatically into the air behind him.

  Scarlet's face seemed to snarl as she glared at the balled fist now held firmly in place by Kolme's hand, "This ship is good, the Vijaiks are ours ta' modify, and Nate will do as we tell him. I'm telling you this is different; it’s not a frigate with some jumped-up captain or a cruiser with some stubborn old fool. We have something real here."

Scarlet's response was more ferocious this time. Her tone held its usual bite but with an almost sorrowful edge; "And I'm telling you, it won't matter. I've seen it all, Nilas. I've had teams of twenty-five who got wiped out like dust from the corner of yere' damn eyes. Heck, I've had Casnels of my own, and it made no difference. I still always end up by someone's deathbed. Do you understand that?

  That moment when you know you've failed them when you know that every corpse is on your hands, that you have to write yet another batch of letters to grieving parents, widowed spouses and orphaned children - 'Your son died heroically in service of what he believed, & for the good of his nation', ha! Absolute bullshit; they died because I wasn't good enough, Kolme Nilas! They weren't brave in the face of death. They were screaming, begging for their mothers as they burnt alive in metal caskets, and not one, not a single one of them died for anything - We lost the war a decade ago and again half that since! And we'll probably fail again this time for all I care.

I stood by the bedside of my own damn Nakima and watched him wilt away from years of fighting and dying, and ya know what - No glory, no parade, no nothing, no one gave a shite. What in God's name makes you think this time will be any damn different!?"

Kolme paused for only a moment before answering Scarlet's vitriol-filled rant, "Sabban comes back."

"You What?"

"I thought I'd given up too, seen too many die to keep trying, to have any more hope left in me - But, every time he comes back. It was just me for the longest time, 'Last Neo Standing Nilas' he called me once - And yet he's still here. Grumpy feck these days, but that's understandable enough. The lad always comes back in one piece, and so do you and me. All of us have that bad luck, don't we? Ain't that enough proof for ya? Enough to make it worth trying one more time, one last go at keeping someone alive in these endlessly bloody wars?"

Kolme let go of Scarlet's fist, which dropped gently to her side as she stared at the man. Gone now was the rampant anger and resentment of a moment ago, replaced with something nearer disbelief. After another moment, she turned and began, albeit less aggressively this time, to walk away from Kolme - Softly shaking her head all the while.

"Scarlet, what about Hoki? I get why you don't wanna’ be chummy with me, but why her, eh? She's a strong pilot with a good head on her shoulders. I'd probably act the same in your position, but that ain't no reason to take it out on her, is it?"

Scarlet stopped, though not turning to make eye contact this time, "I told you, I ain't looking to drag around or teach children, especially know-it-all ease droppers."

Hoki's heart fell; she pulled herself back from the corner she had been using, nearly tripping in the process. Despite this, Kolme kept talking as though oblivious to Scarlet's last comment, "So what about Una then? I couldn't make you tutor her. You chose that yourself."

Scarlet simply shook her head with more certainty, "Just killing time. That's all this is," again she started walking, still not turning to face Kolme, "I'll guard the princess - Hell, I'll even try to be 'nicer' but not for your sake or anyone else's on this ship, I've got a reputation to keep that's all. Yes, I'll go on your stupid mission, but I will not play naïve games. Their blood will not be on my hands again."

And like that, she was gone, exiting via the fire escape.

With a bit of reluctance, Hoki caught the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and peered around the corner once again. Both the resolve and earlier slyness had drained from Kolme's face. He stood silently with his back against the same wall Scarlet had earlier slammed. Hoki couldn't help but think he suddenly looked both very small and very tired. His unnaturally tanned skin with its myriad of stress lines, the sparse greying hair and his relatively short stature. With one hand clutched to his face, he reached the other inside his trouser pocket in search of something before realising it wasn't there - Removing his hand, he let his eyes stare up at nothing in particular, his ruffled jacket floating gracefully past his line of sight like some ridiculous slow motion blackbird.

Hoki decided it best not to interfere any further.

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