Narration
BHUC 0090.1.29
The first month of the third year of conflict between the Titans and the A.E.U.G. is reaching its end. The situation looks rather dim as the Titans seem to only gain more ground as time goes on, leaving their adversaries little room to breathe. And yet, some believe that this will be the year that the forces of good will finally break through and put Jamitov's forces on the back foot... Luna II, a neutral entity since the Great War, is one of the few places where the A.E.U.G can find respite as of now, and it is here where a journey is about to begin, one that will change lives... as well as end them.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde snaps awake in a cold sweat. Her heart pounded in her chest like a jackhammer, and she couldn't stop her hands shaking. Yet another morning had arrived, and she put her hands on her face to try and calm her breathing.
".. J-just a dream... just a dream... nothing more..."
Kim Tulirinta
"... Didn't sleep well either, De?" Good fucking God, Kim needed to stop being so good at sneaking into places unnoticed. This was not the first time she had been up and about in Hilde's room before her, and it likely wouldn't be the last. At least she had the "courtesy" to stand near the doorway instead of being right up in Hilde's face like she used to.
"We've still got some time before the meeting, so, uh... No rush, I'd say." The woman towering above the doorframe began fidgeting around with her hands. She had never been too good at post-nightmare-comfort, even after all this time of knowing Hilde.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde flinches rather violently when Kim spoke up, having not expected such a surprise visit this early in the morning. She quickly pulled her blanket over her, fidgeting a little as she came down to her senses.
"D-Did I forget to lock the door again? Geez..." She reached over to her nightstand, putting her glasses on and looking for her hair clips... that she doesn't use anymore. Still a little groggy, despite the two jolts back to back... Kim's word was correct, the meeting wouldn't be for another hour or so. Should be enough time for her to get dressed and ready, along with some early morning chatting.
"You can come in, since you're already by the door..."
Kim Tulirinta
"... Sorry about scaring you. Just wanted to make sure you'd be up on time, y'know?" The door was already closed behind her as she began walking further into the room.
"Lights on? Or do you need a few before getting flashbanged? Hey, why the fuck do they still not have dimmers for these?" She asks as she points at the simple on-off switch on the wall next to her.
Hilde Nicolau
"Yeah, lights on." Hilde sat up on her bed, doing a big stretch before standing up. She checked her heartbeat... normal. Over to the warddrobe to get some clothes over her underwear.
"Had that one dream again... It feels so strange that it's already been over a decade since the riots at Riah. Wild how time flies, huh..." She let out a lamenting sigh, thinking of how things were back before... all of it. She hadn't dreamed of Riah.
"Guessing you didn't sleep too well, either?"
Kim Tulirinta
"I think I slept about... Two and a half hours total? Kept waking up, though." She flicks the lights on and saunters over to Hilde's bed, snuggling into the still warm sheets.
"Too bad the beds here are too small for two... It was always easier to sleep over at your place than at home."
Hilde Nicolau
"Yeah.. I'm definitely going to get myself a king-sized by the time all of this is over. The beds are too hard here, too..." She rubbed her back, a dull pain radiating from it. She grabbed her standard faire she had gotten used to - white shirt, baggy jeans and a pale green hoodie. While getting dressed, she took a look at herself - a few bullet wound scars here, burn marks by her legs... messy hair. Could use a hair cut soon.
"Still, beats sleeping in a space ship. At least you don't have to worry about turbulence making your things shake around like it's an earthquake every other day."
Kim Tulirinta
"Oh, easy solution for that; just don't own shit! Hard to fling around something that doesn't exist, yeah?" Honestly, that's the least annoying part of sleeping on a spaceship, but Hilde has heard Kim complain about needing to wear a safety belt during sleep enough times for her to have memorized most of Kim's points.
"... Sooo... How're we feeling about that meeting? Do you need breakfast before that? I honestly think I won't be able to keep anything down until after it."
Hilde Nicolau
"Honestly, I'm a little surprised you didn't bring anything with you. Were the machines not filled again, or did you really want to avoid breakfast in bed that much?" She let out a little giggle at her rather transparent teasing. But hey, it's nice to get a little bit of banter in when you're not getting blown up in the middle of the zone.
"I'd recommend at least getting something like coffee. I've sat through Nnamdi's meetings before, and they can sometimes be really long."
Kim Tulirinta
"Even if I wasn't feeling so queasy, those two new kids were getting breakfast. And like, the guy just gives me the worst vibes. Like, I could feel him looking down on me and shit." She then looks up at Hilde with a pleading look on her face. "So if you think coffee is needed, could we get it together?"
Hilde Nicolau
"Gee, again? Somebody really needs to teach him a thing or two about respect. Sheesh!" She walked over to the door and leaned against it, waiting for Kim to climb out of her sheets. It's a wonder why neither has gotten any notice or warning for how often an exchange like this ends up happening here, but... eh. Maybe the folks here are just into it?
"Shall we, then?"
Kim Tulirinta
"I guess we shallll," she groans as she rolls off the bed and onto the floor. Considering her issues with her legs, it's insanely stupid she keeps getting out of bed this way, but Kim insists on doing it anyway. "Small joys, y'know?", is how she explains it.
Pushing herself up to stand, it really showed how much taller she is than Hilde. Her neck definitely had a lot of tension from how much she had to look down when talking to Hilde; or anyone, basically. At least she could sit down and be mostly at eye level with everyone at the meeting.
"So like, are you getting anything to eat, or will it just be a coffee-only date?"
Hilde Nicolau
She opened the door and walked out with Kim, putting a finger on her mouth as she thought of her answer. The food at the base was never particularly good? But getting something could help lift her spirits a little bit after her rather rough wake-up.
"Hmm... Probably a burger? The ones here aren't the best but they're good on-the-go kind of food. Y'know, just in case the newbies end up being newbies." The newbies... Ayano and Leon were there names, if she remembered. They didn't exactly have the best first encounter, with the latter in particular striking her nerve pretty hard. They reminded her of people she used to be with...
Kim Tulirinta
"I mean, surely they're done eating breakfast by now, right?" But what if... They weren't?
Leon Oodake
Surprise, assholes! Or should it be "surprise assholes"? Either way, the two newbies, indeed named Ayano and Leon, were still eating breakfast. In fact, they had clearly barely touched it, too busy talking about the condition of their mobile suits to focus on eating. "- if you just could be like me and be able to keep your feelings to yourself sometimes, maybe your suit wouldn't be at risk of "being mangled", Aya-" Speak of the devil, it seems.
Ayano Kawaguchi
As Leon cuts himself off, Ayano turns her head back to see Hilde and Kim entering the cafeteria. She lets out a small sigh as she turns her head back towards Leon, poking at her food with a fork.
"God, whatever, you're not my mom-" She stops, and groans at the slight look of pain in Leon's eyes. "Stop being so sensitive, it's just a saying." Neither of them really acknowledge the two women walking further. Yet, at least.
Hilde Nicolau
Oh great, the dynamic duo's here. At least they seem to be lost in a deep argument together, so as long as the two just kept to themselves and grabbed their food, there shouldn't be any trouble from them. And yet... that feels a bit wrong? They're about in the same range as both her and Kim, and they shouldn't just be given free reign to waltz over them. Alas, Hilde can practically feel Kim's nervousness in the situation, and she turned her head toward her to whisper.
"…We should just grab the food and go. There's other places to eat, too."
Kim Tulirinta
"... Just get me a coffee. Still not really hungry." Sure, they could just eat somewhere else, but her anxiety over the meeting and having seen Leon too early in the morning just made her feel nauseous.
Leon Oodake
He and Ayano have already gone back to talking about mobile suit maintenance; clearly, they were talking about something else right before, but they're both aware enough to know talking about someone as if they weren't in the room is rude.
However, judging someone as if they weren't in the room is something Leon feels he is allowed to do, as long as he doesn't make it too obvious. Speaking of too obvious; Kim should really start putting in some effort into her appearance. Would wearing a turtleneck every now and then really be that much of a hassle?
Kim Tulirinta
Even if he isn't saying anything about her, even if he is just talking about mobile suits with his combat partner, even if Kim is still bound by the force of gravity; she can tell he thinks she's an eyesore.
Hilde Nicolau
The air felt heavier and heavier as the two spent time in the mess hall, and Hilde knew to quickly get things back on track. She got the pair coffees and a burger for herself before escorting Kim away to eat in one of the hallways. If only she was like her younger self, that girl would've walked right over to them and told him what for... Sadly, she's had her fair share of conflict already, and compared to back then, she doesn't exactly have the same amount of people to turn to in case things got bad. If nothing else, she still had enough youthful energy in her to stick her tongue out toward Leon as the two left. That'll show him!
Leon Oodake
All he can really do is scoff at the childish gesture tossed his way. Women, am I right?
Kim Tulirinta
"... Thanks, De," she says as she grabs one of the coffees from Hilde. Leaning herself against the wall, she takes a short sip of the watery, just barely caffeinated enough drink. She kind of feels like she is going to gag on it.
"Fucking sucks that we have to deal with them even more in the future. At least they're not that much of a hassle during combat... They basically become the same person during those."
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde bit into her burger, shaking her head in disapproval. "Some kids just are like that... I've dealt with similar upstarts in the past, and they either change their tune after some time fighting, or... well, explode before they get the chance." Part of her wanted to bet on which would happen, but even thinking about it made her feel visibly uneasy.
Kim Tulirinta
"Am I allowed to hope at least one of them explodes? Is that like, bad? If it is you're not gonna rat me out for that, right?"
Hilde Nicolau
"...I'd rather not. It brings... bad luck." And very bad memories, if her pained expression has anything to say about it.
Kim Tulirinta
"Sorry. I'll hope for nothing but the best for them, then. A fancy wedding and everything once the fighting's over!" She lets out a quick dry laugh. "No, but like, for real, do you think they're already engaged or not?"
Hilde Nicolau
"I... really hope they aren't. Love might bloom on the battlefield, but it's not really something that sustains it too well." She took a sip of her coffee. It tasted like water. "If I had to guess, though... maybe? I don't think they're bickering in the right manner yet, a bit too immature still."
Kim Tulirinta
"Probably on the way to it, then. I bet they'll do something flashy right after winning a big fight and accidentally simul-propose." Siiiip. This tastes like garbage, but it's caffeine. If bringing your own supply wasn't such a hassle, she would genuinely consider doing that.
"Oh, also; are todays burgers any good, or did we get a bad batch again? I might grab one after the meeting if they don't suck."
Hilde Nicolau
She took another bite, savoring the taste for a moment before grimacing. The first bite was mostly bun, so it's easy to not notice the intricacies, but a proper taste of the burger made her realize her worst fears: "...faux-Hawaiian... Uhm, any good with artificial pineapple and undercooked onions?"
Kim Tulirinta
"I lived off of suspicious puddle water before, I can handle literally anything now." Kim then bends her knees to be on-level with Hilde's face and takes a bite of the burger she is still holding onto.
"Yeah, I can finish that for you if you want me to." Kim will think about this indirect kiss before going to bed tonight, to at least try and make her dreams something more palatable than usual.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde smiled a little as Kim took a bite, seeing that she was doing at least a little better now that they weren't being accosted by the bickering newbies. Maybe this day could turn fine after all. "We should probably head to the meeting soon, always looks better to be early."
Kim Tulirinta
"Good call," she replies, mouth full of fucked up, faux-waiian burger. She would then take the burger away from Hilde so she can finish it while standing up. Forcing food down despite the nausea is not pleasant, but it sure is something she can do in a pinch.
Time to head to the meeting, then.
Hilde Nicolau
The two proceeded to head to the meeting room, Hilde still sipping her water-like coffee. Maybe in a year or two she could travel to Earth and try the real stuff again. Maybe...
Narration
The meeting room didn't have too many people in it yet, likely due to the early call and others still having breakfast. There was still about ten minutes before the meeting would commence, so at this rate folks should start pouring in any second.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi was already present as to be expected, going through his notes and talking with someone over the phone, possibly staff from the Argama. "...Working on it. We sighted a few near the asteroid, lower-grade. Has to suffice unless you have extras."
Melissa Carson
Sitting on the captain's side of the table was Melissa; Dr. Carson, if you valued titles in any way. Like Nnamdi, she was reading through some files in front of her, waiting for the meeting to start, but since she was not on the phone, she could actually acknowledge the two women entering.
"Greetings, Chief Petty Officers Nicolau and Tulirinta! Good to be here early, right?" She flashes a quick grin before going back to looking through the file in her hand. After all, the Captain is still on the phone, so too much small-talk at this time could be a distraction. Nothing of the sort shall be allowed under her watch!
Of course, she doesn't acknowledge how her own behavior tends to be distracting in its own way sometimes. But hey, she's not spouting off about "being blessed by the God of Medicine" right now and is being quiet, so who cares about all those other times now?
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde quickly saluted Melissa out of instinct before realizing who was addressing her. When you're in this business enough, you could be addressed by a hobo and have a similar reaction, after all... She shook her head and gave her a quick nod in response. Doctor Carson was certainly... odd, but it's not like Hilde had encountered eccentric folk in the past...
"Ah, g-good morning, Doctor. Seems like we're the first ones here right now, ehehe..." She awkwardly found herself a seat and tried to compose herself. Things really have been a mess this morning... "How has today treated you so far?"
Melissa Carson
Okay, she did intend to have no smalltalk under her watch, but not responding to a question from a patient is just as rude as disturbing someone else's phone call! Probably.
"Quite well, actually. I've been able to keep my powers under control this far; not a single overflow incident just yet!" Her tone was more hushed so as not to be caught on the microphone too hard, but getting her to sound anything but enthused is probably impossible.
At least someone here had a good morning :)
Kim Tulirinta
Kim would elect to ignore this conversation, mainly because she had gotten enough discipline in the past for talking out of turn during meetings. Speak when spoken to, even if the meeting minutes weren't being written down just yet. It sucks that you can't really blend into the environment at her size, even when sitting down.
Hilde Nicolau
Melissa's unending enthusiasm reminded Hilde of herself when she was younger - although with less childlike wonder and more childish wonder in this instance. Still, having at least some kind of positivity is always good to have.
"That's great, Doctor. I'm sure keeping yourself restrained must be difficult here."
Lapis Khoury
As Kim watched the two chat away, she could start feeling a presence by her shoulder, staring at her. Before she had a chance to process things further, a familiar voice addressed her with a whisper that flet more like it was directly in her brain.
"Tulirinta." Seems Lapis had done her classic trick of appearing without notice…
Kim Tulirinta
While she is jolted by this, Kim has gotten used to the way Lapis makes her way around. Honestly, she is envious of that. "K-khoury. Good morning." She attempts to smile, but is really struggling with it. "Did you, uh, rest alright?"
Even after knowing Lapis for so long, talking to her felt difficult. Like speaking to a distorted mirror image; someone she likely held much in common with, including the knowledge that talking about those commonalities would not come easy for either of them. She would just keep trying her best to meet Lapis at her level.
Lapis Khoury
She didn't immediately respond, continuing to stare into Kim's eyes as if she was seeking something in them. This was something not out of the ordinary for her, even if it was something that she had been reprimanded for... multiple times. There was an air of uneasiness around her. Kim wasn't even sure if she had blinked once after they started their staring contest. and yet, after a little longer, she finally responded - and naturally ignored her question.
"Today will bring you annoyance and personal discomfort. It already has."
Kim Tulirinta
"Well, it's good to get a heads-up, ain't it? Thanks, Khoury." As she often does when dealing with Lapis, Kim feels her arm begin to slowly rise up before she quickly jerks it back down to her side. Headpats are not generally considered something you give to a coworker.
Hilde is an exception.
Kim looks past Lapis; not that it's hard to do when she can simply just raise her head up; and at the three people already seated at the table, just for a few moments. Then, she resumes eye contact with Lapis, and lowers her voice to a hush. "Will you be telling everyone else what's on their forecast, or do I get special treatment again?"
Lapis Khoury
"There is one." She backed away, looking at the people in the room - and likely the ones still on the way as well, staying silent. Her gaze stopped on Nnamdi, who was about to finish his phone call, and her brow furrowed. Her brow usually doesn't burrow.
"Ogbonna's announcement. The goddess of Death will speak through it. Most of us will die."
Kim Tulirinta
Her blood runs cold as Lapis' words start to echo through her mind, threatening to meld together into a cacophony with her suddenly elevated heartrate. She may not know Lapis as well as she does Hilde, but what she does know is enough to turn a bad morning into a bad day, week, month, year, decade, century, millenium... Lapis would not say something this grave in jest.
"... Is it okay if I go sit down? I think my legs are about to give out."
Lapis Khoury
By the time Kim's had a chance to ask her question, Lapis is already walked away, sitting on the far end of the room. Watching, observing like usual.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde tugs at Kim's clothes lightly, noticing her pale expression and feeling rather concerned for her. "You okay, Kim? Did Lapis give one of her creepy foretellings again?"
Kim Tulirinta
"Y-yeah. Warned me that the rest of today would also go... Not great for me."
She could not bring herself to repeat what Lapis had already told her to Hilde. Even if Hilde seemingly only saw those foretellings as a game of a traumatized youth, she would probably still get upset about it; just for entirely different reasons than Kim did.
"Meeting's about to start soon, ain't it? L-let's just focus on that for now," she shakily continues as she goes to take a seat next to where Hilde was just a little while ago.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde put her hand on top of Kim's, as if to quietly let her know that things would be alright. Of course, she hadn't noticed what Lapis had said to Kim at the end of their conversation, so she just went with her safe assumption. "Don't worry, I'm sure whatever Nnamdi has in store isn't that bad."
Kamala Parachure
Suddenly the door to the meeting room opened to a cavalcade of arguing between Leon, Ayano and Kamala, deeply entrenched in their thoughts.
"Seriously though, A Zaku? Like at least bump up to a Dom or something, that thing's so outdated. I could run laps around it before you got the monoeye to move!~"
Ayano Kawaguchi
"It's no regular Zaku, girl! No regular Zaku! An average Dom could not even try to keep up with it!" The young woman lets out a confident chuckle before looking over at her combat partner. "This guy's made sure of it."
Leon Oodake
His already smug mug somehow got even smugger over the acknowledgement. What can you say, praise is praise, regardless of source.
"If you want to get on our level, I could ask my engineering team about getting you something stronger than a mass-production unit. And I don't offer this to just anyone, y'know?" It's like the three don't even care that they're almost late and entirely off-topic. They probably would have skipped the meeting entirely if it wasn't mandatory, just so they could keep talking shop, as if any of them really knew anything yet.
Kamala Parachure
"Hmh! I guess I could be interested, but only if I get to hear about the thing first. Bapu's only going to give me an allowance for something like that if he knows we're not getting scammed out, you know." She pointer her nose up with a huff, crossing her arms and generally acting like someone about half her age. Still, Leon could pick up a hint of interest in her voice as she made her demands clear.
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde quickly whispered into Kim's ear. "Wild how someone other than those two can stand them, huh?"
Kim Tulirinta
"Kids, am I right?" The feelings of dread churning through her are getting worse as it starts to set in how young everyone here really is. Sure, dying young is quite normal during wartime... But she didn't like being reminded of it. Not one bit.
Melissa Carson
"Ah-hem! I thought we already established that personal chatter is to stay out of meetings once they're about to start. Right, Warrant Officers Oodake and Kawaguchi, Petty Officer Parachure?" She is starting to feel a twinge of pain behind her left eye... Keeping everyone else under control really did make it harder to keep herself under control. Ideally, this meeting would not result in her losing control of her powers, but considering the three loud youths barely showing up on time and Katsumi still not being here... It was starting to look dire.
Kamala Parachure
Kamala wasn't interested in being told what to do and when to stay quiet, and she responded to Melissa by staring at her for a few moments before flipping her off and going right back to her chatting with Leon and Ayano.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi... didn't really seem to notice much of the noise around him, although his phone call seemed to be coming to a near close. "Right... Our meeting's starting soon, we discuss more later. Godspeed." He put the phone down, doing a quick mental count... and noticing one person missing. The meeting is starting in a few minutes... he turned his gaze toward Melissa, his brow furrowing.
"Doctor. Did you check on Hoshino this morning?"
Melissa Carson
"I would have... Had he shown up in the medbay on time. My powers allow for many things, but I unfortunately cannot track his movements to drag him in there." She sighs, knowing that his recovery would likely be going much better if he just followed her orders more consistently and showed up. "At least once my intern is able to make it on board we can split up to look for Lieutenant Junior Grade Hoshino if necessary!"
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"Right. He gets five minutes, then we start without him." Despite seeming quite calm, Melissa could sense a growing frustration within him... albeit not from our Lieutenant Junior Grade being late for this meeting. Both she and Lapis could tell that they wouldn't be receiving the best news today.
Katsumi Hoshino
Then, almost as if on cue, the door to the room opens, with a very tired looking Katsumi walking through. His fair was more frizzled than usual, and his bandages didn't exactly look the dryest...
"Yawn… Sorry I'm late, alarm clock must've ran outta batteries again... and then I took the wrong turn a couple times. Hope I didn't miss anythin' though."
Melissa Carson
She looks at Katsumi, then back at Nnamdi with a smile on her face. "Well, I guess we don't need to issue any disciplinary action just yet!" As she says that, though, she side-eyes at the trio of fools still chattering away. Melissa may not be the highest authority on the team, but she at least tries to assert some control over them.
Ayano Kawaguchi
This prompts Ayano to hush both Leon and Kamala into silence. They could continue discussing the finer details of getting Kamala her own custom-engineered mobile suit later.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Everyone had arrived. Nnamdi waited for Katsumi to seat himself... something that took a typically longer time than necessary... and he stood up, addressing the group with a stern look.
"Sloppy, most of you. We had this meeting scheduled a week ago, I expect faster rollout. But that's beside the point. We have an important announcement from the Argama."
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde looked around quietly, noting what the others were doing and keeping a close ear to her captain's meeting. He usually doesn't schedule them like this, and with how long he was on the phone before the start, she was expecting big news...
Ayano Kawaguchi
Ayano had miraculously managed to shut her friends up, and is at least trying to look like she's listening. Honestly, she's never been good with meetings...
Leon Oodake
Unlike Leon, who despite his general lack of manners before or after them, has attended enough meetings in his lifetime that he knows to focus on them properly, even to the point of taking notes sometimes. Not today, though. He forgot his notepad in his room.
Kim Tulirinta
And Kim... Kim was looking worse for wear by the second. If this wasn't a mandatory meeting, she would be busy excusing herself to go have a panic attack about her and everyone elses confirmed impending doom in her room.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi pulled up information regarding the A.E.U.G.'s upcoming plans, showcasing ships docked by an asteroid, a flight path for the Argama and - most crucially - a pair of black Gundams.
"We received intel not too long ago. Titans are making new Gundams. Specs are unknown, but likely better than what we have."
Katsumi Hoshino
Katsumi let out a long whistle at the prototype images, leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms. "Lookin' pretty intimidating with those color schemes there. And I thought them painting their Hizacks green was on the nose."
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"...Right. The Argama's planning on stealing them. Better in our hands than theirs. But they can't get in close enough without back up. That's were we come in."
Hilde Nicolau
...Gundams. She saw a few of them during the Great War, and most encounters with them... didn't end too well for her and her allies. Those things are dangerous even at the hands of beginners, let alone the war-hardened veterans the Titans have. Things are going to get bad, aren't they...
Kim Tulirinta
That explains the prediction, then. Kim knows full well what a Gundam is capable of; so well that she has to swallow back the bile that had made its way up her throat at the sight of some.
"... at least the colors aren't the same..."
God, if you're out there, please don't let Hilde notice. Or at least, if she does, don't let her make a big deal out of it.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"For those wondering, no. We aren't going with them. Instead, the Argama has given me authority to lead a second team. We will be known as 'Wimter's Gate', and we work as a distraction."
Kamala Parachure
Kamala rolled her eyes and sighed. Being a distraction force meant not getting to see the Gundams in action. If anything, they'd be lucky to see any action at all. What a letdown...
Kim Tulirinta
Finding out that no, they're not going directly with the Argama to capture a bunch of Gundam's made Kim let out a sigh of relief... And a bit of vomit-infused drool.
Leon Oodake
"What kind of distraction will we be providing? Considering we're getting a name, it'll probably be more than just this one time, ri-" He just noticed that Kim... Did she seriously just vomit a little and not notice that she did that? Fucking disgusting. At least he managed to get his main point out before being distracted like that, good god. Probably good idea to stop looking at that miserable display, too. Makes him feel a bit nauseous.
Hilde Nicolau
Leon cutting himself off made her put attention to Kim... and she pretty quickly noticed her drool as well. That... can't be a good sign, right? She already knew that Kim didn't handle particularly stressful situations that well, but her getting to this point made it seem like she was under a lot more pressure than she thought. Maybe it's her not sleeping too well? She pulled out a handkerchief and covertly offered it to her.
"Try to hang in there, okay? We can grab some water for you after this."
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi didn't notice the gastrointestinal accident, instead focusing on Leon's question. "The Titans are strong, but with few men. They split their forces, and a smaller group can infiltrate easier. We're traveling to Side 2, other side of the Earth Sphere, and attack an outpost to get their attention. After that, we stay on standby if we need something similar." He pointed at one of the ships by an asteroid, getting everyone's attention. "However. First we capture one of those. Salamis-Kai class, fitted with a custom mobile suit deck. Gives us the same capacity as the Argama while being faster, but we will have less armor and weapons."
Kim Tulirinta
Her face flushes a little out of embarrassement when Hilde hands over the handkerchief, which she then quickly uses to wipe off her chin with.
"... Thanks."
Leon Oodake
Thankfully, Nnamdi's explanation of the plan was enough to make him forget about the nasty sight from mere moments ago. The man was a bit dry with how he spoke, but the clarity was appreciated; Leon hated doing business with people who spoke in well-decorated flowery circles, not letting anyone actually figure out what the hell was going on, after all.
"Capturing an entire ship as a first mission, huh? You're sure everyone here can handle that?" I mean, one of our supposed combatants just threw up just hearing about the opponent's equipment! Not like he could actually say that outloud, though. A bit too hostile. Turning his head a little to point towards Kim and adding a bit of targeted poison in his words, though? Plausibly deniable enough for him. Appearance aside, she really was a woman at heart. Utterly fucking pathetic.
Lapis Khoury
Lapis was smiling widely. Leon had just pushed one of Nnamdi's buttons, and he'd be experiencing the consequences of it very up close. Just as she had foreseen when she saw him walk through that door into this very room.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi suddenly quieted down, and focused his gaze right on Leon. Though the intent of his question was targeting Kim more than anyone here, he hadn't caught that, and such words in that context could only mean one thing. He silently walked over to him, his gaze coldly set on him, and the other people in the meeting room started looking visibly unnerved. Step by step, he made it right over to him, his tall figure standing over him with a death glare that would make most war-hungry soldiers quiet down in intimidation. "If someone is here, they're worthy enough. Some pilot well. Others work well. Others do both. If someone doesn't, they're not with us. If you wish to leave, the door is there. I will get you a ship. I will contact the Oodake Group. And then I throw you in it myself. Otherwise? You sit. You listen. You follow. Understood?"
Leon Oodake
NOTE TO SELF: DON'T EVEN TOE ON THE DAMN LINE, APPARENTLY!!!
"Understood, Captain." While he managed to stay composed, it was clear to everyone in the room that Leon was, both understandably and deservedly, freaked the fuck out.
Good thing he's not some sort of homosexual; this is probably the kind of thing people like that would get off on.
Kim Tulirinta
For a moment, the nauseated panic permeating Kim's body was eased by someone actually standing up for her, for once.
... God, she hopes Nnamdi won't be included in that "most of us" that Lapis mentioned; or at the very least, that he wouldn't go too soon.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"Same goes for you all. Attitude is as important as skills. Lack the attitude? Go home while you can." Nnamdi walked back to his position, taking a moment to calm himself down before continuing like nothing had happened. "We capture the ship in about two weeks. By that point, I'll have a battle plan ready."
Hilde Nicolau
Hilde was shivering a little. Sure, she had been around angry leaders a lot, and he could get really angry occasionally, but Nnamdi was... different. There was a coldness to him, something closer to a machine than a person. Someone else in his position might've cracked a dry joke or chewed Leon out from further away, but he turned him into an example. Terrifying...
Ayano Kawaguchi
Ayano found this whole situation amusing, in all honesty. She would have gone for the throat and teased Leon about his fumble right away, were she not in a mood for "not getting yelled at".
Melissa Carson
"… Say, Captain Ogbonna. Do you think my intern will be joining us before or after the capture? I wish to know if I need to fast-track finalizing his training manual or not; I'd prefer to have it done before that." The twinge of pain behind her eye was starting to wane after Nnamdi managed to shut down Leon's attitude. He was quite good at keeping the atmosphere of a room in a state where she wouldn't have her powers overflow and cause undue havoc, that's for sure.
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"Let me check." He looked at his desk and flipped through some of the documents on it, eventually landing on the one he was looking for. He pulled it up and inspected it for a few moments. "Ishikawa will miss the capture by two days. Should be plenty of time for you."
Melissa Carson
"Well, that's good news... For me, at least." She looks over at Ayano, who in a matter of seconds went from looking like an excited puppy to a kicked puppy, and lets out a short, sympathetic sigh. "A two week wait should be nothing to you by now, Warrant Officer Kawaguchi. Your little boyfriend will be joining us in no time at all!"
Ayano Kawaguchi
"I knowwww... But you made it sound like there was a chance he'd be coming sooner!" She whined before dramatically languishing her head onto the table... Before straightening her posture out before Nnamdi could get a chance to point the exit out to her as well. "I guess it's not that long of a time to wait, though."
Narrator
Hey, what was that about a boyfriend, though? This sure goes against what Hilde and Kim were speculating about earlier today.
Narration
You're not supposed to be here yet! What is this fourth-wall breaking chicanery?!
Nnamdi Ogbonna
Nnamdi, along with everyone, felt a strange argumentative force wash through them for a split second. This cut his train of thought for just a moment before he returned to more pressing matters. "I recommend using your time wisely. We only have four suits at hand. That means three of you will stay behind. Which three? You'll learn later. Until then, expect to be both. Opposition will be weak. Federation GM IIs at most, nothing you can't handle."
Hilde Nicolau
...Oh, right. He's not counting Melissa nor himself. Funny... reminds her of the time that she was among the ones not eligible to be picked. Then again, that part of the war didn't last too long anyway... By this point, Kim can notice telltale signs of trauma wash over Hilde, along with anyone else either sitting close to her or just that astute. Leon better not have the memory of a goldfish, or Captain's going to be not so happy.
Leon Oodake
He's not that stupid. He'd rather keep his job here, and not ruin the connections the Oodake Group has with the AEUG. That would be quite disastrous for both parties, after all. Choosing to ignore the second woman to start breaking down psychologically in one meeting, Leon opts to start thinking about the potential formations. Unfortunate that he has to consider all options instead of just the final one, but he's not in a position to question the Captain as to why a formation has not yet been decided on. Especially today.
Kim Tulirinta
Noticing Hilde looking worse for wear, Kim looked around the room nervously to see if anyone else had noticed yet. Then again, it's not like anyone would say anything about it after Nnamdi's reprimands of Leon, right?
"W-we're fine, don't worry, De..."
It stung to lie to her like that, but her priority was to make Hilde feel safe, not making her feel worse. While she couldn't give her a hug or headpat like usual, she could still hold her hand underneath the table.
Lapis Khoury
The only one in the room that didn't seem to be under pressure was, rather fittingly, dear old miss Khoury. Her gaze had settled from a feeling a smug schadenfreude to a more natural smile of interest as she peered across the room. She saw them, their spirits, some more wavering than others. The two that burnt the brightest by far was the lonely pair, both wishing to escape into the wilderness of the world and away from the path destiny had laid out for all of them... and yet standing, a connection linking the two and giving them the strength to carry on. It was moments like this that made her wish she could see her own spirit, likely wounded and fading faster than anyone else's. But then again, it's the strongest of souls that face the direst of challenges to prevail...
Nnamdi Ogbonna
"That is all for now. Mission information will arrive within the week. Dismissed."
Narration
"A change of speed, a change of style... A change of scene, with no regrets... A chance to watch, admire the distance... Still occupied, though you forget..."