2022-06-26: Rosy Red 'Reunion'

• Cast: Yurika Misumaru, Eight York, Roux Louka, Ryoto Hikawa, Arriety Hearn, Trevor Teach, Ranka Lee, Vitaly Sokolov, BC-001 Minae, Anita Rosetta
• Where: Orbital Ring
• Date: U.C. 0096 06 26
• Summary: After a long and difficult battle between the Federation and ZAFT, the crew of the Nadesico and Ra Mari recuperate and get lunch together.

---

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

        In the aftermath of the terribly messy conflict with ZAFT and then subsequently the Vajra, the numerous Federation-aligned ships that incurred substantial damages retreated back to various Orbital Ring holdings or the colony-ports they hailed from. In the case of the Nadesico, which is still looking rather singed across the side from eating a huge space laser, it's towed the rather more damaged Ra Mari back to the orbital repair ship La Vie en Rose-2, its numerous arms hooking in both ships like the stamens of a flower.

        In the interim, Yurika Misumaru's taken a hot bath and a cold splash of water on her face to push away the nebulous Psychic Head Fuzzies / Bad Vibes That Come From Having No Choice But To Shoot Big Lasers At Something Very Alive! And she's right back up to her usual flighty, merry self aboard the repair ship's resting accomodations.

        They're...a little spartan. This -is- a 15 year old mobile resupply depot in space, after all. The exposed piping, concrete walls, and school-cafeteria modular seating+chairs are all a little bit of a bummer after spending so long in the much more luxurious accomodations Yurika's used to on the Nadesico. All the same, she's quick to get herself a tray of potato soup, salami, and breadsticks for the soup, along with a pretty...substantial cup of coffee, which she sips with all the serenity and grace in the world.

        ...She did hear that the Ra Mari's captain got roughed up a little worse, so she's unsure if the message she sent to gather up here will be doable...

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

The Huckebein Mark II was a fairly conspicuous arrival. The reputation of the original Vanishing Trooper isn't particularly safe; the second one didn't *seem* on the verge of destroying itself and everything around it during the battle with the Vajra, but who can say? For now, the blue personal trooper seems content to sit at dock in one of the La Vie En Rose 2's hangars, scowling mechanically.

The pilot is significantly less imposing. In a short-sleeved blue button-up shirt and white slacks, Ryoto slinks through the modular cafeteria en route to the food, taking stock of what's available and picking out a cup of coffee first and foremost, dosing it liberally with cream and sweetener. A ham and cheese sandwich and some cut vegetables quickly join it on his tray before he turns to pick out where to actually sit.

He nearly turns into Yurika.

"Oh!" he gasps, hopping back with a slight blush. "S-sorry...! I didn't... bump into you, did I...?"

He didn't, but it is better to be safe than sorry, right?

Since landing, Ryoto's largely kept out of the way, doing his own basic maintenance on the Huckebein rather than doing anything to seriously rest. Word around the ship is that he shooed away the Anaheim engineers and handled a lot of the core work himself - not that much needed to be done.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

In the aftermath of the terrible battle, Eight York had a lot of work to do safeguarding those of her crew she still could; the fact that the Nadesico was willing to tow them meant the ship didn't have to shake itself apart trying to go the usual way, which Eight had been assured was a risk. She did the best she could on that front, with some help... but eventually she was obligated to get herself checked out, and so she ended up doing some more of her coordination from the infirmary, which thankfully still had power.

That's all a while ago now. Here in the resting accomodations, Eight doesn't show up immediately. Eventually, though...

At the doorway walks in a woman in a Londo Bell uniform, blonde, with red eyes. There are bags under those eyes, though, and she's pale. She looks tired, and more than a little beaten up; bandages over her forehead and a sling for her arm are the most obvious. But she has deliberately put on a smile as she walks in. "Hey," she greets people, particularly Yurika, and moves over to the coffee machine more or less immediately.

She is accompanied by a tall man with dark hair and green skin--a full-blooded Zentradi, likewise in the Londo Bell uniform, and walkig at Eight's flank. He is very serious in demeanor, and sticks close to Eight. Lieutenant-Commander Lavnadim Orlodhari has done the work he could do the best he can; it's in the hands of the repair technicians of the base, now. "Hello," he likewise greets. They are both getting coffee.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

In the aftermath of the battle - or at least once it was mostly decided - the heavily battered but functional Ichinana unit that had launched from the Ra Mari had gone BACK to that ship - it had hovered around it like a beat-up and anxious little brother, perhaps appropriately. A great sword of justice was used in desperate consultation; a hand of power was placed where there were gaps that could not otherwise be safely approached; and so on, and so forth.

Afterwards, Roux had taken a nap in her Normal Suit.

And then she had helped to get the Ra Mari under tow - making it faster, easier, sparing Petite Mobile Suit effort - she has, it seems, done more than her share of space rigging. She had passed a few quiet and familiar words with the crew of La Vie en Rose deux, but...

... she hadn't crashed at that point.

SO THAT is why a woman in a blue normal suit, helmet flipped back, enters the cafeteria with an ominous aura.

It is not just that Roux has been in her suit for the entire day, though that has certainly done a number on her hair. It is also that she has a sort of dead-eyed, dark-ringed look of sallow determination in her eyes, which is matched by a subtle and ominous radiation. She gets a coffee - sugar syrup, no milk - a double sandwich set, a mix-veg tempura nugget pack...

She had been about to eat one of the symmetrically processed pieces of blended Nutritious Vegetable when she saw the door come in. The veg nugget is raised in silent salute from along the ways, and crunched up as she closes the distance to Eight and Lavnadim, not talking for just that moment as her mouth is full.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety's not present for the terrible battle, but was close enough with her mobile suit to be an escort for supplies from Londenion; there's only so much that Myrme can carry with a booster bed, but it's essential supplies and other personal materials for the Ra Mari in particular that the Orbital Ring supply base may not have on hand.

        That was then, and this is now; she's hovering around Eight, somewhat in the other flank of Lavhi, looking a little worried and anxious and agitated. She heard the Nadesico was involved too, and her thoughts wander to Miss Howmei, and Ruri, and Ranka...

        "Oh, Miss Roux..." she speaks up when the veteran pilot arrives.

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

Hey you know who was present for the terrible battle?

THIS GUY.

It's Trevor Teach! You know, that one guy, that space pirate who hangs out with the Sleeves! Here! In La Vie en Rose! He's sitting right there, utterly unrestrained, not so much sitting in his chair as he is lounging in it like some kind of particularly majestic cat. He expands into the space as much as he's able, almost luxuriating in it. This is, as it happens, not an intentional thing of course. Space is a premium in... space. So he subconsciously enjoys the luxury of having an abundance of it whenever he has the opportunity.

But. Uh.

What is he even doing here? Who let him in? Where is his robot? Is all of security just, dead? What the heck???

"How's it goin'," Trevor Teach, KNOWN PIRATE, lifts a mug o' coffee at the arriving Federation and Nergal staff. "I was told there would be... rice bowls?"

Is that why he's here!?!

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka spent most of the battle on the observation deck. Her aversion to violence is well known. Her aversion to Vajra perhaps even more so. Once the battle was over though she seemed more or less fine though. And got back to work as one of the Nadesico's intern.

Now on the station, they might hear the sound of a small motor humming as Ranka rides her Segway through the hall, then parks it in front of the station cafeteria. She's carrying a tray, and she approaches Yurika for the side, making a small clear of her throat just to call attention to her but not to demand it. She's a Captain after all, and is busy.

"Captain Yurika. Ms. Howmei wanted me to deliver this for your meeting with the Ra Mari crew."

As she puts it down, it's a tray of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, still hot out of the oven, both gooey and chewy in the best ways. It's a relatively simple dessert - but in times like this it is perhaps the ultimate comfort food... on a day when people are in need of comfort.

Whenever she gets a moment though she tries to sneak a little wave to Arriety and mouth 'Hi.' Before her eyes wander to Lavnadim with a smile, though she's not quite greeting everyone outright yet.

On Trevor's request though, there's a blink of her eyes, as she pulls out a pad and paper as if she were just acting as a dutiful server... "Should I arrange that Captain? I know we're in a cafeteria already but... it'd be no trouble for me to go back and forth..."

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

"Oh that would be wonderful! Thank you, little lady!" Trevor says, cheerfully and absolutely guilelessly. "I have no idea what a rice even is, but whatever it is, I'm here for it!"

Yeah!!

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

One of the arrivals to the La Vie en Rose-2 is a special Support unit of sorts, that has drawn some curious eyes. Looking undamaged for the most part, it must not have been part of the main fighting. But it's the G-Hound Symbol and some of the rumors around it that are drawing just a bit of attraction from the technicians and mechanics in the region. Especially from some of the old geezers.

Those out and about, listening in with the mechanics may hear the word 'Titans' being mumbled under their breaths. Like a dreadful reminder of a fairly recent past. Yet, work is being done. Supplies and heavy ordenances being loaded onto the vessel. Small adjustments being made to various arms on the strange Support vessel that looks like it has a Gundam burried right into its underbelly.

---

The firm clack of combat boots hit the floor of the 15 year old resupply depot, approaching the rough-and-tumble cafeteria. She's wearing a military outfit befitting of someone of her station. Every part of the dark blue-and-grey uniform is neatly pressed. She has marks under the G-Hound symbol that identifies her as a Lieutenant Commander within the organization. Perhaps a rather unusually low rank for someone who bears the marks of age that pock her body.

There's this strange 'sound' to her walk however. Almost as if her body were making the metal beneath the ground creak. Yet, it is not her weight that does this. Those particularly observant may notice it eminating from her body itself. Almost as if each step she takes is one performed against a metalic restraint.

Those who have been in the military for long enough may be familiar with this woman. There might even be people in this room who had been trained by this one - the so called 'Winter Witch of Ravnui'.

Still, upon entry, and stepping a perfect bit to the side from the doorway, she salutes those who have already gathered. Dirty blue-grey eyes scanning, considering the Nergal presence within the chambers for a moment - then to the Londo Bell constituency. Halting for a moment upon Roux Louka, then Trevor Teach - whom she does not recognize at this time - before her attention drifts to the captain of the Ra Mari. Eight York.

"Commander." The woman declares with a voice and presence that could be equated like harsh iciness. A level-minded sense of professionalism, in a ways. Stepping with harsh steps towards her, before she notices the Zentradi at Eight's side.

There's a tense moment there. Just a moment, where her eyes seem to narrow... before that tension relinquishes.

Her attention returns to Eight York in full. Giving her the attention someone of her rank should receive. "I would like to request a report, if I may. I know an official one will no doubt be filed in short order. But the Rapid Response team would value your personal insights on what occurred."

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam was halfway to GGG's orbital headquarters when the ZAFT fleet showed up, and sortied in someone else's Mobile Suit when the Vajra appeared. Needless to say, the original mission has been scrubbed. The little NERV security detail--as of last report, at least--was still in the Orbital Ring, gathering data and assisting in post-combat rescue and retrieval efforts. Liam's machine was still more than flight-capable, and docked with the Nadesico. After a quick check-in with the ship's physicians, he returned to the battered Long Dagger , reclined the seat, and took his sleeping pills.

        In his dreams, he ran through Tokyo-3 in the stifling heat, the buildings enormous and maze-like. Someone was chasing him, or he had to find someone. He awoke alert, but unrested.

        Liam walks into the cafeteria, straight-backed but oddly listless. His olive-drab NERV jumpsuit is rumpled, and the red beret is still lined from where he squashed it into a pocket. He got the chance to bathe and apply clothes-freshener, but he hasn't shaved; there's the faintest bit of red five o'clock shadow along his jawline, and atop his head. His bright blue eyes are visibly sunken, and dark-ringed

        Coffee is always a gamble for Liam, because the strong stuff does terrible things to his over-engineered adrenal system. He moves with grim determination towards the line, acquires a bowl of potato soup, a ham and cheese, and a cup of water, and seats himself.

        Liam plunks himself right next to Trevor. He doesn't seem to notice the other man right away; instead, his gaze gravitates immediately to Captain York and Lieutenant Commander Orlodhari. Liam... sits, caught halfway between wanting to salute and not really having to and Yurika's also a captain and right there...

        "Captain York," Liam says. "Chief Engineer Orlodhari." A slight turn, and a nod at Yurika. "Captain Misumaru."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher hovers slightly away from the others. Should he even be here? Was it safe to leave Unicorn for the moment? He wraps his arms around Haro anxiously. Banagher had left Unicorn in the most inconspicious place he could find, and secured it carefully, but... Maybe he should return to the Garencieres. Only having taken one hit in the battle against the bugs, Unicorn was in good shape, but Banagher was still rattled from his encounter with Lily. He hunches in on himself near the corner of the room.

Just as he's almost worked up his courage to leave, Ranka Lee walks in with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Banagher can't help but stare at them -- surely, these were for the others. But he could at least enjoy the delicious smell a while longer, right?

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Anita Rosetta was on patrol elsewhere when the fight broke out. Anita is in most respects, a slow mover, unbothered and unhurried by most things, but few things get her to move quicker than hearing that something has happened to the Ra Mari and its people - the ship has become like a second home to her, and her closest friends are aboard it. The moment she heard the news, she immediately made her way to the La Vie en Rose-2.

She heard people were gathering in a certain, so she makes her way there - she hasn't even bothered to change out of pilot suit and EX-Gear, her helmet carried under one arm. Thankfully, the wings are currently retracted so there's no risk of accidentally smacking anyone in her haste.

She looks first toward Eight, offering her a smile, but she looks... pretty crowded, so she looks toward Arriety and Roux.

"H-hey, I heard what happened... Is everyone okay? Is Rena alright?" Anita asks.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae was not part of the conflict that has led the two ships here together, thanks mostly to having been travelling between the Ra Mari and the Orbit Base at the time. Where she did get involved was volunteering to help out on the bridge for the recovery; it turns out that linking two ships together goes a lot more smoothly when it's manned by a robot who can converse directly to Omoikane without all that reaction time getting in the way.

        Since then, she's been doing a lot to help out in the infirmary of both ships - she's a counsellor and trained nurse, and all of a sudden there's a lot of people who need medical checks and maybe a quiet word to help them process everything that just happened. As a member of the Kakapos, she might not have been the person who actively dragged Eight to a checkup, but she was definitely there with a 'if you move I will lecture you for days' smile.

        As someone who is fairly inexhaustible, she's also been doing a lot of running between the two ships to try to make everyone as comfortable as possible while they rest. The robot is moving around the canteen even now, easily picked out by the vivid green hair and the sunny smile as she waves along with Arriety to Roux's entrance. With so much movement it might be hard to pick her out as a robot at first glance, but... to people used to sensing the extraordinary, she stands out exactly because she isn't there.

        "Oh, thank you! If you'd like, I can page the request over and save you the trip," she hums towards Ranka at the same time as she gravitates towards Arriety, recognizing that even with how far she's come recently, this mass of weary people might be a little too much for her charge. She already knows the medical state of all of her friends, but the sight of Anita lets her shoulders drop a little in relief. "She's... alright," she tries after a moment. "I think she just needs a little time alone to let herself catch up."

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

Yurika transitions seamlessly from two-handedly sipping her coffee, to two-handedly sipping her...soup?! Yep, she's in that camp. There's not a spoon in sight. When Ryoto nearly stumbles in, the captain's thankfully not sent into a pile of her food or anything, she just has to re-adjust herself! "Nope, I'm a-okay! Are you here from the Vajra attack? Did everything go alright? Mhm mhm...well, hello! I'm Captain Yurika Misumaru, of Nergal's flagship Nadesico! V!" And a big old peace sign is shoved inches from Ryoto's face.

        

        The crew of the Ra Mari and its friends floats in together, with a rather dreary and unkempt looking Roux, a rather beaten up Eight, a stern-looking Lavnadim, a cheery Minae, a fretful Arriety, and an extremely cool-armored Anita. Yurika's hands clap together, and she offers a big, merry two-armed waving to attract as much attention as possible. "Hiiiii, yes, over here! You all look like you've been through a lot - I'm glad you made it safe and sound! Take it slow and steady, you're definitely still recovering. If I can get you anything, just let me know! ...Oh, and I don't think we've properly met outside of occasional coordination. Hi! I'm Captain Yurika Misumaru, of Nergal's flagship Nadesico! V!" And a big old peace sign is flung out in Eight's entourage. ...wait a minute...

        And yes: Yurika made sure to tell the La Vie en Rose staff that the pilot of the Isadore was, for the duration of this conflict, contracted with Nergal as a scout in ZAFT actions. What's a wee little fib amongst military superiors! (she also made sure to say: 'if he gets up to anything you can hold me accountable'). "You showed up! Yes, I made sure to bring this from the Nadesico. It's leftovers from when Howmei was teaching me how to make risotto a week ago!" Trevor's handed a wax-paper-covered bowl, beneath which is pressed against...what can vaaaaguely be identified as some sickly pallid green mound. Uh oh. "Thank you so much for covering the Nadesico. I'm Captain Yurika Misumaru! V!" oh no she's RECITED this. (The peace sign might be at risk of accidentally poking Trevor's eyes.)

        Ranka brings cookies!! Yurika responds with VIGOROUS HEADPATTING. patpatpatpatpatpatpat. "Thank you so much! Howmei's a life-saver. And you are too, for working so hard even as just an intern!" The captain takes a hearty bite of one, a glow getting ever brighter on her face. "...I wanted to try the food on this kind of facility, but I think being on the Nadesico's spoiled me. Then again, it's kinda...nostalgic? This kind of simple eating..."

        Liam gets not just a wave, but a forceful cookie-equipped grip plunging straight towards his mouth. "You're someone who could DEFINITELY use this, I can tell already!" Banagher's a bit more of a...curious presence - the insecure way he's holding onto that Haro, and hiding in the corner. Yurika boldly clears her throat, and addresses, "Hi! Not sure I recognize your situation, but you seem like something's hit you real real bad. Please don't be all huddled away - we're all here to help each other out! Tell us what's wrong! ...you're staring at the cookies a liiiiittle too hard, you know-!"

        ...And then the sterner suits walk in. The small cadre of the Federation's more...feared task force. The instant Yurika sees the 'Winter Witch's uniform, there's a whooole lotta tension in her spine. She's seen that before, and she's planting two fingers to both temples, taking a deep deep breath. Then another. "...Iiiii'm gonna take it that the crazy space bugs are something your brass has taken an interest in? I can see that. Mgghhh, I really wanna make it clear that we're all still trying to understand...what makes them even hostile to begin with. Please don't treat the Vajra as something that can only be met with extermination. There's something else going on..."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

As for the rest of the Ra Mari's crew--Ruri has already left to go check on some of them who she knows.

Eight gives Yurika a peace sign, too. "V!" But Eight sticks close to Arriety and Lahvi both, though she tries to give Arriety a reassuring smile. It... partly works; she can't entirely conceal from Arriety, who knows her so well, the gloom and pain in her mind. Arriety would recognize it easily, even if Eight can probably fool most.

But when Roux comes over, Eight is informal, waving to her as she gets there.

Lavnadim could easily be taken as scary, or at least intimidating--he's a large man with a severe expression. But when Ranka smiles at him, his reply is a gentle smile of his own, and a nod of greeting. He recognizes something about her, at least. But then he looks back to Eight--and to Arriety, for a moment, and then back to Eight.

Eight smiles at Anita, too. She... recognizes Trevor's voice. So she looks at him for a moment. She seems about to say something, before--

'Commander.'

Eight looks up from where she's one-handing a coffee pot to pour herself a cup. It was not long ago that Minae was insisting she get medical care. Now, though, Eight looks to Vitaly, and regards her for a moment. Don't think that Eight doesn't notice Vitaly's tension towards her chief engineer--she does. But she waits for the older woman to continue before commenting. Once she does...

"Before I answer your question, I should tell you who all you're talking to. This is Lieutenant Commander Orlodhari, my chief engineer." She nods towards Lavhi. "And this is Miss Hearn, a civilian attache who acts as a pilot." She pauses.

"It's fine to ask, though I'm going to leave the details for my official report." Neither is she unaware of a woman whose reputation places her formerly in the Titans, and who has personally trained some of her crew.

"In short, the Vajra came out of nowhere and attacked both sides. It was a hell of a surprise attack. It..." Yurika chimes in. She says they don't know what makes them hostile, and Eight thinks about that. She thinks about the losses they've already suffered from them...

"...The Federation needs to adopt a strategy about the Vajra; without changing our approach, we're simply unprepared for them. We can't ignore them as a Frontier Fleet problem anymore. ...But the Captain has a point; if we can find a way to negotiate, then that's obviously the best approach."

"That's my report. Now, I heard there were cookies, Captain?"

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Ryoto didn't pack a uniform - he hurried out of the Huckebein in a rush, throwing on a normal suit over his regular outfit - but there's a Londo Bell insignia clipped to one side of his collar and a couple rank insignia to the top edge of his braest pocket. He sidles to one side when Eight and her companion arrive, flashing a faint smile. "Captain... hello."

When Vitaly descends on the room, Ryoto winces, maneuvering to put himself out of immediate line of sight. The last thing he needs is to be bossed around while he's trying to have lunch - and he caught that tension in the air.

He is also catching a peace sign to the face. Ryoto blinks twice, momentarily taken aback.

"Um. H-hi, yes. I saw your ship," he says a bit lamely, offering up a lopsided smile and scratching the back of his head with a free hand. "I was there in the Huckebein, actually. I'm sorry if I couldn't get over to you. I was, um, trying to make sure the Tausendfuessler got out of the attack safe."

It did - the ship radioed back sometime after the combat, assuring that it had escaped with all hands alive. Ryoto, for his part, dips his head politely. "I'm flight officer Ryoto Hikawa from the Londo Bell."

Speaking of hands, it's Ranka with cookies! Ryoto widens his eyes and leans forward with interest before looking up at Ranka with a blink. "...Do you mind if I have one?" he asks politely, before something occurs to him.

"...Um... th-those smell a bit like the cookies from Nyan-Nyan... but, uh, better...!" He smiles cheerily.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

Roux looks benignly at Arriety as she comes in and joins them. She looks tired. She is also chewing on her tempura, and she finally swallows it with a sip of her coffee, just in time to look at -- the man asking for a Rice Bowl. Perhaps several.

Roux stares at Trevor Teach. Neurons are starting to fire. Someone else addresses him and so the neurons do not quite reach the entire space where something would be set off, which may have averted a reality where Roux Louka takes up the glorious mission of Kamille Bidan.

She eats a second vegenugget instead.

"I think she's alright," Roux tells Anita, with an attempt at a reassuring smile.

Then Roux looks at Yurika. She gives her a thousand-meter stare...

... which softens perceptably. "Roux Louka," she says, raising a hand to wave, with another smile, small as it is. (She adds, "Um - ZZ," in small, I don't get it letters as Yurika's searchlight moves elsewhere. Roux looks at Eight and co. afterwards as if to ask with her eyes, what is with the V. She is contorting one hand as she does it, as if to figure out how to make even one Z with it.)

"I'm not going to disagree with you about these, Vajra things, and being open to peace with them," Roux begins, "but they sort of showed up and started shooting at everyone. I suppose it's possible one of their craft got hit by something incidental on the way in, but that was, um, hella disproportionate and everything, so like, for once I'm not going to say that one was the fault of Earth."

Roux picks up a sandwich piece, which she gestures with. "But it sounds like there's more going on than that!" After this, Roux proceeds to recover 120 hit points.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"Oh, uh." Banagher looks startled to be noticed. He glances around, just to make sure the Captain was talking to him. Slowly, he walks up to Yurika, unsure what to say.

Haro takes the initiative, flapping its wings toward Yurika. "Hello!"

Banagher looks embarrassed, but manages a nod, and his own: "Hello. I'm Banagher Links. Thank you for letting me come aboard. I'm fine, really." He shuffles in place. "I don't really... know what any of that was, I just wanted to make sure nobody was hurt." He glances at the cookies again. "...are those for everyone?"Slowly realizing how many Federation uniforms are surrounding him, he looks nervous again. "I'm don't think I'm supposed to be here."

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        A number of people beeline for Lavhi and Eight with salutes and reports, quietly making her fidget as they seem to home in more on rank rather than people.

        Her attention is more drawn on Ranka bringing in chocolate chip cookies and mouthing a 'hi' at her -- and she waves in turn, before she whispers 'Hang in there.' in turn.

        Trevor's pretty loud! And isn't that guy a famous space pirate or something...? Ah, if the Captains aren't bringing it up, she's not going to... she'd know the first thing about weird comrades.

        "I checked on Rena a bit, but it seems like she wanted some space..." Arriety remarks quietly to Anita, when she asks about Rena, nodding as Minae corroborates the story. "Oh, thanks for your work, Minae..."

        Arriety hasn't managed to run into Yurika herself, but of course, she knows she's the Captain of the Nadesico -- and she seems like an energising presene, as she gives a 'V!' her way. She makes a quiet V in turn again and says, "Oh, it's nice to meet you, Captain... the Nadesico's been taking such good care of me, especially Miss Howmei, Ruri and Ranka. Thank you for having me in your care."

        Arriety turns her attention on Eight in turn; she feels that gloom and pain, and how she's hurting right now -- and does her best to be a reassuring presence in turn. Because she wants to be there for her as well. When Eight introduces her, though, she does an awkward little salute in turn.

        "Um, for my part, I brought the supplies requested from Londenion... it's on the booster bed outside, and the Ra Mari crew were handling it. I separated the crew supplies from the repair supplies, so people should have what they need by the time they come back to their rooms, Eight-- Captain."

        She quietly feels the nervousness Banagher is feeling, how he feels like he shouldn't be here... quietly, she radiates a sympathetic feeling -- she, too, is a civilian attached to the military, so she kinda gets what he's feeling right now, even if it might not be the same.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Steam wafts up from Liam's soup. He hasn't touched it yet. He's too busy observing the entrance procession of the Ra Mari crew, and trying not to think of it as funeral. But Ranka's entrance injects a little life into the room--a spark returns to Liam's eyes as he smells what she's carrying.

        "Ranka," he says, "I'm glad you're--mmmmf--!!"

        That is the sound of a commissioned officer stuffing a chocolate chip cookie into Liam's mouth. The cyborg takes a fraction of a second to assess himself--airway clear, not choking, cookie mostly still in one piece. He sucks in a breath through his nose, and finishes taking the bite. He only speaks once he's finished chewing and swallowing.

        "With all due respect, Captain," Liam says, without meeting Yurika's eyes, "Please... give advance warning next time."

        But he recognzies a nearby voice. "Links?" he says, looking directly at the younger man and his Haro.

        Even seated, Liam is one of the bigger people in the room; he's over six feet tall, and burly. But there's a gentle look in his eyes as he motions towards Banagher, urging him to take a seat. (Trevor's there, too, so it's not as if he's WHOLLY betraying his principles.)

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

Vitaly Sokolov's head tilts just a bit to the side and up. This sense that she is being watched. From her standing position, her gaze drifts for a moment to Yurika as she speaks. The old woman, with greys and blonde in the hair, sternly stares down at the woman of Nergal. The famous Yurika Misumaru. The one who returned from Mars.

"Their actions so far have been hostile. So, prepare with intent to retaliate in kind until need prove otherwise." The Winter Witch answers Yurika with a military sternness and a broken grasp of language. "Still." Her head turns back to Eight Four, whom she'd come here to meet; "Am not General. I do not decide."

She's answered Yurika in the space between where Eight was introducing her chief Engineer. Still, she nods her head to the Zentradi - out of duty and respect for their service. Even if the nod is clearly not as deep as the one that is turned to Lavhi.

"Of course." Vitaly then proclaims to Eight, as she explains that the official report will contain better details.

"So - early report was correct. The timing is... suspect, and the placement specific." The woman then turns to the Zentradi, rather than Eight York. "Thank you for report. I appreciate." She promises, but she does not stop there.

"Commander York, if I may." She proposes first, before addressing the Engineer; "Lieutenant Commander Orlodhari - are not part of G-Hound military structure. So, no need to answer. But - ask: What do you know about Fold based tactic. Is targetted strike easy? What kind of sensor needed to jump over an undetectable range like this, and come out on top of fleet?" Perhaps it's a bit notable that she turns to a Zentradi to ask such questions.

Ryoto seems to be safe. Vitaly must not have noticed him trying to hide away from her sight.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

Roux, without really thinking about it, half-turns her head and makes a 'come here come here' hand waggle to Banagher while continuing to feed a cutlet-and-lettuce sandwich into her mouth. This is not her most gorgeous moment in history, but the crisis of encountering hostile alien war-bugs has, *grudgingly*, eclipsed her vanity.

She watches Vitaly while working on the next part of the sandwich set.

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

Hey, what the Federation brass don't know won't hurt them, right! No, that's probably wrong. What they don't know are probably the most threatening things imaginable. After all, anything can be out in the dark, hiding in the shadows. Anyone could be planning anything behind the world stage, out of the watchful eye of the military industrial complex...

But probably not this guy. This guy is here for the rice bowl...s. Possibly several rice bowls. But first, he must receive the inaugural rice bowl-- which as it turns out, isn't actually a rice bowl at all. It is... a risotto!!

Why is it green?

...

(The sad thing here is that Trevor has no idea what a risotto even is, so his experience with this particular risotto will forever color his perception of the dish)

"Wa-hey, v-v~~" Trevor replies, returning not one but TWO v-signs. Sure, Yurika nearly poked out his eye (one of them is, naturally, covered by a standard issue piratical black eyepatch), but that's just how it is in close quarters space. "Oho, a dish cooked by the captain herself! I can't wait...!" Why is it green? Is it supposed to be green? Is it... seasoned with space wasabi...? Or space avocado...??

"O-ho, you lot have it good, having all kinds of food. You make a poor soul jealous." He's subsisted for the past little while on nothing but nutribars, takeout from Char Burger, chicken wings and Space Pizza Delivery, plus whatever the Sleeves have been able to put together, food-wise. Maybe, just maybe, his starved palette will be the first to actually not hate Yurika Misumaru's cooking...!?

And then the brass shows up. Or at least, a representative of said brass. Trevor arches a brow over his brew not only at the Winter Witch, but also at the crew of the Ra Mari. Looks like they mostly survived. "Well... Well well well! Nice to see you all mostly made it out alright. Good, good." He wouldn't have wanted to have to explain to Saraven that her favorite Federation captain was eaten by space bugs, after all.

"Hey, don't worry about feeling like you don't belong, Mister Unicorn," Trevor chirps, leaning cheerfully over his Bowl O' Green as he gingerly peels back the wax paper to see what he's actually working with. "I mean, I'm here, so clearly you're fine! Just think of it as respectfully repaying an offer of hospitality. One doesn't simply turn such things down, yes?"

But then, the topic turns towards... space bugs. The pirate quiets somewhat as various voices enjoin on the topic, revealing that... "So you guys don't know anything about those things either. Makes sense, I've never seen them before today, too. Whatever they are..." He taps at his temple, "They didn't feel like anything I've encountered before. It was like there was a swarm of space crickets in my brain the entire time. Not the most pleasant experience, I must say."

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka's hair flaps up in alarm as Yurika presents the risotto. There's a tiny gesticulation of her finger in mid-air like she's wondering whether to intervene, but ultimately she doesn't challenge it as she's non-confrontational. However, the kitchen staff... they talk. And thus to Minae she just says quietly, "I-It looks like the Captain has it covered." Does she sound nervous??? ... Yeah she might be a bit.

Ranka actually bends her head over to accept the headpats, after the first one. This pleased smile forming as she does so. It feels good being acknowledged for hard work, even when your role is a small one. "Thank you Captain." She turns to everyone and performs a little bow, "I'm Ranka Lee. As you heard from the Captain I'm the Nadesico's Intern. It's nice to meet you everyone." As she straightens up she then holds up two fingers in a peace sign and thrusts them out. "V!" As she duplicates Yurika's greeting with a big toothy smile. Because she looks up to her and wants everyone to respect her mannerisms.

'Doing my best.' she mouths back to Arriety, she looks a bit frayed, but, hanging in there - smiling at her as she says they've been taking good care of her. "We've always been happy to have you with us." Before Liam... "Oh! Yes! The concert... I'm sorry I worried you Liam. It all worked out." She then asides to Ryoto as he asks, "Of course you can have one!"

The subject turns to the Vajra however. "This is the biggest attack I've heard of ever since the Galaxy went missing after the Vajra attacked. A lot of civilians died... in the evacuation." She gives Eight a curious look, as she indicates it can't be considered just a Frontier fleet problem... she listens to Yurika after a moment, and adds... "I hope that's the case. We're still no closer to understanding why they attack. I've been caught up in a few of their attacks back home."

She then quiets down though as she's definitely not a military person or a Vajra expert. Just, someone that the issue is personal to.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Ryoto turns warm brown eyes to Banagher, the young man's embarrassment and shuffling more than obvious. The Huckebein pilot bites his lower lip a moment before offering a gentle smile. "I-it's alright... you helped a lot of people who needed it. So long as that's true, I think it's fine that you're with everyone. We're all people, right...?"

Ranka gives him the go-ahead, and Ryoto flashes her a gentle smile. "Thank you," he answers before plucking one of the cookies and adding it to his plate. Shuffling a little to the side, he nibbles the edge of the cookie.

"...Wow, this is really tasty," he compliments, perking up a bit.

But Ranka has important things to say. Ryoto's smile fades, a worried frown crossing his face instead. "...Is that what they're called?" he murmurs before setting the cookie back down on his plate. "Maybe there's a way to learn...? I wonder if capturing one of them is possible, or communicating with them. I mean... there has to be some reason behind what they do, right...? Even totally wild animals don't just do things for no reason."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"it's nice to meet you properly, Mr. Hikawa. I appreciate what you tried to do." A beat to Banagher, "And likewise, Mr. Links. That's a good wish."

She also smiles at Liam, briefly. but for now, Vitaly is dominating her attention, what with all the questions. Arriety's presence is a reassurance for her; she's all right, and she's with her. That counts for a lot, even before her attempts specifically, which Eight notices, and appreciates. "I appreciate that," she says to Arriety. "Good work."

and more than that.

But to Vitaly..

Well, after listening to Trevor's assessment, Eight answers. "Right," Eight answers. "While I always want to find diplomatic solutions where possible..." She nods. To Ranka, too. "We don't know what they want, or why. No attempt can be made until we can communicate with them--and until them, we can't just let them kill people."

But Vitaly asks her leave to address her companion, and Lavhi looks towards her. "That's fine," Eight says to both of them, and he listens.

"Not much," Lavhi admits. "My parents did not tell me very much of the technology used in the war." He's less than half Vitaly's age, now that she can get a good look at him. "However, from what I understand... yes. There would have to have been some kind of sensor or guidance in order to bring them here. We detected some anomalies during the battle, but have not yet had the time to study the sensor reports."

A pause. "It is certainly not easy for our technology," he says, of the Earth Sphere--of which he considers himself a part. "But theirs? We know nothing of their capabilities but what we have seen. We must prepare for the possibility that they can do so at will."

Eight, for her part, hands her coffee to Lavhi--they don't even have to talk to do the handoff, knowing each other like they do--and selects a cookie.

...Mmmm, cookie.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae has the self-confidence and upbeat nature to return Yurika's V! in kind with a bright grin - but also has the presence of mind to not join in with the third and maybe even fourth repeat. Instead she just observes the Captain for a few moments, taking in the way in which Yurika fusses over each and every person that enters, and then softens to an approving smile. "Hello, ma'am! I'm Minae, a counsellor on board the Ra Mari. The same goes for you - please don't worry about letting me help out, I'm pretty much made for times like this. You must have had it rough too."

        The smile is turned on Eight afterwards, watching as she deals with the rather formal visitor. She's not the sort of person to chip in to a discussion like that, but she doesn't look away until she's satisfied that Eight seems alright. Omoikane hasn't specifically asked her to report on how the two captains are doing, but she takes a second to pass over a thumbs-up emoji anyway.

        Something in her cannot quite reconcile the idea of Roux Louka of all people not picking up what a V! is, and it leaves the robot blankly returning her glance for a couple of seconds before smirking lightly. Not everyone spent the last few years around highschoolers. Roux's not old or anything, but she will remember this for later. She predictably perks up at Arriety's comment. "You too," she returns with a nod, full of pride. "You did really good." And are still doing good, she thinks. She doesn't need to be able to sense it to read the tired expressions on some of the faces around.

        There's another look of relief as she spots Liam, and tilts her head in a light nod. After the confusion and uncertainty of everything that happened back in Tsutsujidai, it's good to see faces she recognizes from there. She hasn't managed to take herself back there yet; she's not quite sure what she's going to find. Trepidation is so rare for her it's taken this long just to identify the feeling.

        And that leads to some recognition towards Ranka as well, though that's overridden by the surreptitious and nervous comment. Minae automatically leans back in turn, and whispers from behind a hand. "It kind of feels like you couldn't stop her from having it covered, huh?... but we'll all help keep an eye on her. You're doing great," she encourages easily.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety fidgets a little as Vitaly speaks with clear purpose; her singular focus on Eight and Lavhi like she doesn't even exist for her is... a little uncomfortable, perhaps, even as she's introduced. She also feels, perhaps, a bit defensive for Lavhi, though the Lt. Commander answers questions easily enough, and Eight does permit it.

        She centres herself again. She smiles and nods at Ranka; it's wordless, but the reassurance can be felt from her. Her psychic presence has been improving in the last few weeks. Less scared and prickly.

        "I felt bad I wasn't here, but... can't linger on that," Arriety admits to Minae. "At least we could help after the fact." Still, a part of her is a bit worried, in the wake of a fresh Vajra attack... is Ranka's companion Ai-kun going to be okay? Hopefully nothing happens...

        She does end up moving closer towards the cookies, and looks to Ryoto and Banagher in turn, as well as Liam and Ranka. "Oh, hello... I don't think I've met you two," she addressed Ryoto and Banagher, since she's met the other two, of course. "I'm Arriety Hearn... I'm a civilian with the Ra Mari. ... it's kinda complicated. But it's nice to meet you...

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Coming back from apparently interacting with a giant tentacle glow-cloud, Lucine's condition wasn't utterly worrisome. No space horror tropes activated. She didn't wave off people's concern and adamantly say that she was fine, she spent time making a detailed report of her experience while it was still fresh in her mind, and, after asking for permission, she used this get-together as her method to getting a shower all to herself.

         And it was a long, hot, nice shower, where nothing went wrong, she wasn't stalked, she didn't suddenly get the urge to grab a cleaver and start waving it around, and really, even if she did, Lucine doesn't exactly have the muscle mass to take on a whole crew of well-meaning passengers who knew various techniques on how to get a person to drop their weapon without hurting them. Much.

        Anyway. Lucine, in this timeline and situation, is actually fine, and has a headache from stretching her Newtype muscle too much doing something she shouldn't have done, but really, when a giant tentacle being is just sitting there, looking tense, it made sense to at least try to communicate. She meant it to be verbal, but things happen.

        Walking into the main room in a t-shirt and pants, a towel around her neck to soak up her still drying hair, Lucine rubs her head. ".... Sorry. I feel better now... did I miss anything...?"

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

Trevor Teach's arched brow is missed by Vitaly Sokolov, purely because of her focus on the topic at hand. At least, so it seems at first. Until he speaks out once more and calls out to the captain before her. She goes over the communiques that were given to the La Vie en Rose II. The pilot of the 'Isadore'. Contracted by Nergal. It's not like the woman had the time to crosscheck such records. And Nergal is a civilian operation, so for now, Trevor is exactly that. A member of Nergal.

Attention rolls back to Lavhi. She's always been bad at estimating Zentradi ages. No doubt because she is comfortable with just letting them being this... other presence in the world. Comfortable only learning as much as she must about them. "Anomaly in battle?" She focuses in on this matter. But she also understands that the investigation is still ongoing, so such things will have to come with time.

Making guesses and theorizing is something that is useful to her to create a premise and get some answers where possible. But go too deep, and it becomes meaningless. "At will is concerning. Thank you, Lieutenant Commander." Something at the back of her mind is playing this out. If their deployment can accurately and immediately approach, the Earth Sphere will be outflanked and outgunned with far too much ease. Colonies and other military factions will start drawing their militaries closer to their homes. This will limit deployments and cooperation. Tensions will surely rise again.

She then takes a singular step back; "Commander. Lieutenant Commander." Before turning her head towards Arriety Hearn. "Civilian. If you require training. Raise chance of not dying in coming conflict - contact G-Hound. Ask for me." She doesn't speak her name, as it is upon her person. A tag along with her rank. Vitaly Sokolov.

To Eight York, she adds; "I await official report. 'Appreciate making yourself available for question." Before looking down at the cookies that everyone is eating. "Perhaps, I stay little longer. Listen to thoughts of pilots, yes? Perhaps - try cookie." As the woman seeks out the source of those cookies.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Now that the cookie is no longer being jammed into his mouth, Liam can appreciate it more. The chocolate is rich, and complimented by the sweet and salty dough; it's moist enough to be bendable, but not underbaked. It's delicious. Liam deliberately does not eat any more because he does not want to spoil his appetite.

        Then Trevor takes the sealing paper off the bowl, and his nose wrinkles. "I think that--" Wait. Didn't the Captain say she made that herself? Wouldn't it be disrespectful to imply that it's gone bad? Food shouldn't be wasted, especially when it can be hard to come by, but someone getting sick because of it is not something Liam can stomach. He stares at the bowl a moment, then...

        Slides Trevor his ham-and-cheese sandwich, like the some of the nicer kids would do with him back when he went to school. Back when he had plain cheese sandwiches and fruit and carrot sticks in a reusable brown sack.

        A familiar voice.

        "Lucine," Liam says, brightening. He beckons her, politely. There's an empty seat, once she's gotten food from the cafeteria.

        Then he turns to Ranka, nodding politely. "...About the concert," he says, brow furrowing with concern. "Kaiju C was one of these 'Vajra'. I'd thought it was no different than the other two. I didn't know."

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Minae is here too! And, Rena is alright... if in need of some time to herself, as both Minae and Arriety attest. Anita nods, letting out a breath she didn't realise she was holding.

"Yeah... I don't blame her, honestly." Anita says, massaging the back of her neck - as best she can, anyway, in her current outfit.

And then, Yurika greets with with an enthusiastic peace sign...! Anita can't help but grin a little.

"Nice meeting you, Captain. I'm not as familiar with your ship and crew as my friends are, but they've taken pretty good care of us in the past. I gotta thank you for that." Anita says. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she can definitely get behind a captain like Yurika.

The conversation turns toward the topic of things that attacked. The Vajra... Anita frowns consideringly.

"...That's pretty heavy." Anita says. ...She can't really comment much more than that, she feels a little out of her depth there. She looks toward Arriety, then, offering her an encouraging smile.

"Yeah... do what you can, yeah? You being here now is the most important thing." She says. She turns her attention to Banagher, then, considering him for a moment.

...Isn't he the one from the kaiju attack on the moon? With the fire-breathing one and the rad dinosaur tank?

"Don't worry about it. There's all kinds of folks here - just try to rest up, yeah?" She says.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher gravitates slightly toward Arriety, smiling at her. He takes a cookie, immediately popping it in his mouth. His eyes practically light up at the taste. "That's so good!" He eats the rest of it slowly, savoring each bite. "I haven't had something like this since I was a kid! Oh -- thank you." He adds, then turns to Arriety properly. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Banagher Links. I'm.. complicated, too." She gets a smile, though one with a bit of chocolate stuck to it.

Ryoto earns the most genuine smile thus far. "Yeah! That's what I always try to tell everyone! We have to take care of each other! So -- thank you for saying that." Recognizing Anita's voice, Banagher looks at her for a moment, but is unable to place it. "Thank you." He murmurs.When both Liam and Roux beckon for him at once, Banagher goes still again. With his Haro still held tightly, he approaches Roux first. The cookie has clearly put him more at ease -- and he smiles shyly. "Hello. Sorry, I don't know who anyone is."

Once he's introduced himself to Roux, he wanders back over to Liam. "I recognize your voice. You fought with me in the Dagger, right? You're taller than I expected." He takes a seat next to the man. "Thank you for the help out there. Can I ask your name?" When Trevor speaks up, Banagher smiles at him. "I recognize your voice, too. You don't look like the type to hang around the Federation." He is clearly looking at Trevor's eye patch. Did people really dress like that in everyday life?

Listening to the conversation around him, Banagher looks down at Haro. "They're called Varja, huh..? And we don't know how to talk to them, or what they want? I've never seen anything like them before."

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Ryoto blushes a little as Eight voices her appreciation. "Ah... um, thank you, Captain. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more. The G-Impact Cannon is still pretty experimental...." Tucking his chin slightly, he offers a weak smile up for the Ra Mari's captain. "...I'm just glad you're alright."

He dips her head as Arriety moves into the conversation, his smile still small and his shoulders coming up a bit. He's not the sort to throw into social occasions often, but far be it from him to back off. "Ah, hello, Miss Hearn. My name's Ryoto Hikawa. I'm a pilot with Londo Bell, but I'm kind of... flying the Huckebein Mark II for Mao Industries, too."

Banagher shares that smile, and Ryoto dips his eyes a moment before looking up, his smile softening a touch. There's something about the young Gundam pilot that touches Ryoto close to the heart, and he's not quite sure why.

        Maybe he's been in a tough spot, too....

"You're right. Even if there's a war, something like this... it's everyone in danger, right...? So I think it's alright to respect each other, even if we're not always on the same side. There are a lot of good people fighting for things they believe in, after all...."

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "That's true... but it's not like we could have known," Minae gently reminds Arriety, nodding along with Anita. "Let's just do what we can now." Like the other girl, she clearly has reservations about the single-minded pursuit of answers cutting into the crew's desperately needed R+R, and more than once she glances past Vitaly to catch Eight's gaze, a tilt of her head wordlessly offering to pull rank as a medical professional. In the end Eight has it handled, and the whirlwind moves on as quickly as it came, leaving Minae a little stunned.

        True to her claim to Yurika, she's immediately ready to offer Lucine a warm drink as she enters. Her presence might be a little unusual: there's barely any psychic signature there to pick up on, the robot more or less invisible to Newtype senses despite looking human - but that means that there's no pressure either, which might help with the headache. "You've barely missed a thing. Just find a seat and rest up, and let me know if you need anything," she offers.

        She catches sight of Banagher's Haro. There is a tense moment where her gaze locks with it, and she watches it for several moments as if expecting it to leap out of the man's arms and suddenly take over the Federation. Her eyes briefly flash as if transmitting - then she eases herself down. Accord has been reached. Blinking out of it, she looks to Annie with a hum. "... we'll all mob her later and fuss over her," the suggestion is kind of tongue-in-cheek, as Minae would never do that without permission. "For now, try to rest up too."

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety blinks once as Vitaly addresses her, and awkwardly nods to say, "Oh-- um, thank you. I've been working on my basic training... Miss Roux's been assisting me," she gestures towards the very person in the room. Still, the offer is appreciated, even if G-Hound sounds kind of terrifying...

        "I'm really glad you're here too," she adds to Anita, and means it -- it's a good feeling to know that even when not all the Kakapos are there, they'll come flock to aid their closest when they need it. "Mm. I'm okay with it, honest."

        Banagher has a smile for her, and also gets excited about cookies; he also says that he's... complicated, and nods in turn. "I kinda... get what you mean, maybe. I kinda fell into my Gundam and now it won't answer to anyone else but me. Um, but let me or Eight know if anyone harrasses you, okay? I've had my share of that and I know Eight won't stand for it..."

        There's a polite nod and an 'ah' of recognition, as Ryoto introduces himself. "I haven't heard of Mao Industries, but thanks for being there for my friends, Mr. Hikawa."

        Arriety pauses hesitantly as Minae locks on to Banagher's Haro. She knows how this will go. "... they're not all out to get you, Minae, just remember that."

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

Roux turns her attention directly at Vitaly.

Her eyes narrow. She stops eating her sandwich set although she still has one piece in her hand. "That's very kind of you," she says to her, rather flatly, before her warmth comes back as she looks to Bannagher: "I'm Roux Louka," she tells him. "I'm glad to meet you. Sorry it's kind of a bad situation, huh? This is Captain York--" Roux briefly indicates everyone from the Ra Mari although they may have their own actual words to speak.

She looks at his face and - briefly - resists the urge to wipe his face off, though she tucks her legs up after this and works through the rest of her food.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka nods to Ryoto, "They are. I don't know if it's... if it's feasible. The SMS fights them all the time... and even just a few of them can be a difficult battle for them."

Minae though leans to her and whispers about the food, and she whispers back, "Thank you - and please do... there... have been petitions among the kitchen staff." She respects Captain Yurika a lot... however at the same time, she could not in good conscience ever serve her food to anyone after some of the things she's heard.

As Eight speaks on Yurika's idea of a diplomatic solution, then to her, "Oh I... I wouldn't expect you to." Ranka replies to Eight, suddenly sounding shy. She just hates violence and wants to believe there's a diplomatic solution. She just doesn't know if there one. She just knows they've killed so many... some even right in front of her. Almost everyone she knows and loves has been nearly killed by the Vajra at some point - or at least threatened by them. "I definitely don't want them to run rampant."

However, she finds herself looking at Eight longer. And longer. Until eventually she raises a finger as if to ask to be excused for a moment. Leaving for the cafeteria counter, she returns not long after with a bag of ice wrapped in a dishtowel as an impromptu ice pack. She hands that to Lavni without giving much but a meaningful glance, before stepping back off to the side.

Something feels different about Arriety right now, and she gives her a look of wonder. As Arriety walks towards them, she lets her greet Liam and Banagher before asking, "It's good to see you again Arriety... how have you been?" On any other day she'd want to gush to her about her first commercial jingle... on any other day. It won't be today.

As Lucine walks in, she gives a discreet wave her way, before turning to Liam as he notes Kaiju C was a Vajra, "It was. A Vajra. It was difficult for Alto and Brera to keep everyone in the loop at the time... because it was so chaotic." She becomes more quiet, "I definitely wasn't in a fit state to talk about it herself."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight notices Arriety's defensiveness for Lavhi, and transmits a little pulse of gratitude to her. Lavhi doesn't notice, because he is looking right at Vitaly and has no psychic ability whatsoever.

But conversationally, Eight smiles back at Ryoto. "We all do our part, and every bit helps. You made a difference--that's all that matters."

"Indeed," Lavhi says of the anomaly. "When I have more detail, I will submit reports." They will probably even be availabe to her!

Eight looks to Arriety as Vitaly offers training, but she's not going to say anything about it for now. Instead she says, "You're welcome." For the answering. "By all means, stick around. Have a cookie."

She nods at Minae, appreciating the fact that she's looking out for her--even if she might grumble about it in three days when she thinks she's healed. But then the truth is...

Arriety knows Eight is in a lot of pain right now, because the experiments left her nerves overly sensitive. It hurts a great deal to be up and around, though it would hurt to be down and resting too. So a part of her is definitely tempted to let Minae pull rank on her medically--but in the end it's not needed... for now.

She waves at Banagher though when Roux introduces her. And...

Ranka is looking at her for a while. Eight tilts her head--and when she returns with an ice pack, Eight blinks.

Then Lavhi takes it, and nods to Ranka, stepping over to Eight again. "Here," he says, and sets the ice pack in her sling.

"Um..." Eight glances back at Ranka, and then says, "Thanks." She tilts her neck back and forth and starts to roll her shoulders--and regrets it. She can'tentirely suppress that grimace.

But she walks over to the table, now that she's not answering questions.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

"Y-you can just call me Ryoto." The young man scratches the back of his neck with a bashful smile, cheeks colouring a shade. "And I'm just, ah... just glad I could help a little."

He pauses to glance to one side, then back again, smile pensive and mellow. "Mao's a personal trooper manufacturer... if you've ever seen the mass-production Wildschwein, they're built by Mao. They also built the original Huckebein."

That name, at least, might carry some currency - the original Vanishing Trooper's disappearance was a fairly high-casualty event.

Eight adds some praise, leaving Ryoto to blush a little. He covers the embarrassment by nibbling around the edges of Ranka's cookie. "Ah heh... I'm just glad the Huckebein held together. I'd never actually... used the G-Impact Cannon in a live fire environment before. It worked fine in testing, but you never know how things will respond to real fight conditions, especially a big emergency like this...."

He turns his gaze to Ranka, shifting his weight and giving the girl a quiet nod. "...It was just a thought," he murmurs, glancing off to one side, then back. "I don't know a lot about the Vajra... I haven't been in the Londo Bell very long...."

He traiils off, eyes drifting towards Eight a moment. Ryoto's not nearly as privy to the captain's struggles than Arriety is, nor even most Newtypes - his brain works in a different way. But there's something scratching at the edges of his senses that leaves him watching her with a worry he doesn't fully understand.

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

"Ah yes. Basic training from young veteran. Maybe, you will live." Vitaly Sokolov answers Arriety Hearn - not having known previously whom she might be getting training from -- IF she was even getting training. Notably, while her words may sound a bit dismissive, her tone actually suggests a measure of respect for Roux Louka when her name is dropped. And in fact, the woman in question speaks up. "Is good offer." She merely states as if this were a fact. And truthfully, her track record does seem to support this position. Even if perhaps her personality is on the harsh side.

That pressure is relieved from Eight York, as Vitaly steps away for the time being. Moving to get a coffee - black - from the cafeteria itself. She then makes her way over to settle in across from Banagher Links, Putting down the cup of coffee, before reaching into her coat pocket.

She pulls out what looks like a cigarette and a lighter, and lights up. Within moments, the cigarette is lit, and she takes a long puff from it, before blowing the smoke casually to the side. One-handing the stick, and taking a drink with the other, she sits there for a moment, considering the young man.

"Banagher Links, yes?" She asks. "Pilot of new~ generation~ Gundam." She considers him, before taking another draft from the cigarette. A long breath in this time. "A lot of power in hand of civilian." Her hand lowers, holding the cigarette near the table. "Many before you use Gundam to do great things. Is almost mythology since One Year War. So - what do you want to do with power of Gundam?" She points at him with two fingers from her right hand, in which she's also holding her coffee cup, before taking a drink.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        "Well, that one definitely isn't, but I'm still not sure about Annie's one," Minae grumbles quietly to Arriety, folding her arms with a rare pout as she does so. Whatever grudge she has against the humble Haro isn't long-lived, at least, and it doesn't take the robot long to swing back to a more natural smile.

        There is perhaps a certain amount of miscommunication between her and Ranka; the robot can't really help it, because without having ever tasted any food she hasn't quite developed the right sense of innate danger response to Yurika's cooking. As far as she knows she's just signing up to ensure the Captains don't overwork themselves, rather than bar one from any of Arriety's prized pots and pans - but she doesn't let that dissuade her, and offers a bright smile in return. "Of course. ... oh, and good eye," she adds at the icepack with a nod.

        She watches it get placed with interest, stepping back a little to catch Eight's reaction. "I think you could use some psychical therapy after that's healed some. I know you're not the type to really let it stop you doing anything, so we can at least try to minimize it. Ma'am," she adds afterwards, with a light grin.

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

Trevor stares at the viridian risotto. It's actually quite hard to look at, considering its true shape is obscured by a patchwork of mosaic censor squares. It's as if its truest nature is anathema to the very foundations of the mind, so much that it obscured the senses of all those who try and comprehend it. It is ignites the innermost animal survival instinct, an impulse in the sane brain that says: danger, do not approach...!

The very same impulse that triggers when you see, for example, a particularly brightly colored frog, or hear the rattle of a snake's tail. Trevor stares at this dish, it enraptures his senses. He asks, "Is this a risotto...?"

It is the most primeval form of risotto. The risotto which lurks at the end of all things. Eschatological Risotto, one might call it.

Liam... helpfully scoots over a ham sammich. Trevor gives the test-tube soldier a grateful look, but no. No, he seals his fate. "A proper Vestan," Trevor Teach declares, as if reciting an axiomatic principle, "Does not turn down hospitality when it is offered in good faith."

Still, he smiles sadly as he hoists a spoon, his face a perfect image of serenity.

And so... he digs in.

What is this experience? It is as if his nose and throat is on fire. The green, was it space wasabi all along? His eyes water, his face turning red, sweat drips from his forehead, his cheeks, his neck. Still, spoon after spoon after spoon, Trevor Teach, hero of the people, fills his gullet with Green Risotto, until at last it is gone from this world.

But... It looks almost as though he, too, will soon join it......

...Maybe... some kind soul could get him something to wash it down with...???

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Taking a warm drink from Minae with a nod of thanks, Lucine goes to quietly assemble the food, giving a small smile and wave to Liam as he beckons her.

        Walking by Banagher to sit by Liam with her assembled tray of food, Lucine stops briefly, as if something poked her gently on the head. There are other high powered Newtypes here, perhaps more she can't sense, but Banagher, seeming so young and unassuming, takes her by surprise.

        She tries to act like nothing had happened, sitting herself down with a sigh of someone who needed something in her stomach.

        But first.

        "... I don't blame you, Ranka... it was..." Lucine wasn't there, but Ranka may be able to deduce why she'd have any meat to her assurance at all.

        She begins to press her fork into her meal. "... I wonder if there is a way to communicate with them... There *does* seem to be something about them that makes me wonder... if they can appear anywhere, why haven't they've done it more often? The Jovian lizards' attacks are a constant on Mars, more or less, but the Vajra... it's like..." She can't say 'summoned'. Who or what would summon a force so potentially deadly? "... The first encounter we had, there seemed to be some that were captured. .... However, they were attacking even when we withdrew, so I don't know if their minds could recognize others as quickly going from 'a threat' to 'not a threat'. ...Like..." She looks up, springing upon the thread of an idea. ".... bees would do something like that... a threat to a hive is gets the same level of response. It's not that they're unintelligent, but that their intelligence is used for different matters... Vajra seem to operate similarly, like a hive... the will is spread among the hive, not individually... ah, I hope I am making sense..."

        Pain. PAAAAIN. Lucine looks up, bewildered, seeing Trevor's reddened face. "A-ah.... he needs... water! Drink! Liquid!! Something cool? A-ahhh...."

        As if you needed any special sense to know what is so plainly happening right there.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        In a place like this, surrounded by comrades and colleagues, Liam could almost let his guard down. Almost. He's noticed Sokolov over there, heard her drop the term 'G-Hound'. He knows who they are, roughly, and knows that both Aurum-1 and Seolla are on their roster. Aurum-1 is like him, and he can only assume Seolla is in a similar situation judging by what they've told him.

        It is entirely possible that G-Hound, the favored enforcement arm of the Federation, is fully aware of what's happened to them. It's also possible that they're complicit.

        Liam dips a spoon into his soup, and takes a sip. It's hot. It's a little bland. It reminds him of what his father used to cook, when he had time to. "It's all right," Liam says, to Ranka. "You were in danger. I'm... glad you weren't hurt." Banagher comes over to take a seat, and Liam clears a little space for him.

        "I was," Liam says. He takes another sip of soup, this one with a bite of potato in it, and then offers the younger man a warm smile. "Liam," he says. No number this time. "I'm with NERV. I wasn't formally cleared to launch."

        Sokolov comes towards them, and Liam can't help but feel like he's watching a predator that's sensed blood. He stiffens. Tension starts to spike inside him. He lets out a breath, and draws himself up, making himself a more visible presence. He turns to listen to Lucine's hypothesis, even as he keeps part of his awareness on Banagher and the woman speaking with him.

        He tries to offer a reassuring glance. He is practically radiating worry. And then--

        'A proper Vestan does not turn down hospitality when it is offered in good faith.'

        The ham sandwich is rejected. Liam takes it back, but the anxiety only spikes within him.

        "A cloud intelligence?" Liam says, revealing that he knows what a 'cloud' is in the computing sense. Their utility is a little restricted in the era of Minovsky warfare, but it's still there. "And they respond to perceived threats with overwhelming--"

        Lucine startles, and Liam turns without thinking, all but shoving his glass of water towards Trevor. "Drink," he commands. "Ranka, more water, ASAP!"

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

"I am of course, not saying that the Vajra have to be 'left alone', since it's obvious that they did indeed start shooting first," Yurika ponders, gloves steepled in front of her lips, glancing between Vitaly and Eight. "Just that their behavior wasn't as...'strategic'. It bothers me especially that, during the Nadesico's preparations to fire the Gravity Cannon at full burst, they held back, despite us having previously shot that very weapon. Just as Miss Azul is saying: their behavior and thought processes should be understood. Or, maybe in terms that are blunt to this conversation:"

        "If there's a way to replicate our enemy not fighting back, then they becom easier to defeat."

        Once Trevor starts digging in, only THEN does Yurika merrily talk about all the love that went into this dish. "Howmei taught me a lot about the ways spices make dishes better - so for this one, if we put in a LOT of spices, they'd be WAY better! Wasabi, cumin, jalapeno, and ash for smokiness! It'll all add a nice kick!" ...It has to be like 20% spices by volume. It's unimaginably bitter, unimaginably spicy, and sends fumes of intensity through every inch of the sinuses. If Trevor had any sort of stuffiness - he doesn't now!

        Yurika deftly catches the Haro (harmonization!) and applies headpats to the little robotic companion too, beaming at Banagher! "Don't worry, I have a way with these, kinda like how some people are great at talking to dogs or cats! And yeah, the cookies are fine for everyone - the Nadesico's head chef, Miss Howmei, made them, so they're bound to be fantastic! It's good that you made it here alive, Banagher, that's all that matters. You're dressed pretty casually...who are you with?"

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

The risotto is gritty. Is risotto supposed to be gritty? reality seems to twist and fade, dissolving at the fringes. What is this, the creeping darkness that scrabbles at the outer limits of the universe, searching for a crack. Looking for a way in. What is this, time bleeds away, he sees the moment of his creation. Memories that are not entirely his own flash across his mind. WHY DOES IT SMELL LIKE BURNT TOAST? The world is turning green, as if a layer of risotto-colored moss were spreading across the waking world like a plague of mold. Air, air itself becomes painful, an agonizing experience that starts at the back of the throat and radiates like heat from a blazing wildfire through the sinuses and down the gullet.

He feels every cell of his body, and they all ask the same question of fundamental reality: Why? Why must humans suffer? Is this why barriers exist between individual souls? Because if they were not present, then something like this could propagate, a culinary pathogen that soaks every soul wasabi green until all of the universe joins in a singular chorus of enlightenment in pain. This risotto contains within it a fundamental truth of the universe. In the end, suffering is unavoidable.

TREVOR TEACH GAINS: +0.1 AWAKENING POINTS

But at what cost......?

At least there is water. Water. So much water. Trevor chugs it greedily, but it only dilutes the agony. He needs something stronger. Possibly booze-flavored. Or maybe just, milk???

"It's--" Trevor wheezes, BECAUSE A VESTAN DOES NOT TURN DOWN HOSPITALITY, "--Certainly got a kkiiiiiihhhhck---"

Oh god there's fluid coming from every hole on his face, oh no.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Ryoto takes a bite of his sandwich, quieting a moment to listen to some of the conversations around him. Eight's moving off and the Huckebein pilot isn't about to pursue. She's got friends around her for that.

Besides - something's bothering him. Ryoto presses his lips lightly together as the stern Russian officer descends on Banagher like a glacier. A flicker of consternation crosses his face before he draws a steadying breath, and --

"H-hey," the Huckebein pilot puts in, moving over to one side of Banagher as a hint of colour reaches his cheeks. "Banagher helped a lot of people who needed it... th-that doesn't mean you have to interrogate him. We're supposed to be recuperating here... so maybe trying to demand things out of him isn't right. Right...?"

Something about Vitaly rubs him the wrong way. The way she carries herself drags up memories of a time he'd rather leave behind.

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        She senses the pulse of gratitude Eight gives her, and smiles in turn -- Lavhi's quite an important member of the crew, and a friend as well, she can say at this point; she's glad to understand her world has grown... but also that pain that Eight's feeling.

        Eight needs her at the moment, so she quietly moves a bit closer and offers her hand -- it's gloved at the moment, but they've known each other long enough that the contact is no less meaningful even behind the gloves, shifting and looking at Ranka with gratitude as she offers an ice pack. She'll support her as she needs, knowing it's difficult right now.

        "Take it easy, okay...? I'm with you."

        Arriety smiles warmly at Ranka as she asks how she is. "I'm doing okay. Bit overwhelmed right now, but... I'm just glad to be here for my friends, including you. I've been working some things out." She tilts her head and says, "I hope I can hear you sing again soon."

        Vitaly speaks of how perhaps Arriety will live since Roux trained her, and she nods in turn -- "I've had... a lot of guidance, from a lot of people. I'm grateful for it. Hopefully, that'll get me as ready as I possibly can."

        Ryoto tells her to just call him Ryoto, and she nods, a bit embarrassed. "Oh, I see..." she nods as Ryoto explains Mao Industries to her. "To be honest, I'm bad at the tech side of things, so I can't even remember all the different robot details." She should stop saying 'robot'. "I kinda... get having a weapon or thing you can't fully control, though."

        Arriety gawks a little at Minae to say, "I'm kind of impressed of all the Haros, it's Annie's that you get along with the least..." though it's kind of soft-natured.

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Good idea. She'll never know what hit her." Anita says with a grin, playing along as Minae says they'll mob Rena later. Arriety says she's glad Anita's here too, meanwhile, and Anita smiles. It's a relief that she's doing okay, too. As for Minae's comment about her Haro...

"Hey now, I'm sure you'll both get along some day." Anita comments... and chuckles at Arriety's own comment.

She looks toward Eight, then, as Minae suggests physical therapy.

"Just let us know if you need anything, alright? We're all here to support you too, don't forget." Anita suggests. ...But, she should look after herself, too, and Minae did suggest that she rest too...

"...Now that I know everyone's okay, I think I'm gonna go find someplace to relax." She decides. "Come get me if anything happens, okay?"

With that, she'll extract herself from the group. Knowing that the ones closest to her are okay is a lot of wait off her shoulders.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

Roux continues to watch Vitaly as she gets through all her sandwiches. This leaves her with just coffee to drink, although she wraps up her packaging. The question of just what kind of hand sign is a double zeta keeps passing through her mind, even as she glances at Minae sporadically, and even turns her head to track Ranka as she...

Approaches Eight with an ice pack. Huh, Roux thinks, and she knows Arriety. And she has a good voice, too. Despite this glance, Roux doesn't do more than nod to Ranka for now, because she feels a certain sense outwards.

Drifting forwards, she answers Lucine. "Well, it looked like some kind of fold drive. Maybe they just explore at random and we got unlucky? If they can use fold space then they could be anywhere, but they'd probably buzz off if they didn't find a useful place. Like, bees don't fly over water a lot, right?"

A cloud intelligence. Roux says, "They didn't feel like they were organized the way the Zentradi were," Roux says, carefully -- her eyes rest on Ryoto as she takes another sip of her coffee. But then back to the G-Hound officer on the scene.

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

There is a failure to communicate with Minae, but she does not realize it, only winking at Minae as she says she has a good eye. Ranka looks concerned as Arriety shifts from 'doing okay' to 'bit overwhelmed' but then she beams a smile at her as says she's glad to be with her friends and working things out, "I'm glad. If you want to talk about it... I'm here as long as the Nadesico is in dock." She then flushes with pleasure, "Maybe I can sing something for you before we do."

Ranka slowly just nods while looking down at the floor as Lucine trails off at 'it was...' but then listens to her speculating on how the Vajra are from her experiences, she gives Lucine a look of wonder, but she doesn't actually know enough to understand how. As she agrees it's at least... possible, along with Liam. "That, might be it. Though I don't know how-"

However it gets interrupted by PAIN PAIN PAIN. And a hand over her mouth Liam tells her they need water immediately, and Ranka with the reflexes and all of her training as a waiter runs off to the drink station. However there are no cups at the station! One has to get them at the front. Thinking fast, she grabs the whole dang dispenser of ice water, ripping off the top, and hoisting it up as she runs right back over to Trevor.

"Here - here - I have more - h - !"

And that is when the universe proves to everyone one thing Ranka has known for the past ten years.

Ranka Lee is in fact, a little clumsy. Her hip bumps one of the chairs, as her foot snags and... suddenly the whole dispenser topples over as low gravity gives her a slow, yet still inevitable one way ticket towards the ground. At least the impact won't be so bad.

Trevor Teach is doused in slow motion... as he involuntarily takes, the SPACENOID ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight's reaction, Minae can see, is a very slight relief; it doesn't help a lot, but it helps a little. "Aah, more physical therapy..." Eight sighs a little, but she smiles despite it. "You're right. I would appreciate that." She looks over to Anita, "I'll remember. Thanks, Annie." But she's still going to take a lot on herself--she is the Captain.

Eight only has one hand at the moment--and she spends it squeezing Arriety's for a moment, when she offers it. "I'll try," she murmurs back.

Lavhi, for his part, eyes Eight carefully, and keeps his post near her. As Eight takes back her coffee to take a sip, Lavhi looks over to Roux, and considers. "That is one of the anomalies we discovered," he says. And then he peers over at Trevor. Eight does, too. She pauses. He pauses.

"...Oh, dear," Lavhi comments. Eight replies, "Yep. ...Yyyep."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"I fell into my Gundam too, and it won't listen to anyone else either. We're practically the same story." Arriety gets another smile. "I think I'll be okay, but I'll let you know, I promise."

As Eight walks by, Banagher looks up at her, as though she called his name. "Sorry, did you say something?"

Feeling much more at ease, Banagher straightens in his seat, thinking about going back for another cookie. Just as he starts to get to his feet, Vitality sits down. He smiles at her, initially, but that smile fades as she begins to ask questions. Glancing to Liam, Banagher scoots toward the larger man, made nervous by the worry echoing from him. "Well." He begins, watching Vitality's ciarette move. "Unicorn is -- special. I've been told it has the power to change everything, for everyone. It has the power to... find something, that'll make that great change. I don't know what it is." He hugs Haro close to his chest. "I don't know who deserves it. But I know I want to help people. I don't want anyone t be hurt. If there's a way to use Unicorn to end people's suffering.. That's what I want."

In contrast to Banagher's anxious answer, Haro flaps its winglets at Yurika. "Hello!" It chimes, pleased at being petted. Banagher looks over. "Thank you, um -- for the welcome, and the cookies. They really are fantastic. I'm... with Unicorn." He says, evasively. "I don't really know anyone here."

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

-- Earlier, when still with Eight

Vitaly Sokolov nodded to Yurika. Acknowledging what she said; "Strike was strategically ill-designed. But for first strike, too well -timed-. That is 'greatest concern."

-- Back to now

Vitaly Sokolov is aware of a great deal of things within G-Hound, but also knows to keep a healthy distance away from others. G-Hound deals well with plausable deniability.

Still, it is always hard to tell who knows what. And when Liam 7-020 sits there declaring he is part of NERV, yet turns to Vitaly and watches her with the tension in his body, her head slowly turns towards him. Cold eyes set upon the Cyborg. The way he acts is like a student who ungracefully dropped out of her training regime. Someone who bears shame and is afraid of being recognized. Her eyes lift and fall, considering him. Taking all there is to see.

Before those eyes slowly turn away from him. She's focusing more on what is being said around her. People talking about the way the Vajra behaved. Ways that can be exploited - they refer to with sorrow. Behaving like bees around a hive? Behavior such as that can be a key in strategic planning. Her gaze flicks up quickly towards Roux Louka, noticing she's being stared at. Staring her right in the eyes for a moment, as if Roux Louka were somehow suspect - as if she were figuring out a crime Roux Louka had commited when...

Her gaze flicks rapidly to Ryoto in that way he's no doubt delt with far too often. As if staring at him is the punctuation to an action. The Ravnuin woman considering him with that piercing gaze. "Is not interrogation. Is friendly conversation." She pointedly states, before turning her attention back to Banagher. "No?"

He answers. Unicorn is special. "Power to Change Everything?" She asks with a notable degree of scepticism about such a claim. But when he says finding something that'll bring a great change, her gaze turns a bit darker. A narrowed brow.

"Gundam is Weapon. Is impossible to bring Change without Suffering. Change - it frightens people. But - can minimize suffering." She proposes to him. Her back then lifts as she straightens her posture. It's a minute change. But this woman won't allow herself even a moment of the slightest slouch.

She points to him, firmly, with that same hand once more. "But. If you do not want anyone to be hurt... do not pilot. If you do not want anyone to be hurt, you are not ready. Return to being civilian. Leave Unicorn Gundam to someone suited to bring change. Someone not afraid of pain."

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Ryoto is not the most likely person in the world, on the face of it, to stand up to a particularly stern officer. He carries himself in a way that makes him seem smaller than he is. He moves up to one side of Banagher anyway.

Vitaly gives him a look. Ryoto, for all that he seems like he ought to shrink back from her, sets his jaw a little and draws a breath, his back stiffening slightly.

"...I think it's fair to fly to protect others from being hurt," he puts in, voice quieter as he glances towards Banagher, seemingly more intent on talking to the young man than to the veteran. "There are... a lot of people out there who, um. Who have bad intentions. I think if everyone who wanted a better world just sat back and didn't use their skills for good, the world might be a pretty awful place. That's why I think it's better for weapons like mobile suits and personal troopers to be used by people who want to do good. So, um... it's just my opinion, but...."

Ryoto offers up a faint smile, a hint of colour at his cheeks. "...Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not good enough because you want to be kind, alright...? I actually think that makes you both a good person and a good pilot...."
Roux Louka tosses a coin: Heads

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        What was in that risotto?! Spices, yes, but how much? Is it possible for someone to die from eating too much wasabi? Liam doesn't know. He glances over his shoulder at Banagher, trying to reassure the kid that everything is fine.

        Everything is not fine. "Breathe," Liam says, and she snatches his napkin off the table to dab at Trevor's face. The good news is that he doesn't seem terribly squeamish. "Ranka's getting--"

        Water.

        In the reduced gravity of the station, the water is not so much a single, gravity-bound torrent as a sudden, wide cascade. Liam steps in front of it, trying to shield those nearby with his body. It does not go terribly well for him.

        "Pilot," Liam says, grabbing for Trevor's shoulder. Water drips from his beret, lazily blobbing on its way to the ground. "Status? Need medical aid?"

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        It's a little bit jarring when Minae transitions straight from gentle friendliness to catching what Yurika says, staring in the direction of the Vajra discussion with a thoughtful frown. It's a subject that automatically interests her given the way it tugs at some of her longer-term concerns, but she keeps her counsel to herself if only because the Captain is way ahead of her. If something can be understood, that means a clearer line of communication, and from there a clearer path towards a more peaceful outcome.

        She can't help but think of Myrme. She doesn't know the first thing about xenobiology or where to even begin; does the kaiju they know represent an exception or an opportunity to learn more? What does Myrme want out of life other than a lot of free meals?... she's still not really sure what to make of the situation, even as she's become more accustomed to Myrme's presence.

        Any other thoughts lock in place as chaos erupts over one end of the canteen; she blinks over to it as her expression seems almost to reset. Her eyebrows start to go up at the sudden noise, and even further when Ranka trips over herself and adds in a shower of ice water to the mix. The scene is so immediately and utterly Nadesico that the robot finds her attention dragging back towards Yurika again, finding herself wondering if the effect might be localised around its Captain. Maybe Nadesiconess is a spatial anomaly.

        "... oh," she adds, as the thought of the battleship and the behaviour of its crew fills in the gaps between Ranka's warning and her understanding of it. "Uh." At least despite her confusion she's quick to duck behind the counter, grabbing several dishcloths and sticking a roll of kitchen paper under her arm. She doesn't have superspeed; she can't save everyone from the sluice of water, but she can at least be ready for the aftermath.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        What was in that risotto?! Spices, yes, but how much? Is it possible for someone to die from eating too much wasabi? Liam doesn't know. He glances over his shoulder at Banagher, trying to reassure the kid that everything is fine.

        Everything is not fine. "Breathe," Liam says, and she snatches his napkin off the table to dab at Trevor's face. The good news is that he doesn't seem terribly squeamish. "Ranka's getting--"

        Water.

        In the reduced gravity of the station, the water is not so much a single, gravity-bound torrent as a sudden, wide cascade. Liam steps in front of it, trying to shield those nearby with his body. It does not go terribly well for him.

        "Pilot," Liam says, grabbing for Trevor's shoulder. Water drips from his beret, lazily blobbing on its way to the ground. "Status? Need medical aid?"

        Distantly, part of his brain tries to process Sokolov's presence, and the memories she's dredging up with every cold, judgmental look. Fear draws down his spine like a razor, and he responds to it--as retreat is not an option here--by caregiving. "Are you all right?" His voice is edging towards that hollow tone again.

[OOC] Liam 7-020 says, "blu-ray: Please use second pose"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        ".... Ah..." Lucine's attention is split between Trevor's dilemma and Banagher's... Banagherness. Perhaps that's why h

        "I see... You shouldn't feel forced to join one group or another, Mr. Links. But... friends are another matter." She smiles gently, placing a hand over her upper chest. "My name is Lucine Azul. I'm Nadesico's head gardener, as well as one of the pilots. Perhaps it's not a matter of who deserves this change, but whether or not you know what sort of change you wish to bring..."

        Vitaly speaks. Lucine quiets, listening as chaos occurs in the background. She frowns at Vitaly's advice to Banagher, finally understanding why Liam seemed so tense. It presses against a nerve that she wasn't even sure she had.

        Sitting up, Lucine calmly gathers her hands in front of her. "... That... may be how you deal with the world... and it is a valid one, but not everyone can and should do the same. You are correct in that Gundams, and indeed, all of our units here are weapons, above all else... but they are also tools. The pilot is the difference." She seats herself back down. "I saw how Banagher piloted the Unicorn. ... A unit such as that needs a different sort of hand than one you or I could give it. If a Gundam can easily hurt, the pilot needs to understand that pain themselves... or the change they leave might be simply a pile of bodies..."

        Unfortunately, Lucine wasn't able to see just how the Unicorn hurt Lily, or understand the exchange that went on.

         Still, self-doubt creeps back in. Should she have so strongly disagreed? Her thoughts go back to Ranka's dislike of violence and fighting, and how they came to agree that there was more than one way to 'fight'.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        ".... Ah..." Lucine's attention is split between Trevor's dilemma and Banagher's... Banagherness. Perhaps that's why he caught her attention?

        "I see... You shouldn't feel forced to join one group or another, Mr. Links. But... friends are another matter." She smiles gently, placing a hand over her upper chest. "My name is Lucine Azul. I'm Nadesico's head gardener, as well as one of the pilots. Perhaps it's not a matter of who deserves this change, but whether or not you know what sort of change you wish to bring..."

        Vitaly speaks. Lucine quiets, listening as chaos occurs in the background. She frowns at Vitaly's advice to Banagher, finally understanding why Liam seemed so tense. It presses against a nerve that she wasn't even sure she had.

        Sitting up, Lucine calmly gathers her hands in front of her. "... That... may be how you deal with the world... and it is a valid one, but not everyone can and should do the same. You are correct in that Gundams, and indeed, all of our units here are weapons, above all else... but they are also tools. The pilot is the difference." She seats herself back down. "I saw how Banagher piloted the Unicorn. ... A unit such as that needs a different sort of hand than one you or I could give it. If a Gundam can easily hurt, the pilot needs to understand that pain themselves... or the change they leave might be simply a pile of bodies..."

        Unfortunately, Lucine wasn't able to see just how the Unicorn hurt Lily, or understand the exchange that went on.

         Still, self-doubt creeps back in. Should she have so strongly disagreed? Her thoughts go back to Ranka's dislike of violence and fighting, and how they came to agree that there was more than one way to 'fight'.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.

Roux Louka was enrolled in the AEUG militia network at the end of the period known as the Gryps Conflict, even if she was several months behind some of their core forces in training. Roux Louka never got a parade or a gilded cage on Earth, and it was not a great time for anyone; but the Nahel Argama's Gundam Team went into Axis while the rest of the fleet was moving to rendezvous, and all of them came out, and Glemy Toto and Haman Karn didn't.

And that's probably a lot of why she half-shouts: "Yeah, because if you start SUCCEEDING at changing things, they come in and gas you in the street," while straightening up in her seat with something dark in her eyes. Unfortunate memories that are rearing backwards. One hand tightening --

She stops.

Roux exhales through her teeth.

"Don't listen to this earthnoid, Banagher," Roux says, as she pushes herself back from her seat. "They're all afraid you'll prove..."

She trails off, shaking her head once. She dips her head towards Yurika, keeping her gaze slighly lowered as she raises a hand to vaguely wave. "... Long day, Captain; sorry about the mood. I'll see you all later."

She orients herself towards the exit, although there are enough people around that she cannot perform the classic 'flip your hair and kick off the ground to streak out the bridge entrance before Bright Noa can correct you'. So there's a sort of anticlimax as she has to move around the knot of desperate people trying to save Trevor Teach from the deepest reaches of Flavor Country.

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

Ranka, bless her heart, is the sweetest thing this side of Jupiter. But right now, her green hair is an ill omened thing. Perhaps there is some kind of sympathetic resonance with the green of the risotto, or perhaps it's just some kind of terrible Nadesiconess singularity, induced by the presence of her (in)famous captain. Ranka trips. The cask of ice water tumbles through the air. Trevor casts one, spice-moistened eye to the wave of frigid fluid and commits himself to his fate.

...But Liam, brave Liam, stands in the way and...

Really, given the volume of water, he doesn't actually manage to save Trevor from all that much of it. Instead, there's just one more person soaked to the gills. A slow-motion torrent of icy water sluices over Trevor Teach, creating a dipole of hot and cold within him. Hot, the flames in his gut and throat and mouth. Cold, the frigid, wet chill soaking into his clothes. Somewhere in the middle is where he is, exposed at once to two extremes. Two powers become one...

Once upon a time, a long-lost extraterrestrial civilization discovered something quite similar, blending the powers of protection and destruction into a singular force.

Ah, Trevor thinks, is this ascension...?

No, it's just awful, the bucket hangs over his head, water pooling all around. Liam asks him a question, and with one empty eye, he asks: "Ah, don't we all need medical aid, at some point in our lives...?"

Oh no, he's gone to Buddha.

...At least he's-- possibly still alive? Maybe?

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Roux has a strong statement. Eight goes, "..." as she mentions gassing people. But she looks to Roux, for a moment, and doesn't correct her. Instead...

"I disagree," Eight says to Vitaly from over by a table, speaking up to be heard. She straightens her posture, too, which is somewhat more effort given her current state. "Not 'wanting' people to get hurt--that's good. That's great, even. If we don't want anyone to be hurt, then we make decisions that minimize suffering. Yes, in war, people will be hurt, and killed. People will suffer and die. ...But not wanting that is not a failure."

"We want what is better. We want a world better than the one we live in. And we'll never get it if we don't strive for it--even if we don't live in it now..."

"'Wanting' that world is the first step to making it true."

"..." She considers. "I should be getting back; I have a lot of paperwork to do." Eight starts to rise from her seat again, and once again Lavhi is directly beside her. She smiles to Yurika. "Thank you for inviting me."

"And take care, folks! We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

...Notably, she doesn't apologize for Roux at all.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"Yeah, we're just chatting." Banagher answers, despite the nervous expression on his face. As Vitaly continues, that nervousness slowly changes to determination. "No, you've got it wrong! Unicorn is a weapon, I know, and I know I'll have to hurt some people. I -- can't pretend otherwise. I want to minimize suffering as much as I can, and I -- want to end it, if I can. I--" At that moment, water comes splashing across Trevor and Liam. Banagher jumps to his feet to avoid it, holding Haro above his head in the hopes of keeping him dry. "Amuro Ray piloted a Gundam, and he was a hero. He changed things for the better. I want to do that too. And -- I'll never give up Unicorn." He looks rather silly, making a declaration like this with Haro on top of his head. "We belong to each other."

Banagher looks surprised as others back him up. Ryoto, Lucine, Roux -- far more than he expected. He lowers his arms, holding Haro normally. "T--thank you, everyone. I'm still new, and I don't know what's the right choice... But there's someone counting on me, and I won't let her down. Whatever I can do to keep people safe, I will. It's what she would want. And... I guess I'll figure out what to do with the Box when we come to it."

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety nods at Anita, as she redoubles her affirmation to all be there if Eight needs something. She waves, as she tells her she's going to go find and relax; she might as well, soon enough.

        "That'd be great," Arriety answers Ranka as she sees her smile, "We can do a duet together during cleaning hours again," she grins, but-- her eyes widen as PAIN! and Ranka turns with the dispenser of ice water and... oh, ooooooh dear.

        Lavhi comments in unison.

        "You do great in physical therapy," Arriety remarks to Eight with a quiet grin. "Just like high school hockey, right?"

        Banagher reveals that his situation is much like hers, however, and Arriety's eyes widen a little. "I didn't know... but-- it makes me feel a bit better, that someone's going through the same thing. It's hard when people get stressed about how a 'precious weapon's stuck with some kid'. Fortunately I have Eight to tell those people off. ... just let me know if you want to talk more."

        Banagher speaks further to Unicorn's power. To change everything, for everyone...

        Does such power really exist?

        Vitaly offers her perspective -- it's impossible to bring change without suffering. Change frightens people. But it is possible to minimise it... but if he doesn't want anyone to be hurt, then he's not ready.

        "Banagher said he doesn't have a choice... and I don't either. The way people talk about us children ending up getting involved with Gundams, and how it's not the first time..."

        She lowers her head. "It's these circumstances that brought us here to the battlefield, even when we don't want to. Even when it hurts so much, and when the world seems so dark and violent that at one point, I said to myself I didn't want anything to do with it."

        Her eyes widen as Roux rolls out a blunt truth, and she grimaces for a moment. She's seen so much more than her. She can't begin to imagine how intense that is, to have seen...

        Arriety listens to Eight's perspective too. The first step is in wanting to see a better world...

        "... but I was wrong," Arriety concludes, in a way explaining to Ranka just what she's worked out. "Shutting myself away from the world because I was afraid I'd get hurt only served to hurt me more. I've met so many wonderful people by allowing myself to venture out into the scary, wide open world. Miss Howmei, Ranka, Ruri, Miss Yurika and everyone else on the Nadesico... Mister Lavhi and the rest of the Ra Mari's crew... I can't even list them all."

        A longer moment of silence. "So if you believe there's a way to use a power to alleviate suffering, I'll believe in it too, Banagher. Because while change may be scary, as Miss Vitaly says, I think change needs to happen with an open and kind heart."

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

Vitaly can't help but... smile. She smiles, just this little quirk at the edge of her lips, when Ryoto doesn't shrink back and sets his jaw. Drawing that breath. Stiffening his back. Showing some spine! "Raise voice, Huckebein pilot." She points out to him. "Piloting to protect other - to protect other from pain, is good. But - not same, is it? Soldier fly, knowing they may hurt. Family fly, to protect family. But, pull trigger. Hurt one, to protect other, no?" She inquires with him.

She shakes her head a bit at the mention of Ryoto just saying that weapons should only be piloted by people who want to 'do good'. Not agreeing with this weak idea of 'good'. It's so ill-defined.

Her gaze then slowly rolls towards Lucine sits up. She's seen a lot of people try to push back. So many people who grab onto words such as Fairness and Justice. But not many of them stand up for someone, while looking as calm as Lucine is. Vitaly however, stares at her. Almost like she's trying to stare her down. As if some victory were to be had when Lucine sits back down. But there's no smile. To look of satisfaction. Just this intense attention on Lucine. Listening to her. Giving her the respect of her attention, even though she is so young.

And she simply says...

"I agree."

Before putting her cigarette to her lips, and taking a long puff of it, closing her eyes for a moment. Drinking in the nicotine. Her hand then slowly descends as Roux Louka's voice cries through with words that almost feel like accusation. As if she pointed at Vitaly and declared; J'accuse!

Vitaly stares Roux in the eyes. A quick glance down at that balled up first. Her posture showing no sign that she would stop Roux Louka were she to swing. In her life, she has seen this many times. People who blame her for what happened to that colony. People have blamed her for many deaths.

People fear change. She will not say whether or not she thinks that change is bad.

But Roux departs. Leaving those stinging words to hang in the air. Eight speaks up as well. And the woman closes her eyes. Tapping the cigarette on the table, and letting some of the ash fall upon its surface. Turning her attention towards her, and opening those cold eyes once more. Making sure that the Commander understands that she too is listened to. That Vitaly isn't someone who sticks her fingers in her ears and refuses to hear people out when they disagree.

"Perhaps, I mispeak. Wanting others not to suffer is good. As I say, minimizing suffering, is not bad thing. But, if pilot is not ready to inflict pain. If pilot think - can coast through life, not inflict pain... pilot is confused." The pilot, bringing her back to Banagher.

As she smiles at him. "But it seem, I misunderstand pilot, no? This pilot understand, he may have to inflict pain." She taps her cigarette on the table once again. "Like Amuro Ray, who kill many people piloting Gundam. Lead way to victory for Federation. Perhaps Unicorn Pilot will be better. Kill less, and change world again. But... he has person to protect." She points out.

"Never underestimate what Man will do, for a person he wish to Protect."

She sits back a bit as her attention drifts to Arriety now. And she once again shows just a small bit of a small. "Ah, remind me of daughter." She then declares. "Very kind, but younger. She think, it would be nice if people all get together. If people make peace. That change will bring peace. Maybe, daughter is right. Maybe, Civilian is right. But..."

The woman silences the cigarette after another long draw, crushing it to the table.

"I see many change in life. I live long days. Change, bring conflict. And now, alien again threaten world." She takes a swig of her coffee, before looking firmly between Banagher and Arriety. "I hope, your change. Daughter change... come in time. Perhaps, with less death." She puts the empty cup down.

"Until then. I train soldier. I train people like you two. Gundam Pilot and Civilian. I try make sure, you live to see your precious change, da? Because if you die, while holding power of change. Then change don't come, no?"

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ranka hits the ground, the now empty barrel rolling ahead of her as both Liam and Trevor get doused. Between her Meltrandi blood and the low gravity she doesn't even so much get a bump or a bruise. Only her pride is hurt. "Sorry!" She squeaks, "I'm so sorry!" It's not her finest hour, it's also not the only time she's spilled drinks. However, it might in fact be the time when the stakes were the highest.

Picking herself up, she looks embarrassed as she tries to grab some napkins and tries to mop him up. Looking worriedly between Liam and him. "Should we get him to the infirmary?"

It's difficult for her to engage with the conversation between Vitaly and Banagher in this conversation of ideology - after the one she recently had with Lucine. If she had it her way Ozma and Alto would never climb into their variable fighters again, even to assuage suffering. Even though she knows it's necessary sometimes. Just... why them? Why the people she loves.

Even if one of them had the same principles as this nice young man, she still wouldn't want them to do it. And she knows how selfish that is of her.

However as Arriety starts to speak, the side of Ranka's expressive hair closest to Arriety just lifts up, perhaps making it obvious she's listening. Even as she mops up Trevor.

And her face just falls. Hearing of the darkness and the violence and the pain that it brought to her, brought to them all. The swipes of her napkins grow slower, more introspective. However, there's a glimmer of something as there's a shift in her speech. "..." And Ranka is just quiet. Because she recently left her shell...

... the people in her life coaxed her out and she's been on that path to her dreams ever since. Arriety was placed in circumstances she hated, given no choice, but in the path found people who mattered to her. How could she tell her that she doesn't want her to keep fighting? She just can't. She knows it. The belief that one day she wouldn't have to worry about someone in her life not coming home that's never going to come to pass. It's always going to be like this for her.

From seemingly out of nowhere. Arriety finds two arms around her in a brief but fierce hug. "A duet before you go." She promises. Without saying at all what spurred that on. Before she then adds more quietly, "May have to take him to the infirmary first."

[OOC] Ranka Lee says, "*blu-ray home.  That's never coming to pass; it's always going to be like this for her."

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

        'if you start succeeding at changing things--'

Ryoto tenses as Roux shouts her way into the exchange, glancing her way with a pursing of his lips - but he nods soberly. The woman isn't wrong.

"...A lot of cruelty has been done by people who don't want the world to change," he murmurs, pulling his plate closer to himself. Before he can say more, Eight drifts into the conversation, and he lifts his gaze to her with silent gratitude.

Banagher, to his credit, rises to the occasion. Ryoto hides a smile behind a bite of cookie, much of which he's already finished.

"It's alright to not know everything. I-I'm not always sure either," he answers the Unicorn pilot, dipping his head. "But I think it's good to want to make the world a better place and be kind...."

Brown eyes drift to Arriety, and he blushes a little, brushing back a lock of hair with delicate fingertips. "...There was a time when I didn't want to fight, either," he admits, voice softer. "All it got me was exploited by people who wanted to hurt others. And it's not just me. A lot of cruel people have gotten away with so much because good people haven't been there to fight back. S-so, um... I think it's good that there are people like everyone here, who want to make a world that's more kind. I don't think that's weak at all. I think it's strong."

When Vitaly speaks up again, Ryoto glances down to his plate, breathing out slowly and letting his shoulders sag. It's not the first time he's heard this line of argument. It lands in his consciousness with a dull thud. Silent for a long moment, he seemingly ponders the remaining crust of his sandwich and edge of his cookie.

"...I feel bad for you," he finally says, glancing sidelong at Banagher, then back at Sokolov. "I don't ever want to be a person who thinks other people's suffering is just... academic. I can't forget that there are a lot of people in every side of a fight who are as scared and anxious as I was when I got forced into a pilot's seat. People aren't just soldiers... they're people, right...? That matters."

<Pose Tracker> Yurika Misumaru has posed.

A world of contrasts is happening at the same time.

Banagher and York and Arriety alike both say such terribly beautiful things - it's bringing a tear to Yurika's eye, and she give York a merry little salute as she departs. "...Please rest well and get better soon, Captain York. I think I look up to you already! You definitely have a strong heart, and I'll be sure to match your strength!"

        ...And in the other corner, Trevor is Possibly Dying and Totally Drenched. Yurika's just stunned with the biggest '.'-face possible. It's all going terribly downhill before she can even process it. She's quickly scrambling to brace Trevor's back, propping him up while Liam and Ranka rush about to bring more proper aid. "D...Did someone sneakily poison things while I wasn't looking?! Surely we didn't have a saboteur so deep as to even know who I was making this for?!" (she did kind of announce it rather openly in the middle of a military operation so that's - a distinct possibility!)

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        'Sorry! I'm so sorry!'

        Liam survived--and kept himself stable--by caring for the younger test subjects. As Lucine noted, he remains a deeply caring person, even after enduring depersonalizing trauma. Now, he's being torn in several directions: towards Ranka, who honestly wanted to help, and towards Banagher and Arriety, who are standing up to the woman whose eyes remind him of the Crucible.

        The woman he's too cowardly to face himself.

        "Thank you, Ranka," Liam says. "I--don't know? He seems conscious, just... in an altered state?" He looks at Trevor, helplessly, before glancing at Yurika. She doesn't even know what she did. "But you're right." He glances back at the others--Lucine and Banagher, mainly--and announces: "We're taking him to Medical, just in case. Come on." If Trevor will allow, Liam takes his shoulder and leads him out of the cafeteria.

        Roux gets a gentle little smile of thanks when he thinks no one else is noticing.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Arriety gets a bright smile, and Banagher inches a little closer to her. "We can do this. I'll believe in you too, Arriety. If we don't try, it'll never be a possibility, right?"

His smile fades once again as he listens to Vitaly. "I... don't want to cause pain. But I'm sure I will. Like you said, any change is sure to hurt someone." He blinks in surprise. "You want to... train me? I guess -- that would be really nice. I've just been getting by on Unicorn's connection to me, so far. I don't want to be a burden, though." He glances to Arriety again. "I guess if we went together, it wouldn't be so bad, right?"

"Oh -- Liam!" Banagher calls, as the man leaves. "Thank you for everything! I'd like to meet again!" For a moment, it looks like Banagher is going to hug the man, but Banagher instead just smiles.

<Pose Tracker> BC-001 Minae has posed.

        Minae may be a registered pilot on board the Ra Mari, but she stops short of calling herself a combatant. This isn't some kind of moral standing - rather, it's because it's still a little difficult for Minae to really engage with the concept of risking her life and mortality in general. It's something she has to think around carefully, and she's not quite sure she's 'earned' the word. Even when she does go out on a sortie, it's not like she goes 'herself' - trusting instead in a series of funnel-like crafts that she can connect to and control, or by placing herself in the Zeta's systems. She isn't always there in the same way that Arriety is, and it's much easier to back herself up.

        Her trip back from the kitchen counter is interrupted by voices speaking up in unison, and Roux and Eight elect to use this chance to slip away. Her eyes follow them, and she makes a note to herself to check in on the pair of them later in a somewhat less busy setting. That thought gives her time to listen in to people's viewpoints, carefully taking them in. In some ways, moments like this are why she became a counsellor on board the Ra Mari. The opportunity to help ease people's worries is the larger part of it - but seeing so many diverse viewpoints helps her work out her own place in the world that much better.

        She doesn't speak up at first, recognizing how important it must be for some of them to speak up in this moment - not just to voice their own viewpoint but to realize that viewpoint being shared amongst other people present. "... from my point of view, ma'am... it's important to remember that many of these pilots didn't necessarily want to be here. Whether out of necessity or desperation, many of them are doing the best they can to work with what they have."

        "And I think it's important to encourage the difference between 'having' to hurt people and 'wanting' to hurt people," she adds, even if at this point it's more to herself than to others. She mulls over that thought a little longer, then shakes it away - watching Ranka hug onto Arriety with a softer smile.

        Then, because she is nothing if not infinitely adaptable to several completely different conversations, calling: "I'll be along once I get the stomach pump!"

<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.

Is he live or dead?

Has he thoughts within his head?

He's seen beyond the time.

Witnessed life's first and final crime...

"Ahahahaha~" Trevor laughs, because that's all he can do now to endure the pain. "Altered, yes, maybe...!" He will live, probably, and doesn't exactly resist as he's dried off and hauled to medical. At least, some part of his troubled mind thinks, he's being fussed over by some pretty cute girls, so that's... probably worth it, right........?

...

Thus ends today's bizarre culinary misadventure of Trevor Teach -- Treasure Hunter, Pirate, Unwitting Absolute Gourmet. What foods will he find next episode? What culinary terrors shall he endure to continue his path of gastronomic enlightment? Will he ever peel back the veil of reality and forge his own path to Flavor Country, the Meat Dimension and beyond...?

Well, maybe if he survives Nadesico's medical facilities...

<Pose Tracker> Arriety Hearn has posed.

        Arriety regards Vitaly's words slowly and carefully -- because there's a lot to absorb in her experience there. To not want others to suffer is good... and it isn't good to think they can coast through life either. But she's already experienced it -- a time when she had no choice but to inflict pain.

        That time, someone prevented her from killing her enemy. But it's an experience she'll never forget.

        "We may have the Vajra now, but at the same time... we made friends with the Zentradi," Arriety expresses to Vitaly. "Lt. Commander Lavhi's one of my best friends, and I don't think that could've happened without people back during the Zentradi War that were ready and open to dialogue... I understand having to be prepared for it, but I also like to remind myself of the successes that we have had too."

        She quietly nods, at Banagher and Vitaly. To see that they live to see their change...

        But she senses that shift in Ranka's expression -- a proverbial fall in it, as she quietly finds herself embraced. She doesn't miss the way she says 'go', and she understands that there's something difficult in there. "Ranka..." she pats her gently on the hand, and nods.

        She listens to Ryoto, of how he was exploited by people who wanted to hurt others. She's heartened by his words in turn.

        There's a quiet nod at Minae, as she turns and pats at her own -- counselor? Are they calling themselves that anymore? They haven't figured it out yet. "Let me help you out with Mr. Trevor, Ranka."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        As Vitaly looks at Lucine, into those gold eyes, there is a beating undercurrent there, a certain wild streak like the flash of a fox's teeth among a herd of wool and docile faces.

        It wasn't random that Lucine had stood up as she did, and certainly an aspect of her that could have only been passed on, rather than simply a feature of youthful ignorance.

        But like a wild hair, it is quickly combed over, and when Vitalty lays out just how varied and grey her stance is, Lucine smiles slightly, as if mildly impressed. ".... I spoke too soon. I apologize." She nods her head. ".... My father would likely see people like Banagher as fools.... but.... it's fools with dreams that terraform planets, and trap the wayward hearts of bounty hunters. ... I feel.... we could use more people like your daughter in this world. And definitely more Amuro Rays..." She turns her head to look towards Banagher, smiling softly. ".... Right, Mr. Links?"

<Pose Tracker> Vitaly Sokolov has posed.

Vitaly's body shifts, as she turns towards Ryoto for a moment in full. "Suffering, academic? No. But, suffering is inevitable truth in war and battle." She proposes to him. She doesn't go into the topic of whether or not people are just soldiers. "Better to accept truth, than go into battle with eye closed. Else - miss bullet."

She then turns sideways to Banagher, and nods her head. "Da. If boy is pilot of Gundam, pilot for Federation. Then, Vitaly Sokolov will train." She then grabs her well-used pack of self-rolled cigarettes, and taps it against her palm to jump one up. Tucking it away to light it with the kind of efficiency and progress that seems almost like it were a ritual.

Lighter put away, she takes a pull, then removes it from her mouth and puffs her smoke to the air while pointing at Banagher; "If boy think he can survive Sokolov training."

She lays the cigarette back to her lips and looks up when Minae speaks up as well. Speaking between little puffs. "Hmmm. Da, is important. Some pilot get conscripted, da? But desperation is not 'need'. Some necessity, when judged with clear mind, not necessary. But that is not point I make." The woman notes, while nodding her head a bit as Minae points out the difference between having to and wanting to hurt people.

Arriety's comment on Lt. Commander Lavhi is something Vitaly doesn't speak on. And perhaps her silence in fact speaks far more than her words might. It isn't a 'disapproving' look, but she looks at the girl with a plain coldness. She waits for the girl to get up and move away, before she finally adds; "Will see." Just that. We will see. She doesn't commit to the hope that somehow, the Vajra will become buddies like the Zentradi. After all, earth hasn't even figured out how to stop fighting amongst themselves.

She nods to Lucine then, as she rises up and presses down the second cigarette - only half smoked - out against the table, and rises up herself. "Thank you for permitting my stay." She declares, and turns, adjusting her gloves over her hands and stepping away. That strange metalic sound to her pace echoeing.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher smiles at Lucine, a little shyly. "Yeah. He's always been my hero. If I can do half as well as he did, I'll be proud of myself." Haro waves its winglets, seconding this opinion. "Amuro! Amuro!"

"Oh. For the Federation.." Banagher mumbles something to himself. "Ah -- thank you. I'll find some way to contact you if -- I can do that. Thank you for... saying all this. I feel like I can be a little more honest with myself now." "I should get back. The Captain's going to be worried." Banagher glances toward the cookie plate, hesitates, then grabs one more. "Thank you all for this. I hope we can meet again in a happier time." With a gentle wave, Banagher takes his leave, making his way back to the Unicorn.

<Pose Tracker> Ryoto Hikawa has posed.

Any sense of relief Ryoto had taken away from the victory over the Vajra has been soured by the exchange with Vitaly. His mind is drifting away from her and back towards Nagoya. Setting his plate to one side, he fusses with his sleeve and glances to the side, then back and Banagher, watching the way the younger pilot reacts.

"...I should go check up on the Huckebein," he finally murmurs with a quiet nod and a wan smile for Banagher. "And hey... um. Take care of yourself out there, okay...?"

When Banagher takes his leave, Ryoto isn't far behind. He'll hole up with the blue PT for the remainder of the evening, taking out his frustrations the only way he knows how: Tinkering.