2022-08-08: Pacific Communication
- Cast: Banagher Links, Leina Ashta, Suberoa Zinnerman
- Where: The Pacific Ocean (the Garencieres)
- Date: U.C. 0096 08 08
- Summary: While the Garencieres makes a rest stop to refill its coolant tanks, Banagher introduces Leina and Zinnerman. They begin to approach an understanding.
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
The Garencieres has finally made Earthside. The Rivacona Cargo freighter is, currently, resting on the surface of the Pacific, while its crew take a much-needed break after the various complicated operations and meetings they've had over the past several weeks. Passengers have been dropped off; Kwani has pinged them to let them know he's managed to get into Area 11 again; outstanding freight deliveries have been made. It is a bright, sunny day, seawater is being purified before being pumped into the ship's reactor coolant tanks, and it's the perfect time to take it easy.
Zinnerman, Gilboa, Alec and Ivan are up on the top of the freighter's hull; Alec and Gilboa are sparring, Ivan is fishing, and the Captain is, as is his duty, watching his men.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Banagher sits nearby the Captain, watching Alec and Gilboa. Maybe he should ask to spar with them, too -- but for the moment, he's comfortable. His recent conversation with Marida sits heavily on his mind. Would this be the last time he got to hang out with the crew?
"Captain," Banagher starts, keeping his gaze on the sparring men. "...have you ever been on a date, before?"
This is a stupid question. The Captain had been married -- he must've been on many dates. But Banagher has no idea how else to introduce the topic, so stupid question it is. His brown hair fluffs and blows around in the wind, surely making it appear more wild than it usually is. The cold sea breeze makes Banagher grateful for his double-layer of hoodies.
Maybe it'd be easier to just... call Leina, and introduce her? For some reason, that feels like a monumental step. But if Banagher's going to meet her guardian, isn't it only fair that she meet his own? He frowns for a moment. When did he start thinking of Zinnerman as his guardian?
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
Zinnerman looks to Banagher when he speaks up, the lines on his face gentling a little. "A long time ago, Banagher, but, yes."
He'd never dreamed he'd ever get to have this conversation after losing Marie. Certainly Marida has shown no interest in it. In a way, it is both sad and pleasing to the old salt to be asked it. "So this is about your new contact?" It has escaped nobody's notice, on a ship as close-knit as the Garencieres, that Banagher often has long-distance comm talks with somebody and comes away both rejuvenated and somehow shy - immediately clear to the older men aboard the ship that he was sweet on somebody.
He turns properly towards the young man. "Tell me about them." He wants to chide the young man about his prior intensity about Mineva, but this too is the joy of youth, is it not? To feel so strongly for so many?
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
"What!" Banagher's face turns red. He was certain he'd been the picture of subtlety -- he'd surely be embarrassed beyond words if he knew the entire crew knew his 'secret'.
"...yes." He admits, after a pause to stare off into the distance. "Her name's Leina. It's... not the same as with Audrey, but -- when we first met, I felt like our hearts connected immediately. We understood each other, and..." Banagher smiles, drawing his knees up into his chest. "She's really cool. She's smart, and caring. Leina never lets go of the things she believes in."
Working up the courage to meet Zinnerman's gaze, Banagher goes on. "She's the one who told me about Marida's sisters, and she's been working on reuniting them for a long time. Leina was a family with--" He hesitates. "--the first one, so I think she feels like they're all her sisters."
"I still -- want to see Audrey again. I think about her all the time. But the last time we met, she told me to go home." Banagher sighs. "I don't want to be the kind of man who pressures women. And Leina... she's interested in me. She's happy when I call, and she cares about what I think. I don't -- know what to do. I've never dated, or really felt like this before."
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
"That's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a first time for everything, after all. In fact, I would say, from what you've told me about your life before the Unicorn came to you, that it's good to be experiencing these first-moment jitters." The big man leans forwards a little. "So, how can I help?"
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
"Her guardian already doesn't like me. Leina told her about Laplace's Box. I was thinking of bringing a gift when I meet her, what do women like? Flowers? Are they expensive?" Banagher's questions tumble out of his mouth. "What do I wear? How do you make your hair look nice?"
When he finally stops to take a breath, Banagher pulls out his communicator. "...do you want to meet her? It might be nice, since she's involved with Marida's sisters..." The excuse is a little paper thin, but Banagher's eyes are hopeful.
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
"Banagher. The most important thing to remember - which might sound obvious, but it's easy to forget in all the rush of emotion - there is no singular answer to those questions that will work every time, except: Be honest about your feelings and what you want from the relationship, and show that you're taking a meeting like that with all the seriousness it deserves. Some dates call for a casual approach, others for a more refined presentation, but respect will always be a key element."
When Banagher asks if he'd like to meet Leina, Zinnerman smiles warmly. "Have you talked to her about that ahead of time? If she's okay with it, then it's up to you."
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Banagher eagerly takes in the advice Zinnerman offers, smiling a little shyly. "You make it sound so easy." After one more moment of hesitation, he asks: "When it's time for my date with Leina... could you help me with my hair? I don't want it to look --" Banagher gestures to his head, which helpfully blows around wildly in the breeze.
"I haven't talked to her, but -- I could go ask her! She's had some bad experiences with Neo Zeon, and I thought meeting you might help her and her guardian feel more comfortable. I'll be right back!"
Moving far enough away to get out of earshot, Banagher taps Leina's name in his communicator. When she answers, the young man appears almost breathless -- his hair and clothing tousled by the wind, his cheeks red from any number of things. "Leina! Would you like to meet the Captain? He's not busy right now, and I thought -- since I'm meeting your Guardian, and since he's Marida's -- Guardian, it might be nice for you to meet?"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina's image comes through crystal clear today, in contrast to the usual. Zinnerman (when he finally does get called back over to the communicator) will see she's a young woman in her late teens, with short curly and fluffy dark brown hair and green eyes. Her makeup is impeccable, but subdued enough to look like she appears this way naturally.
She's in relaxed, but not wholly casual clothing today, a dark floral button down blouse, a hint of what are likely beige trousers. In her hair though is a shooting star barrette, as if it adds a touch of childish informality.
"Banagher!" He'll get the sense that she's outdoors perhaps, by the ambient noise, as she looks at the screen curiously at his question, as if trying to catch a glimpse of the man around the edges. Not seeing him, she instead focuses on that red-cheeked boy. "Are you actually Earthside?" She asks, seemingly both surprised and exhilirated all at once at the implications.
However, the subject isn't about that. For once he doesn't want to keep the conversation to just the two of them, so she doesn't tease him. She just sits up straight and smiles, "Sure. I'd love to meet him." Given her past history, one might expect her to be on tenterhooks at the idea of meeting him...
... but the fact that he treats Marida as a daughter, and Banagher vouching for him... says so much more about his character in her mind, than the fact that he's Captaining a ship for the Sleeves. "Ready. You can bring him on any time."
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
Zinnerman smiles as Banagher comes back over with the communicator, leaning over a little to see Leina on the screen.
"Good afternoon, miss. I'm Captain Zinnerman. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Curiously, for someone as old as Zinnerman and the experience that can be inferred from that, there is no recognition of Leina by her face or first name. He simply takes her as she presents herself; a young woman who still has that playfulness about her, not yet crushed by life in the Universal Century. "I understand you know a sister of Marida's?" It is a useful topic to engage on right now, since it doesn't directly encompass the burgeoning relationship with Banagher just yet.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Banagher nods to Leina's question. "We just arrived, we're landed in the ocean right now." He smiles at Leina's answer, walking slowly back to the Captain's side. "You look nice today."
Leina really is amazing, Banagher thinks, meeting a member of a group that had traumatized her without a second thought. Of course, the Captain is far different from the horrible people who hurt her, but -- the thought still makes him smile with pride.
"You can trust the Captain with anything." Banagher says, blithely. "He'll understand, and he won't spread rumors."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Despite Leina trying not to tease right now given the meeting that's about to ensue, she can't help but grin as he says that, "So do you. The ocean breeze agrees with you." With a finger she points, "Makes your hair all windswept." She says with a wink, but then recomposes herself as the communicator screen moves over, and Banagher indicates she can trust him with anything.
"The pleasure is all mine, sir." Leina responds respectfully, with a genuine smile on her face. After so much terrible news in the past few days, the prospect of Banagher and Marida being so close - of meeting someone else close to Marida is good for the soul.
As he asks that question though, she nods as her expression becomes more somber, "I knew Elpeo. Before she... passed, my brother convinced her that we should be family together. I honor that to this day."
She doesn't explain that further right now, if he asks though she'll certainly say more, "And I know one of her sisters that my brother saved during the war. Her name is Callisto. She wants to meet Marida desperately."
The somberness melts away, into that smile again, as she folds her hands over her heart, "Thank you for being there for her, for saving her. I know I haven't met her yet, but that you are means more to me and her sisters than I can express."
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
'Anything' is a heavy weight to ask Zinnerman to be trusted with carrying, Banagher! But it's probably fine. He nods after listening to Leina explain her relationship to the original Elpeo and the Puru now calling herself Callisto, and thereby how she feels about Marida.
"It is a comfort to me to hear you say that. Marida is, unfortunately, still operating under the paradigms of her conditioning, but I hope that she can be... gently coaxed into being more than somebody who just follows my orders. I know Banagher has been a help in this matter, at least - perhaps meeting her own family again will help her too."
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Seeing Leina and Zinnerman get along gives Banagher a sense of warmth -- much like what he'd experienced with Marida the other day. He smiles to himself, the warmth he's feeling radiating from him like sunlight.
"Callisto is in the Federation." Banagher adds, glancing up to Zinnerman. "So it's going to be troublesome for her to meet with Marida and Puru Ten, who are both with Neo Zeon. If we can sneak them all together, somehow..."
Banagher nods to the Captain, looking back to Leina's image. "Marida was really grateful when she met Puru Ten. Puru Ten didn't react well, at first, but -- they were both so happy to meet each other again. I think it's worth the risk."
Banagher puts his free hand into his hoodie pocket. "There's the matter of that awful Doctor who hangs around with Puru Ten. And, well -- Leina's Guardian is really worried about her getting mixed up with the chase for the Box. I don't want that to happen, but -- will your Guardian allow you to meet Marida and Puru Ten, if we can get everyone together, Leina?"
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
There's the faintest wince on Leina's expression as Zinnerman mentions her conditioning. That always brings to mind her memories of Elpeo screaming in that room - in those machines, while she eavesdropped at the door. However, her expression relaxes and after a moment she fields a nod.
While she'd hoped she wasn't operating under conditioning any longer, it makes sense. Some bonds are just... difficult to wholly escape.
"If anyone knows how to help her break free from Glemy's programming, it's Callisto. Though I don't know how long it took her. She was on the run for so long after the war. I was only recently able to reconnect with her."
It always makes her sad to think of how many years they might have had together, if she'd stayed, yet she doesn't blame her for running either. And... she's found a place of her own, an identity of her own, she can think of no better outcome for her than that.
Leina gives Banagher this sideeye as he instantly moves to saying Callisto is in the Federation, but it's not like she's hiding it either. It's just not where she'd jump to first. With this smile, she nods as if in confirmation, "Full disclosure, she's a part of Londo Bell - but she's willing to desert just for the chance to meet Marida."
Banagher brings up Puru Ten though, and the two of them might notice her expression darkening, then becoming more sad, subdued. She doesn't say anything about Ten or the Doctor, at least right now.
Fortunately the subject turns to Leina's Guardian, and she actually quirks a smile again, "Well, she's not thrilled. I spent almost a year as Glemy's prisoner... she understandably wants it to be heavily supervised."
As she slowly turns her attention back on Zinnerman, "It's not that I don't trust you and your people mean well Captain. It's just, you have superiors. And those superiors might understand how they could use me for leverage, like Glemy once did. As much as I want to meet Marida right this second, I can't let that happen."
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
"I understand totally. While the Garencieres has some... latitude, since our primary objective is the Box as it stands, it is... a task that requires some care and delicate handling." He wants to say that he doubts that Commander Frontal would stoop to taking prisoners over this... But he knows so little about the man the Sleeves call the second coming of the Red Comet, save that he has a streak of ruthlessness to him that should be treated with caution.
"I would similarly not agree to the meeting without supervision," he says firmly. "As much as it becomes easier for things to go wrong when more people are involved in an operation," and it is an operation, even if it's Operation: Reunite Lost Sisters, "it also becomes safer if things do go wrong. I appreciate your willingness to reach out, however."
The mention of being held captive by Glemy Toto catches in Zinnerman's mind for a moment, giving him an inkling of something he'll have to follow up on later.
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
"I'm surprised any of the sisters would want to be in the military, after what they went through." Banagher says, quietly. "If I were them, I'd want to get far away from it, I think."
Listening to Leina's Guardian's concerns, Banagher nods slowly. Leina is given a concerned look as her expression falls when he mentions Puru Ten, but -- they're discussing important things, he'll ask about that later.
"We need somewhere safe and neutral, where both sides can watch over their charges." Banagher looks up at the Captain. "The ship wouldn't work for that. I don't know anywhere on Earth, this is only my second time. I want everyone to feel safe."
"How many people do you think would be needed for this to work?" Banagher asks Zinnerman. "Maybe you could be here to look out for Marida, and Leina's Guardian to look out for her? Or I could bring Unicorn, and keep the peace, but -- I know Gundams make people nervous..."
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
"I can't speak for Callisto, but I think Marida feels she is only 'useful' to me flying her mobile suit. It's... not a feeling I'm unfamiliar with, myself." As usual when speaking about his surrogate daughter's wishes and feelings, Zinnerman's expression is one of deep concern.
"I agree a neutral space would be the best for this. Perhaps a non-Federation territory such as Orb? That might be somewhat out of the way, though. Unicorn would have to be in reserve - no need to bring mobile suits to a meeting like this, they raise the stakes far too much for something this benevolent." That said, reuniting a family across enemy lines is inherently a fraught prospect. "A mobile suit - especially one like Unicorn - is a hammer, and this situation requires delicacy. I think myself and one other person from the Garencieres would be sufficient surveillance."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Oh Banagher. While Leina doesn't know what deal Callisto cut with Bright Noa...
... she understands it's not as easy as staying away from this life.
"She might have felt it was the safest place for her. And given the friends she's surrounded herself with... it is."
As Zinnerman though speaks more on the situation, Leina gives a quick nod at his understanding. Leina certainly doesn't want to stake her future on the idea that Full Frontal won't stoop to taking civilian hostages. However, she doesn't say that. Nor does she address the primary objective of the ship being the box yet.
"I'd expect no less, given who she is to you. I can give you all the reassurances in the world of my intentions, but I'm still someone you've only just met." Before Leina adds gently, "And she's like a daughter to you."
On that point of family, she understands completely.
"I appreciate your willingness to entertain us meeting at all."
Hearing though that Marida only feels useful in a mobile suit, Leina just looks sorrowful, "It makes far too much sense. Given how Glemy treated them. He treated me kindly, more kindly than one might expect a Prisoner of War, even if I hated every moment in his custody but... he didn't regard Elpeo as a person. She was only a weapon to him."
Banagher brings up facets of the meeting, and Leina looks sideways, because she doesn't actually know how much security Sayla is going to require in the end. "I'll have to discuss location with my Guardian. I'm sure we can come up with something that'll satisfy everyone though. As for who, I know she wants to be there, as well as someone else of her choosing. Callisto will want one of her friends there. That should be enough at least to start planning who you'd want to be there."
She does grin at Banagher, "I'm not sure she'd want to hinge our whole plan on you and the Unicorn though. She doesn't even know you yet." An upward glance, as she mulls over Zinnerman's offer, "Orb might work, and I agree on trying to keep Mobile Suits out of the picture if at all possible."
It's then though that she turns to give Zinnerman a sharp look, her expression suddenly far too serious, "Captain. If your primary objective is the box. Are you really going to be okay with Banagher parting ways with your crew?" She asks bluntly, "I know you don't want to hear this from an outsider, but you can't let Full Frontal get his hands on that box."
She sounds, tense, worried, but also determined in her own convictions. "Not unless you want stories like Marida's to repeat themselves, over and over again."
She does hold up a palm as if asking him to give her a few more seconds, "Before you ask though, I'd also advise Banagher that he can't let the Federation get their hands on the box... for the exact same reason."
It's not the wisest thing to say perhaps, to a man you want to agree to meet his daughter. However, Leina is who she is. And the specter of Neo-Zeon looms just as large as the horrifying status quo of the Federation... the hollow laughter, the empty applause.
<Pose Tracker> Suberoa Zinnerman has posed.
"When we met with Cardeas Vist on Industrial Seven, he warned us that if we were pursuing a 'limited ideology' like the revival of Zeon, that the box would never open for us. I have been thinking about those words a lot. I also promised Banagher that if he ever felt that he should go his own way that we would not stand in his path. I cannot say I know for sure what the correct path is, but I think I agree with you on both fronts, miss Ashta."
In his last moments, Vist trusted the Unicorn not to the Sleeves, but to his son. It is another thing Zinnerman thinks on regularly.
"That said... I suspect Commander Frontal has his own plans in place that he hasn't discussed with me... Not to mention the factions in the Federation intent on reclaiming the box... or disappearing it forever."
<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.
Banagher lowers his face for a moment, hiding his distress at the thought of Marida and her sisters only feeling useful if they fight. "That's terrible.." He murmurs, "I wish there was a way to change that."
"Alright. We can leave Unicorn out of this. I know you'll keep it safe." Banagher says, nodding to Zinnerman. "Two people each, including Callisto. That's a pretty big group, but -- I don't think we could do any less."
Tensing up as Leina mentions Banagher leaving the Garencieres, he looks warily up at the Captain. He had been waiting to tell the Captain, despite his earlier reassurances -- surely he's seen how powerful the Unicorn is, and thought the better of it. He braces himself for a reaction similar to Marida's, but... The Captain accepts this.
Banagher blinks widely, then smiles. "Thank you, Captain. I -- won't let you down. Or you, Leina. I don't know who the Box belongs with, but it won't be a big organization. I'm sure of that much."
<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.
Leina visibly eases up, despite making so many assumptions from before. Because she believes him. It's not just that he's the man that adopted Marida, or that Banagher trusts him, but also just... she has a good sense for people from being a Newtype. And she does not sense malice in his intentions.
"I'm relieved to hear you say that." She says quietly, before she lets out an audible sigh on Full Frontal, and the Federation having their own intentions and plans towards reclaiming or using the box or causing it to vanish forever, "And yeah, that... that sounds likely." For a moment, the girl just looks tired. While she usually exudes a sense of optimism, despite her past history. In moments like these she seems almost world weary.
Eventually however, she reclaims that smile, and tells Banagher simply, "I know you won't."