2022-10-10: Make This Count

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<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Side 6 - Space Port.

Leina and Sayla may have both been discharged, but there are preparations to be made to get back. Things need to be done to see the ZZ Gundam and the Unicorn to their proper destination, arrangements need to be made to make certain Leina's extra secure in her seat for atmospheric entry.

... and a lot more things on the sly...

While much of this had already been started before today, there's still more to be done before they can depart.

So for now?

Leina and Banagher are sitting in a small spaceport cafe that's been mostly emptied out. And...

chompchewchewchew

... Leina is happily chewing a BORGR.

"Oh God, I've been craving-" Chomp, "-disawweek."

It's a pretty normal scene for anyone who knows the pair. Leina's in a T-Shirt with a Happy Haro on it, jeans, and some worn out sneakers. Save one thing perhaps. Leina's sitting in an old wheelchair. It's mostly pink, accented with white. It has stickers from a Magical Girl anime called 'Wonderful Persimmon' on the back.

The wheelchair looks a touch childish for the nineteen year old, which may be telling for when she first had it...

... there are other signs too, she's sitting up in it too straight in her posture against the chairback, and isn't leaning forward /at all/ to eat. There are napkins tucked into her collar and unfolded on her lap.

"Roux just waving one in front of my face and telling me she doesn't know if I'm allowed to have one?" NOMF, "Suhmuhworssss-" Swallow, "-than any back pain." 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Much like the girl sitting across from him, Banagher is eating a burger like he's half-starved. "Mmh -- yeah!" He grins at Leina. "You weren't kidding about hospital food being bad. This is the best burger I've ever had."

With his regular clothing still on board the Garencieres, Banagher has managed to find himself some spare clothes to travel in. The Unicorn's white-and-red normal suit is folded in a bag next to him, mostly hidden by a small blanket. The young man is wearing slightly ill-fitting jeans, a shirt with the logo of the hospital, and a green hoodie. Even though it's not the same as his Anaheim Electrical hoodie, the weight of it is comforting.

"You want some of these?" Banagher asks, scooting a large container of fries into Leina's reach. "'s kinda salty for me."

Anyone particularly sensitive to psychic connections will feel Banagher long before they see him. He shines like a star, brilliant and uncontained -- he has no idea how to disguise his presence. He's giving off an aura of contented relief, but just beneath the surface... It's clear he's not doing well. Grief and regret threaten to overwhelm him if he lets his mind wander. Dark circles haunt the underneath of his deep gold eyes -- when was the last time he got a good night's sleep?

Despite everything, Banagher's focus stays on Leina. She's his priority now, for as long as he can stay by her side. Deep down, he knows that they'll be parted soon enough -- he has to make this time count. 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena Lancaster came looking for Leina and Banagher earlier...

...and despite Shelby's kind efforts (and a new friendship(!?) forged), she was sidetracked when the band of Neo-Russians operating the ship had walked by her and tipped over the entirety of the breakfast buffet. That morning, Rena did the following:

1) Spent 2 hours helping them clean it up
2) Spent another hour helping serve it to other crew members
3) Realized she had to get back
4) Left in a hurry and showed up very late to the Ra Mari

So today, at a Side 6 spaceport, Rena is arriving with some friends. She promised to introduced Banagher to the Ra Mari's crew. Better late than never! And she has to check up on Leina Ashta, too. She leads the way, hurrying along until they come to the spaceport cafe.

She spots Leina and Banagher at the table. She grins, brighter than before; at the moment, she is in civilian clothes, with a T-shirt, jeans, and a light jacket on. She waves a hand as she gets close. She knew they were there, of course -- she felt Banagher's mind, and that's a worry.

"Leina!" she says. "Banagher! I heard you were out!" 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight York is starting to get awfully comfortable compartmentalizing the Federation's desires from the moral needs of her situation. It's something she reflects on as she flies a ship over to Side 6--not the Ra Mari, obviously, but a civilian craft acquired for the purpose.

The simple truth is that she has more reasons to investigate this than not, and fewer reasons to try to make an issue of it. So she's not in uniform, either, in a casual red dress with a black jacket and boots. Her height already makes her stand out--she doesn't need the uniform to make her stand out in a bad way. Instead...

Well, important fact: she's not carrying a firearm. Not that she needs one to make trouble, but there's just no reason to push it that way. She is armed, instead... with flowers!

She senses Banagher early, but Banagher might in turn sense /her/--a calm, even presence, red like a sunset, in constant motion like the sea.

A beat as she looks to Rena, who points Banagher out. She smiles, at Leina, and who she assumes is Banagher, and hangs onto the flowers for now. "These are for you... but I wouldn't set down the burger for them either," Eight says with a laugh.

Then more seriously, "I'm here unofficially. Obviously. The name's Eight. Eight York." 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

Kamille is a psychic beacon himself, and he 'sees' Banagher long before he actually comes in view of the young man. He's more in control, more aware, but still broad and expansive as the stars themselves. And a lot of those stars blaze with passion and fury, while some are dimmed from old scars.

But it's rare he comes across a Newtype on the level of Banagher. He has to avoid staring in order not to appear rude or intimidating.

Instead he follows Eight and smiles as he approaches his patient, Leina. "Hospital food is the worst, isn't it? How are you feeling? And you're Banagher, right?"

He extends a handshake. 

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

There's someone Rena wants everyone to meet! Anita is good for that, of course, so she's among the group arriving with Rena to the spaceport. Like the others she's dressed casually, in a dark sea green hoodie with blue trim with matching pants, accompanied by a pair of gloves and boots. It's her usual outfit for when she's going places where there's people around who she's not sure how they're going to react to her cybernetics.

If Rena's introducing them, they're probably fine... but, she prefers to err on the side of caution until she can get their measure for herself.

She walks in alongside Rena, Eight, and Kamille, her hands in her pockets in her usual casual stance. Once Rena greets Leina and Banagher, though, Anita removes a hand to offer them a lazy wave of greeting of her own.

"Hey there. Anita Rosetta." She greets, and decides to explain, "We're Rena's friends." 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina immediately takes his fries, again she reaches without bending forward, using her fingers to scoot the box even closer. "I'll take 'em, I think they had me on some super low sodium diet - awful. Gotta make up for lost time." She ordinarily eats in a more balanced way, and works out regularly, it's just right now after hospital discharge...

... greasy burgers and salty fries taste like heaven.

There's this small tilt of her head a good half a minute before Rena calls out- because she's feeling multiple familiar and /strong/ presences all at once - "Huh, hey Banagher. Think we've got company." And she immediately reassures him, "Friendly company. Several people I've wanted you to meet in fact." -and her wheelchair starts to turn, without any visible use of controls or movement by her at all when Rena calls out, "Renal-" Pause as she suddenly remembers, "Rena! I thought I felt you down there /days/ ago! Why didn't you come up?"

Interesting fact Eight, Leina /is/ carrying a firearm, in the bag she keeps beside her in her seat. Portside authorities turned a blind eye, but there's no intent towards using it all, or even a strong sense of wariness. "See you brought your Captain." And at her words, there's a silly grin, as she sets her BORGR down on some table napkins. "Pfft, of course I'll put it down for a good cause."

There's a small hint of jest in that solemnity of 'a good cause', as she offers to take them, And- "Hey Doc. /Absolutely/. Can't see how they expect people to heal eating it? I get some people need specialty diets but - they can at least not cheap out and make it taste good." She addresses him like that right now, since they're in front of other people, but to her credit - she's honest about it, "Transferring sucks. The pain isn't too bad so long as I don't move my back too much. And yep - he's the one."

Watching Kamille extend a hand towards Banagher... well, her eyes are on that for a moment, but there's another greeting from someone she doesn't know and she focuses on that instead, "Oh hey there! Nice to meet you Anita. Are you serving on the Ra Mari with her too?"

Her wheelchair moves again, shifting to get a better angle to see all of them. To those familiar with such systems, they'd perhaps recognize it's a very, very old model Psycommu Wheelchair - old enough that it was probably only barely available, "You caught us at a good time. We're just prepping to leave." There's something subdued in her smile, "Might be a bit of a roundabout trip, given how many people want to find us right now." 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"You eat as much as you want." Banagher says, with a grin. "Tastes great to me, too. Mmh -- company?" Banagher stuffs another few bites of hamburger into his mouth. These things were only good while they're warm, he'd better finish as much as he can before it's time to talk with Leina's friends.

Mid-bite, Banagher raises his head when Rena calls out to them. "Oh--!" Chewing frantically, he swallows just in time for her to make it to their table. "Rena! It's been so long. It's good to see you -- how are you doing?" Scooting over, the young man opens a seat for Rena, should she want it. Banagher's bag is scooted to his other side, near Leina's wheelchair.

Eight gets a tilt of his head, and then -- "I think we've met, just the once. Captain York, right?" This is confirmed for him, and he smiles. Bringing flowers for Leina certainly win Eight some extra points with Banagher. Her calming presence helps the young man settle in a bit more. Normally, he'd be far more on edge to see so many strangers approaching, but -- it feels like he can trust Eight.

Just as Kamille senses Banagher, the reverse is also true. Banagher glances around, locking eyes with the other former-Gundam pilot from a distance. He stares, at first, uncertain -- but Kamille smiles and offers a hand. Feeling his starry aura, Banagher nods to himself. This man feels like a good person. Extending a hand as well, Banagher smiles. "Yeah. Banagher Links -- it's nice to meet you."

Sparks of psychic energy invisibly burst as the two men shake hands. Banagher's eyes widen -- who is this person? Leina called him 'Doc', is he the doctor she wanted Banagher to meet?

Still reeling a bit from his interaction with Kamille, Banagher looks at Anita with a bit of a dazed expression. That quickly warms to a friendly nod. "Nice to meet you, too, Ms. Rosetta. Thank you for coming to visit." Banagher can't help but approve of Anita's outfit -- it's so similar to his own tastes. Part of him wants to ask where she got her hoodie, but that might be weird for a first meeting... It sure looks nice, though.

Banagher wilts a bit as Leina mentions how many people are hunting them. "Yeah..." His hands find his hoodie pockets. He wants to blame himself for this, but Leina wouldn't like that. He's learning. "But we'll get you home safe, no matter what. You and everyone." He doesn't mention himself in this category -- and there's a definite sting of anxiety that comes with Banagher's thoughts on leaving this place.

It's quite the assortment of visitors. Banagher feels just a touch overwhelmed, but Leina looks happy, and that's enough to bring him peace. If she trusts everyone here, then he will, too. Maybe they need a bigger table, though... 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

Rena looks at Leina and... flushes red in the face. This isn't new to anyone who knows her remotely well. "W-Well, I kind of came to do exactly that, but then the crew needed my help when there was a breakfast emergency and then the Neo-Russians wanted me to help serve the food--well okay, they didn't ask but I could see they needed the help, and I volunteered and..."

She pokes her fingertips together, then bows her head down to Leina. "I-I'm so sorry!"

Then she looks up, straightening out. She looks at Banagher and smiles. "Banagher! I know, time got away from me... I'm holding up okay. Are you...?" She knows the answer; she can feel it. "If you want to get out, let me know, okay?"

She notices where his bag is -- and then she looks at them both, with a quick smile at Kamille, before her eyes are back on them. "We can come with, if you want. These are my friends -- Annie's in my squadron and she works on Haros! And Dr. Bidan is the ship's doctor, he really knows his stuff. And Octo--" That's Eight. "--she's something else. Spaceship captain /and/ the best hockey player in Londo Bell."

There is a lot of psychic energy here. Rena's, for her part, is a little anxious. She was worried about everyone; she was worried about this meeting going badly, to boot. 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Banagher's presence is... sure bright.

Eight can agree about hospital food, of course. But for now she laughs a little more. "A good cause, huh?" Then she grins at rena. She jus. Grins, hearing that story again. "That's our Rena..."

"Right. If you need a puck slapped or a forward pushed, I'm your woman."

"...Yeah, I think it's pretty important it's roundabout," Eight admits. "A lot of people /are/ looking for you, and I don't think it's a good idea if most of them find you."

She hands Leina the flowers after a moment though--it's a 'get well' kind of bouquet. They're supposedly real flowers!

Eight will do a round of handshakes too once her hands are free.

"Don't worry," Eight says, and is she saying it to Banagher, or to Rena? "It'll be fine." She smiles at Anita, too. Anita's calming presence is going to be good for everyone. 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

"It has to be digestible," Kamille tells Leina by way of half-apology on behalf of the medical industry. And then...

He's used to getting jolts when he shakes hands or even makes eye contact, but Banagher's energy is something else. He thought about holding off, but he didn't want to intimidate the boy. Still, when Kamille introduces himself-"Dr. Kamille Bidan, pleasure to meet you!"-Banagher will somehow already know his name before he says it.

"She told me a lot about you," he adds, quietly and carefully. He's not sure what else he can say here. Thank goodness Anita is so calm and Eight so assertive. "It's a little hard to notice individuals in a group, isn't it?" 

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Rena recounts the story of why, exactly, she didn't meet with Leina right away... And Anita chuckles good-naturedly. It's good to know that even in a situation like this, Rena is still Rena.

"It sure is." Anita agrees fondly with Eight, then looks toward Leina and Banagher as they both greet her back.

"Yeah, nice meeting the both of you, too." She agrees with a nod... though, she pauses a little, and laughs a bit sheepishly when Banagher calls her 'Ms. Rosetta'. She reaches up, massaging the back of her neck. "It's alright, just 'Anita's fine."

Rena says that yes, she serves on the Ra Mari with her... and, of course, that she works on Haros. Anita nods.

"Yup, that's right - on both accounts." She confirms with a grin.

Anita isn't a Newtype like the others... but, she knows Rena well enough to get a feel for how she's feeling. She returns Eight's smile with one of her own, and then nods.

"Yeah, absolutely." She agrees, with her reassurance that everything will be fine. She nods, too, to Kamille's comment.

"Yeah, I hope we aren't crowding you too much..." She says. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina takes Banagher up on eating as much as she wants, every so often grabbing a fry mid-conversation. Ordinarily she wouldn't be like this but this whole week has been a /trial/ for someone who is used to cooking her own meals because she enjoys food that much. Call it an Ashta family trait.

Leina can sense the aftershocks of a 'Newtype' moment between the pair. And there's just a hint of a coy smile to Banagher as if to say 'Yes, he's the one.' Leina doesn't say too much else right now, after all - much of what she shared with Kamille is private, and the conversation Banagher and him have should be too. "Doctor Bidan and me go way back." Leina explains to everyone who doesn't know, though - never quite the context, as she feels that's private for Kamille too, he's had his own trials - before she looks his way, "Bet I don't need to tell you, but Judau's around. If you and Banagher wanted to go look for him?"

It's perhaps her own nudge if the two want to have that private conversation right now. However, she doesn't force it either.

Rena though, Leina arches an eyebrow at her, giving her this 'look' for a bit. As she explains, and that look doesn't change from Leina's green eyes as the explanation comes and she bows and- "Pffttttt." Leina cracks up with a small giggle after a moment, and her wheelchair rolls up to her, "That sure sounds like you. Mind bending down?" As she opens up her arms to give her a hug. Not too tight and well, she doesn't let herself bend too far but - gives her a hug while telling her quietly, "Good to see you."

She takes the flowers from Eight, then - "That's right. Rena /did/ mention that was your sport." Pause before she makes another light jest, "Kinda makes me wonder how aggressive your Command style is." For now, she takes a sniff, before putting it on the table for now, "Thank you very much. I'll see that they survive the trip Earthside."

Her eyes light up at Rena mentioning that Anita works on Haros, "Haros? You're a Haro lover? Gosh. Jealous, I've never been so mechanically minded to work on mine much. I'd be terrified of breaking poor Giovanni."

Before she explains to Banagher and Rena, "I'm not really that worried myself? I think anyone that tried to intercept us will uh, find they've bitten off way more than they can chew."

Not many people know Judau Ashta and the Double Zeta Gundam and what he did - and that kind of works to their favor when it comes to underestimating them.

"As for whether you can come. It's not really up to me. I can vouch for you." She smiles apologetically, "But there's Opsec to this that I don't have anything to do with."

Translation: Sayla would freak out if I invited a whole Londo Bell crew as an escort for a Shuffle Alliance operation.

She gives Anita a small wave, "Crowding us? Absolutely not. I've spent the whole week cooped up in a hospital bed while everyone fussed over me. Honestly?" She smiles sunnily, "I appreciate the company." 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

"A breakfast... emergency..?" The young man stares at Rena, trying to visualize what this would look like. Some kind of explosion of pancake batter? Syrup down the main hallways of the ship? "I hope no one was hurt." Rena's apologizes bring a little laugh from Banagher. "You're always so kind. I'm glad you were able to make it eventually."

Rena's thoughtfulness isn't surpring, but truly appreciated all the same. When she asks if he's holding up okay, Banagher looks a little concerned. If he starts talking about his emotions now, he won't be able to stop -- and he doesn't want to upset Leina. He settles on answering with, "I'm doing my best. Thank you."

Banagher smiles, then, pulling a little plushie from the bag. It's a RX-78-2 Gundam, in plushie form! It looks to have been altered a little -- it's sporting a zipper in the back that certainly wasn't there before. "Remember this guy? I gave him to my friend, Ouka, and she used him to hide a secret message. Isn't that cool?" He 'walks' the plushie across the table, careful not to get it in any food debris. "I thought she'd just toss him when she got home, but he really ended up mattering. Thanks for helping me shop, way back then."

Banagher accepts a handshake from Eight! Unless Rena wants to see the Gundam plushie, he'll put it back in his bag. "I'm thankful Sayla's the one who will be guiding us. She'll keep Leina safe, no matter what." That's certainly been proved true, after the events at Torrington. "And I'll find somewhere to lay low for a while. Unicorn has become too visible, after --" Banagher's eyes flick to the ground. "...it's best if I make sure we're not endangering anyone."

Kamille's touch startles Banagher. He certainly is /not/ used to getting a jolt of energy. When the handshake ends, Banagher brings his own hand back and looks at it a bit, as though some of Kamille's energy would be visible. "Oh --!" Somehow, Kamille feels almost familiar, suddenly. "Leina mentioned you to me, too. She said I should try and meet with you. Sorry to keep you waiting." Banagher gives the doctor a rueful smile. "Y--yeah. I got used to being around so many people at school, but it's been a while. There's so much energy, and feelings..." Again, the young man's voice is soft. "I don't know how to put up walls like Sayla or Leina."

"Anita, then. Really, you work on Haros? I'd love to see your work! Leina and I both have Haros of our own. I've been thinking about altering my own for a while now, but I'm worried of messing it up." Banagher is excited by this topic! "He's a replica of A--muro..." What used to be something he bragged about turns to ash in his mouth, and the young man looks a little lost. "...he's important to me, and I don't want to hurt him." Holding up his communicator, Banagher displays a sticker attached to it. A bright green Haro is mid-wave of its little winglets. "He's like this."

Banagher meets Leina's gaze, a moment of unspoken understanding passing between the two. With one more critical glance at the other people surrounding her, he nods. They wouldn't push her too much, and Leina can absolutely advocate for herself if she needed to. The thought of actually finding Judau is... clearly worrying, but the appeal of getting to talk to Kamille privately is worth the risk. "Yeah, if you'd like to go find him, Dr. Bidan, I'd be happy to come with you."

Should Kamille agree, Banagher will politely ask Rena to let him scoot by, then give the group at large a little wave. "We'll come back soon. Thank you again for visiting." His normal-suit, blanket, and Gundam plushie are left in the bag next to Leina's wheelchair. She'll watch over them. 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"W-Well, their cart with all their eggs and pancakes and waffles and bacon spilled, and then they needed to make more and serve it," Rena says to Banagher, with a stammer. "And even though I was there to see you two, I couldn't--you know--couldn't just... not..."

She stammers a little more, before her shoulders slump. "I should work on not taking on too much, huh?"

This has been something Rena has said since she was twelve. But she looks up, eyes brightening at the plushie. "Aah, you kept it! I'm so glad. I'm glad it came in useful, too. I'm a big fan," she admits. "I've got mine in my room, in fact."

Rena looks at Eight and smiles. It doesn't make her worries vanish, but it helps -- and the same could be said of Anita's calming presence in general.

"Your brother, right?" Rena asks of Leina. She knows she has a brother; she saw the ZZ Gundam at Torrington, besides. She can piece together enough to have a sense for it. Then, she bends down -- it's careful, given everything -- and returns the hug.

"I'm glad you're okay," Rena says. Then, she tilts her head -- and she nods. "I understand. We could make stuff complicated. Kinda... like Eight was talking about, huh?"

She steps aside, if needed, though there is a blink. She looks at Kamille. "Do you know Leina's brother?" She hesitates. "Leina and I are... old friends from when we spent some time on the came colony." Of course, there's the pause -- that might tell Anita that there is more to it. And the Newtypes, of course, can feel that there is an omission there. 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"You should," Eight says to Rena of taking on too much. "...But it's something I like about you, too." As for the situation--Eight is pretty used to being assertive--not just as a personal style, but to make things easier for shyer types. It works for her! But she does glance to Leina and Banagher to confirm they aren't feeling crowded when it comes up. But Anita's got that question covered, so...

"Oh, so you know more people here?" she says to Kamille. "That's good."

Awww, hug.

Eight laughs about her command style. "Well, I haven't had to rough up any of the bridge crew in a while, so there's that?" She is probably kidding. "Rena and Annie could tell you more than you might believe out of me anyway."

"Oh, how cute!" The plushie! But Leina is... not that worried. That's good. "Well, I can't offer to escort you, but I'll be thinking of you guys anyway, for what that's worth."

Walls... Hm. "It's hard," Eight agrees sympathetically with Banagher. "It used to overwhelm me, too. But I got a lot better at it, and I bet you will, too."

Old friends... Eight doesn't comment for now. Instead she says, "Take care," to him. 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

Kamille makes a mental note: train Rena on stress reduction techniques too. Not for Newtype reasons.

"Judau? Yes! I've..." Technically Kamille has not met him-met him, but there's an odd spike in positivity, a click of understanding when his name comes up. Even non-Newtypes can tell from the way his eyes go a little wide.

"I encountered him years ago. Leina's one of my non-military patients. And a friend, of course," he adds. He can sense the omission, and doesn't prod at it. Not the time.

If Banagher wants, Kamille will follow him; soon as they have a moment of privacy, he quietly sighs and digs his hands into the pockets of his coat. "He didn't always feel like that, you know. Amuro." 

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Oh yeah?" Anita comments curiously, looking between Leina and Kamille as the former explains they go way back - a patient and a friend, Kamille clarifies. She mentions a Judau, too, who Rena clarifies is Leina's brother. ...And, Rena and Leina clearly know each other, from that hug. Anita smiles. "Glad you were all able to meet up again, then."

Her eyes are briefly drawn to the plushie that Banagher briefly displays - apparently Rena helped him shop, which ended up being useful...

"Hey, that's cute." She comments. And then, there's the matter of Haros...

"Bigtime." Anita confirms with a nod and a grin. Leina and Banagher are both in the same situation, it seems - they're interested in doing some work on their Haros, but they're worried about doing long-term harm to them in the process. Anita nods in understanding. "Yeah, I get that."

She watches Banagher as he enthuses about his own Haro... but he trails off. ...Yeah, she can understand how that'd make him feel differently about it. So, she doesn't comment on that, instead nodding when he says he's important to him, and leaning over to check out the picture.

"Ah, the classic... I bet he's a real cutie." Anita comments fondly, before drawing out her phone. She taps on the screen a few times before turning the screen around to face the others. There's a picture of a Haro sitting on a bed - likely Anita's own. It's a dark sea green in color, matching Anita's hoodie - it's probably a favorite.

"This is the first one I ever got. It, uh... really helped some tough times as a kid, so I've been fond of Haros ever since..." Anita explains. There's probably more to the story than that, but she doesn't elaborate. Instead, she stows her phone. "If we ever get the chance and you're still interested in modding, I'd be glad to show you the ropes. There are still some cool things you can do that aren't too intensive."

Leina says, though, that she's spent the whole week cooped up in a hospital bed, so she appreciates the company. Anita sympathises immediately.

"Yeah, I get that... Then, I'm glad to help." She replies with a smile, then looks toward Rena. They're old friends, from when they were on the same colony... There's definitely more to it than that, but she isn't going to pry if Rena doesn't feel like elaborating on that. "Oh, yeah? That's cool - I'm always happy to meet a friend of Rena's."

She'll offer Banagher and Kamille a wave as they depart, ostensibly to find Leina's brother. If they do anything else /besides/ that, well... that's their business, not hers. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"I'd be the biggest hypocrite in the world if I told you that, Rena." Leina tells her, of working on taking too much, and giving her a wink.

Leina smiles as Banagher walks the plushie across the table, though the secret message part earns him a worried look. He knew that he left for a bit to look for his friend but... before there's an exhalation as Banagher mentions Sayla, and there's a rueful smile Rena's way, as that's one cat out of the bag.

She hadn't exactly told Rena that part yet. Just that she had a 'Guardian'.

Leina actually laughs at Eight saying that, not believing for a moment she beats up her crew with how close they all are. However, the laugh carries to her back and there's a sharp flinch, "Ow-ow."

She exhales, "Laughing still sucks, right. Anyhow Rena? Anita? Confirm/Deny?" As she gives them an unserious grin, "Depending on your answer me and your Captain may need to have words."

She's probably kidding too. Right?

"Banagher. You're literally on the run from, basically everyone." Leina gives him an amused look, "I think Doctor Bidan gets it." And then there's a thoughtful look as he mentions walls, "I'll try to work with you on it later. It's not easy, and it took me years of mental exercises to, get there. I'm only just okay at it."

Leina's just, so open in general. Whereas Sayla has more of a mind to let herself be closed off - as her position has a need for lies and deception. Leina's capable of the same certainly, she just hates that she is.

There's a pause, and Leina gestures for Rena to bend over towards her, and then she whispers something in her ear. Then she drops her hand, nodding as if to say 'Really'.

Rena's explanation, there is an omission, and Leina just laces her fingers together, not clarifying that one in the least other than, "Yep. Rena helped me out a lot." Which is safe enough, given Rena's helpful image.

Kamille's spike of positive energy whenever her brother comes up is never not adorable. She's just grinning a bit, from ear to ear (Look Leina knows Judau is together with Roux and Fa is together with Kamille but she has a Shipper's heart). "I see him a lot in his clinic in Dublin. Anyhow, see you two in a bit!"

As Anita shows off her Haro, Leina pulls out her phone, which has both Haro and Magical Girl phone charms attached, and shows a picture of a Blue-Violet one being chased by a Blue Maine Coon cat while another Red Abyssinian Cat watches, bored from a perch. Caption: Mouser Training!?

"This is Giovanni. He's my third. My first two-" Pause, "-had to give them up to a good home."

Axis Shock was just a bad time for Sayla and...

... Leina thought the last thing she needed was something that was hard coded to talk about Amuro and Sayla wandering by her at any given moment.

"But anyhow he's a Mark II - I just don't have the heart to upgrade to a III."

Which... kinda says a lot about how hard it was for her to give her first two up. 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Ah. No explosions involved in this breakfast emergency. Banagher only grins, shaking his head softly. "I think it's great you were willing to help them out! But it's important not to do too much, yeah. Your own well-being has to come first." Glancing across the table at Leina, Banagher smiles to himself. Someone else could use that lesson, too. Maybe this is why Rena and Leina are so close?

Banagher half-rises from his seat when Leina flinches. If anything looks like it's going wrong, he'll tear off in search of Sayla -- but it's okay, for now. Thank goodness. Though this is another sign that she isn't taking the recommended pain medication.

Kamille gets a curious look. Was he once on the run, too? "Thanks, Leina." He says, once she's recovered. "Only when you're feeling better, though." One more soft, affection-gilded smile, and Banagher says. "I'll see you soon. Eat my fries."

"I still have one I bought for myself back on the Gar-- er, back on my old ship. All my clothes are there too, and Haro..." Banagher trails off, looking a little worried. "I really hope I can give this one back to its proper owner, when we find her."

Eight wins more Banagher Friendship Points by offering to escort Leina home. "Thank you, Captain York. Um, if you have any tips on how to get better at -- this stuff. I'd be grateful to hear them sometime."

Anita graciously doesn't mention Banagher's worry with his Haro, instead bringing up a picture of her own little companion. Banagher leans across the table to look at it, smiling happily. "Oh wow, that's a rare color. Did you do it yourself?" Banagher's eyes meet Anita's, when she trails off. Worry creases his brow. "I can understand that. My Haro is a source of comfort for me, too."

Fussing with his communicator for a moment, Banagher pulls up a picture, too. It seems to be a green Haro sitting in what looks like a handmade carseat. Straps secure it to a chair, and a hinged, padded bar holds the little robot in place. "I wanted to bring him along when I was flying, but he kept smacking into me, so I made him a carseat." He seems a little proud of this.

Banagher watches Kamille's reaction to Judau's name warily. Hmm... If they were good friends, would Kamille be as upset with Banagher as Judau is? Well, he doesn't seem like the violent type, being a doctor and all. Leading the way out of the cafe, Banagher is quiet, waiting for Kamille to speak first.

"You knew Amuro? Really?" This instantly has the young man's attention. His golden eyes are wide with awe and excitement -- now tinted with caution and grief. "He's always been my hero. I -- want to be just like him. I don't understand why this happened..." Banagher hunches his shoulders as they walk. "I know this isn't what he would want! There's got to be a way we can save him!"

Maybe it's insensitive to assume he knows what Amuro would want, especially to someone who actually knew him. 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Y-Yeah..." Rena says to Banagher. "I'm kind of bad at that." She smiles, after a moment, though. "I hope you can get your stuff off your old ship. If you do ever want to come visit the Ra Mari, like we talked about... let us know, okay?"

A few things changed since then.

Rena glances at Leina, eyes widening a little. Sayla Mass was looking out for them? She feels a little better knowing a White Base veteran is. (She doesn't know the full story, though.)

"I hope you like it about me, given how much I do it!" Rena says, with a sigh. She smiles over at Eight, though, and nudges her gently in the side with an elbow. She might be telling a joke here.

Then, she nods. "Octo's a good commander. Definitely no beating us up!" she says. "She's a lot more laid back than she is when she plays hockey, you know?" Her head tilts to the side for a second.

She does lean over, glancing at Anita's phone. She has seen the Haro before -- she did growing up -- but she cracks a smile all the same, nodding her head. "Annie's really good at modding," she says. "The Haros she works on are amazing. Custom paint jobs and more!"

When Leina whispers in her ear, though -- her eyes widen for a moment. She nods, after that; she understands well enough. She tenses a bit, and then she smiles, her shoulders relaxing. She looks at Eight, though, and makes a declaration: "We can definitely trust Judau Ashta."

Her name is 'Eight' for a reason, after all.

She smiles at the Haro shop talk, but doesn't chime in yet -- after all, Rena Lancaster doesn't usually build Haros. She just admires her friends'.

Then, she looks at Kamille and Banagher. Her eyes widen a little; it sounds complicated. "Ah, right... hurry back, okay?" 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"Haha, yep," Eight answers Rena. Though the matter of a visit... she looks sidelong at Rena. "Yeah... It might be tricky..."

But, Eight is always happy to see Anita's Haros. She knows more of the story, of course, but those Haros were helpful to her, too, when she was having a lot of trouble adjusting. ...As for Leina's pain medication, Eight doesn't really have room to say much there.

The Gar... an old ship. Hmmm.

"Sure," Eight says to Banagher about tips. "I've got some in mind, too." Like not trying to 'bock out' everyone exactly. But she'll save it for when it's a less... coplicated time.

Carseat...!

Similarly, though... she doesn't know Amuro either. So she doesn't comment about him as they go. Instead...

"Can we?" Eight asks Rena. "OK. If you say so, I believe it." 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

Kamille blinks at that wide stare and rubs at the bridge of his nose. Oh, being fanboyed at is /weird./ Not bad, just weird! Unless that's Amuro fanboying misdirected at him, heh.

"He, uh, he knew my mentor very well and work with us in AEUG. I knew Amuro long enough to learn he could carry a sulk like nobody else when he wanted to, that he could be selfish, and most of all that he was actually a human being regardless of what all the postwar propaganda said. But also, he..." His expression softens. "He had every reason to hate my mentor, and instead defended him in front of someone he cared for. Setting aside anything about Newtypes and heroism, Amuro was /kind/ and empathetic, and what Triple Zero does to someone must be hell on him. But Banagher..."

He looks to the youth, pausing. "I can tell you're kind, too. Leina told me that you've been...that this is all new to you. I would like to help if I can, though I've never, uh." He scratches the back of his neck. "Never really mentored anyone like that before myself? And I don't have the best models for it. But at least I can try to teach you some of the techniques I've picked up to drown out the noise."

He glances at the picture with an approving nod. "Nice Haro! Mine really needs a tune-up. I'm a failure as a Haro-owner." 

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

Anita laughs as Leina gives them a grin and asks about how Eight runs things, and nods when Rena assures that she's a good commander.

"We might be a bit biased because we're friends outside of work... but I've got a lot of respect for the way she runs things." Anita says with a nod. "If I was under anyone else, I probably would've ditched by now."

That might also be a joke. It might not be, too. WIth how casually she says it, it's hard to tell sometimes.

As for Rena helping Leina out a lot back at the colony they were both at...

"That sounds like her." She comments.

Banagher mentions his old ship, and she overlooks any slip-ups that may have happened.

"Yeah, here's hoping you get that chance." Anita replies with a nod. But then there's Haros, and Anita's color scheme is commented on. She nods, to confirm what Anita says.

"Yeah, I like to put a lot of heart into 'em..." She confirms, and smiles at his understanding. "They're amazing little guys, aren't they?"

And then, it's picture sharing time! Leina shows off a picture of her Haro being chased by a cat, while another one watches. Anita chuckles.

"Looks like they get along just fine." She comments. "Cute cats, too."

As for upgrading to a Mark III - she elects not to comment on having had to give up her first two, out of respect - Anita shakes her head.

"I don't blame you. And, hey... Mark II's are pretty great. Mine's a Mark II, too." Anita replies, as reassurance. She looks at Banagher's, then, nodding appreciatively. A carseat, huh... Anita whistles appreciatively. "...That's really clever, actually. I might have to steal your set-up, there."

As for trusting Judau Ashta... Anita isn't sure what brought Rena to that decision, but she trusts her judgment on that kind of thing as a rule. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Rena I only wish I could tell you how much I'm guilty of the same thing."

Sayla Mass would probably say that it is one of the great understatements of the Universal Century. Before she nods at confirmation from both Rena and Anita that Eight isn't beating them up and says in a light-hearted way, "Good good. I won't need to text Bright to talk about the bad example he's setting."

Leina smiles at how instantly Rena vouches for Judau to Eight after learning that, "You absolutely can. I'll introduce you to him if he swings by." As she then notes, "Callisto and Roux are both important to him, so I bet you'll get along famously."

Is she going to explain why Callisto is important to him?

NOPE!

She absolutely, will not.

"Banagher. They're mental exercises." Leina gives him an affectionate, lopsided smile, "Don't need to be on my feet to work with you on them." She waves a handful of fries at him, "See you both in a bit!"

NOMF

"Foras and Buer." She names the cute cats to Anita, "They're both my adorable furbabies. Buer recently adopted a kitten too."

Anti, she means Anti.

After Banagher is gone, she gives Anita a conspiratorial look and takes on a teasing tone, "He was actually really sad that the Unicorn didn't have a second passenger seat when I went with him to Torrington." A beat, "No way to secure Haro if I was sitting there, so he had to leave him behind." 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Visiting the Ra Mari... Banagher thinks it over. He needs to learn more about the Federation, and the way people live their lives there, just as he'd done for Neo-Zeon. "Yeah. I won't forget, Rena, thank you." Hopefully, he can take her up on that offer. Once Leina is safe, and the Unicorn isn't such a huge target. Maybe they could even help him find Audrey.

Banagher absorbs every word Kamille says about Amuro. He looks surprised to hear Amuro had human qualities, negative traits... But really, doesn't that make what he did all the more amazing? He wasn't some kind of godly perfect hero, he was a normal person, and he still saved everyone. "Who was your mentor?" The young man asks, eyes wide and curious. Someone Amuro hated, but defended? Banagher wracks his mind, flipping through all the triva he picked up of the heroes surrounding Amuro Ray. "...we have to save him from that. The fact that he would attack one of his comrades..."

Unintentionally, Banagher flashes back to that moment. Perhaps Kamille will see it as well, with how close the two men are in this moment. Both Ashta siblings standing next to him in the Unicorn's cockpit, and Banagher himself collapsed in front of his pilot's seat. Everything was quiet. He thought the nightmare was over, and then -- The Nu Gundam, moving like it has all the time in the world. Judau sees it first and shouts, tries to protect Leina. Banagher can't do anything but watch in horror. The Nu is clearly aiming for the reactor -- there's no way to avoid it, they're going to die --

Shaking his head to clear the memory, Banagher tries to ground himself back in the present. "I was just going to college when this started. I'd never flown anything bigger than a Torohachi." Banagher says, softly. "Leina's right. I don't know what I'm doing, and that's getting people hurt." He turns fully to Kamille, looking at him carefully. This wasn't a trick, right? There's no hint of that in the doctor's energy, and Leina trusts him... "Please." Banagher lowers his head. "I need the help. Anything you have to offer, I'll be grateful for."

"Well, I've never really had a mentor. So maybe we match?" Banagher says, hopefully. He's too frightened to raise his head and look Kamille in the eyes, terrified he'll see rejection there. He couldn't take that, not after everything. 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"Maybe it's why we always got along," Rena says to Leina. She laughs a little. She scratches at the back of her head, watching her for a moment more. Then, she nods her head. "I'd love to meet him. I've heard a little, but..."

It's always different meeting someone.

Rena glances at Eight, then, and considers what she says about the complications of inviting Banagher aboard. "Mm... yeah," she says. "You're right." She looks a little sad when she says it. Maybe they will have to spend time like this, with some careful plausible deniability. It's a bother, she thinks, how complicated life can be when you work for Londo Bell.

When people say that helping out sounds like her, Rena starts to flush again. She looks at Anita for a moment, and then her head tilts to the side for a second.

Then, she looks back at Leina. She laughs, after a moment's consideration.

"Leina. Are you saying Banagher was sad he had to pick between a girl and a Haro?" she says. "I--oh my God. That's /so/ cute."

It's good Banagher is out of earshot, but he and Kamille do pick up a spike of amusement and a flash of a bright pink aura as Rena tries to not start laughing (in a good-natured way). 

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight smiles at Anita and Rena both at what they say. But Anita especially... "I could see that. The last Captain was good, too, but..." But, well. They lost that Captain. And there aren't many who share their values, it seems sometimes.

Heart..! "Then I'll look forward to meeting him," Eight says. Now, she knows Anita puts heart into her Haros. But there's another kind of heart...

"Ah! Look at them!" She watches the cats and sighs. "We didn't get to have a lot of pets on the colony," she admits. "But I like them. If we had proper gravity, maybe..."

Sad!! Hilariously sad!! "Ahahaha. That's great. Super cute!" From Eight, too. 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

"We'll save Amuro," Kamille insists. "And everyone poisoned by T0. Consider it a medical oath. And then one day you'll meet him, and..."

And he trails off, as Banagher's memory hits his mind. His eyes go wide and briefly blank, the feeling of inevitability that someone will die, everyone will die, there is nothing you can do...

Banagher will briefly feel a rush of anger and panic, but Kamille manages to regain his grip on reality long enough to remember where and /who/ he is. He's the mentor. Banagher is the one hurting. So his voice softens.

"That wasn't your fault. You could have been the most skilled Newtype, an ace pilot, and still felt just as helpless. We're all frightened. We all hate the idea that we can't protect someone we love." It hits far, far too familiar for him. "Though, why were you all in the cockpit like that...? Actually, you can tell me later." He shakes his head.

And when Banagher asks who his mentor is, he draws his line into a little scowl. "You familiar with Quattro Bageena?" 

<Pose Tracker> Anita Rosetta has posed.

"Sounds like we might've saved both of them..." Anita replies with a laugh. She listens, then as Leina explains that Roux and Callisto both are important to Judau. Roux makes sense, she seems like the kind of person who gets up to a lot to Anita, but...

"Callie, too? Wow." Anita remarks, surprised. There are still a lot of things they don't know about her, aren't there...?

She flashes Rena a smile when she flushes and looks in her direction, then looks back toward Leina as she names her cats.

"Those are some great names for cats." Anita comments appreciatively, and then nods as Eight laments the lack of pets. "Yeah..."

Leina, conspiratorially, mentions how Banagher was sad that Unicorn didn't have a second passenger seat for Haro. Choosing between a Haro and a girl...

"...That's an impossible choice to make. I have to respect his resolve." Anita replies with a somber tone and a shake of her head, putting on a grim expression... though it's hard to actually maintain that for long even for a good-natured joke, her smile soon quickly returning.

...She absolutely gets it, though, and sympathises. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Probably. Though I didn't have many opportunities to show you back then." Leina says to Rena with a wan smile. After all, her situation didn't allow much of that... it was oppressive to the child who already had to be the most adult person in the room at all times.

To have it impressed upon her that she's a Colony Bumpkin, that she knows nothing about adulthood, to be made to learn all kinds of useless trappings of high society to earn that right. "It was kind of a bad time for us both. Anyhow, I'm sure he'll take to you."

After all, how could he not like someone who was nice to his sister when she was in a bad place? That feels inevitable that he'd like her.

"Yep. Callie too. It's kind of a long story, and not my place to tell."

There's this vague moment where the Newtypes around Leina will feel her just go abstracted for a moment as something bolts across her senses. Then there's this slow turn of her head to look off vaguely into the distance towards where Banagher and Kamille went-

A slow inhalation through her nostrils, and an exhalation while she closes her eyes. It's alright, this is why she wants him to talk to Kamille, after all.

Leina looks back at Eight and smiles as she commiserates over no pets on the Colonies, "Good call, I told you about the chickens on the Argama. Cat lover I may be, but Foras on the Ra Mari would be pandemonium." As she then relays to Anita, "We call them our little devils. Sayla likes to name all of her cats like that."

Leina gives Rena this amused look as she tries her hardest not to breakdown laughing as the edge of her lips tug, "Adorable actually. I can't even be mad about it... being a Haro lover myself." There's a pause, and she looks at Anita and- "Nevertheless, next time Banagher and I go on a date shotgun in my car is reserved for Giovanni." There's a lightness in her tone, "Banagher will take the backseat." 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher brightens considerably when Kamille promises to save Amuro. It gives him the courage to push a little more. "...were you there, at Torrington?" He asks, carefully. Ennil's comment about the Unicorn being some kind of devil still echoes in Banagher's mind.

Kamille's flash of anger and panic startles Banagher, making him glance around for a potential threat. "W--what's wrong?" But his newfound mentor goes on, and Banagher winces. "I'm sorry, did you see that too? It keeps happening. Especially between Leina and I. Sometimes that's nice, but -- sometimes not."

Hunched shoulders gradually relax when Kamille tells Banagher it wasn't his fault. "I'm trying to believe that. I keep thinking of things I could've done differently, and better. Ways I could've protected everyone. If the NT-D hadn't pulled me in--" He shakes his head. "Yeah. I don't mind telling the full story, but -- maybe somewhere more private." Hopefully, Kamille has Sayla's trust, too.

"Quattro Bageena..." Banagher thinks for a moment. "I think I've heard the name, but I don't know anything more than that." 

<Pose Tracker> Rena Lancaster has posed.

"I had to hide a lot too," Rena says, with a smile that matches Leina's. Not the same things, of course, and she wasn't in the same danger. But in a place like Axis, could any of them really be themselves?

It wasn't a place that belonged to them. It was a place that belonged to one woman only.

She nods her heaad, though -- and Rena smiles back at her. "I can't wait to meet them."

The talk of pets makes her wonder. Talk of Callie does, too -- but she knows there is a lot that they don't know. "I wonder if the ship could get a cat," Rena says, with a glance at Eight and Anita. "I mean, it might be against regulation, but if we fill out the right paperwork and make an argument, it might be okay?"

She then looks at Anita. She raises an eyebrow -- and then she cracks a smile when she realizes Anita isn't /actually/ serious.

She does feel the emanation from Leina. Her head turns, too; she looks back at Leina -- and then she cracks a smile. "Th-that's only fair. I don't think I've ever been put second to a Haro on a date, you know..." 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

Leina just moves in behind Rena at that moment she talks about getting a cat against regulations on the Ra Mari, and as she's raising fries to her face mouths to Eight and Anita.

'Pan - de - monium.' 

<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.

Kamille's scowl...stays a scowl, though he's not aiming it at Banagher. It's just there, in reference to someone who may never see it.

"I'll talk about him another time," he says, and both the resentment and confusion emanating from him and the tone suggest there is a /lot/ to talk about. "We'll find another time to meet, somewhere safe, alright? Leina gave you my contact information. Just...well, I don't need to tell you this after what you've been through, but be careful. Be safe, okay?" 

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Curiosity is clear in Banagher's eyes, but he's not going to push Kamille to talk about something he obviously doesn't feel good about. "Alright. I'll message you as soon as I've found, um." A pause. "Somewhere. Thank you, Dr. Bidan, I'm really looking forward to learning from you."

"You be safe, too." Banagher smiles. Hopefully, he'll be able to meet with his new mentor soon.

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