2023-03-16: The Lie That Made Everything Else True

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<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane had sat with Leina for a long while... but now she has to be the one to break some bad news. She does it the way she greases many of her social interactions:

with food.

Her approach is a little different from Sayla's; rather than a big home-cooked meal, she orders takeout. She orders five different places' takeout. There's a pizza, some burgers, some sushi, some pasta, a bunch of orange chicken... not everyone will get their first choice, but there's enough for a couple of everything plus leftovers.

(Akane herself claims some spaghetti and a cup of fruit punch.)

"So, uh. It looks like this is who we're gonna get on any kinda normal time scale," Akane murmurs. "Wow. This sucks. So, uh, let's get started. Sayla apparently tried to solve Char Aznable returning on her own and got grabbed." She looks from side to side at the assembled parties... checks her phone... and checks her pager. Yeah, that's about what she thought.

"So d'good news ish we can be pre-yy sssshure Sshayla idn't dead," Akane starts, chewing on her straw. "But the reason we can be sure about that kinda sucks too." Taking a breath, she says, "I know this... 'cuz I did something pretty bad poking around in Sayla's head. She wanted it to stay buried, and I agreed to that when I thought it wasn't gonna matter in the end."

Pushing her dark brown hair (that's a thing now! she did have a hair appointment recently -- maybe she just got it dyed?) out of her face, she says, "Well, it matters now! That's the world we live in." She could underline that it sucks again, but she's probably good.

"Edouard Mass, Char Aznable, Quattro Bajeena, and Casval Rem Deikun are all the same guy. Same deal with Sayla Mass and Artesia Som Deikun." A beat. "They're siblings."

Uuugh, she thinks to herself. It sucks to be the one sharing this, but it... really can't stay hidden forever. Not at this point. Her shoulders sag. It's noodles time. 

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina had been sitting with Akane, when certain things transpired, the first was the feeling that something incredibly bad had happened to Sayla Mass. This followed with Rain Mikamura locking her out of all of her access to the Shuffle networks without much reason other than 'We'll be sending someone over soon. Some news shouldn't be delivered over the phone.' Then immediately after within VERTEX conversation with Mineva and Banagher within which she learned Char Aznable is back on the anniversary of Axis.

As such, she's still sitting on the couch in violet pajamas, absently stroking Foras. She LOOKS calm enough, albeit distant, with an expression of 'This is fine.' though those connected with her can feel she's a bundle of anxiety right now. She did grab a bite of Sushi at one point, but only remembered to eat it because Foras tried to go for it. When Akane does start, her eyeline moves right over to her, just staring at her and looking a bit lost.

"She's not." Leina replies, distantly yet with certainty. That much she's sure about at least. Her eyes give Akane just this blank look as she talks about the reason why they know that, as if her mind is failing to cross reference on what Akane's reason might be and why it might suck. After all, they know she's not dead. Because Leina is sure she'd know if Sayla died.

There's some recognition as she talks about poking in her head, as if the word 'Bujack' is heavy in her mind, even if she doesn't raise the topic. 'Well, it matters now! That's the world we live in and it sucks.'

She sure knows that much.

'Edouard Mass-' She almost reflexively says something at the invocation of the name, but Akane continues, and Leina just locks up, her petting hand stops petting Foras. 'Char Aznable, Quattro Bajeena, and Casval Rem Deikun are all the same guy.' Foras responds to this by promptly headbutting her hand to try and force the issue. 'Same deal with Sayla Mass and Artesia Som Deikun. They're Siblings.' And when she doesn't give him immediately gratification because her face is just 'what?' in this moment, Foras decides the best response is to gnaw on a finger. Which elicits a small yelp out of her, as she pulls her hand away.

That a superficial cat bite that didn't even break the skin helped her through this moment is probably the smallest surprise of the evening. Foras uses this moment to leap off her lap as if sensing the sudden vibe by the fact that the petting hand did not return when given incentive to.

"Excuse me?" Is Leina's first real audible response. It's not that she thinks Akane is lying, she just must be mistaken! Absolutely, that must be it. There's desperation for her to be mistaken. "There's... there's no way. Sayla... she wouldn't lie about-! She told me..."

She has to stop to think because what did she really tell her?

There was the barn fire, Edouard leaving.
The barn fire, Edouard leaving.

When he said if he had to stay away from you to protect you he would, I snapped at him. Because... because in that moment I could only think of Edouard.

He'd talk to her in his dreams... and sometimes I'd see them from mine. It's one of the reasons why I had to leave. And the reason Char wouldn't give up on fighting Amuro. That bond is why the Axis Shock happened, the catalyzing moment.

...I'm sorry. I should have realized, the moment you told me about the four of you-... I'm sorry. Of course you're grieving more than just... just Amuro.

She remembers her crying, no sobbing at the end of Artesia unable to articulate why it hit her so hard. And despite how precious the movie was to them both, the two never watched it together again.

She remembers...

-=-=-

She's eleven, and her brother has newly left for Jupiter. She tells herself that she's going to be strong about that and focus on her schoolwork, but the state of the world is just so awful. Her brother went through all that, sacrificed so much, and nothing really changed. She's not even certain the Earth Federation leaders even care that Haman Karn and Glemy Toto were defeated. The less charitable side of her wonders if they'd not have preferred them to have survived for further population control and lining their pockets with war profiteering.

The weight of all that is depressing on a kid who pushed herself throughout physical therapy to interface with the world again only to find that it's just as awful as she left it, as it left her. The only upsides are that Judau is still out there, and that her new Guardian is steadfastly supportive of her. The therapy sessions aren't really helping as much as either of them had hoped. All they offer is endless advice on how to cope with the world as it is, when she's searching for something more.

Then one day, Leina is called to the Villa's library.

"Sorry to interrupt your morning," her Guardian says apologetically. For all Sayla can be unapproachable or stern, there are times like these where it's very obvious she's fumbling through the whole thing.

"I've noticed that... things are still pretty rough for you." Sayla seems to be pausing at the words, as she walks around the library to a section of what seem like research materials, pulling out several books. As she walks back with them, it's easy to see they're well loved- and well annotated.

"These books have been a source of comfort to me, over the years." The way she thumbs through the pages of one, looking down at it fondly. "I'm hoping they might help you too. Have you ever heard of Zeon Zum Deikun, or contolism?"

Leina who was just starting to attend school again, and was years behind from a combination of outdated Shangri-la curriculum and wartime absence, "I remember a little from class? He's why, Side 3 had its independence, I think? And where Zeon got its name?"

Sayla pauses for a moment to push down an emotion before nodding. "Those are both true, but he was also a philosopher." She closes the book, and offers it to Leina. "This was one of his first collected writings. I thought you might like to read it. If you stick with it, I'd love to know what you think."

She read her first book on the subject that day. A child hungry for knowledge, and hope. Within a few months, she'd read every single one. Sayla didn't direct her reading at all, she just let her read, and draw her own conclusions.

And those conclusions gave her the impetus to keep going for years to come.

She never once questioned why Sayla had so many works of his that had never been published.

Not once.

-=-=-

Some in the room might feel the moment that denial clicks over into this sudden shock.

"...Oh my God. Which means what I felt was..."

It's like the weight of the lie just sinks into her, the fact that she was being lied to from the start. The fact that others knowing about it changed nothing. She still hid it from her, she still carried this without her help. Even when she was at her worst after Axis Shock, she didn't tell her the full reasons why she was suffering so hard. She wouldn't let her in enough to help care for her in the ways she really needed emotionally.

And Leina very much doubts she let those who knew the secret actually give her what she needed either.

Despite the risk of cat retribution, she just, sinks lower as her legs get drawn up on the couch burying her face in her hands, her voice muffled and grief-stricken, pregnant with sorrow as she lets out a small whimper of distress, "Da-Damnit Sayla why...? Why...? Wuh-why did you do this to yourself? What was worth duh-doing this to your-yourself? If you'd only-only told me he was your brother..."

If she'd only told her that, then, what?

It's like she's trying to hold herself in from just, fully breaking down, but she's a hair's breadth away, the implications just forcing her to emotionally reframe every single moment she's had with Sayla in her head, how this secret, this lie drove so many actions that HURT her. Either actively, or passively the number of ways that she hurt herself by just, not letting anyone in.

There's this air like Leina is being devastated slowly as the news permeates her, just thinking about how she could have tried to help her if only she'd known. This desolation over the consequences that she wasn't. She can't even begin to muster anger over this with Sayla not here, not safe. Her walls are just, shot, crumbled as if Akane had blown the horn of Jericho. Anyone sensitive in the room can feel these emotions swirling about her in a miasmatic way.

Leina lets herself take a breath, then another, as if this hurt, her hurt her sadness doesn't matter right now. She tries to bury it, and fails to do so completely. Fails utterly, but she does force herself to turn outward again to the rest, as she looks to everyone around, desperate, searching.

"I'm. I'm going to stay calm about this. I'm-I. I am calm about this." Her eyes glide around the room, desperate, searching for answers, "What exactly happened?" Besides the obvious. Details? Details matter right now, they're something she needs to grasp ahold of, "Does anyone know?"

<Pose Tracker> Christina MacKenzie has posed.

        Rifling through contracts, trade agreements, and hand-drawn blueprints in the freighter's amidships, Chris rubbed her eyes. They were still tiring easily, aching again, though the tension behind her temples was at least held at bay. The Oberge was docked like a barnacle on the atmospheric ferry, and the Orbital Ring grew logarithmically smaller. She had several hours before she next had to release the clamps, and these documents could wait until they stopped blurring together. She slapped a magnetic clasp on the papers and it clicked against the bulkhead, next to her personal console. She glanced at the date. Maybe Sayla would scold her less if she showed up without cargo holds under her eyes. As it was she was already a day and a half late!

        She shifted restlessly against the hug of her cot-strap. Sleep had not come restfully or easily since that keening monster had first shown up, and the sporadic fatigue from her G-injuries left voids of time, repairing the body but not the mind. If anything, the only rest that had claimed her was adrift the mild sedatives the Luio medics had offered to after her adventure in 'declining medical care' aboard their ship. She couldn't sleep, but closed her eyes anyway, pantomiming rest in the hopes her heart would slow down long enough to drift off. Gentle hands touched her face, and weary as she was, she was grateful. These hands... she knew they were his. It was good he was here, maybe she could get some rest. She opened her eyes to thank him.

        Scorched flesh, burning hair. His eyes and nose were gone, and a single mono-eye BWRM'd a gleam of light beneath the scarred skin. Those gentle hands became desperate claws, pulling, pulling, as though her cheeks would strip off in ribbons. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. She kicked, violently throwing off the covers, trying to escape, but the strap around her waist trapped her in place as she frantically thrashed. She didn't reach out to strike him, no matter how horrible, no matter what. She would never do that in her wildest panic--again, anyway.

        The chiming of her console's alarm cut in, and Chris's eyes opened. The sheets were...tangled around her legs, but gravity pressed her into the cot--she was on Earth again. Her eyes glanced first towards the curtain, under which the light was filtering.

- - -

        The Oberge touched down on the landing strip outside Mass Villa's main lawn. As it sometimes does. As is polite.

DON DON, DON
        Why is it that every time she knocks on this door, she looks like she just went five rounds with a Kaemfer?

                "Sorry I'm late...Leina...Sayla"

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva looks... rather shaken. Perhaps understandably so, given that she felt the presence of a man who was dead. Who MUST be dead. A man who was at once a good father and a traitor to every ideal she held.

So she sits here beside Leina, a slice of pizza on her plate, idly chewing. She's not really hungry.

There's a small measure of relief, as Akane explains Sayla's not likely dead... but...

Then she reveals the secret. And all at once, Mineva withdraws in on herself. She knew. She'd been party to this secret, and it's obvious to anyone with a psychic sense. Her hand silently reaches out toward Leina's, and squeezes it tightly.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, strained.

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher arrives with a few errant streaks of Haro-green still in his hair, looking exhausted as ever, and... oddly, a little guilty. But his own struggles don't matter now. This is about Audrey, and Leina, and whatever is going on with Char's return.

Those who he knows get a greeting, but it's clear the young man is here to support his girls, first and foremost. Taking a place on the couch next to Leina, he only moves to get Audrey or Leina food. He picked something up for himself on his travels.

For some reason, Akane seems to be in charge here.

Listening to the recently-crowned prom queen, Banagher's eyes go from quietly supportive to outright shocked. "Wh--" He breathes, unable to finish the word before he's turning to Leina.

...Leina didn't know.

Immediately, he throws his arms around Leina, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry, love." Leina's emotions scorch through their bond with her walls down, and Banagher can't help but feel himself tearing up as well.

He doesn't know how to help. Audrey gets a shocked glance, Banagher realizing instantly -- Audrey must've known. And she didn't tell them, didn't tell Leina. While he manages to keep from accusing her, there's a genuine sense of hurt, for Leina's sake.

"N--no matter what happened," He starts, blinking quickly to try and clear up his echoed tears. "We're getting her back! It's not even a question."

Damn it, Sayla... Banagher closes his eyes for a moment, trying to cool the anger in his heart. Keeping Leina in the dark all these years, then trying to take on Char in secret? Is Leina ever going to be able to view her Guardian the same way?
Faye Valentine (Faye) has paged Leina Ashta with, 'mind if I drop in' 

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Koji Kabuto is at the back of the room standing against the wall, double-checking a tablet on occasion which has a video feed to the incident site where Sayla got snatched. Why is he checking on that? We'll get to that.

Akane has a lot of information, and admits she didn't come by some of it honestly. Koji, like Leina, flashes back to the incident with numerous individuals in NERV and elsewhere disappearing and relocating to Tsutsujidai, but - "What's done is done," he says, to try and ameliorate Akane's feelings about that. "If it's important..."

And then he hears it.

Much like Leina, he's silent and staring for a long while, colour slowly draining out of his face, until one of the techs on the other end of his video feed pings him for input (he had the good sense to mute it before this conversation started). He quickly types 'use your best judgment I have to deal with something on this end' and flags himself away, setting the device down, then says:

"Oh, god."

That idiot, he thinks, but it isn't an angry-coloured thought at all - worry is what sounds loudest in his mind. He leans back into the wall so it can take most of his weight.
Faye Valentine teleports in.
POT: Akane Shinjo is no longer set observer.

<Pose Tracker> Kikka Kobayashi has posed.

It's been several long years up at Van Braun University. And as much as she's proud of her studies, Kikka Kobayashi is happy to be back down on Earth, to visit her family. And if she's on Earth, then there's someone else she's excited to visit... having been several years at this point, even if she still keeps in contact through her Foundation.

Unfortunately for her, her timing could not be worse... as she enters Spain, comes closer and closer to the Mass Villa, there's a feeling in the pit of her stomach. She connected with Sayla on the White Base... but she feels like she's able to walk in on something terribly wrong.

She knows that she and her family are welcome at the Mass Villa anytime, though, so she makes her way to the entrance... and feels like she walked into an alternate universe version of the Villa as a brown haired girl explains that Sayla and the man she remembers as Char Aznable are.. siblings. "...I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" Kikka clasps her fingers in anxiety. She can recognize Leina as a friend of course, but the other girl? "And I'm also sorry about this but uhh.. who are you?"

She's just as defensive as Leina at the explanation. "Either way, there's no way that's true! She was on the White Base, she never hesitated to fight him, to even try and..." As far as anyone know,s Char died in the Axis drop that shook the world right as she was beginning her studies. But if she could feel Amuro's return...

She just drops that line of reasoning though, as she looks around the room. It's easy to connect the dots... she's a writer and she understands logic. "Char Aznable came back and took her away. And we have to rescue her... so we can hear the truth from her!" She looks at the distraught Leina assuredly.
Sayla Mass teleports in.
POT: Sayla Mass is now set observer.

<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.

Sayla was the busy type, but she wasn't usually the 'radio silent' type, not since they'd started talking again after Tsutsujidai. And... god, the Phenex stuff had been ``weird``. Faye had filed the whole thing as 'rich people shit' and thought to see if Sayla could clue her in a bit...

Except, no Sayla. She'd had to touch base with Sayla's secretary, and from there Leina, and now...

Well, if there's anything too notable about the revelation - and it certainly seems to be hitting everyone else pretty hard - Faye's part of this is mostly notable in that she's still stuffing orange chicken into her face. Still, her brow knits a bit, and she gulps it down before murmuring into the crowd,

"Wait like... big rock, blonde hair Char Aznable? And he's around again? Didn't that guy, like... burn up in the atmosphere? And he's... Deikun, Deikun..." For once, something lights up behind those big green eyes. "Oh, damn! I remember reading his book! Bushy beard, lots of 'space is the future', was reading it to prep for... school... Okay, that's not important. Sayla got snatched by her big brother and he's some kind of infamous mega criminal super pilot, that's the headline, right?"

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

The trajectory of Rikka's day changed drastically upon receiving a certain message. She dropped everything - begging off a shift at Aya - and made arrangements immediately to take a trip to Villa Mass.

...And now she's here, sitting next to Akane where the latter has assembled an array of takeout foods. There's a lot of people here - some faces she knows and some she doesn't. Rikka is kind of used to the way Akane does things by now, so the spread of food isn't too much of a surprise for her. But, she's here to support her, even if she doesn't know what it is she's gathered everyone to say.

Her own claim trends on the lighter side. She hasn't touched her food yet, though.

...And then, (one half of) the bomb drops.

"...Char Aznable?" Rikka repeats. That's a name even she knows by heart. She's more than caught up on the history of the greater world by now, but even back when Tsutsujidai was still sequestered, his name was one of those that came up often in her history lessons.

"...Oh god, Sayla..." Rikka murmurs, head shaking in disbelief. ...And then, Akane takes a breath. Rikka can tell something difficult is coming. Rikka looks her way. She doesn't say anything, she doesn't stop her - just quietly offers her presence as support.

...And, the truth that comes out is... Akane poked around in Sayla's head, and learned that Char Aznable - Edouard Mass - and Sayla are siblings.

Rikka can... probably pinpoint around when Akane figured that out. She reaches over and gives Akane's hand a gentle squeeze - but internally, her thoughts are a mess. Leina gets a sympathetic look too, of course.

For the time being, Rikka tries to clear her head by taking a sip of her drink.

"...Yeah, does anyone know what... happened?" She asks.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux Louka got back from a battle in space by way of Shangri-la colony. She didn't really have a lot back from Shangri-la other than a couple of photographs, and a single cryptic message on a lighter topic to Leina.

That was then, this is now.

Roux was already getting suspicious when she saw the scale of the spread of delivery food. She glanced, at the time, towards Akane and her new hairstyle, but she had kept her peace.

Roux is wearing a T-shirt, or something pretty close to it, along with a pair of halflength pants with trailing streaks of fabric which are wrapped around her legs. It is probably the closest she comes to owning slacks. It felt like that kind of day. That kind of day is probably also why she had a chest holster wrapped on around it, although the weapon in question remains locked in a thumbprint-buttoned holster.

Roux has a slice of pizza on a plate next to some orange chicken. But she didn't do more than pick at it as the group was assembled. Roux gazes at Akane with no real expression as she speaks.

Char Aznable returning -- Roux wishes she was shocked, but there's precedent. It even makes sense. The accounts from surviving pilots who got away from Axis suggested that Amuro Ray had defeated Char before turning his focus towards-- whatever happened. Some reports even suggested he had what might have been a cockpit module with him. If Amuro Ray returned, or if Axis had been somehow sent to the realm where the Oath over Omega holds sway -- then Char, or his reasonably fresh carcass, would have been there too.

(I'm taking this so calmly, Roux thinks as the girl before her keeps talking. Is that because of Rita? The Phenex? Where did I hear her name? Oh, right -- everyone was calling out to her.)

Her brow furrows and her lips turn down, just a little, at 'something pretty bad poking around in Sayla's head,' but it seems to be a thing to stay in the past.

And what is it?

Oh.

Roux's eyes widen. Her face tenses up. It's pretty ambiguous -- unless you are listening with a heart or a psyche that's open on a certain level. To those sort of people, whatever they call it, Roux's inner heart has a paradoxical reaction: a short, abrupt, and genuine laugh. One that she *keeps* from reaching her mouth and her face.

Three seconds pass.

"So that's why you were so anxious," Roux tells Akane straight up, reaching up to cup her chin with one hand. "My god. I thought she was torturing herself over something, but I'd thought it was just -- the war and everything..."

Roux takes a deep breath. And then other people are coming. Roux's eyes flick momentarily towards Leina, so it is Roux who answers Kikka, leaning over a little. "Hey," she tells her with a smile and a little bit of a wave. "That's Akane, she's a friend of Sayla's. I'm Roux, the charming mercenary she hired to also live here!" It's said with a somewhat eh-he-he tone of self depreciation. "This is a pretty heavy occasion, but help yourself to the food..."

Roux addresses Faye too. More curtly. "Chew your food. That's the working summary, yeah." After this Roux takes her own advice, though she does it by folding and raising up a pizza slice that has accumulated some orange chicken chunx (Tm) and quartered, stir-fried bits of broccoli.

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Even if Judau Ashta didn't - somehow - have absurd psychic powers, he'd know that something was wrong by the food presentation.

He knows food. He knows the deeper meanings of food. And this? This massive conglomeration of takeout meant to satisfy as many people as possible, even the people who might crave trashier foods?

This is a bad news spread.

And so, Judau is doubly prepared for the bad news that Akane has to impart -- but even that much preparation only does so much; the young man from Jupiter arrives not too long before Akane begins her explanation, the furrow of his brow and the wrinkling of his nose already signaling he knows -something- is amiss; sea green eyes glancing at the food lets him know something is -definitely- amiss. And as Akane keeps going...

"Wait. Char? As in, that dickhead, Char?" Judau wonders in typically blunt fashion, eyes widening with surprise. He doesn't know Char, but he -knows- Char; he's felt the man's footprint in almost every aspect of his life, from the influence he had on Haman Karn, to the empathic echoes of Axis Shock he could feel all the way out in Jupiter... to the mess that was the First Neo Zeon War that Judau had to fight in the man's stead.

Even for someone who barely has an interest in history -- Judau knows the complicated figure Char Aznable was. And that man was... was...

Sayla's brother.

Somehow that just makes Judau even madder.

If there's anything that can curb whatever kneejerk, impulsive thing Judau is doubtless going to say or do, it's how Leina reacts to all this. He can feel it as much as he can see it -- she didn't know about any of this either. Judau watches Leina for a moment, his brows knitting together -- his gaze turns towards Audrey for a moment, as Banagher hugs Leina, but soon enough, the eldest Ashta is settling his hand on Leina's back in lieu of a hug, just to provide her stability, to let her know -- he's there. His other hand clenches brief into a fist, until Kikka speaks up --

"She's right," he swiftly says, jerking a thumb her way. "What matters is we gotta get her back. Do we know where he took her? Do we have like, any... ... leads?" He is. -On top-. Of this investigation thing. A second passes. He blinks, looking Kikka's way. "... Wait, who're you?"

He then looks to Faye, stuffing her face with orange chicken. "... Wait, who's that??"

He is... on top of this investigation thing where it counts.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

The squeeze at Akane's hand helps ground her a lot; it doesn't fully put her head back together or her mind at ease, but it's enough to make her confident she can handle this. "Thanks," Akane says to Rikka, quiet enough that probably only Rikka hears.

She gives people a few moments to get situated -- which is conveniently also a little time for Leina to process. Banagher instantly orients on the problem, and Akane makes note of that. He seems dependable, but pretty straightforward... maybe he's not the go-to for secrets that don't directly affect his partners, in the future. (... It's probably exactly what Leina needs from him now, though.)

'Oh, god.' "Yeah, that's about right," Akane mumbles into her straw; she's taking a drink when Kikka asks who she is, and Roux picks that up and handles it. "Yeah -- Akane Shinjo," she says, confirming...

Then she looks at Faye. "... Are you from, like, the Belt or something? Legit question, I just can't think of any other reason you'd barely have a working grasp of who Char is. No shade." (... A little shade.) Judau starts asking questions, and Akane says, "People Sayla knows. I tried to get together who I could."

She admits to Leina -- and the others, as requests for details keep rolling in, "You've got most of what I know, and any more than that... would probably take a little time for me to put in order in the first place." Explaining the rest will have to fall to others. Akane takes a little time to just -- eat, and be. 

<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.

Guy Shishioh arrived at some point. He's got a bandage wrapped around his head and an arm in a sling because Char Aznable shot him with a dawn laser from the heart of time.

"I can help on that point," he says, as Leina - and others - call for explanations. He limps a little on his way in before finding one of the presumably 80 chairs and levering himself into it.

"Char's back. I suppose that's the lede? Sayla signalled 3G and a few other forces to come help a little ways ahead of Char's arrival, so we were able to have everything ready, but..."

Huffs a breath. "He used Triple Zero to build himself a new Sazabi as a Zero Robo. Just like Amuro, he must've been exposed to Orange Site, somehow. That thing was no joke. We tried to restrict damage with the Dividing Driver, but..."

"...at the end, he was the only one who could still move. We had to focus on evacuating the Dividing Field, and Sayla...he just took her."

He hangs his head. "I'm sorry. I failed to protect her."
  

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Leina seems surprised by Kikka showing up at this time, this moment. Though she shouldn't be. This is a strange day. She's grateful to Roux for introducing Akane at least. At first her emotions seem synchronized with Kikka's on the matter, but over time its like, she's lost hope that its some kind of a mistake.

Chris, the moment she comes into view. Chris to put it mildly, looks like shit. And despite her distress, Leina's eyes go wide. Still hardly coherent in her thoughts, she still gestures emphatically for her to sit down.

Banagher's arms wrap around her in this moment of desperation, and she closes her eyes, takes one deep breath, then another. Like she's letting herself, actually calm down further.

It takes some time, but eventually she nods quickly at him saying they're going to get her back. Then again. She can't quite fake a smile but, its clear she at least feels a little better.

Still looking lost, the moment Mineva's hand touches hers, her eyes snap to her as if looking at an anchor point. However, in this moment, she feels something... "You... you knew too?"

It changes to surprise. If she feels betrayal in this moment, it's not directed towards Mineva.

"She..." One hand has to be reserved for her face, but she can't quite keep it together completely. "... Oh my God. How many people knew?"

Judau's hand descends upon her shoulder, as she turns her head just enough. Maybe it's a rare occasion that she looks to her older brother for guidance, but here she does. "Right need to focus... on, what's important." As she looks between him and Kikka. "The truth. I need to hear it from her."

That is her conclusion, "We will get her back. Then I will hear her out..." Then, a momentary spike of anger in a rising crescendo as she makes an addendum to this conclusion, "...before I take her to task for all of this IDIOCY!"

The red hot spike of anger evaporates again as she exhales another breath. She's calm! Superrrrr calm.

The orange chicken is vanishing rapidly, and perhaps that's her first impression of Sayla's new girlfriend, just, stuffing her face with orange chicken, then...

Her eyelashes flutter a few times at the sheer confusion over what the Cowboy has to say but she doesn't say anything, letting the others perhaps address her right now, as if she's having to save up every mote of anger for one person - no, TWO people.

In the end, Akane tells her that she knows everything she does, "Rain locked me out of our networks so... I don't have the means to find out." She then gives Koji a sidelong look as if wondering if he knows what happened, but he looks surprised too. In the end its Guy that speaks up.

And now he has her full attention, Guy explains what happened, and her seagreen eyes fix upon him, then when he apologizes, "So what you're telling me, she summoned 3G over but..." She looks over to Koji, to Judau, to Roux, to SO MANY PEOPLE in this room that could have helped.

In the end that tells her something. Leina takes a deep breath, as if having these details gave her something to grasp ahold of, to build off of, to understand, "Guy I'm sure you did everything you could. You didn't fail her, or me or any of us. She failed us. She failed you." It's a harsh evaluation, but she delivers it, clearly, calmly, succinctly, "Keeping this secret was, clearly her priority here. And that's why we are where are right now."

A prolonged pause, and then she brings it together, as if the words and the support of the room had helped her get it together...

"She may have failed us, but we won't fail her."

<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.

Judau asks who she is. Seems fair. She sighs a little anyway. "Faye Valentine. Cowboy, not the Neo-American kind. Hooked up with Sayla during that Tsutsujidai mess. Been running errands for her, here and there. I swung by like a month ago, you must've missed me."

Akane asks if she's from the Belt. Faye quirks an eyebrow, and grumbles a little bit. "I mean, I know who he is! But he was like, dead dead. No bounty on the KIA, y'know? I guess I kinda let him slip my mind. Wasn't expecting ghosts and ghouls. I figured when Sayla said people usually know who she is, it was just, like, war hero, philanthropist, some jackass won't stop posting your out-of-bed-at-1pm-with-no-makeup photos type deal. I didn't think her dad invented Zeon or whatever!"

Guy's explanation, and admission, gets her to quirk her head. "You're Guy Shishioh, right?" A weird little mumble: Renais's cousin, cute but taken, kinda intense, " - anyway, look, it sounds like Sayla had Earth's Mightiest Heroes lined up for a brawl and that still wasn't enough. So I don't, like, think it's your fault, exactly... This guy's just bad news."

A bit more orange chicken, and then she's nibbling on her lip. "Anyway, people finding is what I do. Usually for cash, and usually they get locked up, and not busted out, but. Sayla's been good to me. And a lot of folks, it sounds like. So... Please, let me know what I can do..."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Koji, leaning against the wall with his data pad, gets a curious look from Banagher. Maybe the young man would like to talk to him after all this is over -- but Koji isn't a Newtype, so Banagher has to hope Koji Kabuto can read a subtle emotional cue.

Hmm.

As Guy makes it to a chair, Banagher looks concerned at his physical state. "Sir, um, please let me know if I can get you some food. Please don't push yourself."

But then he speaks, and... golden eyes soften. "No. You did everything you could have, I'm sure of it. Amuro could only just barely defeat Char in the Sazabi, with Triple Zero added to it... There's just no way you could've won."

Banagher still doesn't truly understand Triple Zero, but he remembers how daunting a foe 000-Amuro was. Char, at his peak, in a monster like the Sazabi? Maybe if Amuro had been there.

To Chris, Kikka, and Faye, Banagher gives a quick nod. "My name is Banagher Links. I'm -- Leina's boyfriend." That's all that really matters right now.

Leina's anger flares, making Banagher wince -- and breath out in harmony with Leina as it fades. "I didn't know." He murmurs, though Leina surely wouldn't have suspected him to. "We won't fail her. Everyone here -- even if it is Char. We can make a plan to fix this, I know it!"

Banagher tries to radiate confidence, hoping to reassure Leina in this moment. "Everyone loves Sayla. We can call in every favor, everyone we've ever helped... We'll get her back."

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

"... That must have been why she came to Sayaka and I for that commission," Koji says, finally. "She could feel he was coming back." He nods to Akane, who he had mentioned 'the commission' for.

He picks up his tablet again, tapping away from the video to call up the blueprints of a Gundam - resembling the Nu Gundam, but with the lopsided funnel rack distributed in balance behind both shoulders in a winglike pattern. "It's based on the one Anaheim built for Amuro during '93 - but we swapped out the Minovsky reactor for a Photon Reactor for better power draw. Recovery team say it's frankly a miracle it's not total scrap - but the cockpit sphere is just gone, like it's been pulled clean out."

He closes the blueprints, glancing to Guy. "You didn't know it was something you needed to worry about either, did you, Guy?" He shakes his head. "I could say something like 'if I'd known I would have altered the specs', but..."

But the fact is, almost nobody knew.

"It makes sense that she'd keep it a secret, up to a point. Even after the One Year War, no telling if any Zabi loyalists would have survived, or still be looking for her. It's why grandfather kept Mazinger Z a secret - keep Doctor Hell from destroying it." Not that that spared Juzo, in the end - but his Weapon survived. "So I get it - up to a point," he repeats. "I guess you can get so hung up on keeping stuff a secret that letting anybody find out at all becomes terrifying."

He is, after all, one of a handful of people grappling with a secret as large as a mountain.

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

The glare from Banagher, and even the look from Judau, sting. She winces, and recoils, shaking her head to Kikka. "Char told me when I was younger... I told Sayla what I knew, and... she asked me not to say anything. I didn't. Because it wasn't my secret to tell." She takes in a breath, then sighs.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell her that she had to tell you, Leina. That the secret she was keeping was... untenable, that it'd come out, one way or another."

To think that it'd come out like this.

She looks around the room; there are people who don't know who she is, people asking. Even in a room like this, with secrets being dropped, she's not sure who she can trust, of them... Faye looks a little sketchy, in particular, so she just answers, "I'm Audrey Burne. I'm Banagher and Leina's girlfriend."

She'll reveal more if she knows it's safe... though the mention of a personal relationship with Char is certain to prompt a few more questions.

She holds Leina's hand, squeezes it tight, and nods. "We won't fail her."

Guy's explanation's got her a bit... glassy-eyed, though. "Zero Robo? Orange Site...?" This part is all completely over her head...

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka's gaze settles on Roux for just a brief moment. ...Those senses are something she's still honing - it actually takes her a second to register that she didn't just laugh out loud, or something that felt close to one, judging by everyone's reactions. ...That's not the only thing she feels - she senses something from Audrey, too.

At Akane's quiet thanks, Rikka offers her a small smile. She takes a sip of her drink, then, considering the room and trying to digest what she's just learned. She can kind of understand why Sayla didn't tell everyone, judging from what she knows about Char... but to not tell those closest to her? Especially when she knew the man himself was about to make his return?

Rikka frowns uncertainly for a moment, but her train of thought is interrupted by questions of who's-who. People don't know who Akane is, so Rikka offers as well...

"And I'm Rikka Takarada... I'm with Akane, and I'm a friend of Sayla's, too." Rikka explains. That 'with' can be taken a lot of different ways. A lot of them are even true!

Her attention turns to Guy, then - who, as it turns out, was there when it happened.

"Triple Zero..." She repeats with concern. "They have a guy like that on their side...?"

That's... something to worry about later. RIght now... her attention turns to Leina. She's upset about all this - why wouldn't she be?

"Leina..." Rikka starts, but her voice falters. What can she even say? She looks toward Guy, then.

"...You're still here. Still here to tell everyone what happened. That's important." Rikka says, trying to reassure him.

She looks toward Akane, then, to see how she's taking all of this. Her well-being is her top priority right now.

<Pose Tracker> Christina MacKenzie has posed.

        When there's no Newtypes throwing the door open before she can open it, Chris figures at first that they're out, but there's murmurs inside. She opens the door and walks...into a pizza party? No, even if Leina weren't trying to coil herself into a singularity, the gravitas is obvious. She wouldn't necessarily have been one of the people Akane called, her relationship is a bit...abstracted, complex. She had no idea what she was walking into, most of these people she's only heard mention of, but Leina waves her close, and there's Banagher by her side, Audrey by his, and Leina doesn't see any of the others as intruding, so... God, What could possibly wreck her like this? And without Sayla here to com--

                No.

                Sayla. Sayla?!

        Even when she was trapped in that kaiju field, Leina wasn't--No, you've got to be. NO. Not agaiN!--{"Not in front of Leina,"} Sayla once murmured to her, nearly a decade ago. Chris's teeth clench, but she breathes in, and out. Firming her walls. Stabilizing her emotions. She'll keep herself calm for now. For Leina. For Sayla. It seems her best friend, she's. She's still alive.

        She distracts her mind's fire and her body's rage by pulling an entire box of pizza closer to herself. One slice disappears.

        Her reaction to the revelations, as they reverberate across the room--oh, it's the other girls from the Phenex hunt--are a bit backwards... A second slice. Sensitives might notice she's not surprised by Sayla's identity and brother so much as being reminded he goes by Char. That injured man...she's seen him once or twice, but... Guy, right? 3G's Guy Shishiou? Was that it? Sayla's colleagues were numerous. Still. He seemed like the person to reach out to. Dawn laser? Driver? It's a bit outside Chris's expertise but... she'll take on anything. Any study, any opponent, any suffering. That's what Sayla means to her. From the looks of it all, that's true of most everyone here.

        A third slice--look, spinning through space makes a girl hungry!--begins to disappear into her mouth when Leina turns to Mineva and then questions the room as a whole. Chris chokes a little bit. Faye mentions she's the one Sayla hooked up with. The choking gets worse. ("Ah, she's the one that didn't know Sayla's name...seems kind of like she's been living in a cave, but...I'm glad.")

        Thankfully, Koji speaks up--oh thank goodness, Koji is here. ("--wait. He built her a custom suit?") Chris, to her shame, can't help but stifle an offended grumble. ("It's not a personal slight, the PPL has far more stability and industrial resources...And their prototypes don't catch on fire.")

        She finishes her current slice, and pauses before interjecting.
                "She knew he was coming, and was able to lure him. Can we...repeat that?"

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Judau speaks from the heart, as he usually does. Roux closes her eyes in a silent, supplementary laugh.

Roux glares for a moment and on a reflexive basis at what Judau asks and who he's asking it about. She is not jealous on reflex. (She is jealous on reflex.)

It's passing. Brief. This is the danger of honesty, perhaps. Roux bites into her pizza slice, looking towards the arriving Guy Shishioh.

He provides more details. He was there! How did he -- ah, right, Roux thinks, recalling the GGG's reputation. And they thought so poorly of them. What did the Federation bury with their reputation? Roux wonders, darkly.

There is more to share! It's good old Koji Kabuto, revealing... Roux pauses in her chewing for a moment at what Koji shows. Chew. Chew. Swallow. "Is that even legal?" she asks, rhetorically, about the reactor. Then she answers Koji, more cryptically, "Too many secrets, but I suppose some of them have a reason."

After this she finishes off the pizza slice. She unfolds the crust, using it to point for a moment. Not really at anyone in particular. "So," she begins before Leina speaks. Roux cedes the floor, looking at her. Her eyes widen slightly. Afterwards, she points the pizza crust at the King (maybe) of Braves, and asks Guy: "Can you introduce us to these concepts? All I remember is that Amuro Ray nearly wiped out everyone at Torrington."

"If he's re-created the Sazabi, I guess we have that going for us," Roux says, which may mystify Banagher in particular. And then!

To Chris, she says, "He's 'here' now, and I don't know who else there is who he'd care that much about. I guess we may have to get used to hunting."

<Pose Tracker> Kikka Kobayashi has posed.

Roux helpfully explains who the girl is, and Kikka nods politely. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kikka Kobayashi... old family friend of Sayla's. I've been studying up on the moon for the last while, so I'm afraid I haven't heard her mention you yet." She smiles, a little awkwardly. She'll try to trust her anyhow... even if the reveal, and the explanation that basically amounts to "I read her mind about it" is fishy at best.

There's plenty of others she hasn't met too, and she lets her introduction hold for them. "Judau.. Leina's brother, right? I've heard stories about you, alright." She grins. Normally, she'd tease Leina for somehow managing to get a boyfriend AND a girlfriend while she was up in space, but now is clearly not the time, and she instead regards Banagher and Audrey with a wave, before rushing to get a drink. All that travelling made her thirsty...

She frowns again at Sayla's secret plan, the way she refused to involve so many people.. and Leina's anger over it. Kikka can't blame her - she always knew Sayla had her secrets, and maybe she told the Kobayashis much less than Mom would've liked... but Leina's her ward! If anyone deserved to know, it was her, wasn't it?

She looks up at Guy Shishioh. "Triple Zero.. it's just like what happened with Amuro then. That's less of a surprise. It's a little hard to imagine one could go out without the other." She nods. "By the way, Mr. Shishioh, I'd like to ask you a few questions about Triple Zero... and Amuro. But that can wait until after we've saved Sayla."

As everyone throws their hat in the ring, a determined expression flares onto Kikka's face. "Count me in, too. I don't think it's productive to say anyone failed anyone, and I'm not even a pilot... but I have a lot I need to speak with Sayla about. So even if all I can do is put my head to it, I'll do it."

She turns to Leina, and whispers something. "If there's anything my family can do for you... please let me know."

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Explanations and introductions are given! Judau, thusly informed, seems satisfied. Especially as Faye remarks on her occupation.

"So like, bounties and stuff, yeah?" Out of everything Judau does not know in this life, it -- no it probably makes perfect sense he knows what a Cowboy is. "Nice."

That'll be handy. And also -- it's awesome. Judau can appreciate that even in tense circumstances.

Tense circumstances inevitably win out, though, especially with Leina grappling with something he knows is a significant revelation for her. For him... he has his own feelings on the matter of Char, but shockingly, they're for once something that he doesn't blurt out impulsively. Internal debate rolls through him and sets his expression into firm contemplation, even as he offers that bedrock of emotional support for his little sister. She needs him here; as she looks his way, he offers a small nod of his head. He doesn't need to spell it out for her. She knows what to do. That sudden, fiery spike of rage tells him that very clearly. There's only one solution to this:

        We will get her back. Then I will hear her out... before I take her to task for all of this IDIOCY!

"Heh heh! Damn right you will!"

The Ashta Solution.

And this is why Judau's response to this perilous anger is a thumbs up of Brotherly Approval. Because it's his job to support his sister, especially when it comes to saving family, or yelling at adults and/or family, or not directing righteous anger at him.

With a little shoulder squeeze of encouragement for Leina, Judau pulls away, his path taking him towards Roux-wards, settling in briefly beside her as Guy helps clarify things a little bit more, and...

Judau peers at the man as his head hangs, head tilt. The stuff about Triple Zero? That's all things that Judau files away in 'BAD SHIT - PUNCH,' but the rest...

"It's not your fault, dude," he says, in no uncertain terms. "It's all on that dick, Char." He pauses. "And like... the evil oranges that did this to him, I guess, I dunno about all that. The point is! We're gonna find her. We're gonna beat the crap outta Char. I'm gonna hit him in his dumb face with somethin', I dunno, I'll figure it out whenever we get there. We're gonna save Sayla. And then Leina's gonna yell the crap outta her! An' that's how it's gonna go." And of this, Judau Ashta seems certain. Not that he doesn't understand the severity of this all -- he does, even not knowing what an 'Orange Site' is supposed to be, or why three zeroes are any more dangerous than one zero, it's not even a number really--

But he does have unending optimism and confidence in the people of Sayla and Leina's lives.

Which is just about when Kikka introduces herself. He blinks. Kobayashi?

"Like... Mr. Kobayashi?" he asks, tentatively. But... maybe that's for another time. For now -- he just jerks a thumb at himself, pointedly. "Yep. Judau Ashta. Currently--" pause, squint. "--craving chicken. Hey, don't eat alla that!" Maybe it's just all that Orange talk, but he's dead set on getting some of that chicken before Faye inhales ALL of it. Unfortunately -- he's also briefly distracted by Koji's presentation of high value mechanics. "--Damn, that's amazing--"

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

... that was about what Akane gleaned from the reports she has access to, but she didn't want to just volunteer it outright. "It's not like she made it easy," Akane points out to Guy. "Uugh... god, she's really one to talk if she thinks I need to open up."

Leina raising her voice gets Akane to flinch a little bit; it's small, but she scoots toward Rikka. It's so much harder to cope with these things now that she's being more -- authentic; actually inhabiting her own life takes so much more effort than blandly moving from one day to the next. It does get something to click, though. "Sayla pegged it at around ten people," Akane answers Leina. "Besides her. She only told two people."

A beat, as she realizes, "... Alexis knew before I knew. I don't actually know how he knew in the first place, but..." 'Extinction level lies and secrets,' huh.

The longer she thinks about it, the harder it becomes to think about. She lets Faye's answer slip, in favor of leaning into Rikka a little more (with a little blush at being 'with her') -- though Chris's question gets her interest. "Sure, but what kinda leverage do we even have to pull that off? Guessing Amuro's kinda hung up the pilot suit, and like, jeez, who could blame him. You can definitely dangle stuff they care about at someone affected by the Aura of Dawn," why use that name, "but still..."

Roux asks about Triple Zero -- as does Kikka, a moment later -- and Akane decides to leap on the grenade. It's her duty as a 3G member -- and one frankly more oriented on the task of Explaining than Guy. ... pleasantries first, though. "Uh -- good to meet you. Yeah, I only moved in here last month..." she admits, with a nervous laugh. "I had... bad family stuff."

"The Aura of Dawn -- uh, Triple Zero, the Oath Over Omega, same junk -- is an energy and a set of assertions," Akane says, and this time, 'set of assertions' sounds a little more natural on her tongue as an explanation. (She's no longer calling it 'an' assertion, singular, either.) "I kinda patterned one of my kaiju on the... thing it does. So like -- the idea is that once you get the energy in you or whatever, you start believing some stuff about, like... the idea that intelligent life creates more problems than it solves, so it needs to end. The miracles are the problem, I guess!"

Blandly, she adds, "It also makes your robot really strong and both it and you really, really hard to kill."

That's enough explaining, she concludes. She drains the rest of her drink, then murmurs to Rikka, "Can we talk about something a little later? ... one on one. Maybe Leina, too."

<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.

Guy manages a smile in response to the reassurances. If he were the kind of man easily assured, perhaps he wouldn't have reached as far as he has; he says, "I know. We'll get there."

He stands, after that, though he gives Banagher a grin. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Might need some help at the table, actually." He steps over, then, throwing a slightly wry look toward Akane before starting to simply Gather Fods. He's not overly picky here. He's about ready to exposit -- when Akane does, indeed, say the things for him. Maybe Koji and Akane spot his shoulders relaxing a fraction before he returns to his seat. "It's energy from the beginning of the universe. Before, actually," he adds. "We've seen fractions of that power rejuvenate a machine from millions of years of damage. As long as something has 000 in its system, it'll return itself to its healthiest state. But, it can't bind to small enough objects, so once something's in it the best solution is to smash it to bits."

...

"For mecha, I mean. People and AI blocks, we've got a working purification method now."

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Koji nods to Roux with a little half-smile; he knows she gets where he's coming from.

3G are handed the floor to explain Triple Zero; Koji slips in ahead of time, mostly for Mineva, Chris and Faye's benefit, with "for those of us who haven't heard this: Trust me, just roll with it, it'll sound beyond absurd in more than a few parts, but, well, it's 3G. Absurdity is kind of their remit. If you need more details, I've been putting together some theory, and data about Zero Robos and stuff, on the side. The Photon Power Lab is pretty invested in protecting our own brand of miracle, so we've been working closely with 3G on this." He offers Guy a supportive nod - and interjects when the King of Braves says 'before the beginning of the universe' with "Seriously, just roll with it for now."

"The key thing about Triple Zero is: Even after you've been... imbued with its axioms, it doesn't change who you are. Char right now isn't an avatar of cathartic destruction like a Zonder Robo host in this situation would be; he's still Char Aznable, he just believes that the absolute most important thing is that intelligent life must be destroyed for the good of the universe. He is, otherwise, exactly the same man as he was when he and Amuro vanished together, which actually narrows down our methods for tracking him pretty cleanly - we just have to ask ourselves 'what would the madman who tried to destroy the Earth 'for humanity's own good' four years ago do?'"

It's phrased like a joke. He's not even slightly smiling.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


Kikka's grin at Judau, the obvious suppressed tease, it makes her want to smile, but the most she can manage is a very thin one, very thin.

"A commission?" Leina gives Koji a strange look, before he shows the specs of a modified Nu Gundam, listening to his words on Sayla keeping it a secret. "Up to a point." She notes, a touch darkly.

Her eyes then return to Mineva as she apologizes, "It's not your fault she put you in that position." Leina says quietly as she squeezes her hand, "In fact, I'll be having words with her over that very thing, after this is over."

Chris is, quiet, uncommonly quiet, and she might notice after a time that Leina is just, looking right at her. She doesn't speak, she just watches her, sullenly as if assessing every single wound she bears and every single one she's covering up. It's not like she's sad about her being here it's just... another candidate of being someone who might know.

In the end she's glad she's here for what's coming.

"TEN?" Leina gawks at Akane, "Ten people knew and-" Her chin turns up as she stares at the ceiling, like she's swallowing another DAMNIT Sayla as she speaks, and what a bitter pill it is to swallow.

Leina darts a look at Banagher, then she clears her throat and tells him gently, "Banagher that's Guy Shishioh, the King of Braves. He's has more experience fighting 000 than anyone else. Without him, Amuro would have never been purified."

Despite that momentary irritation and embarrassment over Banagher getting a strong case of foot in mouth syndrome, in this moment at least, now that she's said all that, she's sinking against him, against Judau, against Mineva for support.

Nodding as they reassure her that they'll get her back. Then actually, smiling a little more at Judau's thumbs up of brotherly approval as he tells her 'Damn right you will!'

All of their support combined, how many people support this idea of rescuing Sayla, supporting Leina, supporting Sayla. It makes her feel like it might actually happen. That they'll rescue her form the scary looming Spectre of 000 Char. Which... is a being of nightmares for her, but just happens to be Sayla's big brother?

God she knew they were both little sisters to an older brother, they had solidarity in that sense, but the universe has a sick sense of humor, giving Leina such a good one, and Sayla... Char Aznable.

She looks Rikka's way, as she starts, wondering what she might have said, but she doesn't force her to speak. And when Akane moves over to her, and murmurs, Leina looks right at the pair, then nods, as if understanding their intentions in this moment, and agreeing she's up for it if they decide they want her there.

"Oh we'll be hunting alright." Leina murmurs, grimly Roux's way, the moment she gets her access back to the Shuffle networks, it'll be time to go on a deep dive for even the slightest scrap of information on where Char is.

"It's not productive." Leina agrees with Kikka, "But it is deserved." She concludes. When Kikka moves over to whisper, she whispers back, "When we get her back, let your mom know that might be the time to visit."

Even now, readying herself to rescue her, to be ANGRY with her to yell at her as per what Judau says, she's still making preparations for her to be taken care of.

Leina eyes Guy as he makes his explanation of 000, she knows much of it but its still the King of Braves explaining it, and like she said earlier, he has the most experience with this.

...
...
"Guy, what's the likelihood that he infected her with 000, if you had to guess based on how he was acting? We'll need Domon and Mamoru for this one, right?" Her eyes then slip sidelong to Koji, "And that commission? Koji... any chance it can be put in for rush repairs? What's left of it?"

Perhaps that's what finally steadied her in the end, the fact she no longer feels helpless over this. There are things she can do, start preparing for.

And she'll do them. Count on that.

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

"I... see," Mineva replies quietly, nodding as others elucidate a few things about 000. To Leina, she looks aside. "... I could've told you before then, though."

And finally, she comes to a decision for herself. "In the interest of fairness, and being open with our secrets... my name is Mineva Lao Zabi. I'm the princess of Zeon. Char Aznable took me from Axis when I was young, and..."

There's a long beat. "He's the closest thing I had to a father. He also betrayed me and everything he taught me when he tried to drop Axis."

Her eyes fall to her lap, and her fingers dig into her thigh. "The fact that he's here... like this..." A teardrop falls and stains her pants, and she clings tighter to Leina. "I don't know how I'm going to hold myself together..."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

At Chris and Roux's words, Banagher looks distressed, then sits up a little more. "When... Amuro appeared at Torrington, he was after the Unicorn. I don't know if Char would go after the same thing, but-- if Amuro didn't like her, maybe Char won't, either?"

"If it'll help us find Sayla, I'll do anything." Banagher says, despite the way fear makes his heart beat faster. Facing down Amuro, hell-bent on killing him was awful enough. Doing it again... "...why is it good he's re-created the Sazabi, Roux?"

Kikka gets a wave in return. She seems close with Leina, and being an old family friend... Banagher gives her a curious look.

The miracles are the problem, I guess!

Banagher frowns softly. "Maybe that's why Amuro came for the Unicorn..." Would Char be willing to chase another White Unicorn?

Banagher gives Leina a kiss on her cheek, then stands and moves to help Guy at the table. Anything Guy needs help reaching or Gathering, Banagher will assist with!

Leina explains who Guy is, and the young Gundam pilot blinks, staring at Guy with wide eyes. "O--oh, uh." A moment of awkward, stunned silence. "...thank you for saving Amuro."

Once Guy is settled again, Banagher returns to Audrey and Leina, taking each of their hands. "It isn't your fault, Audrey." He murmurs to her, with a squeeze to her hand -- though there's still hurt in his expression.

Again, Audrey reveals her true identity to a room full of strangers, and again, Banagher's expression hardens. Letting go of her hand, he wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"We'll get him back too, Audrey." He whispers, pressing a kiss to her hair. "We'll save him and purify him, just like they did for Amuro. Then you can finally get some answers from him. We'll be here with you every second until then."

Golden eyes look to the people around the room, as if waiting for someone to say something against Audrey. The young man practically radiates protective love.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Kikka knows of Judau! That saves everyone time. Roux leans forwards a little, but Kikka is occupied; this seems to bother her less, perhaps because Roux doesn't know who Kikka is very well, other than her immediate summations.

Judau comes closer. Roux leans against him immediately. Perhaps possessively? It is unclear. She does not smell like the cockpit, at least. She rests her head against his shoulder, which requires a bit of bending. ("Here, have a piece of mine?" Roux offers, raising up a piece towards Judau -- where it is immediately eaten. Aww!!) (Roux is advanced enough to just enjoy this moment of warmth in the face of terror rather than glaring at any of the seven other women present.)

It's Akane who speaks up. This briefly troubles Roux, who, perhaps, is not fully aware of exactly what is up with Akane, having not bothered to ask. However, it doesn't seem like she's BSing; perhaps it's like LiSA, Roux thinks, as she says, "So it's like ideology energy. Like if you passionately believed in gradual compensated space migration and colony development reinvestment and then poof now your Rick Dias is glowing gold."

Roux frowns for obscure reasons after this.

Guy says some deep stuff after this. Roux gives him a look that says 'that's bullshit, but I believe it.' "So how do you get rid of it?" Roux asks, beore her eyes track back to Koji.

"I mean," Roux says to Koji, "yeah, that's the obvious thing... and he's pretty clever."

And then Audrey, the nice girl who Roux had sort of seen as the inexplicable third wheel to the bicycle ship of BanaLeina, speaks up... and drops another bomb. Roux sits upright, startled, eyes going wide.

But it takes a beat for her to say, "I'm sorry."

Then, still to Audrey - Mineva - "It's not your fault. Thank you for trusting-- all of us."

Now Roux answers Banagher. "I don't know if I should give you a dissertation or anything... I admit I was kind of just talking out of my butt, but, I mean, there's combat footage of it, right? It's a known quantity. And it's going to be just him in that giant red pig."

A pause.

Roux glances at Koji and Guy and Akane as if to ask: it's just him in the giant red pig, right?

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Akane scoots toward her and, in return, Rikka scoots closer. She doesn't think she'll need to... protect her, but if she can offer support, that's good enough.

Alexis, knew, though... Rikka makes a face at that. A part of her is almost glad he didn't get the chance to drop it himself - she can't imagine how he'd use that information to do the most damage possible.

...But, Akane leans into her so Rikka follows suit, once again reaching for her hand to give it another squeeze. ...She'd hold onto it longer, but she imagines she probably wants both hands free.

Akane, Guy, and Koji, then, offer an explanation on Triple Zero. Rikka knows most of what they have to say already... but Guy has something that is new to her.

"It's... that old?" Rikka asks. 'Energy from the beginning of the universe' is a bit much to wrap her head around, though, but she can nod when it comes to purification.

"...Yeah, I've seen the purification happen. So I can vouch for it." Rikka says.

Her attention turns back to Akane as she asks to talk about something later - one on one, though maybe with Leina too.

"Yeah, of course." Rikka agrees, then looks toward Leina with a nod. If Akane wants her there too, and Leina's good with it, she's glad to have her too.

...And Audrey has something to share, too - that she is Mineva Lao Zabi, the princess of Zeon.

"...I'm sorry. This must be difficult." Rikka murmurs sympathetically.

<Pose Tracker> Kikka Kobayashi has posed.

Kikka listens carefully as Akane explains Triple Zero, and Guy elaborates. It's a lot to take in, for sure! "Um, thanks! That helps a lot, actually. I have a project in mind.. and I think it'll help to have more than an incidental understanding of Triple Zero. And ah... it's good you don't smash the people into bits too!" A shaky thumbs up. Alas, she would like to know more about Amuro in particular.. but something tells her they need to deal with the Char situation first.

Koji also helps to explain, and admittedly, he does put it in much impler terms for the non-GGG inclined. It's been a while since she's seen the Kabutos, too though. "Thanks to you too, Koji - ah, Doctor Koji now. I'll have to pay Shiro a visit, too." She grins.

Judau recognizes the name Kobayashi.. if he really did serve in the Neo-Zeon War, he would've known him, huh. "O-oh, yeah. Hayato Kobayashi.. he was my father. You knew him then.. still, it's nice to meet you, Judau."

Audrey reveals herself as Mineva Lao Zabi.. only the second princess reveal of the night. Kikka has some hard feelings about the Zabi family, having been orphaned in the One Year War. But Mineva would've been a.. literal baby during that wouldn't she? At least she looks younger than Kikka. "Mm, I see.. we only just met, so.. would you prefer me to call you Audrey or Mineva? ...Princess Mineva?" Kikka asks, trying her best to be polite. If they ever do see each other in public it'll be Audrey. But in a setting like this? She leaves it up to the girl's preference.

Finally, Kikka nods at Leina's whisper back. "...I think that'll be good for both of them."

<Pose Tracker> Christina MacKenzie has posed.

        Chris is listening aptly to Akane, Guy, and Koji. This is a different world, a different set of rules, and if she's going to get Sayla back, she has to understand. She HAS to. Her mouth chews yet another slice--despite all the strain, this is the most appetite she's had in days, and her body is gleeful to have greasy awful takeout. Her mind... racing. Taking notes. Little pieces. Sazabi. Optimizing. Recovery. The explanation of "adding parameters" makes sense--Tristan's OS is a patchwork community of a dozen different conventions from two decades of R&D. Adding rules on top of things. It makes sense. Follow the rules. As long as she doesn't think too hard about things from Beyond the Time or Infinite Power or Before the Universe or Miracles...

        Miracles.

        Chris looks towards Leina and Banagher and Audrey, those three... Even the Unicorn and the Garancieres aside, those three... are hope to the hopeless. Three seeds of hope, in heartsoil she feared barren. Those three were her Miracle. If Triple Zero hates miracles so much... It will have to go through her.

        She sees Leina observing her, and gives a sad smile. Leina's sullen acceptance hurts worse than the scolding she was sure she'd get. ("This is no good... I can't protect them like this. I can't keep...ignoring myself.") She locks eyes with Leina, and gives her a solemn, but convicted nod. She has no telepathy to speak of, but across a crowded room, she can always hope that Leina can lipread her thoughts. "Together," she mouths, thinking the notion as hard as she can.

        Nothing could stop her from being here for what's coming.

        Her miracle complicates itself further. Audrey...Mineva, Mineva Lao Zabi? Char's--Casval's--adoptive daughter. She can't help but laugh out loud. The three of them... Zeon's Princess, the Survivor of Neo Zeon's Cruelty, and the boy that's already done more to bring opposing people together than Chris has ever had the heart and will to ever achieve. They really are the hope of the future.

                "Banagher. We all will. Don't be reckless," she feels she has to say. Nevermind that she, of all people, she has no right. Spinning out on a damn joyride. Well, as I say, right? "Purif...ication. And it works?" That seems to be the consensus among those who know. "What can I do?"

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Judau Ashta, leaning on Roux and chewing on chicken, s l o w l y squints as Akane and Guy lay out the Straight Dope on Oath. His chewing s l o w l y comes to a stop as he stares, cheek-puffed and eyes slits of deep thought, at the two.

"... Uh huh..." drones Judau. "Got it."

Judau absolutely does not Got It; he absorbed precisely negative percent of that information; it's likely he'll have forgotten more than he knew tomorrow.

This is not Akane and Guy's fault they were excellent presenters who laid existential information out in a horrifyingly easy to digest way as far as terrifying metaphysical information can be laid out.

It's just.

It was information, being laid out. And Judau has his limits.

Those limits being '99%% of exposited information'.

What Koji says, at least, is a bit easier to digest (Roux's too, but hers mainly in a brief digression of "wait, what? like those phony religions that measure your cosmic ray levels? i knew this triple orange thing sounded like a scam--"). Shaking out of his reverie, Judau thinks, and thinks HARD, about what he knows about Char. ... Dick... likes red... likes masks, sometimes... might be related to Quattro Bageena (no, he did not pay attention to the news or to Akane like literally just now and yes, part of him is wondering about some kind of Four Chars Theory due to Quattro's name)... "... Likes to screw people over and throw rocks at planets?"

That's. ... That's the best he's got. Maybe he should leave this to the people who know him best.

Kikka, at least, is a known quantity. Or at least, her dad was. For that much, Judau offers a small but sincere smile. "Nice meetin' you too. He was a good guy."

It's a simple sentiment, but one Judau says with a painfully earnest heart.

Mineva, too, is known -- even if her actual identity is something he hadn't heard about until recently. Haman's ghost seems to still linger in the margins of Judau's life in so many ways, even now. He looks Mineva's way, wondering what her life might have been like with Char -- with Haman. And when she mentions his betrayal...

"We'll save him too," he says on the heels of Banagher's assurance. And just like Banagher, he suggests--

"And then you can give him a real good punch, too!"

--okay not like banagher

Judau is in the middle of demonstrating for Mineva good form for Punching Adults Who've Messed Up Your Life even with Roux leaning against him ("it's all about puttin' your weight into it, it's okay to go for the gut if they're too tall to reach their face--") when Leina asks Koji about that commission. Judau pauses. Blinks. Looks Leina's way.

He's got some idea why she's asking. And without a word -- he gives her the tiniest little nod of understanding. He's not going to stop her, whatever she has planned. If anything -- he'll help.

That's what siblings are for.

<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.

Faye finally gives up the orange chicken. She does move on to the chow mein.

"So. This might be stupid. You can tell me it's stupid, it sure as hell sounds stupid. But if Char Aznable is the same ol' guy, only he wants to kill all humans, or whatever. Isn't the answer to 'what Char Aznable wants', just, 'another big ass rock'? Like. Last time, Amuro stopped him... But if that's not gonna happen again, why not just try the big ass rock again? I mean, that's what all these Zeon guys end up doing, right?"

Her foot taps, gently, as she takes in the information on Triple Zero.

"So... just go all out, huh? I guess I... can't really worry about the purification thing, so. If you say you can handle it, I don't have any choice but to rely on you..."

The jittery foot works its way up her whole body. Her brow knits, her shoulders roll. Someone suggests that Sayla could've gotten hit with this same crap, and...

"Ugh, this sucks. The hell kind of brother is that, thinks he can do whatever he wants for everyone's own good... I'd pretend I wasn't related, too."

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

'My name is Mineva Lao Zabi.'

Akane turns and just stares; the quiet implicit communication betwee her, Rikka, and Leina is all but forgotten in the face of that bombshell. (Akane had known that one too, thanks to Leina -- but it's another thing to see her drop it in front of everyone.)

Honestly, the conversation is getting a little much for her overall; it's hard for her not to withdraw into herself a bit, especially since she's now mentioned her bullshit -- twice -- in front of people who don't actually know what's up with her. She finishes her meal, finding herself running out of appetite...

... She can tell Judau didn't catch damn thing number one of that. She resolves to chuck a slideshow at him later with very simple words.

It's Judau -- and Faye -- who pitch the idea of Another Big Ass Rock, though, and Akane activates on that. "... That's actually a pretty good point. I've been thinking about it a lot lately... how people don't really give up on big dreams like that unless they actually find a new dream." This isn't serious analysis -- indeed, what seems to come out is mostly guilt.

Chewing on that, she says, "I'll... see if I can get 3G working on a projection about what rocks might be big enough and easy enough to access, or something. I have to talk to 3G Intelligence anyway."

Still cuddled up to Rikka, Akane works up the nerve to say at least one of the things she wanted to say now, instead of later. "... we're both kinda bad about the secrets thing. If this is where that goes, maybe... that's something to work on."

Chris's question -- 'what can I do' -- gets her to reorient. It's an easy one. "Well, you can start by kicking Char's butt. None of the other steps work without that one," she says, as if it's easy. ... Maybe after seeing so many miracles hard-won through tenacity in the face of her own cowardice, she's starting to believe they can keep happening.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


A lot of exposition happens! Judau looks like Judau normally did every time Leina demanded he go to school and actually got his butt sitting down in a desk before later skipping out.

She knows her brother. She knows he didn't get most of that exposition. It exasperates her, but she knows it doesn't matter that it does, he'll figure it out in a fight.

He always does. He'll bare his heart, throw it on his sleeve, then punch the shit out of something with it.

Its how he saved her when many more big brained military tacticians would have given up long before.

"First thing I'll be looking into, every Mining Asteroid out there. Though..." She says darkly, "... some are better candidates for him than others."

Chris and Leina stare at each other, in this moment perhaps she doesn't know everything she knows, that's not how being a Newtype works.

However, she gets the general vibe at least of how she's feeling, her intentionality. And when she mouths, 'together' Leina mouths back, 'Together.' in solidarity over their mutual care for Sayla Mass, and each other.

Leina squeezes Mineva's hand, smiling at the kiss Banagher puts on her cheek, as she squeezes his hand too but in this moment she murmurs to Mineva, "Audrey, I know you feel bad about it, but I don't blame you. It sucks that so many people knew and she still thought it best to keep it from me but- that's not on you. As you said, you wanted her to tell me. That's all I could have asked of you."

Then she reveals who she is to the room, and Leina squeezes her hand tightly, then slowly raises a hand up to her cheek, thumbing away tears. "God, we're in such a shitty boat together aren't we?"

Leina might mentally kick herself a little for not thinking of her own hurt until this moment. "We'll figure it out okay? I'm here for you, just like you were for me."

She puts her forehead against Mineva's their bangs brushing against each other as she murmurs,"You don't have to be alone with these feelings anymore. Don't forget that."

She does smile at Kikka's question over what to call Mineva, before replying, "Yeah definitely, she'd been avoiding calling all the old White Base crew for years. If this isn't an occasion to reconnect for support, I don't know what is."

Leina watches the exchange between Kikka and Judau. It's, interesting to think about. How Kikka and her both lost someone important to them in Dublin...

... and neither of them were there. It's such a shitty thing to be united under, grief. Yet, united they still are.

Leina allows Judau to demonstrate how to punch a shitty adult, because, even if she believes in using her words - Char deserves as many punches as Mineva wants to give him.

A glance is exchanged, a thin smile, she appreciates his support. Because, she feels they'll need every advantage they can get.

<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.

Koji, of course, was already entrusted with Mineva's secret, so he just offers the young princess a supportive nod.

Leina asks if they can rush repairs, and he opens his mouth. Pauses. Closes his mouth.

Just like when Guy first told him the fate of the rest of the Gutsy Galaxy Guard, he considers: How far would he go, in Leina's place, for Sayaka, Shiro, Tetsuya... or, to be frank, any of the people in this room, even the ones he doesn't know, if they were in Sayla's position right now?

Through hell and back, again and again, until they were safe. That's just part of what being a Mazinger Pilot is, to Koji Kabuto. Who is he to deny that same spirit in others?

"Of course, Leina." He glances to Chris. "You know machines, right, miss Mackenzie? I could always use another hand."

Akane points out that step one is to kick Char's ass, and Koji nods, though his grey eyes stay on the young woman for a moment. "The regenerative capacity of Triple Zero is phenomenal - I've watched energy and missile attacks rip holes in a living being empowered by it and the injuries just knit back together like they never happened. That said... As much as I'd like to join the rush to do that... It would be a very strong concentration of our own power in one place, and we know already from the simultaneous attacks on Side 3 and Orbit Base that Chief Taiga - even if he and Char aren't directly collaborating - won't waste an opportunity to divide and conquer."

Koji isn't as sharp, tactically, as Taiga, but he's got enough strategic nous to be aware of that. "Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, and Aphrodite Areia will go on ready status in case there's an attack on Earth while you guys are dealing with Char. I'll notify Shiro, too, see if he can put together a response team from the Third Company. So, Judau, I'm counting on you, one Good Big Brother to another:

"Kick that blonde prick's ass so hard his whole digestive tract inverts." 

<Pose Tracker> Mineva Lao Zabi has posed.

Mineva nods, smiling a little to Banagher. "Thanks..." The well wishes and apologies are helpful... and she can't help but laugh as Judau teaches her how to punch. She files that away for later...

If anyone deserves a punch, Char Aznable does.

And the color drains out of her face again as Faye suggests he might try a second Axis drop. For that to happen again... No.

She won't allow it.

There's a nod to Leina... and another small smile. "And I'm still here for you, too. I promise, Leina."

"... and please call me Audrey. Absolutely not 'princess', please..."

<Pose Tracker> Guy Shishioh has posed.

Guy chuckles at Banagher's shock. "You're welcome," he says, lightly. "I used to work with them. GGG worked with Karaba heavily during the Primeval War, so I couldn't leave Amuro behind. Char..." He scratches his cheek with his good hand. "...we'll get him back, too," is how he ends it.

"It's less that it's old," Guy notes to Rikka, sitting back down, "And more that there's a rip in spacetime from it to us." He grimaces, unhappily, and adds: "Was? I hope."

As for Leina's question: "Hundred percent. It's hard to do in the time scale of combat, but all he'd need to do would be to wrap his machine around her cockpit pod for ten or so minutes. And I don't think he'd have bothered to take her if that wasn't on his mind. The Ruin Apostles sure are always asking me and Mamoru to go back with them."

<Pose Tracker> Banagher Links has posed.

Banagher's eyes widen once again as Kikka reveals who her father was. That means... This lady was on White Base, with Amuro Ray. It feels wrong to bring it up now, in the middle of such serious conversations, but--

Later. If Kikka is a family friend, there's definitely going to be time to talk later, when things are calmer.

Noticing he's been staring at Kikka in silence for a solid few moments, Banagher flushes in embarrassment and looks away.

Chris laughs, and Banagher turns to glare at her immediately, pulling Audrey a bit more closely against his chest. But Chris's feelings aren't malicious, so he relaxes. "Don't laugh." He says, for good measure.

Golden eyes glimmer with protective fervor just above Audrey's hair. "If the Unicorn and I are our best option to draw him out, I don't think that's reckless. I'd -- much prefer another way. But I'm not going to hesitate if there's something I can do."

Judau manages to bring a smile back to Banagher's face, softening some of the tension in the Unicorn pilot's shoulders. Watching the demonstration is probably useful. Judau's punch is a known force of nature.

Much like a big rock. Banagher frowns at the thought. What kind of dream could Char be seeking, besides the one he died for?

"That makes sense, Akane." Banagher murmurs.

Leina and Audrey share a moment of love and solidarity, and Banagher's face turns so gentle and sweet, watching it. For the first time since he entered the room, he looks relaxed, as if the exhaustion has fallen away.

<Pose Tracker> Roux Louka has posed.


Roux says to Faye, defensively -- somehow -- "That has nothing to do with killing all humans! Char was always an extremist, he was just charming and able to give a good speech! That and being the son of the father of spacenoid independence as an ideal--"

The son of the father? Well, that makes sense.

Other people are talking. Roux pulls herself in with a bit of a grimace, putting her head back on Judau's shoulder. Others are reacting. Rolling with it. Roux can feel the echo of Judau's acceptance of that girl, Audrey, Mineva. It's a remote kind of concern.

Her eyes turn towards Koji as he speaks. "... Ah," Roux says, and something obscure feels like it fades. "I keep forgetting... they're with the enemy too. I don't know how we can work around this, then... trust in Mamoru and Domon Kashuu, I guess."

Internally it rankles somewhat. If they COULD outright destroy one of these people, isn't Char Aznable to one to do it? Doesn't he deserve to get disintegrated by a science gun? Roux might think so, but then, over there, relaxing; it's a girl who said Char was something like her father.

Everyone has someone, Roux thinks, and doesn't say aloud.

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Rikka nods as Guy offers clarification on the status of the energy related to Triple Zero. ...That 'I hope' is doing a lot of work, and she kind of hopes that's the case, too.

Rikka can tell that it's all starting to get a bit much for Akane. ...That's fair - it's something she can understand, too. But then, there's the risk of another Big Rock. ...A slow frown crosses Rikka's face. She really hopes it doesn't come to that. But... Akane has something important to say, too, about how people don't give up on big dreams unless they find a new one.

...The guilt in her voice is evident. Rikka doesn't have to guess where it comes from.

"...You're right." She admits. She is kind of bad about secrets. There are still some things she hasn't told her that she... probably should. She does offer a small smile, though. "...Yeah. We should. Sooner rather than later..."

For now, though, she focuses on the current situation.

"I... don't really know what I can do to help." Rikka admits. The problem is a little out of her usual scale. This may be one of those situations where she's best suited supporting emotionally rather than directly - but she's okay with that. She knows where her strengths lie. "But if you need me for anything, don't hesitate to let me know. ...That goes for all of you."

<Pose Tracker> Faye Valentine has posed.

Roux gets a little defensive, and at first the snap makes Faye rankle, too, but she looks over to Roux and...

Nods, actually. "Yeah, I know. I mean, that's Sayla's brother, right? And it's not like she decided to start trying to knock Earth back to the ice age. Whatever his reasons, it's his own damn fault. But... what with the princess here and all, I guess I put my foot in it. Sorry."

Leaning back against the couch, she throws one leg over the other, as much to stop her jittery heel as anything. There's a lot of big shots here... it's hard not to feel a little outscaled, and she sympathizes with Rikka a bit. They don't exactly put out bounties on guys who drop colonies, and the Red Tail isn't carrying any nukes.

"Okay, well... I'm not, like. A whole intelligence agency or anything, but. This stuff, it's not gonna let him like, magic up a whole army, right? So he's gonna want mobile suits, and he's gonna want goons to put in 'em. I know some guys who make those kinds of deals... so if he's out here starting himself an apocalypse cult, like, that's not a pop-up sandwich joint. People are gonna notice. I'll pass it all back... no fee, this time."

It's fine, really. She's been paid in a somewhat outsized share of cheap takeout.

"And, obviously... I'm on board for the asskicking brigade."

<Pose Tracker> Kikka Kobayashi has posed.

Kikka's expression softens a little at Judau's sincere, earnest smile. "He really was.. thanks, Judau." She manages a shaky smile back.

She nods at Leina, too. "..Yeah, I can see why she would be so hesitant. But I want to be able to support her. And you, too." And someone like Mom - someone like Frau Bow-Kobayashi.. probably needs way more support than she's getting as well.

Mineva has her answer, and Kikka is happy to oblige. "Audrey it is then. And yeah.. I wasn't sure how you felt about that, so I'm glad I asked." She takes another sip of water. She feels a stare from Leina's other partner too.. she wonders if he had something to ask her. If she'll be in the area for the time being, she'll have plenty of time to ask what that's about, though!

Plenty of people hop aboard the asskicking squad, to stop Char from dropping another alleged Big Rock. Like Rikka, she feels a lot more comfortable on team emotional support. "I may not be a fighter.. but best of luck, everyone. He lost the first time, and with all the anti-Triple Zero experts you have on board, I think you're more than capable of doing it again."

<Pose Tracker> Christina MacKenzie has posed.

Chris glances between Judau and Faye... She's met both of them today, and they clearly have Personalities, but their connections to her most important people...she's undeniably buoyed by their presence.
                "We won't let that happen. We won't. The people on Earth... the people in Space... We can't let their fragile dreams be crushed by some orange juice!"

        Banagher, so protective of Audrey... And Leina, of him. Chris nods.
                "You're right. I'm sorry, Audrey. I could only think of the people that always insist on seeing some impenetrable divide. Insist on hatred and violence. Of course Leina falls for two of the most-sought people in the Sphere, brings them here to..." She glances around, at both the people and the furnishings both. "...Here. This place." There's a plan. She's anxious, yes, fatigued, extremely, food coma, imminently. But there's room in her brain to be talkative again. "Being here is better rest than sleeping..." She didn't really mean to say the last part out loud, but.

                "Koji! I've wanted to collaborate with you for a while; Sa-, ...I've heard about how we share some traits..." She glances at Leina. "I'd be very interested in seeing this Photonics-adapted Nu Gundam...You have the battle data, I'm sure?"

<Pose Tracker> Judau Ashta has posed.

Judau Ashta only knew Hayato Kobayashi very briefly, especially compared to so many others. But in a very real sense, the man gave his life for him.

Judau's still doesn't believe for a second his life was any more valuable than Hayato's, but... he's here today, with Leina, because of him. He has a chance to save the woman who saved his sister, because of him.

Judau's spent every day since Dublin trying to live hard enough to make that sacrifice worth it; he's not going to stop now.

Even if some (most) of the concepts being bandied about right now are just completely outside his intellectual paygrade. That slideshow might be necessary. Maybe one with some animation. But if one thing's for certain -- none of it dulls the determination in his stare, or the way his expression flattens into something like frustrated anger when Akane mentions that his and Faye's idea could very well be right.

"Dammit," he mutters, rubbing the back of his head. "Of course he would, huh. These jackasses never learn..." Even if he suggested it, it still doesn't make Judau's jaw clench any less tensely in annoyance. Wouldn't that just figure?

That, even being ridden by a force beyond human (definitely Judau's) reckoning, Char Aznable still can't escape the temptation of Earth, either.

He'll never understand it.

Maybe that's for the best; as it stands, Judau can only really ever bring himself to focus on the here and now, and the complex cocktail of sentiments that mix up in this room. It's Roux's words that draw Judau's attention first; he looks at her, thick brows knotting into a questioning expression -- a second passes, before he loops his arm around her with a wordless squeeze. He leaves it at that subtle show of support for now - so much so he doesn't even dive for the rest of the orange chicken the first moment the opening presents itself (now THAT'S caring about someone!) - content to listen and think as the others talk through logistics and possibilities. A small smile tugs at his lips, when Leina and Banagher both offer Audrey that support -- even if Banagher offers a particularly reckless idea to draw the man out (really, Judau'd probably do the same); he's glad for them. For Leina, that she has them -- and the other way around, too.

His attention only shifts, when Koji speaks to him. He blinks -- and then he grins, giving his nose a confident swipe with his thumb.

"Heh heh! Don't worry, Koji -- I'll kick his ass twice as hard, for both of us! Til he regrets the misfortune of ever havin' an ass!"

Does he know--

"... Maybe I should bring a pipe...? Nah, maybe that's too much..." ... no. Let's just call it happy coincidence. Or the incidental and terrifying power of a new type of human.

And so, Judau loses himself in thought, trying to think of the best way to introduce himself to a man he's never met through physical assault. Don't worry; it'll come to him.

Like most of the best art, sometimes these things take a last minute flash of inspiration.

<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.

Akane does her best to take it all in -- it's a lot. Leina says she'll be looking into asteroids, and Akane nods along. They'll probably have a short list of candidates, between them, sooner than later. It's obvious that sorting through data isn't her strong suit right now. The possibility of a divide-and-conquer moment with 3G Green, though, seems to activate something in her -- if only briefly.

When Guy volunteers the possibility of Char converting Sayla, she has to think on that a little bit. "... You and Taiga are a little different there, though. You guys are buddies. Char and Sayla seem like they don't want each other involved in their garbage. ... that could go a ton of ways, but it's better than definitely."

Something chews at the back of her mind. ... no, Char's probably at the stage where he's accustomed to the loneliness, she reflects -- he wouldn't switch gears.

"I might be operator for a mission that comes out of this, but I think I'm on the home team here too," Akane concedes, alongside Rikka and Kikka. "Even if I could do the kinda stuff I used to -- this isn't the kinda problem a kaiju solves." Looking to Faye, she adds, "I can follow up on that kinda stuff."

She lets out an irritated sigh, and nods. "... anyway, uh, if you've still got an appetite after all that," she mumbles, "help yourself to some more of the food."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.


"I know." She tells Mineva with one last motion to thumb away a tear, before lowering her hand, "Promise I'd never forget that."

She then looks Banagher's way with an extremely severe look, "I won't rule it out, but only if we have a good plan to go along with it. Our best chance here might be to never let him climb into a mobile suit to begin with."

Chris weighs in, and... Leina gives her this helpless shrug with a sheepish look on her face, "Sayla definitely feels the same way but, it's my choice, and she respects that."

And she understands implicitly that Chris will too, despite all the dangers of being involved with both of them.

Guy however answers that it's 'Hundred percent'. She takes a breath, then nods, "Alright. Thank you for your honest assessment."

She's always worried about people sugarcoating it for her feelings even if she didn't think the King of Braves would, "That tells us something then about the resources and personnel we'll need for this rescue mission."

Akane gets a startled look at her comment after, but after a moment's thought, actually nods. As much as she hates to think of Sayla and Char having anything in common...

She can perhaps feel Roux's irritation, and the look Leina gives her has this weird sense of validation perhaps. Though on what, it's hard to tell.

She then looks at Kikka and- she actually gives her a stubborn look and a smile, "I don't. When she told me she hadn't called any of her White Base comrades since Axis I demanded she call them up first thing."

She gives Koji and Chris an appreciative smile as Chris leans into it, "Thank you, both of you."

In the end, as Judau says he should bring a pipe, Leina actually stares at him and, for the first time tonight...

... manages a giggle, laughing, as she remembers the image of Roux decking that horrid Junker that was threatening to snap his neck.

"No no, I think a pipe may be warranted for this one, just as long as you bring another old friend from the AEUG too as your backup."

A gun. She means a gun.

When pipes are involved, a gun is definitely a secondary weapon for Judau.

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