2023-10-12: A New Way Forward
- Log: 2023-10-12: A New Way Forward
- Cast: Sousuke Sagara, Sayla Mass, Kaname Chidori
- Where: Geotron Warehouse, Jindai, Nouvelle Tokyo
- OOC - IC Date: 12 October 2023
- Summary: Following the incident in Azadistan, Sayla comes to ask Sousuke what happened- and to discuss with both Sousuke and Kaname what they want next.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke Sagara's issues with Mithril reached their peak at the battle for Azadistan, where he loudly declared he didn't even care for the organization and then effed off with Kaname Chidori. Since then, things are... ....awkward. Unstable, and not yet settled, either. Sousuke has returned once or twice to assist with some missions, particularly the one repelling Yuliana Kafim, but his relationship to Mithril and the Shuffle Alliance remains strained.
At the moment, at least, everything is in one place: A Geotron Electronics garage in Nouvelle Tokyo, serving as a front for several Shuffle Alliance services. Often, this would be where Arbalest is stationed. It's...not there, right now. A quiet pull of the leash from Mithril's higher ups. Sousuke, as per his usual mood, sits at a table at the other end of the room, doing makeup homework and waiting for the people he's meeting today to arrive.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
It's been a little while since Sayla has been in Nouvelle. She's been trying to travel less and less, ever since Leina had finally been allowed to come home openly. But there were exceptions to that, and this is one of them.
The reports on what happened at Azadistan had reached her, and Sayla was... concerned. She should have come back earlier, but negotiations with Cathedra and the fallout from the incidents with the Unicorn and the Phenex were occupying her mind.
Sayla's own bodyguard walks her to the door, even as she gives a quick repeated knock code to let those inside knows she's friendly- and slipping in. The bodyguard doesn't follow her in, instead moving to watch the door. Inside is still a safehouse for the Alliance.
"Good evening, Sousuke." Sayla's voice is quiet, calm. She notices the distinct lack of AL's presence. She also knows she's not the only other person who'll be here tonight. "How are you holding up?" She doesn't expect a particularly good answer, but... it's worth getting a feel for where the young man's head is at.
Especially when she has an inkling of what's wrong.
<Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
The Geotron Electronics garage happens to be the location of Kaname Chidori's office, a floor or two below ground level. She still has work; not having to study is a blessing, even if the reason behind it is very arguably a curse. She's just wrapped things up, now, coming out of the door to what's ostensibly Geotron's office space.
She peeks around at the cavernous, mostly-empty room, dressed in something approaching 'business casual'. Seeing Sayla's already arrived, she sighs to herself for taking longer than expected downstairs, and moves over toward her and Sousuke. "Sorry, I got held up a little bit... hope I didn't keep you waiting, Dr. Mass." She lets Sousuke answer Sayla's question. She knows the answer, more or less, but it's not really her place to say.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke is focused with his usual intensity. There's a calm about him, though. A clarity, perhaps, unlike what had muddled him for a lot longer than just the last few months.
"Doctor Mass," Sousuke says, looking up as she calls. He regards her, cool as ever, clear gray eyes scanning. "I am...improved," he says, quietly. His eyes flick up to Kaname's arrival and he doesn't do anything at all to hide the way his face softens and a smile emerges. "There are some challenges ahead. But, I understand what I need to now, I think."
He sets his pencil down, folds up his notebooks and sets them aside. Neat and orderly; a young man who's had the tidy life of a soldier drilled into him from much, much too young.
"Things have been...challenging. I imagine you have questions about what's been going on."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods as Sousuke mentions he's improved- but it's impossible for her not to notice the way he brightens at Kaname's presence. "I'm glad to hear that much, at least." She gives a calm smile to Kaname as she apologies. "I only just got here myself, Kaname, it's fine."
Sayla is trying not to go too official, too 'commander'-like. She takes a seat at the table Sousuke is working at, expecting Kaname to join him. "I see." Sayla takes a pause, and nods. "...I do. I've seen the reports, of course, but..." Sayla drums her fingers on the table.
"In the time I've known you, you've been dilegent and restrained." She pauses. "Well, mostly restrained." She has also seen the comments about what's happened at school. "I don't see you going AWOL lightly. Something severe happened. Would you be comfortable telling me what?"
What happened happened, and that can't change. But she wants to know why. She wants to understand what went through Sousuke's head.
<Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
Kaname takes a seat next to Sousuke, nodding. "... It's nice to see you again, Sayla." Again, she doesn't say much, for now... this is a chance for Sousuke to talk, to explain what happened for himself. She wasn't there for most of it... granted, she was fighting for her life, but still.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Hm. From the top, then.
"It was a process," Sousuke says, slowly. "In the wake of the several incidents concerning the Unicorn Gundam and Denver Colony, Mithril Operations Command made the decision that my time in Jindai was a waste of their resources and that I should focus on mastering the Arbalest's lambda driver. I..."
...he folds his hands rather pointedly in his lap. "Was unhappy. Tessa and I...said some unkind things to each other. It became difficult to focus. My mind would wander. I was nearly powerless against the new Uruz One in a..." Grimace. "Trial skirmish. My performance was...beyond merely low."
His attention drifts back to Kaname. "I..."
He hesitates. This was a time he doesn't want to return to, and his attention pulls back to Dr. Mass. He settles for finishing his summary as matter-of-factly as possible: "During the operation to find the attackers in Azadistan, I was unable to focus well enough to drive straight. Mao told me I'd become a liability. I agreed, so I left."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Hearing Sousuke's take on the situation, Sayla frowns lightly. She hadn't been reinstated back then, otherwise she might have stood up and said something then. Still, there's no point worrying about what ifs.
"That's a very careful way of putting it," Sayla says, noting the way Sousuke tries to stick purely to the facts of the matter, not letting his feelings step in. Her eyes flick to Kaname briefly- how much of this had she heard about the situation? She's gauging both their emotions carefully, both on their faces and with her Newtype senses.
"...So then, I suppose I have three questions. The first thing I want to know is why you came back after walking away." Was it just that he had nowhere else to go? Or was it something else?
"The second thing I want to know is... Kaname, how do you feel about this?" Sayla turns her gaze to the blue haired girl. "I know you were in danger too throughout this, so I want to know where you stand too."
And then, Sayla crosses her arms, and looks to both of them in turn. "Sousuke, you said you knew what had to come next, I'd like you to tell me both what needs to happen- and what you want to happen. Same to you, Kaname. What do you want?"
This wasn't just about Sousuke or Kaname in isolation, at this point. Sayla was certain of that.
And maybe, just maybe, her daughter has been a little bit of a bad influence.
<Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
Kaname listens, and nods to Sousuke. None of this seems to surprise to her; it's emotional, but it's also clear that he's told her all of this before. She looks at Sayla as she asks the question. "... I'm why he came back," she explains quietly. "After Wraith and I nearly died, we... decided together that I needed to go track down Sousuke."
"I knocked some sense into him. Sousuke...um, he can tell you the rest."
"But I think... we've talked about this, and he thinks this is the best way for him to grow. To be more than Sergeant Sousuke Sagara, the soldier. I think this is a way for him to move forward.... and it's his decision."
She has to think about the last one. "... I want Sousuke to have a normal life. I want him to be able to find something that makes him happy, and..." She looks at him.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Hearing Kaname summarize herself seems to give Sousuke some resolve to speak more. "...it was Gauron," he says. "Behind Azadistan. The pilot of the original insurgent Codarl was one of his proteges, apparently. They'd laid a...trap? Not even. Simply a trail of clues that would only make sense to me. I found him."
His eyes cast down. "He was dying. Cancer, he told me, but also he'd had his arms and legs ruined in the explosion at sea. He wanted to see me one last time." ... "Curse me, one last time. To try and ruin this 'soft person' he thought I'd become. Among other things...he told me he'd killed Kaname. With my state of mind at the time, doubting him never occurred to me."
He swallows hard, and folds his hands over each other. "I killed him for that," he says, quietly. Distantly. "For sure, this time. After his heartbeat stopped, the room exploded. I didn't want to survive. But my body moved anyway. His final curse...to be a compulsive survivor even with nothing."
...He sits there on that for a moment, and then blinks back up, hand quietly reaching for Kaname's without even really noticing himself. "Then Kaname appeared and uppercutted me off my feet, which helped my perspective," he says, lightly. "It was her insistence that got me back into the cockpit. I think I understand better now what I need. What I want."
"Ultimately..." Sousuke says, slowly.
"Ultimately," he says again, and looks up. "I want to be a man who doesn't need a weapon."
After that, a moment later, he says, "But...I don't think it's time for that now. For now...I'd like to separate myself from Mithril. It's very likely I could negotiate with them to reinstate myself and renegotiate my contract to allow myself time with Kaname and away from the base." School will end, Milly told him. That day is coming very soon, actually. "But...the other concern is..."
He draws a breath, remembering himself. "...this was difficult on Tessa and myself. I think we came near to destroying everything we have. Even if this time turns out well...it's better for us going forward if I'm no longer directly part of her command."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla is quiet as Kaname summarizes her part- though there's a smirk when she mentions knocking some sense into Sousuke, and a raised eyebrow when she trails off- and Sousuke his. Her eyes widen as Sousuke mentions Gauron- she remembers the conversation they had in Sayla's office a few months ago. "...So he somehow survived." Sousuke had been so certain, but... Sayla nods, as Sousuke continues. But she notices the way his hand moves. She notices the connection.
When Sousuke mentions what he wants, Sayla smiles warmly.
"I'm glad you could come to that conclusion." Sayla looks thoughtful, as he details that it's too early to make that move. "...Alright. That gives me the grasp on the situation I need." Sayla drums her fingers on her arm, as she considers the way forward.
"I think I can help you come to an arrangement then. Allenby would take someone with your skills into the Clubs division happily- and it also avoids the issue of you ending up in the same division as Kaname or Tessa." She considers. "The fact that you're the only one AL accepts as his pilot gives you a strong negotiating posture, as well. It might strain the Alliance's relationship with Mithril some, but frankly..."
Sayla's expression turns serious for a moment. "If Mithril are unable to see the changes that have happened in you from your experiences at Jindai- how much harm they did by taking away the life you have become accustomed too- then frankly that's a fight I am prepared to have." She casts a reassuring look to Sousuke. "This is the sort of thing that the Shuffle Alliance stands for. Even if I weren't on board, I'd be doing my predecessors a disservice if I didn't stand with you at this time. I'll help you with negotiation with Mithril's upper eschelons."
Finally, Sayla turns her attention back towards Kaname. "...I'm sorry, Kaname, I cut you off. You were saying?"
<Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
Kaname is quick to notice, and takes Sousuke's hand in hers. She smiles when she explains what he wants to be, looking fondly at him. It's clear why she's so adamant that this is the right move. This boy who came into her life a rigid, by-the-book soldier--and seemingly nothing else--is growing. The person she sees underneath the soldier's facade is growing.
She's a little surprised as Sayla makes the leap, but it's a happy surprise. She grins bashfully, rubbing the back of her neck. "I... actually, you jumped right past what I was gonna say, Sayla. And you're proposing pretty much what I wanted to ask for..."
"... I was counting on you being willing to fight for this. Not just for Sousuke, but for AL, too. So, thank you." She smiles brightly, and squeezes Sousuke's hand tightly.
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
He has many things still to do. And...perhaps AL isn't ready for them to go their separate ways, either.
"I appreciate that, Doctor," Sousuke says, and there's some visible tension that leaves his spine when she agrees. "Yes, that was my feeling as well. Either they consider Arbalest indispensable, and thus need to acquiesce to me as the only one who can operate the lambda driver; or, they consider it acceptable as little more than a custom M9, and have little room to deny a request to transfer it." It might've been unthinkable that he'd speak this way once about his own superiors, but there's confidence in him now. "It'll be best to keep me as Arbalest's main pilot."
A small smile, faint, and his hand tightens on Kaname's. "Kaname convinced me it was important to retain control of AL. I think...it'll be better for him."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods as Kaname mentions she's jumped straight for. "I have every reason to believe AL is a Super AI, with the same level of sentience. I may need some time to get some appropriate evidence together, but that would be part of the negotiation proceedings." She considers the young AI's... distress, back in Tsutsujidai. "I agree. I think it would be best to reunite the two of you as soon as possible. Mithril may be reluctant to hand the Arbalest to the Shuffle Alliance... but he won't move without you. And it's not like it was the mission you objected to. I think I can get them on board, but you'll be involved in the negotiations the whole time. The last thing I want to do is get you a deal you can't be involved in."
Sayla lets out a sigh. "Truth be told, if you were going fully freelance, I'd probably considering hiring you on as Leina's bodyguard but... your place is very clearly here." And Sayla, for one, is happy to see he has one. It always sat ill with her, a little, having Sousuke as a soldier at his age, with nothing but the job. The fact that this normalcy is something he could have now is... reassuring.
"I'll start doing things to get the ball rolling on my end. I figure this is a matter that's going to come to their attention quickly, once we do." She does internally grimace at having to have this discussion with Tessa, but... It's probably for the best. "Is there anything else the two of you wanted to raise or... should I let you get back to studying?"
There are definitely moments when it comes time to leave teenagers alone together. This might be one them.
<Pose Tracker> Kaname Chidori has posed.
Kaname nods to Sayla as she explains further, smiling as she lays out her thinking. At the suggestion of hiring him as Leina's bodyguard, Kaname squeezes a little tighter on Sousuke's hand, and she grins at Sayla. "Nope. You're not gettin' him. Not if I have anything to say about it."
She thinks for a long moment... and shakes her head. "I want to talk about what happened when we rescued that Whispered girl, but... I think that's something for another time. Maybe when Tessa's around. Otherwise, I think that's it. I'm at your disposal for all of this, too. I know I might be a bit too close to things, but... if there's anything I *can* do, I want to do it."
<Pose Tracker> Sousuke Sagara has posed.
Sousuke nods, and smiles. He *can* do that, he just often has no reason, and finds it uncomfortable to fake. It's easier, lately. "I did consider it. If it came to it, I would. But..."
Kaname holds his hand and he feels her warmth. "...as she says," he says, warmly.
"I appreciate your word. This is a step I must take toward my future." Something he didn't even imagine having, not so long ago. "I recognize I cannot do it all alone. But, I do wish to be at the front."
"I did already mention this to Tessa and Doctor Mikamura, so...I believe we'll have everything lined up. I expect something pertaining to Arbalest is going to have to pass through the Mithril General Council, though, so likely we'll have to speak to them together before this is over."
He looks up to Kaname, then to Sayla, and nods firmly. "I'm confident it won't be an issue, with all of us."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Kaname's response gets a laugh out of Sayla. "Rest assured, you definitely do." The way Sousuke confirms it... It's cute. "Well, that rather settles it," Sayla says with a light tone. Separating those two is definitely a bad idea. She's kind of amazed no one at Mithril was emotionally intelligent to notice.
The mention of another conversation- about the rescue mission- Sayla nods. "Understood. I'll make the time. We're going to have to have a full discussion about the matters you were handling while I was stood down."
She smiles again, when Sousuke asserts his desire for a future. "I'll be glad to help you get there, however I can." She nods. "If you've arranged things with them, that will certainly make things easier."
"Then let's make it happen." With that said, Sayla casts a glance to her watch. "I'm going to have to get moving to catch my train- but as soon as back home, I'll start getting things written up." She stands up, picking up her bag before starting to leave. "I hope you both have a good evening. I'll be in touch."