2024-11-30: That One Recap Episode

• Log: That One Recap Episode
• Cast: Alto Saotome, Ranka Lee, Rin Naujakaite, Leon Sakaki, Laffinty Fin E Ld Si, Flay Allster, Aurora Dusk, Lilium Valerie
• Where: Lagos Quarantine Zone
• OOC - IC Date: 30 November 0099
• Summary: New reinforcements arrive at the Lagos Quarantine Zone in preparation of another push against the Vajra nest beneath the city. With many of the new arrivals being unfamiliar with the Vajra, Alto recaps the events of the Vajra War thus far.

---

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Lagos, Nigeria. 30 November 0099. 11:35am.

        The Lagos Quarantine Zone is a section of the city that has been
 separated from the rest by a large fence. Obviously the fence is not meant to
 keep the Vajra in, but rather to keep the random person from getting too
 close. At the heart of this zone is one of the few entrances into the
 waterways beneath the city that hasn't been sealed. Mobile weapons are
 stationed around this perimeter fence 24/7, discouraging any stray Vajra that
 decides to try and leave the tunnels to enter the rest of the city.

        At one edge of the zone is the Lagos National Arts Theatre, a large
 grand hall that had been the place where Sheryl had performed on that fateful
 day that the Vajra attacked. The hall and its surrounding gardens now serve as
 the control centre for the quarantine zone. Temporary, modular structures have
 been set up both inside and outside it to support the defence forces that
 currently watch over the Vajra nest hidden beneath the centre of the zone.

        Next to these facilities is another fenced area filled with numerous
 tents, all bearing the globally recognised symbol for medicine. This is the
 medical camp that was set up to house the numerous citizens that have been
 infected by the V-Type Infection. Their numbers too large for local hospitals
 to handle alone.

        Thus far, the defence forces have been able to keep the Vajra
 contained. But several attempts to enter the waterways in order to destroy the
 Vajra nest have been met with failure. However, that will soon change.

        A new offensive has been planned by the Space Assembly League, who have
 been leading the charge against the Vajra in the Earth Sphere. The private
 military company, Strategic Military Services (SMS) (which is currently under
 contract with the League), supports this charge as the foremost experts on
 killing Vajra. Other factions and individuals throughout the Earth Sphere have
 also been known to assist, given the Vajra are a threat to everyone.

        But destroying the Lagos nest is going to take more than what this
 anti-Vajra coalition has so far been able to throw at it. Which is why SMS has
 called in reinforcements from their extra-solar branches. Just yesterday, a
 fold transport arrived to unload a number of SMS pilots that have transferred
 from those branches to the main branch here in the Earth Sphere. Many are
 experienced VF pilots, though few have any real world experience fighting the
 Vajra.

        Which is why a briefing is being held today to bring everyone up to
 speed. It has also been made open to those outside SMS who are interested in
 learning more about the Vajra, or simply refreshing their knowledge.

        To this end, the main concert hall inside the Lagos National Arts
 Theatre now houses a whole bunch of pilots, scientists and engineers, all
 talking amongst each other while they wait. Soon enough a young man wearing an
 SMS pilot uniform walks out onto the main stage, his blue ponytail somewhat
 distinct. As is the fact that he has a rather beautiful, almost feminine look
 to his features. He walks up to the centre of the stage and looks out upon the
 hall. The chatter is still quite loud.

        He waits for several moments, seemingly growing more annoyed as the
 volume of the chatter barely fades. Until finally he's had enough and calls
 out, the headset over his ear amplifying his voice, "Quiet down!" The loud
 voice over the hall's speaker system appears to draw everyone's attention, the
 chatter quickly dying.

        Sighing in a mixture of annoyance and resignation, the man says, "Let's
 get this over with. I am Warrant Officer Alto Saotome, callsign Skull-4 with
 SMS's Skull squadron. I've been battling the Vajra frequently for about three
 years now and I have hundreds of kills. Which is why I've been chosen to lead
 this briefing. So sit down, shut up and pay attention because I am not going
 to repeat myself."

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Ozma Lee, aka Skull-1 is in the briefing too. One might think he's sassing
 Alto as his senior, but no instead he's setting a good example himself today
 by leaning back in his chair, with arms crossed as he listens with a serious
 expression.

He's in no-nonsense mode right now, in order to try and assist Alto keep order
 in the room.

It's only when everyone has quieted down that a monitor abruptly, and perhaps
 unexpectedly comes on. "Hello everyone! I'm Ranka Lee... and I wanted to say
 a few words to everyone."

As she performs the Kira pose, with hand and fingers outstretched, and canine
 teeth showing. Ranka herself is in her iconic idol dress.

"I know you're all going through difficult times right now, but I wanted to
 make it clear, you're not alon-" Ranka's head dips, and she goes cross eyed as
 she looks at Alto, "Um, Alto. What are you doing here?"

Someone speaks to her off camera, "What do you mean I hit the wrong button!? I
 thought you were supposed to patch me in to the refugees-"

The monitor abruptly goes off, then comes back on as Ranka bows, "I'm very
 sorry!" Then it flickers off again.

Ozma Lee takes a very deep breath through his nose, before bidding Alto forward
 with, "Continue."

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

Rin Naujakaite is here, as a representative of the VTX Union.

Rin doesn't have military rank. You don't... get military rank in a corporation
 unless it's a PMC. She probably would have some kind of courtesy technical
 officer rank. Nevertheless, Rin has the unique privilege of being in the
 fraternity of the Earth-born personages who fought the Vajra BEFORE they ended
 up in Lagos.

Rin is wearing a blue dress shirt with several pockets and a pair of practical
 slacks. In addition to NAUJAKAITE on name tape, she has the VTX X-cross logo
 pinned firmly to one breast pocket. The other contains two fat pens --
 something like pens, anyway.

Rin, perhaps to her discredit, had been talking with another pilot about some
 awful mobile game lore, but she quiets up swiftly - abruptly, even - when Alto
 speaks up. She moves over to set into her seat-- though she stops, mid-crouch,
 when Ranka appears. Rin blinks, several times.

"pffffffff" Rin vocalizes more than she really needed to, before she finishes
 sitting down. Her attentive face turns towards Alto as she sits attentively,
 if with an insolently civilian lack of spinal straightness.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Sitting among the crowd of transfers, a bit bored, is one Warrant Officer Leon
 Sakaki, a young man in an S.M.S. flight jacket with ratty chestnut hair.
 Getting called back to Mother Earth from out in the boonies of Sephira was a
 pretty rare event, especially at this scale.

Eyeing around the crowd, he spots a few familiar faces from the S.M.S. boards,
 and sizes up those he doesn't recognize. There's a pretty large amount of
 talented pilots here. Clearly the client thinks these Vajra are a serious
 problem.

As Alto walks on stage, Leon does a double take. He's heard the name Alto
 Saotome before, but he didn't realize they were a- Wait, that *is* a guy? Leon
 perks up at Alto's speech now, if only out of slightly started confusion at
 this fae-like pilot. He makes a second noise of exasperated confusion when
 Ranka Freaking Lee suddenly crashes the briefing. What the hell is going on
 with this outfit?

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

Fin E Ld Si Laffinty - Lan, to her friends - has...an unfortunate history with
 the Vajra, in her own way. The memory of the attack on Gallia IV that led to
 the destruction of that planet by a runaway Vox...the massive gouge torn out
 of the world shown to her by Moid later on...that still chills her to the
 bone. Besides, she had a close relationship with Ranka and Sheryl during that
 expedition, and...in some small way, this feels like she can stay closer to
 them during all the current chaos. Excepting how Ranka thinks she's dead and
 Sheryl's in hiding, anyway.

Lan is a pale girl. Pale lavender eyes, pale blue hair, pale alabaster skin, in
 the blue and white uniform leotard she wears habitually. On each shoulder is a
 patch with the emblem of Novumundus, the NERV-affiliate private organization
 she's piloting under. She jumps out of her seat when Ranka pops up on stage,
 breath caught in her throat. She squeezes out a strained, "Ranka!" just as the
 screen turns off. Her hand goes limp from having reached out, and then she
 sighs, and slumps down in her seat, turning red from bursting out in such a
 crowded space.

Standing behind her, her aide Moid, in a suit-cut version of the same colors,
 smiles faintly and says nothing.

Lan reaches forward and pulls up an Earth-make tablet, because if she's
 thinking about space monsters she can pretend she doesn't exist and cannot be
 perceived.

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

The Vajra have been a threat to the Earth Sphere for quite a while now - and
 while it's the Space Assembly League, via SMS, that take on the primary role
 in combatting them, that also means that many of the rank-and-file within the
 Gaia Sabers have limited experience in fighting them, even when they could
 attack the planet at any moment. That makes this meeting particularly valuable.

And because Flay actually has a little bit of experience fighting them, she was
 the one tasked with representing them, along with Aurora and Lilium. After
 deploying against those bizarre, yet possibly-well-meaning Keepers of Order,
 she had really rather been doing something else today - but to her credit, she
 doesn't complain too much.

Instead, she mostly looks bored out of her mind, fidgeting with her own pen and
 notebook for lack of anything else to do, until Alto snaps everyone to
 attention. "I wonder just how the Vajra became such a big problem in the first
 place... I guess we're about to find out." Alto's record against them, at
 least, is nothing to shake at - and clearly he knows what he's talking about.

And once the room is quiet enough, the monitor reveals... Ranka Lee, in full
 idol getup. It's not terribly surprising to see her, knowing her role as the
 secret weapon against the Vajra. But clearly, she wasn't intended to make an
 appearance here. Flay doesn't comment on that, just drumming her fingers on
 her desk before Alto continues.

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         Flay's entourage includes a teal-haired girl in a white and pink
 uniform. The name badge identifies her as Aurora Dusk, the rank tabs identify
 her as a Second Lieutenant, and the patch on her arm identifies her as a Gaia
 Saber. Well, that and the fact that she arrived with the Sabers.

        There is a woman in the back whose rank tabs and purple coat identify
 her as a Gaia Sabers Colonel, but she's currently in the back... suppressing
 the urge to smoke in a crowded concert hall. Let Flay take point. It'll be
 good experience for her.

        When the speaker steps up, Aurora falls quiet fast and turns her
 attention to him, abruptly ending a conversation she was having with a VTX
 pilot about a mobile/PC game she's played occasionally. Aurora has no
 experience combatting Vajra specifically. Just human (and near-human) foes.
 And kaiju, but everyone fights those, right?) So this is a good opportunity to
 learn. Especially considering said speaker, who introduces himself by invoking
 his veterancy of anti-Vajra operations over years of experience and hundreds
 of kills. It's not the twenty-year record the Colonel has, but an impressed
 Aurora sits down anyway.

        He's also very pretty and she doesn't know how to feel about that!

        Flay speaks and Aurora replies."I only know they came from... somewhere
 in space, and there are a bunch of rumors about them. I don't think any of
 them are true, though."

        Ranka's sudden appearance doesn't really earn any surprise from her,
 just the observation that it's not that common to attach idols to military
 operations. Of course Ranka is here. The girl whose singing repels Vajra... Of
 course they brought their anti-Vajra secret weapon.

        At that thought, something inside Aurora's heart fluffs and turns
 sideways, and her eyes soften very slightly. For most people, an errant
 thought like that would be cruel. But for Aurora, it's an expression of
 sympathy.

<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.

Somewhere towards the back of the room, Currently-still-Second Lieutenant
 Lilium Valerie is keeping her head down. She wasn't exactly sure why she'd
 been sent here by her superiors, or... let in, considering her uniform, but
 she was trying to keep herself out of the way. The issue in Lagos clearly must
 be That Bad, and starting an altercation here wouldn't help anyone...

Putting such thoughts aside for the moment, Lilium focuses on the Warrant
 Officer's rather... straightforwards introduction.

With all of the Earth Sphere's domestic problems, it was easy to forget that
 it was, in fact, in the midst of an ongoing Alien Invasion. She taps her pen
 on her clipboard absent-mindedly. Apparently, there'd been some kind of attack
 in Union Bri--The Historic Kingdom, she corrects herself, better to get it
 wrong inside her head than in front of a Britannian officer--yesterday, but
 she'd been otherwise engaged... the details were probably classified, at any
 rate. She'd be told if they weren't.

The black-haired woman turns to Flay and the... other Gaia Saber she doesn't
 recognise, starting "Well, from the sounds of the Warrant's record there's
 probably a lo-" Before being cut off by a left field Ranka Lee Jumpscare

Lilium stares, dumbfounded, at the dressed-up girl on the big screen for longer
 than she's actually on it. An... Idol, huh...

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto goes to open his mouth to begin-

        'Hello everyone! I'm Ranka Lee...'

        Alto is clearly caught by surprise as he blinks, turning around to find
 the large face of Ranka looming above him on a monitor. When she spots him and
 asks why he's here, he counters back, "That should be my line!"

        The mistake is revealed though and Alto sighs at the antics. Though
 there is a small smile on his face.

        He quickly wipes that smile away though as Ozma directs him to
 continue. Alto turns back towards the audience, "Right then... With that
 unplanned cameo over with, let's begin." Alto raises a remote in his hand and
 clicks it.

        The hall's lights dim a little as holographic projectors come to life,
 displaying a starmap. One star is labeled as 'Sol', another labeled as
 'Gallia'. Alto begins, "The 117th Research Fleet was a privately funded, long
 distance fleet that was quietly sent to the planet of Gallia IV. It was there
 to study relics of the Protoculture, under the lead of the famous Protoculture
 researcher, Doctor Mao Nome. While there they discovered evidence of a
 previously unknown, non-humanoid space-faring alien species. They called them
 the 'Vajra' and studied them for several years. Until the fleet was destroyed
 by the very beings they were researching. That was roughly fifteen years ago.
 The results of their research, the fleet's destruction, as well as the
 existence of the Vajra, was not released to the public."

        Another click and the map updates, showing a location in deep space
 relatively close to the Sol system. Next to it, a picture of the Frontier
 fleet shows up, "Four years ago. While returning to the Earth Sphere as part
 of the Macross fleet recall, the Frontier Long Distance Colony Fleet was
 attacked but what appeared to be an unknown alien species. They were later
 confirmed to be the Vajra. It had appeared that the Vajra had declared war on
 the Frontier fleet."

        Another click and the map vanishes, replaced with several still images
 small, green insectoid creatures inside some industrial hallways, "A few
 months later, the Nadesico investigates several lost cargo vessels. They
 discover their location and board one, where they find a nest of eggs and
 several smaller Vajra, which had apparently been responsible for the capture
 of the vessels. These smaller Vajra, commonly called 'Flyers', are highly
 dangerous to individuals, but against mobile weapons only when they swarm in
 large numbers. This is the first confirmed instance of a Vajra in the Earth
 Sphere, as well as first evidence that they were nesting here." (
 https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2022-04-16:_Terror_on_the_Hortensia )

        Another click, this time images of a large, red, insectoid creature in
 a park area and a concert hall nearby, "A Vajra Heavy Soldier attacks a Sheryl
 Nome concert in Tsutsujidai at the same time as a kaiju. Confirmation that the
 previous incident was not a once off. These Vajra, somewhat larger than a VF,
 are very difficult to take down one on one. And they have the firepower to
 take out standard sized warships on their own."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2022-05-10:_Suspicion )

        Click. Images of another space battle, this time with a huge green
 vessel of some kind surrounded by numerous smaller Vajra, "The Vajra presence
 in the Earth Sphere escalates as numerous Vajra defold into the middle of a
 battle between ZAFT and Federation forces. This is the first sighting of what
 was dubbed the 'Knight-class' Vajra battleship. They are equal in size and
 firepower to a Macross class battleship. But still appear to be a single
 organism, though they do appear to also act as carriers for Mobile and Heavy
 Soldiers."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2022-06-25:_Whoever_Fights_Monsters... )

        Click. Gun camera footage of a space battle taking place outside of a
 colony. Numerous Vajra Mobile and Heavy Soldiers are engaging the colony's
 defenders, "The first major threat to a population centre in the Earth Sphere
 is the larger scale attack against the Neo Mexico colony. The smaller Mobile
 Soldiers can be seen supporting the larger Heavy Soldiers. This is when we
 first learn that Vajra have the ability to adapt to weapons used against them,
 evolving their next generation to be more resistant."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2022-12-16:_A_Christmas_Tree_Attacks_a_Sombrero )

        Click. More gun camera footage, this time of a massive swarm of Vajra
 in the skies above a tropical island paradise, "The first major nest is
 identified accidentally during the filming of a movie. The Vajra had nested in
 underground tunnels on an island in the Pacific Ocean. They burst out from the
 island's center and swarmed both the movie set and nearby resort. Thankfully,
 the Nadesico was onsite with additional units on standby and the nest and all
 the Vajra were destroyed."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-03-25:_Legend_of_Zero:_Vajra_Attack )

        Click. An image of some kind of space station that appears to have a
 significant amount of communications equipment, "Activity is detected from an
 inactive fold communications hub. Teams are sent to investigate, expecting
 scavengers or pirates. Instead a Vajra nest is discovered within it. During
 the battle to destroy it, a fold signal is detected. It is determined to be an
 old SOS signal sent over a decade earlier by the 117th Research Fleet."

        Click. The star map reappears, this time zooming in on the planet of
 Gallia IV, "September, 0097. In response to the discovery of the 117th
 Research Fleet's distress signal, an expedition travels to Gallia IV using an
 experimental fold drive. Its purpose is to try and learn the fate of the
 fleet, as well as recover any information they have about the Vajra that may
 assist in combating them."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-09-30:_The_Start_of_Our_Journey )

        Click. A huge, machine figure looms tall above a jungle forest, backed
 by the glow of setting suns, "On the surface of the planet, the expedition
 discovers the remains of the SDFN-4 Global. The Macross class vessel that was
 the flagship of the research fleet. The expedition sets up camp nearby."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-10-07:_Arrival_at_a_Distant_Star )

        Click. Several images of the decaying interior corridors of a ship,
 overgrown with plant-life, "The expedition sends an initial scouting team into
 the Global in order to confirm its safety for future investigations.
 Scientific data is recovered, revealing the existence of Fold Quartz. A
 crystalline material with properties that allow it to interact with Super
 Dimension Space, also known as Fold Space. Fold quartz is refined from Fold
 Ore, which is found inside dead stars. It appears that the Vajra harvest and
 consume fold ore and their bodies naturally refine it into fold quartz. This
 is the source of their power and abilities, including that of individual
 folding. The research fleet's scientists attempted to refine samples of fold
 ore into fold quartz themselves, with only mild success."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-11-03:_Into_the_Global )

        Click. Several rather blurry images of what look to be variable
 fighters. As Alto speaks on this one, there's clear annoyance in his tone,
 "During a routine recovery mission on the planet, one of the expedition's
 teams was attacked by several hostile variable fighters. Their designs were
 that of the VF-27 Lucifer, the design that originated within the Galaxy fleet
 that was destroyed by the Vajra. These Lucifers appeared intent on stopping
 our investigations on Gallia IV. It's unclear where their allegiances lie, or
 what their plans are, but they are clearly hostile."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-11-17:_Hell_on_Gallia_IV )

        Click. There are several video clips now, this time starting off with a
 Ranka Lee concert. But soon enough a massive Vajra fleet rises up out of the
 ground in the distance, the Global destroyed in the process. One clips shows
 Ranka being carried off by a Vajra, before the next clip jumps into orbit. It
 shows the planet below, half of it shattered to the core, the other half being
 absorbed by a rapidly expanding sphere of swirling darkness. Alto's
 expresison is rather grim at this point, "During a concert that was held, a
 massive Vajra fleet emerged from beneath the ground where they had apparently
 been hibernating. They captured Ranka Lee and proceeded into orbit. At the
 same time, a massive explosion rocked part of the planet. Its cause is
 unknown, but it was centred near the Zuvorg Alliance academy that had been set
 up on the planet. Meanwhile, a massive fold fault manifested in real space on
 the other side, near the site of the expedition camp. It rapidly expanded,
 threatening to engulf the expedition fleet that was giving chase to the Vajra.
 As a result, the fleet dove into the Vajra fold portals as they were leaving."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-11-30:_Sleeping_Giants_P1 )

        Click. Now there are images of the rather familiar sight of Earth from
 orbit. Judging by the nearby orbital ring and tower, it appears to be rather
 close orbit. Disturbingly is the sight of the huge Vajra fleet. Six of the
 Knight-class battleships. Multiple swarms of countless Mobile and Heavy
 Soldiers. And at the center of the fleet, a massive asteroid fortress that
 dwarves even the giant battleships. Alto explains, "The expedition fleet
 defolfed along with the Vajra fleet, led by what we have dubbed the
 Bishop-class fortress, into close Earth orbit. A surprise attack of incredible
 scale. The expedition fleet split up, the majority of the mobile weapons
 breaching into the interior the Bishop-class. Which is where they discovered
 what we are calling a Vajra Semi-Queen."

        Click. Images of the large Varja at the center of the Bishop-class.
 Alto explains, "It is dubbed so because it is theorised that more than one of
 these exist. And that they act as a sort of node for the Vajra hive-mind in a
 sector of the galaxy. They also appear to be the ones to produce the Vajra
 eggs. Ultimately, the Vajra Semi-Queen was destroyed, Ranka was rescued from
 within the fortress. And the fleet was destroyed by combined effort from the
 orbital tower's defense forces, the expedition, the Nadesico's powerful Phase
 Transition Cannon, and the remains cleaned up by reaction weapons from the
 Battle Frontier and its squadrons."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2023-12-15:_Sleeping_Giants_P2 )

        Click. Finally, the familiar site of Lagos city, taken from overheard.
 Numerous Vajra are in shot, battling against NUNE forces, "July of this year.
 During a Sheryl Nome concert, the Vajra swarm out from the city's underground
 waterways. From a previously undiscovered Vajra nest. The Vajra are beaten
 back, though at great cost to local defenders. Thus, a follow up to destroy
 the nest was delayed. And attempts to do so since then have failed."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2024-07-13:_Sail_Away )

        Click. Now for something different, what looks like microscopic footage
 of a blood sample. With some weird looking bacteria with crystalline
 structures on their ends, "Shortly after the Lagos attack, a new infection
 struck the Lagos population. A bacteria never encountered before on Earth was
 spreading rapidly. The source has been traced back to the Vajra and so has
 been dubbed the V-Type Infection. Not only has it been confirmed to be fatal,
 but it has also been connected to previously unconfirmed cases throughout the
 Earth Sphere. Infection rates are rising despite attempts to isolate the
 infected. And thus far, no cure or vaccine has been found."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2024-07-27:_New_Infection_Strikes_the_Lagos_Quarantine_Zone! &
 https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2024-09-30:_Report:_V-Type_Spreads )

        Click. This time images of an asteroid in space, a large cavern filled
 with Vajra eggs, and-perhaps surprisingly-audio and video footage of Ranka
 singing while strapped to a flight seat. Alto continues, "Based on previous
 observations, it was theorized that the singing of Ranka Lee had a noticeable
 effect on Vajra. Producing confusion and reducing their coordination and
 combat performance. This was confirmed during a mission to destroy a Vajra
 nest within a resource asteroid. Ranka performed on-site, throwing the Vajra
 into disarray and making it easier to destroy them. Since then, additional
 nests throughout the Earth Sphere have been located and destroyed with Ranka's
 assistance."
( https://srtmoo.net/mediawiki/index.php/2024-08-10:_We%27re_Taking_Our_Big_Rock_Back )

        Click. This time there is no additional images or footage as the
 holoprojectors disengage and the lights return to proper levels. Alto crosses
 his arms, "Which brings us to now. In summary, the Vajra threat continues to
 escalate. With V-Type infection rates rising, we need to drive them from the
 Earth Sphere as soon as possible. There are several new technologies, derived
 from the research discovered on Gallia IV, in the final testing phase that
 will make this easier. But until they can be rolled out enmasse, we will just
 have to rely on ourselves and the songs of Ranka Lee to overcome their
 defensive adaptations by sheer force. It's the only way to fight back. You're
 all here today because in the near future we will be launching a renewed
 assault against the Vajra nest here in Lagos. We cannot afford to allow it to
 continue to exist, birthing more Vajra to increase their numbers."

        "Any questions?"

<Pose Tracker> Ranka Lee has posed.

Sadly for Lan, Ranka does not come back on screen. Did she really not see her?
  Does she still not know?

Ozma Lee's expression if anything, becomes more unreadable as the 117th
 Research Fleet is cited. He is the most qualified person in the room to speak
 on it, not that many would know that.

He doesn't weigh in.

The rest of the briefing is him watching, listening to the 'newbie' in Skull
 Squadron giving a helluva presentation that he'd call 'adequate' if asked upon
 it.

Because he knows better than to let Alto have a big head.

"None at this time." Ozma answers Alto succinctly, before his eyes then sweep
 sideways across the room, darting a few people with his eyes.

"But I see a few new faces in this room, so I'm sure there'll be no shortage of
 'em."

It might as well be him low key intimidating several in the audience to 'ask
 questions.'

...

'Or else.'

<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.

Lilium stares attentively at the holoscreen, occasionally glancing down at her
 clipboard to take notes.

'Sol... Gallia... Protoculture research. Non-humanoids, 'Vajra'. Frontier fleet
 hostilities...'

Her eyes widen slightly at the image of the... large bugs. It's.. offputting.
 Her notes continue--'Anti-personnel forms... eggs... vessel capture tactics'
 Another, more severe reaction to the larger Vajra form outside the concert...

'Kaiju... sympathies? Anti-mobile weapon form... Anti-ship usage... biological
 firepower??'

A faint gasp from her as imagery of a Macross-sized Vajra interfering in combat
 between the federation and ZAFT covers the screen. Her handwriting worsens
 slightly. 'Fold-capable. Colonial Warship-scale carriers.'

Two slide's worth of guncam footage. Vajra tearing through mobile weapons.
 Mobile weapons tearing through Vajra. Around colonies. On Earth.

'Atmospheric entry capable??? Evolving to adapt to human weapons--use new
 tactics regularly?????'

A space station... A distress call. Lilium nods along somewhat, this being
 slightly more within her comfort zone. 'Experimental... recreated Fold
 Drive... expedtion... locates SDFN-4. Global. Commodore Global namesake? Not
 relevant but worth looking into in free time.'

She stares up at the projection of the Global's ruins for a moment. She
 feels... small. Small in a way the images of giant bugs hadn't made her feel.
 The imagery of the interior--she takes a few more notes here, typically along
 the lines of 'Vajra mine stars, refine quartz. Fold uses. Process irreplicable
 at this time?'

A slight tilt of the head is given in response to that change in tone--not that
 anyone other than the rest of the Gaia Sabers entourage can really see.
 'Hostiles... VF designs. Unknown allegiance. Presumed Human (or Zentran?).
 Rank Lee abduction--second Idol-connected Vajra incident. Do Vajra hate music?'

The Lieutenant blinks. That's... very close orbit. They can defold that close?

'Semi-Queen. Shouldn't that be called Princess? Duchess? Important, anyway.
 Destroyed. Ranka Lee recovered immediately.'

The camera finally settles on Lagos, and... oh, right. The Sheryl Nome concert.
 Lilium's pen flies back into action. 'Third Idol related incident, Lagos.
 Sheryl Nome concert. Sheryl Nome hospitalised after attack--do the Vajra have
 it out for her? Why do they?', swiftly followed by: 'vajra carry infectious
 disease. human-transmissible. unknown if human diseases effect vajra? no cure.
 quarantine ineffective.'

Her breathing somewhat unsteady, she's been knocked a little off-center--and is
 thus in perfect condition to be hit by the Final Reveal. 'Vajra. Do hate
 music??? Ranka Lee's music at least. Notably not repelled by Sheryl Nome--does
 that mean they hate her less or more?'

Lilium struggles to process this information, and the... marching... band
 music. With Ranka signing over it. Is not helping?

It's a... strange image, she thinks. But a striking one--And it worked on the
 Zentradi, didn't it? They were much more like humans, though...

She sighs, exhaling as the holoscreens are turned off. She shakes her head.
 "..I didn't realise--I mean, I figured if they were bringing idols anywhere it
 would be for morale... uh..." She mumbles to others around her, her gaze
 turning back to the admittedly rather attractive Warrant Officer of Ambiguous
 Gender (she could guess, but she'd feel weird about that.) For a moment, she
 considers asking questions--but the number of question marks on her clipboard
 discourages her. It'd probably be better to wait for the more obvious ones to
 be posed first, then see how she felt...

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Leon crosses his arms as Alto speaks, his brow furrowing as he watches the
 situation worsen. Can the Earth Sphere go a single week without some insane
 war? At least they were shooting bugs and not murder-happy Coordinators. That
 kind of war was repulsive.

Still, though, this didn't really seem like an easy job. His gorgeous Prophecy
 would probably get covered in bug gore! Leon sighs at Ozma's heavy-handed
 coercion. That man was clearly trouble. But, he might as well.

Leon raises his hand, and asks the only reasonable question any self-respecting
 private soldier could ask.

"Are we getting a bonus for this?"

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         Aurora glues herself to the screen, blue eyes absorbing every detail.
 (Two pairs. Emily is in the back, watching too.) She was only vaguely aware of
 the threat until now, but Alto has enlightened her. Humanoid enemies, too? Or
 were the Variable Fighters assimilated somehow?

        The notes about Ranka grab her attention the most, though. So that's
 how the singing works. Ranka's song is effective as a psychic weapon, so
 she'll be deployed against them from now on. Again, the twinge. Is Ranka...?

        Emily winces slightly when she sees the insectoid forms of the Vajra.
 Istantarik was a bad time for everyone on fleet defence duty. Ugh.

        There is something else familiar about all this, too. Emily's mind
 wanders back to the 'good old days' as she watches the presentation. Back in
 the mid-0080s, it seemed like the Titans didn't care that an evil scientist
 was running around trying to conquer the world with mechanical beasts. Yes,
 they all signed up to suppress Zeon remnants, but supervillains are a threat
 too, damnit! She shakes her head and swallows the lingering frustration. It
 won't be like that this time, for all the ways it's turning out like that time
 this time. They'll nip this threat in the bud.

        Aurora peeks over to look at Lilium's notes, and Emily nods approvingly
 at her diligence. When Lilium starts musing, she responds. "It seems to affect
 the Vajra's morale, and there's no sense in not using the advantage if we
 can get it. The better we do against them, the faster we can end the threat
 and the less damage it does."

        Questions, yes. There are many questions today. A bespectacled man in
 the back with a thick German accent asks, "What WAS the research carried out
 on Gallia IV, and what did we learn from it? What properties do Ranka's song
 have that affect the Vajra?"

        Aurora has her own question. "How transmissible is V-Type? That looked
 like Fold Quartz on the bacteria. Can the bacteria fold?" She feels a little
 stupid for asking a question like that, but it had to be asked.

        And having drifted closer to the front, the Colonel raises a gloved
 hand. Ozma is insisting on it. Good idea. She approves of active learning
 time. "Regarding the Lucifer units that attacked the expedition on Gallia IV.
 Do we have any information regarding their origin aside from 'design
 originated with the 117th'? Did we confirm that they were even piloted?"

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

Rin listens to the review. She frowns a little during it, but the reason is
 unclear.

Once they reach the tropical island movie filming, something small but peculiar
 happens - one of the pen-like things in Rin's pocket makes a... static sound?
 It has modulation to it. It only lasts a second. She relaxes, paradoxically,
 once the topic moves away from the Gallia IV campaign.

She exhales a little.

"Good question," she echoes to Leon, before raising a hand.

"I wanted to ask about the infection," Rin says. "It sounds as if it's
 spreading throughout Lagos, and it's affecting others as well. I understand
 you haven't found a cure or vaccine yet, but do you have any information on
 the disease? Treatment protocols or supportive stuff or anything."

Rin then looks at Aurora. After she raises the prospect of *folding microbes,*
 Rin says: "Holy crap, that would be like the worst possible thing in the
 universe," before looking back to Alto.

"Anything suggesting that? Part of why I'm asking is, like... a lot of people
 went to Gallia IV and I'm in touch with a number of them, both in VTX and
 outside... I don't think I've had any symptoms, but I'm a weird case, but I
 haven't heard of any of the rest of us having exposure, either. And there
 would have been some indirect exposure to Vajra biomatter along the ways, just
 from... hosing off the machines, and everything."

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

"Maybe they're from Jupiter? It always seems like there's something going on
 with Jupiter." Flay remarks. "But wherever they come from, they sure seem to
 have it out for our planet." And that, evidently, is enough to take them
 seriously as a threat. "Eh? What kind of rumours?" She wonders, when Aurora
 comments.

Lilium is about to weigh in, too, when she's cut off by the appearance of Ranka
 Lee. "What, are you a fan or something?" Flay asks, when Lilium stares just a
 little longer than usual, at the admittedly, cute idol.

After that, the chatter from the Gaia Sabers gradually slows as Alto begins his
 presentation, for real this time. Comprehensive doesn't even begin to describe
 it, going into detail on practically every single conflict with the Vajra in
 the Earth Sphere and even beyond, what they currently know and don't know
 about them.

Like it is for Lilium, taking in all this information at once is disorienting,
 Flay finding it rather difficult to keep up with all of it. She knew the
 basics - the different 'classes' of them, their ability to adapt to any kind
 of weapon. But the story about what happened at Gallia IV is new to her, and
 it does answer that no, the Vajra don't come from Jupiter.

Sparing a glance at Lilium's notes, then, she notices she orients on the Idol
 angle - it's something Flay's been thinking about herself, ever since she
 witnessed the effects of Ranka's song firsthand. And she knows it really does
 work. So when it comes time to raise questions, she's bold enough to ask one
 of her own. "You said before that Ranka's singing stops the Vajra using um..."
 She tries to recall the term. "Fold waves. But if the fold waves are something
 the Vajra can harvest... how come Ranka can do it too? Is it because they
 kidnapped her?"

Echoing Aurora and Rin's questions about the infections, she also asks...
 "Yeah, actually... I know there isn't any kind of cure to the infection. But
 is there any kind of precautions we can take before deploying against them?"
 She isn't exactly interested in risking an incurable disease just to fight
 them. Come to think, though... like Rin says, the Nadesico was filled with
 Vajra guts, and everyone seemed to be fine.

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

Lan has not been closely involved with all of this, except for the one she was
 VERY closely involved with. When the images of Gallia IV come up, her gaze
 hardens, but she bites her lip, too. "Unknown?" she mutters to herself. Moid
 confirmed that for her before the start of the year. Did they never relay it
 past Novumundus...?

Moid gently places a hand on her shoulder, murmuring, "A small
 miscommunication, Princess," as if he can read her thoughts. It's not like
 it's hard, sometimes. "Best not trouble them with details. Ultimately, what
 occurred at Militia Zodia does not impact these proceedings."

He's right, of course; this pertains to the Vajra alone, and pushing her
 details won't matter. She hems uncomfortably as the briefing moves on. She'd
 been stuck with the fleet during the battle iwh the Semi-Queen, but had missed
 the concert that seems to have ended Sheryl's career....and the aftermath.
 "V-Type..." she murmurs again.

"Not known to Le Garite either, Princess," Moid assures her, which makes her
 expression curdle. Just how terrifying are these Vajra...and what does it
 imply about Ranka?

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto has been working with Ozma Lee long enough to not be easily
 intimidated by the man.

        Except when it comes to his sister, which is when he is at his most
 intimidating.

        Of course, this time the intimidating aura is not directed straight at
 Alto. And actually seems help in drawing out questions.

        One comes from one of the newly transferred SMS pilots. And he's asking
 about pay. Alto doesn't fault him for it. While the battle with the Vajra is
 more of a personal vendetta for Alto, and a means to protect Ranka and Sheryl
 (and maybe a few others), he IS still getting paid for it. So Alto explains,
 "Mission payouts remain the standard SMS amounts based upon initial threat
 analysis and unexpected changes to mission parameters. However, there are
 additional bounties for confirmed Vajra kills that do not vaporise the corpse.
 Fold quartz is an important component of the new technologies I've mentioned.
 And given our lack of supply and difficulties in refining it, we've taken to
 harvesting it from Vajra corpses collected after battles."

        Next question comes from someone unfamiliar to Alto and it's hard to
 pick out their features in the crowd. Still he replies, "Initially the 117th
 was following the path of a live Protoculture relic that was last seen leaving
 Earth during the time of the First Huffman Conflict." Anyone who has seen the
 Bird Human movie starring Ranka Lee would know what this is about!

        Alto continues, "As for the specifics of that research and the
 subsequent research on the Vajra... The Global's datasystem were heavily
 damaged. Making sense of it has been difficult and is an ongoing task, but it
 appeared to be standard research into first contact with a potentially
 intelligent alien species. Though the research fleet was able to confirm that
 the Vajra as a species are old... Very old. Likely older than the Protoculture
 itself."

        "As for more tangible results... Knowledge about fold quartz, as well
 as potential uses of it to combat the Vajra. Specifics of which are currently
 classified until initial testing is completed." Translation, not even Alto
 knows yet.

        "Studies into Ranka Lee's singing shows evidence that she is capable of
 producing fold waves as she sings. Research from the 117th indicates that the
 Vajra are a hive-mind connected across a vast fold network that enables
 instantaneous communication regardless of distance. Something not even our
 current fold communications technology can accomplish. Ranka's fold waves
 appear to disrupt that network in the local area, reducing the Vajra ability
 to communicate with each other and so leaving them confused, directionless."

        Alto then proceeds to answer a question that Flay has, "How or why
 Ranka Lee is able to produce such fold waves is not yet clear..." This unknown
 definitely seems to have Alto concerned though, judging by his tone and facial
 expression.

        Back to one of Aurora's, "You are correct about the V-Type. The
 crystalline structures at the end of the bacteria are microscopic quantities
 of fold quartz. The bacteria being able to fold is... Not confirmed. But it's
 not disproved either and may explain why the infection continues to spread
 despite quarantine efforts." If true, how exactly do you quarantine a bacteria
 that can disappear from one host and then reappear inside another?

        "Correction, the Lucifer designs are from the Galaxy Long Distance
 Colony Fleet. Not the 117th." Alto didn't mention it during the main briefing
 since information was sparse and unconfirmed, but he explains further now,
 "The Galaxy fleet, which was also returning as part of the recall, was
 confirmed to have been attacked by the Vajra not longer after Frontier was.
 However, they seemed to have suffered greater loses. Their fate is not
 confirmed, but they have been MIA for a few years now."

        "As for the Lucifers on Gallia IV, we did have radio contact with them.
 They also launched a boarding team into the wreck that our ground team was
 salvaging. That team reported contact with a human who appeared to be
 cybernetically augmented. So they were piloted." Designs from Galaxy fleet...
 Cybernetic augmentation, which Galaxy is known for. It does appear to be
 rather damning evidence... If still just circumstantial. Alto does appear to
 have his own opinions on the matter, but for now he simply says, "We've not
 yet confirmed if they are indeed from Galaxy or simply utilising the design
 which was made available to several manufacturers before the fleet's demise."

        As Rin brings up the infection again, Alto says, "Unfortunately all we
 know at this point is that it's so far been one hundred percent lethal after
 just a few months. So if anyone was infected during the expedition, they'd be
 dead by now... We don't know why none were infected then. Nor how it spreads
 to humans first. There does appear to be some level of proximity required, as
 initial infections seem to only occur at sites with confirmed Vajra
 infestations. That said... Spread between humans has been confirmed to be
 possible through contact with bodily fluids. It doesn't appear to be airborne.
 But as has been suggested, infection via folding is unconfirmed, but still a
 possibility."

        "At this point, we suggest you avoid getting bits of Vajra on your
 body. Vacuum seal the larger bits-primarily the torso-for later fold quartz
 harvesting and burn the rest. Heavy duty cleaning chemicals typically used to
 clean biological matter off robots after battle also appears to work too for
 washing mobile weapons and other surfaces."

        That appears to be the end of the initial wave of questions, so Alto
 says, "That will conclude this official briefing. Hall B has been set up with
 some food and drink. Use this as an opportunity to get to know each other... A
 lot of you haven't met yet, but you'll likely be fighting alongside each other
 soon."

        With that, many of the people at the briefing file out into the
 adjacent hall, discussing everything they've learned amongst each other.

        Alto himself also makes his way to the hall, where several large tables
 have been set up with food. Nothing fancy, just the kind of things you'd
 expect the average pilot to enjoy going at.

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         "There are all kinds of rumors going around about both Sheryl and the
 Vajra. The most ridiculous is that she controls them somehow." Aurora is
 hushed when she says this. "I don't really believe them. At worst, she
 attracts them somehow." Attracting Vajra with song... it could be one step
 towards controlling them. There are definitely people interested in that idea.

        Her questions are basically answered by the presentation for now. She's
 done. Extra pay for Vajra bounties will be nice, but she's not totally sure
 what she'd do with it. Cybernetically augmented soldiers interfering... she
 can't help but think of Liam, and a few others, when she hears that. They're
 the cyborgs she knows. Regardless, Aurora has her own enhancements to fall
 back on. She notes the Lucifer in her mind as a potential enemy craft.

        Speaking of Aurora's enhancements... Fold waves. Ah, so Ranka produces
 fold waves. Is she a natural find? ...the first Newtypes were chance findings.
 She stares intensely.

        "Folding bacteria... I felt a little silly asking that question, but
 now I'm a little worried." Aurora's eyes dart to the side.

        "Better to make sure and feel silly than leave it unaddressed and be
 blindsided later." Emily's hand squeezes Aurora's shoulder. "Did you get all
 that down, Lieutenant Valerie? There are a few things I think we should chase
 up later."

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Leon goes right for the food, grabbing a slice of Domino's pizza off the table
 and packing it away in a matter of seconds. You do not question free meals in
 this line of work. He manages to restrain himself from burping, at the very
 least.

As he settles in to the casual atmosphere, Leon takes another look at his
 fellow comrades in pest control. Are those... what are they called, Gaia
 Sabers? Leon grimaces. The hell are they doing here?

<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.

Lilium continues to diligently take notes. 'Protoculture... live relic...
 publicly accessible information, most likely... Vajra... old. Quartz...
 purpose... unknown.'

She taps her clipboard with her pen, musing over further information... hive
 minds, Fold Jamming, Abnormal Ranka Powers... Bacteria that might or might not
 be able to teleport?

A hasty scrawl in the margins-'DO NOT GO NEAR DEAD VARJA. BURN VARJA CORPSES.
 DO NOT INTERACT WITH BODILY FLUIDS OF HUMANS WHO HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH
 VARJA. IDEALLY SHOOT VARJA FROM A DISTANCE.' A moment later, a slight
 addendum: 'Mercenaries want the Fold Quartz preserved. Maybe for the SAL? Do
 we let them have that? Do we try to take it?'

Some brief clarification on the hostile VFs is inscribed, and Lilium sets down
 her pen, sighing as she looks up at the ceiling. This was going to be...
 irritating...

She blinks--and turns around, throwing a hasty salute as the Colonel appears
 behind the trio "Ah--The cliffnotes version, ma'am. Everything that felt
 important. Some things I wasn't sure were important or not but thought it was
 better to be safe than sorry about..."

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

Aurora brings up the rumours about Sheryl Nome, and also vehemently denies
 them. "When I lived on Heliopolis, I remember the most my class was ever
 concerned about was whether Sheryl would ever tour on the colony. That never
 ended up happening... but it's weird to think about how much these idols are
 tied up in all this." Flay remarks, as Aurora puts out a theory of her own.
 "She got the infection, didn't she? I don't think she's dumb enough to do
 that, if she was controlling them. I guess I could see her attracting
 them... but they never mentioned anything about her having those fold wave
 things, either."

Speaking of fold waves, Alto's answer that they don't currently know how or why
 Ranka can produce them gets a frown from Flay - she probably should have
 figured that if they did know, they already would have explained it. It's
 his answer about 'folding bacteria' that gets a more concerned look out of
 her. The idea of THAT certainly isn't going to help with her already prevalent
 paranoia. So, she tries to shelve the idea of teleporting diseases, for now.

Flay notices the presence of Colonel Ashcroft, then, once the meeting breaks
 into a more informal thing - and more pointedly, the seeming closeness between
 her and Aurora. Are they 'related', too? It's probably better not to be nosy
 about that, giving the Colonel an awkward nod in concert with Lilium's salute,
 before turning to see Leon glaring at their group.

Flay gives him a look back, as if sizing him up. He certainly has the look of a
 pilot, she thinks, so it's possible they'll be fighting together. "You're with
 SMS, yes?" She asks, her generally haughty tone of voice possibly not doing
 his perception of the Gaia Sabers any good. "Don't worry... the Gaia Sabers
 are here, because we care just as much as you do about making sure the Vajra
 can't hurt anyone else. If we'll be fighting together... then let's give it
 our best!" She blinks, then. "Is the pizza any good?" She asks, because
 Domino's is NOT the proud Britannian cultural heritage of Pizza Hut.

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

                "FREE FOOD!!!" - a cry that has moved many butts since time
 began.

"Well, think of the up sides," Rin says to Aurora as she walks. Dramatic pause
 as she does not immediately explain the upsides.

She does not leave Aurora in suspense, though. "If these bacteria produce fold
 crystals, then when we get them out of humans, we could grow 'em in a
 bioreactor, like they do for those yeast packets you get when you wanna bake
 something at home."

(Rin learned about these two months ago thanks to Amies.)

After this, she helps herself to a slice of pizza whose cover is prominently
 displayed. "Ah," she says. "I haven't had the chance to enjoy this brand for a
 long time... It's got so much cheese."

"What confuses me about these guys is if they're using the Fold waves... that's
 basically instant, isn't it? So they'd all have instant interconnection with
 each other?" Rin asks as she bites into this slice, whose savory essence
 enchants her and renders her unable to speak temporarily. Her eyes turn
 towards Flay for a moment, but she looks... sympathetic? It's hard to say.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto is also there getting pizza.

        Cause who can turn down pizza?

        And as Flay mentions to one of the new SMS pilots about the Gaia Sabers
 efforts, Alto speaks up, "Lieutenant Alster here has been helpful in fighting
 off the Vajra in the past. And it's true, they're a threat to the entire human
 race."

        Admittedly, Alto is not a big fan of the Gaia Sabers either, especially
 after the whole attempt to nuke the PLANTs. But he can't really be picky about
 who is willing to the fight the Vajra, because they need everyone they can get.

        And if they learn a lesson about cooperating with others rather than
 trying to kill them, all the better.

        Alto nods along to Rin's musings, "Theoretically yes, every Vajra
 across the galaxy is connected to each to their fold network. It's how they
 adapt to our weapons. A Vajra dies to one, the information is sent to the rest
 and new Vajra are born with adaptations that reduce the effectiveness of the
 weapon. The more we fight them, the tougher they become to kill... And it's
 getting worse."

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         Since Lilium did Emily the honor of saluting, she returns it in
 standard "ranking officer" fashion. Flay gets her own nod back. Leon gets a
 glance back when she notices the exchange between him and Flay, but nothing
 else. Her eyes scan over Lilium's notes... and Lilium herself. Interesting
 barrette. "Yes, better to be safe than sorry. Good work." She nods approvingly
 at Lilium's extensive note-taking, and smiles.

        A quieter, more covert aside, intended only for the Saber party. "As to
 that matter," she gestures subtly towards the addendum about Fold Quartz, "we
 will discuss that in more detail when we have privacy later. For now, just
 remember that there are right hands and wrong hands for everything."

        Aurora, meanwhile, is securing her own slices of delicious pizza, and
 the barbecue sauce that goes with them. "Yeah. The Vajra are a threat to the
 Earthsphere, so they're our concern too." Her voice isn't haughty, but it has
 its own distant, slightly shy introversion to it as she looks Leon over.

        The mobile game girl from earlier makes a comment about bacteria.
 "...Oh, that's a good point. We could farm bacteria if we wanted Fold Quartz.
 Wait, how do they make it if you need to refine Fold Ore?"

        "Yeah, it's different from Britannian pizza. Good, though," Aurora
 comments while helping herself to her own slice. "Still good with barbecue
 sauce." Aurora samples some of the potato wedges, too. Delicious.

        "Instant communication... like Newtypes? Do you think it's like that?"
 Aurora tilts her head thoughtfully. Can Vajra be Cyber-Newtypes?

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Leon seems even more offput by Flay's tone, eyes flashing with something
 indistinguishable before he grabs another slice of pizza and pretends that
 nothing's happened. As the slice goes down, he gives a lazy salute.

"Warrant Officer Leon Sakaki, S.M.S. Sephira Branch test pilot," he says,
 holding the slacker's salute for a few more seconds. "As long as the sweet
 song of a paycheck directs me, I'll be fighting alongside you, ma'am." A third
 slice goes down. Pizza's pretty good. I've had better.

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

"And there we have it," Moid muses to Lan.

The Princess of Le Garite mumbles something indistinct, eyes cast down as she
 considers the data at hand. "A species with biological Fold capabilities,
 interacting with it at the most basic levels...it's difficult to imagine. A
 bacterial Fold network...I see why it's got everyone curious. With something
 like that, we might not even need the Vox to address our problems."

Moid smiles, tense but polite. "Potentially," he allows. "But, I have my doubts
 that these Vajra can surpass the capacities of fully mastered Vox Particles.
 Perhaps the day will come that we see."

Lan huffs a tired breath, then stands to move toward food.

Which is how she finds herself plating up a salad from the vegetarian end
 (she's from space, pizza is weird), and intruding toward Aurora's question a
 quiet and serious, "Fold Waves and biotelepathic quantum brainwaves are
 unrelated. ...But it could be different means to the same end."

She cavernously does not introduce herself.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        How do they Vajra make fold quartz frome fold ore? Alto briefly says,
 "They eat eat the ore." He chomps down on his pizza. Then a few moments later
 says, "Their bodies then turn it into fold quartz over time. It seems to be a
 slow process. The smaller, presumably younger, Mobile Soldiers only have small
 amounts in shard form, barely larger than a grain of rice. The more common,
 larger crystals come from Heavy Soldiers. We've never really had a
 Knight-class left intact enough to gather fold quartz from but theoretically
 they've even larger. But..."

        Alto pauses for a moment, glancing around before saying somewhat more
 quietly, "I heard a rumour that the few fold quartz crystals collected from
 the Semi-Queen that was killed in orbit were incredibly well refined. Way
 beyond anything seen in other Vajra."

        Leon introduces himself and Alto gives him a salute back, "Sephira
 branch... Never been myself. Though I'm from Frontier and only joined SMS
 myself shortly before the fleet arrived in the Earth Sphere. Welcome to Earth.
 Have you been here before?"

        Alto turns as Lan provides an answer to another question. He naturally
 recognises her, "Ah, Princess..." He wonders if the event at Gallia IV is
 still a touchy subject with her. He avoids it though, confirming, "Yes. We've
 had a number of Newtypes fighting Vajra and they haven't reported any
 additional telepathic interactions beyond that of any other non-Newtype.
 Though apparently it's very difficult to sort out the thoughts and feelings
 that come from the Vajra. Not surprising... I can barely imagine interacting
 telepathically with another human, let alone a hive-mind." Seems Alto is not a
 Newtype?

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

"That could be how fold ore's made," Rin observes between pizza bites.
 "Bacteria with fold capacity dying or something. I mean I assume it's not the
 same bacteria... I guess it might not technically even be 'bacteria.'" After
 this she starts eating the crust.

"What do you mean, to the same end?" Rin asks Lan after that, though she also
 salutes with the crust towards Leon. "Hi! I'm Rin Naujakaite, I'm with VTX. My
 job title's kinda fluid."

She gets a different slice with more vegetables as Alto speaks at greater
 length.

<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.

Lowering her hand, Lilium manages a weak smile back. "Ah.. thank you, ma'am..."
 She glances back down at her own notes.

Her face shifts to a slight frown. "Right... later, then..." She mumbles,
 before turning her attention back to Aurora, Flay, and the general
 conversation.

"..Oh, that's what she was hospitalised for? I thought she was injured during
 the attack..." She muses, slightly late to the conversation. She lifts a slice
 of pizza experimentally. "This brand is..." She thinks for a moment, staring
 at the the logo. Dominos is Neo-American. She remembered seeing a few
 locations in the AEU's parts of Britain. Of course, that means if you're
 somewhere Britannians might hear you...

"...It's from the AEU's colonial holdings,I think. You see locations in some of
 the western AEU, too... I always thought it was a pretty widespread brand,
 honestly." before continuing in a more quiet voice, "/I guess they were
 right... you really can't outpizza the hut.../" She takes a bite of the slice.
 Still good, actually. A nice change from Britannian style.
"-Anyway, we're... uh... defenders of the Earth Sphere, technically--the main
 defenders, or at least we're meant to try to be... so we kind of have to show
 up for these things." She nods to Leon, but doesn't salute (What is a
 Warrant Officer, anyway? Does a PMC even have 'Full Officers' big enough to
 make the distinction? Does this matter to anyone in the room other than her?
 Probably not, come to think of it)

Any further participation in the conversation on Lilium's part is sidetracked
 slightly by the appearance of a... strangely dressed young woman? . "I... Uh..
 guess they must be..?" She mumbles, pulling her BatoOpe knowledge to the fore
 of her mind to try and contribute to what was suddenly a conversation far
 above her level, "Otherwise, like... Quantum brainwave-based weapons systems
 like... uh.. funnels would have Fold Things going on, and that'd be kind of
 obvious, right..?"

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

"...I thought that's what I heard, at least. Maybe that was a rumour, too?" She
 wonders, about the true nature of Sheryl's hospitalization. "Honestly... I
 just hope she's doing okay." She wouldn't call herself an avid fan or anything
 like that, but she had some respect for Sheryl's music. And she probably
 deserved better than getting caught up in this mess.

Flay looks back to Rin, and also considers what she says about the fold waves.
 "I guess that would make sense... especially if Ranka's song works by using
 the fold waves to directly transmit to them, all at once." She squints then,
 as Aurora likens it to the Newtype, only to be corrected by the mysterious Lan
 on the differences between fold waves and quantum brainwaves.

"I doubt it's the same... after all, we've never been able to communicate with
 the Vajra. We can't expect them to understand us, can we?" It's much of the
 same point Alto was getting at. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't be gearing
 up to kill them.

Alto then, does her work of introducing herself for her, mentioning her
 contributions against the Vajra. She doesn't salute back to Leon, but it's not
 out of disrespect. She just doesn't think he cares about that sort of thing.
 She doesn't really, either, despite her tone of voice.

"Lieutenant Flay Allster, as the Warrant Officer said. I'm the Strike Gundam
 E's pilot... though there's a lot I have to do other than piloting. Still,
 it's good to meet you, Mr. Sakaki." She moves along, agreeable enough. "Though
 if it's a paycheck you're fighting for... free food is free food, right?" She
 reaches for a slice of her own. Just plain cheese. She's certainly had worse
 than this on a bad day.

She glares back then, as that white-haired girl seems to be getting more
 attention. And did Alto say...

...Princess?" No, there isn't any hint of jealousy in that tone of voice, of
 course not.

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         Nervous, or just shy around ranking officers? Emily files it away for
 future notice. This will probably be the Sabers' main anti-Vajra team, she
 thinks, so best to get to know them now.

        She reaches to try the pizza herself, giving it an experimental bite.
 Colonial holdings? Ah, so Lilium is the diplomatic type. You do have to
 massage a few egos to succeed in Britannian-dominated organisations. Ech.

        Ah, a merc. A soldier whose allegiance is directed by money. Not all
 that uncommon in the AEU forces, on account of the Moralia scam. Aurora has
 done a bit of private work herself. Actual mercenary and 'mercenary' (deniable
 asset).

        He's introduced himself, so it makes sense for Aurora to do the same.
 She salutes, much less casually than he does. "Second Lieutenant Aurora Dusk,
 currently of the Allster squad. Sometimes also a test pilot," and a member of
 the 19th Counterintelligence unit, but she doesn't say that for obvious
 reasons. "Do you... go very far? How is being a mercenary?" She gives Leon a
 look of earnest curiosity, eyes shimmering slightly.

        Emily habitually salutes, deciding to introduce herself too. "Colonel
 Emily Ashcroft. Of the Gaia Sabers, naturally. Captain, when I have a ship.
 Good to be working with you." She extends her hand to shake.

        Lilium declares the role of the Gaia Sabers and Emily nods. "We try to
 be, but some threats have been overlooked through the Federation's history,"
 she explains while eating. "For example, the Dr. Hell incident only involved
 Federation military aid to the Photon Power Labs during the closing stages.
 I'm trying to make sure this doesn't get overlooked."

        The Sabers, after all, are the inheritors of the Titans. Perfect chance
 to fix a few institutional mistakes.

        "I think she means 'can achieve similar capabilities. Like Newtypes can
 communicate over long distance, and Vajra can too." Aurora dips into the
 conversation about Newtypes. "Directly transmit, all at once...I'd be
 overwhelmed too." Being a Newtype isn't always pleasant.

<Pose Tracker> Laffinty Fin E Ld Si has posed.

Lan favors Alto with a small smile - but more than she was offering much when
 last they met. "Good to see you again, Alto. I'm glad you're well."

Then she turns and nods, straight-backed and earnestly serious. "What you call
 quantum brainwaves and this Vajra all-distance fold-wave communication..." She
 nods at Rin. "It seems like they share a purpose, in facilitating
 communication over media that don't otherwise allow it. But one uses spacetime
 principles, and the other uses," she stalls, "uhm," and then hesitates,
 "something, else,"and then puts a fork in her mouth because she has just
 realized she is like 60% bluffing about knowing anything.

This is how she looks at Flay, haplessly shy. She blinks twice.

She holds up a hand like a paw. "Woof," she says, in sincere greeting.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Leon continues to stare at Alto now that they're up close, puzzled by the young
 man. He's just so... pretty. It doesn't really compute that what is ostensibly
 a boy could look like a maiden most fair of ancient lore. He... he doesn't
 swing that way, right? Right?

Putting aside his crisis of sexuality, Leon walks closer to Alto. trying to act
 cool and collected but absolutely obviously failing. Gotta be a professional,
 even when everyone around you is an insane manga character.

"Hey, Saotome." Cool and composed. He's got it.

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto has certainly heard the rumours about Sheryl. Rumours which have
 only increased in frequency since she disappeared. He wishes he could say
 they're all false... But there's definitely something going on with Sheryl.
 Something she won't tell him about, judging by the fact she won't answer any
 of his calls and hasn't spoken to him in quite a while.

        This is definitely, clearly not something weighing on Alto's mind as he
 hears more such rumours being repeated. He doesn't step in though as making a
 scene right now would only draw attention to it.

        Insted Alto keeps his focus on Lan for a moment, "You as well. I hope
 your time here on Earth hasn't been too bad." Funny how he naturally assumes
 it has been at least partially so. Perhaps that's experience talking.

        But something tugs at Alto and he turns his head to see Leon staring at
 him. Initially confused, Alto soon assumes a reason that he's all too familiar
 with. His brow furrows and his eyes narrow as he somewhat harshly bites back,
 "What?"

<Pose Tracker> Rin Naujakaite has posed.

"Oh yeah, quantum psionic theory - wait, no, that's the old name, I think?" Rin
 asks Lan, commenting, glancing upwards afterwards. "I mean I don't really get
 it but it would be incredible to be able to use that just, like, for
 communications. I suppose Fold's the better call there, given... uh..."

"I'm not going to try to summarize it," Rin decides finally. "How are you
 liking Earth? God, I guess that's arrogant of me to ask, I just never got the
 time to -- talk to everyone, I was always working or flying and then it felt
 like it took a thousand years but it was over really fast. Does that make
 sense?"

oh no pizza made her chatty

<Pose Tracker> Leon Sakaki has posed.

Leon jumps back a bit at Alto snapping, raising his hands defensively.

"S-sorry. I just, you know, wanted to have a chat before the mission. Guy to
 guy." Play it cool, Leon, play it cool. Nothing odd about this at all.

<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.

Flay blinks, as Leon walks right past her, a reasonably attractive young
 woman, to stare at Alto, all while playing it cool. Well... Alto is pretty
 good looking himself, so it's not like she can blame him, can she?

Flay stares, then, at a brief loss for words, when Lan attempts to greet her
 the Earthling way. "...Woof? Um, what?" Any potential envy or social hostility
 that could have been caused by Lan's status evaporates, mostly replaced by the
 awkwardness of the interaction.

Since Alto and Rin imply she's not from Earth, she assumes it's some unfamiliar
 Spacenoid mannerism and, at least matches the hand motion to... return the
 greeting? At least she's trying.

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         "They use quantum brainwave transmission. It's the same principle that
 operates psycommu." Aurora chimes in to clarify how Newtype work, since she
 has personal experience and all.

        The barking is... somehow Aurora feels sympathetic to it. (Wolf
 disguised as a woman.) She gives Lan a Look and raises slowly raises her own
 hand.

        Rin calls it incredible, and she nods. "Yeah, it's an interesting
 experience," she says, before clocking that Rin was talking about
 communications technology.

        "You're all new to Earth?" she asks, slightly awkwardly. Maybe the
 distant introversion is some kind of... shyness? "...what she asked. I hope
 you're enjoying it."

        Leon seems to be ignoring her, but she's only a little bit dejected. He
 seemed distracted by...

        Her head turns, and she joins the chorus of eyes screaming at Alto. He
 reacts... harshly, and Aurora shifts backwards. "S-sorry." Oh dear, she's made
 it awkward. She feels droopy now for some reason... Her eyes look back up at
 him from the lowered position her head was in. You're just pretty."

<Pose Tracker> Lilium Valerie has posed.

Lilium has mostly quietened down, and simply chews absent-mindedly on a slice
 of Neo American Pizza(NUNE Registered trademark only 30 gilla for 33
 centimeters). The quantum brainwaves discussion is, if anything, going even
 further over her head than it did before. Thankfully, the... princess(?) and
 that other Lieutenant she hasn't me (Aurora, she said her name was) are
 communicating in strange ways she doesn't understand, so she has a simpler
 target for her look of general bemusement

<Pose Tracker> Alto Saotome has posed.

        Alto stares at Leon, seemingly doubtful that that's all that the newly
 transferred SMS pilot is thinking. Still, he seems to reply in the positive to
 the request of a chat, "Yeah, sure." It is important to get to know your
 fellow pilots after all, as Alto himself implied earlier.

        It's Aurora who actually says what many people have been thinking and
 Alto sighs in annoyance, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Like I haven't heard
 that a million times... Pointing it out like it's one of my greatest defining
 traits. You know what people don't point out? That I'm a damn good pilot. Or
 that I've saved so many people from near death. You know, things that actually
 mean something." Definitely seems like something that has happened a lot in
 the past. And back then he might have been a bit more confrontational about it.

        But he has grown as a person a lot in the past three years. In some
 ways more than others. So, progress!

<Pose Tracker> Aurora Dusk has posed.

         Aurora doesn't have to be psychic (but it helps) to tell she's struck
 a nerve. "S-Sorry. You're a skilled pilot, too, and I'm glad to have your
 experience behind us." She makes her apology in the same slightly soft tone
 she's been using for the past ten minutes.