2022-08-11: Braun'd Trip

• Cast: Karissa Kayden Halle, Suzuha Saionji
• Where: Von Braun City, Luna
• Date: U.C. 0096 08 11
• Summary: A Texas Ranger and a Neo-Zeon War Criminal step onto the Moon...

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<Pose Tracker> Suzuha Saionji has posed.

       UC 0096.08.10, AEU Spain, Earth

       Ryo Ooshiro has just had A Day. Yeah, it's been One Of Those. Like an hour and a half on Earth, and he's already leaving it, feeling much, much heavier, in more ways than one. For instance, in addition to the gravity and life-shattering realizations, he is very full of icecream. Whatever problem there was with his papers has been sorted though, apparently, so he is bid to be on his way as he passes the counter and moves to the transport waiting for him.

       Unknown to the teenage boy in the green jacket with the faded Zeon symbol on the back, the woman who originally dealt with him verifies that Ryo has boarded and then looks across the spaceport to a man pretending to read a newspaper. That man lowers his paper, folding it up, and quickly follows after Ryo Ooshiro: A name that is known to Federation intelligence as belonging to an agent of Neo-Zeon.

       Perhaps this kid was right to be paranoid.

       UC 0096.08.11, Von Braun City, Luna

       The Earth was... An experience. Definitely one that will remain in Ryo's mind for a long time to come. But the spikey-haired youth allows all the matters on Earth to be left behind there as the Moon comes into view through the port-hole windows next to his seat. It took some time to leave Earth's atmosphere, the G-Forces highly unpleasant to experience, and even more time to actually reach Lunar orbit, but...

       Man, what a sight.

       "So this is the Moon..." Ryo mutters to himself, nose practically pressed against the glass in his attempt to see Von Braun. It was on the other side of Earth when he was diverted to Spain. But it's 'night' now in Spain, and Ryo is seeing it for the first time.

       All too soon, the transport is descending to land at a nearby station, where hopefully Mikael's doctored identification papers will net Ryo an interview at Anaheim. And from there... Well, he hasn't planned that far ahead. He'll just have to see what turns up.

<Pose Tracker> Karissa Kayden Halle has posed.

       "But the testing period is over in forty-five minutes! We need to finish getting the benchmark data collated or we won't make our deadline!" comes the high-pitched voice of a curly-haired man as he chases after someone boarding the mag-rail out of Von Braun.

       "Beggin' yer pardon, Mister." a woman's lilting voice returns to him. "But 'Test Pilot'? That's not my REAL job. When th' Federation calls, ah've got t' answer." A tall blonde in a cowboy hat and leather boots complimenting her casual ('West Neo-American'-style) clothing doesn't even pause as she seats herself in one of the passenger seats.

       The harried, hand-wringing Anaheim official whines nasally as he stands in the doorway, blocking the car from sealing up. An electronic voice keeps repeating, 'Please clear all obstructions from the exit.' over and over above him. "But we're so close to being done! Surely, Londo Bell will understand! You can just say there was a mag-lev delay!"

       The Space Cowgirl looks at the man like he just said he's Char Aznable, while the doors keep trying to close on the Anaheim employee, and the computer lady keeps repeating herself from the speaker in the ceiling. "Y'want ah should tell >Londo Bell< that ah was late, 'cuz've yer mag-rail bein' out-of-order? Do yah not realize that there'd be records of that they'll be checkin', and that if things >were< more bunked up than a low-budget army barracks, that >yer< employers would get in trouble for it?"

       The man stares, wide-eyed, apparently not having realized that, and now trying to formulate some other argument.

       "With all due respect, yer out of yer mind if'n ya think ah'm gonna' lie fer you. Just... File an extension or somethin'." She tips her hat at the employee, with a bright smile. "Robot lady wants yer to step in 'r out. Might want to pick one."

       The employee steps back as the doors attempt to close on him again, only for them to then shut in his face seconds later while he's still trying to beg the lady to help him out.

       The magnetic rail then departs the station, headed for the nearby spaceport, and Karissa Kayden Halle just shakes her head a bit as she pulls up one of those Candy Jeweler games or whatever they're called on her pocket computer.

       "Sum people." is the last she has to say on the subject.

<Pose Tracker> Suzuha Saionji has posed.

       Sometime later, the transport has landed, Ryo Ooshiro has disembarked, and he resists the urge to adjust the bandages under his shirt with a mighty effort. Hey, at least without Earth's gravity weighing down on him he can actually BREATHE easier. Even if the air is recycled. He isn't sure where to go from here so looks for some kind of map of the area, like he has seen in old movies.

       But this is Von Braun. Or the spaceport adjacent to it, with the station for the high-speed electro-magnetic rail line running perpendicular to the port. Things are considerably more high-tech! So high-tech, infact, that if there's a way to navigate this place, Ryo can't even recognize it!

       He thus has to resort to more SORDID methods...

       He wanders around asking random people for directions.

       Hey, he's just some kid in a Zeon jacket, who could possibly refuse him?

       Maybe those security guards coming his way, but, you know, ASIDE from them.

<Pose Tracker> Karissa Kayden Halle has posed.

       The mag-rail arrives, Karissa gathers herself and moseys on out of the train, despite the immense hurry she is in to get to the spaceport and return to Earth. Such an incredible hurry, in fact, that she couldn't spare like half an hour to fly a Mobile Suit around really fast.

       The laid-back blonde is stepping down onto the platform when she sees some young kid wandering around trying to talk to the people who are all busy and going about their days. This is Von Braun, people aren't usually here to sight-see. Except when they are. But that's not the point!

       Karissa does take note of the Zeon jacket, and the guards closing in on the boy like wolves. Shifting the lollypop she stuck in her mouth as a reward for jeweling so many candies to her other cheek, the cowgirl decides she has some time to spare helping out a stranger after all.

       Hands in her jean pockets, Karissa wanders closer to the boy, calling out, "Hey, kid! Ya' got a sec?" She's trying to cut off the guards by closing the distance and putting the crowd between them and the boy.

       "Pardon mah sayin' so, but yer lookin' 'bit lost. First time on Luna?" she asks with a grin, the white stick of her candypop tilting upwards with the expression.

<Pose Tracker> Suzuha Saionji has posed.

       'Hey, Kid' isn't generally how Ryo prefers to be addressed, but it sounds like a friendly enough greeting, and when he turns from yet another fruitless attempt to interact with people who probably think he's some sort of... Space Beggar, he finds himself looking at a blonde lady in rather exotic attire, approaching him. Another one of these cute girls with green eyes. What did he ever do to deserve this?

       Defensively, Ryo says, "Yeah, it's my first time on the Moon. Is that a problem? Are you going to rag on me for my jacket too?" Oof. Not the best way to make a good first impression on the first person to actually smile at him since he got here, but he has to be careful. The warning about the Manhunters didn't fall on deaf ears.

       He frowns slightly and says, "Sorry, it's been... A long couple days. I'm just trying to get to Von Braun for a job interview. I don't want any trouble with anyone. It's not my jacket, I don't know whose it is, I just grabbed it from a pile of junk because it was warm and had pockets."

       Specifically, it was in a pile of junk that passed for a 'business office' of his friend, Mikael, back on Side 3. It was some kind of vintage item that might have sold for a lot if it was in better condition, but Ryo got it for the low low price of his dignity. Mikael wanted him on camera making a cute cat pose and saying, 'Nyah~!'

       Seriously, what a pervert.

<Pose Tracker> Karissa Kayden Halle has posed.

       Karissa slows her roll, her approach coming up short as she holds her hands up in a 'hey, let's be cool here' gesture, green eyes wide. "Wasn't intendin' any offense. Ah've got no problem with yer jacket, tho' of course, ah can't speak fer anyone else 'round here. Just wanted t' offer an assist if y'all wanted one."

       Lowering her hands when the youth settles down, Karissa holds out her hand, her grin returning. "Name's Karissa. Yer headed to Von Braun? Funny thing, ah just came from o'er there." She jerks a thumb towards the mag-rail. "C'mon, if yer headed that way, ah'll ride with ya' along th' way." Going back to the place she just came from? That's definitely super generous.

       But also those guards are closing in despite Karissa's best attempts to keep maneuvering the wandering crowd between them and her, and that's not sustainable.

       'When in doubt, git out.' as the saying goes.

<Pose Tracker> Suzuha Saionji has posed.

       Ryo squints at this 'Karissa'. She just happens to have come from the place he is trying to get to, and is willing to go BACK to where she just came from because... What? Just to help out?

       He remembers his suspicions about the girl he met on Earth. And he remembers how that turned out. Ryo sighs. He isn't planning on making a habit of blindly accepting the word of strangers, but he accepts the offered hand, and says, "Ryo." by way of introduction. "Look, I appreciate it, but I don't want to inconvenience you. We just met, and you just came from there. Isn't escorting me to my destination a bit much?"

       Even so, he allows himself to be led towards the train that is getting ready to depart. Something is making him kind of nervous about this situation, but it's not the lady in front of him. He takes a look around as the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

       Then he sees them. The security personnel closing in on him. "ActuallyyeahIthinkIcouldusesomeonewhoknowstheirwayaroundtoshowmethesightsc'monlet'sgolet'sgolet'sgo." he rambles out at high speed as Ryo becomes the one trying to drag Karissa towards the train. Such a quick reversal of roles! He's still hanging onto her hand, unless she pulls it away.

<Pose Tracker> Karissa Kayden Halle has posed.

       Karissa is mildly surprised at the sudden change in Ryo's eagerness to go, but just grins and makes it easy for him, since she's taller and older than him, and hauling her around like a sack full of jack rabbits can't be easy even with the power of adrenaline.

       She turns her head to look at the security personnel right as they run up to the closing doors, winking at them quickly seconds before their ability to pursue is cut off.

       She mouths, 'Robot ladies!' as her free hand points up at the speaker in the ceiling. Then she and her new friend are zipping away!