2022-11-11: Forewarned is Forearmed

• Log: Forewarned is Forearmed
• Cast: Eight York, Leina Ashta, Lavnadim Orlodhari
• Where: Londenion
• OOC - IC Date: 2022-11-11 (0096)
• Summary: Leina interrupts Eight and Lavhi on a date--for something important.

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<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Out in Londenion, Eight York feels... conflicted. On the one hand, she feels much more comfortable out and about on a colony than Earthside, and she's very happy for the company she has. On the other... especially here in explicit Federation territory, she feels eyes on her.

So she's decided to give them something to look at.

Eight is not in uniform, instead wearing a red dress of about knee-length, something more for being about during the day than partying at night. It's sleeveless, looks great on her, and is paired with a nice purse and a pair of low boots. She's currently leaning on a tall man in--well, a tall man of green, wearing browns and yellows, slacks and a buttoned shirt, as they walk down the way. This is what Eight's given them to look at, that and the way her hand is curled into his as they walk. It's much more PDA than she'd give in uniform, but it's nice to be able to do it now.

Curently, they walk through a small park, about to pass a bench on the left on their path; there are trees, and it's a lovely, if obviously artificial, space, in what passes for daytime in the colony.

They've settled into a comfortable silence for the moment, which makes interrupting them rather less awkward than it could be.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

It's challenging for someone in a wheelchair to escape possible surveillance without help. In this case, a diner owner...

"Hey sorry to bother you but there's some really creepy guys following me around, do you mind if I go out back?"
"Fuck really? What kind of sickos would... don't worry sweetie, I've got this.
"Thanks, I really do appreciate it."

By the time they realize she's not in fact just taking her time in the bathroom, which by its very nature right now takes an extended amount of time, she's already at the edge of the small park. And here in the Colonies, they're without the benefit of certain options they might use to pick her up quickly...

... "Captain York. Sir."

The familiar girl in the wheelchair rolls up towards the bench. She'd been concealing her pressure a bit with her erected psychic walls. Right now she's just wearing a comfortable pink jumper and a pair of faded skinny jeans, some worn out tennis shoes.

"I really do apologize of I'm interrupting your date. But would you mind if we had a chat somewhere private?"

Leina raises her phone and there's a message written on screen...

>i think i slipped surveillance for a while but cant know for how long

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight is not paying close attention to her psychic senses at the moment, making no particular effort to tease out little impulses, since she can't read her partner that way anyway. So she misses Leina's arrival at first, focused as she is instead on Lavhi. But then--

"Oh," Eight says, looking towards Leina in surprise, and then--the question. The message...

"This is fine," Lavhi says first, looking to Eight, and she inclines her head a moment later. "Yes, that's all right," Eight says. "How about over this way?" Eight tilts her head towards the trees, and then gives Lavhi a meaningful look.

Lavhi keeps his eyes open for trouble on the way over.

"It is never a problem to meet one of Eight's friends," he says as he does, remaining remarkably casual despite the situation.

"I don't know if you've met," Eight says. "This is my--" She pauses, as they walk, not stopping her feet but stopping her words as she debates how to introduce him. "--My boyfriend, Lavhi. He's our chief engineer, too."

She's mostly making conversation so it doesn't seem strange that they're all wandering off together, keeping her expression light.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Thank you. And sure."

Eight has seen her in the wheelchair before, but without the crowd around its easier to see that she's not actually doing anything to control it or propel it herself. Leina's eyes light up at the introduction, "Oh!" Leina seems... delighted? "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Leina Ashta. I'm... a friend of Renalle and Callisto."

Her smile is just so broad, "The crew of the Ra Mari is so close. It's really wonderful to see from the outside in."

Once they do get out of cover, Leina asks Eight briefly, "Is it okay for me to speak freely?" There's not any real distrust towards Lavhi, he's on the crew of the Ra Mari, but she still asks her just to be sure.

Once she receives her answer...

"It's best if I don't draw attention by visiting the ship for a while. Vist is surveilling me after Torrington. They even illegally detained me at my school - fortunately two Londo Bell officers kept them from going too far. They want Banagher but they know they can't just grab me off the street to try and lure him in. And that's only because of my connections. ... It would be, messy for them. Especially since people know they've been harassing me. That's not really why I'm here though..."

Leina crosses her hands in her lap, and lets Eight know, "I recently met with Renalle for lunch."

It's interesting that she calls her that rather than Rena isn't it? "And she told me a little about a Blackmail situation your crew is suffering right now, by one Captain Yuliana Dispersal. However, she couldn't speak too freely, as it was possible we were being watched. I wanted to know more, if possible, to figure out if there was anything I could to help."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight does notice now that she's just seing Leina that she doesn't have to work the chair herself, it seems. That's a good chair!

"Likewise," Lavhi answers Leina, and smiles at her. It is a reserved sort of expression, but his eyes reflect it, too. "We have been through much together."

Out of cover, Eight nods to Leina, and looks up into her boyfriend's eyes for a moment to say, "I trust him with anything."

she looks back to Leina. And waits for her to answer. They both listen, and while Lavhi is quiet, he continues to look around 'casualy' for any sign of trouble. Eight, though, frowns. Messy...

"I see," she says. "Then I appreciate your foresight. But that bugs me."

She considers, though. Renalle. It is interesting that she calls her that. It says a few things already.

Lavhi outright scowls at the mention of Yuliana Dispersal, and Eight doesn't spond much beter. She considers for a moment. "The details aren't my secrets to share," Eight says first, and glances at both of the others with her. "...But I can tell you about the blackmail part for sure."

Lavhi says, "If you need, I can watch from a distance."

Eight shakes her head. "Not just yet. But maybe after I talk about this part. To be honest... I feel like we're more secure together," she says, looking back to Leina. A Zentradi and a Cyber-Newtype make for better protection than not, even if it's best if it doesn't come to that.

"...Like I was saying though," Eight says, "Some facts about Rena came to her attention, and she's threatening to reveal those facts if we retaliate against her. She probably has copies of the information. I'm not sure what can be done yet about it by any of us, but it's confirmed some suspicions for me--I think she's from a project like me. Oh, and..."

"Well. She can't blackmail me," Eight says, "Because I already let slip what I am."

"And it was very dangerous," Lavhi comments with some disapproval and protectiveness.

"Dangerous, but necessary. I need to know if we can coexist in the Federation being what we are." Pause. "Is there something else I can tell you? She gave us the information at an old abandoned station..."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

It's good to know Eight trusts Lavhi that much, it's information she files away. "Me too." She says on it bugging her. And Leina slowly nods at her as she mentions that some things aren't hers to share, "I understand. I would never ask you to break her confidence."

A Zentradi and a Cyber-Newtype do make for better protection. Leina doesn't mention that she's armed but, maybe she doesn't have to. "Without saying what it is, how bad would it be for your crew if it was released publically? Or would it mostly be very distressing to Renalle?" That part is a bit unclear to her, because Yuliana is definitely the type who would just release something just to mess with someone.

Leina nods lightly, "And how has the Federation taken that disclosure so far?" Her eyes wander a little, she doesn't feel any intentionality on them, but she never relies solely on her Newtype senses for this kind of thing.

"If you have the coordinates for the station, that might lend me something of use. I know that Captain Dispersal was in space recently, and I have some idea of her movements purely by coincidence. ... Of note, she was on Sweetwater Colony. It might be significant to what she found on Renalle, given the history of the Colony."

That at least might confirm to Eight that Leina knows of Rena's past, even more than just calling her Renalle naturally.

"As for your suspicions, I'm positive you're correct. I've had a lot of contact with her."

Leina focuses back in on Eight, giving her a look far too serious, "I've already told Renalle most of this, but I want to make sure you get it. If only to better position you to protect your crew. However... my suspicion from what she told me of her worldview is that she's a Cyber Newtype project herself. Don't ever imply that, it will make her... erratic. She hates being compared to Newtypes." Again her eyes wander scanning the area, "At the moment of her Awakening..."

Leina snaps her two fingers, "... they turned the lights off. They blinded her senses by whatever effect surrounds her at all times. And as far as I can tell, it drove her insane to some degree. Where we would feel a person and their intentionality, she feels only a hollow space where something should be. Its led her to have a belief system similar to Solipsism. Everything is fake, only she is real... and reality is agony for her."

There's a pause, "I'm not telling you this so you can sympathize with her. Just so you can better protect yourselves."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

The way she looks at Lavhi, it's clear how much she loves him. Eight is not afraid of that information being known, though it is not popular to all in the Federation either, perhaps in some cases considered worse than her 'history'.

Lavhi mostly watches the area around them, rather than either of them in particular; it looks as if he's looking at Leina, but his attention, and his wholly non-psychic senses, are intent.

But Eight, "Mostly it would be personally distressing. It wouldn't be worse to the crew than what they already know about me."

As for how the Federation has taken it, Eight is quiet a moment while the Zentradi answers, "A member of G-Hound demanded to see her about it. She brought armed guards onto the ship, to 'question' Eight."

Eight shakes her head. "That's true, but it was all posturing on her part; she didn't have a chance of taking me anywhere I didn't want to go. And she and I both knew that. She just wanted to see how much she could get away with."

"Be that as it may," Lavhi continues, "There has been some rumor spreading about it. The crew is loyal, but eyes look askance."

"I'm concerned it'll cause trouble for the Commander," she admits, talking about Bright Noa.

"I do have the coordinates, though. I'll give them to you." Coincidence... Hm. Sweetwater, is it? "I see. I've been doing some digging into those things myself... so I'll keep that in mind."

Eight already thinks Leina knows a lot, but this does confirm it. And what she says of Yuliana... Eight frowns. "...I see," she says eventually. "No, that doesn't excuse her in the least. But it makes sense."

"Is better if I am present next time," Lavhi says, frowning, "That you confront her. I do not rely on such senses. I am at less disadvantage." Pause. He sighs. "Not that simply fighting her is an option..."

"Noted," Eight says, rubbing Lavhi's arm. "It explains a lot about her, anyway. And it proves appealing to her 'better nature' is doomed. I..." Eight hesitates, "I lost my cool, when we met. I hit her. And because I left myself open, she hit me back, and harder. I'm recovered, but..." She shakes her head.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"... Alright. I'll keep that in mind."

While Leina hates it that it would personally distress Rena, if it wouldn't cause the Federation to take any rash moves against the Ra Mari's crew, then there's no need to rush handling this.

Her eyes shoot over to Lavhi as he reveals G-Hound came board... and Eight labels it as posturing. "G-Hound demanding anything of Londo Bell on such pretenses sets a dangerous precedent." Leina concludes, "Though I'm glad they met a dead end."

Leina thinks of the possibilities, if Vist decides that they can't trust Londo Bell, they can always ally with Romefeller perhaps, use G-Hound. No, that would be bad, for Bright and Londo Bell. If they had the ability to force cooperation by means other than political pressure.

"Mind giving me her name? I can at least keep tabs. I feel I owe it to Bright too, to watch his back. He can handle himself, but all the better when others are lending a hand."

A nod, "Thank you." When it comes to the Coordinates. Lavhi suggests better if he's there, and Leina, slowly nods, "It's probably best if you don't. However, do be careful. I suspect that she's more than just the REA's Anti-Newtype weapon when she's piloting. She found me in a small town in Spain while on leave - just to harass me. I suspect she can sense Newtypes somehow, locate us, but there are limits to her range, and that along with her Blackmail scheme for Renalle implies a lot about the passive intelligence she receives."

Eight speaks of the confrontation, and Leina flinches, "It doesn't surprise me you had a hard time. Cyber Newtype enhancements or not? That 'aura' of hers is so disorienting. I have trouble even thinking straight while I'm in it."

She taps her hand on the rest of her wheelchair, considering the matter, "As for how to deal with her. I'm not a psychologist, but I have a lot of experience with... Cyber Newtypes, and there are elements of how she acts that reminds me of one I..."

Leina suddenly looks, feels melancholy, there's a shake of her head, "... it's not important. Basically, she plays a game every time she harasses a Newtype, she wants to be seen as a powerful, dangerous monster in control of the situation at all times. The way to deal with her, is to not let play her game, don't buy into it. Don't look at her as a dangerous monster, look at her as a childish asshole. She's harassing us for the attention, even if it's all negative. The very fact she cares so much about harassing us reveals the... holes, in her worldview."

Leina looks Eight in her red eyes with her seagreen ones, "She also has a handler in the REA, her superior officer, Major Vinh Pham. You've likely known men like him during your time in Zeon. Of note, she's terrified of his displeasure."

She lets that say a lot on its own, "And while I feel dirty threatening to tattle on her to such a man, it usually puts her on the back foot immediately. You won't be able to do this, with her holding blackmail material on a member of your crew, but you still might find it useful in just... navigating having to deal with her in the future."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight is still looking for a way to handle it herself--but she doesn't think acting rashly will reward them much at all, however much she hates what Yuliana is doing to Rena.

"It does," Eight agrees. "Which is why they won't be getting what they wanted. THey wanted to station an officer to watch me, 'in case of sudden behavioral changes.'" But, "Vitaly Sokolov. Feel free."

Lavhi nods at the matter of 'it's best if you don't. "She clearly has much access to intelligence," he agrees. "We must approach her carefully, not rashly. I simply do not wish..." He looks to Eight, "I do not wish you to confront her alone," he says, more softly.

Eight sighs, and then, "Yeah. I mean, I also left myself completely open; I hadn't realized how much I rely on those senses in a fight." The 'aura'... "It is. I don't like it much."

But hmmm... Eight is not offended when Leina mentions she has experience with Cyber Newtypes. It's useful information. But melancholy? Yes, she feels that. She can tell. "...It's okay," Eight says, and whether she means the situation or not telling her, she means it regardless.

"Hmmm. So I was playing into her game," Eight has confirmed for herself. "And..." Pause. "All right. I'll keep that in mind."

Lavhi frowns, and nods. "Yes, I can see. Well, in that case..."

Eight finishes, "We'll just have to make sure not to give her what she wants again. My plan is..."

She breathes out. "Well, I don't have a plan, exactly. But I think the only option is going to be beating her to the punch. Otherwise she'll hold it over Rena forever."

Lavhi says, "But this is easier said than done, of course. ...Regardless, we will remember."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

The moment she hears the name Vitaly Sokolov, she taps out a text to start running inquiries. Send.

"Yeah. Alone would be a bad idea."

Within thirty seconds she already has a reply ping, including a basic profile, and footage of a trial. Leina just stares at her screen in disbelief, "You're kidding me. An ex-Titan? She's objecting to your past history?" Leina snorts, "She's probably committed more war crimes than you and I have birthdays. 'Acquitted'? Righttt..."

Leina puts back down her phone, and just nods quickly as Eight tells her its okay when it comes to... the subject that's not important. She listens to her, and the fact that she doesn't have a plan. "There's no good plan for dealing with this kind of blackmail other than putting it out there or getting something even more damning on her, yeah. It'll suck for Renalle but..."

Leina closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath, "... she has people who care about her, and will be there for her."

There's a pause, and Leina opens her seagreen eyes, "There's one more thing I want to talk about. Completely off the record but... Renalle mentioned your ship was at JOSH-A. I wanted to know what your own impressions were as to what happened... and who's ultimately responsible."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

"Yep," Eight says. "An ex-Titan." Eight has the same impression of Vitaly that Leina mentions, but she doesn't dwell on her for the moment, just a sour look and that's about it. If anything Lavhi has more of an impression of her, because he frowns for longer.

But Eight nods back to Leina at the plan. "Yeah. And I'm not..." She considers. "I don't want to be the kind of Captain who responds to blackmail with worse blackmail. Maybe I'd do it for Rena. But I don't think going forward that way will get either of us closer to who we want to be, me or her."

She smiles at that last statement. "She does. I love her more than I think she's prepared to believe."

Lavhi smiles, too. But that smile fades at the matter of JOSH-A. "One of the ZAFT captains there... I checked in the footage. She blocked off the exit from the base, on the way out."

Eight nods. "...Mm. My impressions..." She looks to Lavhi again, and sets her red eyes on Leina's green. "I can't be certain, but... I've spoken with someone who believes ZAFT planned the entire thing, sabotaged it--but the base commander sounded completely sincere, completely Fed to me. I don't like thinking this way... but I can't find another conclusion. Someone wanted that mission to go badly."

"Most of ZAFT obviously didn't know what was planned. Neither did most of us. But I'm not willing to chalk the base commander up to just being callous about lives he doesn't have to see being spent. Something is wrong."

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to be either."

Leina mentions of Eight not wanting to be someone who resorts to blackmail. For one thing, because that was the kind of thing she was taught to use and exploit to play 'the game'. It would make her feel horrible even thinking about it.

Leina's smile returns when she tells her about how much she loves Rena. And there's a squint at the idea of a ZAFT Captain blocking an exit. Leina's fingers tap on the edge of the wheelchair, agitated, "ZAFT has its own divisions, but from what I do know, their entire force was in disarray afterwards. Whether the Captain that blocked off the exit was in on some plan, or simply an opportunist in the moment is... an interesting question. If you happen to have identified what ship it was, I'd appreciate it if you don't mind passing it along."

Leina's brow just furrows, thinking about it. Eight thinks something is 'wrong' and she's willing to trust a Newtype's intuition on the matter. "Maybe an independent actor. There's no end to the number of organizations or people who would commit such an atrocity simply to cause chaos. Bionet perhaps. Blue Cosmos would be an obvious organization to point fingers at - they'd want the escalation. However... we have no real evidence of that."

After a moment, she comes to a similar conclusion, "Disturbing."

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Maybe Eight will have to play 'the game' sooner or later... but she wants to do things better, when she's able. As she'sable.

Lavhi strokes Eight's hand lightly when she mentions Rena, obviously fond of her ability to share her feelings outright that way. But the matter of the Captain...

"The Socrates," Eight answers. "I can't say which is the truth, but Lavhi confirmed it--it wasn't an accident, judging from it was. It's the same ship that helped us against the Vajra..."

It's not pleasant.

"Right. There's no evidence, so there's not much we can do. I just don't buy that it's a ZAFT job--especially not the idea that Riika Sheder is the one to do it."

She pauses, though. "...Do you want us to escort you somewhere safer?" Eight offers, and Lavhi inclines his head as if to indicate his agreement.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

"The Socrates." Leina repeats, trying her best not to smile at how Lavhi and Eight treat each other. It's cute, adorable even. And as she mentions Riika Sheder, Leina's eyebrows shoot up, "Yeah no way. Wouldn't believe that in a million years of her."

Not of someone who wouldn't oppose the ZAFT Supreme Council officially, but was open to sneaking in aid for war orphans.

"... Probably best they don't catch us together. Vist was already using Gwennangorn personnel for petty fascism. Don't want them to consider the Ra Mari for the same."

Leina's wheelchair turns around, and she rolls off just... a meter or two... then her wheelchair stops, and she looks over her shoulder, "Before I go... do you happen to have any tips for... making it work?"

Making what work?

"... in a relationship between three people."

Oh.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight doesn't know everything about Riika, but a woman with her story, doing something like that? Not in a million years, she agrees. But with Leina's assertion about the Ra Mari and what's best, Eight relents on the offer, nodding with a ittle reluctance. "All right,' she says. Then, Leina looks over her shoulder and asks a question...

Eight smiles. "Well," she says, "Keeping in mind that my situation's more like two relationships than one all together..." She gives that caveat first, "Open communication. Everybody's gotta be real clear about their feelings. The smallest stuff festers really quick otherwise."

"And..." Eight's smile turns a little mischevious. "However big you think your bed is, consider a bigger one." She winks.

"Either way, take care, OK? I wanna hear all about it when you can afford to stop and chat."

She leans on Lavhi, and will watch Leina go. They both will, until they're sure she's not being followed.

<Pose Tracker> Leina Ashta has posed.

'The smallest stuff festers real quick otherwise.'

Leina closes her eyes in a slow blink, and nods. Open communication is what she figured, but...

... there are some things she's worried about festering...

... then her eyes shoot up, and Leina immediately winks back, a single eyelid descending in a way that looks so natural. "I'll remember that one." She's even grinning.

As she leaves the park, she doesn't head in any direction that's bereft of people, careful not to be caught alone...

... however, as she crosses the street, Lavhi and Eight might notice a panel van stopping then making a last second turn in the same direction. It's keeping its distance so it at least doesn't seem like they mean to do anything hostile.

She's definitely being watched again.

<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.

Eight has a guess that maybe there's something already complicated going on. But Leina's got a good head on her shoulders; she thinks she'll manage.

Still, for a few moments with that natural wink back, Eight gets to enjoy trading jokes about relationships and grin with a friend. It's... really nice, given everything serious going on.

"Send me message if you can, later," Eight asks as she goes. But Eight and Lavhi both watch Leina, and then that van. It makes a turn...

"Should we intervene?" Lavhi asks.

"...No," Eight says. "She's right; if we get caught together it's trouble for the rest of the crew. We'll have to trust her."

"...All right," he answers, and turns back Eight's way. "Then... where were we?" he asks, and she leans up and kisses him once, their lips parting again after a long few moments.

"Let's go take my advice," she says, and leans on him. They're still holding hands as they emerge from the trees. Eight is worried, but...

It's easier to feel better in this company.