2023-01-26: A New Home
- Log: A New Home
- Cast: Eight York, Kamille Bidan, Fa Yuiry
- Where: Ra Mari II', United Emirates of Orb
- OOC - IC Date: 0097 01 26
- Summary: Drs. Bidan and Yuiry arrive on the Ra Mari II, for an overdue reunion and a new place to live.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Kamille's shuttle will land in the ocean-side hangar; the Ra Mari II is currently docked with Orb, a number of makeshift bridges leading into the city to make the work going on easier, but that side is to the city. Eight York is waiting for him there, in a cavernous hall that serves to host shuttles and other craft--like mobile weapons. More ofthose have been moved in from the original Ra Mari, by this point.
The structure is organic, and cavernous, broken up by smaller gray and white consoles and platforms to round out the decks and make more use of the space for Miclones. There's a little construction still ongoing, but the ship is fully functional; they're just making it a little nicer.
Eight, at the shuttle bay, is dressed not in uniform--they don't have those yet, and she's not comfortable wearing the Londo Bell uniform anymore--but in a red dress and white jacket.
She's sitting down, doing some paperwork on a tablet, while she waits--but by the time she senses Kamille's presence, she's already stood up and put it away, putting on a big smile instead.
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
Kamille has been pressed against the window of the shuttle gawking at the Ra Mari II since it was in sight, much to Fa's amusement. He doesn't stop staring at the organic-looking construction and the sheer scale as they disembark onto the platform.
"Captain!" Kamille runs up and gives her a salute, then drops it into a very non-professional but friendly hug. "God, I'm so glad you all are alright. And-and where did you get this? It's incredible!"
"We heard what happened," Fa added. "Thanks for letting us both aboard. Since we're going to follow you, Ireland's not a safe place to be anymore." Since, not 'if.'
Since, not 'if.' Seems the AEUG vets have already decided, perhaps unsurprisingly.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
It's 1500 meters long--it's a huge ship! It makes a big difference to the city's sightlines at the moment...
"Doctor!" Eight answers--and the salute gets a crisp nod, and then the hug gets a tighter hug in return. "I was worried about you, too," she admits. "But I'm fine, I'm fine! We all are!"
They heard...
"Well," Eight says, "It's good to see you! Properly meet you, even! And I wouldn't do anything less." She smiles; she picks up on that 'since'...
"I hope it wasn't too hard to leave. As for where I got it... There were a number of old Zentradi ships still in the Denver Colony," Eight explains. "La--" Pause. "Mr. Orlodhari had the idea to salvage one, with the various parts we had around thanks to that and all the other ships that were abandoned there. And it turns out it was a good idea."
"...We'd seen the writing on the wall, but if not for him we wouldn't have been nearly as prepared."
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"And a pleasure to meet you too!" Fa beams, holding out a hand for Eight to shake. She's in her medical coat as well; the two are a pair of practicing doctors. "I brought the Methuss, though it's going to need some upgrades. And while I'm a little out of practice..."
"We'll both pilot for you," Kamille finishes, as the smile starts to fade. He shakes his head. "I thought for a long time it was worth giving Londo Bell a chance, to see if the Federation could be what AEUG and Karaba wished it could be. I like to think it still could, someday, but..."
When his grin returns, it's a little more bitter. "I've been helping a few young pilots out there, and realizing some of the people I'm trying to protect them from are-were-our people. It's like the clash with ZAFT has just brought out the worst."
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight shakes Fa's hand, smiling back at her. She was aware that they were both doctors, but that they'd both also pilot for them... "Conveniently," Eight says, "We've got a lot of good mechanics. We can make that happen."
But she grwos more serious, too. "I wanted to," she admits. "But we just... couldn't make any headway that way. The best we could do is tread water."
Bitter... That's fair. "That's what I found, too. And maybe it has. But did you know? We've got some allies from the PLANTs, too. We really might be able to get somewhere." Eight gestures behind her, then, to walk along from the shuttle.
"It was a lot of things that convinced me we couldn't. The way the rumors about me went around--finding out that Fari was prompting them along. G-Hound's actions, against me and against innocent people.."
"But it was this invasion that finished it, and made me decide now was the time."
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"Invading a neutral country is a step I could see Titans taking. If you'd gone along with it, we wouldn't be...but you wouldn't have," Kamille adds. "I know that about you all by now. I don't know if we've got the answer here, but..."
"But we've got to try something," Fa interjects. "This is better than just hoping things get better. And what a huge ship! I knew Zentraedi tech was big, but it's amazing seeing it in person!"
"It's got to be ancient, right?" That energy is back in Kamille's eyes, the one he had when he was looking at it through the shuttle windows. "Is this our home now, I guess? Or will be?"
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"I won't lead my friends and crew into oppressing people," Eight says seriously. Kamille already knows--but it's important for her to say, too. Besides--she nods to Fa, because she thinks Fa is right. "That's what I think, too. I don't know if this will pan out... but it's better than doing nothing, and propping up the old ways with how they're hurting people actively."
She smiles about Zentraedi tech though. "I'm starting to get used to it... but it still looks wonderful to me."
She smiles at Kamille. "Sure is. Mr. Orlodhari tells me it predates the time when Zentraedi met humans." But the question... Eight nods.
"Yes. That's my hope, anyway. The quarters are bigger than on the Ra Mari, because I want people to be able to stay here for long periods. We have gardens, to supplement our food, so we can stretch it out longer. It's..."
"Well, it's home for me, now. And I hope you can find it that way, too."
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to it. In a good way!" Kamille stares up at the cavernous walls. "Though I guess we'll feel less like Lillputians when the 'miclone' renovations are finished." A bit, anyway.
"We did have to close the practice in Ireland. It was our little project together, to try to help people on a small scale. But it's in Britannia, and there's just...only so much we could do." Fa sighs, crossing her arms. "Thank you for letting us stay here. I can help with the gardens! Don't let Kamille near them, though. He can't grow weeds."
"I'm fine at it, the weather just doesn't cooperate for cabbages! Or tomatoes. Or...Fa's good with the garden," her partner admits with a sigh of defeat. Kamille is still sore about that.
And he sobers again. "At least we're prepared when they find us. A mobile base..."
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
"A little bit," Eight says with a smile. "We're keeping some areas macronization-friendly, in case. Like you can see, we build up from the edges and use railings, instead of filling in all the centers where we don't have to."
A beat, "It's actually fairly small for a Zentradi ship. It's a cannon with decks. ...I hope we don't need the firepower, but it was the one in the best condition, so... we have it."
The practice... Eight looks sympathetic. "That's no good," she says. "Well, there'll be need for you here, for sure." Then a laugh. "Is that so?" about the gardens. "I'll make sure we get you over to them, then. Kamille can still visit!"
But...
"Yeah. We'll be ready."
"We've got the living quarters ready, too, speaking of ready. You've got almost first pick!"
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"For L-for 'Mr. Orlodhari?" Kamille cocks his head. "And others who want to help us too. No reason not to. Jeez, that this is small for a Zent ship..."
"Now you've got him going," Fa chuckles with a whisper to Eight. "You should see him at mech design conventions."
Kamille rubs at the back of his neck, overhearing this, but doesn't counter it. There's just a slight blush, and a warm look to Fa conveying something old and unspoken.
"Thank you. We'll get the Armored MK II and the Methuss docked and all. I, uh..." He lowers his voice. "I made sure the Zeta Biosensor is somewhere it won't be found. I thought of bringing it aboard, but..."
He just shakes his head, and Eight will sense something else old and unspoken, a bit heavier and darker.
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight is trying to remain professional about her boyfriend, while she's in public. ...But it's hard not to use his nickname when she's among friends, instead. "Mm-hm. And we've got some other Zentraedi coming aboard, too. We're going to rendezvous with them once we leave Orb."
Mech design conventions. Eight grins at Fa. "It's like that?" she wonders. And she smiles, seeing the two of them together like that. It's... nice.
"Good," Eight says of the units, and then... hesitates. Bringing it aboard...
"I think that's best," Eight sayx quietly. "I know we might need to use such things, but..."
She rubs at her wrist, uncomfortable. "They... scare me. Since I started piloting again I can't do anything with psychoactive suits, really."
"But ultimately," she says, straightening and putting down her hands, "It's up to you. It sounds like you're doing what you feel is best."
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"I haven't tried using it since I woke up. I won't," Kamille adds, though Fa gives him a distant, sad look as he says it. It's a conversation they've had before, many times. "But I don't want them to make use of it either, to get my piloting data or worse." He doesn't trust them with Banagher, with the NERV kids, and definitely not with the ghosts.
He digs his hands in his labcoat pockets. "I've got a lot to fill you in on, regarding what happened at Tsutsujidai. It's safe now, at least, or safer. Things are going to get better there for those kids." And one kid in particular, given how GGG is reaching out to her. "I'm sorry I couldn't find a way to contact you. Everything happened so fast. But I'm, uh, proud of you all for making the decision you did."
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Eight sees that sadness, but she can't penetrate that particular bit of knowledge between Kamille and Fa. "...Right," she says. "That makes perfect sense."
"I can imagine it was a lot. I heard there were dimensional... somethings." A nod. "Good. They're good kids." She's not that much older, but she feels older enough. "I hope they can."
Then she shakes her head. "That's not a problem," Eight says. "Nobody could get anything in or out. So I don't blame you." She smiles. "...thanks," she says. "I appreciate that a lot."
"...I've got things to fill you in on, too. We learned things--about ourselves, about a place called the 'Denver Colony'..."
"The Yumi Foundation tracked down my birth family," she explains. "And of course, the Federation's gotten much worse. So we'll have to be sure to talk it out."
BBSYS: Post 652, 'If in the End I Lose My Voice' has been published to Cutscenes & Logs by Ennil El.
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
"Dimensional somethings is a good way to sum it up. It's the kind of science GGG does and I just dip into out of occasional curiosity," Kamille says. Never mind that he sometimes reacts to quantum physics and cosmic horrors with the same kind of nose-against-glass awe and energy that he does with the Ra Mari II. Shh.
"You found your birth family? They're okay?" Fa knows nothing of Eight's history, but given how many of them (including her and her partner) are war orphans of some manner or another, it's heartening to find any ties like that.
"We can talk over a debriefing. Or lunch or something, maybe. Now we're both going to be here to get on people who overwork themselves," Kamille warns with a little smile.
"That includes you."
"I have a very healthy work attitude, thank you!"
<Pose Tracker> Eight York has posed.
Of course! Eight... does less so. She doesn't have the head for that kind of thing. "I'm glad somebody's doing it?" she guesses.
"...Well," Eight says, "Not mostly," she admits. "My parents died a long time ago. But we found my grandmother. I've met her, now. We're... getting along pretty well, actually. Though she was surprised about Lavhi..." She slips. It's fine.
"Haha," Eight says. "Just make sure you look after yourself too, yeah. I feel like there's a saying about that..."
There might be!
"If I try to do it Rena gets on me," Eight admits. "Since she can tell what I'm thinking anyway..."
<Pose Tracker> Kamille Bidan has posed.
Fa seems to have an 'I knew it' look on her face when Lahvi gets first name-dropped. A playful one, despite the sympathetic smile she gives Eight. "I'm glad you found someone out there. Should we get to talking before Kamille starts complaining about being hungry again?"
Kamille blushes again, and bristles. "I wasn't complaining! Just didn't have time for breakfast this morning with all the packing."
"I told you to bring something!"
Don't worry, despite all the bickering the two are up to already, Eight will still sense that gentle warmth between them. It's just how they are!