2023-09-05: Dread In Denver! Sayaka's Sleepless Night
- Cast: Koji Kabuto, Sayaka Yumi
- Where: Londo Bell Transport "Paralus"
- Date: U.C. 0097 09 08
- Summary: Following a difficult battle where Aphrodite Areia was forced to fight against Mazinger Z and other allies, Sayaka finds it difficult to get some rest, amidst thoughts of how it could've gone better. A conversation with Koji reminds her to look forward - even still, they got a world to save and a pilot to rescue.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
If nothing else, there is one good thing about Denver doubling as a fully functional Anaheim facility. Mazinger Z and Aphrodite, torn down by their battle, need repairs and need them fast if they're going to deal with the looming threat of the ghosts of Denver.
The battle didn't just do a number on the machines, though. By colony time, it should be very late at night, and the perfect time to conserve their own strength for what's to come, after what they were just put through.
Unfortunately, it doesn't always come so easily. Instead of remaining in her sleeping quarters, Sayaka stays by Aphrodite Areia's side, polishing her armour and weaponry. It's a lot of work, and she stubbornly took on the responsibility of handling it to herself, even if designing the machine was a joint effort.
"Couldn't sleep," She'll admit, when Koji inevitably finds her, before returning to silently working on Aphrodite Areia. The heat of battle was one thing, but in many ways, Sayaka is a very different person outside of her machine.
"Stupid... I definitely should've seen it coming. And not only that, I put Liam in danger too - and cut off Sayla from seeing to Leina." She shakes her head. "I know it certainly could have gotten a lot worse, and we have more things to worry about before we can even think about leaving. But ugh... what a mess."
Trevor Teach teleports in.
Trevor Teach leaves for Lagrange Point 5 [CTD].
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
The Londo Bell armed transport Paralus was recently assigned as a support craft for Koji's work with the autonomous group. Fortunately, this means it's been refitted with a maintenance hangar that can support the Photon Power Research Institute's... idiosyncratic approach to mobile weapon design. Right now it's moved into a holding pattern with the Ra Mari II, a safe distance away from Denver while the combatants rest, repair and resupply.
Koji can't sleep either - he's been watching the psychoframe-coccooned chrysalis that is what remains of Denver Colony from his quarters, unable to shake the feeling of dread in his gut in the baleful red light of the crystallised colony.
Heading down to the hangar in a t-shirt and sweatpants, he's caught by surprise to find Sayaka there first. "Usually it's me staying up all night tinkering," he says, gently teasing her as he walks up to slip his arms around her waist from behind her. "... You're wondering if there's something you could have done differently," he guesses - if nothing else, it's an invitation for her to talk about it some more.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
"I guess I picked that one up from you, Koji," Sayaka answers him with a wry smile, hopping down the ladder she was standing on. Perhaps by now they've both realised that talking about it tends to work out better than staying stuck in their feelings.
"Might be it," She nods at Koji's hypothesis. She gazes at what's left of Denver, too. "Aphrodite Areia is a sturdy and well-built machine. But if it wasn't for Ms. Stellar and even Asciel Colette of all people - I might have lost not just her, but you too this time."
She takes a deep long sigh. "And that's the worst part. There was nothing I could have done differently!" None of her button presses, commands, anything, could've made a difference.
"All I had left was my belief you would all make it out of that alive... I guess you didn't let me down." She adds, on the more positive end of things.
"We're going to have to make a very similar choice very soon." She briefly changes the subject - as it's impossible to ignore the psychoframe chrysalis. "Miss Lancaster, one of the Ra Mari II's people is still in there. I'd like to get her out of we can... but I wonder if she'd feel the same way as I did about not holding back." In many ways, it's a very familiar situation on a much grander scale after all.
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"... Before Asciel showed up," Koji says, quietly, "I didn't know what we were gonna do." That Nova had had to take over from the task he'd asked the terrorist streamer to attempt is not lost on him... but she did try in the first place.
"I saw a chance, and took what felt like a shot in the dark." He lets a little wry grin cross his face. "Not that much different from how things have gone before, I guess."
Sayaka raises her voice, and Koji gently squeezes his embrace a little tighter. "Still... We made it. Once we make it through what's to come, we can work on developing proper countermeasures for this problem."
Lancaster... His lips thin. "She's a very brave pilot - she was flight lead at GENESIS, and she stayed behind to help contain its self-destruction... Letting someone like that get chewed up by the dead doesn't sit right with me - and we owe her, as well, for helping us out when we needed it."
He lets his gaze track to the hangar viewport, frowning at the red glow. "Whatever Denver's going to become is going to be a threat in its own right, with her in the middle of it. We can't afford to not fight it ... I just hope she's still in there to be reached."
He falls silent for a moment, looking up at Aphrodite and Mazinger standing side-by-side - as they ought to be. "I guess we'll just have to wing it until we figure something out. Same as always."
SCENESYS: Rei Ayanami has posted scene #413, 'Rei, beyond her heart', at 19:00 ET on 09/29.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
Koji admits he has no idea what they would have done if it wasn't for Asciel. "Guess we owe her one. Probably for the best we don't let her hang it over our heads too much though," She chuckles softly.
"I won't lie, when I saw the heat sinks begin to activate on their own, I thought it was all over." She relays a little grim, before letting herself smile too. "If anyone was going to make it out of that without a plan, though, it's you. And the others made it out just fine, too." Koji's reassurance... it's actually pretty effective. Maybe it's just good getting to talk about this stuff with someone you care about.
Developing proper countermeasures... Sayaka nods. "Yeah. Can't let the likes of Doctor Hell take advantage of technology like that, if we have something to say about it."
"She came to help us out when the Vists used Leina to make their mark on the Photon Power Labs, too." She adds, when Koji brings up her feats in stopping GENESIS at the PLANTs. "It'd be horrific for anyone to have to die, or otherwise lose themselves like that." She frowns sharply. "We'll do what we can for her, if we still have what it takes."
Koji's reminder that they'll still have to fight Denver if it threatens the Earth Sphere leaves Sayaka in a moment of contemplation. "We can't let the vengeful ghosts of the past destroy the future filled with light we want to build." She agrees. "Saving the Earth Sphere and saving Rena at the same time won't be easy. It's a good thing we're not handling it completely alone." Her gaze meets the partner machines as well for just a moment, the dim light of the hangar gleaming from their armour. "Yeah, same as always. We'll be exponentially stronger than we were last night, so... can't let regrets get in the way."
<Pose Tracker> Koji Kabuto has posed.
"Sometimes the plan just boils down to 'take it on the chin and hope you're still moving afterwards," Koji admits about Aphrodite's Heart Fire. "It's kind of reassuring to know for sure that they can both match each other, honestly."
"We should get some rest, then," he volunteers. "It'll be bad enough if one of us falls asleep in the cockpit, let alone both of us." He pauses, then, as Sayaka says they can't let regrets get in the way, and gently encourages her to turn around in his arms.
<Pose Tracker> Sayaka Yumi has posed.
"If it was me fighting Mazinger Z... I can't say I wouldn't do the same. One thing's clear enough though... Areia can definitely take it." She grins in agreement of Koji's statement of them matching each other.
"They'll both be in fighting shape in no time. I guess you're right... that we need to be at our best as well." She takes off her helmet, placing her free hand in Koji's.
"You know, we probably didn't need to bother with separate quarters in the first place. There's no way you need a bed that big all to yourself!" She joking chides, leaning in closer to Koji. Maybe Yuliana's words about them not even being engaged got to her, just a little bit. "I bet it'd be easier to get a good night's sleep if we're together."
Feeling the load on her lighter that way, she beckons out the hangar. "C'mon, let's go, Koji."