The Gracious (Tyr)

MKR

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Aug 19, 2018
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#1
Luckily for Johanna none of her settings were messed with so setting up the Weissritter was a matter of mere minutes, which meant she could now fully enjoy the free time until they were headed to space. Yet as she walked to exit the hangar, she couldn't help but turn an eye to the Fabularis. She had never seen anything like it, but to be fair that was right for about half the machines here. Unlike those however no C types seemed to be busying themselves with storing the blue and white mech.

So she stood a short distance away from the machine at first. Finding it somewhat amusing that the machine looked like it was wearing a skirt, but after the short burst of amusement her attention turned to the machine's rifle. Would they get rifles like that to fire those Lamalice destroying blasts or would those get built into their existing weaponry? She didn't know for sure.

But, there might be someone who did. Johanna looked around spotting the brown haired pilot of the Fabularis after only a few moments, it didn't seem like he had strayed from the machine, luckily for her that meant she could take a few steps closer to him and speak up.

"Excuse me, Doctor Johan right?" She said, realizing shortly after that this was going to be weird with the names being so similar.

"Can I ask a question about the weapon you demonstrated earlier?"
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#2
'Time to wake up from admiring your 'home', someone's coming to talk to you.' Johan prodded Slask.

'Do you know who she is?' Slask asked as he turned to look at the approaching pilot.

'Just because she's a human doesn't mean I know her! The people I know are either far away or turned to your kind.' Johan snapped before withdrawing further in their mind. It seemed he would let Slask do this alone.

He looked at the blonde for a few seconds before replying. "I am Johan, yes. I am afraid the Brigadier General was mistaken in his introduction, I am not a doctor. And please, call me Slask. It is more comfortable." He spoke with an even, almost bland tone.

"Ask away Miss...?"
 

MKR

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#3
"Ensign Johanna van den Berg and sorry for the confusion." she answered. The tone and delay were somewhat of a surprise to her so she acted formal just in case that was Slask's method of being formal.

"It's regarding the anti-Lamalice weaponry. I was wondering how this would be added to the rest of the machines here. Are there similar rifles for the rest of the pilots to be equipped by the mecha or is there some other method for us to use the... Erm. Negative energy device." She took a moment to remember the exact term but after remembering it looked back to the Fabularis' pilot.

Part of her wanted such a rifle, more gun was more gun after all but she was somewhat put off by the display and explanation given afterwards, maybe Slask could clear some of those away she wondered.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#4
'Oh this I gotta hear. What will you say to the nice little Ensign?'

Slask sighed inwardly. 'Were you not supposed to be sulking in your private corner?'

'What can I say? I finish fast. Now don't sit still too much longer or she'll think you're slow. Or insane. Probably both.'

Slask rubbed his temples. "Nothing would please us more than having a model that can be mass produced and spread among Directory forces for widespread use, but these things take time Ensign. It is impossible to make new functional Mobile Weapon or gun models and designs from scratch in only few weeks. While Fabularis' rifle can get rid of the Lamalice, it was hastily added to it and is not what the weapon was originally intended for."

"So no Ensign, much to our dismay currently there are no rifles to be given to you and the general forces, nor is there a different method for you to easily deal with the Lamalice. Rest assured that we are working as hard as we can on the matter."
 

MKR

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#5
Johanna nodded in reply, it was understandable they didn't have an arsenal of these weapons prepared but it did imply that them obtaining these weapons were an eventuality. In the meanwhile they would simply have to use classic methods to dispose of Lamalice, with lasers and bullets. Although the answer did not much to reinforce her trust in Slask and his weapons, maybe if she got to know him a bit better she would be able to move beyond this.

"I see. Ah speaking of the Fabularis, I've never seen an unit like this, its colors are like the Weissritter but its design is quite unique. Was it designed by the D.A.R.C.?" She asked

It was true, the color scheme and general shape were reminiscent of her unit, but it was also clear this was no blatant copy. The skirt she noted earlier was one but this mech also seemed to have very different weaponry, a shield and these weird horns on its feet.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#6
'Why is she not leaving?'

'This is called socializing, or getting to know your comrades. It's something we do a lot.'

'How you humans ever accomplished anything of note when you waste so much time on unnecessary things will forever be beyond me.'

Slask nodded, momentarily turning to look fondly at Fabularis before returning his attention to Johanna. "That is correct. It is the first unit that Directory Antarctic Research Center developed, and served as our test unit. The past two years in its cockpit have been a truly chilling experience." He gave a small smile, enjoying Johan's pained groan.
 

MKR

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#7
Johanna raised an eyebrow for a second, why was the experience chilling. Was it that scary? Then she realize with the tone of voice used by Slask.

"Oh because it was cold I get it." She said, she wasn't a massive fan of puns, but it did lighten the mood a bit. The man sounded like he enjoyed the experience at D.A.R.C too.

"So what kind of tests did you do for them in those years, at least if you are allowed to talk about it. Oh and also, how does it handle?" She asked, the Directory didn't always want its members to discuss what they did, even among one another and she could understand an antarctic base being one of the more secretive places with things like Negative Energy and the like that even Juliette hadn't heard from.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#8
Slask shrugged. "When I first entered it it was only a cockpit and an otherwise empty husk. We have tested everything thoroughly. Not all of it was pleasant or something we would wish on anyone else."
'Yeah like having additional voice and person inside my head'
'Such as having a human leftover inside of me.'
The two said at the same time. Slask absentmindedly patted Fabularis' leg, not minding the cold. "These days it handles like it is an extension of my body and will, though the final pieces only fell to place not long ago."

'I was doing just fine before you went and hijacked my body!' Johan indignantly protested.

'We finished the Mobile Weapon, without us you would still leave the cockpit with icicles hanging from your nose.'
 

MKR

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#9
Johanna guessed Slask really liked the Fabularis, the body and will comment alongside the pats made that clear. She wondered what would have happened that Slask didn't wish to anyone else, he was not put off by the machine so it couldn't have been anything too traumatic or life endangering, unless he was completely immune to those but that'd make him a psychopath and the Directory wouldn't let one of those into Upsilon let alone represent a research facility.

"Sounds like it grew on you, or maybe you grew into it. So, what were these final pieces?" She joked at first, leading into the question.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#10
Slask looked at her oddly. "Removing the final odd unintended mechanisms. The first time I left the cockpit without any icicles or frost hanging off of me....was good."

'Conveniently leaving out all the mental side effects?'

'Yes. according to you it is not good to talk to humans about having voices in your head.'
 

MKR

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#11
"Ah yeah, I can see how that would be a bit of a hassle." She said, suddenly very glad the Weissritter didn't do anything of the sort. She would look away from the odd glare, looking at the Fabularis instead. After a moment she peeked over to see if he was still looking at her oddly.

"Anyway, uhm." Now she just felt awkward for asking about the final pieces, knowing it used to cover Slask in ice. Probably went a bit too far with her curiosity and she couldn't really think of anything to ask after that.

"I should probably get going. Thank you for your time." She said after a moment with a smile, hoping to put the awkward behind her.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#12
Slask made acknowledged her with a sound and turned back to Fabularis.



Kvinna had been watching the two talk with folded arms, though for once the gaze was thoughtful instead of contemptuous. She still thought this farce was a waste of time and resources, but since she was stuck here with that waste of negative energy she might as well make effort to settle in. The sooner she became good enough at fraternizing with the cattle, the sooner she wouldn't have to suffer the loser's command.
If Slask could do it, how hard could it be? She looked over Johanna once more. Yes, she would do nicely as practice.

She waited for Johanna to start walking away from Slask before intercepting her near the exit. "I hope you di-" She began but shut her mouth, interrupting the sentence.

A memory flashed through her head. "Kvinna." Slask had said in that infuriatingly bland tone of his. "Telling someone that you hope they die and that their family gets eaten by penguins is no way to greet a human. That female will be traumatized for months. We are supposed to infiltrate their ranks, not antagonize them."

Humans were so fragile. Still, she tried to give a friendly smile, though it came across more as a grimace. "I hope you didn't have any trouble with that incompetent buffoon over there?" She said, nodding towards Slask, not even trying to hide her contempt for him.
 

MKR

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#13
Johanna did not expect the woman to begin talking to her on her way to the cafeteria, she took the pause in the brunette's speaking to try to remember her. When the tone of speaking about Slask became clear she realized who this was.

The assistant at his presentation.

The grimace was odd, the Weissritter's pilot genuinely unsure why Kvinna was doing it. Then again she did just call her colleague an incompetent buffoon to them not getting along might be a thing.

"Uh yeah he was fine. A bit odd but then again who isn't." She said with a smile. "Do you two work together often?"
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#14
"Far too much." Kvinna snarled. "I'm stuck here because of his incompetence and yet he was made my superior! After his blunders he has no right to be part of M- DARC, much less Fabularis' pilot." Taking deep breaths, Kvinna calmed down.

"And what about you?" She asked, staring at Johanna. "How did you end up being part of this?" She waved at their surroundings with her hand.
 

MKR

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#15
Silently Johanna wondered if Kvinna had some trouble speaking with her repeated pausing, although she was clearly getting angry talking about Slask so perhaps the shift in topic Kvinna provided was a good idea. Although these blunders were something to keep in mind.

"Well I was asked to, don't know the exact reason they chose me but I'm sure it has to do with my skill. The finest soldiers and the brightest minds were picked for this after all." She said with pride.

This was more her element in both location and conversation, after all the most elite squadron in the world and even more so the entire solar system had invited her despite all the peculiarities going on she couldn't help but be proud of both herself and the recognition she got.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#16
Kvinna stared blandly at Johanna, moving her gaze to Slask for a brief moment before it turned back to Johanna. "The finest soldiers and the brightest minds?" Kvinna snorted. "With how young everyone is the Directory must not be doing very well if their best and brightest have gathered here."

If these really were Directory's best this really was a waste of time. They could easily take over the planet. "Talked with anyone else?" She asked after another pause, her face twitching oddly as she tried to conceal her disdain for the group.
 

MKR

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#17
Johanna fell silent, glaring at Kvinna as she said her first remark. The expression her conversation partner was trying to conceal was not also worming its way onto the Belgian's face.

"Age doesn't equal ability you know. Older soldiers might have more experience but younger ones have better reaction times." She replied. "They could have gone with anyone for this mission but they selected us. So I will trust that they stay true to what they said in the presentation. That they did pick the best and the brightest. So I'll ask that you withhold judgement until after we've actually begun our mission."

"And yes, I have talked with a few others. Not everyone however." She admitted.
 
Aug 25, 2018
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#18
Kvinna seemed....amused at Johanna's retort, like she and her conviction weren't something to be taken seriously. "Is that what you believe then?" She challenged with a smile. "That humanity's best and brightest have gathered here? That Brigadier General is the only experienced among them? That Slask is one of them?"

"I hope you are right. We will see in your first battle."
 

MKR

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#19
Johanna frowned at the initial response.

"I have full confidence in this group and look forward to our first deployment, now if you'll excuse me. I'll be on my way." Johanna said, opting to not continue the conversation before Kvinna decided to insult the group more and resume her original path.