Threid
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Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on Feb 22, 2010 14:15:15 GMT -5
Kyle had never been to Europe before. Marseilles. "Marsaylis? Marseals? Mar...sillies?" He wasn't sure how it was pronounced. He hoped someone else would say it first. There were a lot of new pilots here in the 87th, and he didn't want to carry his "country boy" nickname from the academy into new company.
The hangar was packed. Kyle had never seen such a hodgepodge of machines in one place. GMs, aircraft and artillery littered the floor, many with attendant mechanic crews. It was like a mobile suit convention, and Kyle loved browsing. He asked the nicer-looking crews about their suits, and most were happy to explain what they knew.
His own mobile suit was stuffed in a corner of the hangar, next to a couple tin cods and a GM. They hadn't been there, last time he checked. Suddenly, a pair of pilots jumped out from behind the tin cods.
"Are you Corporal Kyle Slater?" the taller one asked, saluting a bit stiffly.
"Yes. Who are you?" He shot off a return salute.
"Private Karol Birtham, sir!"
"Private Jamie Parian, sir!"
"But seriously, you'll never remember those. Just call us Tack," he motioned toward the taller one, "and Flack." He bowed. "Everyone else does. Sir."
"Sure, privates. No problem. Unless I miss my guess, you're the tin cod pilots. But what's this GM doing here?"
"Best you ever met!" Tack, the tall one, burst out. Kyle was a little disappointed that he might be right. They were actually the first tin cod pilots he'd ever spoken to. "You're lucky we were assigned to your team! The GM pilot - think her name was Madelaine? - went to go celebrate her promotion. "
This was news to Kyle. He hadn't received any official orders notifying him of the new assignments. He hoped the pilots wouldn't be looking to him for combat tips. I'm greener than they are! More than that, he hoped she was pretty, like the other pilots' crew members - private Wolfe's new mechanic, for example, or private Senaiha's old friend Arieta.
"Alright. We'll meet up here at 1400 hours to talk tactics. Don't be late." The two pilots saluted again, and Kyle continued his self-guided tour of the hangar. I hope you're as well-trained as you are confident. Kyle eyed the two pilots again before they disappeared from view as he passed a gigantic beam rifle. With a battle on the horizon, we'll all find out soon enough.
Kyle did a double-take. That beam rifle was more like a beam cannon; he'd never seen one like it. If he were a bit smaller, he'd almost be able to crawl inside. Maybe Flack would fit. He was peering down the barrel, when he sensed someone standing behind him. Whipping around, he saw it was private Senaiha.
He'd seen Senaiha's combat record; still new to the EF, but he'd sure seen a lot more action than Kyle had; just recently, he'd nearly died. And he sure has a scar to prove it. Kyle suppressed a shudder at the vertical slash crossing the stony face; he hoped Senaiha hadn't noticed. Nervous and red-faced, Kyle said the first thing that popped into his mind: "Do you know how to pronounce the name of the place we're at right now?"
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Post by dj1678 on Feb 22, 2010 16:29:44 GMT -5
Aurem walked into the hangar carrying a bucket containing soapy water and a rag. The mechanics may have fixed his cockpit, but anything with blood on it that they could avoid touching, they did. Aurem didn't blame them, he wouldn't want to clean up another man's blood either. Arieta walked happily at his side, also carrying a similarly filled pail, and looking more cheerful than usual. Aurem guessed it had to do with him walking on his own again, and Arieta not having to push him around in a wheelchair anymore. Despite the obvious alone time that gave them, Arieta seemed happier he was in full working order.
Aurem also suspected there was very little blood in Arieta's cockpit, and that the pail was more an excuse.
Upon arriving at his own mobile suit, Aurem noticed a new pilot, a corporal it looked like, peering up the beam sniper rifle, looking a bit awestruck. The corporal looked less like a soldier right now and more like scientist at a tourist attraction, with the way he curiously peered at... well... everything.
The corporal seemed to notice Aurem's presence, and obviously flustered, asked how to pronounce the place they were at.
"France," Aurem responded bluntly. He wasn't about to admit directly that he had no idea either.
Arieta stifled a laugh. "I think he means the city"
Aurem gave her a barely readable look. She remembered that he'd spent most of his life growing up in Side 2. It was no surprise he didn't know. Arieta had gotten better at reading his facial expressions lately. It was almost like she carried on a verbal conversation, while Aurem responded with subtle body language and facial expressions most of the time, only using words when his meaning wasn't clear. It was an efficient system they had going, Arieta had to admit.
"It's pronounced Mar-say," she elaborated.
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Threid
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Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on Feb 22, 2010 19:16:34 GMT -5
Kyle couldn't tell whether private Senaiha was serious or trying to be a smart-ass, but the girl's quick laugh and prompt response quickly confirmed the former. Heh. Maybe he doesn't know either. Senaiha's crewmate was just as pretty as advertised by the 87th, if not more. Definitely not the type to prattle on about Minovsky particle physics, but nice. And definitely taken; the way they had been carrying those buckets together, he could almost imagine them holding hands. Kyle put on his most people-friendly smile, fortunately graced with some genuine amusement.
Marseilles... huh. Things are definitely easier to pronounce in space. He'd have to practice before trying that one in company.
"Thank-you, miss. Corporal Kyle Slater. Pleasure to meet you both. I pilot that beauty," he blurted the sentences out in succession, pointing as best he could to the RX-79G. But then, thinking he might be mistaken as the pilot of a tin cod or GM, he added quickly, "The Gundam mass-produced ground type. The RX-79G. The shiny one." There. That should clear things up.
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Post by dj1678 on Feb 22, 2010 21:25:39 GMT -5
Corporal Slater was obviously still flustered. Which in Aurem's mind was pretty backwards, considering the corporal outranked both of him and Arieta combined. Aurem might have suspected that he was flirting with Arieta, but quickly changed his mind. The way he referenced his mobile suit, and the way he'd been inspecting the other weapons seemed to indicate to Aurem that that was where his real interest was.
Arieta was staring at the floor, idly spinning the ring on her finger, apparently feeling sympathetically for the somewhat awkward, but well meaning corporal.
Besides, Arieta would probably set him straight before I could. She picks up on things like that better than I do. Aurem thought to himself.
"Private Senaiha. You can call me Aurem, sir." Aurem said, extending his hand and emphasizing the 'sir,' hoping that would calm the corporal down a little. "And this is my girlfriend, Private Marius."
Arieta blushed at hearing the word 'girlfriend.'
"Call me Arieta, sir," she added happily.
Aurem gave Arieta a look that said, Better late than never...
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Threid
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Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on Feb 23, 2010 0:08:44 GMT -5
"Aurem and Arieta. Pleased to meet you." Kyle wondered at their brevity. He could double his combat experience and still not measure up to half of either of them. Perhaps they were intimidated by his rank? In any case, he was impressed, and wished to communicate that to the two.
"I understand you two survived the business end of a very impressive beam weapon. And that you have two Gaws under your belt, Senai... -Aurem. And Arieta: The support you provide Aurem has no doubt contributed greatly to Aurem's success on the battlefield. It's not often that a sniper is able to become such a standout." That should do it. Now for something commander-like...
"It will be an honor to serve with the two of you in the upcoming Odessa operation." That wasn't half-bad.
Suddenly, Kyle remembered they were carrying buckets. Pilots. With buckets. He couldn't help himself: "What's with the buckets?"
Damn. So much for my commanderly ending.
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Post by dj1678 on Feb 23, 2010 0:29:38 GMT -5
Arieta's smile vanished and was replaced by a darkened expression at the mention of the mobile armor that nearly killed Aurem. Her eyes drifted to the scar over Aurem's left eye and her hand clenched tightly the water pail she carried. She was a force to be reckoned with, and she'd make sure the Apsalus became very aware of that, should it ever decide to pretend she was 'just support' for Aurem again. She stormed off toward Aurem's sniper, leaving a slightly dismayed Aurem to pick up the pieces of the conversation.
I knew she didn't intend to clean her own cockpit... Aurem thought to himself. Thinking about it, Aurem also supposed she probably had had plenty of time to clean hers while he was recovering, though he couldn't ever recall her leaving.
Turning back to Corporal Slater, Aurem finally answered, "The buckets are for cleaning up the rather messy outcome of that 'business end of a beam weapon' that you mentioned earlier."
A piece of bloody glass the mechanics hadn't cleaned up flew out of the cockpit and smashed to the ground several feet from Aurem and Kyle. Arieta was now obviously venting her frustration by utilizing a more violent form of cleaning.
"And I don't think she likes talking about it very much," Aurem added looking at the broken piece of glass.
I didn't think there was anything she didn't like talking about...
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Threid
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Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on Feb 23, 2010 1:19:35 GMT -5
Kyle tried not to panic as Arieta stormed off. Mental note: The exciting new beam weapon isn't quite as exciting a conversation topic for people it's nearly killed. He should have known! He hoped the pair would talk to him again. He didn't want their first conversation to be their last, especially not with kind people who enjoyed keeping their mobile suits clean. Fortunately, Kyle knew what to do next; it was familiar to home, and though unpleasant, he knew how to do it well.
"I'm sorry, private Senaiha. I shouldn't have brought it up. Please convey my sincere apologies to private Marius."
Now, try to end things on a positive note. He glanced at the bucket again, and resisted making any sort of "Kick the bucket" joke in reference to past or future battles. It was not the time. In fact, it might never be time for that joke. Ever.
He thought for a split-second, and settled on, "It was a pleasure meeting the two of you. You both seem like fine pilots and fine people. Now, if you'll excuse my manners, and my person, I think we both have important matters to attend to prior to the coming mission." Kyle glanced up at the cockpit of Aurem's GM sniper. "...A mission I will be proud to carry out in such company."
Not bad. A bit grandiose, perhaps, but hopefully he'll understand.
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Post by dj1678 on Feb 23, 2010 1:32:16 GMT -5
Aurem quietly listened to Kyle's apology. When he finished, Aurem shrugged, bucket still in hand.
"Don't worry about it. No apology is necessary," He said with a rather more laid-back attitude than he had felt in a long while. Perhaps the recently found permanence to his relationship with Arieta was to be attributed.
Another piece of bloody glass flew from his cockpit and shattered even closer to Aurem than the first. Aurem shielded himself with his arms.
"OK! OK! Apology accepted! Geez!" Aurem amended quickly.
From somewhere in the cockpit a partially calmed Arieta shouted, "And I have a whole bucket more where that came from if you call me private Marius again, Corporal!"
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Threid
Full Member
Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on Feb 23, 2010 1:46:51 GMT -5
"Duly noted!" Kyle shouted warmly. He smiled, and turned to walk away, shouting over his shoulder, "Though, next time try 'Kyle' instead of 'corporal;' it's easier to say!"
He walked away rather quickly. New acquaintances, and new crew members - crew members that he had no idea what to do with. Better find my orders.
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