Post by Threid on Feb 23, 2010 20:52:24 GMT -5
It was business as usual in the hangar. Pilots and mechanics bustled around, and the smell of welding torches, fuel, grease and burned-out components mixed together to form that cocktail that repair-junkies always found so intoxicating. Kyle had talked earlier to a mechanic who'd said he could tell whether a mobile suit was damaged almost exclusively by smell . Sometimes, he claimed, he could even pinpoint how and where it was damaged. Kyle wasn't sure whether to believe him or not, but the man had seemed sincere enough. Maybe he'd bring him his Gundam after the next battle, to test him.
He glanced impatiently at his watch. 1359 hours. He sat in the empty space between Madelaine's GM, his GMPGT, and the two Tin Cods. No one had shown up yet. Perhaps I should have been a bit more forceful with my request - no, my order - for a meeting.
Suddenly, Tack appeared out of nowhere. He knew it was Tack because he was tall. Tack: Tall. Flack piled in behind him.
Tack glanced at his watch. "Ha! I knew we weren't going to be late!"
Flack doubled over, wheezing. He wasn't very fit for a man in the military. "Geez, Tack. I'm a pilot, not a marine!"
"Where's private Madelaine?" Kyle asked, as casually as he could manage.
"Dunno. Not our responsibility, is it corporal?" Flack wheezed, a bit gruffly.
"I saw her lumbering this way as we were running. We'll feel her coming soon enough," Tack joked.
"You'll feel it, at least!" Madelaine stormed between the Tin Cods, massive fist raised, prepared to strike.
Tack yelped, Flack rolled out of the way, and Kyle goggled. He felt like he'd been goggling ever since he'd gotten to Marseilles. Madelaine his new GM pilot was Maddy the mechanic, the woman he'd run into recently. But, she's a veteran! She's served longer than I've been alive! How do I outrank her?!
Apparently, Madelaine was just as shocked. Her jaw dropped, along with her fist, but she recovered quickly, turning to face Kyle with a snappy salute. "Private Madelaine Albright, reporting as ordered!" She couldn't hide a small grin, however.
"At ease, Maddy. At ease. You know I'm not one to insist on formalities. Grab a seat."
Madelaine sat down on a nearby munitions box. Kyle was pretty sure she would be taller even if he were standing.
"I'm corporal Kyle Slater, as you know. you've been assigned to my unit." Way to go, Captain Obvious. He continued, "We have orders to move out tomorrow, in the attack against the Zeon G-Force Fleet." Tack/Flack already looked bored, and Madelaine seemed to be holding in suppressed amusement. Deep breath. Okay. "Jim Irwin will be giving us more specific orders on the battlefield. He's an excellent Tin Cod pilot, as I'm sure you know." He looked pointedly at Tack/Flack, and they gave him blank stares. Hopeless. "...So you can be sure you'll be in good hands. Madelaine, you'll stick with me during the main assault."
That covered all the basics. Now for the inspiring part: "I know we're new as a team, but everyone come back from this, okay? Follow orders, don't take any unnecessary risks, and we should be fine. Intel is good that we have the upper hand in this offensive. No need to play the hero." That oughtta do it. "Be sure to get a good night's rest," he finished, somewhat lamely. "Any questions?"
Silence. Tack was fidgeting, Flack was drowsy, and Madelaine still wore a look of barely-perceptible amusement.
"You're all dismissed, then. See you tomorrow."
Tack/Flack were gone as quickly as they'd appeared, Tack first, and Flack, wheezing, after him. Madelaine remained seated, and grinned, "Nice speech, corporal Kyle. You'll be fleet commander in no time. Don't worry about the battle; you should be fine."
Kyle wasn't sure whether he should act offended at the breach of protocol, or relieved that someone was trying to help him out. Unfortunately, he hadn't chosen before he said, "Thank-you, private Madelaine." It came out a bit coldly, as a result.
But it didn't faze Madelaine. She'd been around too long to be put off by an offhand remark. Rising slowly to her feet, she barked, "It's an honor to serve with you, sir. I'm sure we'll be a great team, sir." She saluted again, and waited for the return salute before marching off to her new GM. Kyle could tell she was pleased with it, the way she assiduously checked every part of her machine for defects, prior to battle. He understood her fascination - even if she was more interested in the moving parts than the tech that made them move.
They would get along, he decided. He hoped that Tack and Flack would fall in line, given time. They were young and cocksure, and he expected that pilots like that would either died quickly, or live to grow wiser. Only time would tell. In any case, he had a team, and he'd do his best to lead it well, despite his inexperience.
Now, it was time for something comfortable and familiar: Double-checking the systems on his own mobile suit. He could not afford to fail.
He glanced impatiently at his watch. 1359 hours. He sat in the empty space between Madelaine's GM, his GMPGT, and the two Tin Cods. No one had shown up yet. Perhaps I should have been a bit more forceful with my request - no, my order - for a meeting.
Suddenly, Tack appeared out of nowhere. He knew it was Tack because he was tall. Tack: Tall. Flack piled in behind him.
Tack glanced at his watch. "Ha! I knew we weren't going to be late!"
Flack doubled over, wheezing. He wasn't very fit for a man in the military. "Geez, Tack. I'm a pilot, not a marine!"
"Where's private Madelaine?" Kyle asked, as casually as he could manage.
"Dunno. Not our responsibility, is it corporal?" Flack wheezed, a bit gruffly.
"I saw her lumbering this way as we were running. We'll feel her coming soon enough," Tack joked.
"You'll feel it, at least!" Madelaine stormed between the Tin Cods, massive fist raised, prepared to strike.
Tack yelped, Flack rolled out of the way, and Kyle goggled. He felt like he'd been goggling ever since he'd gotten to Marseilles. Madelaine his new GM pilot was Maddy the mechanic, the woman he'd run into recently. But, she's a veteran! She's served longer than I've been alive! How do I outrank her?!
Apparently, Madelaine was just as shocked. Her jaw dropped, along with her fist, but she recovered quickly, turning to face Kyle with a snappy salute. "Private Madelaine Albright, reporting as ordered!" She couldn't hide a small grin, however.
"At ease, Maddy. At ease. You know I'm not one to insist on formalities. Grab a seat."
Madelaine sat down on a nearby munitions box. Kyle was pretty sure she would be taller even if he were standing.
"I'm corporal Kyle Slater, as you know. you've been assigned to my unit." Way to go, Captain Obvious. He continued, "We have orders to move out tomorrow, in the attack against the Zeon G-Force Fleet." Tack/Flack already looked bored, and Madelaine seemed to be holding in suppressed amusement. Deep breath. Okay. "Jim Irwin will be giving us more specific orders on the battlefield. He's an excellent Tin Cod pilot, as I'm sure you know." He looked pointedly at Tack/Flack, and they gave him blank stares. Hopeless. "...So you can be sure you'll be in good hands. Madelaine, you'll stick with me during the main assault."
That covered all the basics. Now for the inspiring part: "I know we're new as a team, but everyone come back from this, okay? Follow orders, don't take any unnecessary risks, and we should be fine. Intel is good that we have the upper hand in this offensive. No need to play the hero." That oughtta do it. "Be sure to get a good night's rest," he finished, somewhat lamely. "Any questions?"
Silence. Tack was fidgeting, Flack was drowsy, and Madelaine still wore a look of barely-perceptible amusement.
"You're all dismissed, then. See you tomorrow."
Tack/Flack were gone as quickly as they'd appeared, Tack first, and Flack, wheezing, after him. Madelaine remained seated, and grinned, "Nice speech, corporal Kyle. You'll be fleet commander in no time. Don't worry about the battle; you should be fine."
Kyle wasn't sure whether he should act offended at the breach of protocol, or relieved that someone was trying to help him out. Unfortunately, he hadn't chosen before he said, "Thank-you, private Madelaine." It came out a bit coldly, as a result.
But it didn't faze Madelaine. She'd been around too long to be put off by an offhand remark. Rising slowly to her feet, she barked, "It's an honor to serve with you, sir. I'm sure we'll be a great team, sir." She saluted again, and waited for the return salute before marching off to her new GM. Kyle could tell she was pleased with it, the way she assiduously checked every part of her machine for defects, prior to battle. He understood her fascination - even if she was more interested in the moving parts than the tech that made them move.
They would get along, he decided. He hoped that Tack and Flack would fall in line, given time. They were young and cocksure, and he expected that pilots like that would either died quickly, or live to grow wiser. Only time would tell. In any case, he had a team, and he'd do his best to lead it well, despite his inexperience.
Now, it was time for something comfortable and familiar: Double-checking the systems on his own mobile suit. He could not afford to fail.