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/qst/ - Quests


It is the year 0075 of the Universal Century. A half century has passed since the earth began moving its burgeoning population into gigantic orbiting space colonies. A new home for mankind, where people are born and raised… and die.

“We are the people of the universe. We have struggled to survive in a harsh environment, and new generations of colonists testify to our success. Now, when we gaze back at Earth, we see a sacred blue and green orb- the cradle of civilization and a sacred home that we must eternally preserve and protect . . .”
-Zeon Zum Deikun, UC 0058

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------

16:15, 8 March, UC 0075
Flight space over Von Braun City, Luna (Earth Federation)

Cratered gray beneath a sea of stars, the pockmarked moonscape stretches as far as you can see, discolored patches of regolith reaching out to the horizon and beyond. Trails of color lead up from the surface here and there, blues and yellows and reds, faintly flaring engines far in the distance. Vessels of nearly every shape and size make their way too and from some unseen location far below you, a carefully choreographed dance of controlled flight paths. Kilometers away a trio of bright crimson beams streak across the black, a searing trail of light firing off into the cosmos, vast laser arrays helping to push cargo transports deep into space.

Luna.

A faint rumble sounds through the cabin, inciting a worried murmuring from the less experienced passengers, a few children calling out in surprise - but you know exactly what’s happening. The landing thrusters are taking over, guiding your bulbous craft toward a waiting airlock in the spaceport far below. Slowly, very slowly, the endless gray expanse vanishes as the commercial shuttle you’re aboard descends, the lip of a great crater rising up to block your view, jagged and harsh. You mover about in your seat and strain to get a better view of the surface far below. The angle is poor, but you can still see it.

Von Braun City .

A shimmering surface of glass and mirrored reflectors, polished steel beams and panels stretching from one edge of the great crater to the other, filling it up entirely. The city runs deep, many circular levels around a central axis driven far into Luna’s depths, a home for millions of souls. Beneath that shining surface are conventional skylines aglow with neon, twisting roadways and overpasses filled with rover cars, and endless walkways connecting towering apartment blocks and business offices. It is a vision of a future which has been lost to much of the earth sphere, a gleaming dream of life on other worlds which has nearly been forgotten in the rush to create the Sides and their endless rows of colony cylinders. Von Braun is the beating heart of industry and business in space, a home to many of the most powerful corporations in human history; giants like Anaheim, Monterrey, Yashima, and countless others.
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>>5533615

You lean back from the small window, resting in your seat as the slow descent continues, eyes closed as you think of what lies ahead… An entire week with Elena, your first chance to see her in years. You can’t help but smile at the thought, though it fades quickly - You won’t truly be free. The flight from Zum has gone unsupervised from the moment you stepped aboard the transport shuttle, but as soon as you land you’ll be joined by a guard, one of Dozle’s men. Hopefully they aren’t too much of a drag.

“This is the captain speaking. We’ll be setting down in Von Braun in three minutes, I hope you’ve all had a comfortable flight…”

The shuttle touches down soon enough, a metallic thud sounding through it as the magnetic landing legs find purchase on the steel of one of the spaceport’s great rectangular landing bays. Flight attendants guide you and the other passengers off the craft, and you soon get a better look at the cavernous and fully enclosed landing bay - There are couple dozen other shuttles landing here and there, some on the ground level but many others at jutting landing pads along the towering walls. High overhead, great airlock doors cycle slowly, rumbling apart as they allow the next batch of shuttles to enter, each vessel guided to its destination by ghostly trails of yellow light.

Exiting among the other passengers, luggage in hand, you make your way to the nearest door where a monorail awaits to take you all to the spaceport proper. It’s a short trip, lights rushing past quickly, the door eventually opening to allow you out into the spaceport’s main terminals.

Speakers overhead announce arrivals and departures, screens along the high walls flashing with the same information, news tickers running across their bottoms. Dozens of other people are soon pushing past and around you, joining the steady stream of pedestrian traffic through the spaceport… it would be easy to get lost here, just one person among thousands, but you push the hustle and bustle from your mind, keeping your wits about you as you walk to the distant pickup area.

Sliding doors hiss open, and you step outside, the low hum of electric motors filling the air as cars and taxis pick up other arrivals in what looks to be a real mess of traffic. The skyline of Von Braun’s first level shines brightly in the distance, an entire city nestled beneath steel and glass. You scan over the cars and people nearby, looking for any sign of your guard… he was supposed to find you here, but there’s no sign of him.

“Hey, Taxi!” A woman shouts playfully from nearby, something about her voice oddly familiar.
>>
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>>5533622

Turning, you see a pretty blond in a long tan coat making her way toward one of the nearby cars, one hand lowering her dark sunglasses as she passes by you, giving a quick wink. You blink, taking a moment to place her - She’s a little older than when you last saw her, but there’s no mistaking her.

“...Miss Hamon?” You call after the woman, taking a few steps in pursuit, entirely caught up in the moment - What are the chances?

“Where are you headed, miss?” A man’s voice sounds from within the nearest car, a dark sedan which very much is not a taxi.

“I was thinking I might let you pick.” She replies, leaning over to look in through the rolled down window of the car, smiling mischievously at the driver before glancing back toward you, nodding to the door.

Oh. Oh!

You move over quickly and put your things in the trunk, finding it already unlocked, and then get in the back of the car. Could it be?...

“It’s been a long time, Felix!” Ramba says from the driver’s seat, reaching back to shake your hand. He has a firm grip, scars on his knuckles and forearm speaking of years of brawls.

“Far too long, Ramba!” You answer, nearly overjoyed to see the man; it's been years, but he was almost like an uncle to you when you were a child.

Ramba is definitely the more aged looking of the two, military service having transformed him from the dark haired young captain of your childhood memories to a slowly graying veteran - But he’s not that old, and his toothy grin does a lot to hide the passage of time. The look suits him very well, a properly rugged officer. Hamon’s barely changed at all for her part, a few very, very faint wrinkles here and there but otherwise the same fox she’s always been. The electric car whirs to life, nearly silent as it pulls out into the slow spaceport traffic.

“How have you both been?” You ask, “I’ve been trying to find a way to see you, we all have, but things-”

“Things have been complicated.” Ramba finishes for you, nodding, “The Colonel’s been working me like a dog, haven’t had a chance to drop by - Not that I’d be welcomed outside of a party. Managed to convince him to give me this job, took a bit of doing though.”

“Ramba’s threatened to sneak into the palace for the last couple of months,” Hamon says idly, checking herself over in a small hand mirror, “Personally I was all for it, but he would have had to shave his mustache and that just wouldn’t do…”

“Hah, still doing that disguise stuff?” You ask, the idea of the two of them still sneaking like they did years ago bringing a smile to your face.

Still? Careful there.” Hamon warns, eliciting a laugh from Ramba, which in turn elicits a sharp elbow from Hamon, though their antics soon die down, ”...I was glad to hear Astraia is doing better, Felix. She was so frail when I saw her last.”
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>>5533625

“She’s much better, almost back to her old self.” You reply, your smile fading as quickly as it came, “...It was a really close call though. Thank you for visiting her while we were all away, Hamon. I know the letters didn’t get through to her, but it means a lot that you tried, it… it probably saved her.”

“She’s like a sister to me, Felix, I’d do anything for her.” Hamon says somberly, “...I didn’t think she was going to make it for a while there, but if she’s back to her old self already…”

Ramba chuckles, “We should sneak her out to see the old bar, that’s the real test.”

“If only. Maybe she still has a few songs left in her too…” Hamon sighs, “How are your brother and sister?”

“They’re both as well as they can be, considering the circumstances. Having mom back has been good for all of us, especially Artiesa. We’ll be starting at the academy soon, if you hadn’t heard already.”

“All three of you at once?” Ramba questions, taking an exit and merging into the faster traffic of Von Braun proper, neon billboards and corporate advertisements playing along the towering buildings which surround the underground highway, the central pillar of the city ahead in the distance, “Isn’t Artesia too young for it still?”

“She’s got a lot of fight in her, and it’s that or stay around Kycilia.” You answer with a shrug, though it’s a concern that nags at you as well.

“With motivation like that I’m sure she’ll be top of the class…” Hamon laughs, though as she looks back to you she catches the worried look in your eye, “Don’t worry, the car’s squeaky clean, we traded out that awful bugged one earlier.”

“Traded it out? You can just… do that?” You ask, the simplicity of the solution a bit baffling.

“The other one had a tragic accident at the car wash a few hours ago, it’s a real mystery how water got that far into the electronics… Such a tragedy.” Ramba explains with a chuckle, “This one’s from the officer’s club, Dozle keeps a few in reserve for occasions like this.”

>”So how have you both been? Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”
>”Then I take it that you’re my ‘guards’, right? Well, this is a lot better than what I expected.”
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
>Write-in.
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>>5533627

Voting:
Feel free to vote for several options and list them numerically [1), 2), 3), etc.] in order of your preference. Numerical listing is very important to avoid confusion. If your first choice loses your vote will shift to your second choice, and so on. If you switch preferences before votes are counted, please link back to your original preference vote. If you do not pick multiple options it will be assumed that you only want one. If you list several options without numerical separation I will assume you want to combine them.

Previous Threads
Thread one: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5414507/
Thread two: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5492260/
>>
>>5533627
>1).”So how have you both been? Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”
>2).”...Ramba… About your father…”
I'd like to combine these, otherwise they're ordered. And shit yeah, Ramba and Hamon are great.
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>>5533627
>”So how have you both been? Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
Good to see this back so soon!
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>>5533627
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
>>
>>5533627
>”So how have you both been? Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
>>
>>5533627
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
>>
With Hamon and Ramba being our guards, I'm way more open to investigate the terrorists now.
Shame that it would be make Artesia sad since we said we wouldn't put ourselves in danger.
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>>5533650
Though having Hamon and/or Ramba die because of us looking for them would be bad.

Besides Contolist said that we haven't escaped danger yet last thread.
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>>5533627
+1 >>5533639
>>
Is it a good idea to mention his father's fate? It might be a mood killer.

>>5533650
>breaking a promise made to our little sister
I'm getting Do Your Best flashbacks.
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>>5533806
>Is it a good idea to mention his father's fate? It might be a mood killer.
It'll probably be fine, since Ramba might already know.

>I'm getting Do Your Best flashbacks.
That's actually a very interesting parallel, especially since the situation seems to be similar with us literally saying we would stay safe (and we'd probably be breaking Artesia's trust if we decided to change our minds without a good reason).
Well either way that mess is something I'd like to avoid.
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>>5533806
Yeah, breaking a promise to our sister is the reason I'm hesitant to do it even with them around
>I'm getting Do Your Best flashbacks.
How's that quest? I stopped following it early, but it now has more than 100 threads.
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>>5533846
I have the same feeling about that, honestly.

Last I saw of that quest the mc got depressed and then made his own team. Apparently he's stuck in some sort of past virtual reality now.
I'm actually surprised at how long it's been going on for, it seems to have kept it's humor through all of it.
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>>5533861
>Past virtual reality.
When I was following there was some kind of apocalypse coming, but I left before it started. Did things change, or is it part of that?
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>>5533872
Actually ignore that, asking for some sort of summary would take a while, and it would be rude to talk about another quest in this one.
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>>5533874
You're right, I probably shouldn't of talked much about it too.
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>>5533639
>>5533647
>>5533770
Ask how they've been + Jimba.

>>5533644
>>5533648
>>5533637 (second option)
Jimba.

Got a tie. Any opposition to just combining them?
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>>5533915
I'll go with
>”So how have you both been? Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”
>”...Ramba… About your father…”
then.
>>
>>5533915
I'm fine with a combination
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>>5533915
I'm fine with combining it.
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>>5533922
>>5533924
We almost said the same thing at the same time kek
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>>5533917
>>5533922
>>5533924
Alright, going with the combination then, just wanted to see if there was any opposition. Writing.
>>
”So how have you both been?” You ask curiously, eager to learn as much of your years apart as you can, “Dozle mentioned that he took you in after… after everything that happened. Mobile suit testing, right?”

“We’ve made our way, there have been some ups and downs but the last couple of years have been steadier.” Ramba explains, eyes on rushing lights of the road ahead of him, “...And that’s right, I’ve been in with mobile suits from nearly from the very beginning, they weren’t much more than construction equipment then. Just how much do you know?”

“Just about everything, they’ve got a simulator at their palace.” You say with a shrug, “Dozle offered me a spot in a mobile suit after graduation, and I’ve already put in a few dozen hours.”

Ramba whistles, clearly impressed, “So you can fly them then. It’s nothing compared to the real thing though, you’ll see.”

“I got a brief ride in one already, the simulator just doesn’t capture the acceleration at all....” You agree, though you didn’t mean to distract Ramba into just talking shop, “So how about these ‘ups and downs’ though?”

“Ramba lounged around at Eden for most of a year getting drunk and starting fights,” Hamon explains, “Business slowed down.”

“Won too many fights.” Ramba says ruefully, “But I think it was that singer that kept me at Eden, not the drinks. Quite the lady.”

“Stop it, you.” Hamon replies, feigning bashfulness before continuing the story, “...We laid low during the worst of the purges, made ourselves look burnt out. It was a rough time, Felix, a lot of people didn’t make it.”

“And then Dozle waltzed in and offered me my commission back - and a promotion.” Ramba continues.

“Just like that?”

“No. There’s always strings.” Ramba answers somberly, “I had to sign over the last of my family’s resources. It was all dead paper by then, nothing was usable anymore, but I still almost refused.”

“I heard Dozle was taking in a lot of people around that time… It’s a tragedy though, all of it.” You say quietly, the mood about as dampened as it’s going to get, “But it was up from there?”

Ramba grunts in acknowledgement, “Mostly up, Felix. Work hasn’t been easy or safe, test pilots don’t have a long shelf life, but I’ve had lady luck on my side - and Dozle doesn’t like to throw people away, even if he is bullheaded about pace.”

“Things were still uncertain for the first few months, people still… disappeared sometimes, but by the time I was able to start seeing Astraia the worst of the purges were over. Gihren getting shot was a scare, there was another bad round after that, but we got through it…” Hamon “I won’t ask for it to come back, but the last two years have been boringly safe in comparison, not much of a chance for intrigue.”

“She just likes dressing up.” Ramba jokes, eliciting another small elbow from Hamon.
>>
>>5534088

“...Speaking of Gihren getting shot… Ramba… About your father…”

Ramba's face darkens, the faint lines of age suddenly much deeper, “My old man had something to do with it.”

“...He helped fund it.”

“Stubborn fool.” Ramba says, a hint of pain mixed in with his frustration, “He was never one to give up… Time on earth wasn’t good for him, was it? He didn’t send letters.”

“He was pretty bad by the end, paranoid… Like a ghost of himself. I’m sorry, Ramba, maybe I shouldn’t have brought this up, it’s hard to even talk about… He was like a grandfather to me…”

“I’ve had a long time to come to terms with things, Felix. My father wasn’t an easy man to be around at times, I saw the writing on the wall before he left… How’d he go?”

“Trying to fight." You say, the words a struggle to get out, "I was there with him at the end… The Zabis sent soldiers after Gihren was shot.”

Stubborn fool.” Ramba growls, his grip on the steering wheel tightening, “...At least someone was there. I’m sorry he brought that on you, he never knew when to let things lie. Dozle mentioned the attack, but I didn’t realize you were there.”

“...We survived.” You say, finding it increasingly difficult to discuss the matter. Gunshots and screams, the awful concussion and noise of it all, burning powder heavy in the air, the limp bodies and pooling blood - It’s hard to even think of it, bile threatening to rise in your throat. The memories are still fresh even after years.

“Where was he buried?”

“The town closest to our villa, a small plot at the local cemetery… It should still be there, if-”

“Not going to be visiting anytime soon.” Ramba says quietly, “Maybe someday. Let’s talk about something else.”

A silence settles over the car for a minute or two, somber and heavy.
>>
>>5534089

“How about this girl you’re going to see then? How do you know her?” Hamon asks, breaking the depressing quiet.

“I’ve known her since we… Well, since we were both living in Spain. She lived near our villa, we haven’t seen each other since a few days after the attack. We've kept in touch by letter, we write nearly every week.”

“The attack? …She knows who you are?” Hamon questions, her brow furrowing as she twists a little in her seat to look back to you.

“She does.” You confirm.

“And you write every week?” Hamon asks, arching an eyebrow, “She must be pretty.”

“Uhm, yes, she is, but we’re just friends. Sometimes it’s every other week though.” You say, warmth flooding your cheeks despite your claimed status.

“And you like her?” Hamon questions, her line of inquiry already eerily familiar - She really is on the same wavelength as your mother. Why does it always go to this when you talk about Elena with people?

“Of course.”

“And you must trust her if she knows who you are…” Hamon says mostly to herself, thinking through things aloud, “Are... are you sure you’re just friends, Felix?”

“Best friends, maybe, but…” Ramba trails off, exchanging a skeptical look with Hamon, “Felix, why’d you ask to come here of all places then? Just that close with this girl?”

“She always wanted to see Von Braun, it was her dream, and we promised to meet each other here when things settled down…” You explain, a little embarrassed by the details but the story still coming to you easily enough, “I promised to fly her around the city in one of our letters later on, so… so there’s that too. Got to keep a promise once it’s made, right?”

Hamon’s blue eyes go a bit soft at your words, something about them seeming to really strike here, “A girl could write a song about that…”

>”...So where are we headed exactly?” Not a subtle way to change the subject.
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5534092
1)
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.

2)
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>>
>>5534092
>>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
>>
>>5534092
>>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
>>
>>5534092
>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
>>
>>5534092
>>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>>
>>5534092
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
>Like a ghost of himself
Ghost Jimba strikes again
>>
>>5534092
>>5534094
Changing my vote to
1)
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”

2)
>”I’d like to hear that, I think… Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”
>”So, when are you two getting married?” Ask not about relationships lest your own be asked about in kind, Hamon.
I'm only supporting this second choice on the condition that Felix says it more in a joking banter-like way, without any real pettiness.
>>
>>5534117
>>5534304
>>5534349 (2nd option)
Writing.
>>
“I’d like to hear that, I think…” You reply, a little curious about her music if nothing else, “Have either of you been to Von Braun before? Seems like your kind of city.”

“Our kind of city?” Hamon asks, “Now just what do you mean by that?”

“...It seems like an exciting place?” You reply innocently, “Lots of casinos, a good club scene.”

“Crowley, he’s got you figured out completely.” Ramba chuckles, the streaking lights of traffic still rushing by outside the car’s windows, “We’ve been a few times.”

Hamon shrugs, smirking and ignoring Ramba’s comment, “Exciting? Clubs? This one’s dangerous, Ramba.”

Ramba just keeps his eyes on the road, taking the car along a looping exit that winds its way down deeper into Von Braun, “Must run in the family.”

“Mm, some things definitely do.” Hamon agrees cryptically, returning to a more comfortable position in her seat, “We’ve both been a few times, I lived here for a few months once, just a little stint away from Eden.”

“I feel like there’s a story there.” You comment, sensing a faint… embarrassment to her words?

“That was a fun one.” Ramba says, grinning enthusiastically, “Bunny ears, wasn’t it, Crowley? I wouldn’t mind seeing those ag-”

“Ramba!” Hamon protests, her cheeks flushing with color, “...Anyways, Felix, the point is that we know the city fairly well. Clubs, casinos, even the lower levels.”

“Good to know,” You reply, though you’re still not quite sure what this business about bunny ears is, “...So, when are you two getting married?”

“Where the hell did that come from?” Ramba asks, sounding quite a lot like a soldier who’s just been shot at by a sniper, the car swerving slightly. He exchanges a look with Hamon, who seems to find Ramba’s reaction incredibly funny, at least if her stifled laughter is anything to go by.

“Just snuck right up on us with that, didn’t he, Ramba?” Hamon says between fits of laughter, “That’s definitely Astraia, she just leaps out of the bushes like that too.”

“...So you’re not then?”

“Later.” They respond practically simultaneously. Well, if they’ve got something figured out then good for them, even if it does confuse you a little.

The ride can’t be much longer, the spaceport is far behind you now and its been a few minutes already. The city is very dense, but at highway speeds there just isn’t that much of Von Braun to get around - not unless you’re going down a few levels anyways.

>”...So where are we headed to? A hotel or…?”
>”Ramba, you’re a test pilot, right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?” Knowing who knows who could be useful.
>”Well, I’ll leave that where it is then. Hamon, you could probably see my mother easily enough if you want to, she’s been going out to Laplace park a few times a week.” Explaining Glemy might be a little more difficult.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5534503
>”Ramba, you’re a test pilot, right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?” Knowing who knows who could be useful.
>>
>>5534503
>”Ramba, you’re a test pilot, right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?” Knowing who knows who could be useful.
>>
>>5534503
>”Well, I’ll leave that where it is then. Hamon, you could probably see my mother easily enough if you want to, she’s been going out to Laplace park a few times a week.” Explaining Glemy might be a little more difficult.
Having that connection between Hamon and Astraia might be important for future plotting.
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>>5534503
>>”Ramba, you’re a test pilot, right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?” Knowing who knows who could be useful.
>>”...So where are we headed to? A hotel or…?”
young Hamon in a bunny costume, Ramba was a lucky man
>>
>>5534503
>”Well, I’ll leave that where it is then. Hamon, you could probably see my mother easily enough if you want to, she’s been going out to Laplace park a few times a week.” Explaining Glemy might be a little more difficult.
>>
Does anyone think Hamon will take how Astraia cares for Glemy badly?
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>>5534503
>>”Ramba, you’re a test pilot, right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?” Knowing who knows who could be useful.
>>
>>5534510
>>5534513
>>5534545
Writing.
>>
You let the topic drop, moving onto something much less personal, “Ramba, you’re a test pilot right? Do you know a Lieutenant Blanche?”

“...Lieutenant Blanche? Familiar for some reason…” Ramba questions, mulling over the name for a moment.

“White hair, well put together, very prim.” You describe, trying to help jog his memory.

“Nice rack?” Hamon asks, sort of miming her hands across her own chest as she looks back to you, emphasizing things a bit, her question nearly causing you to jump in surprise.

“Uh, yeah.” You manage to say after blinking and taking a moment to recover, not at all used to this kind of very direct talk, especially from a woman Hamon's age.

“He means Blanche Rugens, Ramba. From the other unit.” Hamon nods, satisfied with your answer and settling back into her seat, “She was at the new years party, didn’t realize Kord was gay and kept trying to flirt with him…”

…That does match.

Right, her.” Ramba nods, “Had a real stick up her ass until she got drinking. I think we’ve met a few times other than that. Why do you ask, Felix?”

“I’m just trying to get an idea of who knows who, she mentioned Dozle covering for her family during the purge.” You explain with a shrug, “Seemed like a similar situation to yours, thought there might be others too or something.”

“Dozle did take in a lot of strays, General Rugens was one of the bigger ones now that I think about it… Good soldier, even more of a plank of wood though.” Ramba says, thinking aloud for a few moments and slowing the car down as you exit off onto a much less busy street, tall apartment buildings flanking the car on either side, “Met her through Dozle then, did you?”

“She’s the one that grabbed me…” You begin to explain, retelling a greatly abridged version of your odd capture and time aboard the Zam, Ramba and Hamon both listening intently, leaving out the bit about getting drunk as a skunk.

“...Took out her thruster with a worker pod? That’s some serious flying, boy.” Ramba comments, “Glad you made it out of that in one piece.”

“Almost didn’t,” You admit freely, “Visor was cracked, and it’s a wonder the radio even got through. I’m just glad things worked out how they did. We were planning to come back to Zeon anyways, just not quite like… that.”

“So why’d you decided to come back? Just your mother, or…?” Ramba asks, leaving the question open-ended. It’s a good thing the car is free of bugs or this would be a very, very treacherous conversation.

>”For her, but… Also for a chance to get back what’s meant to be ours. I’m not quite sure what that’s going to look like in the end, but we haven’t forgotten.”
>”Revenge, mostly. I thought mom was already dead…”
>”...I’m not so sure anymore.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5534654
1)
>”For her, but… Also for a chance to get back what’s meant to be ours. I’m not quite sure what that’s going to look like in the end, but we haven’t forgotten.”

2)
>”Revenge, mostly. I thought mom was already dead…”
>>
>>5534654
>>5534664
Wait, changing my vote to
1)
>”For her, but… Also for a chance to get back what’s meant to be ours. I’m not quite sure what that’s going to look like in the end, but we haven’t forgotten.”
>"I suppose justice for all the suffering that's been caused to us also plays a part into this."
I'll put this write-in as a suggestion if Contolist wants to use it, since Felix doesn't seem to care much about pure revenge by itself.
>>
>>5534654
>”...I’m not so sure anymore.”
Is Felix living a lie, does he want it to be?
>>
>>5534666
+1
Satan digits
>>
>>5534669
He seems to want it against Kycilia and Gihren at least from what I've seen.
>>
>>5534674
Besides the dancing practice with Mink seemed to imply to him that the Zabis were responsible in killing his father, and that's not to mention having put his mother in that tower for all those years.
>>
>>5534654
>>5534666
Support
>>
>>5534654
>”...I’m not so sure anymore.”
I'm going with this not because I want Felix to be conflicted on his motivations but because I don't want to drag Ramba and Hamon into anything just yet.
>>
>>5534758
I don't think we're necessarily going to drag them into anything just yet, we're just answering with what Felix thinks.
>>
>>5534654
1)
>”Revenge, mostly. I thought mom was already dead…”
2)
>”For her, but… Also for a chance to get back what’s meant to be ours. I’m not quite sure what that’s going to look like in the end, but we haven’t forgotten.”
>"I suppose justice for all the suffering that's been caused to us also plays a part into this."
>>
>>5534758
I think they're already involved in helping us, they wanted to become our bodyguards and stuff. This kind of puts them at odds with the Zabis.
>>
>>5534666
>>5534672
>>5534700
>>5534769 (second option)
Write-in.

>>5534669
>>5534758
No sure anymore.

Writing.
>>
>>5534654
>”Revenge, mostly. I thought mom was already dead…”
>>
File: Ramba and Hamon.jpg (85 KB, 546x350)
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It takes you a few seconds to find the right words, the car slowly pulling to stop along the street in front of an apartment block, “For her, but… Also for a chance to get back what’s meant to be ours. I’m not quite sure what that’s going to look like in the end, but we haven’t forgotten. …I suppose justice for all the suffering that’s been caused to us plays a part too, but it’s not just revenge.”

“So you’re still fighting then.” Ramba says, his tone serious, eyes flashing up to look at you in the rear view mirror, “That’s a hard life, Felix. Burns people up.”

“...I know. I’ve seen what it can do, but what other choice is there?” You say quietly, thinking of Jimba’s last few weeks, that deranged look in his eye, utterly convinced that there were Zabi assassins in every shadow.

“You could let it go.” Ramba sighs and shakes his head, “Haven’t been good at doing that myself though, just look at me now. I won’t lecture you about it. …You’re all in on it then? Brother, sister?”

“Of course they are, didn’t you listen to his story?” Hamon asks, though there’s no real edge to the question.

“I just want to hear it. I need to hear it.” Ramba says, turning back to face you directly. A few people are walking by on the sidewalk outside the car, completely oblivious to your conversion just feet away.

“We’re all in.” You confirm, though it feels wrong to leave it at just that, “Casval’s gunning for it the most, he always has, but even Artesia’s come around in the last few months. We thought we’d… get close to the Zabis, find allies, build up to something over the years.”

“We’re back to it then, aren’t we?” Ramba asks Hamon, and she flashes a small smirk, willingness tempered by experience.

“One last run at them then?” Hamon asks playfully, a determined look in her eyes, “Oh, now I do like the sound of that. Quiet living doesn’t suit me.”

“No, it doesn’t, but… Last run?” Ramba asks, a hint of worry in his voice.

“We’ll win this time.” Hamon says with a shrug, pushing past Ramba’s concern, “I could write a song about this too, once the dust settles - Romantic, isn’t it? One last ride against an old enemy. I’ve always loved that sort of story, they never fail to excite. …Come on, Ramba, how about it?”

“Mm, damn, this is why I love you, Crowley.” Ramba says, something low and excited in his voice, almost a growl.
>>
>>5534980

“Do you two need a minute?” You joke, holding back a laugh; they’re really quite the pair, it’s almost impossible to imagine them doing anything but this… Well mannered at times, but really not the type to just fade away. No, they’d never be happy with a quiet life.

“Hah!” Ramba barks, “He has a point though. We shouldn’t just sit here, I’m sure that tail that was on us earlier is… They’re back. The room is going to be bugged, Felix, we didn’t pick it.”

“Then let the games begin.” Hamon says mischievously, opening her door and stepping out into the neon lit early night of Von Braun.

You and Ramba are out a moment later, getting your luggage from the trunk and making your way into the nearest building. Ramba exchanges a few words with someone over the intercom and get you buzzed in, and after a brief elevator ride you arrive at a relatively spacious apartment. The furniture is sleek and neo-modern, definitely stylish but almost alien looking in comparison to the baroque pieces you become used to at the Zabi palace.

“Nice place.” You comment, surveying the living room and connected kitchen approvingly, “Is this just for me or…?”

“For the week. We’ll be two rooms down.” Ramba says, fishing around in his jacket pocket for a few seconds and then throwing you a keycard, “That’ll let you in, and…”

He throws a set of keys to you, “...And that’s for the car. You can drive, right?”

You catch the keys and then open your palm, looking down at them, “Of course, how hard can it be?”

That causes him to pause for a moment, but only a moment, before carrying on, “We’re going to be very hands off, Felix. I’m sure they have another team watching from the shadows, but Hamon and I aren’t going to hover over your shoulder all week. Go have fun, just don’t be a fool. If you get into trouble we shouldn't be far.”

“Right. Yes, sir.” You say, smiling and standing a little straighter, glad to have them for your ‘main’ guards, “And how should I signal you if there is trouble?”

He walks over and hands you a small radio, “Good old fashioned shouting, or this. You know how to work it?”

You nod, “It looks pretty standard.”

“It is. Frequencies are pre-set, check in every few hours or if you’re going someplace new. What name are you going by for the week?”

“Maxime Mass.”

Ramba nods, “Good. That should be everything… Did they give you a card?”

“For money? Yes.” You answer, pulling your thin wallet from your pants pocket and checking that the card is still there; it is. You put the access card for the apartment in while you’ve got it out, and then slide it back away.
>>
>>5534984

He pats you on the shoulder, “You’re good to go then. The girl’s expecting you, right?”

“I sent a letter last week, but I wasn’t sure about the exact days I’d be here… She’s been getting ready for a while though so I can probably just drop by. The public terminals have maps here, right? I should be able to figure out how to get to her place.”

“They’re just like on colonies.” Hamon confirms, stalking on over to Ramba, a bottle of wine in hand, “The night’s very young, go ahead and run off. We’ll follow along in a little while.”

Hamon’s not quite kicking you out of the apartment, but it would probably be best to get out sooner rather than later.

>Walk over to Elena’s place. It’s more fun to surprise her.
>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
>Call Elena, let her know you’ve just arrived.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5534985
>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?

THE THING GOES SKRRRTTT
>>
>>5534985
>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
>>
>>5534985
>Walk over to Elena’s place. It’s more fun to surprise her.
>>
>>5534985
>>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
What could possible go wrong?
>>
>>5534985
>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
Where's Felix's scorpion jacket?
>>
>>5534985
>>5534991
Changing to
>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
You know what, this is probably pretty dumb. But a good reality check might be needed if we don't want to get ourselves killed.
>>
>>5534996
In other words, this is going to be fun or funny.
>>
>>5534985
>Walk over to Elena’s place. It’s more fun to surprise her.
>>
>>5534985
>>5534996
Changing once more to
>Walk over to Elena’s place. It’s more fun to surprise her.
Let's not disappoint Ramba the very second we come to Von Braun.
>>
>>5534985
>>Drive. Prove your mastery of the automobile. It can’t possibly be harder than a mobile suit, right?
>>Call Elena, let her know you’ve just arrived.
Call throught the bluetooth so we dont get pulled over!
>>
>>5534985
>Walk over to Elena’s place. It’s more fun to surprise her.
>>
>>5534987
>>5534989
>>5534992
>>5534995
Drive.

>>5535034
Call and drive.

>>5535023
>>5535033
>>5535043
Walk.

Writing.
>>
Is this the same car that doesn't have any bugs in it? And there's a big chance of totalling it?
Oh no...
>>
>>5535061
Speedy speed boy~
>>
>>5535061
I'm sure there will be a replacement for it provided by Ramba/Hamon.
>>
>>5535066
No wait, scratch that. We probably won't be allowed into a car anytime soon if we do crash it.
>>
File: Newtype drift.gif (861 KB, 500x200)
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>>5535061
>>
>>5535080
>>5535061
>Why won't this self driving car crash already! We have its throttle stuck open!

>Felix a new-type
"Car goes ZRRRROOOOM"
>>
You wave farewell and head off, a spring in your step as you exit the apartment and make your way to the elevator; for once the weight of the world just doesn’t seem so bad, and it’s not just Luna’s lower gravity. It’s been years of letters, hundreds of the things, but you’re finally going to get to see Elena again! The elevator doors shut and the ride goes by quickly, the lights of other levels flashing by the glass door as it descends, but your mind is a thousand miles distant. When you exit you make sure to stop at one of the public terminals nearby, input Elena’s address and do your best to memorize how to get there… worst case scenario you stop and ask for directions. Does the car have a navigation system? You can’t remember. Oh well.

Hands tucked in your jacket pockets you stroll back on out to the car, unlock it, and get behind the wheel… There’s no master switch or startup procedure, you just turn a key. Easy! Lights flash on across the dash, little digital displays winking to life, and take a few moments to look everything over. Pfff, this is nothing compared to flying. You tap the accelerator... and nothing happens.

Oh, that’s right, got to shift into drive. Should’ve expected that. Tapping the accelerator again, the car jolts forward, nearly slamming into the van parked a few meters ahead - You barely manage to brake at the last moment, tires screeching to a stop.

…Okay, so it’s a little sensitive. That’s fine. Letting out a deep breath you focus, taking the task more seriously. You back up a hair and then pull out, merging into the slow traffic of the street without issue, rolling along. Von Braun’s pretty at night, lots of neon and bright lights cutting through the dark. Now which way was it to Elena’s again?

Her place isn’t that far, only a few kilometers, but it’s down a level - closer to the university. There was a lift you could have taken if you walked, but cars have to get back on the main highways to go down - That might take awhile, probably best to drive faster.

…The handling on this car is actually pretty good, and after an initial cautious experiment you find that it’s not hard at all to move between other cars! You can drive a lot faster than traffic, they’re all moving so slow.
>>
>>5535162

A few minutes later.

You screech to a stop just outside of the Elena’s apartment building, an almost menacing looking concrete structure with angles that are a bit too sharp for your taste and lots of balconies. The university is off in the distance, its iconic glass pyramid towering over much of the surrounding landscape. You shut off the car and exit, making sure to lock it - Driving is easy! A few people honked, but they must have just been panicky, there’s no way you were going to hit them.

Most of the people moving along the sidewalk are close to your age, a handful of years older at most, late teens and early twenties - probably students. You blend right in, though you might be a touch overdressed. Walking to the door of the building you find that someone has just left a brick jammed in it to keep it slightly ajar. Convenient, but what’s the point of the buzzer then? You shake your head and continue inside, making your way up the stairs and along brightly colored hallways, until you arrive at room 304.

You knock lightly. A few moments pass. And then a few more. You can hear footsteps on the other side.

The door just barely opens, a blond haired girl peeking out to look at you, surprise and confusion written across her face. She looks a bit frazzled, her shoulder length hair is wet and clinging to her head, and it looks like she must have just changed - clearly she’s not ready for company. She squints at you, as if there's something just not quite computing in her head, looking you up and down for a moment with her blue eyes. She’s pretty, or at least easily could be if she wasn’t a mess right now, but she’s definitely not Elena.

“Hello? Who are you?” She asks, “Did admin send you? I didn’t rewire much, it was just inefficient, there’s nothing to throw a fit-”

>”I’m not from admin, calm down. Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”
>”I’m Maxime Mass, I believe Elena is expecting me.”
>”...You must be Nina, right? I’m Max.” and then, in Spanish, “Hey, Elena, are you in there?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5535169
>”I’m not from admin, calm down. Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”
>>
>>5535169
>>”...You must be Nina, right? I’m Max.” and then, in Spanish, “Hey, Elena, are you in there?”
>>
>>5535169
>”I’m not from admin, calm down. Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”

We probably should have called ahead.

also as someone who is currently leaning to drive I know what this feels like
>>
>>5535169
>”...You must be Nina, right? I’m Max.” and then, in Spanish, “Hey, Elena, are you in there?”
>>
>>5535169
>”...You must be Nina, right? I’m Max.” and then, in Spanish, “Hey, Elena, are you in there?”
>>
>>5535169
>>”I’m not from admin, calm down. Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”
>>
>>5535169
>>”I’m not from admin, calm down. Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”
>>
>>5535171
>>5535174
>>5535186
>>5535198
Not from admin.

>>5535172
>>5535178
>>5535183
Spanish.

Writing.
>>
“I’m not from admin, calm down.” You assure the frazzled looking girl, “Here to see Elena, I just got in from Side Three. Name’s Max.”

The words only seem to confuse her even more, and she opens the door a little wider to take a better look at you, “...You’re Max?”

“Yeah. Is Elena here? I think this is the right room.” You confirm, smiling to try to put her at ease; there’s something just subtly off about her mannerisms, it’s difficult to place what exactly though.

“You’re real?” She questions, her expression shifting from confusion to one of near total shock, eyes going wide in disbelief as she opens the door a bit wider, “Oh my god, I thought she was making you up.”

“...What?” You ask, scratching at the back of your head and trying not to laugh, “Why’d you think something like that?”

“I just… Would you like to come in?” She asks, avoiding the question and looking terribly embarrassed, cheeks bright red, “I’m Nina. Elena’s out on a grocery run, she’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Nina.” You say, stepping inside as Nina allows you to pass by, a faint cinnamon scent in the air as soon as you enter, “Elena mentioned you a lot in her letters. You live together now?”

It’s a relatively spacious apartment, the entranceway leading right into the small kitchen, a living room visible just beyond; the entire area is meticulously cleaned, a few books and scattered papers on the kitchen counter next to a backpack but otherwise spotless.

“Roomies as of two weeks ago.” Nina says, still befuddled by your presence, “...How long are you in for?”

“A week, then it’s back to Side Three.” You inform her, stopping to look at one of the framed pictures on the wall, a painting that you’ve seen vaguely similar versions of in the past - A glass horse reflecting the cosmos within it.

“A week? Oh god, our project’s going to be ruined.” Nina groans, “I told her we didn’t have time to waste going out tonight, but she insisted I get ready anyways, and now this?”

“Did she not say I’d be visiting?” You ask, moving past the kitchen and into the living room.

It’s all pretty standard fare, bright colors and comfortable furniture, a decent television, and a few burning candles that must be the source of that wonderful smell in the air. The only real oddity is a work bench along one of the walls, just next to the sliding glass doors leading out to the balcony; it has half disassembled electronics on it and a few books left open, an inactive computer on one end. …Is that a model kit?
>>
>>5535321

“She’s been saying you might show up for weeks and weeks, I thought she was lying.” Nina admits sheepishly, “We have an engineering project due soon, I thought we’d be working on it all week.”

All week?

>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>”What kind of engineering project?”
>”You were both going out tonight? Sounds like a good time.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5535322
>”What kind of engineering project?”
>>
>>5535322
>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>>
>>5535322

>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>>
>>5535322
1)
>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>”What kind of engineering project?”

2)
>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>>
>>5535322
>>”What kind of engineering project?”
>>Write-in.
"Lemme take a look."
>>
>>5535322
>>”What kind of engineering project?”
>>
>>5535359
+1
>>
>>5535322
>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
Let's get Elena to tell us instead.
>>
>>5535322
>”...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?”
>”What kind of engineering project?”
>"Is that a model kit?"
Did Elena get into it because we are a pilot, and it's one of our hobbies? Or is it Nina's?
>>
>>5535564
Asking about that model kit could be a fun interaction.

>>5535458
Tell us about what? The engineering?
That might not be a bad idea, since I bet Nina wouldn't trust us enough to tell us the details (and might even warn Elena if we start asking about it now).
>>
>>5535325
>>5535360
>>5535454
Engineering project.

>>5535359
Engineering + Take a look.

>>5535327
>>5535328
>>5535343 (second option)
>>5535458
Not real.

>>5535564
Not real + Engineering + Model kit.

Writing.
>>
“...So why exactly did you think I wasn’t real, Nina?” You ask, walking around the living room a bit and taking a closer look at things; seems like a comfortable enough place, very welcoming if still a bit slapped together.

“Well, to be frank it’s because she never shows off pictures, and she’s so cagey whenever I ask about things.” Nina says, frustration clear in her tone as she trudges back toward one of the closed doors at the edge of the living room, “I can understand being embarrassed about doing things long distance, but she really took things to extremes. A tall, handsome, athletic young pilot who’s a very good friend with her but never visits, there are no pictures of him, his name doesn’t show up in a records search, and he can’t be talked about much without making her clearly nervous - but he’ll fly her around the city one day when he shows up? I thought she just made it all up so I wouldn’t bother her about not having a man, sort of like guys claiming to have a girlfriend in the Jupiter fleet.”

You grin at that, you just can’t help it; of course Elena wasn’t talking people’s ears off about you or flashing pictures, that would hardly be a safe habit. You hold your arms out and shrug, “...Well, here I am. Can’t begrudge somebody for being private, can you? She said I’m handsome?”

Nina facepalms, “Oh god, she wasn’t lying, was she? This is going to be such a disaster. …Make yourself at home, Max, Elena should be back in a few minutes. I need to finish getting ready.”

“Right, right. I’ll just-”

Nina disappears into the other room before you can finish speaking. What a weird girl. A little too focused on her studies and clearly not much of a people person, but not that bad - You did just sort of barge in from out of nowhere, at least from her perspective.

>Just settle in and wait, Elena shouldn’t be long now.
>Check out that work bench nearby. That definitely looks like a model kit of somekind near all the electronics.
>Head out onto the balcony, enjoy the view of Von Braun at night. Maybe you can catch sight of Elena on her way back.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5535727
1)
>Check out that work bench nearby. That definitely looks like a model kit of somekind near all the electronics.
>Head out onto the balcony, enjoy the view of Von Braun at night. Maybe you can catch sight of Elena on her way back.

2)
>Check out that work bench nearby. That definitely looks like a model kit of somekind near all the electronics.

3)
>Head out onto the balcony, enjoy the view of Von Braun at night. Maybe you can catch sight of Elena on her way back.
>>
>>5535727
1)
>Check out that work bench nearby. That definitely looks like a model kit of somekind near all the electronics.
2)
>Head out onto the balcony, enjoy the view of Von Braun at night. Maybe you can catch sight of Elena on her way back.
3)
>Just settle in and wait, Elena shouldn’t be long now.
>>
>>5535727
>Head out onto the balcony, enjoy the view of Von Braun at night. Maybe you can catch sight of Elena on her way back.
>>
>>5535727
>Check out that work bench nearby. That definitely looks like a model kit of somekind near all the electronics.
>>
>>5535731 (second option)
>>5535734
>>5535739

Writing.
>>
File: Anaheim Factory.jpg (322 KB, 1507x844)
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Absent any company and with a few minutes to burn, you make your way over to the workbench near the balcony, taking a closer look at. The bench itself is various shades of blue, an Anaheim hobbyist model, a number of power and data ports running along its sides and back, a few of them connected to the computer setup on the left and others leading to small tools lined up in neat little racks.

Scattered across the center of the table is what you think might be a robotic arm of some kind, a skeletal thing of servos and wires, half assembled up to the elbow. The few sections sporting external panels are chunky, not sleek at all, almost reminding your of the utility arms pods sometimes sport, or simplified mobiles suit limbs… of course those aren’t public knowledge, and they rarely incorporate old fashioned servos like this, the fluid pulse system handles most of the work of moving something like a Waff around.

You don’t recognize any particular model of robot that the arm belongs to, small humanoid robots are pretty uncommon on the market due to creeping people out, and the general preference is for friendlier household assistants that come in non-threatening but shapes; spheres, little rovers, generally small and cute things. One of the books left open on the bench is a programming guide for servo-controllers.

Interesting work. Maybe this is the project they’re working on?

Off the corner is the model kit you spotted from across the room, an empty box for a Saberfish model, a few clipped sprues slid neatly back inside of it and no sign of the assembled model itself. Looking down on the ground nearby you find several other boxes for various models, neatly stacks and… as you pick one of them up you can tell immediately that it’s mostly empty as well. You set it back down and back off a step, not wanting to disturb whatever organization the workbench has; it’s all fairly tidy, in its own way. The models are probably Nina’s, Elena has never sent you pictures of them before and she’s pretty open with you about her art…
>>
>>5535884

The door to the apartment opens, and you can hear faint footsteps as someone enters.

“Nina, they still don’t have the drinks you wanted! Nobody called while I was out, did they? Some jerk with colony plates parked in your spot on the road, I had to use the side lot - thanks for letting me borrow your car though!” A very familiar voice shouts, just a little huskier than you remember, and you can hear something heavy being set down on the kitchen table; there’s no line of sight from where you’re at to the apartment’s entrance or most of the kitchen.

There’s no response from Nina’s room. She probably didn’t hear it with her door closed; it sounds like she might have a hair dryer running or something.

>”I decided not to call ahead, hope you don’t mind.” Stroll on over into the kitchen.
>Move quietly over to the kitchen while she’s unloading things, ”...Hey, Elena.”
>Wait for her to come around the corner; that’ll be a reaction to remember.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5535886
>”I decided not to call ahead, hope you don’t mind.” Stroll on over into the kitchen.
This is the choice we'd make if we're set on being her friend, I think.
>>
>>5535889
Honestly it shouldn't make much of a difference, except the other choices might emphasize on the whole 'handsome mysterious stranger' type.
They could still be fun to do, unless something unexpected happens (like her fainting).
>>
>>5535886
>Move quietly over to the kitchen while she’s unloading things, ”...Hey, Elena.”
>>
>>5535886
>>5535889
Changing vote to
1)
>Move quietly over to the kitchen while she’s unloading things, ”...Hey, Elena.”
On second thought let's make this a surprise. We already came here without calling her, might as well commit.

2)
>”I decided not to call ahead, hope you don’t mind.” Stroll on over into the kitchen.
>>
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>>5535886
>>Move quietly over to the kitchen while she’s unloading things, ”...Hey, Elena.”
>>
>>5535886
>>Wait for her to come around the corner; that’ll be a reaction to remember.
Stand there looking good, ultimate romantic option
>>
>>5535886
>Wait for her to come around the corner; that’ll be a reaction to remember.
>>
>>5535886
>Write-in.
spill spaghetti
>>
>>5535886
>Wait for her to come around the corner; that’ll be a reaction to remember.
>>
>>5535886
>Move quietly over to the kitchen while she’s unloading things, ”...Hey, Elena.”
>>
>>5535892
>>5535899
>>5535901
>>5535955
Hey, Elena.

>>5535906
>>5535918
>>5535946
Stand around looking good.

>>5535945
Spaghetti.

Writing. Might not get the update out for a few hours, got a class in a bit.
>>
>>5535886
>Wait for her to come around the corner; that’ll be a reaction to remember.
>>
A few quiet steps carry you most of the way across the living room, moving along the wall to stay out of sight of the kitchen and entranceway. Glass clinks together, and you can hear the seal of the refrigerator opening; she’s putting away groceries, distracted. The faint whirring of Nina’s hair dryer can be heard even through her closed door, doing a lot to help mask your steps, and you get just the edge of the kitchen and peek around…

…And stop to admire the view for a moment. Elena’s turned away from you, busy sorting a few things in the open fridge, tight jeans with a few torn holes clinging close to shapely legs, drawing your gaze all the way up their length - that slight gap between her thighs, the swell and curve of her hips that you don’t remember at all the last time you saw her - It’s hard not stare. She’s wearing her hair in a braided ponytail and longer than she used to, warm red satin wrapped around itself, draping down to just above the small of her back, a few loose strands hanging down by her face. Her light green jacket is a slightly exaggerated style you’ve seen a few people wearing on the streets of Von Braun, but its vibrant look suits her, hanging open and just a bit loose.

You lead against the wall with one arm, smirking just slightly, “...Hey, Elena.”

She freezes for a moment, glass clinking on metal as she drops the drink she was putting into the back of the fridge, and slowly she turns around, her slightly upturned emerald eyes wide in surprise, one of the most beautiful smiles you’ve ever seen slowly spreading across her face.
>>
>>5536204

“Hi, Max.” She whispers, one pale hand covering her mouth in shock; half a moment later and she’s running to you, arms wide - You’re ready for it, but she still nearly knocks you over, a lot more excited than you were ready for, practically jumping onto you.

“I’ve missed you so much.” Her words barely come out, choking back tears of joy and relief, “You wrote.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” You ask in a low voice, pulling her a bit tighter with one arm, surprised by the firmness of her back, still soft and yet more muscled than you would have expected, a tight fitness, “I keep my promises.”

“You do!” She exclaims, emerald eyes gazing into yours as she moves much closer, the shared gaze deep enough to easily get lost in, the swell of her chest close, “I think that deserves a reward~”

There’s an almost intoxicating aroma about her, a subtle cinnamon similar to that which pervades the entire apartment, seeming to make it harder to think of anything but her with every breath, a sort of frantic energy carried with her touch. It’s electric, pure physicality, a sudden intimacy that she’s clearly burning to share, your own hormones and blood sent pumping - How long has this been building up in her? It’s a dim thought, pleasantly clouded. It would be easy to drift off in the moment, to ride this wave; she moves to your touch, natural and easy.

“...Elena, what did you say about the - Oh my! Sorry, sorry!” Nina sputters out from her room, the door slightly cracked open, “Wow!

Elena pulls back from you, cheeks flush and emerald eyes flashing, waving Nina off with a hand, “Shoo, Nina!”

“Sorry!” Nina squeaks, disappearing back into her room like a mouse fleeing a cat, door shutting loudly.

“...I didn’t want to wait too long this time.” Elena says, biting at her lower lip, words just spilling out, “I’ve been thinking about you for years, Max. Every letter. Every night. Getting ready for this. I’m so happy you’re here, I... God, it’s hard to even talk.”

>Kiss her!
>”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>”I’ve missed you too.” Back off a little more, even if it’s a struggle. Just a friend, right?
>Write-in.
>>
>>5536210
>Kiss her!
Fuck, I can't cockblock Felix here
>>
>>5536210
>”I’ve missed you too.” Back off a little more, even if it’s a struggle. Just a friend, right?
Emotions are pretty strong here, but we shouldn't just jump into a relationship in the third thread.
I know some anons are against being with her since she's the first girl and an earthnoid, but I don't see the relationship coming to anything good due to different worldviews and opposing sides.
>>
>>5536210
>”I’ve missed you too.” Back off a little more, even if it’s a struggle. Just a friend, right?
>>
>>5536210
>”I’ve missed you too.” Back off a little more, even if it’s a struggle. Just a friend, right?
>>
>>5536210
>”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536210
>”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536210
>”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536217
>different worldviews and opposing sides.
Well, this is just an assumption on my part. I think it would be smarter to know what her personality is like and what her beliefs on spacenoids/contolism are before we do anything.
Also there's the question of Tryphosa. I don't know how Elena would react to another girl literally being in Felix's head (or about the bond in general).
>>
>>5536210
>(1. Kiss her!
>(2. ”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536226
She works for Anaheim, and has lived most of her life in earth or earth-aligned colonies. So it's a fair assumption to believe she's against Contolism in some way.
>>
>>5536210
>”I’ve missed you too.” Back off a little more, even if it’s a struggle. Just a friend, right?
This is the second time I'm posting this, since it looks like 4chan just ate my post.
>>
>>5536253
Like I said, it's an assumption. But you're probably right, it does make sense. This isn't to say she can't be our friend, or even our best friend. That and I still think it would be cruel not to tell her that there's another girl we're emotionally bonded with before leading her on.

I'm not saying we shouldn't go with her, in fact she might be the ideal waifu, but I'd like to get to know her first after all this time has passed before doing anything we might regret.
>>
>>5536216
Kiss!

>>5536217
>>5536218
>>5536219
>>5536262
"I've missed you too."

>>5536220
>>5536221
>>5536223
>>5536228
"Hold onto this for when we're flying, Elena."

Looks like we've got a tie, I'll give it another hour.
>>
>>5536210
>”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536318
I shall amend my vote to
>1)Kiss her!
>2)”Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536318
'Tis this vote >>5536216 I am amending. Forgive my mobile-voting
>>
>>5536324
Looks like your ID switched, which was your other vote?
>>
>>5536327
>>5536325
Never mind. Thanks for jumping right on that before I even asked, anon.
>>
The first girl curse lives on
>>
>>5536210
Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena. Let’s not rush in.” An effort of will, but that might be better.
>>
>>5536363
I wouldn't go as far as that. Contolist said that he wouldn't route lock.
Besides I feel like the "Hold onto this" as more of a seeing how things will turn out, maybe after a few dates.
>>
>>5536370
I know, I'm just meming around.
>>
>>5536370
chances are one or both of them are going to die in the OYW, so just go for the one that lives.
>>
>>5536379
Sigmanon detected
>>
>>5536379
I'm worried that we'll be a two-timer if we settle for someone long term now (and there's a good chance of that, since that's just how qst works) since we won't get either if we do that.

>>5536380
Accurate
>>
>>5536324
>>5536323
>>5536220
>>5536221
>>5536223
>>5536228
Writing.
>>
“Hold onto this for when we’re flying, Elena.” You back off a step, her hands settling to your hips, “Let’s not rush in.”

“Rush in?” She asks, lips scrunching up for a moment as she looks you over, considering the suggestion, “...Alright, I can wait a little longer; good things come to those who wait, don’t they?~”

An excited, subtle shudder runs through you at her words; it’s a primal reaction, a motor running, revving, turned on with a word and a wink - An entire week of this. You’ll go insane at this rate, this ache is isn’t like anything like you’ve felt before. It’s not a desire so much as a demand from your body, waist down anyways, but with tremendous effort you manage to push through the hormonal fog - the excitement is far from gone though, your heart still racing.

“...So I’ve heard.” You smirk, Elena pulling away from you slowly, eyes still locked - She gives your butt a farewell squeeze - Your eyes go a little wider in surprise and she laughs, a rich tone to her voice.

“You’ll like what I’ve got planned - For flying, too.” Elena teases, absolutely relentless, “I’ve got a surprise for you down on the industrial level, I’ve been working on something special for when you got here.”

“What is it?” You ask, though it’s already clear she’s not going to give a straight answer, she just has that look in her eyes.

She puts a finger to her lips, “Shh, now don’t go asking my questions - I just might answer them. It’s a surprise. I think I might even have you wear a blindfold, that’d be fun, wouldn’t it?”

Well, there’s only one way to follow up a tease like that, “When do we go?”

“It isn’t quite ready yet.” Elena says, leaning back against the wall, her long braid draped over one shoulder, “Another day or two - I wasn’t sure when you’d be getting here.”

“Neither was I, didn’t have much of a say in when I showed up.” You admit with a shrug, settling into something a little more like a normal conversation, that fever in you slowly burning off. Achingly slowly.
>>
>>5536469

“You’re… back in Side Three now, with them, right?” Elena asks, her voice quiet, emerald eyes glancing toward the door to Nina’s room, “They put tails on me sometimes, I don’t think they know I’m onto them. I can slip them pretty reliably now. We’re going to be followed around all week, right?”

You blink, surprised by her… competence? She was always bright and quick to notice things, on the same highly accelerated education program you were back in Spain, or at least a very similar track, but she was never quite this switched on - There’s something much more alert about her in general, really alive, ready to go; or maybe you’re just seeing things you want to be there.

“...Not too closely. I lucked out, my guards are old family friends, good people - they’ll be keeping their distance. There’s another team though, I’m not sure how nosy they’re going to get. We might be able to lose them… They’ve sent people to follow you though?” You nearly wince as you ask the question, a pang of guilt shooting through you - Your family’s political troubles got Elena shot before, and now Kycilia is practically holding a sword over her head.

Elena nods, still speaking in a hushed voice, wary of the door, “Ever since… Ever since what happened in Spain I’ve tried to be more alert. I was useless, so scared I couldn’t think, I still have nightmares about it… I hate that feeling, not being able to do anything. Things were really bad for a while there with... with mom and dad. I had a lot of time alone, so… so I sort of took a few self-defense classes, read some old intelligence manuals, had a soldier back in Brazil show me how to shoot a bit - I didn’t want to worry you, and writing it down didn’t seem smart, but I… I want to help.”

She trails off, one hand drifting to her side, right where she was shot all those years ago.

>”This isn’t something you want to jump in on, Elena. It’s life and death. You should already know that.” She’s just smart enough to get into serious trouble, try to warn her off.
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
>”God, you’re hot.” Okay, maybe not the most intelligent response, but this is a level of dedication that’s just hitting like a freight train.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5536474
>>”This isn’t something you want to jump in on, Elena. It’s life and death. You should already know that.” She’s just smart enough to get into serious trouble, try to warn her off.
>>
>>5536474
>”God, you’re hot.” Okay, maybe not the most intelligent response, but this is a level of dedication that’s just hitting like a freight train.
Elena is proving herself to be more based by the update. What a comeback!
>>
>>5536474
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
>>
>>5536474
1)
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
That plan of making her a spy is looking more and more realistic with each post.

2)
>”This isn’t something you want to jump in on, Elena. It’s life and death. You should already know that.” She’s just smart enough to get into serious trouble, try to warn her off.
>>
>>5536540
I wanted to vote for the first choice, but honestly warning her off might be more of an insult to her than otherwise. And even if she does back down, she'll still be trailed by Kycilia for the rest of her life (and that's being optimistic about it).
Best if she does something to make sure she's safer in the future than pretend everything is alright now.

I didn't think there would be much competition to Tryphosa, but man you're full of surprises Contolist.
>>
>>5536474
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
>>
>>5536474
>”This isn’t something you want to jump in on, Elena. It’s life and death. You should already know that.” She’s just smart enough to get into serious trouble, try to warn her off.

Ah shit man how many teams are involved shadowing this one (you know what) project? How many cells are grouped up here for someone to repeatedly notice them?
>>
>>5536474
>>5536540
To stay committed to my reasoning, I'll change my vote to just
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
>>
>>5536474
>”God, you’re hot.” Okay, maybe not the most intelligent response, but this is a level of dedication that’s just hitting like a freight train.
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
I always believed in Elenacoin
>>
>>5536474
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
This is the second time 4chan seems to have eaten my post. Maybe this is a problem on my end?
>>
>>5536598
At least Kycilia is involved. The Jovians probably know about something, since this involves Felix.
>>
>>5536474
>”...You already are. Just keep playing it safe, alright?... So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were both going out.” If she’s on board then she’s on board, but it’s probably not smart to stand her discussing things for ages with Nina just a door away.
>>
>>5536636
It's been happening on and off recently, you aren't alone.
>>
>>5536477
>>5536598
Warn her off.

>>5536480
Hot!

>>5536487
>>5536548
>>5536605
>>5536636 Happens to me sometimes too.
>>5536753
Already in.

>>5536611
Hot + Already in.

Writing. I have a long class starting soon, might take a bit to get the post out.
>>
>>5536388
I was going to say how Felix is clever enough to get away with cheating, but then I realized Tryphosa and Artesia will know because of psychic fuckery.
>>
>>5537036
Yeah, Artesia is a living lie detector (and can probably feel our thoughts/emotions) and Tryphosa knows everything we're thinking (consciously or subconsciously) just by being near us.
>>
>>5537047
But beyond that it just doesn't feel right to cheat on one of the waifus. Felix is probably emphatic enough to realize that being a two-timer is heartless, and is smart enough to know that it will probably cause problems in the future (for his family, politically, and for his relationships as well).
>>
>>5537036
>>5537053
Is it really cheating if Felix makes no promises though?
>>
>>5537079
Maybe not overtly, but leading on someone while getting it on with another is manipulative (even if the leading on is unintentional, which it clearly isn't seen from Felix's reactions and the votes).
Besides its pretty clear that Elena is going for an actual relationship between just herself and Felix. Not telling her that we might have a side girl(s), while still having her believe that we're only with her is just begging for a disaster to happen either Kycilia or some other Zabi/enemy will use it as blackmail if they find out and it probably won't go well with anyone.
>>
>>5537095
>and it probably won't go well with anyone.
All the more reason to spend time with Blanche, then.

I don't see no issues
>>
>>5537079
>technically it wasn't cheating
Tell that to Tryphosa/Elena/Artesia.
If we (try to) keep either side in the dark if we do this it'll be bad. Fallout from this will be hell, I've seen it happen before.
>>
“...You already are, Elena. Just keep playing it safe, alright?” You assure her quietly, her willingness to leap into the fray really striking something in you, but lingering on the topic overlong seems unwise with Nina just a door away, “...So where are we off to tonight? Nina mentioned you were going out.”

Elena’s smile returns and she slinks over to the backpack left in the kitchen, unzipping it, “It took weeks but I finally convinced her to go, I thought I was bad, but Nina’s a real shut-in. There’s this club down a level, good music but sort of hidden, a little rough around the edges, but they’ve got…”

She produces a red rattle can from the backpack, a few others with colorful caps visible just inside, “...Walls outside that they don’t mind people tagging up - I don’t really go to talk or dance, it’s mostly older students and local so I don't really... fit in. I go for the art, it changes every week or so - there’s always something new.”

“Sharing your art with the world then? It’s about time.” You smile, thinking back to just how shy and secretive about her art she’d been when you last saw her, too embarrassed to show anyone else her work.

“Not quite. It’s anonymous, you just spray and pray someone likes it before it gets covered up - It’s liberating, no one knows who did what unless they sign it. You get an eye for styles, it’s obvious some people come back, but I couldn’t put names to faces. I like to think of it as practice for the s… Mm, never mind that.” Elena trails off rather cryptically, lips scrunched up again for a moment, “You’re going to love it.”

“Practice for the surprise?” You guess, a bit more intrigued, and her smirk does more than enough to confirm your suspicion, “So when do we go?”

“When Nina’s ready. I don’t think she understands what kind of place it is, I tried to tell her not to dress up too much but she wouldn’t listen - She’s got a guy she’s supposed to meet there, from one of the classes we don’t share.”
>>
>>5537128

“Oh? Well, good for her.” You say, shrugging but finding the prospect of even an unexpected sort-of double date better than having Nina as a complete third wheel, “She got all worked up worrying over an engineering project earlier.”

“Ugh, that. She’s been trotting it out as an excuse not to go on her date. We barely even have the arm done.” Elena groans, “She’s been obsessing over it, I swear she loves robots more than life…”

You chuckle sympathetically, “Careful now, your excitement might rub off on me.”

“Pfff, right.” Elena rolls her eyes and moves over to Nina’s door, tapping on it lightly, “Ready to go?”

“Almost!” Nina’s muffled voice responds, “Green or blue?”

Elena cracks open the door and looks inside, “Turn… Blue for sure. Oh come on, what’s with that look? You’ll knock him out.”

“How can you be sure though?” You faintly hear Nina asks. Elena says something you don’t quite catch, and then looks back to you with a sigh.

“Give us a minute, okay?” Elena asks, her tone apologetic, “She’s terrible at picking when things get down to a few options.”

“Take all the time you need.”

Twenty minutes later.

While you’re waiting, occasional muffled voices heard from Nina’s room, you take the time to send a short message to Ramba and Hamon; it’s a quick exchange, just enough to keep to security protocol.

…And you’re beginning to realize that telling Elena to take ‘all the time you need’ might have been a poor choice of words. Eventually the two of them emerge, Nina looking almost completely different from the mop haired girl you saw half an hour ago - rather gorgeous really, wearing a blue dress that really suits her - you only barely take note of it, eyes settling on Elena.

“All ready! Nina looks good, doesn’t she, Max?” Elena asks you, motioning to the rather nervous looking Nina; she’s just looking for a confidence boost for her friend.

You flash a smile and nod, “Looking great. Who’s it all for?”

“Harin. He’s in one of my advanced robotics courses, it's mostly theory…” Nina says, glancing back to the workbench near the far end of the living room - Really can’t make up her mind, can she?

“He won’t stand a chance.” Elena says amusedly, moving past you and toward the apartment’s door, “How’d you get here, Max, bus or…?”

“I drove.”

“Oh?~” Elena questions, that glint in her eyes again, “Want to go in separate cars? Nina, you know the way, right? Max can drive me there.”

“Of course, I saw the map yesterday.” Nina says, almost sounding insulted, “You left mine around the side, right?”

“Yep, not too far. So how about it, Max?”

>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
>”I drive you both, no need to split up.”
>”...Was sort of hoping we’d walk, haven’t gotten to take in the sights yet. There are lifts to go down levels, right?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5537098
Imagine how shit she will feel if when she finds out that she's a side dish if we do that.
Also it'll cause tension if we decide to put her in our team once the OYW starts.

>spoiler
You might not, but people around Felix will.
And at least Tryphosa and Artesia will notice because of newtype weirdness (I don't know how Tryphosa will react, but Artesia will probably hate us if we keep Elena in the dark like that. It might be enough to cause a rift in the family, especially since she's now probably thinking about a relationship with Garma), and Elena will probably be devastated.
Also do you really want to give Gihren/Kycilia good blackmail material to use against us?

But if you're saying that we should tell any waifus about Tryphosa before being officially in any relationship (not giving away too much information of course, just that we're newtype bonded with her) then I'm a bit more open to it.
>>
>>5537136
>>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
>>
>>5537136
>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
>>
>>5537136
>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
As funny as it would be to take them both, getting the chance to talk with Elena alone is important.
>>
>>5537137
>spoiler
If it gives them a specific and "easy" set of leavers to pull on they are less likely to go after other things immediately and they may well feel more content that they still have control and "allow" us more rope to hang ourselves with.

>it'll cause tension if we decide to put her in our team once the OYW starts.
Depending on what exactly we end up getting up to I doubt there will be anywhere safer to be while still within our influence, and at least we are likely to be able to exert some control over things with her "under" Felix.
>>
>>5537136
>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”

Can anyone think of anything that might potentially be worth mentioning on the drive over there.

Eb the Rear Admiral might be a good idea to help close the loop on the Federation's awareness of Newtypes / the Jovian connection and our continued survival
>>
>>5537136
1)
>”I drive you both, no need to split up.”
2)
>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
>>
>>5537136
>”Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”
>>
>>5537151
>spoiler
Playing with other people's hearts for political leverage is a very machiavellian thing for Felix to do. Maybe Casval might, but Felix actually seems to care about other people's feelings.

>Depending on what exactly we end up getting up to I doubt there will be anywhere safer to be while still within our influence, and at least we are likely to be able to exert some control over things with her "under" Felix.
Emotionally and politically compelling people to work for us, or being 'safer' option to unwillingly follow is Zabi-tier (see Ramba and Hamon, they were ready to betray the Zabis the moment we told them of our plans). That's not to mention the possibility that she'll even be under us.
And don't forget she's loyal to Dozle first, not Felix. If act romantically with her, then pressure her to follow our orders (or worse, keep pressuring her into being romantically active with us even if she wants to break up), she won't trust us and there will be easily avoidable drama with political ramifications. Having herself and her father against us for something we could've avoided just doesn't make sense. It's better to have good friends that trust us than a bitter ex and her angry father.

Also the issue of Artesia and Elena being angry at us and the potential family rift still stands.

I'm not against going with Blanche (or any of the waifus for that matter), but we have to make sure we don't do things in a way that will ruin everything.
>>
>>5537141
>>5537144
>>5537146
>>5537170
>>5537174
>>5537184
Writing.
>>
Well, there’s no turning down an offer like that, “Absolutely. I’m parked just out front.”

“Let’s get moving then!” Elena says, moving alongside, your arm finding its way around her almost on its own, that wonderful cinnamon aroma drawing you in again, focusing your attention on the moment and nothing else; this feels right.

Nina smiles a little awkwardly, watching the two of you for a moment and then sighing, deflating just a little, “...I’ll see you both there. Try not to get too… distracted. Ugh, what a pair of lovebirds…”

Nina grumbles to herself as you make your way to the door, most of it too quiet even for you to discern.

“...We’ll be waiting for you there!” Elena replies cheerfully before speaking to you in almost a whisper, “...I’m so glad you’re here.”

[A minute or so later.]

Elena stands next to the car Ramba gave to you, slightly bent over with one hand resting on the dark hood, head turned toward you with a look of bemusement, “I should have known.”

You scratch at the back of your head, cheeks warming a bit in embarrassment, “Didn’t realize this was Nina’s spot.”

“Missed the sign then?” Elena’s emerald eyes glance to a nearby ‘residents only’ sign that you absolutely didn’t see earlier, “...Well, better you than someone else; I almost keyed your car for being here with colony plates, thought it might have just been a lazy spy.”

“No, you didn’t.” You chuckle at Elena’s joking threat anyways, opening the passenger door for her to get in, and then moving around the widely spaced wheels of the rover car to settle into the driver’s seat.

As soon as your door shuts you feel a sense of freedom that you’ve never had outside of a cockpit. It’s just you and Elena, the whole of Von Braun a possible destination, or even the flats outside the crater the city rests in - You’d want normal suits for it, but the car itself is sealed just like most others on Luna. And sure, you have a destination in mind right now, but there’s no one actually stopping you from just going… anywhere. No immediate threats, no siblings to watch after, nothing.

You really needed this, a long deserved break from a false life.
>>
>>5537344

“Can we talk in here?” Elena asks, and you nod, focusing for a moment on the slow but unpredictable university traffic as you get the car moving and pull out into the road.

“There aren’t any bugs. Might not be safe tomorrow though, the other set of guards can’t be happy that I’m using it.”

“...Is it bad that I find that really exciting? I know I shouldn’t, but…” Elena asks, biting her lower lip and looking altogether far too distracting even out of the corner of your eye, “Anyways, I can check the car over for bugs, I do checks of my apartment with my microscanner every so often.”

“Really, a microscanner? Ever find any?” You question, stopping at a light briefly, the neon lights of storefronts and gaudy advertising covering much of the buildings along the street.

“It's for my engineering projects, or at least that was the excuse I used to buy it. Only found bugs a few times here.” Elena answers, leaning back in her seat and sighing, arms crossed, “They probably think I’m the clumsiest girl on Luna, all those spills ruining cushions and clocks falling off walls.”

“Gave them a nice speech a few times too, I’m guessing.” You chuckle, all too familiar with the game of cat and mouse but never having found quite so much joy in it - maybe you’ve been missing out, “I’ve gotten so used to it by now that I don’t even think about hiding things. I’m not used to being able to just… talk. It’s rare, especially where we live now.”

“And where do you live now? I know it’s back in Zeon, but you’ve never said.” Elena asks.

“The Zabi palace.” No way around that piece of news.

There’s a few moments of shocked silence before she manages to find her words, “...You’re serious, aren’t you? You live with them?

“For a little over two months now.” You admit, “Which way from here?”

“Left, then forward for two lights and take the exit ramp down on the right.” Elena relays, focusing on the simple task of giving directions for a moment, visibly trying to make sense of things, “...So you mean the giant spiky fortress, right? The one that’s always on the news when there’s some problem with Zeon?”

“When isn’t there a problem?” You question, the news almost being a 24/7 feed of Zeon and Federation disputes these days, many of which you hear about before Gihren even starts them up, “...And yeah, that’s the one. It’s actually quite nice inside, for a prison. Sort of a Versailles look, but… ominous. Everything is monitored.”

“A gilded cage then. That does explain those pictures you sent, I was wondering what place looked so nice - But you did live in a castle when I met you, so I just sort of chalked it up to secret space prince stuff.” Elena says with a sigh, understanding at once, and you let that ‘space prince’ comment slide for the moment, “...Why’d they let you come here then?”
>>
>>5537351

“They still have Casval and Artesia, and my mother. They’re practically hostages, and they’ve got those guards following me around… but I also helped out with a problem the Zabis had, I think they’re trying to buy me off, stockholm syndrome or something… It won’t work, but I really couldn’t pass up on seeing you.”

Your mom is alive?” Elena gasps, her face alight with joy, “Max, that’s amazing news! …How is she doing?”

“Recovering well,” You grip around the wheel tightens, knuckles white, “...they had her locked up on her own for years, she barely made it.”

Fucking assholes.” Elena nearly spits the words out, and a silence settles over the car for a few seconds before she speaks more gently, one slender hand finding its way over to your thigh, “I’m glad she’s okay, Max. I know how bad you must have missed her. ...Is there anything else you couldn’t put in the letters? There’s so much I know we couldn’t write about, it’s just been burning a hole in me for years!”

Well, there’s a mountain of things to talk about, but just how much do you really want to dump on her right now?

>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5537355
1)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”

2)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”

3)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”

Talking about newtypes could save her life down the line (or at least help us both out in some way), I think.
>>
>>5537355
>1)”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>2)>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”
>>
>>5537355
>>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
>>
>>5537361
Though it's implied that Elena will take us to some sort of incognito mask party. I'm guessing she'll ask us not to cheat. It'll be a shame to not use our powers to make everyone impressed by the 'handsome mysterious stranger' Elena brought with her.
Still we got our [Perception] so it should still be fun.
>>
>>5537355
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
My heroic space-prince childhood friend is a psychic???
>>
>>5537355
1)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
2)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
3)
>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
>>
>>5537355
>1. ”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
>2. ”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”
>2. ”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
2. Is a combination.
I wanna see if she opens up more about Anaheim.
>>
>>5537355
Switching my vote >>5537381 to just
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
This is probably more important for now.
>>
>>5537367
kek
>>
File: mrcrzf28ore91[1].jpg (19 KB, 400x300)
19 KB
19 KB JPG
....

oh my fucking god.

I finally figured out who her roomie is.

AND WHO SHES MEETING. Its fucking gatooooo
>>
>>5537420
We should try to be his bud if we meet him.
>>
>>5537355
>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>>
>>5537355
>>5537361
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”

2)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”

3)
>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>”...I'm more interested in you, Elena. What’s on your chest?”

At least telling her where we'll be for the next few months could be vital.
>>
>>5537425
I'd almost rather we did the universe a favour and remove his existance
>>
>>5537435
But where's the fun in that?
But really, this gives us some things to think about.
>>
>>5537355
>>>”...I’ll be going to the Zeon military academy in a few months. Casval and Artesia will be too.”
>>”...Have you ever heard of newtypes?”
>>5537435
Eat your carrots, Kou.
>>
>>5537362
>>5537367
>>5537383
>>5537434 (second option)
>>5537379 (second option)
Newtypes?

>>5537365
Newtypes+What's on her chest.

>>5537428
>>5537467
Academy+Newtypes.

Writing.

>>5537420
Correct, but wrong on the second count. Gato does happen to be seventeen right now though, which is the normal age for entering the academy...
>>
“...Have you ever heard of newtypes?” You ask, eyes steady on the road as you take the exit down to the lower level of Von Braun.

“Like in your father’s books?” Elena asks with a smile, “I read all of them as soon as I could after we got separated. It was actually pretty funny, the librarian on base got worried when I checked out so many of them at once…”

“Well, they’re not really light reading. You were what, thirteen?”

“I’ve never done light reading, Max.” Elena scrunches up her lips again and gives you an ‘oh come on now’ look, and you can’t do much other than shrug in concession, “No, it wasn’t that - she thought I was getting radicalized and somehow got it into her head that it was a good idea to tell my mom, it was nearly a big mess. I still ended up reading them a couple of times. I was buried in books as much as I could be with everything that was going on…”

“...So what did you think of them?” You ask, the gentle curve of the ramp rolling out ahead of you, the twinkling lights of the lower level in the distance.

She considering your question carefully before speaking, fidgeting a bit with the end of her braided ponytail, "Well… It didn’t really make much sense at the time. It’s not a hard line of reasoning to follow, at least not broadly, but it, uhm… I guess it didn’t click until I moved up here.”

“Oh?”

“...The first time I saw the earth from up here I felt… I don’t quite know how to describe it… I just felt that everything I’d seen down there was so small, like earth was just a little orb that could vanish into the black. Not that everything else was petty, but just that people have been less than what they could be.” Her words cause your heartbeat to quicken, the answer far more than you hoped or expected, “I’m not sure if that means much, or if it’s really what it was about, but it started to make some kind of sense then... I thought of you too, Max. So, yes - I’ve heard of newtypes. Why?”
>>
>>5537617

“Would you believe it if I told you they exist?” You ask, exiting the ramp and merging into the faster traffic of the lower level.

“...It’s only a change of viewpoint, right? So sure, of course they can exist.” She answers almost casually, simultaneously touching upon the truth and yet leagues away.

“It’s not just that, Elena. When a person’s mind opens and they become a newtype it… it’s an entirely new existence, not just a change in viewpoint but a change in their ability to perceive at a basic level. Everything is different.”

“So something more… mystical then?” She questions, intently curious but lacking in understanding, her voice softening, quieting nearly to a whisper, “This means a lot to you, doesn’t it? You believe it?”

You nod. How do you tell her just how much further it goes than belief?

“Did you have an experience or…?” She asks hesitantly.

“Experience?”

“You know, a mystical one? Some people talk about having out of body experiences, or feeling others around them… seeing things. You looked so intense a moment ago, like you were reliving something.” She bites nervously at her lip, waiting for a response, emerald eyes watching you intently.

“Would you believe me if I said I did?” You ask, and the words are barely past your lips before she responds.

“Yes. I trust you, Max. What happened?”

>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.
>”I… awakened. For a moment I could see everything stretching out around me, time didn’t have a meaning, and my awareness expanded so far beyond my body that I didn’t feel like myself, I shared my soul with someone else... I’m not sure how else to describe it. Maybe mystical isn’t a bad word for it.”
>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5537619
>>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>>
>>5537619
>>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>>
>>5537619
>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>>
>>5537619
>”I… awakened. For a moment I could see everything stretching out around me, time didn’t have a meaning, and my awareness expanded so far beyond my body that I didn’t feel like myself, I shared my soul with someone else... I’m not sure how else to describe it. Maybe mystical isn’t a bad word for it.”
>>
>>5537619
1)
>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.
>Write-in
>"...she's being experimented on as we speak."
>Don't just talk about Tryphosa and your bond, warn her about the Jovians and their plans, as well as some of the experiments you've seen. They are also a factor to watch out for.

2)
>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.

3)
>”I… awakened. For a moment I could see everything stretching out around me, time didn’t have a meaning, and my awareness expanded so far beyond my body that I didn’t feel like myself, I shared my soul with someone else... I’m not sure how else to describe it. Maybe mystical isn’t a bad word for it.”

The Jovians are important enough to mention.
>>
>>5537640
+1
>>
>>5537640
Does the write in talk about Flanagan? Well supporting this either way. Elena can be trusted, and I'm sure she'll understand the bond was out of Felix's control.
>>
>>5537619
>>>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>>
>>5537667
The question is if she will think the bond is romantic or not.
But I get that it's better to tell her now than have it explode in our face.
>>
>>5537640
+1
Vote didn't seem to go through, again.
>>
>>5537619
1)
>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.
>Write-in
>"...she's being experimented on as we speak."
>Don't just talk about Tryphosa and your bond, warn her about the Jovians and their plans, as well as some of the experiments you've seen. They are also a factor to watch out for.
2)
>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.
3)
>”I… awakened. For a moment I could see everything stretching out around me, time didn’t have a meaning, and my awareness expanded so far beyond my body that I didn’t feel like myself, I shared my soul with someone else... I’m not sure how else to describe it. Maybe mystical isn’t a bad word for it.”
>>
>>5537619
>>”Maybe an example will get it across better than a story. Could you think about which direction I need to go next? Try not give it away with an expression, just think about it loudly.”
>>
>>5537619
>”...I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…” The whole story, start to finish. Stop the car if you have to.
>Write-in
>"...she's being experimented on as we speak."
>Don't just talk about Tryphosa and your bond, warn her about the Jovians and their plans, as well as some of the experiments you've seen. They are also a factor to watch out for.
Fuck it I'll support thi
>>
>>5537624
>>5537625
>>5537630
>>5537681
>>5537847
Example.

>>5537635
Awakened

>>5537875
>>5537640
>>5537645
>>5537844
Everything+write-in.

Example wins. Barely. Writing.
>>
>>5538012
OP you missed a couple of votes I think.
>>
>>5538038
Yeah, he missed these two
>>5537667
>>5537695
So, it was thw write-in that barely won
>>
>>5538038
>>5538049
...So I did. Fuck. Well, time to scrap that entire post. Rewriting, give me a bit.
>>
>>5538081
Maybe you can do both?
Give her an example and then talk about tryphosia
>>
>>5538081
Sorry for making it harder Contolist.
>>
>>5538091
Nah, already deleted the other one. It's my fault for not counting correctly.
>>
“It’s a long story, Elena. …I met a Jovian girl who was visiting Texas colony, her name is Tryphosa…”

As you recount the long tale, careful to leave nothing out, Elena listens intently, growing a bit more nervous and fidgeting with her ponytail a little more but reserving any questions or judgment; occasionally she gives you directions to keep on track to the club, but otherwise she’s silent as a statue.

A while later, parked in an alley near the club.

“...And so as far as I know they’re running experiments on her right now, but she’s a fighter; I still worry about her but she can handle it.”

“And that’s everything?” Elena asks hesitantly, brow furrowed and biting nervously at her lip, “So you’re a newtype and… and bonded with this girl, Tryphosa, and she’s a clone?

“...Yeah. It’s a lot to take in, I know.” You nod, reaching out to take her hand, finding it still more than ready to grip your own, gentle and soft, “I wanted to tell you as soon as I could, I don’t want to keep any secrets from you. None.”

Elena’s breath catches in her throat for a moment but she eventually manages a tiny nod, her emerald eyes soft and wet but no tears are yet flowing, “...Are you and her… together?”

You shake your head, “No, no, it’s not like that at all. It’s a… spiritual bond, I guess. I understand her, and she understands me, sometimes I’ve even felt like I was her, but it isn’t… It’s not romantic, if that’s what you mean. Bonds aren’t like that.”

“Could they be though?”

“...I suppose they could, but ours isn’t.” You assure her, tightening your grip just a hair; you’ve definitely felt the urge to push things further with Tryphosa before, and you know she’s felt the same at times, but neither of you have actually done anything, “She’s a friend, Elena.”
>>
>>5538135

“Good.” Elena sighs in relief, tension just easing out of her, “...Do you think she’d like me, max?”

“Yes, absolutely.” The answer comes out immediately, there’s no need to even consider it, “I’m not sure when you’d meet though, even Artesia probably won’t be seeing her much off in that lab… Why?”

“She’s on your side, so she’s on my side.” Elena says, her voice growing more firm, a determined look settling over her, “Maybe she can show me how to be a newtype… I’d settle for just being friends though, it doesn’t sound like she’s going anywhere.”

You smile at the idea but shake your head, a touch amused, “That’s… I don’t think that’s how becoming a newtype works, Elena. I wish it was that simple.”

Elena scrunches up her lips at that, giving you a look, “Well, I’m a spacenoid now, so what’s the next step?”

“You’re a spacenoid now, are you?” You question, the declaration surprising you a bit but not entirely unwelcome; there’s not really a hard definition of who is and isn’t.

“I live in space, don’t I?” Elena asks, crossing her arms, “...There’s not much back on earth anyways. I don’t think I’m going back… Maybe to visit, I miss dad a lot, but…”

There’s a tapping on the window of the car, startling Elena and causing her to jump a bit in her seat, Nina’s face peering through the tinted window.

“There you two are! How long have you been in there?” Nina demands, clearly miffed.

You roll down the window, the faint sound of muffled music a little more clear from the building nearby as you do so, “We needed some time to talk, Nina, we’ll be right out.”

“I’ve been alone out here for twenty minutes!” Nina protests, refusing to look at either of you.

“Sorry, Nina. We’ll be right out.” Elena gives her friend an apologetic look, opening her door and stepping out into the alley, “Where’s Harin?”

“Inside, getting drinks.” Nina answers, “Are you two staying out here?”

You open your own door and step outside, the faint scent of cigarette smoke and drying paint hitting you immediately, clinging all about the alley strongly; there are colorful, almost garish murals and images of all sorts stretching out over the walls. A few bright spotlights overhead, clearly rigged up haphazardly, provide the otherwise shadowed alleyways with a bright source of light to work by.
>>
>>5538138

The muffled racket from inside of the building sounds only barely like music, and you can see a few people standing around near the far end of the alley, close to an emergency exit and a dumpster. Or maybe 'standing' is the wrong word, it looks more like one guy is getting pushed around by the others, though they aren't really managing to move him.

"Fucking Zeek lover, get the hell off of Luna!"

>”Let’s head in for a bit, Elena.”
>”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”
>”Are they fighting over there? Give me a minute, both of you.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5538139
1)
>”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”

2)
>”Let’s head in for a bit, Elena.”

It's really tempting to intervene, but we did say we'd stay out of trouble.
>>
>>5538139
>1. ”Let’s head in for a bit, Elena.”
>2. ”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”
>>
>>5538139
1)
>”Are they fighting over there? Give me a minute, both of you.”
2)
>”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”
Alright, I'll bite the bait
>>
>>5538139
>”Are they fighting over there? Give me a minute, both of you.”
Gotta save our subjects.
>>
If we fight them we'll get too beat up to go to the club.
>>
1)
>”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”
2)
>”Let’s head in for a bit, Elena.”
>>
>>5538168
I don't think we'll get beat up but we might get shanked or shot.

>>5538139
Contolist, do we have any weapons with us?
>>
>>5538173
No. Other than your mind and years of physical training. There's some junk near the edges of the alleyways, pieces of pallets and other trash.
>>
>>5538139
>”Are they fighting over there? Give me a minute, both of you.”
JUSTICE calls
>>
>>5538141
Who did we say that to again?
>>
>>5538139
1.
>”...This is where you do your art, right Elena? We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”
2.
>”Let’s head in for a bit, Elena.”
If we fight them we'll get too beat up to go to the club.
>>
>>5538168
I'm agreeing with this anon by the way.
>>
>>5538177
That makes me feel a bit better about it.

>>5538219
It was Artesia.

>>5538221
I think Contolist implied that wasn't going to happen (unless something unexpected occurs or a gun gets pulled on us, I imagine).
>>
>>5538141
>>5538143 (second)
>>5538146 (second)
>>5538170
>>5538220
Art.

>>5538148
>>5538200
Intervene.
>>
>>5538239
Writing.
>>
>>5538139
>”Are they fighting over there? Give me a minute, both of you.”
>>
“...This is where you do your art, right Elena?” You look over the murals on the wall, a real mess of different works layers deep, the old replaced by the new just like Elena said, “We’ll swing inside in a little while, Nina.”

Abandoned. That’s what I thought.” Nina complains, though she smiles a little when she sees how Elena’s looking at you, a bit of the edge dropping from her voice, “You weren’t planning to go in at all where you?”

“Not for long anyways, at least not until Max got here, didn’t want to be a third wheel - why’d you think I packed the bag?” Elena asks, shaking the backpack a bit in her hand, the spray cans inside rattling a little, “Go on, knock him out! You look great.”

Nina gives her a pleading look, “But what do I even say?”

“You managed to ask him to come here, figure it out! I can’t talk for you.” Elena’s practically pushing Nina back toward the end of the alley, “Go, go, come on, the longer you wait the more nervous he’ll be - that’s probably not good with a guy like him.”

“Oh, alright! Fine. Have fun with your… Oh my god, are they fighting over there?” Nina gasps and comes to a halt, covering her mouth with one hand and staring down to the far end of the alley where the group of guys have broken into a small brawl.

“It happens, just don’t stare and you’ll be fine.” Elena says rather nonchalantly, still guiding Nina along after the brief stop; Nina gets scurries on off, disappearing back around the corner and presumably into the club.
>>
>>5538284

You keep an eye on the developing fight in the meantime. There are four taller guys up against a short one who looks like one of his parents must have been an armored vehicle, or at least had one in their family tree somewhere; wide, immensely muscled, a cross between a particularly squat rugby player and a tank - he’s absolutely going to town on the five guys who were yelling at him a moment ago. …Just four now, actually.

“Great at engineering, terrible at life. She’s been a good friend but I still don’t know how Nina functions outside of class.” Elena says bemusedly as she returns to you, “So… what do you think of the art? See that one over there, the horse that’s half covered up by the green clown? I did that last week.”

You follow her gaze along the wall, squinting to make individual works in the chaos of it all, but eventually you settle on it; it’s exaggerated and a little harsher than usual, a limitation of her tools, but you can see part of the familiar image clearly enough - A horse at full gallop reflecting the cosmos across its skin, looking almost to be made of the void and stars.

“It’s beautiful.” You whisper, trying to ignore the sounds of the fight in the distance.

”Come on, you bastards, four to one and ye can’t even touch me! Three to one! Ahahaha!”

“It’s terrible.” Elena scoffs, “...But I appreciate it.”

“Going to paint something new then? I’ve never gotten to see you work.”

“Absolutely… How about one of those mobile thingies you were talking about? The robots that grabbed you?”

“Uh… Maybe not those.” You shake your head, “I barely even mentioned them, I just thought you’d want to know how I got back to Zeon-”

“A giant robot abducted you, Max. Come on, describe it. They’re secret, right? No one will know what it is, it’ll be gone in a week anyways! I could even spray over it when it’s done. Let’s make something together, come on.”

”And two!... Ah, more of ye bastards? Just crawling out of holes, aren’t ye? Alright, lets go!”

Hell of a fight going on over there, very distracting.

>”...Alright, so it’s mostly gray, and the feet are sort of shaped like this, and they’ve got thrusters recessed in them…” Walk her through it, this should be fun.
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>”Maybe give the horse another try? I’ve always really liked it, I had it up in my room back at Texas colony.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5538285
1)
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”

2)
>”Maybe give the horse another try? I’ve always really liked it, I had it up in my room back at Texas colony.”

3)
>”...Alright, so it’s mostly gray, and the feet are sort of shaped like this, and they’ve got thrusters recessed in them…” Walk her through it, this should be fun.
>>
>>5538285
>”Maybe give the horse another try? I’ve always really liked it, I had it up in my room back at Texas colony.”
>>
>>5538285
>1).Write-in.
>Excuse yourself and intervene in the fight
I'm doubling down. Spacenoids stick together.
>2)>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>>
>>5538285
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>>
>>5538285
1.
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”

2.
>”Maybe give the horse another try? I’ve always really liked it, I had it up in my room back at Texas colony.”
>>
>>5538285
Actually, fuck it. Switching >>5538291 to support >>5538289
>>
I'm kind of concerned that the fight is going to get out of control, and get the cops called. and I don't think that the contents of Elena's backpack are entirely legal.
>>
>>5538303
Spray-paint is illegal?
>>
>>5538285
1)
>How about one of the service pods? I pilot them, and they work more or less like one of the mobile suits.
2)
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>>
>>5538309
Changing to
1)
>Excuse yourself and intervene in the fight
2)
>How about one of the service pods? I pilot them, and they work more or less like one of the mobile suits.
3)
>”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>>
>>5538303
Seems like it already is spiraling. And you make a good point with the spray cans, I feel like graffiti artists are probably looked down on (even if it probably isn't strictly illegal).
Though the chances of the cops getting called by one of the thugs is pretty high. We could probably make a good witness and vouch for the spacenoid if we don't intervene in the fighting.
>>
>>5538315
>>5538303
I don't think we're getting in trouble for tagging.
>She produces a red rattle can from the backpack, a few others with colorful caps visible just inside, “...Walls outside that they don’t mind people tagging up - I don’t really go to talk or dance, it’s mostly older students and local so I don't really... fit in. I go for the art, it changes every week or so - there’s always something new.”
>>
>>5538315
>We could probably make a good witness
Couldn't Elena do that?
>>
>>5538285
>”...Alright, so it’s mostly gray, and the feet are sort of shaped like this, and they’ve got thrusters recessed in them…” Walk her through it, this should be fun.
>>
>>5538307
"Tagging" something that isn't yours without explict approval, might well be.

And the last thing we want is for part of our week off to be wasted running around avoiding the law or get caught and have our Identity(s) come under further scrutiny.

>>5538319
>Walls outside that they don’t mind people tagging up.

Don't mind doesn't mean that it's a good idea to do in front of law enforcement, especially if they are already in the area for enforcement purposes, and it also assumes that the owner of the building has provided their approval, not just those who are operating out of it as the location may well be being rented or otherwise not owned by them.
>>
>>5538319
We won't, but she might. That's not to mention how this will put a spotlight on us (whether its by the cops or spies).

>>5538322
The difference here is that she'd be the only person that isn't involved. And one that might not be seen in the best of lights, given the spray paint.
Better to have two neutral witnesses (and one that might be taken seriously) than just one.
>>
>>5538327
Except we already have approval as it's a dedicated wall for tagging in that exact same sentance.
>...Walls outside that they don't mind people tagging up-
Tagging itself is not a crime, vandalism is. And vandalism is determined by the affected owner.
>>5538328
>We won't but she might.
She never has before and already informed us that this wall is specifically for it.
>>
>>5538285
>1. ”How about Von Braun from above the city? When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”
>2. ”Maybe give the horse another try? I’ve always really liked it, I had it up in my room back at Texas colony.”
>3. ”...Alright, so it’s mostly gray, and the feet are sort of shaped like this, and they’ve got thrusters recessed in them…” Walk her through it, this should be fun.
I'm so fucking tired of 4chan eating my posts.
>>
>>5538334
4chan is hungry and your posts are tasty
>>
>>5538333
Ah, you're probably right on that. Still I don't want to make us too conspicuous at least not yet.

>>5538334
It's never been that bad for me, but I feel for you.
>>
>>5538338
>Spoiler
I get that. The way I'm thinking is we get a new friend. Nothing brings people closer together than a good 'ol street fight.
>>
>>5538327
>have our Identity(s) come under further scrutiny.
This is what I'm fearing will happen if we get ourselves involved.
I want to see if we can find information discreetly while we're here, and then use it to our advantage in the future.

>>5538339
That's fair. But other than wanting to do things more secretively, my view also comes from us promising our sister that we'd be cautious and not make ourselves known.
Besides we can always take him with us after the fight to the hospital or someplace where he can recover.
>>
>>5538287
>>5538292
>>5538334
>>5538289 (2nd option)
>>5538296 (2nd option)
>>5538311 (3rd option)
Von Braun

>>5538288
Horse

>>5538323
MS

Von Braun wins. Writing.
>>
“How about Von Braun from above the city?” You suggest instead, not wanting to leave something quite as obvious as a painting of a mobile suit even if Elena’s looking cute as hell asking for it, “When we go flying we can see if it’s ‘terrible’ too. You’re too hard on yourself about your art, Elena.”

“Pfff, of course you think it’s good.” She rolls her eyes but can’t hide her smile, shaking her head as she kneels to sort through her backpack, pulling out a few cans, “Von Braun it is then, flyboy. You saw it on the ride in, didn’t you?”

“Just part of the city, the shuttle didn’t have a good angle.” You say with a shrug, still glancing over to the fight, another trio having joined in to try to take down the short shouting spacenoid; for being as stout looking as he is he’s pretty fast, arms working like pistons, using the dumpster and some of the trash piles to keep from being surrounded. You don’t have much time to watch though, the rattling of a can bringing your attention back to Elena.

“They never do, I was so disappointed when I first got here…” Elena says, shaking a can with a black cap, “Good thing I know a pilot~”

“You know it. So, start with the crater edge?” You ask, accepting the can from her as she moves onto another, “Or get a canvas down first?”

“Look at you, acting like you know what you’re doing. Pilot and an artist.” Elena teases, standing up, “Just stand back and watch, and… try not to judge too ear-”

”Agh! Zeek bastard - My arm! You broke my arm! Kill the bastard!”

”A pipe? Yer joking! Ahahahaha, righty then! First the arm, now the face! COME ERE!” The stout spacenoid roars in return; it doesn’t look like his opposition is used to the lower gravity of Luna, he’s nearly sending some of them flying with his punches - Even in the lower gravity it’s an impressive display of strength.

”Get him!”

“Could they possibly be any louder?” Elena complains with a sigh, stopping before she even starts spraying, “I can barely even think, normally it’s not this bad. What are they even fighting over?”

”Aaagh! Mhy fhugcking fashe! Bashtad goht mhy teef!”

”Kick their asses, Rix! Woo!” A tiny, almost shrill girl’s voice cheers, far too enthusiastic about the violence unfolding in the alleyways. You can’t see where her voice is coming from, maybe the far side of the brawl.

>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5538408
>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
>>
>>5538408
>>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”

Feddie spray. lmao
>>
>>5538408
1)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”

2)
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>>
>>5538408
1)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
2)
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
3)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
4)
>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
>>
>>5538408
>>>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
>>
>>5538416
Adding to my vote
5)
>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>>
>>5538408
>”...Give me one of the cans you’re not going to be using, I’ll deal with the noise.”
Goddammit, bite the plothook already anons!
>>
>>5538408
>>5538415
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”

2)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”

3)
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>>
>>5538408
1.
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”

2.
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
>>
>>5538408
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
>>
>>5538421
I would, but I've seen Contolist dangle tempting votes that will bite us in the ass somehow that carry on after updates.
This fight started three posts ago, there's got to be something that will fuck with us if we join in.
>>
>>5538408
1)
>”Hey, assholes, can’t you see we’re trying to have a moment over here! Get your teeth knocked out more quietly!”
2)
>”...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think. Wish I had popcorn.”
>>
>>5538411
>>5538414
>>5538421
Get involved.

>>5538422
>>5538423
>>5538430
>>5538416 (third option)
>>5538462 (second option)
Popcorn.

>>5538418
Yell+Get involved.

Writing.
>>
“...Federation ROTC picked on the wrong spacenoid, I think.” You comment, eyebrows raising as you see one of the feddies get his leg knocked out from under him, a stamp kick bringing his face smashing into the dirty pavement half a moment before he can finish dropping in the low gravity, “Wish I had popcorn.”

“Enjoying the show?” Elena crosses her arms, can still in her left hand, “I just wish they’d shut up already, this is a street gallery not a fight club.”

”Bro, behind you! Feddie with a shank!” The unseen girl shouts, her voice piercing and full of exuberant violence. That’s all the warning the stout spacenoid needed apparently, turning rapidly and side stepping the awkward knife thrust, pushing the arm away with a quick strike - and forcefully enough to send the blade tumbling across the alley, flipping slowly in the low gravity as it nears the end of its flight.

“Can you still work like this?” You ask Elena idly, looking at the knife on the ground just a few meters away and the fight that the lone spacenoid is somehow managing to stay in - He’s taken a couple of blows to the back, a hit from a plank, but he’s just pushing through it all; most of the feddies never land a hit, at least not a solid one. If they fought properly as a group this would probably all be over, even with the spacenoids careful awareness of his surroundings and the shouted warnings, but they’re a disorganized rabble - A truly shameful display for the federation military.

“No, not with that mess. …Is that a knife? God, Max, I think they really are trying to kill him.” Elena says, annoyance drifting quickly into concern, “...Should we call the cops?”

”Hey! Get your grubby earth paws offa me! Fuckin’ creep!” The girl shouts, her voice a bit hoarse, a couple of the feddies having broken off to deal with her; she must be near the edge of the alley, you still can’t catch sight of her, ”Dance time then, Mr. Handsy! ”

There’s a sharp cry of pain and one of the men stumbles back, grabbing at his hand; fingers aren’t supposed to bend that direction. Something small and faintly burning is flicked at him from out of sight as he hits the wall of the alley… a cigarette?

“...Maybe, maybe not.” You shrug, considering the option for a moment, “Who's side do the police usually come down on around here? I think our side is winning.”

“Federation, I’ve seen spats like this get broken up before… smaller ones though.” Elena answers without missing a beat, a hint of amusement in her voice, “…It is our side, isn’t it?”
>>
>>5538526

”Shit, bro, they’re draggin’ me-mmmgghjfhfh- I’ll bite your fuckin’ fingers off!”

”AAAGH! LITTLE BITCH!”

”Get yer hands off of Tiff!” The stout spacenoid roars, but he can’t push through the four men blocking his way, a united front finally beginning to form up after he’s run wild for the last minute or so.

“Does she need help?” Elena asks, looking to you worriedly, “I think she needs help.”

>”Let’s go inside and call the cops.” Snitch on your fellow spacenoids.
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
>”Let’s just go inside, it’ll sort itself out.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5538528
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
>>
>>5538528
1)
>"Wait, I know someone better to call." Phone Ramba's help.

2)
>”Let’s just go inside, it’ll sort itself out.”

This isn't fair, Contolist!
>>
>>5538528
>>5538531
1)+1
2)
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
>>
>>5538528
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
>Have Elana call Ramba
>>
>>5538528
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.

VIOLENCE AGAINST THE EARTHNOIDS. PUNISH THEM FOR CRIMES OF EXISTING.
>>
>>5538528
1.
>”Let’s just go inside, it’ll sort itself out.”
2.
>"Wait, I know someone better to call." Phone Ramba's help.
Christ, Contolist REALLY wants us to break our promise to Artesia and blow our cover holy shit.
>>
>>5538528
>>”Let’s just go inside, it’ll sort itself out.”
>>
>>5538528
>>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
>>
>>5538537
Still love ya though.
>>
I'm actually kind of surprised. A woman's being dragged off, a dude's being attacked with a knife, and anon's still want to pussy out and act like nothings happening. I will reiterate from last thread that some of you are way to risk adverse.
>>
>>5538528
>”...I think so. Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.” Feddies have crossed the line.
These dudes are indeed getting clowned but it's going a bit far
>>
>>5538537
We didn't promise Artesia anything. We told her we wouldn't go hunting around for terrorists.
>>
>>5538528
Supporting
>>5538531
>>
>>5538548
How do we know that this wasn't targeted?


It seems like an awfully large group of people to just be random foot traffic getting involved.
>>
>>5538552
>How do we know this wasn't targeted?
>It seems to be an awfully large group of people to just be random foot traffic
Yeah, man, crazy. It's almost like we're standing outside a club full of people or something and witnessing the targeted assault of a spacenoid by earthnoids. Hell, I'd even go on to say that perfectly fits the MO of the mass murder talked about in the last thread.
>>
>>5538548
We didn't say we'd exclusively not hunt terrorists, we told her we'd stay safe. Going into the fray, especially now that they're more organized, is the opposite of that.

>>5538552
I would say you're being paranoid, but knowing the things the Zabis do it's entirely possible this is staged or some sort of trap.
>>
>>5538555
You're right, we should just knowlingly let someone get at best stabbed, and at worst gang beat to death and a girl kidnapped and/or killed.
>>
>>5538556
Would it be to much to ask that we wait for Ramba / Hamon who might be a little better equipt to handle so many people at this point is their absence at all odd, they might even be armed and be able to deescalate / wind down the situation.
>>
>>5538556
That's why I want to call Ramba and not just jump into the fray.
>>
>>5538569
>Wait
Yes, it is too much to ask to wait around for someone else to solve a situation when we're right here and perfectly capable of doing it.
>>5538572
I wanted to call Ramba AND jump into the fray. All the good in the world making the call will do if the dude gets killed.
>>
>>5538542
I'm too stubborn to change now.
And this scene has been dragging for long enough, I want out.
>>
>>5538531
+1
>>
>>5538573
>to solve a situation
I'm not to sure Felix would be any more useful in a Hostage situation, I have a feeling that things proceeding to this point means its going to end in tears regardless of how it resolves.
>>
>>5538580
Didn't you already vote? Make sure to link back to your original choice
>>5538578
Fair enough. I just really don't like passiveness.
>>5538581
Which is why we should have jumped in earlier to stop it from progressing to this point. Additionally, do you not remember Felix squaring off with a Zeon kill team in the first thread?
>>
>>5538580
?
God pleas don't tell me...
>>
>>5538580
???????? Link your old post and what not.

All these fucking newfags to the thread.
>>
>>5538586
>>5538580
Oh wait, you were just changing your vote.
I almost had a heart attack.
>>
>>5538584
>jumped in earlier
Earlier was different and Rix had the situation well in hand, until they

>Felix squaring off with a Zeon kill team in the first thread?
We had a gun, others, the element of surprise, and knowledge of the layout of the area. None of which we would have here.

Assuming that similar things will happen isn't such a good idea especially if these guys are part of the ROTC as they would have some level of training, even with their poor performance they will work together to win.

Especially considering we probably don't want to kill anyone.
>>
>>5538597
You make a very fine point on the gun. For future reference, we need to be strapped at all times.
>Assuming that similar things will happen isn't such a good idea especially if those guys are part of the ROTC as they would have some level of training.
Clearly they don't otherwise they wouldn't have had to pull a knife on one guy. And as current events go, I doubt they have very strong teamwork skills as they can barely even fight one guy.
>Especially considering we probably don't want to kill anyone.
Who's we? I'm all for curb stomping some feddie skulls and thinning out our potential future rival pool.
>>
>>5538597
>even with their poor performance they will work together to win
Even though they haven't this whole time? C'mon anon, they're feddy scumbags. They're almost as incompetent as they are cowardly. I can't believe any of you are voting to stand aside while a kid is being assaulted by grown men.
>>
>>5538603
>Who's we? I'm all for curb stomping some feddie skulls and thinning out our potential future rival pool.
And this is how we get detective/police teams on us. I get wanting increase the violence against them, but we already have to deal with the Kycilia Agency and/or the terrorists.

>>5538604
I imagine most of the votes to stand aside are really just to get reinforcements or just to keep our word with Artesia.
>>
>>5538619
>increase violence against them
>Them who are already attempting to kill someone.
My man the violence escalated without us.
>>
>>5538624
That is correct. So should we do what they're doing? Aren't we better than a bunch of Feddie thugs?

Besides that, I don't think you get it. The situation is skewed in their favor. Even if we win the fight, we still lose in the long run. The government/police will turn a blind eye to them, the spooks will know our face, and we'll have a criminal record here. There's the potential to have this traceable from Maxime to Felix.

You made a good point in that these people might be the real terrorists, whether they were hired by the Zabis or just average Feddie soldiers is irrelevant. They'll get away with it.

And if we kill them, they'll just become martyrs. You think the press will put them in a bad light?
>>
>>5538637
Are you implying killing someone in self defense is as morally reprehensible as murder?
How is the situation skewed in their favor if, for one they can't even fight one guy. And two, the government or police our problem if we leave as soon as possible? We don't need to dick around and wait for the authorities, we call Ramba and scoot.
Martyrs? They're assaulting an individual, and we came in to rescue them. This will endear this individual to us which IMO is far more valuable because he's reading like a secondary character. We need male friends, we have none. Dozle doesn't count.
>>
Bros let's just call Ramba. He's a cool guy, and he'll have tips for how to not have this happen to us.
>>
>>5538645
Does this post need to be linked to count as a support?
>>
>>5538530
>>5538534
>>5538536
>>5538540
>>5538543
>>5538532 (second option)
Fight.

>>5538531(second option)
>>5538549 (second option)
>>5538580 (second option)
>>5538539
Go inside.

>>5538645
Call Ramba.

Fight! Writing. Probably won't finish until sometime tomorrow morning, not sure though.
>>
>>5538637
>If you fight your enemies, they win

>Implying the cops are going to catch Felix
>>
File: carlos.png (135 KB, 350x350)
135 KB
135 KB PNG
>>5538645
He can make sure we don't look like ||a gouf||
>>
>>5538644
>Are you implying killing someone in self defense is as morally reprehensible as murder?
No, but I can see why you'd think that. Killing them is playing the role of the vigilante, and probably getting ourselves mixed up in something bigger.
>How is the situation skewed in their favor if, for one they can't even fight one guy
They seemed to be winning. Interesting, this looks like an allegory to Zeon vs Federation, with Zeon getting the upper hand and then getting overwhelmed by the increased numbers/resources the Feddies have.
I;m not arguing that the probably can't fight well.
>And two, the government or police our problem if we leave as soon as possible? We don't need to dick around and wait for the authorities, we call Ramba and scoot.
If even one of them sees us (which is very likely since we don't have a Char mask or something like that) they will remember and probably tell the police to open an investigation. Unless we kill them all, which means that detectives/cops get involved.
>Martyrs? They're assaulting an individual, and we came in to rescue them.
Tell that to the people that favor them (which according to Elena at least involves the police).


>>5538646
I don't know man, I'm too tired to think and this whole situation is making me annoyed.
>>
>>5538644
>Dozle doesn't count.
I take offense at this.
>>
>>5538665
Don't get me wrong, Dozles great. But Felix is currently what, 14? He needs people his own age to get along with. Our only friends include our siblings, a newtype clone who's stuck in a lab, a socially stunted mil autist, a (probably) violent psychotic pilot autist, and Garma who's... well Garma.
>>
>>5538658
Nice Discord spoiler
>>
>>5538673
Dolze nii-san
>>
>>5538674
I lurk this site 99% of the time so i forget to ctrl s to spoiler unfortunately.
>>
>>5538663
Vigilantism is unauthorized law enforcement. Defending someone about to be killed isn't vigilantism, it's a moral duty.
They don't seem to be winning shit other than a pyrrhic victory and criminal charges.
Again, the only people's favor I care about is the person we'd be saving.
>>5538676
Now you're making me think how different the quest would have been if we took the Zabi kid route.
>>
>>5538658
kek

>>5538663
It is definitely a play on the classic Zeon vs. Feddie numbers dilemma.

>>5538673
Felix is currently well into being 16. Casval is 17, Artesia is 15. Felix is Irish twins with Casval and Artesia but in different directions.
>>
>>5538681
It would be us seducing a scion of daikum and fucking his brains out to produce a heir of both bloodlines. A fit ruler for SUPER ZEON.
>>
>>5538705
The Habsburg solution to the political feud between Zabis and Deikuns.
>>
Oh boy, I can't wait for this have unforeseen consequences in the future just like fighting for Tryphosa put her on Kycilia's sight.

>>5538673
>siblings
*sibling
Artesia has the potential to hate us now that we broke our word with her.
>a socially stunted mil autist
Blanche? She's more of a sexually repressed acquaintance.
>a (probably) violent psychotic pilot autist
If you mean Vivima she is not our friend, and she never will be. Even if we were to abandon our family and swear complete loyalty to the Zabis, she'd probably only see us as a useful tool to make sure Gihren/Kycilia are cooperating.

Garma and Tryphosa are cool.

>>5538681
>Vigilantism is unauthorized law enforcement. Defending someone about to be killed isn't vigilantism, it's a moral duty.
You literally said you wanted to kill them for attacking a stranger. A (not literally, but basically) racially similar stranger, but a stranger nonetheless. If that isn't taking the law in our own hands then what is.
>They don't seem to be winning shit other than a pyrrhic victory and criminal charges.
The police is on their side, they will get away with it. We're the ones getting the (very temporary) phyrric victory. The other guy might get out of this, but we decided to step in. It would be pure irony if our intervention fucked them over in the long run. Because it will affect us badly.
>Again, the only people's favor I care about is the person we'd be saving.
You're not looking at the big picture. Think about the trust you broke with your little sister. We promised we'd stay safe, but instead we decided to play the hero the very night we came to this place.
We're going to have a record on us for this, the cops will see to it. Our cover could be practically blown out. Again what part of the law favoring the Feddies don't you understand?

Also, as a side note, do you actually want to get on good terms with the Zabis? As in, legitimately be on their side?
>>
>>5538709
>Gihren/Kycilia are cooperating.
*Gihren and Kycilia are cooperating.
I need to sleep soon.
>>
>>5538702
>Felix is 16
Where did the time go? Weren't we supposed to start at the academy already?
>>5538709
>Broke our word with Artesia
But we didn't, we're not performing vigilantism either definitionally or in spirit. I'm convinced she'd be much angrier with us if we watched someone die instead of helping them. Also, are you the same guy who was convinced Dozle was going to seriously injure us in the fencing spar?
Also, I said I want to kill them for attempting murder. Proportional defense. 'Taking law into our own hands' isn't vigilantism. Stopping a violent crime, i.e murder, isn't vigilantism. Vigilantism is outright seeking crime in an effort to perform law enforcement duties. We are as it stands witness to a crime by happenstance of which is in our power to stop. Your risk aversion and adherence to some make believe promise is going to get someone killed.
>>
>>5538709
>Do you actually want to get on good terms with the Zabis? As in, legitimately be on their side?
For pure utility? Absolutely, and then I want to leverage that trust to kill them off.
>>
>>5538721
The academy begins in early June, Felix has only been with the Zabis since early January. The rest of the time disappeared in big time skips on Texas colony. There have been a lot of updates about the last couple of months, initial relationships with the Zabis are pretty important, so that might be distorting how things feel. After this Elena stuff we'll probably be getting back to chunkier timeskips.
>>
>>5538730
Ahhh, Texas was messing with my perception of time. I didn't realize how long Felix actually spent there.
>>
>>5538656
>If you fight your enemies, they win
And in that logic we should stop lying to the Zabis and fight them openly.
I just want to bide our time until we actually have the power to change things without giving us a spotlight.

>Implying the cops are going to catch Felix
They won't, but the we thugs will identify us.
I wanted to see if we could've even made a difference in a more subtle and permanent way, but now we'll just have a quick catharsis before things incrementally start to get worse.

>>5538721
I hope you're right. Now that I think about it, there's a big chance you might be. Though really we didn't actually keep it, since we said we would be safe. Not that we wouldn't look for terrorists, but that we'd be cautious and know what to look out for.
>Also, are you the same guy who was convinced Dozle was going to seriously injure us in the fencing spar?
Yeah, I'm that shadowrunner.
>We are as it stands witness to a crime by happenstance of which is in our power to stop. Your risk aversion and adherence to some make believe promise is going to get someone killed.
Yes, and the Feddies will attest to that now that we've jumped into the fray. The police will take their side, even if it's not the truth.
And you're giving the Feddies too much credit. Even if would've waited for Ramba I bet things would at least be salvageable. I doubt they could've killed them, even with the advantage.
Though there is a chance we can get out of being identified by the Feddies, but that would require enough luck for no one to see our face well, and us to immediately dip out without giving so much as our name or address to anyone.

>>5538723
Then we're on the same page, sweet.
>>
>>5538702
Then is saving them symbolic of us swooping in to help current day Zeon after watching the Federation and Zeon beat each other up for a while? That would be funny.
>>
>>5538721
>I'm convinced she'd be much angrier with us if we watched someone die instead of helping them.
Always saw her as more of the type to not want to not see us get hurt instead. Maybe she'd try some other way to stop the fighting, but actually participating? She doesn't seem like the type.
>>
>>5538702
Alright Contolist, I have a controversial question. Is intervening in this vigilantism?
Both in the law's view, and in Felix's view.
>>
>>5538655
I missed the vote, but I would have voted for what won.
The feds kept crossing lines, first with it being 5 on 1, then the pipe, then the knife and then going after the girl that was not fighting.
>>
>>5538950
Certainly not, it fails definitionally - He's intervening to defend what he views as a victim of a crime currently in progress which he has witnessed by happenstance. He is not patrolling the streets like some sort of self-appointed cop or hunting down criminals after the fact and punishing them based on legal authority he doesn't possess. It just isn't vigilantism.

The law doesn't have much to say about vigilantism itself, it isn't itself a crime and I don't believe there are any doctrines in tort to distinguish it from any other sort of foolish patterns of behavior that might cast a person in bad light. The more infamous acts vigilantes sometimes carry out are crimes (or their tort equivalents), such as assault, battery, murder, and kidnapping. What Felix is doing (about to do) might very well be a crime, but that depends heavily on the jurisdiction and its self-defense laws.
>>
>>5539057
>Certainly not, it fails definitionally
Ah so I was dead wrong on that. Man I stirred up so much shit for no reason.
>What Felix is doing (about to do) might very well be a crime, but that depends heavily on the jurisdiction and its self-defense laws.
Huh, that's a bit worrying. Hopefully we're lucky.

Anyway, thank you for responding Contolist!

And if it isn't too spoilery, would Artesia see this as breaking our word? Would she approve of us intervening?
>>
“...I think so.” You say in a low voice, placing a firm hand on Elena’s shoulder, a powerful urge to protect her, to protect anyone, gripping you as the fight transforms in your mind from an entertaining distraction to a crisis to be solved, a problem to be put down, “Give me a moment, Elena. This is getting out of hand.”

Elena’s emerald eyes widen a little at your words, her breath deepening, an unthinking half step carrying her closer to your body, some subtle change wrought over her entire being, pale face flushing with color. Your heartbeat quickens to a pounding drumbeat, a surge of adrenaline and sudden arousal seizing you; she likes this.

How does she see you?

“Win.” She urges, pushing you forward to the fight, following along beside for a moment as your pace quickens but stopping long before you reach the chaotic brawl.

…Sneaking its way up through your pounding heartbeat, nearly lost in the cacophony, a single purely rational thought slips through; Ramba probably needs to be warned. You slow and then turn back for just long enough to press the small radio into Elena’s hands.

“Press this,” You instruct her, gripping her soft hands in your own as you show the controls, “Let them know what’s happening. Quietly.”

“Got it!” She nods quickly, already speaking as you bolt off to the fight, “Hello? Can you hear me?”
>>
>>5539250

Down the alley the stout and heavily muscled spacenoid, Rix if the girl’s shouts earlier were anything to go by, is putting up a desperate defense as the four feddies still on their feet rain blows down on him, two of them threatening to land blows with pieces of wood grabbed from the broken pallets laying the the walls of the all. He’s being forced into a slow retreat, narrowly avoiding the worst the group can dish, striking at their forearms and hands as the move to attack, making up for his lack of reach with the most aggressive parrying you’ve ever seen, attacking into attacks; it’s violent, rapid, unrelenting - He’s good, incredibly good, but no one can fight a group like that for long, outnumbered and without a weapon. He’s already put three guys on the ground, crumpled in dazed stupors or groaning in pain and gripping at injuries near the walls.

He just needs an opening.

”Wanna lose more? Pffftgh, fuckin’ bastard, you’re gonna need a hook for a hand!” The girl shouts again from beyond the alley, voice hoarse and shrill “How’re you gonna give your boyfriends a handy with a hook- mmmmghhhhhgg!”

You’ll give him an opening.

It might take earthnoids considerable time to adjust to the oddities of Lunar life, but the lesser gravity of the moon is nearly as natural to you as the drifting weightlessness of microgravity - A second home almost. You bolt down the alley, legs pumping as you more leap than run toward the brawl, angled aggressively low to keep from getting caught in a high bounding arc, the lower gravity an aid rather than a hindrance to your speed as explosive footfalls launch your forward. Slamming into the nearest feddie, a brown haired youth who can’t be more than a couple of years older than you, your fist crashes into his gut hard enough to send him flying off of his feet, stumbling and nearly tumbling in the low gravity, a gasping cry of pain escaping his lips as his limbs twist and he tries to reorient during his short fall.

“Tiff! I’m comin’!” Rix roars off to your side.

Landing that first blow did a lot to slow you down, you twist to the side just in time to duck a swing by another screaming feddie wielding one of those pallet pieces, a couple of rusted nails sticking out of its far end; bastard! You move in under the swing, dropping low and sweeping his leg, the sudden force of your kick all the more effective in the awkwardness of low gravity. As soon as he loses his footing Rix is on him, a blur of heavy muscle and short red hair, huge fists hammering away like industrial machinery.
>>
>>5539252

Sharp, focused, you note that both feddies wielding makeshift clubs have been disarmed. Three are on the ground, one getting a bill worked up for his dentist by Rix and the other two barely recovering from your sudden entry to the fight. You waste no time, leaping at the fourth feddie - the only one still standing. He slips a few punches past your guard as you reach him, fists striking your chest and shoulder; it’s less than nothing, Casval hits harder.

“I’ve got these guys, go get her!” You shout to Rix, understanding flashing across his wide face as you exchange a look. He’s rough looking, scarred up, a real ugly ogre looking son of a bitch, but he’s not old - In fact he might not even be older than you .

In the corner of your eye you see Rix moving again, roaring his way toward the end of the alley, slowing for a just moment to grip one of the recovering feddies by their shirt collar, slamming his head into the corner of the nearby dumpster. The feddie’s face splits, a bloody gash torn into his cheek, hands desperately covering the wound as he cries out in agony.

Voiding your own opponents next strike, you try to close in on the already bruised up man but find that he’s faster than you expected, not nearly Casval's speed but quick enough to cause trouble, feet carrying him back and nearly matching your advance. He grins through bloodied teeth, one hand reaching to a sheathed knife at his belt; there’s a blurring flash of steel and it’s in your gut, a hot, sharp pain, blood welling, pumping with every beat of your heart.

No.

It hasn’t happened yet. You grab his arm before he even begins the motion, step to the side and twist, breaking his wrist in a single smooth motion, his every reaction know before he even begins to make them. He never gets near the blade, and soon he’s on his knees, crying in agony; you kick him to the ground, and then give him another to the head for good measure. He’s not the first man to try to kill you. He’ll live.

Something hits your back and you stumble forward, mind blanking in pain. You land on the ground, bouncing off the pavement, but manage to break your fall somewhat gracefully and begin to recover at once, scurrying to your- Another blow to your back lands, but you keep your footing, rising and spinning about in place. The next blow lands against your upper arm, sending you stumbling a few steps away. You can see the feddie now, the one you punched in the gut moments ago, and he’s wielding a new piece of scrap wood - No visible nails this time though, and it’s flimsy enough that it’s already mostly splintered scrap; not a good club to begin with, rotting cheap material and awkwardly shaped for a fight.
>>
>>5539257

A metal cylinder hits him in the side of the head, a blur of neon pink and metallic gray, and he turns angrily to look down the alleyways; that’s all the opening you need, and before you even realize what you’ve done you’re slamming him into the opposite wall, a leaping tackle carrying you both across the short distance, hand grabbing at the back of his head - You give him a good knock into the wall, breaking his nose, and then another, and another - A distant part of your mind wonders if this is how Casval felt.

You stop before it gets too far, leaving the young man making strange moaning gurgling noises and clutching at his bleeding face, blood gushing from his shattered nose and mouth. Old cement walls aren’t kind to faces.

Standing fully, exhaling deeply and trying to block out the pounding of your heart, you glance around at the alley. Six feddies laying on the ground, tan hats scattered about here and there, jackets stained with blood, many cursing and groaning in pain, trying to stumble away from you. A lot of this was Rix’s work from before you joined in, even the ones you’ve put on the ground were already a bit roughed up. Elena’s jogging over, another spray can ready to throw, the radio held in her off hand - Not that another can would be much good other than a distraction, it couldn’t have hit all that hard.

>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5539262
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
>>
>>5539262
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.

>Felix's precog kicking in
>Elena is attracted to Felix's heroism
Yooooooo
>>
>>5539262
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>>
>>5539262
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>>
>>5539262
1)
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
2)
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
3)
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
>>
>>5539280
I messed up, 2 and 3 were supposed to be switched
>>
Leaving Elena alone with a bunch of Feddies, even though they're hurt, sounds like a bad idea.
>>
>>5539262
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
>>
>>5539290
My understanding is that
>Wave Elana back again
Implies us telling her to get away from the fight. We wouldn't be waiving her back again to come sit with the feddies because she's on her way over for the first time after throwing the can.
>>
>>5539295
So we're telling her to get out of danger? But having her fight with us would be a good way to see each other's styles (and could make her awaken her powers too), and the Feddies might get back up again if we just leave them.
>>
>>5539300
>So we're telling her to get out of danger?
I think so, yeah. I'm personally fine with her staying and helping, I just want to help Rix finish the fight.
>>
>>5539262
1.
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
2.
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>>
>>5539295
>Implies us telling her to get away from the fight.
I was seeing getting that from the post too. Feels like it would be a bit disappointing for her to keep her out of the action.

>>5539300
>the Feddies might get back up again if we just leave them.
Federation soldiers have a bad habit of not staying down even when outclassed, if I'm remembering the show right.
>>
>>5539308
Given her reaction to us jumping in, yeah I can agree. I'm interested in how she handles herself in a fight.
>>
>>5539309
Maybe se could start a training regimen for her while we're here? I'm sure there's a gym somewhere in the city.
>>
>>5539309
She said she taught herself self-defense, so she's average at least.

>>5539262
1)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
2)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
Probably better this way
>>
>>5539262
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
>>
>>5539323
>se
*we
>>
>5539262
1
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
2)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
3)
”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
I'm so fucking tired rn sorry
>>
>>5539262
>>5539278
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.

2)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.

3)
>”I won.” Embrace with Elena, but keep an eye on these wounded feddies. A couple of them might be able to still cause trouble, they’re just in a lot of pain. A LOT of pain.
>”What they hell were you thinking, you idiots?! Go! Get out of here before we kick your ass again!” Roughly ‘encourage’ the wounded feddies to scurry off, they can probably all still manage to limp away.
>Wave Elena back again and join Rix in finishing the fight, it isn’t quite over. In for a penny.
>>
Ah didn't realize the voting ended, my bad.
>>
>>5539529
Sorry, >>5539282 should actually have gone to finishing the fight, mislabeled it when counting votes.

The actual results are:

>>5539265
>>5539268
>>5539350
>>5539282 (2nd option)
Finish the fight.

>>5539532
>>5539279
>>5539333
>>5539302 (2nd option)
Embrace.

We have a tie. I'll give it an hour.

>>5539542
Didn't alter the result any.
>>
>>5539548
Ah, Contolist. I think you forgot >>5539382
>>
>>5539552
I don't blame you for missing it, he should've quoted and replied properly.
And I'll just change my vote back to simply
>Embrace
Just to move things along if that even makes a difference now.
>>
>>5539552
So I did, god dammit. The link being messed up must have caused me to just glaze over it or something.

Never mind, embrace wins. Writing.
>>
>>5539552
He did, and only that one.
>>
“I won.” The words barely leave your lips before Elena is tight in your arms, nearly jumping forward to embrace you, resulting in a small almost dance-like half spin as you hold onto her and turn in place to work off the excess momentum, her feet settling lightly on the ground opposite the side she ran from. She lets out a bubbling, rich laugh, thrilled at being moved, at being held, the radio slipping away into her jacket pocket, spray can clinking against the ground.

“You did!” She presses her forehead gently against yours, breath shallow and excited, her hands moving tantalizingly across your back, gripping at the muscle beneath your jacket and shirt. The scent of sweet cinnamon hangs enticingly about her as she meets your eyes, a pair of adoring emeralds right there in front of you, noses practically touching, her lips so very, very close. The pure thrill of the moment carries her forward that last achingly small distance; she kisses you, soft lips locking against yours, her eyes closing as your grip instinctively tightens, pulling her closer - she melts against you, soft femininity demanding the whole of your being, a slender leg slipping around your own, as you hold her there. You’re harder than you’ve ever been in your life; a part of you screams to take this further.

Slowly Elena pulls back, a beautiful smile of her own to match the grin spread across your face, her cheeks burning red, reverting to speaking in hurried Spanish, “I… uh… I really… m-my god, I loved that, you were… they way you move, Max, I…”

“I can tell.” You laugh, exhilarated beyond belief, fighting that urge to continue, to press her lips against yours once more, to slip her of that jacket, her shirt, everything; not here though, not a dirty bloodstained alley, even if it excites her so terribly… your eyes drift to your car at the far end, focusing upon it. No, no, you push through the haze. There is still danger. Wounded men still lie about, groaning in pain, the sounds of fighting coming from around the corner leading to where Rix ran off to aid Tiff. None of the men around you look like they’re in any condition to fight, though one is watching your embrace with Elena, his bloodied face filled with hatred - His forearm is bet the wrong way though, just a hair, so you doubt he’ll be causing any trouble.

”Lick the fuckin’ concrete, perv! Ahahaha!” You hear the girl’s hoarse command and cackle from around the corner, cutting over the groans of pain, the sound of fighting having died down, “Good boy, stay down! Bro, Rix my man, you took all of em’? Woah, fuckin’ burner!”

“Cannae say ‘twas all me, Tiff. Hell o’ a fight though!”

>Kiss Elena again, fuck that’s good; make it yours this time.
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5539646
"his forearm is bent the wrong way" rather.
>>
>>5539646
1)
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
2)
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>>
>>5539646
1)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.

2)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”

3)
>Kiss Elena again, fuck that’s good; make it yours this time.
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>>
>>5539646
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>>
>>5539658
+1
>>
>>5539646
>>5539658
Changing my vote to
1)
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.

2)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.

3)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”

4)
>Kiss Elena again, fuck that’s good; make it yours this time.
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”

5)
>Kiss Elena again, fuck that’s good; make it yours this time.
>>
>>5539646
1.
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
2.
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.
3.
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.
The fight was cool and all, but I hate how this whole situation went.
I'm just sick of this, supporting it in this way just to end this whole thing.
>>
I guess QM will have to wait until we are at the academy to introduce us to the two characters.
>>
>>5539705
I'm confused. What do you find distasteful of the situation? That we stepped in an evened the fight or that we got involved at all?
>>
>>5539646
>1)”We should check on who we helped, come on.”

>2)”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
And
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>>
>>5539646
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>>
>>5539712
...That would honestly be a nice surprise, and might be more powerful than meeting them here.

>>5539717
I can't speak for him, but I think it's part of the whole ordeal with how things might be worse in the future.
Just the whole thing with promises that may or may not be broken, and possibly being hunted down by the Feddies for the rest of the week.
Probably nothing against actually saving them.

Or maybe it's just people getting tired by all the arguments and stuff, I don't really know man.
>>
>>5539646
1)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies.
2)
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
Going with version of votes.
>>
>>5539646
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>Leave before the Feddie cops come.

BE GONE FIRST WHORE.
>>
>>5539658
+1
>>
>>5539646
>”We should check on who we helped, come on.”
>>
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>>5539652
>>5539659
>>5539729
>>5539745
>>5539780
Check on them.

>>5539731
Check + message.

>>5539661
>>5539742
>>5539778
>>5539669 (2nd)
>>5539705 (3rd)
Message + leave.

Looks like a tie, unless I've managed to miss a vote again somewhere. I'll give it an hour.
Hope everyone else is having a good Friday night too.
>>
>>5539823
>”...Did you get a message out, Elena?”
>Write-in.
>Leave before anything else happens, make sure nothing unexpected will come out of the Feddies
I'll go with simply this then.
>>
>>5539823 >>5539646
I'll change >>5539731 to Message + leave.
>>
>>5539824
Is this a vote change? Could you link to your previous post?
>>
>>5539825
>>5539824
>>5539661
>>5539742
>>5539778
>>5539669 (2nd)
>>5539705 (3rd)
Message + leave.
Writing.
>>
“...Did you get a message out, Elena?” You ask, speaking low as you struggle to calm your breathing and properly take stock of the situation. It’s hard to look at anything but Elena, she’s more than enough to fill your entire mind, but you push past that throbbing ache for now.

“Uhm… Y-yes, here, they said to put you on…” She stumbles with her words, reaching into her jacket pocket and drawing out the small radio, shifting her position a little to stand between the prying eyes of the wounded feddies and the small device. You take the little black box and hurry Elena along back toward the end of the alley where the car waits, the harsh white of the makeshift spotlights overhead casting deep shadows as you both get away from the blood and grime.

Once you’re clear you take the radio and transmit, “Ramba?”

”Felix, finally! The girl said there was a fight, what did you get yourself into?” Ramba voice crackles over the small speaker, and you lower the volume a little - There’s no one in earshot other than Elena, but it never hurts to be cautious.

“Uh, it was a street fight, near the club I said we’d be going to. A group of federation soldiers, well, actually I think they’re students, one of those officer programs - they were messing with a guy, called him a Zeek lover, things escalated fast. When they started to lose they tried to kill him and grab a girl he was with, so I intervened.”

“...Damned fool, could have gotten yourself killed. Get out of the area, keep us informed. …Did you win?” Ramba questions, his initial scolding fading quickly into a fighter's curiosity.

“Yes, I did.” You smile proudly as you give the news, Elena squeezing your arm even as she’s keeping watch to make sure no one walks up on you from the nearby sidewalk along the street.

“How do the feddies look?”

“Worse. Broken bones, some gashes; nobody’s dead thankfully.”

You can hear some sounds of movement on the other side of the radio, scuffing and what might be a door. A woman’s voice asks something, Hamon, too quiet to be picked up clearly.

“The boy won. Saved a couple of people.” Ramba tells her, and you can hear what you think might have been congratulations from Hamon, but Ramba soon turns back to business, “Did they get a good look at your face?”
>>
>>5539898

“At least one did. They’ve seen the car too.” You inform him, wishing the fight could have happened just around the corner or something, thoughts already flooding with what kind of problems this might cause.

“Car’s black and a common make and model, that’ll be fine. We’ll swap the plate.” Ramba says, voice coming through a little more garbled for a moment, and you feel a rush of relief, “Any of the other guys run off?”

“I don’t think so. They’re all on the ground.”

Ramba chuckles, “Good, you’ve got more time then. Get going.”

“Right, we’re moving! Sorry about the mess, Ramba.”

There's a delay before his response comes through, “...Probably would have done the same thing if it was me. Your girl alright?”

“I’m fine! It was amazing! He took out three of them, and I hit one with a can!” Elena says excitedly, reaching over to press to transmit, and you can hear more of Ramba's laughter from the other end. Hamon says something again which frustratingly still just isn’t clear enough.

“Sounds like a good girl you’ve got there, Felix. Let us know when you’re clear of the scene. Ramba out.” As the conversation ends you slip the radio back into your pocket and quickly unlock the car, you and Elena getting in quickly; a bit of awkward backing out of the alleyway and hasty checking of mirrors and you’re out on the street. Just before you pull out of sight of the alleyway entirely you catch sight of two silhouettes at the far end, Rix and a short girl who is probably that foul-mouthed Tiff you kept hearing shout, she’s waving at your car but you don’t linger to get a better look.

The drive away from the club is easy, slow, and you slip quickly into traffic on this level of Von Braun. It’s strange to look up and see natural rock instead of the sky, or space, or even the distant landscape of a colony’s interior.

“...Nina’s going to be so angry we just left.” Elena says with a sigh, looking out the window at the traffic around you, her buzz of excitement seeming to have mostly left her, “I wish we could have painted something, but… that, god, Max, that was amazing, and… and the kiss… I…”

Okay, so maybe she’s still a bit hot and bothered, but truth be told so are you. Police sirens whine past, flashing red and blue on the opposite side of the road, a single car heading off toward where you came from - Maybe it’s for the club, maybe not, but it definitely isn’t after you.

>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>”I’m sure we can come up with some excuse Nina will buy, I do feel a bit bad about it though. Hopefully she’ll have a good time on her own.”
>“…Want to just stop and tag up a different building? Some of those are up for rent, see the signs? If we’re quick it should be fine, nobody’s home.” Spray up the back of a disused strip mall.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5539899
>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>>
>>5539899
All of the options involve still telling Ramba and Hamon that you're clear, I just forgot to slip that in. No need to add it with write-ins or anything unless you have something really specific in mind.
>>
>>5539899
>“…Want to just stop and tag up a different building? Some of those are up for rent, see the signs? If we’re quick it should be fine, nobody’s home.” Spray up the back of a disused strip mall.
>>
>>5539899
>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]

The only thing I feel like mentioning is that since names may have been overheard, and the thrown spray paint can / her painting style may an identifiable trait and so we aren't completely clear of later reprisal especially if Elena frequents the surrounding area, or Forensics / law enforcement gets involved and start cracking down on street artists and others get coerced, once we leave things could very well get out of hand since I doubt they are going to take such a drubbing lying down.
>>
>>5539899
>”I’m sure we can come up with some excuse Nina will buy, I do feel a bit bad about it though. Hopefully she’ll have a good time on her own.”
>>
>>5539899
>“…Want to just stop and tag up a different building? Some of those are up for rent, see the signs? If we’re quick it should be fine, nobody’s home.” Spray up the back of a disused strip mall.
>>
>>5539899
1)
>>”I’m sure we can come up with some excuse Nina will buy, I do feel a bit bad about it though. Hopefully she’ll have a good time on her own.”
2)
>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>>
>>5539899
>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>>
>>5539899
>>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>>
>>5539930
In that case we'll just have to warn her not to come by the area anymore and be more secretive in general.
>>
>>5539899
>”...It was my first. You?” Smile like an idiot. [Skip to meeting with Ramba and Hamon]
>>
>>5539900
>>5539930
>>5540038
>>5540047
>>5540110
>>5540013 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“...It was my first. You?” You ask, smiling like an idiot as you glance over to Elena. She nods coyly, a little smirk spreading slowly into a dimpled grin, and you have to resist the urge to laugh, the feeling just welling up from within you - You’re happy. It’s a rare feeling these days.

“I… I was going to wait until you took me flying, but…” She starts to say, changing her mind mid way through, “You’re going to love it, I just know it.”

“Back to that surprise of yours again?” You eye her, still positively beaming, “Alright then, keep your secrets.”

“Had a lot of practice doing that.” She teases, a hint of pride in her voice.

“...Yeah. I guess you have.” You don’t quite wince, but that does take you out of the moment a little. It’s good that she’s as switched on as she is, aware of the risks of and making real effort to not just survive but actually be of help, but she shouldn’t have to be. Damned Zabis.

Fifteen minutes later.

You pull into the empty parking garage, making your way down to the third level, the entire structure wedged between two of the vast layers of Von Braun, reaching down into the start of the industrial levels nearer to the bottom. Headlights sweep across another dark car in the dimly lit building, a pair of silhouettes caught in the light, a man and woman; Ramba and Hamon. Parking near their car you get out, giving Ramba a nod and then looking over the surrounding area - You’re alone here.

Ramba’s wearing a well fitted suit, Hamon’s in a purple and rather attention grabbing tight dress, and it’s pretty obvious that they were both about to go enjoy a night out

“It’s clear, we made sure of it.” Ramba speaks at a normal volume, his gravelly voice traveling easily, his face set and determined, “Get over here, Felix.“

“...Yes, sir.” You answer a bit quietly, but you don’t avoid his gaze; he’s not quite angry, but he certainly isn’t happy. You motion with one hand to Elena as she steps out of her side of the car, curious and nervous in equal measure, “This is Elena. Elena, this is Ramba and Hamon.”

“It’s nice to meet both of you.” Elena says politely, “You’re his guards? He said you were old family friends.”
>>
>>5540404

“I’ve known his mother since we were girls.” Hamon answers, moving to the trunk of their car and opening it, “How much has Felix told you?”

“A lot. Not everything though.” Elena answers honestly, “There hasn’t been time.”

“Not enough time?” Hamon considers the words for a moment before smirking, “Well, if you’re going to know everything then I hope you won’t mind being an accomplice. I can’t work in this dress.”

“Accomplice?” Elena asks curiously, moving to the open trunk and looking inside, “Oh, I see. I can do that.”

“Hamon, the first aid kit.” Ramba requests, and a moment later she leans over past the trunk and throws him a small white and red bag which he deftly catches, “Alright, let me see those knuckles.”

“Not going to reprimand me?” You ask, letting him look at the small splits, spots of dried blood caked around them. It’s really not that bad, the little knicks are small, the dull painful ache of the bruises on your upper arm and back hurting far worse, tight knots of pain that are more than ready to remind you of their presence whenever you move.

“Stumbled across the fight by chance?” He asks, looking you in the eye; you nod, and that seems to satisfy him, “Then no, not if they were going to kill a man. Less bloodied than I thought you’d be, not bad, not bad.”

Hamon and Elena are chatting pleasantly, moving to your car with a small tool bag and a set of metal plates in hand; the replacement license plates for the car.

“Been in a lot of fights?” You question while Ramba dabs at your hands a bit with an ointment covered bit of cloth, the medical kit opened up on the roof of the car.

“Hah, you could say that. Hands aren’t nearly bad enough to need a real bandage, you’re lucky. Get them under ice when you can, and take…” He pulls a small bottle of pills from the kit, “A couple of these. They’ll be sore for a while but it’s not bad. Take any other hits?”

“Plank of wood to the arm and back.” You answer, and he lets out an impressed whistle.

“Anything feel broken?” Ramba questions.

“No, bad bruises is all. Not my first time with that.” You down the pair of pills he gave you, “Nothing next to getting shot.”

He nods slowly, “...I suppose not. It’s a damn shame you kids are caught up in this at all. Always has been.”

“I’m not much of a kid anymore, Ramba.” You say with a sigh, not challenging his point but rather acknowledging the truth of it, “Academy starts soon, and that’ll be the end of things.”

“Enjoy the time you’ve still got, you can afford to be a bit young and stupid sometimes.” He says in a low voice, finishing treating your hands and quickly putting the contents of the medical kit away, “Try not to get into any more fights if you can help it… At least not without me there. Use your judgment.”
>>
>>5540406

“Right. Thanks, Ramba.” You grin, it’s good to have him watching out for you, but then he pats you firmly on the shoulder and you can’t help but wince a bit. Might not have broken anything but that bruise hurts.

You turn your attention back to Elena and Hamon, the two of them look to have made short work of changing the plates, already done with both. Elena’s head pops up from behind the back of the car, one hand extended up with the old plate, and Hamon takes it away back to the open trunk of her and Ramba’s car.

“She's a good one, Felix.” Hamon smirks, glancing between you and Elena, “...Ramba, are we done here? The show starts in half an hour.”

“He’s as patched up as he’s going to get.” Ramba answers her, tossing the medical kit back into the trunk, “Felix, planning anything else we should know about?”

>”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]
>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>”...I think we’ll be fine. Elena, want to go back to my place?”
>Write-in. (Discuss something briefly?)
There will be a vote to cover what happens during skips, but it’ll be a summary.
>>
>>5540410
>1)”...I think we’ll be fine. Elena, want to go back to my place?”
This is a good option for whatever else we'd want to tell her.
>2)>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>>
>>5540410
1)
>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]

2)
>”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]

Keeping it on the low side could help us make sure this whole ordeal with the Feddies blows over.
>>
>>5540410
>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>>
>>5540410
>>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>>
>>5540410
>”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]
2
>”...I think we’ll be fine. Elena, want to go back to my place?”
>>
>>5540410
1)
>”...I think we’ll be fine. Elena, want to go back to my place?”
I just want to hang out. I feel like I have to clarify because these votes always turn into flirting. Although Elena is best girl
2)
>>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>>
>>5540429
I feel like it'll be too tempting to just hold-hands with her for everyone here instead of doing anything productive.
>spoiler
She's turning out to be that.
>>
>>5540410
>>”...I think we’ll be fine. Elena, want to go back to my place?”
>>
>>5540410
>>5540410
1.
>”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]
2.
>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
Even if it's for one or two days it should be alright.
>>
>>5540410
1)
>”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
2)
>”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]
Feels like this is better for now.
>>
>>5540410
>1)”I was thinking we’d take things a little slower. Go enjoy your show, I’ll make sure we don’t need to drag you out of it… probably.” [Skip to the next day]

>2)”...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days. Go have your fun.” [Skip to the surprise in two days]
>>
>>5540416
>>5540420
>>5540421
>>5540483
>>5540415 (2nd)
>>5540429 (2nd)
>>5540488 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
Sorry about the delay for the summary votes, got caught up doing some stuff. Please pick one option from each. We'll be on to the surprise after this.

“...We’ll be taking things a lot easier… probably for a few days.” You reply, crossing your arms as you look from Ramba to Hamon, “Go have your fun.”

The rest of the night passes by…
>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
>Excitingly. You went back to Elena’s apartment and she wanted to see the bruises from the fight, and then your old scars, and you ended up pretty distracted for a while until Nina showed later in the night. Her date went alright, but she was miffed that you both ditched her. Nothing past second base.

And the next day was spent…
>Seeing the sights around Von Braun with Elena, making some nice memories and just having a good time together.
>Attempting to help Elena and Nina with their project. Robots are neat! You’re not an engineer, but you’re very well educated and sharp witted enough to bring some of your practical experience with spacecraft mechanics to bear.
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.
>>
>>5540561
>Excitingly. You went back to Elena’s apartment and she wanted to see the bruises from the fight, and then your old scars, and you ended up pretty distracted for a while until Nina showed later in the night. Her date went alright, but she was miffed that you both ditched her.
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.
The Jaburo thing will help us during the OYW. We don't need to destroy it, at least not until after we set up NeoZeon.
>>
>>5540561
First vote:
>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
This is mostly not to make Nina too annoyed with Elena, them being good friends could prove to be best.

Second vote:
1)
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.

2)
>Attempting to help Elena and Nina with their project. Robots are neat! You’re not an engineer, but you’re very well educated and sharp witted enough to bring some of your practical experience with spacecraft mechanics to bear.
>>
>>5540561
>Excitingly. You went back to Elena’s apartment and she wanted to see the bruises from the fight, and then your old scars, and you ended up pretty distracted for a while until Nina showed later in the night. Her date went alright, but she was miffed that you both ditched her.

>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things
>>
>>5540561
>>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.
>>
>>5540561
>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.
>>
>>5540561
>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
>Talking. There was so much talking; you spent most of it shut away in your apartment discussing much of what has happened over the last few years, things that can’t be sent by letter. Plots, plans, some big base under construction for years in Brazil called Jaburo… Lots of things.
>>
>>5540577
Just to be clear: Nina is annoyed either way. She was still ditched, she just interrupts Felix and Elena when she arrives back at the apartment in the exciting option.
>>
>>5540607
Thanks for telling me Contolist. In that case I'll change my first vote

>>5540577
>>5540561
>Excitingly. You went back to Elena’s apartment and she wanted to see the bruises from the fight, and then your old scars, and you ended up pretty distracted for a while until Nina showed later in the night. Her date went alright, but she was miffed that you both ditched her.
I might not care that much for the romance, but I don't want us to be seen publicly so soon after the fight.
>>
>>5540561
>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.

>Attempting to help Elena and Nina with their project. Robots are neat! You’re not an engineer, but you’re very well educated and sharp witted enough to bring some of your practical experience with spacecraft mechanics to bear.

Could the crazy lady in the Zabi's had set that fight up?
>>
>>5540649
>Could the crazy lady in the Zabi's had set that fight up?
Kycilia? It's possible.
My reasoning is that it might've been a ploy to make us 'break' our promise to Artesia about staying safe or just outright kill us, though even saying this sounds like a stretch but this is the Zabis we're talking about, there's always a possibility they're doing this sort of thing.
Well she might at least know we got into a street fight here, her spies knew about our fight in Texas.
>>
>>5540671
Anon, calm down your shadowrunning. Remember what happened to Mink?
>>
>>5540680
You're right. It's probably just the Feddies being Feddies.
And Felix's would've probably noticed with his perception if someone was watching.
>>
>>5540682
>>5540680
>This is what Kycilia wants you to think
>>
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>>5540561
>>Relaxingly. You just hung out together back at Elena’s apartment and then went to one of the restaurants nearby to talk, looking to all the world like just a couple of happy students.
>>Attempting to help Elena and Nina with their project. Robots are neat! You’re not an engineer, but you’re very well educated and sharp witted enough to bring some of your practical experience with spacecraft mechanics to bear.
>>
>>5540687
Well it'll be revealed in due time either way, through Artesia's worry/anger (if it's the theory of telling her) or Kycilia's arrogance. If neither of those things happen some time after we return, we're probably in the clear.
>>
Vote One:
>>5540574
>>5540578
>>5540617
Excitingly.

>>5540579
>>5540580
>>5540599
>>5540649
>>5540701
Relaxingly.

Vote Two:
>>5540574
>>5540577
>>5540578
>>5540579
>>5540580
>>5540599
Talking.

>>5540649
>>5540701
Project.

Relaxing wins, talking wins. Writing. Got caught up on a long phone call, didn't mean for this to be quite this long for just a vote.

>>5540701
>pic
kek
>>
…Parting ways with Ramba and Hamon, allowing them to return to what was clearly a night out on Von Braun, you drive off into the electric night of the city; it’s a peaceful drive, back up toward the university a level up, far away from any suspicion of involvement in the fight below. Retiring to Elena’s apartment for a time you spent an hour or so talking, reminiscing on old times and events which have occurred since your separation, things too large or small to discuss by letter. It’s pleasant, a truly relaxing experience after the blood pumping alleyways fight, and at Elena’s suggestion the two of you go out for food nearby, a little hole in the wall Asian restaurant that students frequent but tourists often miss entirely; it’s fantastic, and you sit outside chatting away much of the night, kissing again but only briefly. Before parting ways you invite Elena come over to your apartment tomorrow, intending to discuss all manner of things…

The next morning comes quickly. There’s a knock at the door, and you find Elena dressed in darker clothes, a bag slung over one shoulder and her braided ponytail over the other, a beautiful dimpled smile greeting you more warmly than any words ever could.

“Morning, Felix.” She says, trying out your real name, almost teasing with it, “...I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to calling you anything but Max.”

“I don’t mind it all, I did pick the name.” You answer, giving her a brief hug and motioning her into the overly modern apartment’s stylish interior, “What’s in the bag?”

“Insurance.” She answers cryptically, almost in a whisper, dropping the bag down on the glass kitchen table and unzipping it, pulling out a strange pistol-gripped device with a small trigger and bulky screen attached to it.
>>
>>5540828

“Your microscanner?” You whisper, used to seeing sleeker versions of similar devices in spacecraft hangars, “Good thinking.”

“Could you get me something to drink?” She asks a little too loudly, “I’m so thirsty after that walk.”

You have to stifle a laugh, she’s hamming that up on purpose - Not enough for a stranger to notice though. You get her the glass as requested while she sets about going over the appliances and furniture in the kitchen, working quickly and silently. She really must have practiced this a lot. No bugs here. She moves on to the living room, stops at one of the chairs and then again at a lamp, making quick notes about both on a small yellow pad she brought with her, and then moves onto the adjoining spaces; all the while she talks about how impressive the apartment is and other inane topics. Soon the check is complete, only a handful of bugs across the room. Unfortunately there’s no need for her plan to short them out with water, if they even could be, and you both settle on quietly moving the offending furniture into the bedroom’s adjoining bathroom and shutting the door, announcing that you’d be going out soon before doing so. None of them are transmitting, they just seem to be recording devices, so the ruse should work just fine. She double, and then triple checks the living room. It’s clean.

Settling in among the remaining unbugged furniture, music playing over the living room’s sound system to mask your conversation even if it might be picked up through the walls, you begin to talk. And what a talk it is! The day is eaten up by it, minutes turning easily into hours, every topic imaginable covered. You tell her everything. Everything. About your siblings, about your mother, your time learning to fly, what it’s like to be a newtype and the close friendship you’ve formed with Artesia through it, your plan hatched with Casval to eventually betray the Zabis (though here you do still talk in some code on this), and so many more things. Elena’s secret preparations aren’t too much more extensive than what she told you last night, though you do hear of them in much greater detail, and much of her own life was able to be discussed by letter so there’s far less time spent on it barring a single topic - Her time in Brazil.
>>
>>5540833

“...We lived at a small federation base near this massive construction site, they were building something absolutely huge underground.” Elena explains, sitting legs crossed alongside you, leaning close against your shoulder and sipping at a glass of wine, “There was a section already operational, that’s where mom went to those awful meetings. The missile defense ones.”

“I remember that, I was actually pretty surprised you sent anything about them at all… I know it was a really bad time.” You comment, thinking back to the letters you received on Texas colony and the distressing news of her mother’s slow and stress filled spiral into despair and eventual marital disaster.

“I knew a lot more than I put in the letters. Mom told me about things, she’d get drunk sometimes and she came in crying… and…” Elena presses against you a little more, and you tighten your arm around her just a bit, “...And she told me about what they were doing. All of it.”

“All of it?”

“Well, as much as she could get out. It wasn’t much of a secret that all the digging and construction were for a big base, but it’s not just big… it’s… Max, I’m not sure how to get the scale across, but it goes through a bunch of caves beneath the Amazon… miles and miles and miles of them, factories and barracks and missile silos, everything they need. The whole federation military is going to be run from it eventually.”

Your eyebrows raise in astonishment - that’s quite a scale to work with but not totally unheard of. Colonies are rather gargantuan projects themselves and many hundreds of those exist, but building something in orbit and tunneling in secret beneath a massive rainforest are pretty different engineering challenges, “What’s that have to do with missile defense?”
>>
>>5540835

“It’s to stop nukes.” She says grimly, “It would… it would take a lot to get through all the rock and concrete and steel, it goes deep and they were reinforcing everything, or… that’s what she claimed anyways. Missile defenses too, to intercept bombs before they got there. They… they’re convinced that if a big war ever breaks out with the Sides that nowhere else on earth is going to be safe. She called it Jaburo.”

“Seriously? Nowhere at all? What about the bases in California and Australia, they’re huge-”

“All gone in a couple of weeks if it’s a full exchange. Everything. Everyone. And the colonies won’t do any better, they had a term for what they’d be afterwards, ‘shoal zones’, and they only cared because they’d interfere with further missile launches and fleet movements. They even thought Luna would get hit… by both sides. I… God, it’s all so awful, they were just planning it out so coldly, no mention of trying to stop it… Maybe that’s a different group's job, politicians or diplomats or something, but… It tore mom apart.”

“...Zeon’s been planning for a war too. The secret fleet I mentioned earlier? Most of the cargo ships you see coming out of Side Three are going to be converted into cruisers. So this Jaburo base, it’s going to house everything?”

“That’s what she said. Everything to run the war, whatever that even looks like… how could they fight if everything is just… gone? That’s not a war, Max, it’s just mutual genocide. But it’s worse than that… they were going to build an orbital defense system, stations for intercepting missiles and asteroids, and they… they didn’t build it for budgeting reasons. That’s what pushed her over the edge, I think. How did she say they put it… ‘Low probability of sufficient interception, serious cost overruns likely.’ Cost overruns. They wrote off almost everyone on the planet due to it maybe being too expensive. Billions of people. Families. Little kids… And no one even knows about it.”
>>
>>5540838

“...What heartless bastards… Some people are just like that, Elena. They’re too weighed down by grav... by their own immediate concerns to ever take a wider view of things. Your mom… has a heart. I’m sorry it happened how it did.”

“...It makes me sick to even think about, Max. I think about it every few days.”

“Let’s hope they were wrong about a war like that happening at all.” You comfort her, struggling to find any silver lining, knowing what you do about Gihren’s plans even in only their roughest forms, “It could be smaller, a lot smaller. …A war probably is inevitable though.”

“...Can we stop it from getting that bad then?” Elena asks, voice quavering but not quite to the point of tears; she’s cried about this many times in the past, too many times. You can feel it, even without your newtype perception, the pained look in her eyes giving it all away.

“I don’t know, but we can try. I’m trying to do something about the Zabis, but it’s slow, and the independence movement isn’t just them. People want out of the federation, and bad, Zeon’s just ahead of the pack. I want out, the federation has only been holding us back for decades now - But not… not like that. Never like that.”

The rest of the day went by more happily, conversation slowly returning to cheerier topics, but the warning of a hellish future passed down from Elena’s mother still haunts your thoughts.
>>
>>5540843

The next morning, on the lowest industrial level of Von Braun.

The air smells of metal, and oil, and rot; an terrible stench of decaying machinery, cushions and upholstery fester unattended, rats climb between the detritus of thousands of wrecked cars and spacecraft piled high, even a few armored vehicles - the remains of an old model of guntank. A vast junkyard stretches out before you, and you double check the address Elena gave you the day prior before leaving your car. A rusted sign with bullet holes in it confirms that this is indeed the place:

Hogo Salvage and Scrap, no trespassers or solicitors welcome!

You sigh and begin the long walk inside, Elena instructed you to walk from the gate, and so you do, hands in your jacket pockets and head on a swivel as you move past the huge heaps of trash and mangled machinery. It might just be something out of old novels, but places like this supposedly have nasty guard dogs…

Elena ran off yesterday after your talk, worried about not having enough time to complete your surprise, and warned that she’d probably need to pull an all-nighter… What that could possibly have to do with all of this junk you have no idea, but you follow her instructions and make your way down the narrow road to a series of five metal barns. They’re big, but one looks to have already been totally overrun by the collection of half scrapped vehicles piled about the area, and another looks like it’s been converted into a makeshift house of some kind, smoke coming from a rusted chimney.

As you near the huge barns a sudden crack of thunder fills the air, a snapping pop sounding from the ground to your left, and you instinctively duck low and find cover behind an old rusted car, getting its engine block between you and the source of the shots; loud barking follows a moment later.

You peek around your cover, and slightly crazed sounding man shouts to you from the house-barn, “Who goes there? Some rat here to steal my metal?”

“Maxime Mass!” You shout back, “I’m with Elena!”

“Oh? Oh! What didn’t you say so?” The man shouts back, one of the windows to the house-barn slamming shut the door on its side opening a moment later, a huge dog running out across the trash filled mud road toward your hiding spot. It’s kicks up dirt as it comes skidding to a stop feet away from you, head low and shoulders set wide, snarling.
>>
>>5540847

“Ease, boy, ease!” The man’s voice sounds from the doorway, though you don’t dare look away from the massive hound to see him, a few quick footsteps barely audible over the dog’s growling, “He’s with the girl, come on now, ease up.”

…And the dog relaxes, turning its head slightly and walking on over to you to deliver a big lick to your face; you fend off the worst of its slobbery assault, rising to greet your erstwhile attacker. He’s a scrawny, scraggly fellow, middle aged at least and wearing old stained grey coveralls, his tan face wrinkled like a shriveled prune and two big suspicious brown eyes searching over you carefully. A crumpled old hat sits atop his balding head, bearing the same logo as the sign out front did.

“You’re Max then?” He asks, extending a hand to shake, his other holding onto a rather large single-action revolver, “Handsome fellow… See why she took a liking to you. I’m Hogo.”

You shake his hand, finding the situation stranger by the second, “...Nice to meet you, Hogo. Elena’s here, right?”

“She is, poor girl’s just tuckered out. Worked all night, had to help her some with the last of it.” Togo says, thin lips pursed as he nods, “She was sleep on a cot last I saw, but that was an hour ago or so. Want some joe? Got a pot brewed up.”

>”Uh, sure, coffee sounds good. Elena’s inside the house then?”
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>”...Getting shot at woke me up enough, but thanks. What’s your dog’s name? Pretty well trained.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5540858
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540858
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540858
1)
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>”...Getting shot at woke me up enough, but thanks. What’s your dog’s name? Pretty well trained.”

2)
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540858
1)
>”...Getting shot at woke me up enough, but thanks. What’s your dog’s name? Pretty well trained.”
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
2)
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540858
>>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540858
>”I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though. …Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”
>>
>>5540860
>>5540864
>>5540865
>>5540903
>>5540905
>>5540915
Writing.
>>
“I’ll pass, I appreciate the offer though.” You say, reaching down for a moment to scratch as the scruff of the black haired dog’s neck but your eyes remaining on Hogo’s revolver, “...Nice iron, didn’t realize those were legal here. Had one just like that on the colony I used to live on.”

“Legal? Haha! That's a good one, that’s a good one!” Hogo lets out a deep belly laugh, bending over to slap his knee, “Hahaha! This is my yard, son - She’s a grade one certified junk zone, damned near everything is legal here. Benefits of being a scrapper.”

You furrow your brow, never having heard of such a thing, “...Certified junk zone? That’s a thing?”

“Not really, just made it up. Ahaha!” Hogo laughs even harder, his hound moving over to him and giving a single excited woof, “Nobody checks in around here, tanhats and Anaheim gotta dump their junk somewhere! Why, I could probably hide a whole battleship here and nobody would look twice so long as I didn’t blast holes in the roof! …Eh, I kid, but the yard’s mostly legal anyways, think I got a permit for weapons grade scrap somewhere… probably expired. Lot of stuff isn’t demilled, no one minds.”

You glance over at the wrecked guntank and notice the peculiarly intact cannons, your eyes widening a bit in shock - Do they really just let this stuff collect down here? It seems so.

“So, you had one of these?” Hogo questions, flipping the revolver and grabbing it by its barrel to hand it to you, the hammer rather alarmingly already cocked, and then pointing to a red car door near the middle of one of the great scrap piles maybe forty meters away, “Hit that window then! Up there on that red elecar door.”

You shrug and raise the worn old gun, and line up the tiny sights and and then squeezing the feather light trigger mid exhale; thunder cracks and the window shatters.

Hogo lets out an excited hoot, hollering as loud as can be, “Ahahaha! Look at that! So you did own one! Where at?”

“Texas colony.” You answer, not seeing much reason to conceal that part of your past, “Shot every few days for a couple of years.”

“Texas… colony? Never heard of it! Sounds like a wild place.” He accepts the revolver back from you and holsters it smoothly, waving for you to follow as he turns back toward the odd makeshift house-barn, “Come on, let’s get inside, fireworks probably woke the girl up.”
>>
>>5541023

He lets out a whistle and the dog is at his side, panting and happy. You follow quickly. Hogo opens the screen door, and then the metal one behind it, and you enter his dingy house's, colorful shelves with all sorts of strange objects covering the walls. Among the mess is a framed picture of what looks like a young Hogo in a mechanic's uniform, a few similarly dressed men standing with him in front of a race plane of some kind, the background a barren desert. The inside of the house is nearly as chaotic as the scrapyard outside, but there’s an oddly intuitive layout to the mess, not quite one of those horrible hoarder situations you’ve seen sometimes on television, more of a quirky collector situation. He leads you into a side room, a makeshift little bedroom of a sort with a cot and some badly mismatched furniture. Elena’s rubbing groggily at her eyes, her red hair a bit of a mess, oil and grease smudging her face and fingers, wearing a stained white crop top and baggy cargo pants secured only by a dark belt. She sits up on the cot and lets out a long yawn as she sees you enter, stretching her arms up languidly and sticking her chest distractingly far forward - The mechanic look really, really suits her, gives her a more energetic and hands-on look than usual, but that might just be the tight crop top talking.

“Morning, handsome.” She greets you, the big dark haired dog immediately jumping up to sit next to her along the cot, the light frame bending under the friendly beast's weight, “Enjoy meeting the locals?”

“Managed to survive.” You answer, scratching at the back of your head a bit, “...Definitely awake now at least.”

“Gave him the normal welcome.” Hogo says with a laugh, “Really had him going, I think. Still in one piece.”

“You’re going to get someone killed doing that someday,” Elena scolds, though she doesn’t sound particularly worried, “Unless you already have, crazy old man.”

“Haha! You know it, you know it.” Hogo jokes, “I just feed them to Zammy, he eats em’ right up.”

The dog tilts its head at that, probably just responding to its name.

>”So, did you get everything finished in time?” The surprise!
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>”...Zammy? That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.” It’s even the right size, looking more like a short haired bear than a dog.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5541033
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>>
>>5541033
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>”...Zammy? That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.” It’s even the right size, looking more like a short haired bear than a dog.
We must mass produce Zammy
>>
>>5541033
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>”...Zammy? That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.” It’s even the right size, looking more like a short haired bear than a dog.
Sieg Zammy!
>>
>>5541033
>”...Zammy? That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.” It’s even the right size, looking more like a short haired bear than a dog.
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>>
>>5541033
>”...Zammy? That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.” It’s even the right size, looking more like a short haired bear than a dog.
>”...So how’d you two meet?” It’s a bit odd.
>>
>>5541052
>>5541236
>>5541391
>>5541402
Writing.
>>
“...Zammy?” You ask, and the big pooch swivels its head over to you now, “That’s… Heh, I know someone who’d like your dog, Hogo.”

“Everyone likes Zammy!” He replies, crossing his arms, “Well, not thieves, got a few of them, isn’t that right, Zammy?”

Zammy woofs, nearly as thunderous as the gun earlier, and Elena flinches a bit but then gives him some good scratches behind the ear. He’s probably just watching Hogo’s body language for when to react, or maybe the question is a learned command to bark - Still, you can’t help but feel on some level that it was responding to the question.

Hogo continues with a crooked smile, “Rambunctious little rascal when he was a pup, didn’t train easy, but here we are! Swear he eats more than my tiger used to.”

“...You owned a tiger?” Elena asks, eyebrows raised in disbelief, and the scraggly junkyard man sticks a scarred and slightly too short thumb up in the affirmative.

“Held onto one for about a year, back when I was on earth! Started small… didn’t end that way.” Hogo reminisces, “Burnt through most of my cash keeping him fed, real cuddly fellow until he got big. Client was happy when they finally picked him up though, took him to a big reserve on one of the colonies, out in Side Two I think… so all's well that ends well, right? That’s what I always say.”

“...Client?” You question, finding the use of the word a bit odd and Hogo’s past more than a tad suspicious. You move over to Zammy, unable to resist the huge hound’s gaze for long, big blue eyes luring you in. He’s soft for living as rough as he does - must be taken care of well to have fur this clean.

“Eh, you didn’t hear that part.” Hogo waves at you dismissively.

“Hogo, it’s okay, he’s with me.” Elena says, tapping lightly at your shin with a bare foot, just enough to draw your attention back to her, “I trust him.”

“...So how’d you two meet?” You ask. It doesn’t take a newtype to sense that there’s something strange going on here, especially after a comment like that. It does make you feel a little tingly surge of happiness though, her words just lightening the whole world; you trust her too.

“Know her uncle, and her pa.” Hogo answers, “Used to run together for a few years, split up a while ago though, Georgi went clean, I mostly did…”

“My uncle’s an arms dealer, apparently.” Elena says with a shrug, “I uh… didn’t think that should go in a letter. That’s the last secret, I swear! I just didn’t want to risk spoiling… Mm, well, you’ll see in a few minutes.”
>>
>>5541442

“So you met each other through Georgi then? Well, friends of the family then, makes sense.” You conclude, seeing the pieces starting to fall into place now; he mentioned something about smuggling once, it was only implied but it sure made it sound like he knew a lot about the practice. Of course he was very protective of Elena and seemed more than a little secretive about his past, hardly proud of it, so perhaps…

“Actually she found Zammy here, that’s how we met!” Hogo laughs, “Came wandering in with him on a lead, white as a sheet, scared the junk was going to fall on her or something. Glad she found him though, he used to run off a lot as a pup, thought I had it trained out of him but…”

“It was just a little after I came to Von Braun,” Elena explains, “I was coming down to the lower levels to try to find parts for one of my first projects for class, and to practice avoiding people following me… and Zammy just came running up to me on the street. I thought… I thought he was going to eat me, but the worst he did was try to give me a bath with that tongue of his-”

Zammy turns and licks her face, eliciting a small noise and look from Elena as she leans away, trying to hold him off with both hands.

She recovers after a moment, Zammy’s sudden playful assault abating, “...After I realized Hogo wasn’t actually crazy we ended up talking for a while and it turned out he knew dad. They both used to come here on smuggling trips-”

“Runs.” Hogo corrects.

“What?” Elena asks.

“Smuggling runs. A smuggling trip is when the cargo leaks and funny fumes come out.” He cackles at his own odd joke, and though you don’t find it all that humorous you’re still grinning a little; he’s a bit unhinged, or maybe more than a bit, but he doesn’t seem all that bad so far.

“...Sure, smuggling runs then, Hogo. My mom and dad met on one of them, well, they met on Von Braun after one, and then again after another, and things…”

“Still not sure how Georgi managed any of it, had a way with the ladies…” Hogo strokes his small scraggly beard, as if he was contemplating one of the universe’s deepest questions, “Probably the tequila! Haha!”

Elena snorts and shakes her head, and then turns to you with an mischievous and excited look, “...So, Max, want to see what I’ve been working on?”

>”Still planning to blindfold me? Come on, what are we waiting for?” To the surprise!
>”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first. Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5541443
>”Still planning to blindfold me? Come on, what are we waiting for?” To the surprise!
>Write In: You feeling up to it? Don't want to grab some food or something first?
>>
>>5541443
>”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first. Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>>
>>5541443
>>”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first. Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>>
>>5541443
>”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first. Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>>
>>5541443
>>5541501
Changing my vote to support >>5541446
>>
>>5541443
>”Still planning to blindfold me? Come on, what are we waiting for?” To the surprise!
>>
>>5541443
>”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first. Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>>
>>5541446
>>5541530
Surprise+Get the poor girl some food.

>>5541505
>>5541509
>>5541550
Take care of Elena and talk with Hogo.

>>5541543
Mystery box!

Writing.
>>
”...Soon - I’m excited. You look exhausted though, maybe some food would be a good idea first.” You say, extending a hand to help her up from the cot which she happily accepts, giving you a weary little smile, the mask she was trying to put on to hide her exhaustion slipping away.

“Food sounds amazing…” She practically groans, leaning onto you to rest her head softly on your shoulder, smelling more of sweat and oil than cinnamon, “I was up all night…”

“That settles it then.” You answer, putting an arm around her waist and turning to look to the scrappy scrap man, “Hogo, how about that coffee and something to eat. I can help cook if there’s-”

“No need, still got some donuts to go with the joe, if that’s fine with the lady.” Hogo cuts you off, already turning to make his way to what’s probably the kitchen, “Know you’ve been watching things, Elena.”

“Donuts? I shouldn’t… But I will.” Elena says as both begin to follow, a little shudder running through her, and then she tilts her head just a little to look at you, “...I’ve been trying to get more in shape.”

“You look great!” You practically blurt out, and she smirks happily and gives you a quick kiss on the cheek, “...If I keep talking do I get more?”

“Maybe.” She teases, but you let things settle there; she really does look worn out, bags under her eyes.

Making your way through the chaotically organized house, past shelf after shelf of odds and ends, including a cabinet of various firearms both modern and antique, you’re soon in a small kitchen. You let Elena sit at the small table and go to get her the donuts and coffee from the nearby countertop, Zammy eyeing you the entire time; using your potent newtype abilities you deduce that the dog probably wants a donut… You resist the mighty hound’s mental assault, ignoring the wide eyes and expectant look it gives as you pass by, setting the napkin wrapped donut and mug in front of Elena. She takes a sip of the coffee, makes a disgusted face, and then takes a much larger sip, drinking it more aggressively; it’s dark black, nothing added, but that seems to suit her just fine despite the faces.

“Ugh, it’s like a slap in the face,” She says, stopping to look at the already half empty mug, “Perfect.”

You leave Elena to her morning awakening, and turn to speak with Hogo for a moment, “Hogo, do you still do runs or just take in… uh, questionably legal junk like that guntank out there?”
>>
>>5541609

“Runs? Not for years, no. Had a close call on my last one,” He pulls at the collar of his coveralls, exposing a nasty looking jagged scar on his wrinkled tan neck, “Decided to call that chapter of my life quits. Still take delivery sometimes though, if you get my meaning, and I warehouse some of the junk until others run it, but mostly I’m an honest scrapper. Why? Looking to buy something? Got all sorts of things if you’re good for it. Cash or trade only.”

“Uh, maybe, I hadn't considered that. I’ll think about it.” You say, unsure of what you’d even do with anything at the end of the week, “Mostly I was just curious, haven’t ever really seen this side of things before.”

“Oh? Funny, I had you pegged as the bad one, not her.” He comments, his slightly too wide eyes looking you over as he takes a sip of his own coffee, “Never worked around the law before? Eh, I don’t buy it.”

“Not that, I'm just more used to bribes for people to look the other way than something like smuggling.” You admit, thinking back to the low level corruption that you’ve taken for granted nearly your entire life: Teabolo bribing the police to ignore your shooting practice with Casval, Rafferty pulling strings for your flight training and getting colony security to look the other way, Jimba and his definitely illegal collection of guns… it’s actually a pretty long list, those are just the first things to come to mind. The guns on Texas colony probably weren’t fully legal either, now that you think about it, even if they were antiques. ...Although you have been smuggled you don't intend to bring up that particular tale.

“Well, that’s half the way to smuggling!” Hogo replies with that crooked grin of his, “The other half is scooting along too fast or quiet for anybody to catch you. And the other other half is knowing people. It’s a sort of mutant centaur looking thing, more than two halves.”

>”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
>Sit with Elena and eat for a bit, and then get on to that mysterious surprise of hers.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5541611
1)
>”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.

2)
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
Knowing where/how the Feddies get rid of their guntanks could be useful information.

3)
>”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
>>
>>5541611
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
>>
>>5541611
>1)”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.

>2)>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
>>
>>5541611
1)
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
2)
>”When’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.” It’s a primitive thing compared to a mobile suit, but you’ve got plenty of… not so great memories of being in one of those things.
>”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
>>
>>5541611
>”...So how much for a gun? I miss my old revolver.” Can probably get Ramba and Hamon to get it back to Zeon for you, you know they’ve got their own guns on them anyways. Maybe Ramba could hold onto it until you're a little more free of the Zabis, though Dozle might actually just let you have it if you approached him about it correctly...
G U N
>>
>>5541612
>>5541616
>>5541633 (2nd option)
Gun+Guntank.

Writing.
>>
“...So how much for a gun?” You ask, a part of you longing for the elegant weapon you left back on Texas colony, even if it is an almost ancient design now; fully proven, you’d like to think, the simple design having grown on you during your time at the lodge, “I miss my old revolver.”

“Didn’t miss with it if your shot earlier was anything to go by.” Hogo remarks, one eye a widen a bit more than the other as he lets out another hoarse laugh, “Fan of the wheel gun, eh? Not many buyers now other than collectors, can run a pretty penny.”

“I’ve practiced with it the most, I could’ve made that shot from horseback at nearly twice the distance.”

“Braggart.” Hogo scoffs, “You believe that, Elena?”

“Yes.” Elena says, sipping at the last of her coffee, her voice growing grim and for just a moment she looks past both of you, “...He’s a good shot.”

“Well, well, a regular desperado then, alright then, follow me. I’ve got a few.” Hogo nods for you to follow, and it doesn’t take long for the two of you to arrive at that gun cabinet you noticed earlier. Hogo produces a key from somewhere, unlocks the glass doors which definitely wouldn’t stop anyone, and opens them wide.

It’s maybe a couple dozen weapons in total, though some intuition tells you he probably has dozens if not hundreds more somewhere, he just seems like that kind of guy. About half are more modern pieces, bullpup carbines which look far too familiar for comfort, aggressive looking semi-automatic shotguns, marksman rifles with bulky looking scopes, and a number of decrepit looking bolt action rifles that might date back to the old global wars of the middle era - Not what you’re here for, and far too large to even hope to conceal.

The handguns, resting in a neat little row at the bottom of the cabinet, are distinctly more practical. A few are modern types, one a slightly older model of the pistol you used back in Spain to lethal effect, and the rest are revolvers of various makes. There’s a matching set of engraved single action army’s, the exact model you’ve grown so very familiar with over the last few years - You’re more confident in landing a quick shot, and a precise one, with them than anything else here, even if they are hopelessly obsolescent in a protracted fight.

“So, what’ll it be?” Hogo asks, watching as you carefully examine the handguns, checking them for defects; most are in pristine condition, the others only lightly used.

“...I’ll need to think it over.”

Vote one:
>The modern pistol. You’ve killed with a similar one before, perhaps you will again. They’re nice guns, but the engravings on those revolvers serve no tactical purpose whatsoever.
>The pair of engraved revolvers. If six shots is enough to kill anything that moves, then what unholy anarchy might twelve accomplish?
>>
>>5541743

While you think things over you talk with Hogo, “...So when’d you get that guntank out there? Looked pretty intact.”

“Hope you’re not planning to take one of the cannons, I’d have a hell of a time getting it off the thing.” Hogo says, sounding entirely too serious as he scratches at his scraggly beard, “Guntank got dumped here along with a bunch of other scrapped ones… eh, maybe six or seven years ago? Can’t quite remember, I got it third or fourth hand from another scrap company that didn’t want to go through the labor of cutting it up.”

“Six or seven years ago?” You keep further questions to yourself.

“Right after that big dust up on Munzo, the rogue guntank. Might’ve seen that when you were a kid, was all over the news.”

“...Yeah, I might have.”

“Well, doesn’t matter, the point’s that a lot of people didn’t have much confidence in them after that, a lot got trimmed. Shelly ended up here in mostly one piece, and I’ve got most of a couple more under some of the junk piles.”

“Shelly?” You get the joke, but it’s a bad enough name that you still feel compelled to comment.

“Yeah, on account of being heavy and a bigger bitch to get rid of than I expected! Had an ex named Shelly, it’s just like her, even looks similar if you squint...”

Oh, well, that’s not quite what you expected.

Vote two:
>”...Got any swords?” It looks like he has a bit of everything.
>Join Elena for a bit and then go off to see the surprise.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5541745
>The pair of engraved revolvers. If six shots is enough to kill anything that moves, then what unholy anarchy might twelve accomplish?
Engravings offer no tactical advantage. They're cool though. And SAA's are the coolest revolver around.
>"...Got any swords?"
>>
>>5541743
>The modern pistol. You’ve killed with a similar one before, perhaps you will again. They’re nice guns, but the engravings on those revolvers serve no tactical purpose whatsoever.

>>5541745
>Write-in
>"Six or seven years, huh? For how long have you been here?"

2)
>”...Got any swords?” It looks like he has a bit of everything.
>Join Elena for a bit and then go off to see the surprise.
I'm curious, but I feel like we've been putting off the surprise for long enough.

3)
>Join Elena for a bit and then go off to see the surprise.
>>
>>5541750
Forgot to put the 1) for my write-in.
>>
>>5541743
>>5541745
>The pair of engraved revolvers. If six shots is enough to kill anything that moves, then what unholy anarchy might twelve accomplish?
Pistolero mode activated
>”...Got any swords?” It looks like he has a bit of everything
Can just bail if they're in bad nick.
>>
>>5541745
>The modern pistol. You’ve killed with a similar one before, perhaps you will again. They’re nice guns, but the engravings on those revolvers serve no tactical purpose whatsoever.
Revolvers with engravings sound cool as fuck, but too easy to identify back to us.
>”...Got any swords?” It looks like he has a bit of everything.
>>
>>5541743
1)
>The pair of engraved revolvers. If six shots is enough to kill anything that moves, then what unholy anarchy might twelve accomplish?
>>5541745
>”...Got any swords?” It looks like he has a bit of everything.
>>
>>5541743
>The pair of engraved revolvers. If six shots is enough to kill anything that moves, then what unholy anarchy might twelve accomplish?
BIG IRON(s)

>>5541745
>Join Elena for a bit and then go off to see the surprise.
>>
Vote One:
>>5541748
>>5541755
>>5541779
>>5541785
[spinning noises]

>>5541750
>>5541770
Modern pistol.

Vote Two:
>>5541748
>>5541755
>>5541770
>>5541779
Swords?

>>5541750
>>5541785
Join Elena.

Writing. Might not get it out until later tonight.
>>
“...I’ll take the pair of revolvers.” You finally decide, the twinned set far more appealing to your sensibilities than the more modern pistol, the subtle silver engraving running across their deep blued surface catching your eye easily, “They’ll be perfect.”

Hogo’s crooked grin returns, larger than ever, “Alright, let's see that gilla then! Those’ll be a couple thousand.”

“...Cash only, right?”

“Or trade.” Hogo replies.

“...I might need to come back later then.” You say, a tad disappointed; you only have the card to pay for things and a pit of pocket money, you’ll need to return later which might be a bit of an issue with the other team tailing you; you barely got away from them this morning, only Ramba and Hamon know you’re here.

“I’ll vouch for him!” Elena shouts from the kitchen, apparently listening in on your exchange and swooping in to your financial rescue, “Max’s good for it, hand them over.”

“Well, that’s that then.” Hogo concludes after only a moment’s consideration, clapping his scrawny hands together loudly, “They’re all yours, cowboy. Got a gun belt around here somewhere… and a case…”

“...Got any swords?” You ask, more curious than anything else with all these strange items laying about, and Hogo shrugs.

“Give me a bit to look.”

You pick up both of the engraved revolvers, your revolvers, and carry them back into the kitchen, setting them down on the table, “Thanks for covering for me, Elena.”

Elena just smirks, wiggling her shoulders a bit in a cute almost prideful little motion, “So those are what you got? They’re very striking, like the ones in your pictures. That engraving is beautiful, I’ve been trying to learn.”

“A little bit fancier than my old one, but they’re both the same model.” You say, looking far more to Elena than the guns, “You’re learning to engrave?”

“Just a little practice here and there, I’ve been doing so much I haven’t really had the time to get into it.”

Hogo returns sooner than expected, holding a flail of all things, “Can’t seem to find any swords, might be piled under something though… If you’re going for the middle ages look then this should work just fine!”

You chuckle and shake your head, “I’ll pass, thanks.”

“Eh, suit yourself.” He says, tossing the flail out of sight on the other side of the doorway to the kitchen. He grabs a mug of coffee and takes a seat at the table.

>Discuss things. (Suggest topics)
>Off to the surprise!
>Write-in.
>>
>>5541887
>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541887
>>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541887
>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541887
>>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541887
>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541887
>Off to the surprise!
>>
>>5541889
>>5541891
>>5541903
>>5541925
>>5541990
>>5542022
Writing.
>>
File: Spoiler Image (144 KB, 772x419)
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A few minutes later.

You walk forward in near total darkness, tightly blindfolded and instructed to maintain silence, guided along by the hand of the girl responsible for doing this to you. Elena keeps breaking out into fits of excited giggling, trying and failing to stifle them as they come up, an almost electric energy running up from her hand and through your arm, a slow suspense building throughout your entire being. Other than the sound of your shoes now walking across something hard, probably concrete, you have no idea where you are. Perhaps it’s one of the hangar-like prefabricated metal barns, perhaps it’s some hidden nook or cranny you missed earlier while distracted by the mountains of junk, or a secret extension to the house, or a forgotten tunnel beneath Von Braun’s lowest level… your mind races with possibilities.

A final door opens and you feel a rush of cold air hit you, and immediately smell the oil and grease of a working area; vehicles have been disassembled here, and it sounds like a generator for a fuel pump is running, or some equivalent machine…

“Almost there.” Elena’s giggling whisper caresses your ear, sending a strangely pleasurable tingle rushing across your body, as relaxing as it is exciting.

Her hand tugs you gently to a stop as you carry forward half a step too far, and you can smell a faint but familiar aroma, catching just the slightest whiff of the cryogenically cooled fuel used to power higher performance spacecraft - Fighters, race craft, even mobile suits. The reasons are different for each, mobile suits need it to help cool their fusion reactors, but it’s unmistakable.

You feel Elena steps behind you, a slight movement in the air, a few silent footsteps, and soon her hands are working at untying the knot at the rear of your blindfold. After a final few suspense filled moments the blindfold slips away, and you’re immediately blinded again by glaring white, blinking and holding up a hand to shield your eyes from the bright overhead work lights. After a moment the new images before you begin to clear and sharpen, the glare of the lights dying away as your eyes adjust.

Sleek as an arrow, its titanium skin painted a glossy abyssal black and swelling with diaphanous motes of light, a custom painted FF-4 Toriares sits before you. Its glass canopy is wide and undisturbed by bracing, the dark star fields painted across its slightly bulged fuselage reminding you of the mirrored horses you’ve so often seen in Elena’s art. In flowing white cursive, painted just ahead of the cockpit, the words ‘Moonlight Mustang’ are written; the name of the space fighter.

A space fighter.

Elena got you a space fighter.

How?

You ask the question aloud, shocked nearly into silence, torn between the urge to rush toward the beautiful spacecraft and to kiss Elena.
>>
>>5542136

“...Hogo had a few old reconnaissance Toriares sitting around in the yard. When I saw that one was mostly intact I just knew I had to try to get it flying - renting some little pod for when we met again didn’t sit right with me. I wanted it to be special, but it… it sort of snowballed.” Elena explains proudly, her slender hand easily finding yours and squeezing it tight as she stands beside you, “It’s the real deal, not the slow civilian market model - and a proper two seater. I’ve basically just been doing this, coming out here every other night or so for months now. Sometimes just an hour, other times it was all night, I skipped classes some days… Hogo helped with a lot of the rebuild, he used to be a space plane mechanic, but I… I painted everything, and did a lot of one of the engines, and the attitude thrusters and avionics. I read the depot level tech manual for it so many times I thought I’d go insane trying to figure everything out, but it all works, even the cannons…”

>”...Even the cannons?!” This is as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal, but there’s no way she would have missed that glaring issue if it’s meant to be flown.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5542137
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.
>>
>>5542137
1)
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>”...Even the cannons?!” This is as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal, but there’s no way she would have missed that glaring issue if it’s meant to be flown.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.

2)
>”...Even the cannons?!” This is as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal, but there’s no way she would have missed that glaring issue if it’s meant to be flown.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.

3)
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.

Elena you legend.
>>
>>5542137
1)
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
2)
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>>
>>5542137
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>>
>>5542137
>>5542142 +1
>>
>>5542137
1.
>”...Even the cannons?!” This is as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal, but there’s no way she would have missed that glaring issue if it’s meant to be flown.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.
2.
>”...Even the cannons?!” This is as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal, but there’s no way she would have missed that glaring issue if it’s meant to be flown.
>”When do we fly?” Rush forward to explore the sleek spacecraft with Elena.
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>>
>>5542137
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
Hot damn. Tryphosa was in the lead for me but this just bumped Elena into first place.
>>
>>5542139
When do we fly?

>>5542142
>>5542145
>>5542148 (2nd)
Kiss+Cannons+Fly Not a bad summary of a lot of Gundam series

>>5542143 (2nd)
>>5542144
>>5542154
Kiss!

So we've got a tie. I'll give it an hour to see if we get a winner between either.
>>
>>5542192
>Kiss+Cannons+Fly
>>
>>5542192
Will change >>5542145
to
>Kiss her! The time this must have taken, hundreds of hours probably… No one has ever done something like this for you.
>>
>>5542192
>Kiss+Cannons+Fly
Sounds like the most fun option.
>>
>>5542142
>>5542148
>>5542193
>>5542216
Writing in the morning.

It would be really reassuring if some of you one ID anons could respond to this, normally I give things the benefit of the doubt with phone posting and such but this is getting a bit suspicious at times.
>>
>>5542224
Am >>5542148
My posts don't always go through, and I'm phoneposting.
>>
>>5542224
I've also been suspicious of 1 ID posts in general.
How about this, I'll change my vote to only the kiss (if you're alright with that of course). If there are more 1 ID posts going against that then there's probably something suspect.
>>
>>5542224
Sorry mate, mostly just lurking and put in a vote sometimes if it sounds fun or important.
I travel around so my id changes.
>>
>>5542259
>>5542591
Thank you, anons. I generally assume that its good natured lurkers/phone posters since that's how I post in other threads a lot of the time, and its nice to get some (even unverifiable) confirmation of that.
Also its good to hear from lurkers! Hope you're all enjoying the quest enough to keep sticking around.

>>5542318
Vote is already locked in, but I appreciate the offer. Since the winning option includes the losing one with the most votes it's not a big deal really, and the responses from the others have eased my mind a lot.

Got delayed by some writing assignments for classes, it'll be a bit longer until the next post than I expected.
>>
>>5542604
Of course we come back to see her and now its active 1 posts, on a quest thats on page 3, with 524 in. Big fucking thinking.
>>
>>5542683
Kinda strange, isn't it, especially when they vote twice on the same post and never respond to people like
>>5538580
I know there's two phone posters that've been around since at least the second thread but they're pretty consistent posters.
>>
this kind of spergout is why I usually stay a lurker
>>
>>5542224
I would have changed my vote to that to break the tie, but I was asleep
>>
>>5542688
It wouldn't be nearly as strange if it was a constant thing, However its not.

I get phone posting, but even then common courtesy or atleast before was to link to your old PC vote or w.e. to show who it is.

And yes I'm annoyed, some flithy Earthnoid slut is gonna win with our boy for no reason other then abunch of 1ID's showing up for these votes and not again.
>>
>>5542695
Even if you remove the 1 post ID, the majority still wanted to kiss Elena in some form.
>>
>>5542698
Hell, not even the majority, you are the only one that didn't
In this vote, only these ones are suspect
>>5542148
Before tie
>>5542193
>>5542216
After tie
And these two anon said something
>>5542259
>>5542591
So it depends if you want to count it or not.

Now I'm going to check this entire thread to see how constant it is
>>
>>5542698
By a smaller margin, and that is a fair win for them.

But that doesn't change my point that 1ID's suddenly appearing only during these types of votes is pretty ???
>>
>>5542683
Samefagging for waifus is possible, and has been done before.
I personally would like to be safe about it and make it so that about one to three 1 ID posts are allowed per vote. I know some anons might think of this as unfair, but a healthy amount of caution is always a good thing I know there's a chance this might not solve anything, but even alternative measures like StV use aren't perfect.

>>5542688
After viewing the archive on the first thread apparently there was a bunch of 1 ID posts there.
I'll admit there's a chance there might be phoneposting/dynamic ID lurkers like >>5542591 that only vote when they feel like it, but I don't like being risky and (usually) have a cynical view of posters.
>>
>>5542690
Same here. It makes people distrust, especially if there's a lot of 1 id posts in the same thread.
It doesn't help that my id rarely stays the same.
>>
>>5542709
I'd rather those 1 ID's just link like people used too years ago when we first shifted from /tg/ to here, after the minority threw us here.

I get wanting best girl to win, But we're 3 threads into a gundam quest, Already a nitch setting outside /mecha/ on page 3 of the cathlog. Like ?? lmao.
>>
>>5542713
Anon, as >>5542144 I'm just going to note that 5/7 of the original votes opted for kissu in some capacity. Sperg about samefaggotry when they actually make a difference.
>>
>>5542695
I'm not too bothered by it, I was rooting for Tryposa but Elena is okay too. Besides, it's not like we'll be route locked to just one girl. Good chance one or most of them die later on anyways.
>>5542709
First thread is where I expect them mostly to show up as there's a lot more quest defining moments that drive the rest of the threads. That and people's interest die out pretty quick after the first after their votes don't win.
>>5542719
>sperg about samefaggotry when they actually make a difference
I'm annoyed about it's potential but I don't think there's been many cases where it's actually determined an outcome.
>>
>>5542695
I think I might implement a rule requiring something like that. I'm still salty /qst/ got split from /tg/, it killed my enthusiasm for the format for years

>>5542709
That hard limit method might be workable, I'd need go do a survey of past votes like. StV seems to do alright, I don't follow it but the voting rules don't seem unreasonable for how popular it is. My only real holdup on stricter voting rules is that I'm not sure how many players I've actually got (other than the 6~ regulars or so), the quest has pretty focused appeal and I don't want to strangle things by cutting off lurkers and phoneposters.

>>5542698
This is true, if the votes weren't aligned anyways I'd probably take more drastic actions.

>>5542690
Yeah, I do get that. Thank you for reading, anon.

>>5542712
kek, that id switch.

>>5542721
Yeah, no route locking. Relationships break apart, people die, etc, etc. Eventually I'll be putting my Tomino hat on and things are going to get really bloody for everyone, most of the early chances for that have been dodged though.

The next post is almost done, just a few more minutes probably.
>>
>>5542713
That's fair. Though newfags have to be accounted for too I think unfortunately.
>spoiler
This quest has actually been surprisingly popular, with a consistent amount of activity.

>>5542721
Well to be fair practically every other vote tends to be a defining moment in this quest. Also Contolist is actually a good writer, so I guess people would stay for that.
Maybe this is me just trying to be optimistic, though I'd still like to avert a potential risk.
>>
>>5542729
>>5542709
Meant to say "a survey of past votes like you did for the first thread"
>>
>>5542729
>Spoiler
How Tomino on a scale of 08th MST to Zeta?
>>
>>5542736
Also following that quest kek, great taste but you seem to have misposted.

>>5542735
Zeta is my favorite. SPACE RUNAWAY IDEON!
>>
>>5542729
>My only real holdup on stricter voting rules is that I'm not sure how many players I've actually got (other than the 6~ regulars or so), the quest has pretty focused appeal and I don't want to strangle things by cutting off lurkers and phoneposters.
That is a possible risk, I'll admit. StV has a pretty controversial past and a bunch of players that are even willing to follow it if it moves from 4chan.

>>5542732
It wasn't so much of a survey as it was a general skimming.

>>5542736
I think you posted the wrong thread lmao
>>
>>5542719
No because then let samefagging be okay at any point. Its just easiest to spot during shit like this and as I said earlier.

The potential and timing of it is the ?? part.

>>5542721
Same, I expect most of the cast to die once we get to war.

>>5542729
You aren't the only one Contolist, I remember the fires of our home in those final days and the old quests before we were given this place. And its flithy quality.

>>5542731
They should be, Never said remove Newfag. Merely its questionable to suddenly have influx of newfags now. Wjhen romance is usually the 1st/2nd most heated thing to vote on in a quest.
>>
>>5542736
Ay yo, Where we getting Dragon waifus at? Cause I'm down for Fleix to reject Zeon for Lizard wizard waifu.
>>
>>5542739
>Zeta is my favorite
Well there goes at least one and a half siblings and everyone but our least favorite romance option. At least we'll have Glemy as a backup surrogate brother, right? Just have to make sure Haman doesn't get her talons into him.
>Sp
Is that a good or bad thing? I never watched Ideon.
>>
File: Shamblo.png (290 KB, 849x332)
290 KB
290 KB PNG
>>5542744
>pic
Shamblo is best girl.

>>5542748
Every character and all sentient life in the galaxy dies, sort of.
It's very good, mostly joking about it as a lethality level though. Mostly.
>>
Behold my autism, unchained by gravity! Disclaimer: There's a big chance I made mistakes. It got really boring

1st vote
>>5533806 (1 post)
After tie
>>5533922 (1 post)

2nd vote
>>5534154 (2 posts)

3rd vote
>>5534521 (1 post)
>>5534525 (1 post)

4th vote
>>5534672 (1 post)
>>5534700 (2 posts)
>>5534773 (1 post) (post, not vote)

5th vote
>>5534995 (2 posts)
>>5535043 (2 posts)
After
>>5535061 (2 posts)

6th vote

7th vote
>>5535360 (1 post)
>>5535458 (1 post)

8th vote

9th vote
>>5535892 (2 posts)
>>5535906 (2 posts)
>>5535955 (1 post)

10th vote
>>5536218 (1 post)
>>5536223 (2 posts)
>>5536253 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5536262 (2 posts)
After tie
>>5536324 (2 posts)
>>5536325 (2 posts) (post, not vote, linked previous ID)
>>5536363 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5536364 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5536374 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5536380 (2 posts) (post, not vote)

11th vote
>>5536480 (2 posts)
>>5536548 (1 post)
>>5536598 (3 posts)
>>5536636 (1 post)
>>5536759 (3 posts) (post, not vote)
After vote
>>5537036 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5537079 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5537106 (1 post) (post, not vote)

12th vote
>>5537141 (2 posts)

13th vote
>>5537367 (2 posts)
>>5537381 (2 posts)
>>5537383 (2 posts) (vote change)

14th vote
>>5537630 (1 post)
>>5537645 (1 post)
>>5537667 (1 post)
>>5537693 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5537695 (2 post)

15th vote
>>5538143 (1 post)
>>5538168 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5538170 (2 posts)
>>5538219 (3 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5538220 (3 posts)
>>5538221 (3 posts) (post, not vote)

16th
>>5538292 (1 post)
>>5538322 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5538334 (2 posts)
>>
Too many lines my ass

17th
>>5538458 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5538462 (1 post)

18th
>>5538537 (3 posts)
>>5538541 (3 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5538578 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5538580 (3 posts) (vote change)
>>5538645 (2 posts)
>>5538646 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
After vote
>>5538674 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5538913 (1 post) (post, not vote)

19th
>>5539268 (1 post)
>>5539279 (1 post)
>>5539300 (2 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5539302 (2 posts)
>>5539333 (1 post)

20th
>>5539661 (1 post)
>>5539705 (1 post)
>>5539729 (1 post)
>>5539742 (1 post)
>>5539780 (3 posts)
After tie
>>5539824 (1 post) (never linked)

21st
>>5539922 (1 post)
>>5540010 (3 posts)
>>5540047 (1 post)

22nd
>>5540420 (1 post)
>>5540455 (1 post)
>>5540483 (1 post)
>>5540488 (2 posts)

23rd
>>5540578 (2 posts)
>>5540580 (1 post)

24th

25th

26th
>>5541550 (1 post)

27th

28th
>>5541770 (1 post)
>>5541785 (1 post)

29th
>>5542148 (1 post)
After tie
>>5542193 (1 post) (never linked)
>>5542216 (1 post) (never linked)
>>5542259 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5542591 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5542690 (3 posts) (post, not vote)
>>5542712 (1 post) (post, not vote)
>>5542719 (1 post) (post, not vote)

There's also some IDs with with 5, 6, 7, 8 and 12 posts, but counting them feels wrong.
I could go check past threads too, but it would suck even more. So I'm not doing it.
>>
With only a moment's hesitation, awestruck by her display of dedication and the midnight black fighter before you, you turn and wrap your arms about Elena, pulling her into a passionate kiss. There’s a half moment of surprise, Elena’s emerald eyes widening before fluttering shut, and she presses closer, one arm pulling against yours, the other about your back. Without thought, simply carrying through in the moment, you sweep her from her feet in the low lunar gravity; adjusting your grip with one arm, settling about her thighs, you find yourself holding her.

When you finally pull away Elena lets out an excited, almost breathless little giggle, her cheeks flushed nearly to crimson, “So you like it?~”

You kiss her again, still holding her, one of her hands gently caressing your cheek and the other held close against her breasts, “I love it. When do we fly?”

“I seem to be already!” She laughs in her usual richer tone, the girlish giggling fading a bit, “...I love this. Don’t put me down.”

“Oh? Wasn’t planning on it.” You reply with a grin, taking a large and arcing step, almost a hop in the low gravity, toward the starfield skinned fighter, “It’s a beautiful fighter, the stars on it… Elena, you… No one’s ever done something like this for me before.”

“You wrote. Even with everything happening, all the risks, you never stopped,” She says quietly, utterly sincerely, her words gentle and heartfelt, “I needed that so badly, things were going so wrong for so long, and you were always there, even if we never got to see each other… I’d do anything for you, Max. You saved my life. Twice now, I think… This was nothing compared to that, and-”

You kiss her again, interrupting her confession. Her giggles are back; she really does like this, but she keeps talking, “...You can put me down now, it’s time for your part of the deal.”

“Flying so soon?” You question, letting her feet settle gently to the concrete floor of the hangar; probably the interior of one of those metal barns, “Good! Alright, I’ll need a few minutes-”

“It’s a fighter, Max, I think you might need a few days!” Elena interrupts you, “You need to learn the switches and stuff, right? I can show you how it works.”

“Right, right,” You chuckle, so caught up in the moment you were barely thinking of the practical side of things - You’re not a fighter pilot! You did fly that civilian saberfish a few times that Casval was fond of - but a real military spacecraft is in another league. Transitioning from pods to mobile suits wasn’t too difficult, or at least pods to mobile suit simulators wasn’t, but a Toriares might have very different controls and switchology, “Can you fly it too?”
>>
>>5542758

“No, not at all! Not… not yet anyways, I haven’t had a chance to learn. All the controls are just seared into my memory now, putting the avionics package back together and debugging everything was a nightmare…”

“So everything works then? Even the cannons?” You ask excitedly, finding that to be as awesome as it is alarmingly illegal.

“The center of mass would’ve been off if we took them out, and we’d have to load less fuel which…” She crosses her arms and stops speaking for a moment, still positively beaming, “I didn’t want a shorter flight. They’re loaded.”

Your eyes widen at that, eyebrows lifting in surprise, “For the mass?”

“For the Zabis!” She lets out another rich laugh, “Okay, okay, it’s for the mass, but you never know though, right? Better to be safe than sorry.”

You resist the urge to kiss her again, at least for now, “How’d you get the shells though? They weren’t just left in the fighters, right?”

Just how careless is the federation?

Elena shakes her head, “Hogo had some from a smuggling run that never finished, nobody came to pick it up so he held onto it. Flares, chaff, and radar decoys are all there, the jammer is almost a little too functional, and the signature baffles all still work.”

“...Right, I guess it is a reconnaissance version.” You nod, the extensive countermeasures making sense; craft like this are expected to get shot at by all sorts of things and still return with their information, but one of those sounds a bit odd, “...Signature baffles?”

“At lower accelerations the engines can change their burn signature to look a lot like other spacecraft, it’s… ugh, the database for it was a mess to sort through. Anyways, a lot of automated systems just register it as a shuttle or whatever you’ve set it to mimic. Spoof the location transmitter after that and we’re golden! …Probably shouldn’t do any really wild stuff over the city though.”

“So that’s the plan then? Look like some shuttle so Von Braun traffic control doesn’t get antsy about a rogue fighter buzzing the city?” You ask, the pieces falling into place now; it’s a bold idea but civilian traffic control systems probably won’t notice, it can be pretty loose

“More or less. There are shuttles that do tours just above the top level, I thought we’d pretend to be one of them.” She beams, patting the underside of one of the engines as you both walk around the craft.

>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>”Hogo didn’t happen to have any missiles behind his fridge too, did he?” Crazy bastard seems to have enough stuff to arm half a battalion at this rate.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5542757
Thank you for breaking free of Gravitys Limits Anon, But my schizo will always remain. The fa/tg/uy wars will always remain with me.

>>5542760
>”Hogo didn’t happen to have any missiles behind his fridge too, did he?” Crazy bastard seems to have enough stuff to arm half a battalion at this rate.
>>
>>5542756
>>5542757
Holy shit, anon, thank you for this. Going over it all now.
>>
>>5542760
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.
>>
>>5542757
Is this the true power of the MS-06S?

>>5542760
1)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

2)
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

3)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>>
>>5542756
These three should be marked as (post, not vote)
>>5533806
>>5534773
>>5535061
I only came up with it after vote 10, and forgot to come back and check
>>5542709
Waifuwars always end up triggering samefag debate.
>>5542729
>>5542713
I remember the old times and the exile. /tg/ is a dumpster nowadays, so karma did end up hitting them back. I just wish I could stop visiting that shithole
And as much as I disliked /qst/ in the beginning, I got used to it.
>>5542762
Carry on veteran. Shadowrruning is a tradition
>>
>>5542760
1)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.
2)
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.
>>
>>5542760
>>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.
>>
>>5542760
>>5542770
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>”Hogo didn’t happen to have any missiles behind his fridge too, did he?” Crazy bastard seems to have enough stuff to arm half a battalion at this rate.
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

2)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

3)
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

4)
>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”

5)
>”Hogo didn’t happen to have any missiles behind his fridge too, did he?” Crazy bastard seems to have enough stuff to arm half a battalion at this rate.
>”Well, we’d better get to work then!… At least I should; I think you might need a few hours of sleep.” Coffee is not a sleep replacement. Skip two days.

>>5542781
>Carry on veteran. Shadowrruning is a tradition
Well said.
>>
>>5542756
lmao im in this list
>>
>>5542760
>>”...Thought of everything, haven’t you? How do we get it up to a place to launch from then? Mountains of bribes?”
>>5542757
Truly there is no autism like mechautists
>>
>>5542796
It's a list of every ID with less then 3 posts. It does not separate phoneposters, lurkers or samefags, it just checks how constant it is.
Apparently the answer is around two per update.
Oddly enough the fight scene was the one that had the most, not the ones with Elena.
>>
>>5542760
>>5542770
+1

For posterity, this ID >>5542208 is me, but I'm at work so new ID
>>
>>5542762
Missiles.

>>5542766
>>5542784
>>5542783 (2nd)
>>5542806 (2nd)
>>5542786 (3rd)
Skip!

>>5542798
Thought of everything.

Writing. There will be a short vote to cover small stuff done during the two days, but most of it will be learning about the mustang's controls and capabilities off screen.

Feeling a bit better about the one ID stuff again with people checking in and some anons like >>5542796 posting ages after their other post.
>>
>>5542806
>>5542796
>>5542831
Look at how Anon's come out and link now.

I still crave home.
>>
>>5542866
Home is no more anon, it changed, and for the worst.
>>
“Well, we’d better get to work then!” You reply cheerfully, and at your words Elena smiles weakly and seems to deflate a little, her posture slackening with weariness; even with the coffee she must have been trying to hide how tired she really is, especially now that the giddiness of revealing the fighter is fading “...At least I should. I think you might need a few hours of sleep.”

“...No, no, I’m fine…” She denies weakly, before almost tripping on a thick cable running across the ground, stumbling for a second before you catch her, “...Okay, maybe I do.”

The light clinking of collar tags fills the air, nails tapping lightly on concrete as Zammy enters the hangar cautiously. The huge hound sniffs curiously at some of the machinery as he approaches, dark nose twitching away even as his huge feet make shockingly little noise; it really is just the nails, those pads make him almost silent.

“Looks like you’ve got an escort back to Hogo’s.” You comment to Elena, both of you walking over to greet the big pooch with some affectionate scratches; you’ve mostly been around cats, but dogs are great too it seems, “Need a second?”

“Absolutely not! Go look at the damned fighter, Max.” Elena pushes you back lightly toward the craft with one hand, her voice stern even as she teases playfully, that weariness tinged a bit with grumpiness for a moment, “You’d better not get bored either, I’ll never forgive you.”

“Okay, okay! Yes, ma’am!” You hold your hands up slightly in mock surrender, “...You really did outdo yourself, Elena. Go get some sleep.”

Zammy and Elena slowly make their way back out of the makeshift hangar, heading through the side door that you must have entered from before; it looks like it leads into the other barn like structures on Hogo’s lot.
>>
>>5542880

Rubbing your hands together your turn back toward the Moonlight Mustang and set to work. You spend much of the rest of the day familiarizing yourself with the elegant spacecraft, slowly learning its secrets, but…

Vote One:
>You make time to get in a fair bit of shooting with your new revolvers, and help Elena practice after she’s fully rested. It’s a convenient excuse to have her pressed up against your chest a lot…
>Later that night you take Elena to a drive-in movie on the lower level of Von Braun, a nice secluded date, just the two of you, and a break from the harsh and often peculiar smells of Hogo’s junkyard.
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.

The next day, returning to Hogo’s junkyard, you again poured yourself into learning the ins and outs of the Moonlight Mustang, but you also…
Vote Two:
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
>Went to an art museum with Elena, something she’d written to you about doing in the past… and it’s actually really nice! She's been doing all of this engineering for you, and learning on her own how to survive in a dangerous world, but art is still Elena's real passion.

And finally, the day before you go flying with Elena, you…
Vote Three:
>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
>Took Elena out on the town to celebrate, ending up at a casino! Luna's gambling laws are very, very loose. Ramba and Hamon went as well but kept out of your hair mostly. Burn some of that Zabi money, they gave you the card for a reason. The bar there still has a bottle of Munzo Comet after all these years, very pricey now, but...
>>
>>5542884
To clarifying with the third vote: Ramba and Hamo will know about the flight before it happens either way, Felix isn't dumb enough to risk them freaking out about him vanishing in an unknown spacecraft. The first option just gets them more involved and lets Felix nerd out with Ramba a while over pilot stuff.
>>
>>5542884
>Later that night you take Elena to a drive-in movie on the lower level of Von Braun, a nice secluded date, just the two of you, and a break from the harsh and often peculiar smells of Hogo’s junkyard.
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
>Took Elena out on the town to celebrate, ending up at a casino! Luna's gambling laws are very, very loose. Ramba and Hamon went as well but kept out of your hair mostly. Burn some of that Zabi money, they gave you the card for a reason. The bar there still has a bottle of Munzo Comet after all these years, very pricey now, but...
>>
>>5542884
1)
>You make time to get in a fair bit of shooting with your new revolvers, and help Elena practice after she’s fully rested. It’s a convenient excuse to have her pressed up against your chest a lot…
2)
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.

>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.

>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
>>
>>5542884
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.
Walk along the razor's edge...

>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
... you've reached the top but you still gotta learn...

>Took Elena out on the town to celebrate, ending up at a casino! Luna's gambling laws are very, very loose. Ramba and Hamon went as well but kept out of your hair mostly. Burn some of that Zabi money, they gave you the card for a reason. The bar there still has a bottle of Munzo Comet after all these years, very pricey now, but...
Hit the wheel and double the stakes...
>>
>>5542884
1)
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.
2)
>Later that night you take Elena to a drive-in movie on the lower level of Von Braun, a nice secluded date, just the two of you, and a break from the harsh and often peculiar smells of Hogo’s junkyard.

>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.

>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
>>
>>5542893
kek, "hamo"
>>
>>5542884
Vote One:
1)
>You make time to get in a fair bit of shooting with your new revolvers, and help Elena practice after she’s fully rested. It’s a convenient excuse to have her pressed up against your chest a lot…

2)
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.

Vote Two:
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
I still think that Nina could be helpful for what we're trying to do. Also we can learn more about the secret project that's totally not a Gundam prototype or anything.

Vote Three:
>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
Having Hamon and Ramba see the fighter in person could help us down the line.

>>5542893
>The first option just gets them more involved and lets Felix nerd out with Ramba a while over pilot stuff.
Man, that sounds nice.
>>
Also, if anybody phoneposting or whatever is getting one ID'd, a link back to old posts would be appreciated.
>>
>>5542906
Sure boss. I am >>5542766 and >>5542144
>>
>>5542884
>You make time to get in a fair bit of shooting with your new revolvers, and help Elena practice after she’s fully rested. It’s a convenient excuse to have her pressed up against your chest a lot…
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.

>>5542901
>Spoiler
It's not, at least not yet. As far as the feddies at this point in time are concerned, Mobile Suits are a dead in the water passion project. They didn't start seriously looking at them until after the war started and even then it took them six months to roll out the first Gundams and GMs.
>>
>>5542884
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
>Took Elena out on the town to celebrate, ending up at a casino! Luna's gambling laws are very, very loose. Ramba and Hamon went as well but kept out of your hair mostly. Burn some of that Zabi money, they gave you the card for a reason. The bar there still has a bottle of Munzo Comet after all these years, very pricey now, but...
>>
>>5542884

>Later that night you take Elena to a drive-in movie on the lower level of Von Braun, a nice secluded date, just the two of you, and a break from the harsh and often peculiar smells of Hogo’s junkyard.

>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.

>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.

I feel like the casino option is asking for trouble, it would be pretty funny to try it though. Unfortunately Ramba is simply too based to dog.
>>
>>5542916
Ah you're right.
It makes me wonder what their 'secret project' actually is.
>>
>>5542884
>But nothing! Screw that other stuff, you’ve got a fighter to learn! Push it to the limit, learn everything you can! Elena of course joined in later.

>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.

>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
>>
>>5542884
>Later that night you take Elena to a drive-in movie on the lower level of Von Braun, a nice secluded date, just the two of you, and a break from the harsh and often peculiar smells of Hogo’s junkyard.
>Took some time to throw Nina a bone, helping her and Elena with their project for a few hours at least; you don’t want to sour their friendship.
>Told Ramba and Hamon about the fighter, and spent some time with them showing it off in person! They’ve both got a rebellious streak and are fully on board with the idea.
>>
Vote One:
>>5542894
>>5542922
>>5543003
Thinly veiled excuse to snog.

>>5542916
Space Cowboy!

>>5542898
>>5542899
>>5542917
>>5542954
>>5542895 (2nd)
>>5542901 (2nd)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuezZltTnzQ

Vote Two:
>>5542894
>>5542895
>>5542898
>>5542899
>>5542901
>>5542916
>>5542917
>>5542922
>>5542954
>>5542954
Gato approves, wherever he is.

Vote Three:
>>5542894
>>5542898
>>5542917
Munzo Comet and burning Zabi money.

>>5542895
>>5542899
>>5542901
>>5542916
>>5542922
>>5542954
>>5543003
Show off!

Alright, looks like we've got focusing on the fighter, throwing Nina a bone, and then showing the fighter off to Ramba and Hamon.

>>5542914
Thank you, anon!

>>5542898
Kek
>>
You spend the rest of the day pouring over the manual for the FF-4 Toriares, testing and retesting your knowledge of its various switches and systems, slowly but surely familiarizing yourself with the sleek craft’s control systems. It’s an arduous process, and though some of it is familiar immediately a fair portion of the craft’s switchology is downright alien in comparison to a pod or mobile suit. Controls for atmospheric flight are especially odd, a whole section of the cockpit set aside for managing systems while the engines are in their air-breathing configuration; though it’s unlikely to matter in the cold vacuum around Luna you take the time to go over it as well… You never know, right?

Minutes melt into hours, and then the rest of the day, a few cups of coffee and some quick meals carrying you, and eventually Elena as well, through the long work. Elena’s a joy to work with, enthusiastically showing you all sorts of features the manual explains poorly; she has an astoundingly good memory, or perhaps she really has just burned the ins and outs of the FF-4 into her brain, but whatever the secret to her knowledge is she’s just about the best guide you could have asked for… Stopping to kiss occasionally doesn't hurt of course, but you both keep mostly on task.

Zammy, for his part, does a good job keeping watch, sleeping near the door to the hangar; a good boy indeed.
>>
>>5543151

The next day…

After spending much of the day learning every nook and cranny of the Mustang, you and Elena ventured back to her apartment to help a severely distressed Nina with their engineering project, a humanoid robot. The three of you ended up staying a bit past midnight tinkering with it…

“...And that should be the last of that!” Nina says with a sigh of relief, practically collapsing back into her chair next to the work bench. A fully completed leg for robot rests atop the bench, heavy looking joints articulating the blocky sections of the limb, a slightly splayed out foot with dull almost claw-like toes at the end. You sit on the ground assembling the pieces Nina has already finished while Elena runs diagnostics on the computer terminal, checking each limb and subsystem as you carefully piece everything together.

“I told you it wouldn’t take a week!” Elena says with a hint of pride, though she’s running on even less steam by now, occasionally making mistakes in the control software for the robot, “...Sorry again for ditching you the last few days, Nina.”

“You’d better be.” Nina replies, her arms limp as she just stares up at the ceiling, fingers covered in little cuts and marks from the constant work, “...And we still need to figure out where to intern for the summer!”

“I was thinking of Zeonic.” Elena says, emerald eyes flashing toward you for a moment as you keep your head down and work, “Either that or Anaheim, everything else is such a drag. ...Although Anaheim's a drag too most of the time.”

“There’s those small ones, remember the offers at that conference?” Nina asks, sitting back up a bit straighter and looking at Elena, “...Mrs. Bidan’s firm… Ugh, I’m so tired I can’t even remember the name of it… Wasn’t she military or…?”

“She did contract work with them,” Elena says, lifting her hands from the small keyboard for a moment, “My mother did similar work for Anaheim, the military uses a lot of corporate advisors for technical projects.”

“...Max, here’s the left leg, mind the actuators.” Nina says, grabbing the last leg of the robot and handing it down to you; you take it carefully, as you have the others, and return to work as they continue speaking, “...The military is an option then, maybe through her firm. I think I still have her card somewhere.”

“Recruiting traps.” Elena rolls her eyes, “I’m sick of all of that.”
>>
>>5543155

“How about Yashima then?” You offer, thoughts of Shu and Teabolo playing through your mind, “They’re a good company, lots of engineering work there.”

“...Maybe, but I’m more interested in robotics than aviation.” Nina answers, “Ugh, maybe I’ll just give up on it all and go to Side Seven, find some little firm there that’ll jump at a student from Von Braun. I just want to know what I’ll be doing all summer so I can get focused back on school.”

“Side Seven?” You ask, “Isn’t it still really new?”

“Barely exists, just one colony still I think.” Elena nods, “...So, Max, what do you think?”

Vote One:
>”Zeonic or Anaheim, it’s always good to stick with the big names.”
>”Yashima is a good company… Met the old head of it once. Elena, did you ever see any of that?”
>”Military work is… interesting, you never know what you might see, I’d go for that.”
>”Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer.”
>>
>>5543158

The next day, the night before your flight with Elena.

Ramba’s laugh fills the hangar, loud and full of life, “This is what you two were hiding? Quite the toy you’ve got there, great paint job.”

“Toy?” Elena asks, sounding slightly offended, “The cannons work, you know.”

“Careful, Ramba, she’ll do it too.” You warn him, “She spent months on it.”

“That much is obvious.” Ramba walks toward the Mustang, running his hand over its dark titanium skin, “It’s a beautiful fighter, Elena. Well put together.”

“I like the stars on it,” Hamon comments, “If militaries actually had any taste I’m sure more things would look this good. How long have you been painting?”

“Since before I remember.” Elena answers after pondering the question for a long moment, “Do you paint?”

“Oh, goodness no,“ Hamon laughs, “I tried once when I was a girl, ruined the carpet, and my father forbade it. …He forbade a lot of the things, but that one managed to stick.”

You join Ramba by the fighter, leaving Hamon and Elena to talk among themselves; they do seem to get along quite well. Ramba turns his head slightly to you, nodding in acknowledgement and then speaking in a low voice to not be overhead, “It’s a gorgeous plane, I used to want to fly the interceptor version when I was younger, before I went for the armored forces. Never got a chance, and now Zeon’s phasing them all out. Shame they’re ending up in heaps like this place.”

“I’m glad it made its way here, but…” You consider all the other junked war machines outside, the guntank and small vehicles nearly too numerous to count, some nearly pristine, others rusted or corroded nearly to being unrecognizable, “They could at least put them in museums or town squares. It’s a huge waste.”

“Not just that, we use some of these for target practice now.” Ramba says quietly, “Drone controlled targets for mobile suit testing. At least that’s a more dignified death for a war machine than wasting away.”

“Didn’t take you for a romantic about that kind of thing, Ramba.”

“...War’s not a game or some poem, but… I have my moments.” He shrugs, climbing up the ladder to sit in the cockpit. You join him, the side-by-side two seater layout being a little odd to get used to still even after hours and hours in here with Elena.
>>
>>5543163

He places his hand over the weapon controls and a loud whirring fills the hangar, “...The cannons do work!”

“Yes,” You laugh, “They do. She got everything working again, her and Hogo.”

“The crazy guy from out front?” Ramba asks, and you nod, “Didn’t get that impression from him, but mechanics come in all sorts of shapes… That girl of yours didn’t happen to find any missiles for this thing, did she?”

“No. I almost cried when she told me the bad news.” You joke, “So you’ve never flown one of these? Thought you would’ve.”

“Not even once, jumped right from tanks to mobile suits. A lot of the other pilots came from the other direction, have no idea how to fight on the ground.”

“Aren’t they mostly a weapon for space? That's almost all of what the simulator covers at least.”

“For now.” He says grimly, “We’ve done ground testing more often recently, they’re a menace in the right hands. Each one can easily handle a platoon of tanks, even with a mediocre pilot, and a decent one...”
>>
>>5543165

The next morning, in an old and forgotten tunnel beneath Von Braun.

“Elena, this really leads all the way out to the surface?” You ask from the pilot’s seat, hands checking the seals on your greyish blue normal suit’s helmet with well trained precision, though its already been on for half an hour now, the tunnel outside cold and airless, “It curves upward, I can’t even see the exit!”

The gentle arc of the gray concrete reinforced tunnel stretches out ahead of you, probably just big enough for a Waff to fit through but still a tight fit to fly a fighter for several kilometers. Hogo got the Mustang towed out here with a rover truck, he just had the whole thing under a tarp and went about it like there was nothing to see; nobody even asked to inspect it. He left ten minutes ago, never exiting the sealed rover, and just waved you off and wished you luck over the radio. Smuggling into Von Braun must be pretty simple if there are tunnels like this everywhere… You’ll need to come back here to land when you’re done, or come up with a really good story for security at the spaceport. At least all the spoofing is already set up.

“Just don’t hit the walls then!” Elena calls out from beside you, looking good in her own tightly fitted red suit, “Come on, live a little. It was this or fly out of the central axis. Think you can’t do it?”

You scoff, continuing with pre-flight checks, hands moving over switched and screens, double checking everything is in the green, “I can definitely do it, made tighter turns racing around Texas all the time, I just didn’t think we’d start the flight doing something this exciting! Really gets the blood pumping.”

“Don’t go getting all hot and bothered on me already, Max.” Elena laughs, rich warmth in her voice as she checks over her own portion of the cockpit, managing sensors and other electronic systems.

Vote Two:
>”Cut me some slack, I’m surrounded by the sexiest things on Luna right now.” A sleek fighter, and what a girl!
>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>”...Want to go for a walk out there after we fly around? I’ve never been outside on Luna before, and we’ve got plenty of fuel and air.” The surface of Luna is famed for its beauty and fine views, even if it is a bit harsh and barren.
>Write-in.
>>
>Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer."
Now THIS is the Gundam option. Green Oasis was where some of Op-V happened and the OG show began. It's also a pretty safe place to be during the OYW all things considered. Though this is only for the summer so who knows.
>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>>
>>5543158
>”Yashima is a good company… Met the old head of it once. Elena, did you ever see any of that?”
>>5543171
1)
>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>”...Want to go for a walk out there after we fly around? I’ve never been outside on Luna before, and we’ve got plenty of fuel and air.” The surface of Luna is famed for its beauty and fine views, even if it is a bit harsh and barren.
2)
>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
3)
>”...Want to go for a walk out there after we fly around? I’ve never been outside on Luna before, and we’ve got plenty of fuel and air.” The surface of Luna is famed for its beauty and fine views, even if it is a bit harsh and barren.
>>
>>5543158
>”Military work is… interesting, you never know what you might see, I’d go for that.”

>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>>
>>5543171
>>5543174
Forgot to reply
>>
>>5543171
>”Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer.”

>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>”...Want to go for a walk out there after we fly around? I’ve never been outside on Luna before, and we’ve got plenty of fuel and air.” The surface of Luna is famed for its beauty and fine views, even if it is a bit harsh and barren.
>>
>>5543158
1)
>”Yashima is a good company… Met the old head of it once. Elena, did you ever see any of that?”
Could keep her safe, I forget what happened to them in/after the OYW. Also they did create some mobile suits, at least from what we've seen in the Zam.

2)
>Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer."
I want to have her at Side Seven for the possibility of a Gundam, but I don't really know if they're making it yet. Since this is only for the summer.

3)
>”Zeonic or Anaheim, it’s always good to stick with the big names.”
It's good to have her there in its own right.

I don't know much about what the companies were doing in the OYW, so I'll probably change my vote for it.

>>5543171
>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>>
>>5543158
>”Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer.”

>”Cut me some slack, I’m surrounded by the sexiest things on Luna right now.” A sleek fighter, and what a girl!
>>
>>5543158
>>”Something small on Side Seven, that sounds relaxing and out of the way. Good way to spend a summer.”
>>5543171
>>”...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right? I know it's a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.” Could just inch up the tunnel slowly, but that’s boring enough to kill you on its own.
>>
>>5543174

Vote One:

>>5543174
>>5543179
>>5543187
>>5543191
>>5543181 (2nd)
Side Seven.

>>5543175
Yashima.

>>5543176
Military work.

Vote Two:

>>5543174
>>5543176
>>5543181
>>5543191
>>5543175 (2nd )
Barrier paranoia.

>>5543179
Barriers+Walk.

>>5543187
Bit of pre-flight flirting.

Side Seven wins, asking about the barriers wins. Writing.
>>
“...So you’re sure there aren’t barriers along the tunnel, right?” You double check, planning to absolutely gun it once everything is good to go, “I know it’s a vacuum out there, but if there’s something in the way when we’re up to speed there won’t be any stopping.”

“Not unless they put it up since last week.” Elena answers, finished with her own checks and placing her hands in her lap, “I drove the whole thing in Hogo’s rover, it was all clear. Everything’s set over here.”

“That’s not quite a yes.” You murmur, checking to make sure the cannons are armed; they’re probably not enough to do much good if there’s a real barrier, but the tiny chance of successfully blasting something apart and flying through is worth it compared to the complete certainty of pancaking against a barrier, “...Everything’s set here too. Are you ready?”

Elena gives a surprisingly calm thumbs up, but you can tell from how she’s squirming about every so slightly that she's very, very excited “I’ve been waiting for this for years.”

“Let’s go see Von Braun then.” You say, punching it. An invisible hand shoves you back, deep into the cushion of your seat, the force of the acceleration hitting more like a physical blow than anything recognizable as a burn, light flaring across the tunnels to your side and ahead of you as the Mustang’s trio of engines send you catapulting forward. Elena lets out a thrilled scream, arms held tight to her chest, emerald eyes wide behind her visor as the concrete supports and gentle arc of the tunnel rush past all around and ahead of you, the nose of the Mustang slowly pulling up along its length until after a few seconds you see the dark of space ahead, a little window of black growing quickly into a gaping maw and then…

You’re out. Beyond the supportless bubble canopy you can see the infinite vastness of the sea of stars, the harsh gray expanse of Luna’s craters and oceanless seas, the beautiful blue and green of a distant earth. Rolling, diving, you bring the fighter low and keep near to the surface, weaving between rises in the terrain, the flaring white of the Mustang’s engines kick up layers of fine dust, rocket exhaust directly scorching the surface at times as you narrowly avoid crashing.

Elena lets out another excited scream as you narrowly avoid an old abandoned mining station, a green building sticking out among the endless gray, “Oh my god! Max, you’re just showing off!”
>>
>>5543312

“What gave you that idea?” You call back, laughing, and soon she joins you; under this acceleration it’s a stain to do so, and rather than double down on the daredevil behavior you decide to ease up, slowly letting the engines die down and start to cool. Tapping the attitude thrusters to spin the nose about, the landscape around you vanishes, the dark of space dead ahead for a moment before suddenly the lunar surface is now above you; Elena makes another noise, more of a gasp, but you’re focused on rolling back to get things oriented a little more intuitively. Having a gravity well pulling you up isn’t hard to manage, but it almost feels like sacrilege - What would father think? Little taps of the thrusters keep you from making contact as you seem to fly ‘backwards’, and soon you begin the counter burn. Von Braun is a way back the way you came, but you had to get some wild flying out of your system first before doing a slow tour of the city’s mirrored surface.

“That was amazing! Do it again!” Elena requests, visor nearly pressed to the canopy as she looks out at the view around you, the stark contrast of Luna and the expansive void.

“Your wish is my command.” You give the Mustang a full rotation, ending where you started, “It’s peaceful, isn’t it?”

“Not flying like this!” She laughs, turning to face you and absolutely beaming, “Is that Von Braun over there?”

She points forward to the slightly raised lip of the crater around the city, and you nod. A few taps on one of the small control panels on her side of the cockpit cause acceleration limiter warning to pop up across your heads up display; she’s activated the baffling and the spoofer. From here you’ll look just like a tour shuttle on IR scans and be broadcasting the same flight ID as one…

You tune over to Von Braun’s traffic control channel, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city’s busy control zone; commands are nearly constantly going out, tight discipline by hundreds of pilots making the whole thing work.
>>
>>5543317

“Is it always that fast?” Elena asks, brow furrowed, “I can barely keep up with the instructions before they’re onto the next one.”

“You get used to it, I wouldn’t recommend learning somewhere like this though. Here, get ready, we’re about to pass over the-”

Elena’s art failed to capture it. The mirrors, the reflectors, the glass and shining metal; you saw it from the shuttle on your flight in, just barely, but flying so low and with a whole canopy to look out from, the city is breathtaking. Nearly opalescent in places, its surface shimmers, almost enough to fool the eyes into thinking parts of it move like water. Elena’s quiet. Very quiet. You look over to find her puffy eyed, crying silent tears of joy, a scrunched up little grin on her beautiful face.

“It’s… It’s prettier than….” She manages to just barely say, not even finishing the sentence, and you roll the Mustang slowly so she can look ‘up’ into the surface of the city. You guide the fighter along carefully, keeping from the occasional buildings which rise up from the criss crossing metal supports and mirrored glass of the city, not wanting to draw the wrong kind of attention; anyone looking out those windows right now will be in for a hell of a sight, a Toriares flying upside down past them at a flight level normally reserved only for special tours and diplomatic craft.

There’s a faint hiss of a hermetic seal breaking, and Elena removes her helmet, her hair falling ‘up’ against the canopy, and she taps at your shoulder; a moment later and your own helmet is off. You lean toward one another and kiss, passionate and deep, careful not to disturb the controls; she tastes faintly of ginger and cinnamon, and you’d linger longer if you could but a beeping alert on one of the control panels draws your attention away. Reluctantly, very reluctantly you pull back and glance toward the flashing red light, Elena’s eyes tracking yours toward it, a worried expression settling over her.
>>
>>5543318

It’s the ECCM system; something is jamming signals in the area and the Mustang’s systems are automatically attempting to compensate. That’s not supposed to happen in a civilian traffic zone. Ever. And it isn't minovsky particles either, everything would be on the fritz if there was something around here dumping those out...

“Something bad is going on,” You oh so astutely observe, just in time to spot a column of flame and shimmering debris to shoot upward from the surface of Von Braun about a kilometer from you; you hit the brakes, or rather the attitude thrusters, arresting your already slow momentum and just barely keeping enough going for station keeping above the surface of the lunar city.

“Oh my god, no, no, not again!” Elena cries, hands clutching against her mouth in horror, another explosion rocking the city surface ahead and ‘above’ you.

You have a very, very clear view as a pair of bulbous looking shuttles, festooned with weapon turrets hugging along their bulky hulls, slowly emerge from the column of jetted smoke as Von Braun’s top layer leaks atmosphere near the flaming holes in its surface. Tracers flash out across empty space from one of the turrets, striking a nearby civilian shuttle and sending hurtling toward the city, a smoldering fireball of sheared titanium and exploding fuel; the turret shot a lot more than it needed to for that hit to land, filling the sky with lead. Between the two tubby gunboat shuttle is a sleeker looking craft, seemingly unarmed and stark white…

Garbled but coming through clear enough to understand, an emergency broadcast plays over your radio, “This is Von Braun city security, there is a developing terrorist incident in district five-seven; all craft in the Von Braun control zone must immediately evacuate the flight space surrounding the city. This is a directive to all…”

“....No. Not again.” Elena whispers with more resolve, her voice still quavering a little. Her shaking hand drifts to the weapon controls, flicking on the targeting radar, and she looks you dead in the eyes, "We can stop this."

>”Wait, wait, Elena! - They might have hostages, we can’t just start shooting!” Try to contact city security. Not an easy situation to explain, but you might be able to stop this…
>Gun it and blast the bastards! They’re shooting anything that gets near, and with traffic control no longer guiding people the spacecraft around Von Braun are in a holding pattern or panicking. People are dying now, and they’ll keep dying if you wait.
>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.
>Write-in?
>>
>>5543322
>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.
>>
>>5543322
1)
>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.

2)
>”Wait, wait, Elena! - They might have hostages, we can’t just start shooting!” Try to contact city security. Not an easy situation to explain, but you might be able to stop this…

I had a feeling something like this was going to happen.
>>
>>5543322
>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.
I don't normally advocate for taking combat slow but we can't just jump into this situation. A street brawl is one thing, an illegally rebuilt stealth fighter dogfight is something else entirely.
>>
>>5543322
1)
>Gun it and blast the bastards! They’re shooting anything that gets near, and with traffic control no longer guiding people the spacecraft around Von Braun are in a holding pattern or panicking. People are dying now, and they’ll keep dying if you wait.
2)
>”Wait, wait, Elena! - They might have hostages, we can’t just start shooting!” Try to contact city security. Not an easy situation to explain, but you might be able to stop this…
>>
>>5543322
>>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.
Discretion is the better part of valor.
>>
>>5543322
>2) ”Wait, wait, Elena! - They might have hostages, we can’t just start shooting!” Try to contact city security. Not an easy situation to explain, but you might be able to stop this…

>1) Gun it and blast the bastards! They’re shooting anything that gets near, and with traffic control no longer guiding people the spacecraft around Von Braun are in a holding pattern or panicking. People are dying now, and they’ll keep dying if you wait.
>>
Voting will be open at least all night, but probably closer to the next twelve hours or so, maybe a bit longer; it really depends on when I have time to write. The next two days are going to be obnoxiously busy with classes, but I should still be able to get in a post a day at the very least. Things should be back to normal on Thursday.
>>
>>5543322
>>5543328
Changing my vote to just:
>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.

>>5543371
Thank you for telling us Contolist. Hope you the best with your classes.
>>
>>5543322
>”Wait, wait, Elena! - They might have hostages, we can’t just start shooting!” Try to contact city security. Not an easy situation to explain, but you might be able to stop this…
Yikes, bad situation all around.
>>
>>5543322
>>Get one of the buildings between you and those gunboat shuttles. This isn’t a time to just rush into a fight, but revealing yourself might be just as foolhardy. You need to think. People will die while you think.
How should we explain the whole "got into a dogfight with an illegal stealth fighter" thing?
>>
>>5543467
If the Zabis/cops pin it to us, then we could be vague about the whole situation. This might backfire though, so we should have an excuse and/or some alibi in the ready.
Best case scenario would be if they don't notice the fighter at all I think.
That said I feel like we should probably tell our siblings the truth the first chance we get (in a non-bugged private area or through newtype mind-reading of course).

But honestly this whole situation seems very fragile. I can't give an exact answer on what to do.
>>
>>5543326
>>5543372
>>5543330
>>5543339
>>5543467
Seek solid cover and think.

>>5543380
>>5543336 (2nd)
>>5543365
Hold up and contact security.

Cover it is then! Writing.
>>
This is chaos.

Cover. You need cover and time to think, even just a few seconds.

Heart racing, you flare the Mustang’s maneuvering thrusters, you jolt the hovering fighter to the left, sudden acceleration sending your loose helmet banging about the ‘top’ of the bubble canopy; in moments the columns of flame from Von Braun and lines of wild tracer fire from the pair of bulbous shuttles vanishes, replaced by the glass and steel of one of the surface level high rises.

“Max! What… Why?!” Elena nearly shouts, her shaking hand still on the weapons panel, “We can help! They’re killing people out there!”

“And I’m keeping you alive, Elena.” You answer, struggling to keep your voice calm and level; this isn’t your first rodeo, but it’s never easy to fight back the adrenaline - You breathe deeply, trying to focus your mind, centering yourself to face the horrific tragedy unfolding across the surface of Von Braun, “We have to think this through. Breathe. If we attack them over the city they’ll just crash into the surface, and who knows where our missed shots will land. If we rush in we’ll get people killed.”

Your words seem almost to strike Elena, confusion flashing to outrage and then nearly to tears; it hurts to see her like that, that any of this is happening at all - Seeing Von Braun like this has been her dream for yours, a shared dream, and that… might be ruined forever now. And even if you have a point about collateral damage, she’s of course also right: People are dying, the gunboats where shooting at anything that moved. The deaths are strangely distant knowledge, far off fireballs not having quite the same visceral realness as witnessing death up close, but they’re dying just the same.

You glance ‘up’ to your helmet on the canopy roof, lunar gravity holding them there as your fight remains flipped for now; Elena follows your gaze and snatches hers up before you can even speak, sealing it tightly, and you follow suit.

“...O-okay.” She breathes deeply, her voice coming through in a just barely perceptible doubling over the internal comms system even as you hear her next to you, her words more a verbal reassurance to herself than any true conversation, “Okay, right, we need helmets on - In case of a breach. We can do this.”

You roll the Mustang back around, righting it in relation to Luna’s gravity, “We don’t have missiles, so we’ll have to get in close if we do this.”
>>
>>5543808

“If?” Elena asks, though there’s much less edge to it than before, “...Should we call for help?”

“It’ll take them minutes to scramble anything, unless someone else with weapons was already flying it’s just us,” You reply, drawing on your knowledge of some of the scenarios from the mobile suit simulator. Response and sortie times are a vital part of making them accurate, so you feel confident enough in the assessment, “...We’ll need a good approach angle, they have turrets all over.”

“They’re concentrated more on the front and bottom, very aggressive,” Elena notes, her hand already busy working over the navigational system, a small map of Von Braun’s surface layer appearing on the screen. Elena might not be a pilot, but she’s using the controls so adeptly you’d forgive someone for mistaking her as a veteran - Repairing and testing the system for bugs all on her own really must have just really ground it into her muscle memory, “They’ll need to avoid the high section of the crater rim, there are defense turrets there, so they’ll probably take…”

You don’t smile, there’s nothing happy about this, but seeing her slowly settling into the right mindset for a crisis like this is… deeply reassuring. The thought of her dying hurts too much to bear, but she’s beginning to handle this properly.

“That path,” You point at the tiny navigation screen, a trio of dotted lines moving away from roughly where the gunboats and that smaller white spacecraft were, “…if they’re trying to escape, at least. We can easily outrun them, and coming from above and behind should be doable with how hard we can burn... turret coverage is much worse, there might even be a blind spot...”

It only makes sense that they are, if their goal was only to maximize loss of life they could have just stayed inside the city and flown around shooting at crowded streets with their turrets. Ugh, what an awful thought.

>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matter, people are dying.
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!
>Write-in.
>>
>>5543808
>>5543809
Bleh, more typos than usual, sorry about that anons. At least I got the update out. Off to another class for a bit.
>>
>>5543809
>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matter, people are dying.
>>
>>5543809
1)
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!
I hate this. But having the authorities potentially know about an illegal fighter will cause huge trouble to us.

2)
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
If there's anything the simulation taught it's that fighting alone against multiple enemies is a bad idea.
>>
>>5543809
>>5543818
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!

2)
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!

3)
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
>>
>>5543809
>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matter, people are dying.
>>
>>5543809
1)
>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matte
2)
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
Please, not a repeat of the fight
>>
>>5543809
>>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matter, people are dying.
>>
>>5543852
There's a major difference here. This is an illegal stealth fighter, and we're going into a dogfight with it. If there aren't any witnesses by the authorities there will be by civilians.
Besides if that other fight didn't break our promise to Artesia, this definitely will.
>>
>>5543860
I'm pretty sure she would care more about lives then a promise
>>
>>5543865
I hope you're right, but I have a feeling she cares more about our own safety than stopping the terrorists. She didn't seem like she wanted us to fight them when she saw the news..
>>
>>5543809
>”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures? Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside.” Attack, but more wisely - You have a workable plan. Seconds matter, people are dying.
LET'S FUCKING GO!
>>
And another thing: Once the Zabis find out that Elena was with us, they might try to poach her for their own stuff.
Any opportunity to have her as a spy on the Gundam will probably vanish, or if it does happen they will demand that she give the blueprints to them. Imagine a OYW in which the Zabis have Gundams. We won't be able to fully rely on the Federation to off them if that happens.

This whole thing will put her on their sights, the same way fighting Tryphosa's guards put Tryphosa on it.
>>
>>5543809
1.
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!
2.
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!
>>
>>5543809
>”...We’re getting out of here. Transmit their predicted flight path to the security forces… They probably already know, but…” Agh, what wretched luck this has been!
>>
>>5543845
This is my vote, just updating to add
>”...I’m going to call up security.” You’ll burn even more time, precious time in which who knows how many will die, but it might avoid a nasty confrontation with scrambled fighters if they’re unexpectedly competent for Federation forces.
as the 2nd choice
>>
>>5543815
>>5543845
>>5543852
>>5543855
>>5543905
Intercept.

>>5543830
>>5543953
>>5543955
Evacuate.

Writing. Should be able to get the update out before my next class.

>>5543960
Thank you for linking back.
>>
>>5543922
Sounds like a bit of a stretch with the Zabis using Elena for Gundams. It's *possible* but what could they even use to get her to agree?
I doubt they know she knows what we know.

The only reason I'm going with leaving is because of that stupid ass promise we made. We'll need to talk to Artesia and Casval about what risks we should all take.
>>
Guess we'll tell Artesia to get bent. Fuck me.
>>
>>5543970
Only good guys with fighter jets can stop bad guys with aircrafts anon!
>>
>>5543965
Question, when are we getting out of this shitty place? Please tell me we don't have to stay in Von Braun for much longer.
>>
>>5543975
Yeah cool great we'll have to get rid of that jet when this is all done.
We could've used it for something better, but nah helping a few hundred now is better than helping a million in the future.
>>
>>5543981
You really just want Felix to live a quiet life, don't you anon? Why do you fear the powers that be so?
>>
>>5544008
Why the fuck should we help these flithy earthnoid creatures? They aren't REAL spacenoids, gravity holds them back
>>
>>5544010
Now THAT'S a based spacenoid line of reasoning I can get behind
>>
>>5544010
>>5544015
Aren't the terrorists targetting spacenoids visiting Luna?
>>
>>5544020
Are you sure this isn't another Shadow conflict gone hot?

We know the Juniper Forces are acting on the inner sol system earlier then normal. We know Zeon Intelligence is acting as well and Feddie intelligence.


Lives will be lost son, But Its better to position ourselves for those who ARE lost are turned into Martyrs for the cause. The cause of ALL Spacenoids being free of Gravitys sins. And the death of most Zabi's
>>
>>5544020
Just checked last thread
>Yes, that’s right, the VBPD statement made it clear that they believe the murders were carried out by a group. It went on to claim that the current suspects are an anti-Zeon terrorist organization responsible for last week’s daycare bombing
>“...Oh. They were mostly tourists…”
And of course, there are the feddies that tried to beat up the obvious spacenoid while calling him a zeek in this tread too.
>>
>>5544022
Those are different reasons from the one that you gave previously
>>
>>5543969
>spoiler
Elena will agree if the Zabis imply that they'll hurt us if she doesn't comply.
And I agree about needing to talk to Artesia and Casval about this sort of thing.

>>5544023
>>5544020
I feel like there's something else to this. No chance this terrorist organization isn't actually supported by the Zabis/Jupiter Fleet or some other third party.

>>5543865
Oh and to add to what I was saying, Artesia WILL be angry and/or feel betrayed. Not only are we gambling with our own safety, we're also gambling Elena's.
>>
>>5544028
Tbh my man a broken promise and a sister's anger don't compare all that favorably to dozens, if not hundreds, of innocent lives.
>>
>>5544040
If it were that alone I'd agree with you, but the fact remains that we will be seen. Elena will have to contend with whatever happens here, because we can assume that the terrorists will come looking for whoever messed with them.
This is nothing more than giving them a bloody nose. If we had a plan to permanently get rid of them, I'd be down for it.
Not only that, but this will definitely put Elena deeper in the sight of the Zabis, especially if they find out she made that ship herself (let's be honest, they probably will). And before you say that she was already in their sight, she was at most seen as a way to gain leverage against Felix. Now there's a very real chance she'll be seen for her own use.

You might see think that immediately fighting the enemy is better, but if that's the case why don't we shoot Gihren in broad daylight to save Mink? Why not openly oppose the Zabis right now?
It's stupid.
>>
>>5544057
We did have a chance to investigate, but then we turned it down.
If only Contolist had revealed Hamon and Jimba before that, I wouldn't have voted for that mistake
>>
>>5544040
And there's one more thing I want to add. Most of those innocent lives will be lost in the OYW.
I agree with this >>5543981 logic here. Better to save a million lives in the future than a thousand this moment.
Right now we're putting our secrecy at risk, with us flying an illegal stealth fighter to combat terrorists. Imagine what sort of stuff we could get away with Hogo. Now there's a chance he might get caught in all of this, ending a possible smuggling connection before it even began.
>>
>>5544066
Also Kycilla's hair had me paranoid of trap options. Nearly forgot about that reason as well
>>
>>5544066
>spoiler
Same here. That vote is the one I regret the most. Even more than the vote for Kycilia's hair.

Nothing good came out of it:
Elena might get in trouble with the terrorists anyway.
We broke our promise to Artesia, and got Kycilia to interact with her more about Garma.
Practically nothing about the terrorists is known, fighting them is merely a temporary catharsis.
>>
>>5544071
Contolist loves putting in trap options. It's almost frustrating.
>>
>>5544072
My brother in regret.
Telling Mink to stop talking also backfired, but it ended up fixing itself so it didn't hit as hard
>>5544074
It's hard, because if we don't shadowrun we end up falling for it, but if we do we fall for it too. So now I'm trying to stop worrying and vote for what feels right.
>>
>>5544080
And I'm "trying" because I'm obviously failing. I vote and then keep thinking about it anyway.
>>
”We’ll intercept the two gunships there, can you handle the countermeasures?” You tap the small navigation screen, marking the intercept point, and Elena gives you a small nod.

“...I’ll keep you safe too.” She replies, a faint hint of nervousness still in her voice, emerald eyes locking with yours for half a moment before focusing back on the instrument panels on her half of the cockpit, “Let’s… Let's go hunting, Max.”

“Once we take them out we’ll need to gun it back to the tunnel, I can get us back inside. Here we go!” You say, tapping the Mustang’s thrusters to coax the nose along the planned intercept course, exhaling deeply before opening the throttle completely.

That invisible hand from earlier returns with a vengeance, throwing you back in your seat with such force that it feels like you’ve been slammed into a wall, the Mustang more exploding forward rather than burning; the light bloom from your thrusters playing off the metal and glass of the high rise you were using for cover as you race up its full height, gaining altitude rapidly, story after story flashing by as a single blur of glass windows. And then you’re over it, your fighter breaching over the scattered surface skyline of the city before you cut the engines, bring the nose down, and initiate another borderline explosive burn. It slams your helmeted head back, but you grit your teeth and focus on your breathing, pushing through the immense strain to stay focused upon your increasingly distant prey.

The bulbous gunship shuttles have made it quite a ways along their ponderous path out of the city, more or less on the predicted route and keeping low to the surface. They’re nearly to the lower section of the crater rim surrounding the city, lines of turret fire still stitching across the sky around them, but less than before; much of the civilian traffic has fled the immediate area, evacuating away from the city as ordered, engines flaring off in the dark of space as most climb directly up to flee the chaotic scene. Even still, you see a blocky passenger transport take a line of autocannon fire along its flank, smoke pouring from it as one of the engines blows and it careens toward the city rim of the crater. You wince and try not to watch the impact, a silent fury filling you.

Every second the carnage grows closer, the Mustang following your every command, swooping downward in a predatory descent; they have no idea you’re here. Black hull against the black of space, coming from the city and not the bases around its perimeter, a bolt from the black. You line up the targeting pip of your fighter’s radar gunsight, close enough now for the targeting radar to overpower and burn through their intense jamming, and squeeze the trigger.
>>
>>5544080
I almost forgot about the Mink incident.
Yeah, I should've known that anons wouldn't be able to resist going all in on fighting. I'll never vote to make a promise to be safe again, even if it puts mom in danger or something.
I still think fighting terrorists here is a huge mistake that will bite us in the future.

>>5544084
I'm in the same boat. I can't help it, there's just too much intrigue to ignore.
I mean the fucking Jupiter Fleet wants to secretly take over through a massive newtype bonding clone conspiracy, can you blame me?
>>
>>5544088

A low roar and faint vibration fill the cockpit for just the blink of an eye, streaks of burning light leaping past on either side of the cockpit and down toward the first shuttle, tracer shells so close together as to look nearly as a single elongated yellow. A rippling line of yellow-white spheres blossom across its surface in total silence, dying down and then violent swelling once more into a blinding explosion; the remains of the gunship careen forward along its last vector, a shower of sheared debris and burning fuel cast out beyond the outer rim of Von Braun, each piece only slowly arrested by Luna’s weak gravity.

The turrets of the other gunship swivel and open up, filling the void around the Mustang with deadly light, and there's a burst of flame from a concealed compartment near the front of the craft. The smoky grey trail of a missile streaks ahead of the gunship and then arcs back toward you. Elena frantically deploys countermeasures, flares and chaff showering out along both sides of your fighter, shimmering wings of light against the black of space. The missile veers off course, and you rocket over other gunship, maneuvering thrusters jinking you evasively from side to side to avoid its defensive fire; you pass close enough to see that it’s a diplomatic shuttle of some kind, but nothing else.

Flipping the nose around as you pass over the second gunship, facing nearly opposite of your previous vector, you open up, cannon for cannon, tracers streaking between both sides; theirs miss, yours don’t. The gunship proves more resilient than its compatriot did, flashing impacts striking along its turrets, hull, and engines but not eliciting the lethal blossom of flame you saw from the first. Another missile launches, but it's too late, the gunship’s unarmored hull giving finally giving out under your long, cockpit rattling burst - A jet of flame catches the missile mere moments after it is release, tearing it to pieces, the gunship careering downward toward the surface of Luna, still firing away from one of its remaining turrets until it impacts in a cloud of fire and disturbed dust. A thudding impact runs along the fuselage of the Mustang, red warning lights blinking on as a chorus of audio warnings play over your helmet’s speakers.

“Fuel leak in tank three, sealing it off!” Elena calls out, hands working over controls, about half of the lights switching back off a moment later; the fuel gauge is significantly lower than it was a moment ago but there’s still plenty to get home.
>>
>>5544096

…That white diplomatic shuttle is flaring to full burn, blasting along just above the Lunar surface, still fleeing Von Braun. It might have been hijacked rather than just held at turret point.

>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.
>”Land immediately and cut your engines!” Hail the diplomatic shuttle and put a warning burst past them, put an end to whatever rotten plot this is. Even if they only ground themselve temporarily that should buy the time the authorities need to chase them later.
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
>Write-in.
>>
>>5544098
Gah, forgot that italics eat greentext.
>>
>>5544098
>Write-in
>Evacuate! You've already made your point to the terrorists, time to go back while there's still a chance to remain unidentified.
I'm doubling down on this.
>>
>>5544098
1)
>”Land immediately and cut your engines!” Hail the diplomatic shuttle and put a warning burst past them, put an end to whatever rotten plot this is. Even if they only ground themselve temporarily that should buy the time the authorities need to chase them later.
2)
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
Honestly I can't choose between the options, so I might change
>>5544102
I'm pretty sure that's just option 1
>>
>>5544098
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
This option avoids bringing Feddie heat on Hogo and Elena, highly increases the likelihood of Felix's clean escape, and attaches this feat to Felix's name among Zeon's forces.

>>5544102
Y'know anon, I think your vote is identical in purpose to the first given option.
>>
>>5544102
Anon, that's the same as option one or (less so) three, you just haven't picked a route or potential destination.
>>
>>5544103
>>5544104
>>5544105
Alright, my bad.

>>5544098
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.

2)
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
I don't like this one since we're definitely going to make Elena and ourselves known to the terrorists, but it's better than remaining in the fight.
>>
>>5544096
First Choice
>”Land immediately and cut your engines!” Hail the diplomatic shuttle and put a warning burst past them, put an end to whatever rotten plot this is. Even if they only ground themselve temporarily that should buy the time the authorities need to chase them later.
Second Choice
>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.
>>
>>5544098
>>5544102
>>5544120
Actually, I'll go with just:
>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.
For now at least. Discretion is key here, we might still be able to keep our secrecy and keep Elena out of the terrorist's sight for a little longer (it's a small chance, but I can hope at least).
>>
>>5544103
I'm going to change to
1)
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
2)
>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.
But I'm good with either one.
>>
>>5544098
>>”Got the bastards!” Fly fast and low back around the edge of Von Braun and try to get back to the tunnel at once. Federation forces can chase down whoever’s hijacked the diplomatic shuttle, it isn’t even armed.
>>
>>5544098
>"Get us mimicking something again and turn the spoofer back on!" Pull away and try to hide among the evacuating civilian traffic. There is one of those big Zeon cargo ships out there, the same type as the Zam, and it is much closer than the tunnel. You might be able to land in its hangar, just need to get the captain on the horn first…
>>
>>5544104
>This option avoids bringing Feddie heat on Hogo and Elena
I think there is more of a problem with getting heat from the terrorists than the Feddies in this situation.
>>
>>5544104
>>5544135
>>5544185
Nearby Zeon ship.

>>5544129 (2nd)
>>5544133
>>5544142
Back to the tunnel.

Got a tie. I'll give it an hour.
>>
>>5544255
I'm changing to tunnel to get this moving
>>
>>5544129 (2nd)
>>5544133
>>5544142
>>5544297 (thank you)
Writing.

Should be able to get another update out tonight, reading for classes went by a bit faster than expected, but tomorrow I probably won't have time to write until the evening.
>>
Man, I missed three votes. I thought you were busy today, Contolist?
>>
>>5544343
Haven't you only missed two?
I got my readings for tomorrow done early, a bunch of the cases ended up only being a handful of pages so I was able to sneak more stuff in between classes today than I expected to be able to.

Getting close to done with the next update, I think.
>>
>>5544347
You're right, only two. I've had a long day. And nice. Always good when you get done with class work early.
>>
Alright, going to actually take a little longer, but I should still get it done tonight. I was considering quickly skipping past some stuff with Ramba and Hamon but that probably would have been a mistake.
>>
>>5544367
>spoiler
I'm curious on how they'll react.
>>
“Got the bastards!” You shout triumphantly, the thrill of the moment sweeping over you, adrenaline still pumping away as you swing the fighter down closer to the lunar surface and then rocket back toward the far side of Von Braun, “Elena, we did it!”

She laughs, a nervous excitement taking her as well, eyes wide as she turns to face you, “We… We did!”

You both laugh a few moments longer, an electric energy to the moment; you’re both alive! There were tracers everywhere, it felt like the whole sky was filled with them, but you only took the one hit - It feels amazing to be alive, better than ever! It’s a rush just to keep existing after such a close call, death only inches away at times.

“...We’re not going after the last one?” Elena asks after calming for a moment, the rush of victory subsiding but a smile lingering on her face.

“No, it’s time we got back home. The Federation can hunt down whoever that was, we just… Well, they’re not shooting anyone now, that’s what matters, right?” You say, thoughts of the destruction wreaked across the surface of the city slowly worming their way back into your thoughts as you explain your reasons aloud, “...I’m sorry this happened at all, Elena. All those people…”

“Don’t apologize, Max. Never apologize for that, you didn’t cause it.” She says firmly, but you can see the pain in her eyes, “…Ugh, you’re right though, those poor families… I hope Nina was still down at the university, that explosion wasn’t far from where we live, just a level up and over… oh, Max, what if she-”

“We’ll check as soon as we’re back, Elena.” You assure her, “We need to land first, I doubt the security forces are going to be kind to a rogue fighter flying around right now.”

“...Right. First thing though, okay?” She asks, and you nod, focusing your attention back on finding the very easy to miss tunnel entrance; with the help of the navigational system you’re able to locate it again, backtracking through the flight data - It’s nearly impossible to spot, hidden in deep shadow in great crater with nothing much else around. You take the wounded Mustang in quickly, slowly a touch to ease down the long and narrow tunnel. Crashing now would just be embarrassing.
>>
>>5544401

An hour later.

Hogo responded to your call in record time, getting his big cargo rover and trailer back to the tunnel with alarming speed; you taxid the damaged fighter back onto the bed, killed the engines, secured it all for travel, and covered the entire thing with a tarp - Thankfully security forces aren’t looking at the bottom of the city for evidence of a terrorist attack that occurred near the surface, and the nerve wracking trip back to the junkyard went without a hitch.

When you arrive back at Hogo’s junkyard and get the damaged Mustang hidden away in its barn again, you head over to Hogo’s makeshift house where Elena has already called an check on Nina’s safety - Nina’s fine, just a bit scared after feeling the explosions shake their apartment. Ramba and Hamon are on their way to the junkyard right now as well, having contacted you before you could call them, and apparently more than capable of piecing together what happened. It’s hard to tell how they’re going to react, it was a very brief conversation.

Gathering with Hogo and Elena around the small television in the ex-smuggler’s house, you watch the news coverage of the event intently.

“...have released an official statement from the office of General Ernst Ermber, head of the Federation military forces stationed in Von Braun city, stating that it was quick action by a pilot from the local garrison who was already in the air on a routine patrol, Lieutenant King Mansley, that saw the two terrorist shuttles so quickly shot down and the third forced to land outside of the city. This is still a developing story, but - Wait, what’s that, shelly? We have breaking news that the hostages taken by the terrorists, diplomats from Side Six, have also been released unharmed after a brief standoff between security forces and the remaining terrorists…”

“...King Mansley? What the… They’re just making that up entirely! That was us!” Elena says, mouth slightly agape in shock, “It’s barely been an hour and they’re already just covering their own butts!”

“Better than hunting down ours.” You laugh, feeling at least slightly relieved by the corruption of the Federation for once, “Hard to believe they’re stealing all the glory this fast though. The dust hasn’t even settled.”

“The general fellow doesn’t have much of a choice, now does he? Admit to that screw up and he’d be saying goodbye to his rank, and probably get the boot! …But now he and this Mansley guy get to share the glory of being heroes. It’s devious! Bet the mayor’s in on it too, election season isn’t far off.” Hogo cackles, apparently finding the whole situation downright hilarious and speculating wildly, “We’ll see if the story holds up. That’s a bold lie, even for me!”
>>
>>5544402

“Ugh, that kind of corruption is just disgusting. All those people dead and they’re feeding them lies…” Elena shakes her head, sinking back into the old and slightly musty cushions of Hogo’s faded tan sofa and staring up at the ceiling, “...Think they’ll still be looking for us, Max?”

“Someone might, we got in and out pretty cleanly though. We’ll need to lay low regardless.” You answer, arms crossed as you watch the news show pictures of this Mansely guy; black hair, green eyes, square jaw - A very military looking man, exactly the type the press will probably eat up with a story like this.

An hour later.

“You absolute fool, boy, what in the hell got into you to think that getting in a dogfight was a good idea?” Ramba rages, storming back and forth across the hangar’s cement floor as you sit on a steel folding chair, back rigid and nearly at attention, “Do you have any idea what a risk that was? You could have died!”

He’s been dressing you down for the last few minutes, almost from the moment he arrived.

“...I couldn’t just watch, sir.” You answer, back straight and voice steady, but an inner doubt still burns away at you as you think of your promise to Artesia. …She’ll probably understand, helping others is really at the center of her heart, but it was still an awful risk.

“...I won’t begrudge that, but someday that luck of yours is going to run out, Felix. This is no game, boy, no game! If I’ve got anything to say about it I’ll be old or dead by the time your luck catches up to you - You don’t have my permission to die first, do you understand me?” Ramba scowls, his graying mustache bushier than you remember it being - It’s odd what you notice in moments like this, inconsequential little details.

“Yes, sir.” You answer, not flinching from his glaring looks. Slowly Ramba’s anger ebbs away, and he walks closer to you, putting a hand firmly on your shoulder.

“...We’ll drink to your victories another time, Felix. Three more to go.” He says, his voice low, eyes looking past you towards Hamon briefly. She’s been off with Elena near the damaged fighter, both of them watching Ramba give you a piece of his mind for the last few minutes.

“...What?” You ask quietly before the realization hits you, “…I’ll make sure you’re there when it happens.”

“I’ve got no doubt.” He says, flashing a fearsome grin before backing up and waving Hamon over.
>>
>>5544405

Strutting across the room, her brow furrowing as she passes Ramba, that blond fox of a woman makes her way all the way over to you, stops, and then faster than you can track she delivers a world shattering slap. You reel to the side, nearly falling out of the folding chair, its metal legs lifting slightly in the low gravity before clanking back on the ground. The entire left side of your face burns, a shocked numbness slowly spreading through parts of it as the full pain of the slap fails to register completely.

“That’s for your mother.” Hamon hisses.

She slaps you again, before you have time to recover, striking your other cheek.

“That’s for Artesia.” She continues.

You’re expecting the third now, but don’t flinch away as it lands.

“And that’s for me.” She ends.

“...Anyone else?” You groan, hoping the list stops there; your face can’t take much more of that and Luna seems to be spinning faster than usual.

“Get up.” She commands.

You do so, and Hamon wraps you in a tight hug.

“...I’m so glad you’re alright, Felix, you stupid, stupid, kid! I never would have forgiven myself, and Astraia…” Hamon says, nearly in tears, the uncharacteristic outburst cutting deep into your heart; she really does look like she could be your aunt despite the lack of relation, and it’s hard not to see your mother in her face at times like this, “...I’ll be telling your mother all about this. I should have known something like this would have happened after what you and Casval did with that guntank…”

“Can you just keep slapping me?” You ask quietly, and Hamon lets out a short laugh as she pulls back from the hug

“Astraia will be proud, I’m sure of that, but she might have some of her own slaps for you before that happens.” Hamon answers, her eyes a bit wet with tears, “...How do you feel?”

“...Fine, I guess.” You answer, intuiting immediately what she means; you killed men today.

She looks at you doubtfully, her blue eyes searching over your face and seeing far more than most could, “Fine? Don’t lie to me.”

“...It’s hardly my first time, Hamon.” You manage to say, flashing images of burning guntanks and muzzle flashes in villa hallways filling your thoughts as you speak, “...I still hate it.”

“Don’t lose that pain, Felix.” She says solemnly, “I know it hurts, but if that ever goes… I’ve seen people go down that path. Ramba almost went that way after the coup. Don’t be that man, ever.”

You nod silently, and Hamon motions for you to stand.
>>
>>5544406

A few hours later, back at your apartment.

The streets outside of the building are mostly empty, traffic in the district nearly totally stopped after the earlier attack; it was on the same level as the one above, but still quite a few blocks away. Looking out the windows you can see police cars and fire trucks still moving in that direction, one or two coming by every few minutes.

Ramba and Hamon left you and Elena here with orders to stay put until they return, probably sometime tomorrow. They’re checking in on the Federation investigation and handling the near overreaction the other team sent to monitor you had at your earlier stunt, among other things, and so you’ve got a long, long time to kill. The bugged furniture has been moved back into a side room again, not that it matters too much at this point, there’s little reason to discuss anti-Zabi plans at the moment.

Elena has her hair down, loose and unbraided; it doesn’t have quite the same athletic flair as her braided ponytail did, but… she looks much better like this, more feminine in a way that’s hard to pinpoint, something about it just getting at you on a base level. Maybe it’s not bad girls afterall, maybe you just have a thing for redheads.

“...Want to play a game?” She asks, as you spoon on the couch, her soft hair brushing against your face, smelling of cinnamon as it so often does; it’s her favorite perfume by far. The television is playing at a low volume across the room. Elena changed it from the news a little while ago, sick of the constant coverage of the attack, and now it’s on some inane idol show. The music is barely audible.

“A game?” You question.

“Cards or something.” Elena says quietly, “I just don’t want to think for a while. About anything. …I’m glad you’re here, Max.”

>”...Sounds like you could use a drink too, I know I could. I’ll find some cards too.”
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
>Write-in.
>>
>>5544407
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
>>
>>5544407
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
We were warned about both women and alcohol, it's probably a bad idea.
>>
>>5544407
>”...Sounds like you could use a drink too, I know I could. I’ll find some cards too.”

>Don’t be that man, ever.
If I have anything to say about, Felix is absolutely becoming a stone-cold killer
>>
>>5544407
1)
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”

2)
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
Only reason I'm going with this is to make Felix less of a corndog for every woman he meets.

>>5544415
Not on my watch, lmao.
>>
>>5544417
>to make Felix less of a corndog for every woman he meets.
Is there anything wrong with being nice / courteous to people you meet.
>>
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>>5544414
To be fair, the last time involved a woman in her mid twenties and a very large bottle of vodka. Felix was sixteen (still is). Blanche was all of about one vote away from causing a major scandal.

>>5544417
fucking lmao, corndog
>>
>>5544407
>”...Sounds like you could use a drink too, I know I could. I’ll find some cards too.”

>>5544426
Spacenoids are for breeding! Not earthnoids.
>>
>>5544421
Wanting to get in Kycilia's hair pants is a huge issue.
Also I'd hate Felix to become yet another anime harem mc.

>>5544426
>spoiler
How would Dozle react to seeing Felix and Blanche woohoo? I'm genuinely curious, since we'll probably never get the chance to know what would've happened.
>>
>>5544428
>we'll probably never get the chance to know[?/spoiler]
Not with that attitude!
>>
Unrelated to any of this going on right now: Felix will be keeping the revolvers. I don't think I mentioned it anywhere but Ramba took them and will get them back to Zeon.

>>5544427
I really did enjoy writing Blanche, she'll be back for sure.

>>5544428
Honestly? Big Zam tier rage at such incredibly poor behavior from one of his closest officers, probably wouldn't think too poorly of Felix though. It would have been a huge scandal, especially since she'd just grabbed him with the Waff only an hour before or whatever it was. Just think of how bad that would look for her and her father. Would've been a memorable experience for Felix though, for a lot of reasons.
>>
>>5544407
>>”...Sounds like you could use a drink too, I know I could. I’ll find some cards too.”
DESU I wanted to go for option three but for the sake of the one post paranoid anons I'll refrain from it, speaking off...
with the aid of the based autist that mapped the low post IDs I discovered that my browser does a better job keeping track of who i am than 4chan, with most of my posts being marked by (You)s despite being from different IDs. Over the past month i had a big job so i was all over looking at the thread during downtime and had to scrap a lot of posts i had written either due to not having time to finalise or being on contentious votes that people would be suspicious of a one-two post ID. from here on ill be linking to my last post everytime to create a chain
>>5534521
>>5540047
>>5535906
>>5534154
>>
>>5544407
1)
>>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
2)
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
>>5544445
>The alternate timeline where Felix is a hag connosieur and his attempt to charm Kycilia works in his favor
>>
>>5544407
1)
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
2)
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
>>
>>5544510
I'm glad I could help, even indirectly.
>>
>>5544407
1) >Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
2) >”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
>>
>>5544407
>>5544417
Changing vote to:
1)
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
What's the worst that could happen?

2)
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”

>>5544510
Just go for it man.

>>5544445
Makes me glad anons were able to control their horniness, she and her dad would've been in a mess.
I suppose I can see why, since she'd be getting it on with a teenager (and a politically significant one at that).
>>
>>5544407
>>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
>>
>>5544510
Thank you for linking back, anon. Vote however you want, between the results of the survey post and other anons linking back now or showing again up after ages I don't think there's actually an issue.

>>5544671
Definitely conduct unbecoming an officer and the political side of it makes it far more damaging, she'd probably get cashiered if her father wasn't a general. Of course this is all assuming the story got out, or Dozle literally walked in on them or something.

It'll be another five hours or so before I have enough time to write, voting will remain open until around then.
>>
>>5544407
>>5544510
Alright then
Changing vote to
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…

I know a lot of guys here are against firstgirl-itis but thats only an issue if said girl is shit, Elena meanwhile is an 11/10 with the only potential issue being the Zabis might try to pull some shit against her but that'll be the case for everyone other than Vivima and Kycilia and Garmachan~
>>
>>5544798
Elena is indeed best girl
>>
>>5544407
1st
>”And I’m glad you’re with me, Elena. I think there’s a deck around here somewhere...”
2nd
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
>>
>>5544407
>>5544671
Alright, will change my vote again
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
Might as well commit to it not like it'll make much of a difference.
>>
>>5544407
>”Just glad?~” Perhaps a different distraction would be better, it’s been on your mind for a while now…
>>
>>5544413
>>5544414
>>5544687
Deck

>>5544415
>>5544427
Drink

>>5544547
>>5544664
>>5544798
>>5544931
>>5544942
>>5544929 (2nd)
>>5544598 (2nd)
Dick

Writing.
>>
>>5545089
>Kill a bunch of terrorists
>Then have sex
Holy based Felix
>>
Wait it actually won? Huh.
>>
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>>5545089
I didn't think it'd actually win but here we are. Bless democracy.
>>
>>5545089
Wait, we are having sex? I thought it was just going to be a kiss.
Eh, no matter, Elena is best girl
>>
>>5545089
Didn't actually realize how many votes snu-snu got
>>
>>5545118
>Elena is best girl
She did give Felix a stealth fighter, so yes.
>>
>>5545118
She really isn't, but its w.e.

Calling it now, Come the one year war breaking out, We'll jump shit to the federation.
>>
>>5545189
Absolutely not, you're off your rocker pal
>>
>>5545192
They've fallen for the Earthnoid whore, They'll betrayal Spacenoid's now. I've been here before.

They always betray Spacenoids at the end for the ass they want. Anon's are thirsty sluts.
>>
>>5545189
No we won't, not as long as my vote counts for something.

>>5545195
Don't worry about Elena, she saw Feddies gang up on someone, witnessed their corruption firsthand, and even sees herself as a spacenoid. There's little chance she'll want us to betray Zeon.
At least that's what I hope.
>>
>>5545189
>>5545195
Please no more waifuwar anger, it already made me check the entire thread to check if there was samefagging.
We have to save up our frustration for when the OYW
>>
>>5545205
starts.
I typed the the Captcha on comment box, and when deleted the end of the phrase got hit as a collateral damage
>>
>>5545205
I am fueled by hate for ALL earthnoids! She is merely an the most infront of my target!
>>
>>5545205
>>5545206
Or don't, it is a time honored tradition after all. Just like shadowrunning.
>>5545213
Carry on then, trooper.
Zieg Zam
>>
>>5545213
Don't worry, she'll probably die soon after the war breaks out anyway.
And if by any chance Elena does want us to go against the ideas of contolism or our plans, we'll probably get into an argument with her and break up.
>>
>>5545216
Contolism > Women
Space is the better waifu anyway
>>
>>5545216
Their relationship is definitely going to fall apart after Felix starts helping Zeon do nothing wrong
>>
>>5545224
>spoiler
Space is the best waifu.

>>5545229
Also very possible. Don't know if the 'just following orders' or the 'it's for the greater good' arguments will hold up with her the latter especially since we did things with her here that arguably go against the greater good, and are more to immediately help people.
>>
Okay, so just how far can I go with this on a blue board? I know there's some stuff that looks like blatant fetish smut in the catalogue, but I don't normally write this kind of thing here and don't want to push it too far.

Gonna go ahead and archive the thread to be safe no matter what.
>>
>>5545233
So its a blue board, Best case I think is kissing and then smoe type of fade to black. Idk if the Paste-bin work around is still permitted or not.

Implied I think is okay as well? Its been many moons since I've seen coom here.
>>
>>5545233
Visceral description of anything that isn't worksafe would be the line imo. Actually writing out a sex scene is definitely going to get the thread dropped
>>
>>5545233
If you want to be safe you could just have the scene strongly imply Felix did the deed after fading to black and skipping some time.
>>
>>5545242
And by strongly imply I mean without any actual smut.
>>
>>5545233
Sometimes QM's can get away with it but I'd err on the side of caution and fade to black here. You can put it in a bin or something and link it later though if you're particularly invested in the scene.
>>
>>5545233
Kiss, imply something is going to happen and then fade to black.
>>
“Just glad?~” You ask in low voice, your muscled arm sliding down further over Elena, pulling her languid body just that fraction of an inch nearer, drawing that sweet cinnamon cinnamon scent of her soft hair tantalizingly closer; her head turns, cheek nearly brushing against yours, emerald eyes locking with yours. There's a moment of complete understanding; not a newtypes awareness, but something much more primal.

The pounding in your chest quickens, and yet your hands remain steady as you brush a long strand of hair from her pale, beautiful face, marveling at how delicate she looks, how in need of comfort she must be, how much you want her to remember this day warmly and not as tragedy, how entrancing her eyes are, how much you’d like to see that white shirt stripped off of her, how much you want her.

“No.” Elena whispers, her lips so close to your own. Her breath catches as you press your mouth to hers; there’s no need for words. Your world fades to cinnamon and ginger, passion and heat, the touch of her lips against your own and the aching need of your body. Elena twists slowly beneath your arms, your fingers running across the firmness of her taut abdomen and then down to the gentle curve of her waist as she turns to press against you more fully.

Separating for a moment, breathing heavily and hearts pounding, you lock mouths with her once more; your hand grip at her waist, slowly sliding up along her side, exploring her faintly athletic body until reaching under the lifted hem of her tight cotton shirt… and then slipping beneath it.
>>
>>5545321

You hesitate, slowing for half a heartbeat, and one of her hands wraps tightly about your arm, pushing it along more frantically, a silent demand not to stop; it’s an awkward, almost desperate rush, the blasted shirt proving more difficult to slide up her than expected. Her long legs slide from the sofa as you begin to sit up, straining to get a better grasp over the material; it rips slightly in your haste, Elena’s arms lifting and then pulling under it as you lift over her head. With a careless throw you send the shirt sailing across the room; your gaze remaining focused entirely on the maddeningly beautiful woman so very close to you. Elena’s loose and flowing hair is nearly scarlet in the apartment’s bright light, falling down against your chest and covering much of her green bra, the ends of her hair a light caress against your shirt… which her hands are already well at work unbuttoning, the two of you working in a rush to remove it as well, kissing intermittently, desperately, until finally it too is discarded.

For long minutes, or perhaps only seconds, you remain like that, half dressed and tightly pressed, that burning desire within you only building with every touch, every second spent together. More, god, you need more, more but every noise she makes is more enticing than the last, every breath drawing you toward one hungering conclusion; you want to see just how far you can push her first - It is a desire rising from some deep corner of your mind, a half remembered text, a book of lascivious poetry whose words you don’t care to remember but the thrust of which you’ve never forgotten; the woman must come first, and it easiest to first coax her along that path, to fan the flames - But what was the name of that technique? Cunning something…

Rising just a bit from the sofa, feet touching the cold floor for just a moment, you run your hands up along Elena’s arms, over her shoulders, and then push her back down against the black cushions of the far side of the sofa; it’s just enough space to work with. You join her back down there, looking over her barely concealed chest and taut pale stomach, the faintest hint of an hourglass implied by her intoxicating curves; your hands reach for the edge of her tight jeans, and she meets your eyes, nodding enthusiastically, pale face flushed nearly crimson as you work to remove them, eventually succeeding, her feet kicking along at the end to help be rid of them.

“...Yes.” The word comes from her almost without thought, heavy and breathy as she urges you onward, “I’ve wanted this for so-”

She makes a new noise, a little yelp of surprise you’ve never heard from her before as her green panties lower next, a damp wetness to them as you slide them forcefully down her long legs, just low enough to cling about her knees; that’s far enough for this…
>>
>>5545322

The next morning.

You wake up to the early rays of Von Braun’s artificial day, light filtering in through the window of your bedroom, Elena tangled up in the covers next to you. God, she’s beautiful, sleeping so serenely - What a night. You smile, nearly laughing as you think of it, part of you ready for a… fifth round? A sixth? You weren’t busy counting, but you decided against waking her for that. She needs her sleep. Silently you get out of bed and take a quick shower, get some pants on and then move quietly to the kitchen and past the bugged furniture that was hastily thrown back into the living room last night.

A few minutes later.

Elena peeks from the doorway of the bedroom, blinking a few times and smiling as she sees you busy preparing breakfast in the open kitchen. The smell of the cooking bacon must have woken her; it’s a simple meal, you’ve never had much practice cooking and made a bit of a mess, but how could bacon and eggs ever be a bad choice?

“How do you like your eggs?” You ask, smiling back from the kitchen.

“Over-easy.” She answers, disappearing back into the bedroom for a few minutes before returning wearing one of your shirts; it’s only just long enough to keep her decent, and even thouhg her red hair is still a total mess there’s no denying how attractive she is. Is this how this always feels? Why would anyone ever break up? What absolute fools. You’re on a cloud, everything in the world is so light and wonderful.

You get Elena a plate and a mug of coffee, joining her at the small table a minute or so later, the two of you eating and just enjoying one another's company until there’s a knock at the door.

Shit.

“We’re back.” Ramba’s voice calls out, muffled by the door, and you can hear the lock being worked. There’s still clothes all over the living room, furniture pushed haphazardly about, and neither of you are fully dressed; Elena is already moving back off to the bedroom, hurrying along, and you move to the door to try to preempt Ramba and Hamon’s entry.

“Hello, Ramba!” You greet him, pulling the door open just a moment before he does, trying only to reveal your face in the narrow gap, “Everything work out alright?”
>>
>>5545323

“Oh my!” Hamon giggles, eyebrow arching as she catches even this small glimpse of you, “Ramba, I warned you they’d be at it like rabbits.”

Your cheeks burn, and you try to narrow the doors opening a little. Ramba sticks his foot in the way and then pushes it open further, chuckling to himself and shaking his head slightly, though not in disappointment, “Decent for us to come in?”

“...I think Elena could use a few minutes.” You answer, “Could you stay out there?”

“Of course. Let them be for a minute, Ramba.” Hamon answers, tugging at Ramba’s sleeve even as he already begins to pull back from the door, “Why aren’t we the ones getting caught like this anymore?...”

You shut the door and hastily attempt to clean up and rearrange the apartment, dipping into the bedroom long enough to get a shirt and the rest of a proper outfit one; or at least most of it. Elena’s rushing about doing much the same, having donned her clothes from last night once more, a bit wrinkled but otherwise fine. You return to the door and let Ramba and Hamon inside, Ramba’s cheeks bright red and Hamon bearing a mischievous grin.

“And he even cooked!” Hamon comments, though her expression darkens as she sees the mess you managed to make of the kitchen, “...You’re not much of a cook, are you?”

“No.” You admit, “I muddled my way through.”

“Looks edible…” Ramba shakes his head, the motion seeming to clear his thoughts, “We’ve got bad news. You’re going to need to leave early, Felix, there’s a shuttle coming first thing tomorrow morning. It was a direct request from the colonel.”

“...Dozle wants me back?” You ask, brow furrowing as you try to think over things, “Because of what happened?”

“...Something like that. It’s a disciplinary action, Felix.” Ramba informs you, his face serious, “You’re a registered cadet at the academy already, even if it doesn’t start for a few more months. He was mad, but he wasn’t shouting as loudly as normal.”
>>
>>5545324

“...Well, that’s… good?” You question, finding the words reassuring even as you ask them; Dozle is anything but subtle, if he was properly furious he wouldn’t hide it, especially not to a subordinate responsible for keeping you safe.

“It’s a place to start from.” Ramba says, taking a bite from one of the remaining strips of bacon, chewing and then nodding appreciatively; he must like it, “That stunt you pulled would have been a major diplomatic incident if you got caught, a real screw up. But you weren’t, so I’m guessing he’ll go easy on you. Probably extra duties for a few months at the academy, harder PT, docked pay - Not that it matters much to you… and then maybe a medal.”

>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5545325
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
>>
>>5545325
1)
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.

2)
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.

Here come the consequences. Maybe they won't be all bad?
Man I'm happy we didn't get on that Zeon cargo ship. That would've told the whole world about everything.
>>
>>5545325
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
Boooo! Guess it's to be expected though.
>>
>>5545325
>>5545328
Changing my vote to:
1)
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.

2)
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.

3)
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>>
File: Spoiler Image (1.35 MB, 1270x712)
1.35 MB
1.35 MB PNG
>>5545325
>>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”

>>5545328
>Here come the consequences. Maybe they won't be all bad?
What's the worst that could happen?
>>
>>5545325
1)
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
2)
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
>>
>>5545332
>pic
Yeah, that's a good summary of what happened.
>>
>>5545330
The reason I want to mention Kycilia is because Ramba will probably have some very important tips regarding her, since he's dealt with her for longer than we have.

>>5545332
>What's the worst that could happen?
Hah.
>>
>>5545325
>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>Dozel is really great
>>
>>5545325
>>“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well? Pff, that sounds about right.”
>”...We only have today then? Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go?”
>>
>>5545325
>”...Wonder how Kycilia’s going to react to everything.” Don’t say too much, the bugs might catch it.
>>
>>5545340
Also if Dozle knows, then so does Kycilia. So I'm not too worried about her overhearing things, as long as we're vague we should be fine.
>>
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>>5545327
>>5545329
>>5545332
>>5545333
>>5545344
Disrespect authority + Focus on your girl.

>>5545330 (2nd)
>>5545348
Deathly fear of hair Not so much anymore.

>>5545341
Disrespect authority + Dozle is best girl.

Writing.
>>
“So it’s okay if I break the rules, but only if I do it well?” You scoff lightly and grin, shaking your head ever so slightly at the falsity of it all, “Pff, that sounds about right.”

“It’s how the world works.” Ramba agrees, his tone neutral and resigned, years of experience having taken more than their toll on his idealism even if a fiery spirit still remains, “I don’t recommend taking that tone with Dozle, and you’ll want to check those thoughts at the door when you get to the academy.”

“Yes, sir.” You answer, not quite rolling your eyes, arms crossed; he’s right of course, and you’ll play along just fine, but it’s going to be a big damp rag thrown on any properly creative plans you have - A staid and conservative officer you will most certainly not be, even if you might put on the airs of one when it suits you. Father would spin so fast in his grave that he could be hooked to a generator and power Zum’s main grid if you ended up as some starched collar military type moving unit pieces across a map with a stick… not that strategy is boring, far from it in fact.

“...Better, but that tone will get you the lash.” Ramba chuckles, but you can tell he’s deadly serious, a sort of grim humor about the comment, “You’ll find out one way or another, Felix.”

“...Well, I’ve got plenty of practice lying, told more than my fair share.” You say with a shrug of your shoulders, voice a touch lower as you remain vigilant of the bugs a bit away in the living room, “What are a few more thrown on the pile? I’ll play their perfect soldier if that’s what they ask.”

“Much better.” Ramba nods, looking to Hamon who’s busy talking in a quiet voice with Elena near the bedroom door. The two of them really having taken to one another in the brief meetings.
>>
>>5545464

“...So we only have one day then?” You ask him, heart sinking at the news; you’ll need to make it count, and your turn to look to your girlfriend, “Elena! Is there somewhere you want to go today?”

She tilts her head ever so slight, mouth scrunched up a little as she ponders the question, her eyes filled with a simple happiness you’ve wanted to see in her years now; eventually she shrugs and answers, “There’s an art museum I’ve been wanting to visit, it’s… it’s really romantic actually, the whole building is so beautiful, I’ve only been once but I didn’t have time to see most of it!”

“Sounds like a joy.” You smile, feeling like spoiling her a bit.

“Or we could finally go tag up a building, I still want to paint something with you, especially now that I have some ideas~” She bites her lips, giving you a look that could easily threaten to start another round if Ramba and Hamon weren’t here, your hormones still in overdrive and more than willing to be urged along, “Your choice.”

>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
>Go be a couple of common delinquents, but carefully. Getting caught by the police now would just be embarrassing.
>”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]
>Write-in.

We’re rapidly approaching the end of this Von Braun arc.
>>
>>5545469
1)
>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
We might actually learn something. Be cultured enough to make small talk with possible supporters in Zeon.

2)
>”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]
>>
>>5545469
>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
Baaah I'm going to miss out on another day's worth of updates. Hopefully we're not starting anything major tomorrow.
>>
>>5545469
1
>Go be a couple of common delinquents, but carefully. Getting caught by the police now would just be embarrassing.

2
>”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]

is this one of those art museums where they only show post/modern nonsense?
>>
>>5545469
>1)”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]
A hot date

>2)The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
A nice date


I'm impartial between the two, but will favor sexooooo for the timeskip.
>>
>>5545476
>spoiler
Probably not, considering the vote specifically says its high culture.
>>
>>5545476
Absolutely not! That stuff goes in a very small historical section, people largely outgrew it when they got tired of everything in the being unbearably hideous.
I despise "modern" art, it's a dressed up tax fraud scheme most of the time.
>>
>>5545485
everything in the world being unbearably hideous*
>>
>>5545469
>>5545485
ill change >>5545476
to
1
>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.

2
>”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]
>>
>>5545485
>spoiler
Contolist with the objectively correct take.
>>
>>5545469
1)
>>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.

2)
>”...Actually, how about we stay in for the day?” Oh, your hormones make good points, really good ones. [Time skip!]
>>
>>5545464
1st >The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
2nd
>Go be a couple of common delinquents, but carefully. Getting caught by the police now would just be embarrassing.
>>
>>5545469
>The beautiful museum! High culture is a shared interest even if Elena is more expressive of it by far; most of your elective studies were centered around the humanities.
>>
>>5545472
>>5545474
>>5545477
>>5545488
>>5545498
>>5545535
>>5545656
Writing.
>>
Later that day, at the Sea of Tranquility historical art museum on the opposite side of Von Braun city.

Elena was right about the museum. Paneled glass ceilings arch high overhead, supporting by intricate steel latticework painted a faded green, something about the design suggesting the ancient grand train stations and public buildings of centuries past on earth; steel mixed with graceful stone, tasteful halls blending eras together seamlessly, each shifting slightly from the last to better reflect its exhibits while still remaining in step with the others. It’s an outstanding accomplishment of aesthetics, not merely a mindless mixing of old styles but instead something new emerging from the familiar and tried styles of old. You like it a lot. In fact you might even love it.

You meander along the rich marble floors of the classics wing with Elena, one arm comfortably around her as you move past the light crowds of other enthusiasts and occasionally stop to look at pieces that catch either of your attention. A small group of uniformed children, likely from a local school, mill about nearby in front of a gorgeous painting of a woman in some ancient style, rococo you think, upon a swing. A few look bored, some are enthusiastically asking a guide about the paintings and statues, and a short haired boy tugs at the dress sleeve of a girl next to him to get her attention - That one has his priorities right. You smile, finding the scene adorable - You’ve really never looked at kids this way before, other than perhaps Glemy; you feel quite like an adult, more mature somehow. Perhaps it's a delusion. This whole date has been relaxing, a simple treat after the emotional peaks and valleys of the day before.

“More Fragonard.” Elena muses happily, looking at another lovely painting, “It’s such a pretty era. …I wish dresses were still like that.”

“They are in Zeon.” You tell her, thinking of the ballrooms you’ve seen all throughout the palace and interiors of your and the Ral’s old family mansions, the lavishly dressed party guests you were too busy or young to pay much attention to; old is very much new in Side Three - much of the colonies, really, “It’s more baroque, but they’re very similar. You’d look lovely in one of those dresses. I’d like to see that.”

“...You know I can’t go, don’t tease me like that.” She replies sullenly, “Even if it’s a gilded cage, you do always end up somewhere nice looking, don’t you?”

“It’s a silver lining.” You shrug, “This museum feels more like home than a lot of places.”
>>
>>5545803

“Always off in a castle or palace…” She pulls a little closer as you keep walking, “Or a ranch… Lodge? Whatever that was.”

“Texas colony was nice, but… very different. I liked it there, it felt more real in some ways, even if it was as fake as places come - For a failed amusement park it really has a lot of personality. Maybe it’s the failure that did that, made it more desolate, like a real frontier.”

“Oh but don’t forget the rest, you had horses there, and those views! I was so jealous when you sent the first pictures…” Elena reminisces, “But of course you had to learn to ride, and fly, and everything else; that’s what a prince does, isn’t it? I tried to keep up once you started sending letters, to learn thing on my own to be useful... I didn't want to be helpless again.”

“You did a lot more than just try, Elena.” You stop and pull her closer into a kiss; it’s a tender moment but over nearly as soon as it began. No reason to make a scene in public.

>”Do you really think of me as a prince, Elena?” Father would probably disapprove, but there really does seem to be a nobility among the Sides.
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5545807
1)
>>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
2)
>>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
3)
>>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
I'm going all in
>>
>>5545807
>>5545811
Supporting, but only as long as we don't make any actual promises to her and tell her that it's very possible we won't be able to have her visit/visit her ourselves.
>>
The only reason I'm not voting for the 'am I a prince?' option is because it's literally what the Zabis want and it's nothing more than the weight of gravity against spacenoid future!
>>
>>5545807
>>5545820
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Write-in
>Say nothing and enjoy the peaceful moment. Look at the art, really try to drink it all in, and hold your girl close.
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
>"...I can't promise anything."
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.

2)
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
Again, without making any actual promises.

3)
>Write-in
>Say nothing and enjoy the peaceful moment. Look at the art, really try to drink it all in, and hold your girl close.

4)
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.

4)
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>>
>>5545807
>>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>>
>>5545807
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.

Love: not feeling it. Princehood: an illusion of gravity. I think another visit is an appropriate next step.

>>5546015
I'm fairly sure that silence, not promising, and telling someone you love them are all mutually exclusive choices. Supposing that an expression of love is a promise of a kind.
>>
>>5545807
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
No need for anything else desu
>>
>>5546072
Hm, you might be right about that.

>>5545807
>>5546015
Changing my vote once more
1)
>Write-in
>Say nothing and enjoy the peaceful moment. Look at the art, really try to drink it all in, and hold your girl close.

2)
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.

3)
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.

>>5546160
If you really want to make Felix stay true to her, it would probably be wise to at least try to have her visit.
>>
>>5545807
Alright, now you're cooking. I'll switch >>5546072 to support >>5546164
>>
>>5545807
>”Do you really think of me as a prince, Elena?” Father would probably disapprove, but there really does seem to be a nobility among the Sides.
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
>>
Reject first girl, embrace spacenoid waifus and Dozel protects with big Zaku
>>
>>5545807
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings after this whole terrorist thing blows over and I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon… It would have risks, but nothing is ever really safe, is it? I’ve been learning to dance; how does a proper ball sound? Might even have time to teach you how to ride.” Actually she's pretty good at riding already.
>>
>>5545807
>”...I love you.” Say it, make it that little bit more real. Childhood friends, years of letters, a passionate week with tragedy and triumph.
To the anons concerned about earthnoid pussy and contolism: Deikun contolism under YAS (aka origin version which seems to be what QM is following) is well, very loose. The core tenet of course is that all humans should move to space and while it also states that those in space are the superiors it's up to interpretation as to what makes a spacenoid. Is it someone in space? Someone born in space? Someone who has embraced space?.
Adding to that, having Felix form his own views of his father's ideology through his own personal experiences has the potential to be one of the most interesting things about this quest from a /lit/ perspective. To have Felix adhere unflinchingly to some quotes would be both ooc and boring. Forming the moderate opinion of contolism would be the perfect match for Felix, afterall he is willing to be moderate with the fucking Zabis (talking of how he only wants to kill Degwin Ghiren and Kycilia, as opposed to Killemall Casval)


previous post>>5544798 (though it seems like i catch the same id when at home)
>>
>>5546228
Elena was born in Earth, but left it and fully accepted living in Luna.
She is the model of father's vision of the future.
>>
>>5546164
>If you really want to make Felix stay true to her, it would probably be wise to at least try to have her visit.
Or maybe not. I don't really know I just wanted to avoid another broken promise, but honestly who knows how things will turn out. This could also be another mistake on my part, it's been a long day and I'm too tired to think.

>>5546228
You bring up a fair point, Felix does seem to be more on the moderate side of contolism. Elelna seems to be symbolic to that. But if that's the case why not combine the two votes, both of trying to get her to visit and saying 'I love you'?
And if you're worried if about the vote turnout, you could just use preference. Though that might be rich coming from me, since I haven't really been paying attention to how the votes are going.
>>
>>5545811 (2nd)
>>5546071
>>5546160
>>5546228
Love.

>>5546222
Prince+Visit.

>>5546164 (2nd)
>>5546170 (2nd)
>>5546227
Visit.

Writing.

Coming up quickly on the last Von Braun posts.Then its off to see the real best girl, Dozle.
>>
>>5546228
Anon, I must say. While you are 100% fair and accurate, I must reject any and all earthnoids. My heart cannot take another Embracement of them, For if we embrace them now. When the time comes, Will we will do what we must to force humanity into space? I say No, For they have grown weak and fat on the loins of earthnoid women.

>>5546281
Goddamnit, Fucking Love won didn't it? Atleast we get Best girl soon.
>>
How much should we tell Dozle? If we tell him everything we can count on the rest of the Zabis knowing as well.
>>
As you pull back from the kiss, the sweetness of that moment fading, your eyes meet with Elena’s and words rise up from deep within you; it must be said.

“...I love you.” You say in a low, gentle voice, the words making that feeling growing within you ever more real. Elena’s emerald eyes widen, seeming to practically sparkle in the light of the museum, and she leans forward into another kiss; your heart swells, the confirmation of her feelings enough to bolster you, even without words.

“I’ve wanted to hear that for so long.” She whispers, your arms wrapping low around one another, a steady and almost dancelike embrace, “I love you too, Max. …I don’t want you to go, I don’t want to go back to just sending letters after this…”

“It’s been everything you hoped for?” You ask.

“More… and in ways I never expected. Life has a way of doing that, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” You agree quietly, that class of school children passing by raucously much to their teacher and guide’s dismay, “I’d see you every day if I could, Elena. This has been one of the best weeks of my life.”

“One of them?” Elena questions; there’s not much of an edge to it, just a hint of playful teasing, but the words still strike you - Was this the best?

“...I did get my mom back not that long ago, Elena.” You say after a pause; it’s hard to really compare the events, but you just didn’t have it in you to tell a lie to Elena right now, not even a little romantic one.

“Oh.” Her eyes widen, “I’m sorry, I should have realized, you were so happy when you talked about her, I’d feel the same w-”

“You only meant well, there’s nothing to apologize for. I understand completely; I'm sure she'd love to meet you too.” You gently cut her off, “I’ve never had a week like this, Elena, but I don’t want it to be just this either. Not just a week of good memories and then back to letters. I’d stay if I could, see every day with you, beginning to end, even the little things. …Especially the little things.”

The idea of leaving tomorrow hurts; waking up next to Elena this morning was almost magical, it had an ineffable quality to, something you’ve never experienced before outside of newtype communication. Everything made complete sense, you knew exactly what to do in the moment - It didn’t lay the secrets of the world out before you or provide any mystic revelation, but it did make life make more sense. The little things, moment to moment.

Elena kisses you again and then smiles, “...Someday we’ll have that, I just know it.”
>>
>>5546417

A few hours later.

Your time at the museum is coming to a close. It’s been a peaceful, almost meandering experience, drifting from wing to wing as you or Elena’s fancy takes you, just enjoying the art and one another’s company. You’d kill to be able to do this regularly.

“I think we’re running out of art, Max. We’ve been here already.” Elena notes, looking from statue to statue, “...Unless you just wanted to stare at their breasts again?”

“Hey, hey, it’s fine art.” You defend lightly, “Besides, if I wanted to see-”

Elena blushes, “Stop it, you. Not here, there’s little kids around.”

“...Alright, though they probably should be in this section.” You relent, smirking, “We are running out of art, but I don’t mind looking at things again. It can change your perspective on them, you know?”

“Mm, true.” She scrunches up her mouth to the side, inspecting one of the nearby works, another of the female statues, “I’ve decided I like hers better, much perkier than the rest, I bet they’d be fun to squeeze.”

Your eyebrows lift of their own volition, and it’s your turn to blush. Elena bites her lower lip, suppressing a giggle as she pokes at you a bit, and soon you’re both laughing.

“I uh, I didn’t take you for the type, Elena.” You manage to say between laughs, and she gives you a shrug and a mischievous smirk.

“I’m not, mostly.” She answers, leaving a bit of playful mystery, though you suspect that’s all it is, “I just wanted to see your face; you’re so cute when you blush.”

“Have you ever been dancing?” You ask, the question leaping from the depths of your mind.

“Where’d that question come from?” Elena asks, giving you a bit of a look, “Not properly. Why? Want to take me somewhere?”

“...I was just thinking how much I’d like to dance with you. There’s space here, even… well, we’ll need to be careful about. That wing with all the renaissance works, the one a few back. there weren’t many people there. I bet no will catch us.”

“I don’t really know how to… Okay, let's go! I’ll figure things out.” Indecision leaves her in a flash, and you take her hand in hers and head back the way you came earlier…
>>
>>5546419

Half an hour later

“Like this,” You correct the placement of Elena’s foot with your own, moving it to the side gently, “And then back, just like before.”

“Okay, I think I have it. This is so fun!” She says, practically giddy with excitement. A few people have walked past to look at the art in this section, but no one has raised a fuss over two young lovers silently dancing off on their own; an older couple stopped and watched for a few minutes or so, whispering to one another, the both politely acknowledging you before moving on, something about your dancing with Elena seeming to have just tickled them. Perhaps it was a familiar scene to them.

>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”
>”...I’ll try to come back here to visit on breaks, there are a few a year. I want to do this again, and… well, I still owe you a peaceful flight, don’t I? Hopefully they’ll still let me visit after this, there’s no telling how the Zabis will react…”
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
>Write-in.

Next scene will be leaving Von Braun, there will be one last chance to speak with Elena but that’s it.
>>
>>5546425
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
>>
>>5546425
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.

Hope she dies for us in the first wave touching down.
>>
>>5546425
1)
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”

2)
>”...I’ll try to come back here to visit on breaks, there are a few a year. I want to do this again, and… well, I still owe you a peaceful flight, don’t I? Hopefully they’ll still let me visit after this, there’s no telling how the Zabis will react…”
>>
>>5546425
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
>>
>>5546425
>>5546434
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...I’ll try to come back here to visit on breaks, there are a few a year. I want to do this again, and… well, I still owe you a peaceful flight, don’t I? Hopefully they’ll still let me visit after this, there’s no telling how the Zabis will react…”
This could be our chance to actually fight against the terrorists. We'll probably get friction from the Zabis and Artesia and/or Astraia, but at least it's not a promise we'll return.
But if we do come back here it'll sacrifice some of the things we can do in Zeon during our break, actually important things that could help us take power (and we'll probably be on a tighter leash anyway, with Kycilia's guards looking over us every second we're here).

2)
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”
>>
>>5546425
>>5546452
>>5546434
You know what nevermind, changing my vote to just
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”
We missed our chance, if we come back here we won't have as much freedom to act.
>>
>>5546425
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
I hope she survive the entire story
>>
>>5546482
Dammit, I was trying to get my post to appear beneath VwgBIR3 to make a joke but it didn't work
Changing to
1)
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”
2)
>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
>>
>>5546425
>”...Maybe I could pull some strings when I’m at the academy, you might be able to visit me in Zeon during breaks from the academy… They have dances too, proper ballroom affairs. How does that sound?”
>>
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>>5546425
>>Just enjoy the rest of the date.
>>5546433
jesus christ
>>
>>5546432
>>5546433
>>5546451
>>5546531
>>5546487 (2nd)
Enjoy the date.

>>5546453
>>5546496
Academy visit.

Writing.
>>
The two of you dance slowly together, but time passes quickly; when you’re with Elena seconds vanish, and minutes disappear in the blink of an eye. It’s so easy just to be with her like this, romantic and free, breaking some small rule to give a hint of excitement to it all, secluded from the rest of the world and surrounded by beautiful art…

Early the next morning, at a private shuttle hangar in Von Braun’s spaceport.

The interior of the hangar is cavernous, walls of metal surrounding you far off on all sides, blinking lights and small observation windows scattered about here and there along their height. The shuttle, a sleek green craft large enough to easily fit a few dozen passengers, is immediately recognizable as the same type as the one you took with Kycilia to see Tryphosa; it’s already prepared for flight, you can hear the faint hum of its pumps and other systems already running even if the rockets themselves are cold and silent. Leaving Von Braun will be far less clandestine than your arrival it seems, but Ramba and Hamon were still allowed to drive you here; the car was able to take a few tunnels and get all the way to the hangar on its own.

“We’ll see you back in Zeon, Felix.” Ramba says, “Send your family my regards.”

“I will.” You say, finding Hamon wrapping you in a hug before you can speak much further.

“Let Astraia know I’ll be visiting soon.” Hamon tells you, “I’ve been trying for weeks now, but I’ll make sure it happens.”

You tighten the hug for just a moment before letting go, “Of course. She’ll be thrilled to see you, Hamon; she speaks of you a lot.”

“Speaks well of me, I hope. She was always a gossip.”

“It’s mostly ol… interesting stories,” You correct yourself, Hamon smirking as she clearly catches the slip, “I hope I see both of you again and…”

Your attention is drawn to Elena, still standing near the car in a simple green dress, her eyes puffy and red as she watches you say your farewells; she didn’t cry much on the ride here, trying to stay strong, but just as you arrived a minute ago she lost it. Separating like this is heart wrenching, but it was going to happen eventually anyways, you only lost a single day…
>>
>>5546642

“...Go.” Hamon says, nodding slightly toward Elena; you didn’t need permission, but you appreciate the gesture and give her a thankful smile before joining your girlfriend by the car. She’s beautiful, but crying doesn’t suit her well.

You wrap her in a hug first, tight and comforting, “We’ll see each other again, Elena.”

“When?” She asks tearfully, body shaking just slightly as she cries against your shoulder, “I… I don’t want it to be years again.”

“It won’t be years, not this time…” You assure her in a low voice, “But even if it was, I’d be waiting just for you the entire time.”

“I know.” She sniffles, slowly getting a hold of herself, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” You say, the words coming easily now, naturally, “I’ll still write every week, more than that, and maybe they'll let me call, the delay to Luna isn’t so bad, just a few seconds…”

What cruelty it would have been if she died at the villa all those years ago, it was such a close thing, mere minutes before it would have been too late. Quick thinking and your full attention made all the difference…

>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>Kiss until someone has to come and drag you away from her. Screw the Zabis, if they want you to separate again then they’ll have to force it.
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>Anything else to say? (Write-in)

She was absolutely going to die at the villa if she hadn’t been treated first and the write-in didn’t happen.
>>
>>5546650
1)
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
Third time's the charm, no?
Weirdly enough I'm getting deja vu from the street fight, with how many times this vote has appeared.

2)
>Kiss until someone has to come and drag you away from her. Screw the Zabis, if they want you to separate again then they’ll have to force it.

>spoiler
Huh, well it's good to know that write-ins are important.
>>
>>5546433
>least spiteful and angry Tryphosissy
>>
>>5546650
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>>
>>5546650
>>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>>
>>5546650
1
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
2
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>>
>>5546650
>Hug and depart
>>
>>5546650
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
If we are to get Elena to Zeon there will be some important ground work to lay:
First will be that its done during a time Felix has a significant brake from the academy so that he will be with her all the time, we cant afford to let her on her own in the wolves den (though perhaps Hamon could be called upon to cover her)
Second that we get guarantees from Degwin over her safety, mostly against Kycilia, he would most likely give them since last we saw he was trying to reconcile and Astraia has also been working hard on that
Third and last is making sure the bitch Kycilia wont be capable of painting her a spy or something and getting suport of the other Zabis
fourth is producing the big Zam and using it to become God Emperor of the Cosmos before the end of the year

previous post >>5546228
>>
>>5546650
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>>
>>5546650
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>>
>>5546864
I'm >>5542712 if anyone's wondering. I'm phoneposting, so my id changes alot.
>>
>>5546650
1)
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
2)
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
3)
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
I hope other anons can continue with the smart plans.
>>
>>5546650
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>>
>>5546650
>>5546661
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.

2)
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”
>>
>>5546650
>>5546864
Switching vote
1)
>Hug and depart
2)
>Kiss and depart; as painful as it is to leave it only hurts more to drag it out.
>”The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit then, or… maybe you could come visit me in Zeon? I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to get things figured out.”

I'm having second thoughts about this. But going all in seems like a fun time.
>>
>>5546948
Just to be clear, I'm going with these under the assumption that we aren't actually promising Elena anything. Maybe even telling her that those options might not be possible?
Basically saying that they aren't out of the picture, but might be too much to ask for (at least for now).
>>
>>5546673
>>5546676
Kiss and depart.

>>5546685
>>5546779
>>5546864
Possible visits.

>>5546912
>>5546937
>>5546948
>>5546963 (2nd)
Possible visits+Kiss

>>5546708
Hug and depart.

Writing.

>>5546991
I tried to signal something along those lines in the option, it's a promise to try rather than a promise it will actually happen.
>>
>>5546991
>>5547099
considering how long it took for the meet up on the moon promise to be fulfilled and how well she understands Felix's situation i dont think Elena will get fussy, plus this visit has improved her psyche greatly
>>
>>5546779
>>5547169
forgot to link to previous post, seems like my home id has changed
>>
>>5547099
>>5547169
Ah I see, thanks for the reassurance.
>>
>>5547169
That's true, seems that if we disn't send the letters she would have done something very dumb, if the comment on saving her life twice is anything to go by.
And the visit gave even more emotional support.
>>
“The academy has breaks every few months, I might be able to visit you during them, or… Maybe you could come see me in Zeon?”

“...In Zeon? I…” Elena hesitates a moment, “I’d love to, even in that viper pit, but… would they let me?”

“...After this? I’m not so sure, it’s hard to know until they finish chewing me out.” You admit honestly, unsure of the feasibility of it, “I’ll see what I can do, it might take a while to figure things out though; I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”

“I’ll be waiting for that letter.” She says, wiping lightly at the tears about one of her eyes, “Maybe you could come see me on Side Seven at the end of the summer?”

“...I think there’s a short break that early, not much more than a weekend though. So you’ve decided to try for a small firm then?”

“Mhm. It sounded peaceful, somewhere secluded and remote to get away from things…” She shrugs, “Or at least somewhere I can pretend I’ve gotten away from them.”

“That’s all we’ve got, isn’t it?” You stop for a moment as one of the shuttle crew shouts from the door of the craft, waving for you to hurry up.

“...I think they’re getting impatient.” Elena laughs lightly, distraught but spirits lifts somewhat by your plans, “Want to make them get really mad?~”

You settle for a simple kiss, passionate and deep but not overlong; if only you could stay.

“Best not to make them too angry.” You say as you pull back from the intimate embrace, “I love you.”

“You already said so; I love you too!”

“I like saying it.” You beam, taking a step back, finding it increasingly difficult to part ways the longer this goes on for, “Goodbye, Elena. It won’t be so long this time.”

“...Bye, Max. Tell Sayla and Edouard I said hi! Stay safe, all of you!” She smiles back weakly, and then leans in again to speak in a final whisper, her emerald eyes narrowing to something mischievous and almost predatory, “...And good hunting.
>>
>>5547248

Very late that same day, back in Zeon.

It was a fast flight back to Zeon, long uncomfortable burns speeding the shuttle back along to Side Three; as a pilot you don’t mind quite so much, the long accelerations still nothing in comparison to properly demanding flying, but that hardly made it an enjoyable experience. Rather than returning directly to Zum the shuttle is headed for the academy; it has most of a colony dedicated to it, its closed-type hull and structure reinforced to deal with the rigors of full scale military exercises. There is enough space to simulate all sorts of environments, even a small section of a mountain range, but today you find yourself somewhere far less hospitable: the inside of Dozle’s office.

Felix.” Dozle’s voice rumbles like thunder, deep and powerful, his hands balled into fist; he pounds one on his massive mahogany desk, striking so hard that it must threaten cracking the great hunk of wood, “You honorable fool! Do you understand what you did? The risk it posed to my family - to yours?”

Well, there are worse things to be called than that.

“...Yes, sir.” You reply solemnly while standing at attention, eyes forward and jaws set straight, refusing to show weakness before the largest of all Zabis. Dozle rises from his great chair, hands spreading out on his desk, massive arms shaking with rage inside his well tailored uniform as he uses it to support himself.

“No!” He bellows, the desk creaking as he puts his weight on it, “You do not. Do you know the word scandal, Felix? Do you understand what you did?”

“Yes, s-”

“DO NOT SPEAK!” He growls, the desk groaning more loudly as he nearly leans over it to yell at you, eyes wide with fury, “You could not have understood what you were doing, because you would not have done it if you did! If you were in uniform I would have you stripped of it and sentenced to hard labor. Think, you fool, think of what would have occurred if you were captured and questioned? Or killed? What if they discovered your identity? An illegal fighter, a dogfight over Von Braun, a son of Deikun revealed in such a mess!”
>>
>>5547255

He raises his fists slightly before slamming them back on his desk, again threatening to crack the thing, “Everything, everything I have been working toward would have been jeopardized. Rearmament, my father’s ambitions, reconciliation of our families - We prod those federation dogs, poke at the edges of their authority, but we always plan it, calculate it, weigh the risks - Do you understand what you risked? Speak!”

“...Yes, sir. I couldn’t just watch.”

Dozle’s heavy breathing slowly steadies, muscles still taught with rage but easing just the faintest bit, steel slowly uncoiling, “...Ramba said as much. What demon took over you that you thought flying an armed fighter above Von Braun was a good idea? How did this girl even get a fighter? From that junkyard smuggler, was that it? My sister’s reports sounded like nonsense, but I can see the truth of it in your eyes - You did this.

…Damned Kycilia and her spies, they must know nearly everything. Of course her agency would probably know of Hogo or learn of him easily if they tracked you to his yard, smugglers and criminals go hand and hand with spycraft. You tried to take precautions not to be tailed, but going so many times probably made it inevitable… Still, knowing about something and knowing the details of it are very different, she’s probably still blind to most of what happened there. Best not to lie directly to Dozle though, there’s no telling what she might have told him and getting caught in a lie would be an absolute disaster.

“It was meant to be romantic, sir.” You admit, voice level and even, “My girlfriend rebuilt the fighter for me, I made a promise to fly her around the city years ago and she wanted to surprise me with something exciting. The ammunition was to balance the craft, the reaction control system behaves oddly without the weapons and at least a half load of ammo.”

Rage fades to confusion on his scarred face, “She… How?”

“She’s very handy, sir. The fighters were discarded but mostly intact, she just mixed and matched pieces. It took her months. I couldn’t have said no to that, she’d never forgive me.”

Dozle sighs, something close to understanding twinkling in his eyes, “...I will accept that story.”

“I won’t do it again, sir.”

Dozle’s angry grimace slowly fades into a bemused grin, a deep chuckle emanating from him at your words, and he leans back and pinches at the bridge of his nose, laughter still shot through with intense frustration, “Ohoho, again? I’d have you in stocks, or whipped.”
>>
>>5547257

“I won’t flinch from my punishment either, sir.”

Slowly but surely he continues to calm, and he shakes his head, “So be it then. You were not caught, or this would be a political matter for my father to determine. As a matter of discipline, however, it is entirely in my discretion. You saved lives, and a diplomat and his son - Did you know we are in negotiations with Side Six?”

“Vaguely, sir, it’s in the news and Vivima’s spoken of it sometimes. I think Gihren mentioned it at dinner to my brother a few times.” You say, familiar with the effort but not quite sure where to pin your information, life with the Zabis really blurring much of it, you’ve heard of so many of their political efforts now that much of it runs together, “...Is this diplomat involved in those talks?”

“Yes. So you weren’t aware then… Not even of that.” Dozle considers that information for a long moment, one hand stroking at his scarred chin as he begins to think more calmly, “Six weeks of extra duties and suspension of all leave for that time will suffice; your pay will be reduced to half as well. What you did was heroic, my heart swelled with pride when I heard you were the one to stop those bastards, to save our fellow Spacenoids! However, it was brash and undisciplined, flagrantly illegal - An unacceptable political risk! I will not stand for such misbehavior from a cadet, no matter what name they bear, do you understand?”

“Yes, sir!” You reply sharply, thankful for his lenience; it’s not far off of what Ramba predicted. He does probably have a lot of experience with this kind of thing though, and Dozle specifically. This is a punishment more befitting getting into a small brawl than shooting down two aircraft, but perhaps heroism and not getting caught really does count for something with the big man.

>Speak politely until you’re dismissed. [Back to Zum and your family]
>”...So you really do have models from top students, I’ve been wondering about that.” There’s a couple of shelves full of the things to the side of his officer, some even in dioramas, far more than he had on the Zam.
>”...Has anyone ever done something like this before?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5547258
>”...So you really do have models from top students, I’ve been wondering about that.” There’s a couple of shelves full of the things to the side of his officer, some even in dioramas, far more than he had on the Zam.
>>
>>5547258
1)
>”...So you really do have models from top students, I’ve been wondering about that.” There’s a couple of shelves full of the things to the side of his officer, some even in dioramas, far more than he had on the Zam.

2)
>Speak politely until you’re dismissed. [Back to Zum and your family]

Makes sense for Dozle to be mad about this. And this confirms that the rest of the Zabis know about our little stunt.
A shame that most if not all the people Felix saved will die in the OYW.
>>
>>5547258
>Speak politely until you’re dismissed. [Back to Zum and your family]
I maintain that this was absolutely worth it.
>>
>>5547258
>”...So you really do have models from top students, I’ve been wondering about that.” There’s a couple of shelves full of the things to the side of his officer, some even in dioramas, far more than he had on the Zam.
Based Dozle
>>
>>5547262
>Makes sense for Dozle to be mad about this.
Dozles mad at the insubordination, not the action itself. It was the stupid but right thing to do that aided in Zeon's negotiations with S6.
>>
>>5547278
A fair assessment, but of course Felix had no idea what was going on with the diplomats in the moment. He was just trying to stop the attack.Managed to slam into the back end of what would have been the investigation plot; it's a good thing more time was spent learning the fighter's systems on that first day it was revealed or things wouldn't have gone as smoothly.
>>
>>5547258
>>Speak politely until you’re dismissed. [Back to Zum and your family]
>>
>>5547303
>Spoiler
Preparation wins once again. Gotta get on that OYW grindset to make sure we survive.
>>
>>5547258
>”...Has anyone ever done something like this before?”
doubt anything has happened before considering how young zeon armed forces are but curiosity is a bitch init
previous post >>5547171
>>
>>5547278
>It was the stupid but right thing to do that aided in Zeon's negotiations with S6.
It might've been the right thing to do, but having them more aligned with the Zabis could be a bad thing.
>>
>>5547261
>>5547262
>>5547273
Models.

>>5547265
>>5547308
Skip.

>>5547325
Past incidents.

Writing.
>>
“...So you really do have models from top students,” You comment, a shelf off in the corner of your vision drawing your attention, rows upon rows of models of all sorts neatly arrange, large historical and military texts separating them off into different sections; it manages to look professional enough, but you know Dozle’s secret, “I’ve been wondering about that, sir.”

“Right onto the models?” Dozle rumbles quizzically, “I suspected as much from you. Not quite so quickly though. …Have I lost my edge?”

“Sir?” You question, deciding to stick to honorifics with him for the foreseeable future, the period of casualness following your arrival to Zeon probably well and truly gone now between this latest incident and the academy starting soon.

“Normally a cadet would be quaking in their boots.” He rumbles almost disappointedly, like a dog that found a cat that doesn’t when it barks.

“It was certifiably terrifying, sir.” You assure him, though perhaps a bit too dryly if the narrowing of his eyes is anything to judge by.

“Ohoho, is that so? Good!” He chuckles, and his tone a strange mix of appreciation and disapproval, difficult to make much rational sense of and yet somehow still deeply sensible as a man, “Of course you aren’t so easily rattled. The villa, the Waff, your latest foolishness… Enough of that though, the models.”

“Yes, sir.” You walk with him over to the nearest shelf, examining a line of armored vehicles, tanks and armored personnel carriers and the like.

“That one there is from the top student of our current second years,” Dozle points with an almost ogre-like finger at a model of the federations old guntanks, “Familiar, isn’t it?”

“...Yes, sir. Were mobile suits based on their top half? I’ve always wondered where the idea for a humanoid war machine came from, and guntanks have never made much sense.”

“Oh? It started there, yes. There were other inspirations as well. You don’t think they’re practical?”

You shake your head, “Not quite. They certainly work, but they’re more for intimidation and crushing rebels than a pitched battle, aren’t they?”

“That was a very practical goal, for the federation at least. Fear can be a powerful weapon. There is a charm to something so powerful it cannot be ignored, a point that it defies the simple calculus of battle and smashes through its cheaper opponent no matter how they try to swarm it.”
>>
>>5547451

“Elite units are really that effective?”

“Elite? No, I mean big ones! Compare the size of the guntank to the normal tanks beside it.” Dozle says, impassioned as he speaks on a subject which must be near to his own rather oversized heart, “It can pulverize them with autocannons, obliterate them with its twin guns, crush them under its tracks! Fighting in an urban environment it will have the better of any tank in service. A mobile suit amplifies those advantages further.”

“There is a charm to it.” You admit, grinning a bit at the his enthusiasm if nothing else, “I definitely prefer mobile suits though. I think it’s the legs.”

“Oho, yes. I doubt the federation expects we will crush them under foot, but we most assuredly will!”

>[Back to Zum]
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
>”...Has anyone figured out how mobile suit aces will work? The federation isn’t making them, so is it just five kills of… any other vehicles? Tanks? Fighters?” Three guntanks and two shuttles, though both were team efforts…
>Write-in.
>>
>>5547455
>”...Has anyone figured out how mobile suit aces will work? The federation isn’t making them, so is it just five kills of… any other vehicles? Tanks? Fighters?” Three guntanks and two shuttles, though both were team efforts.
Should probably just be air-to-air kills, but what do I know?
>>
>>5547455
1)
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
>”...Has anyone figured out how mobile suit aces will work? The federation isn’t making them, so is it just five kills of… any other vehicles? Tanks? Fighters?” Three guntanks and two shuttles, though both were team efforts…
2)
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
3)
>”...Has anyone figured out how mobile suit aces will work? The federation isn’t making them, so is it just five kills of… any other vehicles? Tanks? Fighters?” Three guntanks and two shuttles, though both were team efforts…
>>
>>5547455
1)
>Write-in
>"It would be a great to see something with that sort of power mass produced. Can you imagine?" A glorious thought indeed.
Maybe I'm being too impatient with making this write-in, but it seems like a good opportunity to make the meme a reality.

2)
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
>>
>>5547455
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
>>
>>5547455
>”I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything. When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”
>>
>>5547456
Aces.

>>5547459 (2nd)
>>5547462 (2nd)
>>5547463
>>5547576
Earth?

Writing.
>>
“I did talk with Ramba about their effectiveness on the ground, he seemed convinced they’ll dominate everything.” You say, a nightmarish image of a city silhouetted by a vast and blinding detonation flashing through your mind’s eye, a terrifying picture of the future Elena warned you off, “...When the day comes, are we expecting to just fight in colonies or do we really intend to strike at earth itself?”

“A hard question.” Dozle says solemnly, the amusement leaving his voice, “Plans are already being made. Contingencies. We have plans for many possible wars. Only a fool prepare for a single arena of battle. Even on paper it is a difficult task.”

“Do you think we can do it?” You question, the idea of attacking something as large as an entire planet difficult to even fully conceive of; even if it was limited to the most populous and economically significant regions it would still dwarf every war in mankind’s history.

“If it comes to it, we must.” Dozle rumbles, raising a triumphant fast, “It is our duty as soldiers of Zeon. I will not see my family's name cast into the fires of defeat. You must feel that same drive. We will do what is necessary.”

You nod silently, Dozle’s comment brushing far too close to the treacherous borders of your real intentions, even if it hardly answers your question. Feeling that something must be done and that it can be done are very different things indeed. A war such as that would ravage the entire planet, by its very nature it would have to; there are simply too many people, too many resources, too many industrial centers - It could never be targeted or precise.

“A total war then.” You say quietly, thinking of Gihren’s speeches, “More total and radical than anything the Federation can conceive of.”

Dozle rests one of his hands on your shoulder, nothing at all comforting about his iron strength, “The people call for it already, Felix. They dream of freedom from the Earth, and of a final victory.”

“You almost sound like Gihren.”

“Do I?” Dozle muses, “He is my brother, Felix. In many ways we are not alike, but we are family. Vivima may have her… oddities, but she has helped me see that more clearly. I spent much of last week with them, and your… Hm, well, it was enjoyable.”

>”She really keeps all of you together, doesn’t she? Reminds me of myself in some ways.”
>”...And my what, Dozle?”
>[Back to Zum]
>Write-in.

Reposted to fix some errors.
>>
>>5547666
>”...And my what, Dozle?”

>The people dream of the final victory
>On a post with Satan trips
How appropriate
>>
>>5547670
Oh damn, you're right. Based satanic repost.
>>
>>5547666
>”...And my what, Dozle?”
>>
>>5547666
>”...And my what, Dozle?”
Dozle's fucking our mom isn't he. Does this put him back on the shitlist?
>>
>>5547673
It's a weakness to be exploited anon. Let's hope that he is...
>>
>>5547666
>”She really keeps all of you together, doesn’t she? Reminds me of myself in some ways.”
Come one, we already knew mom was doing this. Let's not ruin her plans by making ourselves the angry son.
>>
>>5547666
>”She really keeps all of you together, doesn’t she? Reminds me of myself in some ways.”
>>
>>5547666
>”She really keeps all of you together, doesn’t she? Reminds me of myself in some ways.”
>>
>>5547676
From what I remember she's also been 'dolling herself up' for Degwin as well. My guess is that she's trying to create a rift between the two.
It makes sense that she'd do this, since she used to be part of the bar scene before she was married (and probably knows a few tricks on how to do this sort of stuff).
>>
>>5547698
The important question is either this will stop Minerva from existing
>>
>>5547685
>Come one
*Come on
I blame how tired I am.
>>
>>5547700
Actually, if Casval doesn't set up the Dawn Rebellion, then Dozle wouldn't get together with Zenna to begin with, right? Butterfly effects everywhere
>>
>>5547700
There's already a big chance she won't exist either way, considering how Dozle met his wife in the Dawn Rebellion (if I'm remembering Origin correctly). It's likely that he might not even get to speak with her at length if the Rebellion doesn't happen.
>>
>>5547708
Yep, those were my thoughts exactly.
Your post didn't load for me kek
Also I should've probably spoilered it too.
>>
>>5547700
What if Minerva becomes our little sister in this timeline?
>>
>>5547714
That sounds cool, but it's extremely unlikely that would actually happen.
>>
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>>5547698
She's been frequently meeting with Degwin for tea and speaking with him, but the bit about getting dolled up and getting caught by Felix and Artesia while sneaking out of her room was in reference to Dozle.
>>
>>5547722
Little sis Minerva soon
>>
>>5547722
Ah, I see. Thank you for clarifying Contolist!

>>5547730
Dozle dad?
>>
>>5547731
Felix and Dozle making Big Zam models as a family hobby
>>
>>5547670
>>5547672
>>5547673
?... !!!

>>5547685
>>5547687
>>5547693
In a mirror, darkly.

We have a tie, I'll give it until the morning.
>>
>>5547734
>spoiler
kino
This is how we really get him to push for mass producing them.
>>
>>5547743
>?... !!!
The way that vote is put makes me think Felix's reaction will be a bit emotional.
I'm not changing my vote, just to be clear.

Also makes me wonder what Casval and Artesia think about it. I'm sure they've noticed already.
>>
>>5547749
I mean, how would anyone react when finding out some guy was getting it on with his mom?
>>
>>5547666
>”She really keeps all of you together, doesn’t she? Reminds me of myself in some ways.”
>>
>>5547666
>>”...And my what, Dozle?”
>>
>>5547666
>>”...And my what, Dozle?”
>>
>>5547670
>>5547672
>>5547673
>>5547816
>>5547831

Writing.
>>
“...And my what, Dozle?” You question, not quite catching on immediately, wheels turning quickly in your head as you try to puzzle it out.

“Let us not talk about it.” Dozle rumbles, the faintest hint of red to his cheeks, something approaching embarrassment playing across his face, “Not like this.”

“Not like this… You don’t mean my mother, do you?” You realize with a small shock.

Dozle lets out a quiet and uncomfortable groan, his eyes closing for a moment, cheeks growing more red, “...She accompanied me for much of the week.”

Something akin to rage swells up in you; Dozle is one of the better of the Zabis, but what the hell is he doing with your mother? She recovered quickly from her time in the tower, at least physically, thanks to a tailored diet and close attention by physicians and your and your siblings, but the thought of the Zabis turning right back around on that and…

…No, it’s not that. Dozle’s looking at you awkwardly, expectantly, something of his scarred rough face reminding you more of a nervous schoolboy than a towering soldier. Mother was getting dressed up for something with him, she was insistent that she knew what she was doing… could she really be?... The thought turns your stomach.

“...I must apologize, Felix. I should have been more forthright.” Dozle says awkwardly, his narrow eyes searching over your face, perhaps a hint of this peculiar anger showing on your face, “She is a… bold woman, and kind. We speak, and she listens to me. …I enjoy spending time with her. Nothing else has occurred.”

“...Nothing else?” You find yourself asking, emotion getting the better of good sense. Perhaps it’s arrogance, she’s old enough to do as she wishes, but so soon after her imprisonment you can’t help but fear for her emotional health; even if she thinks she is assisting the plot against the Zabis, is it really wise?

Dozle pinches at the bridge of his nose, his voice a low growl of embarrassment colored by a slowly rising anger, or perhaps frustration, “Do not make me say it. I… I do not enjoy speaking of it. Not like this. It is too early.”
>>
>>5548211

“Too early?” You ease up a bit at that choice of words, taking a moment to really look at Dozle more closely, and it’s only then that you recognize the almost schoolboy crush for what it is - He’s smitten, you can actually feel it from him, a tingling almost butterfly sensation, warm and uplifting; it’s very clear, alarmingly so for an old type. Your mother is perhaps a decade older than him, but she’s aged remarkably gracefully, still quite a beauty and not yet even middle aged… It’s very strange to think of her pursuing this course though, deeply uncomfortable.

“I meant to speak to you and Casval in a few m… in time.” Dozle continues uncomfortably, and a memory of Blanche mentioning him being terrible with women sneaks back to the forefront of your thoughts, “Astraia has been… Terribly mistreated. I refuse to take advantage of that. It would be a terrible dishonor. This all needs more time.”

>”...Harm her in any way, and all of this reconciliation will have been for nothing.”
>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]
>Write-in.
>>
>>5548213
>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”
>>
>>5548213
>"You've been good to us so far, so I'll trust that you that you have been treating her right."
Why talk to mom, when she already told us?
>>
>>5548213
1)
>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”

2)
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]

A shame we didn't speak about Vivima instead. Dozle seems like the sort of person that would let something slip about her.
Meanwhile this entire conversation is could blow up in our faces at any moment I think.
>>
>>5548213
>>5548220
Changing my vote to:
1)
>"You've been good to us so far, so I'll trust that you that you have been treating her right."

2)
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]

3)
>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”
>>
>>5548220
He did let slip a lot about Vivi before.
>>
>>5548224
He did. I don't really know why the anons wanted to confront Dozle so badly. Out of all the Zabis he's one of the better ones, and mom knows what she's doing.
>>
>>5548226
>>5548219
Because I wanted to make him squirm. We already knew he had a thing going on with her, this is purely to make him admit it for me.
>>
>>5548229
I was asking about this vote of needing to talk to mother.
We already made him admit now, talking to mother when she already told us just makes her repeat her plans in vague words because the entire palace is bugged
>>
>>5548229
But why? We could've had more information on Vivima, and this seems like a waste of time that needlessly jeopardizes our relationship with him as well as mom's plan.
>>
>>5548231
My man, just because we vote to say that here doesn't me we're obligated to actually speak to her in the nebulous future.
>>5548232
I"m gonna be real dog, I don't particularly give a shit about Vivima. And I highly doubt that putting Dozle in an awkward situation is going to ruin our relationship with him.
>>
>>5548233
I think saying one thing and then doing another makes for weird character progression, but since you are saying that to make him more flustered instead of actually planning on it, it solves that problem, as long as Contolist know that's the intent.
>>5548219
I'm adding to my vote
2)
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]
>>
>>5548233
>I don't particularly give a shit about Vivima
She's the reason the Zabis are more united than in canon, so we should want to have more information on what she does and what her ambitions for our family is.
>>
>>5548233
>>5548238
Also, never underestimate a potential enemy. That is what caused the downfall of the Zabis.
>>
>>5548237
>as Contolist know that's the intent.
I mention this because a few times in this quest I voted for a option thinking it's one thing, but it ends up with different implications.
>>
>>5548238
>>5548239
Not a bad idea, and I don't disagree with it. I just don't think it's as pressing of a matter in this particular instance.
Underestimating her would be assuming she's not a threat. IMO she's the biggest threat in the family, if we have one misstep with her everyone else will dogpile us.
>>5548237
>>5548241
You're right, should clarify that and amend my post.
>>5548214
>>5548213
Changing to
>>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”
Purely with the intent of flustering Dozle and not actually following up on it. We might even get to turn it around later and claim that we found talking to her about it unnecessary as we trust him and her to make good decisions or some shit.
>>
>>5548213
>>5548223
Changing my vote to just:
1)
>"You've been good to us so far, so I'll trust that you that you have been treating her right."

2)
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]
>>
>>5548242
Fair enough, as long as we keep an eye out for VV it shuld be enough.
I like it when anons have civil discussing in quests, agree to disagree or even consider opposing options valid. It feels refreshing.
>>
>>5548251
Much better than the shitfests in some other quests. Even our waifu arguments are pretty tame and really just boil down to potential outcomes rather than the vote itself.
>>
>>5548213
>>”...I’ll need to speak with my mother then. I didn’t expect any of this.”
>>
>>5548211
1.
>"You've been good to us so far, so I'll trust that you that you have been treating her right."
2.
>”...Maybe you’re right about not talking about this, uh, yet.” [Back to Zum]
>>
>>5548213
>Astraia
who is this again?
>>
>>5548277
The mom of Felix, Casval and Artesia.
>>
>>5548277
Astraia is our mom, Artesia is our sister.
If we picked the female deikun, we would also be named Astraia.
>>
>>5548283
>>5548286
thanks guys i thought I was going schizo
>>
>>5548290
It's understandable, spacenoids have the weirdest names.
Specially side three. Why do siblings all have different middle names?
>>
>>5548296
>Why do siblings all have different middle names?
What? Having different middles names is normal, isn't it?
>>
>>5548296
Huh, that's weird. Families (mine included) have different middle names for their siblings (or just no middle name at all).
Must be a region/country thing.
>>
>>5548300
>>5548304
Weird, where I'm from everyone get the last name of their father, and the middle of their mother.
I know some place that have different middle names, but normally it means son of or daughter of, so it follows a pattern, instead of being seemly random.
>>
>>5548296
And why do they all speak French? The answer, of course, is late 70's Japan.

>>5548300
Not the same point, but its pretty consistent that if a spacenoid has a middle name it's always very short. Zum, Tor, Rem, Som, Lao. Degwin breaks the mold with Sodo, but that's still short. I'd chalk it up to just being a Deikun thing, but that doesn't quite fit due to Mineva. It feels like there's something more going on there, hence Felix getting Zos, but it's not enough to really extrapolate from.
>>
>>5548306
Sounds like an eastern euro custom. In the USA at least, middle names are left up to the discretion of the parents and can be just about anything.
>>5548314
I think you did a good job with Felix's name, fits right in with the rest. And yeah, for as expansive as the world building in Gundam is, very little of it actually touches on anything besides surface level political intrigue, war, and mechanics. We can talk all day about fluid impulse systems and magnetic joint coatings but hell if we know anything else.
>>
>>5548316
Yeah, the whole son of, daughter of I was speaking of was slavic, but I know the whole mother's middle name and father's last name is a western euro thing.
Maybe it's some sort of germanic vs latin influence in customs, since I know that in anglo countries people normally only have one surname, but in romance countries it's 3 to 4 (or even more)
>>5548314
Wait, they speak french? I always thought it was german.
Guess I just assumed it was because of the Zeonic aesthetics.
>>
>>5548321
Based off of Astraia's headstone and a few other instances it's implied they speak French, or at least use if for official/ceremonial purposes. Felix grew up speaking French and English, and learned Spanish while living with Teabolo.
>>
>>5548306
Probably different naming systems for cultures then.

>>5548314
That is interesting. I feel like there's lots of opportunity to worldbuild, since Gundam seems to mostly bypass anything that isn't political intrigue or tech (much like the other anon mentioned).

>>5548327
What makes it even more interesting is that it's implied the Deikun family is Irish at least I remember something like that vaguely.
>>
>>5548327
That's interesting.
I'm just going to headcanon as the sides being melting pots of culture and people, and side three, or at least Munzo, originally being built by a french company or agency
>>
>>5548327
>>5548330
>>5548335
well gundam was made during a time when French was still the global diplomatic language, and while the shift to English had arleady happened by Origin being written, YAS had spent most his life with French as the langauge of diplomacy. So it makes sense
>>
>>5548337
>Gundam was made before ww1
English became lingua franca around the end of ww1 when the USA became a leading global power and financial institution while the UK still had it's empire. This solidified after ww2.
>>
>>5548345
nope, diplomats kept communicating in French all through the interwar. WW2 would begin the slow shift but it would take decades before French was trully dethroned
>>
>>5548364
>Decades
Can you provide examples or point me in a direction? I'm interested to see how long French's influence actually lasted because if it continued on after 1940 that's some impressive staying power.
>>
>>5548368
English broke into major diplomacy in 1919 with the treaty of Versailles getting an official English draft alongside the French draft but it really wouldn't make much progress during the interwar with diplomats still using French. WW2 really made the US the top dog and it also made military diplomacy a big thing especially in europe with the marshal plan and asia with the various occupations and bases which guaranteed that politicians and diplomats would learn English. Depsite that most diplomats still spoke French since they were trained pre war, and the generation after them would also learn French alongside English so it was a transitional period. French managed to remain relevant by being both an official and working language of NATO and the UN, as well as being spoken in many of the hot zones of the cold war (SEA, Africa, Middle East). By the 80s though the influence of the older generations had largely waned and with the places that spoke French becoming less relevant in global matters it declined rapidly with it being relegated into a more historic position since 1991
>>
>>5548399
Huh, I guess I didn't realize how long French lasted and how new English really is on the political scene.
>>
>>5548237
>>5548243
>>5548273
Good so far.

>>5548242
>>5548271
Speak with mom.

Writing.

>>5548399
That's actually a pretty decent summary of it all.
>>
>>5548213
>”...Harm her in any way, and all of this reconciliation will have been for nothing.”
>>
>>5548459
Bit late on the draw there, but I appreciate someone taking the classic option.
>>
>>5548460
I can't post at work, my Phone is IP range banned.
>>
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"...You've been good to us so far, so I'll trust that you’ve been treating her right." You say, seeing no lie in his eyes.

Dozle might be willing to wreak terrible violence in the name of his family, but outside of his duties as a soldier he doesn’t seem to be the violent type - He grows impassioned easily, but other than mild abuse of furniture and martial arts sparring you never seen or heard any evidence of him striking anyone or anything. He’s just… loud. Boisterous and big.

“You have my word.” Dozle promises solemnly, and of all the Zabis he’s perhaps the only one you might come close to trusting with such a simple assurance, “I have never found it easy to speak with them. Women, I mean.”

“Really? A big guy like you?” You feign surprise, though between Blanche’s comments and what you’ve seen of him it’s not all that surprising; he’s certainly bold and spontaneous, but he seems like the sort of man to shout a declaration and have no idea how to follow it up with anything like a normal conversation.

“Mm.” He grunts in acknowledgement, “It is easy to speak with her. I do not understand it, but it is so.”

Damn, he really has it bad; it would be pretty wholesome if it wasn’t in reference to your mother. You’d of course like her to be happy, but it still feels strange for her to trying for a Zabi, even if it probably is just to manipulate him. She’s hardly alone though, at least assuming things with Garma haven’t blown up in Artesia’s face over the last week.

“She’s always been a good listener. What are your intentions with her?”

“Intentions?” Dozle questions, considering that for a long moment, “...I do not know. I wish to see her smile more. We have not been speaking for very long. A month or so, whenever I return to the palace. When I first set my mind on reconciling our families I did not imagine… this.”

“Life can take strange turns.” You agree, crossing your arms and shifting your gaze back to the rows of models, the conversation slowly growing less strange. Very slowly.

>Any other topics? (Write-in)
>Back to Zum!
>>
>>5548465
>Back to Zum!
>>
>>5548465
>"You said that you've been spending time with your family more? It's always good to see families grow closer."
Let's see if he lets up what happened while we were away.
>>
>>5548468
+1
we need to learn more about Vivima, she is the only Zabi that we dont know what to expect from
>>
>>5548468
+1
>>
>>5548468
Support
>>
>>5548465
Backing this >>5548468
>>
>>5548468
Just to be clear this write-in isn't meant for Felix to suddenly want the Zabis to cooperate, but more of a means to coax what happened in the week we were gone from Dozle, and maybe getting more information about Vivima.
>>
>>5548468
>>5548469
>>5548471
>>5548486
>>5548520
Writing.

>>5548559
Yeah, I got that. Felix might have occasional confused feelings about things due to Dozle and Garma, but he's very much set on splitting up and then killing (or otherwise getting rid of) most of the Zabis. He just wants information and maybe to ingratiate himself to further that goal, not actual cooperation.
>>
>>5548568
Thank you Contolist.
Man I just realized how interesting Felix is as a character.
>>
“You said you’ve been spending more time with your family?” You ask, steering into a more comfortable topic - it never hurts to get information after all, “It’s always good to see families grow closer.”

“So it is.” Dozle agrees with a relieved looking nod, taking to the new topic immediately, “Gihren announced an expansion of the defense force budget and our financial aid for Side Six, on father’s behalf. We spent much of the week on a short tour. Too many appearances. I would have lost my patience with it if not for Vivima. Did you not see it on the news?”

“I was a bit distracted…” You say, shrugging a bit as you scratch at the back of your head, thoughts of Elena playing through your thoughts, “...And most of the news in Von Braun was about the terrorists or gang activity.... The tour went well then?”

“Yes. Supposedly.” Dozle rumbles, walking back with you over to his desk, the models seeming to have lost his interest for now, “They always feel the same to me. I spoke a few words, but mostly I was there for the cameras.”

“Speeches and news stories bring in volunteers to spend all that new money on, someone has to do it.” You comment, the relationship between politics and the military being a rather clear and simple one, “Normally don’t like political tours?”

“They are necessary, but they bore me. I would rather be leading men, or training them.” Dozle sighs, “Normally I can barely stand spending a few hours with Gihren, but Vivima tempers him. Not even father can speak to him as she does. Not with any success. We returned to the palace frequently, the speeches were all within Zeon. Vivima finally agreed to begin preparing for the academy, it eased my mind.”

“Better late than never. She’s already a great pilot.”

“She often speaks of you. Do you think she is your better?” Dozle rumbles.

“In a mobile suit?” You question, thinking over her performance during your simulator training sessions together, “...Probably. She’s really thrown herself at the simulator, flies like a madwoman. Aggressiveness usually wins, and she’s got the talent and intuition to make it work. …She talks about me a lot?”

“Yes. I… I should say no more.” Dozle crosses his massive arms, looking down upon you, “I believe we’re done speaking, Felix. You’re dismissed.”
>>
>>5548702

Back at your room in the Zabi palace, very, very late that night.

Artesia’s hand is a blur, its impact cracking the air like thunder, but you stand and accept the blow, the stinging impact leaving your cheek burning. She huffs, points a finger accusatively at you and gets ready to begin shouting - you’ve been here before a handful of times - and then you feel her presence, her true presence, and her blue eyes widen and she shrinks back away from you.

“...I’m not happy.” She says grumpily, arms crossing and cheeks puffing out as she looks away from you, “Stupid idiot of a brother. …I’m glad you did it.”

…Yeah, that definitely wasn’t two-way awareness that time, but you’ll roll with it, “I was trying to stay safe, it sort of just happened.”

“I know.” She sighs, still looking displeased, but the faintest hint of a smile teasing at her mouth, “...How’d things go with Elena?”

You grin like a fool, Artesia’s eyes widen, and Casval steps forward with a chuckle and offers a high five; hands slap, and thankfully not against your face for once.

“Two gunships, little brother?” Casval questions, a competitive glint in his eye, “And the girl? It was about time.”

“...Yeah, and the girl.” You admit, thinking fondly of Elena; the way her hair caught in the apartment’s light, how nice it was just to have her by your side at the museum, the endless hours of labor put into getting the Mustang working - All of that time spent for you.

Artesia covers her mouth with one hand, her excitement barely concealed, “And you’re in love!”

“Hey, hey, that’s hardly fair!” You protest her reading of your emotions, though there’s little reason to keep up such denials at this point, even Kycilia must know from her spy reports, “...Yeah. We are.”

“Did you kiss?” Artesia asks, her question so wildly underestimating what happened that you can’t help but laugh; her cheeks redden, “Oh. Oh!”

Casval smirks approvingly, wrapping his arm around your shoulders in a brotherly embrace, “Planning on going steady with her?”

“I'm going to see if we can visit each other over breaks at the academy.” You inform them. From the table nearby your mother gives you an… interesting look, her eyebrows raised in a mix of amusement, keen judgment, and… approval? She sees right through you, even without the intuition of a newtype.

“Hamon said she’d be trying to visit soon, mom.” You half shout over to her, your siblings having practically jumped you right at the doorway, “She and Ramba were my guards for the week.”

“Lucky break.” Casval says, leading you over to the table for all of you to sit as a family, Artesia trailing close behind, clearly eager to discuss everything.
>>
>>5548705

You take a seat and prepare for the onslaught of questions, Casval and Artesia finding their own elsewhere along the table.

“I’m so glad you’re safe, Felix.” Your mother says with a gentle smile, that curious look fading away as she reaches over the table to hold your hand; she looks exhausted, bags under her eyes, “I’ve been worried sick since they told me what happened. You’re not hurt at all?”

“I feel better than I have in years. Ever, maybe.”

“You slept with her?” Your mother asks bluntly, incredibly bluntly - You give a small nod. It was obvious she already knew, but her eyes narrow as she studies your reaction.

“Mom!” Artesia protests, your mother’s directness about these matters apparently never having quite righted themselves with Artesia’s old image of her as a demure housewife - She was that, at least around you and your siblings when you were young and really needed it, but this is something closer to her old self.

“Stop it, dear, it’s just life. If I can’t ask these questions then who can?” You mother lightly scolds your sister, which she silently accepts and shrinks back a touch, “Were you smart about it, Felix?”

“Uhm…” You hesitate to answer that.

“Felix.” Your mother narrows her blue eyes to slits.

“When we got… there, she told me not to worry about it, and I uh… I thought it was okay?” You explain sheepishly, every word heard and examined carefully, your mother’s eyes the next best thing to a pair of interrogation room lamps for how much they’re making you sweat, “...Elena’s not stupid, I think she’s taking a pill or… something… I think.”

You tug a bit nervously at your collar, and your mother sighs and shakes her head, “...It will be what it is. I’m not quite ready to be a grandmother, Felix. Do try to be more careful in the future, dear.”

“...I will be.” You lower your head, terribly embarrassed by all of this. Artesia is busy burying her head in her hands, muffled sounds of frustration and accusation of idiocy sounding vaguely from her direction. Casval just seems to find it all very, very funny, laughter barely held back by his smirk.

>”I’ve… uh… I’ve got some pictures from the week, if you want to see them.” [Time skip]
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>Suggest a topic. (Write-in)
>>
>>5548706
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
>>5548702
>She often speaks of you.
Stupid sexy Felix does it again

>>5548705
>“Two gunships, little brother?” Casval questions, a competitive glint in his eye
Oh yes, now this is what I've been waiting for. Felix MUST mog Casval by making ace first.

>>5548706
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
>>5548706
>>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
>>5548706
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
Well I'm glad this went over smoothly with everyone once again I overreacted.

>>5548706
1)
>Suggest a topic. (Write-in)
>"Enough about me, how was the week for the rest of you?"
I can't really think of anything safe enough with the bugs around.

2)
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
This might be a sore topic, but we can comfort her at least if nothing else.
>>
>>5548706
>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
>>5548706
>>”...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” A smooth transition. Yeah, very smooth, like sandpaper.
>>
>>5548712
>>5548715
>>5548719
>>5548724
>>5548725
>>5548753
>>5548790
Writing.
>>
“...So how’ve things been with Garma, Artesia?” You ask, the transition as smooth as sandpaper.

Artesia’s eyes widen, slightly surprised by the sudden shift, but soon she’s absolutely beaming, “He broke up with Siya.”

“Oh”? You prompt her. Last you’d seen she was conflicted about driving a wedge between them, but you don’t see even the slightest hint of regret on her face right now…

“Well… She broke up with him.” Artesia corrects, “It happened a few days ago, she couldn’t stand the idea of him being in the military. She’s… uhm… Well, she’s a pacifist. I do feel a little bad about it, we actually got along well…”

Ah, there it is, that’s the Artesia you know.

“And that only became a problem now? He wasn’t hiding his plans for the academy.”

“It was the budget increase, there was a big military parade and while we were watching it Garma said he was looking forward to leading a parade like it in the future… and things spiraled.” She shrugs, looks a tad regretful but still grinning, “... and I might have defended him.”

“Well, that’s…” You think it over for just half a moment, not worried about Siya but rather Artesia’s slide away from her more gentle nature, “That’s great!”

“I know, isn’t it?” Artesia grins happily, practically bouncing with excitement, “We’re going on a date tomorrow!”

“She’s faster on the draw than I am,” Casval comments wryly, “Barely took an hour for her to ask him.”

“I could tell he was ready, he’s been unhappy for a while. I don’t think he knew how to break up with her, so it just… sort of worked out.” As your sister speaks so easily about the breakup, how easily she stepped right in, you feel the faintest hint of icy cold cut through the air, sharp and freezing.

“Mm, I remember those years, dear.” Your mother reminisces, “Teenage heartbreak and drama. I don’t miss it.”

“So you really do like him?” It’s obvious, enough but you have to ask again.

“He’s… cute, and kind, and his hair...” As she continues to describe all of his positive qualities you notice Casval simply nodding along sagely; it’s subtle but you find yourself squinting at him for a moment.

>”So how long until you get married?” Poke at her a bit.
>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5548868
>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
>>
>>5548868
>>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
>>
>>5548868
>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
>>
>>5548868
>>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
Its getting worse. We may need to step in soon.
>>
>>5548868
>”So how long until you get married?” Poke at her a bit.
>>
>>5548868
>”So how long until you get married?” Poke at her a bit.

>and his hair
KYCILIA
No way she isn't behind this, right?
>>
>>5548868
>”So how long until you get married?” Poke at her a bit.
>>
>>5548899
I'm just joking by the way, she probably isn't kek
>>
>>5548868
>”Well, that’s great, Artesia. How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”
>>
>>5548875
>>5548876
>>5548884
>>5548894
>>5548915
Writing.
>>
“Well, that’s great, Artesia.” You say with a smile, glad to see her this happy and the plan moving along, even if the details do nag at you somewhat, “How about you Casval, up to anything this week?”

“No, nothing notable besides the parade. Most of the Zabis were away, I barely managed to catch Gihren to discuss the tour. Just a week of helping Garma prepare for the academy, like any other.” Casval replies, leaving forward slightly in his chair, “But it did give me some time to think.”

“Think about what?”

“What it would be like if you weren’t here, Felix.” He answers, “We’ve never been apart for this long. …I missed you.”

“Aww! You two.” Artesia says, your mother smiling as she watches on quietly, “Why can’t you be like this more often?”

“But I thought about other things as well,” Casval continues, ignoring Artesia’s comment and his demeanor shifting entirely, a darker look to his face, something predatory in his blue eyes, “We should pursue different tracks at the academy. I don’t believe we should be in the same unit. We’ll have our pick of all the units in the class, between Garma and Dozle we should be free to pick our assignments.”

>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
>Write-in.
>>
>>5549013
1)
>>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
2)
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
>>
>>5549013
1)
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!

2)
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
>>
>>5549013
1.
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
Casval can handle himself, but if this whole situation with Garma means anything it's that Artesia needs to be watched with him.

2.
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
>>
>>5549013
>>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
>>
>>5549013
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
This is the route to meet RIx again, I can feel it.
>>
>>5549022
>Casval can handle himself, but if this whole situation with Garma means anything it's that Artesia needs to be watched with him.
Yeah, that much is true. She's getting too infatuated with him.
>>
>>5549013
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time
Casval's built different, but Artesia probably will need Felix's support at least in the academy. Also, having her in a support role for Felix's unit during the war is 100% a good thing. She's a good luck charm of a character.
>>
>>5549013
>>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
>>
>>5549028
Dude did get in a fight with 5 feddies cadets and is an absolute unit.
>>
>>5549028
>This is the route to meet RIx again, I can feel it.
If there's one thing we can expect from Contolist it's that we don't know what to expect. I respect the hustle though.

>>5549031
>spoiler
kek, that much she is.

>>5549013
>>5549019
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.

2)
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
>>
While it would be poetic to separate while the Zabis get closer, it makes it easy to divide and conquer us starting with Artesia I suppose, since she seems to have a crush an Garma and is the one that seems to be the most against killing the Zabis. And my thoughts are that Vivima will definitely try something and has a bigger chance of succeeding if we're separated.
Also it might be a good things if we're actually together, to subtly get rumors about the Deikuns attending the academy start to make rounds and begin that personality cult of the Deikuns.
>>
>>5549125
It also means that we get some more Casval stuff going.
Also plans we make will just be better in general if we stick together. I don't even know why anyone wants to separate the moment we get away from Zabi eyes, it's just such a good opportunity besides I got the feeling we'll encounter Rif either way.
>>
>>5549013
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
I'll go with this then.
>>
>>5549013
1)
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
2)
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
>>
Huh, this is actually a pretty important decision.
Lemme think about this...
>>
>>5549203
>>5549013
Switching to
1)
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
2)
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
>>
>>5549013
The academy is two years right?, in which case i think we should split up with Casval, it'll be good to both teach Felix and him to operate separately and it'll also allow them to meet way more trainees and as such more potential allies for the takeover. Please keep in mind that the academy will mostly be safe due to Dozle and Garma, with Vivima and maybe some undercover Kycilia agents being the most potentially dangerous elements.
Also, what specialisations are there at the academy, because if piloting is one then we should go together with Casval.
As for Artesia she would probably fit a bridge officer role/support role better than piloting

So if Felix and Casval can both go piloting while splitting up I'll go with:
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!

If not:
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!

previous post >>5548469
>>
>>5549013
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
>>
>>5549350
Take into account how much we need to make sure both Cas and Artesia need to coordinate.
This means we will be separated for years on end without hardly interacting. It's critical to make sure we can make decision with them and interact.
>>
>>5549013
1)
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.
2)
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
3)
>”...I’ll be on extra duties for the first month and a half anyways. May as well make the most of that extra time to meet… uh, other troublemakers. We’ll still be in the same class for the big exercises anyways, that should be fine.” Splitting up is a great idea!
Better vote for this.
>>
>>5549355
Oh yeah, but there's also the point in making sure all of these things come into place.
I want Felix to be more independent, but this is too important for me to keep lurking in.
>>
Am me >>5542712
>>
>>5549350
That's actually pretty fair. Except that we'd be leaving Artesia (who's deeply infatuated) with Garma for the next two years.
Don't get me wrong, I trust her, but two whole years of being with her crush might make her rethink some parts of our plan.
That and >>5549355 has a point. We can finally get interaction with our siblings with relative freedom, why throw that away (and for years at that)?

"Together" is Felix's motto. Maybe this is just me being poetic about the situation, but it just feels right.
>>
>sister is in love with a zabi
>we should leave her to be influenced by him for 2 years straight
>letting brother entertain more murder happy thoughts
Cool, no.
>>
>>5549478
>>5549013
1
>”Are you sure? We’ve always done better working together closely, I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.” Splitting up is a bad idea!
2
>”Looks like it’s you and me then, Artesia.” She’ll have her own medical training to go through separately, but otherwise you should be together most of the time.

>>5543981
This is my post, don't know why the change in ID.
>>
>>5549025
Bad idea!

>>5549022
>>5549031
>>5549039
>>5549263
>>5549356
>>5549480
Artesia!

>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351
>>5549018
Good idea!

Tied, losing option preferences were allocated, and then it tied again. I'll give it two hours since this is relatively important.

Voting is still open for two more hours.

To make things a little clearer: This is initial planning. If a choice proves to be seriously undesirable (bad results, slow results, etc) then there are ways for Felix to try and switch units. Most pilot training happens after the academy since it has to keep up the illusion of being largely a 'land' based force for colony defense, don't worry about that so much.
Casval and Artesia will not be completely off on their own if Felix agrees to separate, he will still see them throughout the week and during big exercises. If nothing else Garma's relationship with the three of you will keep things somewhat connected. Losing the ability to be at your siblings side most of the time does come with risks, potentially very serious ones, but it also comes with many valuable opportunities. Does Felix trust Casval and Artesia? Just Casval? Just Artesia? Maybe he just disagrees that its helpful to split up at all and thinks they can do more close together? There are a lot of possible perspectives to go at the vote with.
>>
>>5549634
>spoiler
Well that puts things into perspective. A bit ambiguous but alright.
>>
>>5549634
Wait a minute OP, aren't there technically more of separating being a bad idea?
Most of the ones with Artesia have not splitting up as a secondary vote, while >>5549018 has his vote for not separating as a priority.
I'll change my vote to only support not separating if it means we can keep this rolling, but only if it means that one gets the vote.
I'm a bit confused.
>>
>>5549653
My primary vote si to not separate, since I don't want to, but if we do, I think we should go all the way.
No half measures
>>
>>5549656
plus we'll be close enough with Artesia that the newtype bond will keep communication near constant (good opportunity to train it) so sticking around her just doesnt seem like it matters too much
Really Casval is the one thats potentially dangerous to leave on his own so i agree, all or nothing
>>
>>5549351
>>5549350
>>5549249
>>5549033
>>5549028
Good idea to separate as priority

>>5549018
>>5549022
>>5549039
>>5549263
>>5549356
>>5549480
>>5549025
Bad idea to separate in the vote.

>>5549031
Only team with Artesia in the vote.

>>5549656
Yeah, I imagined as much.
>>
>>5549653
>>5549663
It's done in rounds. All first priority votes are considered, and then if an option loses those initial priority losing votes go to their next option.

In this case there is a tie during the first round between Artesia and Good Idea (5 v 5), and the votes from Bad Idea are split off to them. With those votes assigned things are counted again, and there is another tie (6 v 6).

Voting is still open.
>>
>>5549634
>>5549663
Contolist, I get that it wasn't the main vote. But this is why voting preferences exist (unless I'm misunderstanding something here).
>>
>>5549674
In that case I'll go with just good idea.
>>
>>5549677
>>5549674
Fuck, I mean just going with it's a bad idea to separate, not that it's a good idea.
>>
>>5549675
He counts it as preference instead of weighted.
So if your preferred vote loses, you secondary becomes your main vote.
Instead of all the votes counting, but having different weights
>>
>>5549684
That makes sense I guess. So what does that mean for 'it's a bad idea' now that I just went with it?
Sorry, I'm in the middle of something and I can't really concentrate.
>>
>>5549683
If you change, that means that splinting is a good idea wins, because bad idea was your primary vote and arthesia was the secondary, which was keeping the tie.
Don't know if you already know that, so I'm trying to make sure you make an informed decision
>>
>>5549690
Ok, so you voted for bad idea as the primary, and artesia as secondary.
Bad idea lost, so your vote now counts for artesia, which keeps it tied with good idea.
If you remove artesia as your secondary vote, with bad idea as the solely one, that mean artesia is no longer tied, and good idea wins.
>>
>>5549691
Wait, but that doesn't make sense. If I'm going only with it's a bad idea, shouldn't that mean that the vote for Artesia loses the first round?
>>
>>5549697
Or is it just that Artesia is now locked in and there isn't anything we can do about it?
>>
>>5549697
Give me a minute, I'm going to count everything to check
>>
Ok, I tried to count putting the preferences
Let's see if I made any mistakes

Together
>>5549018 (1st)
>>5549019 (2nd)
>>5549022 (2nd)
>>5549025
>>5549263 (2nd)
>>5549350 (2nd)
>>5549356 (2nd)
>>5549480 (1st)

Artesia
>>5549019 (1st)
>>5549022 (1st)
>>5549031
>>5549249 (2nd)
>>5549263 (1st)
>>5549356 (1st)
>>5549480 (2nd)

Separate
>>5549018 (2nd)
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249 (1st)
>>5549350 (1st)
>>5549351
>>5549356 (3rd)
>>
>>5549707
Thank you for your work anon.

So together technically wins still?
What the fuck does this mean.
>>
>>5549707
Ok, I see a mistake, I linked this anon's vote
>>5549019
When he cahnged it here
>>5549039
But atleast I marked the correct version
>>
>>5549708
Well, many of the together was a second choice, with their first being Artesia
>>
Alright this is honestly pretty confusing, I thought that preference meant that that vote would count if the primary didn't win.
>>
>>5549715
That's what it means.
If the primary loses, then your secondary vote is what counts.
>>
>>5549715
>>5549022
Is me.
I really didn't want separate to win.
If it means that it won't win then I'll just change to just it being a bad idea.
But I won't if it makes good idea win.
>>
>>5549718
That's kind of bullshit. No offense to Contolist.
>>
>>5549725
But isn't that how you thought it worked?
>>
>>5549731
No it wasn't. I honestly didn't know.
>>
>>5549707
Ok, so let me think

First round with the primary votes

Together
>>5549018
>>5549025
>>5549480

Artesia
>>5549039
>>5549022
>>5549031
>>5549263
>>5549356

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351

It's a tie, so time to add the loser's second options

Artesia
>>5549039
>>5549022
>>5549031
>>5549263
>>5549356
>>5549480

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351
>>5549018
>>
>>5549734
So it's all about the priorities?
I'll have mine with together first, then with Artesia if that's the case.
>>
>>5549734
This is correct.

>>5549738
Yes, it's all about the priorities.
>>
>>5549734
Ok, now let's do this with the hypothetical vote changes

With YxyVktQk/jivxhyNE, the first round is the same

But with the tie
Artesia
>>5549039
>>5549022
>>5549031
>>5549263
>>5549356

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351
>>5549018

Separate wins

With wD1gEe4D/S6vy5edo the first round changes too

Together
>>5549018
>>5549025
>>5549480
>>5549022

Artesia
>>5549039
>>5549031
>>5549263
>>5549356

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351

But separate also wins

So I don't recommend you two to change your votes, since this is the option you two don't want to win.
It may be my secondary vote, but I don't want to be unfair
>>
>>5549734
Alright this kind of makes sense I think.
I still feel like it's a bit bullshit.
>>
>>5549741
I'm just going to change my priorities to bad idea as 1 then Artesia as 2.
>>
>>5549663
Alright then, since everyone is changing their preferences ans I also don't want separate to win I'll change them as well.

1)
>Together

2)
>Artesia

>>5549742
Would this still make separate win?
>>
>>5549756
If you add it to everyone's else changes, it would make separate and together tie, and make together win by adding the secondary votes.
>>
>>5549760
If that's how it works, then I'm going with that.

I'm actually liking these sorts of compromises, huh.
This is fun!
>>
>>5549760
In fact, I'll show it

Together
>>5549018
>>5549025
>>5549738
>>5549721
>>5549756

Artesia
>>5549031
>>5549263
>>5549356

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351

Tie

Together
>>5549018
>>5549025
>>5549480
>>5549721
>>5549756
>>5549263
>>5549356

Separate
>>5549028
>>5549033
>>5549249
>>5549350
>>5549351

Together wins
>>
>>5549765
Another legendary post tally.
Thank you Gku7o/qg
>>
>>5549763
Oddly enough it is. Specially since we have been civil about this.
Mechaustism is a force to behold
>>
>>5549767
Just trying to make sure everyone knows what's happening.
Confusion and paranoia can be fun when it's about what's happening in the story, not when it's the votes or the quest itself.
>>
>>5549765
Thank you for all of this, anon.

>>5549018
>>5549025
>>5549480
>>5549721
>>5549756
>>5549263
>>5549356
Two hours for voting are over, together wins. Writing.
>>
“Are you sure?” You ask after thinking for a moment, finding the idea interesting but more unappealing than not, “We’ve always done better working together closely. I’m not sure I’d trust anyone else to watch my back.”

“Now that I do understand, I feel the same way.” He nods, but you can tell that he’s not going to just drop the idea that easily, he never does, “But I’m more concerned about other units during the war games against the Federation than I am about my own back. If we’re split up there will be someone we can trust in more places at once, and I have no doubt we’ll all rise to the top of our units and whip them into shape. With Garma in overall command and three quality units instead of just one it should give our entire class a better chance at winning. ...And it might arouse less suspicion about our identities. We’ll be using our fake names until the Zabis decide it’s time to go public.”

He’s having to speak around his real reasons, wary of saying the wrong thing with bugs all around throughout the palace, but you can intuit most of what he’s arguing for beyond the directly stated point: Splitting up might allow you to make more allies in the same amount of time, and the academy is an opportunity that only happens once.

“You really want to split up like that, Casval?” Artesia frowns at the idea, “I’d like to be with at least one of you, or… or Garma, I suppose.”

“Still worried about the physical side of things?” You ask her. Physical training has been going very well, but Artesia’s still young. Passing her off as just being a small seventeen year old is going to be a tough sell at times - Dozle’s willingness to bend the age requirements does come with a lot of practical issues.

“A little…" She answers, "Mostly I just don’t want to be on my own, I’ll already be alone in medical training but I don’t want to be split up everywhere else too.”

“You’ll be fine, Artesia. We won’t ever be that far, it’s still the same class.” Casval assures her, “Felix, do you think my reasons don’t make sense?”

>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”...You’re not just trying to start up some competition between units, are you?”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d beGarma in command and four good units.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5549810
To be clear, none of these are for Felix flipping back to wanting to separate, it's just ways to lead the conversation.
>>
>>5549810
1)
>>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”
2)
>>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
2)
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”
>>
>>5549812
I'll be honest, I got worried when I saw the options, but them I calmed down and came to that conclusion
>>
>>5549810
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d beGarma in command and four good units.”
>>
>>5549810
1)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”

2)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d beGarma in command and four good units."
>>
>>5549810
+1 >>5549814
>>
>>5549810
1.
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”

2.
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d beGarma in command and four good units.”
>>
>>5548868
>“He’s… cute, and kind, and his hair...” As she continues to describe all of his positive qualities you notice Casval simply nodding along sagely; it’s subtle but you find yourself squinting at him for a moment.
Wait... is Casval gay for Garma?
>>
>>5549810
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”
>>
>>5549810
>>5549833
Changing my vote to just
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
Don't know if we should include Vivima yet, we should talk about it more without the bugs.
>>
>>5549870
>Without the bugs.
That's a bit difficult, remember that the grounds are covered now as well.
>>
>>5549854
I suppose Felix believes that, at least a little. In reality Casval might just be supporting what Artesia is saying because of the bugs.
Nah he totally wants that Garma cock.

>>5549873
Ah I forgot about that, thanks Contolist.

>>5549810
>>5549870
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”

2)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>>
>>5549810
>>5549877
Actually on second thought I'll go back to just
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
I don't want to get Vivima involved with us, at least not yet. Maybe through the course of the Academy we can ease her in, but getting her involved from the beginning might be a mistake.
>>
>>5549810
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”
>>
>>5549810
>>5549884
You know what, screw it. I'll vote for:
1)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”
>”You’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”

2)
>”I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team - and our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”

Sorry for flipping my vote so much.
>>
>>5549814
>>5549838
>>5549913
>>5549851
Together+Vivima

Writing.
>>
Hey Contolist

Did Felix beat Casval to losing his virginity?
>>
File: Spoiler Image (22 KB, 165x54)
22 KB
22 KB PNG
>>5550280
Yes.
>>
>>5550301
Middle-child chads stay winning
>>
>>5550301
Shouldn't that be a picture of Garma?
>>
“I think we’ll be more effective together, we’ve always had the most success as a team,” You largely repeat yourself, but it’s difficult to discuss the issue in any actual depth with all the bugs listening in, “And our identities are going to be an open secret eventually anyways, even Dozle said so.”

“True enough about our identities.” He concedes, though you know that was never really his main point, “If we go to different units we’d still be working together… to make sure our class succeeds, we hardly need to be in the same room at all times.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” You glare back at him, crossing your arms, “And you’re forgetting Vivima in that plan for greatness of yours, that’d be Garma in command and four good units.”

“That only strengthens my point, but you’re assuming they’ll split…” He considers his own words carefully, brow furrowing as he contemplates something.

“...I’d like you all to stay together.” Your mother says, you and Casval immediately pivoting to give her your full attention, “I’d sleep better knowing you’re looking out closely for one another.”

Casval’s posture slackens just a touch, just the faintest hint of some of the fight leaving him, “Of course, mother. I’ll do my best.”

Your mother sighs and relaxes, a great deal of tension leaving her at Casval’s agreement. There might be another discussion of it in the future, but at least for now her word is enough to settle the matter - And there’s something in her eyes that tells you it isn’t just a desire to see the three of you safe that drives her, she’s up to something else as well…
>>
>>5550383

—------------------------------------------------------------

11:15, 16 May, UC 0075
Zum City, Side Three (Republic of Zeon)


The weeks have blurred by since your return from Luna, life at the Zabi palace carrying almost a monotonous routine to it by now despite the constant danger and surveillance. Mink wakes you and your siblings up early, you meet with Garma at the entrance hall, do your morning run around the grounds, and then go work out. Then it’s back to your rooms, on to breakfast, off to go fencing or shooting or whatever task it is that day, and then inevitably Garma has some great idea or activity to drag you all along for - Often it’s just an excuse to spend time with Artesia - and after that the day ends with increasingly talkative dinners between both families, though often the older Zabis are away seeing to various duties.

So it goes, on and on, day after day, week after week.

Vivima has taken to joining in on this regular routine, though never early enough for the runs despite Artesia and Garma’s insistence, and she’s proven quite the athlete - Her neglect of training has bitten her in the ass a bit though, your regular routine nearly enough to wipe her out entirely, but she continues to find time for both it and the mobile suit simulator, and managing her family, and… God, that girl’s nearly as busy as you are, it’s difficult to keep track. She’s been attempting to spend more time with you, mostly offering to go flying, but you’ve been busy enough with Garma to politely refuse.

Letters to and from Elena have resumed, and writing them and taking photos of things has become a regular distraction from other tasks; there’s a fair bit of bad love poems exchanged alongside photos you’d be terribly embarrassed for anyone but her to see - Kycilia probably gets a good look, but knowing her the bathrooms are probably filled with cameras anyways so what does it even matter? Elena was able to easily secure an internship in Side Seven, so she'll be off to its only colony within the next month.

Kycilia is… Well, it’s easier to see her manipulations for what they are, and though she has an insidious and undeniable charisma it hardly sways your thoughts as it used to. The change in your interactions doesn’t seem to bother Kycilia at all, most of her attention and time being spent upon Artesia, constantly pulling her away from Garma for some task or the other. Artesia was able to visit Tryphosa again for a day, but you were denied the chance; she’s doing well and badly wants to see you again - There likely won’t be a chance for that for quite awhile.
>>
>>5550387

Artesia is, perhaps, growing too fond of this life. Kycilia allowed her to visit Teabolo for a weekend, a reward for assisting with a negotiation through the use of her newtype awareness - The start of a troubling pattern which has seen her rewarded more and more generously for tasks that aren’t quite bad but don’t sit well with you. It isn’t that Artesia’s forgotten what the Zabis have done to you, or that she’s blind to Kycilia’s game, but her working relationship with Kycilia and her very personal relationship with Garma are far from purely a tool to further your ends. Garma’s head over heels for her, you don’t have to look any further than his eyes when he sees your sister enter the room, and increasingly you worry that Artesia might truly feel the same way about him - Not quite love, but a deep infatuation. Casval hates it, and though it hasn’t been discussed you can see it clearly in his looks when Garma isn’t paying attention.

Mother has been busy, visiting Dozle frequently and more often than not quite dressed up for the occasion, taking to her own mission easily; you don’t ask much about it, trusting her to be more than capable of handling it on her own. She’s still doting on Glemy, practically raising him as a son, and even managing to bond with Vivima over it; whatever plots and plans might be underway between your families you do find it oddly comforting that there’s at least something that seems to be entirely beyond the constant secretive scheming. Hamon did visit for a day, though it was a closely watched affair with little room for her or your mother to really do much besides reminisce over old stories.

Stuck in this constant schedule of helping Garma to prepare for the academy, which is now less than a month away, what have you managed to do on your own?

>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
>>
>>5550391
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
>>
>>5550391
1)
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
Time to be a real space cowboy!

2)
>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
I still regret that thing with Mink.
And knowing secrets are always good, this might be important.
>>
>>5550391
>1)You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...

>2)>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>>
>>5550391

>2)...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>1)You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...

This is a very hard decision. Flying and developing a connection with the Zabi lynchpin are important tasks... yet I have a burning need to see Felix become pretty good.
>>
>>5550398
>>5550391
Actually, I'll change my second choice to
>2)You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
>>
>>5550391
1
>>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
2
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
>>
>>5550400
Are the numbers on your votes correct or do you want Vivima to be your first preference? Votes probably won't be counted until the morning but I don't want to assign things incorrectly.

Ocelots are proud creatures.
>>
>>5550391
1)
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
2)
>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>>
>>5550411
The numbers are correct, I'm simply too lazy to reorder the copy-pasted options.
>>
>>5550391
1.
>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
2.
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
>>
>>5550411
Another question.

Does Vivima care that Felix has a significant number of kills in combat?
>>
>>5550391
1)
>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
2)
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
Considering how the less than wonderful relationship of the Zabis led to the happenings of the original OYW I think it's a good idea we try to get Vivima away from repair her families' bonds
>>
>>5550391
>>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>>
>>5550391
1
>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
2
>>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
>>
>>5550391
>>5550411
Actually, please ignore >>5550400

I will switch my preferences to
>1)...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...

>2)You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
>>
>>5550391
>>5550416
Switching my preferences
1.
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...
2.
>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
>>
Wonder what if we make it that the antarctic treaty actually gets formalised with recognition of our independence. Like we make sure General revil doesnt get free.
>>
>>5550465
He can't if his escape pod gets crushed by a Zaku fist!
>>
>>5550465
Not a bad idea. But things have strayed so far from canon I doubt there will even be an Antartic Treaty.
And I have a feeling the OYW would happen anyway through some other means.
>>
>>5550391
1)
>You’ve been practicing with your revolvers. A lot. An almost frightening amount to be honest, at least a couple of hours each day but often more, really pushing the boundaries of your free time. Others join you occasionally, Casval and Garma dropping by somewhat frequently and even Vivima joining in a few times, but it’s mostly a solitary endeavor. A quick draw and steady shooting hand might be vital in the future, you can never really know...

2)
>...You’ve actually been accepting Vivima’s offers to go fly, perhaps against your better judgment. Real practice is far better than any simulator, something your fateful flight on Luna only reminded you of. Vivima has really eased off on flirting, it’s mostly just friendly practice. She's alarmingly perceptive at times...
>>
>>5550391
>>You’ve been focusing on greatly improving your dancing skills. Your lessons with Mink are moving along quite quickly now, and in this time you’ve learned a secret of hers…
>>
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>>5550393
>>5550397
>>5550398
>>5550412
>>5550457
>>5550601
>>5550451 (2nd)
>>5550433 (2nd)
>>5550408 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
Gunshots echo through the concrete confines of the palace guard’s indoor range, revolvers cracking like thunder, lead striking steel with a resounding crack ping; it’s a cavernous room, hidden away deep below spiked edifice of the palace’s surface, embedded into the very structure of the colony itself.

”Hit!” The range computer buzzes.

The untrained eye might mistake the room for a vast and dimly lit empty warehouse, and see the thin automated tracks running along it as some mechanism to move about cargo, but that would be a terrible mistake - everything here has one purpose; training.

The next targets flip up twenty yards distant, steel silhouettes of armed men, the tracks whirring them along at a running pace even as they rise into view; too slow. Thunder splits twice, steel rings, and the targets are already rocking downwards and out of sight - The lighting is lower than it’s meant to be, but you’ve been trying to train in harsher conditions, finding ways to leverage your greater perception.

”Hit! Hit!”

More movement, randomized targets, forced changes of firing positions, bad lighting - Anything at all to keep some semblance of a challenge. Another target drops, down from the ceiling this time, a miniscule dark circle hidden among the thin steel supports overhead, its edges barely in sight; in a single motion you turn to face the tiny target, thumb the hammer of your dark revolver, and aim by what’s nearly become pure instinct by now, point shooting from the hip - In your mind’s eye you know the bullet’s path, and your body and gun obey. Steel bucks in your hand, and twenty five yards distant steel rings twice.

”Mis- Hit!” The automated announcement declares, cutting off its prior incorrect announcement..

“Showing off now?” Casval questions from behind you, arms crossed as he observes your fancy shooting, “That’s a neat trick at least. You're getting pretty good.”

You don’t answer him, mind focused on the next two targets half a moment before they rise up - It’s rare that you find yourself quite this focused, so entirely in tune with your surroundings - working at a speed that some might mistake for an automatic, your single action army roars twice and the twin silhouettes fall before they even finish fully rising. You spin the empty revolver and holster it, its twin on your other side already spent - you’ve practiced two handed shooting plenty, but just not right now.

“Halt program!” You command, and the bright primary lights in the range switch back on with a sort of loud thunk noise, easily illuminating the whole of the range’s automated systems, “...Neat trick? I’ve been working on that for a while now.”

“How’d you do it?” Garma asks, his expression puzzled, “I could barely even see it from here with the lights so low.”
>>
>>5550897

“It’s all practice,” You half lie, your newtype intuition starting to factor more and more into your style; it’s subtle, you only rarely get clear flashes of awareness, but there’s some unseen knowledge that helps to guide you - Almost like a more vast from of proprioception, you’re simply aware of where things are around you and what angles your shots will takes, the paths coming to you just as easily as you’d figure the path to move your hand to grab a glass from a table, “You have to think more about the bullet’s path than the target.”

Garma shrugs, “If you say so. Casval, think you can beat him?”

“At this?” Casval grins confidently, stepping forward, “I’ll set a new record, I never miss.”

A couple of minutes later.

“Two misses?” Garma laughs, almost doubled over, “I thought you never missed? Hahaha!”

“Think you can do better, Garma?” Casval asks, chuckling and taking the loss well enough; it’s rare that you beat him at anything but not unheard of, and you’ve been pouring yourself into this practice - He still routinely trounces you at fencing and martial arts, though even there the gap has closed somewhat, age making less and less of a difference.

“Try a round or two.” You urge the Zabi princeling, “We’ll see if you’re laughing then.”

A few minutes later.

“...I don’t like revolvers.” Garma sulks, arms crossed and back turned away from you and Casval, “You both grew up doing cowboy things, that wasn’t a fair competition.”

“Most things aren’t fair.” You shrug, “Four misses isn’t terrible in that lighting, that was decent shooting. If you practice more you can probably cut that down to-”

“More of that? No, I’ll pass ...Maybe I’ll just stick to artillery.” Garma says, and Casval lets out a sudden hearty laugh.

“That’s one way to deal with missing.” You brother teases, though you and Garma are soon laughing along as well; it’s just banter, the difference in skill between the three of you is hardly a sore subject now. Garma just isn’t as athletic or coordinated as you and Casval are, but he’s not a slouch either - Compared to many of the cadets at the academy he’ll probably do very well, especially with the help you’ve both been giving him.

“So are you planning on staying at this for hours again?” Garma asks after a few moments, “You’re always down here.”

>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>”At least another hour, I’ve just started to really get into it for today.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5550899
1)
>Write-in
>"I was hoping you would join me. It's never bad to do some practicing."

2)
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550899
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550903
>>5550899
Actually, changing my vote to just
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
Since it's unlikely that Garma will convinced to join in.
>>
>>5550899
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550899
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550899
1.
>”At least another hour, I’ve just started to really get into it for today.”
Reject fraternal friendship, acquire gun autism.
2.
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
Garma isn't that bad.
>>
>>5550949
>>5550457
Me.
>>
>>5550899
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550899
>”I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”
>>
>>5550905
>>5550907
>>5550911
>>5550933
>>5550949 (2nd)
>>5550991
>>5551034
Writing.
>>
“I think I’ve had enough for today. Got something planned?”

“I do.” Garma replies, some of his usual charm returning to him as the embarrassment of his performance fades, “One of Dozle’s colleagues, General Rugens, is throwing a party later tonight, and he extended an invitation; it’s mostly for young officers and cadets for our class of at the academy. I was hoping you would come along with us for once, you’ve missed the last few.”

“We have so many here that it all just runs together,” You scratch at the back of your head, thinking of the nearly biweekly parties held at the palace, it’s always something or the other, “...General Rugens?”

“I told you that would get his attention.” Casval crosses his arms, smirking; hopefully he hasn’t told Garma about the vodka incident, it’s not exactly a proud moment in hindsight.

“And it seems it has.” Garma agrees, “His daughter was the one to grab you, wasn’t she? I’ve met her a few times, Dozle tends to keep her around for important jobs.”

“Grabbed is… one way to describe it.” You answer, “We nearly killed each other, a punch in the wrong place and my pod would’ve crumpled like a tin can, and I nearly set her mobile suit’s fuel system off with a cutting torch.”

Garma’s purple eyes widen at the information, a look of shock on his face, “That… was not in the story, I guess my brother was holding out on the details. Dozle did mention you tried to protect Artesia. If you don’t want to see her again I understand, even if she was only following orders.”

“What? No, no, we got along great.” You quickly correct Garma’s assumption, perhaps too quickly, “Blanche is a good soldier, I don’t hold it against her.”

“Got along great?... Wouldn’t you only have met for a few minutes?” He considers your words for a moment and then shrugs, “Well, never mind that, do you want to come along?”

>”Who else is going?”
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>”Absolutely.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5551222
1)
>”Who else is going?”
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”

2)
>”Who else is going?”
>>
>>5551222
1)
>”Who else is going?”
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>”Absolutely.”
2)
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>”Absolutely.”
3)
>”Who else is going?”
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551222
>”Who else is going?”
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>>
>>5551222
>>”Who else is going?”
>>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>>
>>5551222
>1)”Who else is going?”
And
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
And
>”Absolutely.”

>2)"Absolutely."
>>
>>5551282
+1
>>
>>5551222
>”Who else is going?”
>”We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”
>>
>>5551226
>>5551240
>>5551241
>>5551291
Writing.
>>
“Who else is going?” You question, wondering if it’s anyone beyond the usual suspects.

“Artesia.” Garma says, which is little surprise, “And Viv.”

“Really?” You lift an eyebrow, “I thought she’d still be holed up in her pod shooting down more virtual feddies.”

Garma chuckles, “She’s coming around to the idea of meeting people now that the academy’s so close. Wish she would’ve started sooner, she’s a stranger to half our peers. They don’t know anything but her public face.”

“She does care a lot about her image, doesn’t she?”

“Viv tries to be the people’s girl, at least that’s what she calls it.” Garma rolls his eyes, “Ask her about it, I’m sure she’ll talk your ear off.”

“I don’t doubt it.” You say, taking note of that for another time, “We’ll have to be in disguise, won’t we?”

“Fake names only, no dye or wigs this time.” Casval says before cocking his head over so slightly, thinking of something for a long moment, “...Think I could pull off a mask?”

“One might suit you. It’s not that kind of party, unfortunately.” Garma replies, glancing over your brother for a moment, “So, Felix, are you coming or not?”

>”Absolutely.”
>”Maybe another time.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>”Maybe another time.”
GUN AUTISM
I'm going all in.
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
Let's get Blanche to drop her spaghetti
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551365
>Absolutely
hopefully we get more time to spend with Blanche
>>
>>5551365
>”Absolutely.”
>>
>>5551366
>>5551370
>>5551373
>>5551374
>>5551375
>>5551452
>>5551453
>>5551454
>>5551465
Writing.
>>
Later that night, at the Rugens estate.

After so long in the Zabi palace it’s easy to forget what life in the rest of Zum is like, even among its elites. The Rugens estate is, by any reasonable standards, lavish and extravagant, very much in the same family of architecture as the old home you grew up in or the Ral estate your family so often visited and took shelter in during the dark days of the Zabi coup; you can’t shake the feeling that it’s a bit simple though. The ballroom is smaller than the smallest in the palace, the side rooms less decorated, the paintings more often quality copies rather than originals. It’s a corruption of your own sensibilities, you don’t like the Zabi palace and it’s by the numbers flaunting of wealth, and yet it still bleeds into your thoughts - The trip to Von Braun was a reprieve, and the academy hopefully will be as well.

Dressed to the nines, just as many of the others attending the event, you’ve already mingled your way in among the crowds and tables of the dining room; it’s really more of a meet and greet than a dance of any sort, officers and hopeful cadets getting to know one another. There are perhaps a little under a hundred guests, just enough to give it a real sense of activity but not quite enough to choke the mansion’s interior full.

Casval has been moving about easily, speaking with all sorts, but he seems to have settled his attention on one of the young officers in attendance, a brown skinned woman who you… Wait, is that Nimi? Well, never say Casval doesn’t have a type. Garma’s of a similar focus, having made himself known to most of the party and then largely retreating to spend time with Artesia and a few of friends; that’s probably for the best, Artesia tends to attract unwanted attention at these sorts of events. Vivima’s practically being swarmed by young men, sending quite a few fellow cadets packing with their tails between their legs after sharp repartee, but it’s clear she’s got more than she can handle in numbers alone if nothing else.

Blanche is with a few officers slightly on the older side, though even from a distance you can see none of them are likely to be over thirty - She looks deeply uncomfortable and seems to be making quick work of her champagne to ease into things, her hair worn up and in a distinctly larger style than when you last saw her. It… actually suits her very well, it’s quite elegant, and once again you find yourself wondering how she has problems getting a man at all; certainly it isn’t an issue with looks.

>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
>Write-in.
>>
>>5551551
1)
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
Good opportunity here to find new characters and maybe know where Rif will be in the future.

2)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
Could be important to talk to her in private.
>>
>>5551553
>Rif
*Rix
>>
>>5551551
1.
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
2.
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>>
>>5551551
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
>>
>>5551551
1)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
2)
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
>>
>>5551551
>1)Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.

>2)Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
New characters are all well and good, but I'm actually interested in these two.
>>
>>5551551
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
She probably needs our help most. And introducing us to the others should help curb her drinking.
>>
>>5551551
> Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
>>
>>5551551
>>5551553
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?

2)
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.

3)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.

Blanche might provide a chance to make connections with some of the officers, and we could prevent her from drinking before it gets too bad (and before she starts flirting).
>>
>>5551551
1)
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
2)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>>
>>5551551
>>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?

We've seen what happens when she gets too into her cups. Hers would be the most urgent.
>>
>>5551551
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
>>
>>5551551
>>5551580
Changing my vote once more to:
1)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?

2)
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.

>>5551839
This is actually a brilliant idea. Vivma can get her excuse in getting herself away from her suitors, and Blanche can get tips on how to get men.
>>
>>5551551
1)
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
2)
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
>>
>>5551551
>>5551558
Switching vote to
1.
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
2.
>Look around a little more, try to meet some of the other cadets before turning your attention to people you already know.
3.
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>>
Getting to meet more people is pretty nice, but the fun from having Vivi and Blanche interact could be great.
>>
>>5551551
>Give Vivima a convenient excuse to get away from the clamor of potential suitors and sycophants.
>Drop by to talk with Blanche. Maybe those other officers are pilots as well?
I'll be going with this then, just to make the tie different.
>>
>>5551880
Is this me?
>>
>>5551978
Ok, that's me
>>5551235
I'm this anon phoneposting
>>
>>5551971
>>5551972
Anon, could you link to your previous votes?
>>
>>5551839
>>5551878
>>5551885
>>5551972
>>5551880
Writing.
>>
>>5551983
Sure, here >>5549738
Sorry for taking some time, I'm getting ready for work.
>>
>>5552019
It's ok, I took some time as well because I forgot my ID would be different while phoneposting.
>>
>>5552019
Oh cool, looks like my id came back.
>>
Making your way through the mingling crowd, you push past the other cadets practically in orbit around Vivima. Getting her out of that situation seems like it’s probably for the best - It doesn’t look like she’s handling the situation poorly, but she might do better if she has a break. Speaking with Blanche and the other older officers might be good for her, far few

“I’ve heard you’re quite the skilled pilot. Is that true? I’m something of a pilot myself.” A rather round faced fellow comments, slicked back black hair and a fake smile doing him absolutely no favors in terms of looks, “My family organizes a racing circuit around Side-”

Vivima’s violet eyes spot you at once, her attention pivoting away from the other cadets surrounding her, “Fascinating, truly, but I know all about your family - You lost your last race, Blat, didn’t you?”

“I, uh, well… Yes. It was a fluke-”

“I don’t believe you’ve ever come in first at a single race outside of those organized by your family - Rather an odd coincidence, isn’t it? I don’t have time for a third rate pilot with a fourth rate family.” She stands up, leaving this ‘Blat’ guy to sputter out excuses and mutter angrily, the small crowd around her table parting to allow her to pass toward you, several laughing quite genuinely at her destruction of the young man while others clearly fake approval of it - a low murmur passes through the group as they see that she’s heading directly toward you.

“Now, here is a fine pilot, one far more deserving of the title.” Vivima says to the group, moving up alongside you and one of her white gloved hands sneaking its way onto your shoulder, “What’s brought you over to this… thrilling circle of conversation?”

“Thought I’d drag you out of another furball, Viv.” You say in a low voice before waving to the others and leading Vivima along and away from the table, “She’s needed elsewhere.”

“And so I am.” She smirks before waving dismissively to the gaggle of suitors, “I did enjoy speaking with a few of you; you know who you are!~”

Despite blowing them all off, Vivima’s parting words do elicit a round of grins from a few, one in particular, a rather handsome fellow with silver hair, simply gives a small nod and turning off to speak with others elsewhere in the party.

“For never wanting to fly you have quite the knack for swooping in at the right time,” Vivima comments wryly as you pass by other guests, several stopping to acknowledge her as she passes but none daring to interrupt your path, “Thanks for that. Where are we off to?”

“Just the officers table over there. Thought you might enjoy a more mature conversation.”

“With the mobile suit pilots?” Vivima smirks, “Shrewd choice, but I’ll take that bait.”
>>
>>5552025

“Fel-Uhm, Maxime?” Blanche practically chokes on her champagne as you both approach, quickly recovers, and apparently has already imbibed enough to crack through her soldierly exterior, “And Vivima Zabi …Ma’am!”

There’s a round of more respectful greetings from the other officers present, a few shaking their heads and suppressing chuckles at Blanche’s display. You both take seats at the table, Vivima and Blanche ending up sitting to either side of you.

“Thought I’d drop by and say hello again, see how things have been going.” “And Viv was getting swarmed over there, real pack of vultures.”

“Hey, my little brother’s over there.” One of the other officers, Hite, chuckles, “Apologies if he came on strong, tried to warn him off the idea.”

“He’s the singer, isn’t he? He was actually one of the better ones, I look forward to having him under… In my unit. I’m not here about that though.” Vivima says, her eyes narrowing as she looks over all present at the table, white gloves hands clapping together, “How’s the Zaku coming along?”

Blanche coughs, grey eyes widening as she almost chokes on her drink again before recovering back to her rigid formalism, “...Excuse me, ma’am?”

“Don’t ma’am me, I’m what… ten years younger than you?” Vivima remarks with a laugh, “You’re all mobile suit pilots, aren’t you? I’d like to hear about it from you, the reports are too dry to base anything off of and they miss the essence of flying.”

>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”
>”Viv, maybe this isn’t the best place? Most people here don’t know.”
>”Don’t mind her, Blanche. She’s always very forward when it comes to piloting.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5552026
>>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”
We should probably work on our piloting the next chance we get. I feel like we're falling behind.
>>
>>5552026
>>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”
>>
>>5552026
>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”
>>
>>5552026
>I look forward to having him under… In my unit.
I see a possible rift between her and Garma if they both want to lead the same unit with the Deikuns in it.
>>
>>5552026
>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”

>>5552028
Agreed
>>
>>5552026
>>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”
>>
>>5552028
>>5552030
>>5552032
>>5552081
>>5552095
Writing.
>>
>>5552026
>”...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?”

>>5552028
Vivima will probably offer to practice after the party is over.

>>5552042
Casval is probably going for doing this. There could be many possible outcomes if this works, most in our favor I think.
>>
“...Zaku? Haven’t heard of that one yet. It’s a new model?” You question, Vivima’s broaching of the topic more than enough cover to hide behind if there’s blow back for discussing mobile suits at the party.

Vivima nods, her feathered shoulder length purple hair moving about gently, defying gravity in some ways, “It’s the first mass production model, development has gone quickly though… it’s still in the prototype stage, isn’t it?”

A mass production model already? That’s news.

“Prototype’s a generous description, things are barely flight worthy. We’re getting the kinks worked out quickly though, not as bad as the last round.” Hite grumbles, “Hell of a lot better than that Zudah mess though, right Blanche?”

Blanche’s gray eyes flick over to focus upon the black haired man, only the faintest twitch of her mouth giving away any sign of emotion, “...Yes. An unpleasant episode, and months behind the program now.”

“Zudah? That failed bid with the exploding engines?” Vivima questions, “I haven’t heard of that in a while, it never even got a simulator profile worked up. Were you one of the pilots for it?”

“I was, ma’am.” Blanche informs hers, taking another quick sip of her drink.

“...I’ll let that ma’am pass.” Vivima says, something close to genuine regret written across her features, “I’m sorry that happened, the program never should have been accelerated so quickly.”

“Sorry for what?” Blanche asks, her face a disciplined mask but a glint of curiosity in her eyes, “It wasn’t your mistake that it was accelerated, ma… Miss?”

“Just Viv’s fine, I got enough of honorifics for a year over there,” Vivima says, looking back toward the remnants of the crowd of cadets that had been swarming about her, “It may not have been my fault that the program was accelerated, but it’s the responsibility of my family to ensure mistakes like that aren’t allowed to occur - And certainty aren’t allowed to repeat. This goes for all of you: If you ever see an issue with a testing program, one that my brother won’t listen to or have time to hear, come to me or my sister Kycilia with it directly. We’ll handle it.”

“...Directly?” Hite asks, dark eyebrows raised, “That’s a very gracious offer.”

“Call it what you will,” Vivima crosses her arms, “I hate seeing Zeon’s resources wasted; money, material, men - I won’t stand for it. ….About the Zaku bid though, there are issues with the prototypes?”
>>
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>>5552189

“Nothing major, just hundreds of little things.” Hite reports, “We’re working through the bugs quickly, Zeonic’s got good people working with us. Should have it all together in… How long would you say, Blanche?”

“Two months at most, ma’a… Viv.” Blanche corrects herself, some small hint of a smile playing across her face, the champagne starting to ease her up, “They handle like a dream when they work, not quite as mobile as the Bugu but an improvement over the Waff.”

Vivima smiles at that, “Good. They’re not meant to compete with a specialist machine, the next generation should easily exceed both.”

“Do you think they’ll be combat worthy?” You ask, Dozle’s dreams of a full mobile suit corps playing out in your mind, imagination mingling with memories of the simulator’s vast space battles against federation fleets.

Hite finishes off his own glass, not quite as aggressive as Blanche but clearly a fan of drink as well, “Combat drills and simulations have shown good signs, but it’s hard to know. Other than Blanche fighting ball boy I don’t think anyone’s been in a real fight with a mobile suit. Not sure how many pilots we have with actual combat experience in anything to be honest…”

>”Ball boy?”
>”Any of you have any kills?” Smirk at Vivima. It’s a dark thing to be proud of, and yet you are.
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5552195
>>”Ball boy?”
>>
>>5552195
1)
>”Ball boy?
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
2)
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
>>
>>5552195
1)
>”Ball boy?”
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
Important topic here. At least we can get some insight into what the officers and Vivima's thoughts on this are.

2)
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
>>
>>5552195
>1)”Any of you have any kills?” Smirk at Vivima. It’s a dark thing to be proud of, and yet you are.

>2)"Ball boy?"
I want to have Felix flex a little
>>
>>5552195
>”Ball boy?”
>>
>>5552195

>”Ball boy?”
>”Any of you have any kills?” Smirk at Vivima. It’s a dark thing to be proud of, and yet you are.
>>
>>5552195
>>”Ball boy?”
>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
>>
>>5552195
>>”Ball boy?”
>>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
>>
>>5552195
>>”Ball boy?”
>>”Think the Federation’s ever going to try to make their own?”
It's confirmed, Felix is getting a Felix Custom RB-79 at A Baoa Qu
>>
>>5552292
>>5552289
>>5552288
>>5552202
>>5552200
Writing.
>>
“Ball boy?...” You ask, the words sounding strange to your ears. Hite struggles to keep himself from laughing, closing his eyes and almost wheezing.

Eventually Hite recovers, a few of the other officers suppressing their own fits of laughter, and he motions to Blanche, “Yeah, the ball boy - Tell him, Blanche.”

“...There’s no need.” Blanche says evenly, slender fingers tightening slightly about her mostly empty glass.

“Oh come on, you’ve had enough! Tell the story, ” Hite prods her, a few of the other officers giving their own encouragement to the sullen faced soldier, her disciplined exterior slipping just a little.

“There’s no need.” She repeats, her voice still even.

“What do you mean?” Hite asks, comprehension and then utter disbelief slowly dawning on his face, “It’s not like he… no… no way… Haha, holy hell, you’re kidding? Why’s he a cadet then?”

“I’ve lived an exciting life.” You answer cryptically, trying to play off his second question.

“Oh come on, there’s no way this is real. Get a load of this guy,” Hite looks to the other officers, “Blanche, this is really him?”

Vivima watches the entire exchange with bemused interest, keeping silent for now.

“Yes, it’s him.” Blanche finally confirms directly, and the table absolutely loses it.

“Haha, damn man, what’s it like being the first mobile suit kill?” One of the other officers asks. First kill? What the hell is he… oh no.

“First kill?” You question, “...I wasn’t in a combat craft, that can’t count. What rules is that even going by?”

“It’s just how it works, ball boy.” Hite shrugs, clearly finding this to be the funniest thing he’s encountered in ages, “You fought back and nearly got her, but she took your ball out first - Those are the only rules we’ve got. You know she puts it as a kill marker on her suits now, right?”

“It’s a joke.” Blanche finishes her drink, staring at its dry bottom longingly, showing perhaps the most emotion she has all night, “And it’s not as if you have any kills, Hite.”
>>
>>5552359

“Eh, fair.” Hite doesn’t even try to deny it, “Don’t sweat it so much, ball boy, being dead’s good luck - makes you harder to kill again or something. I just need to get out on anti-piracy duty and I’ll start racking victories up, only have to convince the big man to let us head out for some real fights and it’ll be smooth sailing from there. Best any of us’ll get for a while, it’s not like the feddies have mobile suits of their own yet.”

“Do you think they’ll ever try to make their own?” You ask, steering the conversation away from your rather dubious spot in history - It might not even be true, there has to have been a kill beforehand… right? Right?

“Federation mobile suits?” Vivima snorts in derision, “Please, they’d probably just strap thrusters to a guntank. It’s going to be years before they realize their mistake.”

“Maybe they’ll put guns on worker balls in the meantime, right Blanche?” Hite teases, “...Really though, that was some wild flying, ball boy. We’ve all seen the recordings.”

“Maxime is an excellent pilot.” Vivima compliments you, “Though that does seem to run in the family. Do those rules of yours count ground targets as well?”

Hite nods, “Absolutely they do. Tankers wanted their old kills to transfer, pilots did too, it’s a big mix and match.”

“Oh? Well, in that case he’s an ace.” Vivima concludes rather flippantly.

“Bullshit.” Hite scoffs, similar remarks sounding from the other officers present. Blanche sits a little more upright, eyes narrowing as she sizes you up again.

>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5552361
>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
"Made ace before he even was commissioned" is the kind of legendary bullshit that I want for Felix.
>>
>>5552361
1)
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
A bit of banter never really hurt anyone. Maybe we could bite back a little, eh?

2)
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.
Might be a little cocky, but this could be fun.
Though I do still want to mingle with some of the cadets here before the party ends, meet some new faces and all that.

3)
>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.


>“Federation mobile suits?” Vivima snorts in derision, “Please, they’d probably just strap thrusters to a guntank. It’s going to be years before they realize their mistake.”
Vivima you idiot. Classic Zabi behavior, always underestimating the enemy.
>>
>>5552361
>>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.
>>
>>5552361
>>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>>
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>>5552366
She isn't completely wrong.
>>
>>5552361
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
>>
>>5552378
Yeah, the Feddies really are something. Sometimes their incompetence surprises me.
But then again not really.

>>5552361
>>5552366
Changing my vote to:
1)
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."

2)
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

3)
>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

4)
>”I’ll go a couple of rounds in a simulator if you don’t believe her.” Might be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

I'm only going for trying out the simulator as long as we aren't just going to leave in the middle of the party for it.
>>
>>5552361
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
>>
>>5552361
1)
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
2)
>"First kill, but also an ace? I can live with that."
3)
>”Depends on how you count assists, and none of it was in a proper mobile suit. Guntanks don’t count for that, right?” Elena was helping for the shuttles, and if you’re being strict about it then some of the guntanks were probably Casval’s kills.
>>
>>5552398
>>5552401
>>5552432 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“First kill, but also an ace?” You look at Vivima with a proud smirk, “I can live with that.”

“Still a race to five in a mobile suit,” Vivima answers you with a competitive and almost mad glint in her violet eyes, “Yours are all… transfers? What do you call them?”

“Haven’t had a reason to call them anything other than kills yet, but I guess they’re transfer kills if you want to call them that… This is a joke though, right?” Hite says, deep skepticism and confusion mixing on his face, “How old are you?”

“Sixteen.” You answer, feeling a bit of pride as you begin to realize the momentousness of what you’ve done by becoming an ace so young, even if the details are questionable, “Got an age waiver for the academy.”

Vivima cracks up at that, absolutely losing it, her laugh sweet and yet somehow carrying a deep wickedness along with it, “Ahahahaha, age? Really? Yes, he got a waiver for the academy. I’m sure that’s what the captain’s concerned about, isn’t it?”

Hite’s eyes narrow in suspicion as Vivima practices her best evil laugh, “...Who the hell are you?”

“Just another son of Zeon off to the academy.” You answer, resisting the urge to join Vivima’s fit of laughter as you skirt so very close to the truth, “As I said, I’ve had an exciting life.”

“Don’t press it, sir.” Blanche warns Hite, “He’s telling the truth.”

“Fuck…” Hite sinks back in his seat, deflating at Blanche’s words and in total disbelief, “Killed anyone?”

“That’s a very blunt question, sir.” Blanche warns again.

>”At least eight, probably a bit north of twenty. Not sure how many were in the crews.” A straight answer for a straight question. You’re feeling less good about this.
>”Enough to start getting better at it than I’d like.”
>”...And one I’m not going to answer; I think I’ll go meet some of the other cadets. Good meeting all of you.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5552473
>”Enough to start getting better at it than I’d like.”
>"I would rather not think about it too much, or I'll remember their faces."
>>
>>5552473
>”Enough to start getting better at it than I’d like.”
>>
>>5552473
>”At least eight, probably a bit north of twenty. Not sure how many were in the crews.” A straight answer for a straight question. You’re feeling less good about this.
>>
>>5552473
>>Write-in.
>Face sombre "Yes."

And that'll be enough.
>>
>>5552473
>”...And one I’m not going to answer; I think I’ll go meet some of the other cadets. Good meeting all of you.”
Ah, yes, the one thing you definitely don't ask combat vets.
>>
>>5552473
1)
>”...And one I’m not going to answer; I think I’ll go meet some of the other cadets. Good meeting all of you.”
He crossed the line a bit there.

2)
>Face sombre "Yes."

3)
>”Enough to start getting better at it than I’d like.”
>"I would rather not think about it too much, or I'll remember their faces."
>>
>>5552473
>”...And one I’m not going to answer; I think I’ll go meet some of the other cadets. Good meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5552473
>>5552485
This
>>
>>5552486
>>5552492
>>5552496
Writing.
>>
“...And one I’m not going to answer; I think I’ll go meet some of the other cadets.” You reply, unused to such a blunt question and standing up from the table, “Good meeting all of you.”

“The hell’s his issue?” Hite asks the table generally as you leave, “Seemed like a fighter, thought we’d…”

You don’t hear the rest of what he’s saying, blocking it out mentally as you make your way back into the wider party, quickly brushing past a few other cadets. Hurried footsteps sound behind you, and Vivima’s at your side, violet eyes filled with sympathy.

“I can have him killed if you’d like…” She says lightly, frowning a few moments later, “...Sorry, bad joke.”

“...I still appreciate it, Viv.” You say a bit sullenly, already suspicious of this just being another ploy of hers, “It’s not that bad, just didn’t want to waste time talking about it. Not looking to trade those stories with someone I just met.”

“Don’t brush it off like that. You looked hurt, I could see it.” She says in a hushed tone, keeping close as you move through the party and to one of the walls nearby - hardly a secluded spot but at least one direction doesn’t have ears listening in, “...I guess now’s as good a time as any.”

“For what?” Your brow furrows, trying to make sense of what her game is this time.

“To apologize.” She answers, seemingly genuinely, her gloved hand finding yours, “For the villa. I didn’t order the attack, but I encouraged Kycilia. I’d just been shot, and we both thought Gihren was going to die… it wasn’t thought out well.”

“...And you thought now was a good time to talk about it? In public?” You scoff, shaking your head and speaking quietly, “It’s in the past, I decided to leave it there when I made up my mind to come back.”

“I know it’s not a great place, but you haven’t been giving me many options; for an ace you’d think you’re allergic to flying with how often you… Sorry, this isn't about that.” Vivima shakes her head and pinches at the bridge of her nose for a moment, deeply frustrated, “Look, Felix, I almost got you killed, and Casval and Artesia, and I really don’t want to be enemies. I’m sorry, okay? Kycilia’s never going to apologize, it’s just not her nature, but I will. We should’ve been more careful.”

“More careful?” You can’t believe she’s trying to pull this bullshit at all, and at a party of all places, other cadets are barely out of earshot even speaking in whispers, and a at least a few are watching Vivima if nothing else, “...I try to keep the past in the past and focus on Zeon, Viv, and you’re making that really difficult right now.”
>>
>>5552602

“...Just accept the fucking apology, okay?” She hisses angrily, close enough to you that you can smell the alcohol on her breath, it must just be kicking in now, “I know I came on strong when you got here, that was Kycilia’s idea, but I’m not looking for that - I don’t even like men usually… Ugh, never mind. My point is that Dozle’s right, this was always bullshit. You know Sasro did it, right? Father had no idea until after it happened, and then it was all chaos and they had to move. …Fuck me, I’m sorry about your mother too, Kycilia just gets like that sometimes, she was so angry for so long that you escaped…”

>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
>”Fine. Sure. I accept your apology.” Does she seriously think this is going to work? Just get her to stop talking so openly.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5552604
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
1)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
I think Felix is someone who wants to form genuine connections with people. Even if he thinks this is bullshit, I think he would hear out someone who sounds like they are trying to be genuine.
2)
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
>>
>>5552604
1)
>”Fine. Sure. I accept your apology.” Does she seriously think this is going to work? Just get her to stop talking so openly.

2)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.

Oh man, I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this. I'm a bit torn on whether to talk with her now or later. It could look very bad if we leave with a drunk Vivima, and I still want to meet other people, but this is a golden opportunity.
Either way this is all excellent information.
>>
>>5552604
1
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
2
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
Is it just me being paranoid or does this whole situation feel like a trap of some kind?
>>
>>5552604
By 'Probably bullshit anyways' does this mean that Felix doesn't believer her apology or that he doesn't believe what she's saying?
>>
>>5552620
Both but without complete certainty, hence it being a question.
>>
Wait a minute, does this mean that Gihren wasn't the one to push for the attack?
It was Vivima and Kycilia, oh crap.

>>5552623
Ah, thank you for clarifying Contolist.

>>5552615
>Is it just me being paranoid or does this whole situation feel like a trap of some kind?
I'm worried about that too.
But even if it isn't there's a chance this could blow up on us if we get accused of rape or of harming her we're screwed.
>>
>>5552604
>>5552614
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Write-in
>"...I accept your apology." Try to make it sound sincere. You don't actually forgive her, at least not yet. But all of this information she's spilled out will be of use to you...
I don't like how the third vote is worded.
I'm getting Mink flashbacks.

2)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
>>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
1)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
2)
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
>>
>>5552604
>>5552636
I'll change my vote again:
1)
>Write-in
>"...I accept your apology." Try to make it sound sincere. You don't actually forgive her, at least not yet. But all of this information she's spilled out will be of use to you...

2)
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?

3)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
>>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604

>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
An opportunity for some intel from the most valuable Zabi. Wonderful!
>>
>I’m not looking for that - I don’t even like men usually… Ugh, never mind
Kek, tipsy Viv
>>
>>5552702
Never would've guessed she was mostly gay.
>>
>>5552604
1)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
2)
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
>>
>>5552604
1)
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
2)
>”What the hell are you telling me?” Get to somewhere actually secluded to talk, drag her out of the party if you have to.
>>
>>5552604
changing >>5552615 to just
>”Viv, you’re drunk. This isn’t the place.” Probably bullshit anyways, right?
>>
>>5552610
>>5552611
>>5552646
>>5552651
>>5552655
>>5552678
>>5552694
>>5552764
>>5552836 (2nd)
>>5552654 (3rd)
!?

Writing.
>>
Hey QM. I read your quest the past few days and I really enjoyed it, despite being not that interested into the setting, but you've turned that around with this quest.
Thanks for the work you've done so far and hope you have the opportunity to keep writing.
>>
>>5553054
I really appreciate the kind words, anon, and I'm glad you've enjoyed the quest. I don't foresee anything beyond a few short breaks for class work getting in the way of posting between now and the summer.
>>
“What the hell are you telling me?” You question, voice low and eyes shifting about to make sure no one nearby has overheard, several a bit too close for comfort but still looking more distracted by their fellows than any overheard conversation, “Somewhere else. Let's go.”

“...Yes. Better idea.” Vivima nods, turning to look around at the party, giving a fake smile and wave to one of the cadets that had been swarming her earlier, “The door over there.”

Walking, not hurrying, you move close along the wall and to one of the nearest doors; Garma’s not far away and gives you both a strange look, while Artesia simply frowns in disappointment - She must think something else is going on.

Soon you’re both out and into the adjoining hallway, and after trying the doors to a few rooms, and discovering at least one pair of cadets enthusiastically violating rules against fraternization, you find a room that seems undisturbed. It’s a small parlor, perfect for talking. You both sit along the same fancy old sofa, Vivima right next to you.

“...Alright, Viv, now what the hell was all of that?”

“I was trying to apologize.” She says, but seems to be more preoccupied with just staring at you, “You look sort of like a girl sometimes, you know…? Really pretty face, you should grow your hair out more-”

Not now, Viv, get a hold of yourself. Have you never been drunk before?” You pull back from her, shaking your head slightly; she’s pretty but doesn’t have much on Elena, and her words are deeply confusing rather than attractive - What the hell does she even mean that you look like a girl?

“Right, right. Yeah, normally I don’t drink more than a glass, but those guys were just swarming and it stressed me out, just kept downing them and they brought me more… probably won’t ever do that again, ha? Think I’ll be meaner next time.” She laughs sweetly, having dropped whatever efforts she was making back in the party to keep up an image of sobriety, “And no one else will ever know I got like this but you! Secret’s safe… Oh, the apology, right. I’m sorry.”

“I got that… I meant the rest of it. About my father.”

“You really don’t know?” Her face softens, violet eyes growing a touch wider, “Oh, Felix, I… Sasro poisoned your father.”

“Why are you telling me this?” You question, an almost suffocating loss filling your chest, a darkness that’s really never all that far away, childhood grief you rarely linger upon for long but which has motivated you for years.

“Because we’re allies, right? You should know the truth.” She says, confused by your confusion, “I’d rather be friends than enemies, and even if Dozle’s a big adorable idiot a lot of the time I think he’s right about family. And Garma seems happy with your sister, which I really get, and I want to see him stay that way.”
>>
>>5553094

“...It was Sasro?” You ask, “He poisoned him? But… how?”

“The whole story?”

“Yes. Tell me.” You urge her.

Vivima sits up a little straighter, “Okay, lets see if… if I can. So our families had already drifted apart, right? Our fathers didn’t agree about the details of rearmament, and some social and trade policies… small things, really. It get heated, the diet split up into cliques, and my father got worried the Federation would jump on us all while things were weak and divided. He started talking with Gihren and Sasro about harsher tactics… he meant starting riots, not killing his old friend. He has nightmares about it, you know? Talks about it sometimes, it’s his biggest regret. Everything went wrong after that. Sasro was a bull, violent, he used to hit Kycilia - he got some of his people to poison your father’s drinks over time, it made his heart condition worse, and eventually his body… just gave out. I’m so sorry, Felix, it wasn’t ever meant to be like that. It wasn’t the plan.”

“...Degwin didn’t know?”

“No. Sasro told him after it was done, thought he’d be rewarded. Idiot. I overheard the meeting, I used to eavesdrop through doors a lot, sort of a bad habit…” She starts to trail off for a moment before catching her train of thought again, something about that habit of hers eerily familiar to you, “Father was angrier than I’ve ever heard him, he threatened to disown Sasro, but he got talked down…”

>”Convenient that it was all the dead brother’s fault.” A little too convenient.
>”It was really just Sasro?...” Repetitive, but if this is true it changes a lot.
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5553095
1)
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”

2)
>”Convenient that it was all the dead brother’s fault.” A little too convenient.
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”

3)
>”Convenient that it was all the dead brother’s fault.” A little too convenient.

Having Felix believe anything she says yet will just end badly. Vivima might not even know the full truth.
>>
>>5553095
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”
>Think on how convenient it was only the dead brother's fault, but don't say out loud
>>
>>5553095
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”
>>
>>5553095
>>5553102
Changing my vote to support >>5553103

Yeah, saying it out loud is just dumb. But we should at least entertain some doubts about what she's saying.
>>
>>5553095
this >>5553103

if we can extend NT to see if we can feel how truthful she is.
>>
>>5553111
A good idea, but unfortunately I think that's just Artesia's strong suit. Felix is better with perceiving things, not so much with knowing what the other person is feeling or how much honesty there is.
>>
>>5553114
Perception can go a long way with telling if someone's lying or not. Micro expressions, out of character gesticulation, eye contact, etc. Given Felix's life he probably has an understanding of such things but as this is Vivima she probably does too.
I'd support using newtype powers if someone made a good write in for it.
>>
>>5553095
+1 >>5553103
>>
>>5553117
That may be true. But I imagine Felix already does this subconsciously.
>but as this is Vivima she probably does too.
This just reminded me that Vivima is at least aware of newtype powers. The question is how much does she know? She probably has a basic understanding of it through the Flanagan Institute with Kycilia.
>>
>>5553128
>How much does she know?
More than she'll let on, less than she thinks she does.
>>
>>5553132
Classic Zabi mindset, kek
>>
>>5553094
>“You look sort of like a girl sometimes, you know…? Really pretty face, you should grow your hair out more-”
Felix doesn't really look like a girl, right?
>>
>>5553170
Maybe Felix is just generically good looking enough for women to see what they want in him?
>>
>>5553170
>>5553171
reads like Vivima has convinced herself that she is lesbo (she's got all sorts of issues growing up and her typical interactions with men outside her family are probably like that convo with the cadets) so she's trying to justify her attraction to ultrachad Felix as him looking girly
>>
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>>5553170
He's got vaguely androgynous pretty boy looks and she's drunk. Emphasize whichever part of that you'd like, but he doesn't actually look like a girl.Garma has similar energy, but it's not quite the same.
>>
>>5553095
>Our fathers didn’t agree about the details of rearmament, and some social and trade policies… small things, really. It get heated, the diet split up into cliques, and my father got worried the Federation would jump on us all while things were weak and divided. He started talking with Gihren and Sasro about harsher tactics… he meant starting riots, not killing his old friend.
This is actually pretty interesting, since it implies that Degwin's original plan was to marginalize the Deikun family and make us comply to the Zabi's desires.
That's probably still the plan, now that I think about it (but more along the lines of making us puppet figureheads).

>>5553176
>>5553171
>>5553170
The funny thing about this is that Felix always ends up seducing women when not actively trying to.
>>
>>5553095
>”...Why tell me all of this now? You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”
>”It was really just Sasro?...” Repetitive, but if this is true it changes a lot.
>>
>>5553103
+1
and yeah put that perception into use
>>
>>5553095
>>5553103
Support

>>5553212
Interesting. I'd assumed any attraction on Vivima's part to probably be a consequence of how hard to get Felix has been and will continue to be. In addition to Felix's gigachaddery, of course.
>>
>>5553103
>>5553104
>>5553108
>>5553111
>>5553122
>>5553328
Writing.
>>
>>5553343
That's still a reasonable assumption.

Almost done writing.
>>
“...Why tell me all of this now?” You ask, finding the blame placed on Sasro to be more than a little convenient, “You could have said this when we first got here, or years ago, or just sent a message.”

I couldn’t have said anything until you got here,” She hiccups, blushing in surprise in a manner that’s really quite unlike her usual self, “And I didn’t know what kind of person you’d be. Does Dozle kidnapping you not count as a message?”

“I mean before that, Viv. A letter or a messenger while we were in Spain,” You look over her carefully, scanning over every inch of her face, looking for any sign of deceit, any glimmer of a lie in her violet eyes, “Anything at all. It’s been a mess of a situation, but why not just talk things out?”

“Just talk things out?…” She gives you an amused look, as if you’d suggested something completely absurd, “With who? You got stolen away before the dust even settled.”

“With Teabolo… or Jimba…” You trail off, realizing that she might have a bit of a point there; Teabolo might have been willing to entertain negotiations, but Jimba would’ve died before letting that happen… In fact he was pushing your father to prepare for conflict long before he was poisoned…

“Everything turned into a mess, and then you got taken, and then… nothing. Self-exiled and kept by radicals set against my family, but quiet and out of the way... Maybe we could have talked, but how could Kycilia really know for sure? Our family had to focus on securing things here, there were too many radicals to get under control, and we couldn’t come out and blame one of our own, the scandal would have destroyed us.”

“An attempt could have been made.” You say, not even the shadow of a lie passing over Vivima’s face - It hardly means this is the truth, but she must at least believe it… or be a far better liar than you’ve given her credit for.

She shakes her head too much, a bit too tipsy for subtlety, “And show interest? Now that’s a great way to scare people into acting.”

What the hell kind of twisted logic is that? …Zabi. It’s difficult to get a read on her, the contours of her mind are slippery, sort of confused even when you do manage to sense them.
>>
>>5553486

“…Maybe things could have been done better. I know things could have. It’s why I’m apologizing,” She continues, placing both of her hands on yours, looking you in the eyes, “It never should have happened. Do you remember when we were little, Felixx? Really little. I do. I think we were four or five, our father’s were just starting to grow apart but we all met at the park…”

“...Most of the time’s a blur to me,” You reply, thrown off by the sudden shift, memories of a mostly forgotten childhood welling up, flashes of smiling faces, trees and footpaths, a stone fountain, “Why?”

“Our families were friends then. I want that back.” Vivima says emphatically, gloved hands tightening about yours; when you don’t respond immediately she starts to shrink back, loosening her grip, “I… I’m not sure what to do now. I didn’t expect to get this far.”

>Write-in.
>>
>>5553489
Please keep in mind that I don't want to actually kowtow this and give in, only to play along and maybe give her a reason to not try and merc us in the future.
>Squeeze her hand reassuringly. "It's in the past, Viv. Jimba and Sasro are gone and with them any bad blood that remained. I only want what's best for Zeon, for us, and so long as we all work toward that goal then we're already friends."
>>
>>5553489
>"It will take many steps to build that bridge again." This is true, though what you're not saying is that it might be impossible to build. The divide between your families is deep, and ambitions will clash.
>"Don't worry, I forgive you." Try to say this with as much sincerity as you can. You don't actually forgive her, at least not yet. She might believe what she's saying, but if push comes to shove you're not sure if she can be fully trusted to mend relations and not simply go along with her family's ambitions.
>"And don't worry, if we're both fighting for what's best for Zeon then we're already friends."
>"Come on, let's get back to the party before people start talking."
>>
>>5553489
>>Write-in.
Only if you get HER away from my sister. I can see her everytime she comes back, a part of herself lost, and replaced by HER coldness and scorn.
>>
>>5553489
Contolist, how will the write-ins work? Are we going to combine them based on how similar they or is it just a vote?

>>5553499
I like this too, since it emphasizes how things should be stay in the past.

>>5553509
Ah, that could be a good thing to mention. Making sure Kycilia doesn't have as much influence on Artesia is good, since Kycilia already practically threatened our family last thread. Though I'd rephrase it since Vivi is pretty drunk and might not take it well.
>>
>>5553489
>>5553504
Changing my vote to:
>Squeeze her hand reassuringly. "It's in the past, Viv. Jimba and Sasro are gone and with them any bad blood that remained. I only want what's best for Zeon, for us, and so long as we all work toward that goal then we're already friends."
>"It will take many steps to build that bridge again." This is true, though what you're not saying is that it might be impossible to build. The divide between your families is deep, and ambitions will clash.
>"Don't worry, I forgive you." Try to say this with as much sincerity as you can. You don't actually forgive her, at least not yet. She might believe what she's saying, but if push comes to shove you're not sure if she can be fully trusted to mend relations and not simply go along with her family's ambitions.
>"...but there is one thing I want. Can you make Kycilia stop whatever she's doing with my sister? Every time she comes back, I see her become a bit colder..." A bit of a risky request, but Kycilia's interest in Artesia is too much of a concern to let slide.
I combined the current votes, hope this isn't too bad of a write-in.
>>
>>5553516
Usually a consensus forms on its own over time. If options are very similar I might combine them.
>>
>>5553526
Chucking my support behind this whole caboodle, maybe even asking for a discussion with/apology from Degwin himself.

But yeah make it seem like we're still a bit shitty but accept the desire to move forward, being too willing to accept an apology for the murdering of our father would seem a bit sus
>>
>>5553526
Might as well post this:
>Squeeze her hand reassuringly. "It's in the past, Viv. Jimba and Sasro are gone and with them any bad blood that remained. I only want what's best for Zeon, for us, and so long as we all work toward that goal then we're already friends."
>"It will take many steps to build that bridge again between our families, and if you want to actually mend it then it's already one step closer." This is true, though what you're not saying is that it might be impossible to comlete. The divide between your families is deep, and ambitions will clash.
>"Don't worry, I forgive you." Try to say this with as much sincerity as you can even though you don't actually forgive her, at least not yet. She might believe what she's saying, but if push comes to shove you're not sure if she can be fully trusted to mend relations and not simply go along with her family's ambitions.
>"...but there is one thing I want to request. Can you make Kycilia stop taking so much interest in my sister? Every time she comes back, I see her become a bit colder..." A bit of a risky request, but Kycilia's interest in Artesia is too much of a concern to let slide.
And if all of this goes well:
>"Come on, let's get back to the party before people start talking."
I cleaned up the write-in combination a bit. Not really much of a difference, since I'm guessing Contolist will make it have sense when writing the update.

>>5553536
Alright, thank you!
>>
>>5553540
That I agree with. This whole situation is like walking on eggshells, we have to make sure we don't raise suspicion about Casval's plotting or anything like that.
>maybe even asking for a discussion with/apology from Degwin himself.
I wouldn't be opposed to that, since she already spilled everything (and it might be smarter to talk to Degwin than trust that Vivi won't tell Kycilia/Girhren eventually).

>>5553541
Just to be clear this isn't really a vote change, it's just me being autistic about the write-in.
>>
>>5553489
>Friendship between our families. I like that. Yet there's so much hurt and distrust between us. I can forgive it all, and Artesia too... Casval will be harder. Mom and I can talk to him though. Kycilia makes it hard you know. With her prodding, provocating, implicit threatening... I'm sure she sees all us Deikuns as threats to be managed rather than allies for Zeon. That will have to change for true reconciliation to happen.

>>5553499
Support.

Basically, feigning an amiable attitude alongside expressing a need for Kycilia in particular to act differently is what I want. I propose mentioning Casval's reticence as a way of adding more pressure on Vivima to get Kycilia to lighten up. If Felix says he's willing to get his combative older brother to cool it, then perhaps Vivima will be willing to do the same for her sister.
>>
>>5553489
>"For our families to be friends, we have to make amends. And it's what's already happening isn't it? Friends help others, and it's waht we have been trying to do, right?"
>"Now come on Viv, no need to cry over spilled milk."
>>
>>5553580
And I'm voting to not believe it.
>>
>>5553567
>I propose mentioning Casval's reticence as a way of adding more pressure on Vivima to get Kycilia to lighten up.
That's actually not that bad of an idea. And yeah, saying that Kycilia should tone down the animosity in general is good, especially since she and Vivima are pretty close.

>>5553489
Don't know if I have to specify, but I'm voting to not trust what she's saying in full since I still believe that even if she thinks she's telling the truth she might've been lied to (keeping things from your family and lying to their faces for your own benefit sounds like a Zabi thing to do).
There's also the possibility she's putting on an act, but I find it a bit unlikely (still possible, just unlikely).
>>
>>5553596
But also just not believing her in part is fine by me, as long as we don't suddenly flip to actually wanting to reconcile with the Zabis.
We did promise Casval about what we'd do.

And saying that made me realize that maybe we should at least talk to Artesia and Casval after all of this is over, though I suppose Contolist will probably have that happen either way (since this seems to be a big deal, and would warrant a family meeting).
>>
>>5553610
>>5553596
I should probably clarify again that I don't think she's lying about wanting to reconcile (but I feel like her idea of 'reconciling' might not be what's best for us and our family).
>>
Leaving the vote going until the morning.
>>
>>5553541
>>5553489
alternate write in based on this
>"Me and my siblings took the decision to come back to Zum fully willing and prepared to reconcile with the Zabi family, and over these past months we have resided with you it's been clearly appearent that your family too mostly wants to reconcile, recieving us with open arms and allowing us a return to a form of normalcy. That is, all expect one. Your elder sister continues to antagonize us, tries to put us under her thumb and establish some form of dominance, especially over my little sister who she forcibly drags around to help with dirty work, trying it seems to turn her into one of her agents.
I wont say that this is because of malice on her part, it seems mostly to come from her tendency to play spymaster, but that once led to her locking my mother up in a damp tower and if we are to truly bind our families once more as friends, it has to stop."
>>
>>5554011
also as the others said, we should get out of here asap since rumours over us having something going with Vivima can only bite us in the ass
>>
>>5554011
I'll support saying this too, but I feel like retaining some of the more emotional aspect of how it's affecting Artesia could have it's own sway (since Vivi is drunk and emotional herself and might find it more powerful if we go on that angle). But as long as we get out there to Vivi that Kycilia should stop trying to influence Artesia and that Felix is worried about her it should be fine either way, since your write-in goes more in dept about Kycilia having ambitions for Artesia either as a spy and/or a scientist in the Flanagan Institute.
It's a good write-in so I'm sure Contolist will mesh it with the rest of the write-ins anons are making here in a way that makes sense for Felix to say to her (not lying in an obvious way, saying something too weird, making a slip up, doing something ooc, stuff like that. I'm sure Contolist is skilled enough to actually blend everything well).

>>5553541
I just noticed 'comlete'
It should be 'complete', lmao
>>
Alright, so here's my proposal:
>>5553541
Will be the main thrust of what is said. Felix isn't buying into all of this but he's trying not to spoil the opportunity, and he wants to gets back to the party to not cause rumors.
>>5553567
>>5554011
>>5553580
Parts of these will be used if it seems right, they're mostly the same points.

Any objections to this? I'll start writing in an hour.
>>
Alright, writing.
>>
Finding the right words at last, you squeeze Vivima’s hands reassuringly, “Friendship between our families? I like that. We have to make amends, and that’s already what we’re doing, right? That bad blood is in the past, Sasro and Jimba are gone; I only want what’s best for Zeon now, for us, and so long as we work toward that goal we’re already friends, in most ways, at least …But there’s still so much other hurt and distrust between us, it’s not going to be easy to fully rebuild build that bridge between our families. Maybe I can forgive it all, and Artesia too… But Casval’s not as open minded, we’ve been trying to get him to come around… But what happened to our mother…”

Vivima leans in closer once more, her grip tightening nearly to match yours, “That’s the worst of it all, we could have stopped that so much sooner. I’m so sorry about what happened to her, I… I can’t even imagine it, I understand not letting go of that... I never got to meet my mother… I killed her, and… Sorry, this isn’t about that… So do you…?”

“Don’t worry, I forgive you.” You say with as much sincerity as you can muster; it’s a lie, but a part of you really does wish it were true - a very small part, “We should probably get back to the party soon ...But there is one thing I want to request first.”

“Name it.” She implores you, violet eyes widening, drawing your gaze inexorably toward them; they’re so strangely familiar - Of course you’ve seen her many times, but they remind you of something else and it’s difficult to think; not due to any attraction, nothing of the sort, it’s just always troubling to make sense of things about this girl.

“Can you make Kycilia stop taking so much interest in my sister? She’s been making this whole process harder, prodding, provoking, always ready to lay out threats, constantly antagonizing and trying to keep us under her thumb… I’m sure she sees us as threats or… or maybe assets to be managed, not true allies of Zeon. Every time Artesia comes back from one of their trips I see her become a bit colder, a little less like her old self, she just isn't meant for that kind of work and it’s killing me to watch her be turned into some spy or… or agent… I don’t think our families can fully reconcile if Kycilia doesn’t change how she's treating her.”

“...Threats to be managed? You really think that’s how Kycilia still sees you?” Vivima asks, confusion clouding her expression, her grip slackening, “...She did at first, but it’s not like that anymore.”

“So what, she’s all warm and cuddly now and just not showing it?”
>>
>>5554416

Vivima laughs sweetly at that, easing a little, but her expression is soon serious and earnest once more, “No, never, my sister won’t ever be anything but herself, but… Well… I guess you don’t really understand her, do you? I was hoping you might, as a newtype.”

“Heard about that then?”

“Of course, we talk about everything, I…” Vivima trails off, “What I mean is that she… she started out hostile because that’s what she knows… So did I… But you came willinging, and you’ve helped Garma, and you helped Kycilia - more than you needed to… You know she’s treating Artesia like she used to treat me, right? Showing her the ropes, how things have to be done. She’s a cold teacher sometimes, but she means well. If you understood her better you’d see it for what it actually is…”

You resist the urge to scoff and laugh in ridicule, the claim so absurd as to nearly crack through your exterior mask you’ve spent years learning to keep up in any situation.

“I really mean it,” Vivima insists, “She’s trying to help Artesia get ready for life, to survive in a world that doesn’t want her. Kycilia is... Ugh, how do I even explain it? She can’t bring herself to willingly show weakness. Ever. She used to, but Sasro saw an end to that… And that’s the nature of the world, Felix. Show weakness to the wrong person and you’ll be destroyed, and if you’re lucky there might be enough pieces left to put something that looks sort of like you back together again at the end of it… I hope I’m not making the same mistake.”

>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>”...Nature of the world? Maybe the nature of the old world, but it doesn’t have to be true for us… Did anyone every find out who killed Sasro, Vivima?”
>”...I’ll think about what you’ve said, Viv, I promise. We should get back to the party though, people might start talking if we take much longer.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5554421
1)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>”...Nature of the world? Maybe the nature of the old world, but it doesn’t have to be true for us… Did anyone every find out who killed Sasro, Vivima?”

2)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”

3)
>”...Nature of the world? Maybe the nature of the old world, but it doesn’t have to be true for us… Did anyone every find out who killed Sasro, Vivima?”
>>
>>5554421
1)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>"That's even more reason to try and avoid sister to grow cold, isn't it? Give Artesia the chance that was taken away from Kycilia."
>>
>>5554421
>>5554424
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>"That's even more reason to try and avoid sister to grow cold, isn't it? Give Artesia the chance that was taken away from Kycilia."
>”...Nature of the world? Maybe the nature of the old world, but it doesn’t have to be true for us… Did anyone every find out who killed Sasro, Vivima?”
It's strongly implied that Kycilia had Sasro assassinated. There's a big risk in asking Vivima about it, but if we get that information now that she's drunk it might help us in the future.

2)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>"That's even more reason to try and avoid sister to grow cold, isn't it? Give Artesia the chance that was taken away from Kycilia."

3)
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”

4)
>”...Nature of the world? Maybe the nature of the old world, but it doesn’t have to be true for us… Did anyone every find out who killed Sasro, Vivima?”
>>
>>5554435
I only put 3) as a preference because I'm assuming that the write-in counts as a different vote, though really it's just adding more to the argument. I'm not sure if Contolist will count that as a separate vote.
>>
Also there's little chance that Kycilia doesn't want to forcefully control us and/or divide us. She knows what we've said during our runs.
This is probably just Vivi thinking the best of Kycilia.
>>
>>5554421
>>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>>
>>5554421
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>>
>>5554421
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>>
Damn, missed the write in.

>>5554421
>”...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been. She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”
>>
>>5554426
This write in is good too, wouldn't mind it being used at least in part.
>>
I'm understanding that this vote is saying that we tell Viv that Kycilia should back off (said in a nicer way, but not nice enough to raise suspicion).
Or am I getting this wrong again?
>>
>>5554541
It's a vote to try to keep Artesia out of spy shit.
>>
>>5554545
That's what I was guessing too. Makes sense to keep her out of that, since Kycilia will just take advantage of a teenager trying to outplay her.
>>
>Of course you’ve seen her many times, but they remind you of something else and it’s difficult to think; not due to any attraction, nothing of the sort
Oh, Felix. You wonder why your sister sees you as a womanizing cheater...
>>
>>5554461
>>5554471
>>5554516
>>5554475
>>5554435 (3rd)
Writing.
>>
>>5554541
>>5554545
>>5554559
You're correct about the vote.

>>5554566
Kek
>>
“...Maybe the world is cruel, but that’s just not a life for Artesia, that’s not who she’s ever been.” You desperately hope your words will actually reach Vivima, getting Artesia out of Kycilia’s clutches has been weighing on you for some time now, “She wants to help people, not live in the shadows.”

“People can be helped from the shadows, Felix, they aren’t opposites.” Vivima replies earnestly, as if she’s trying to convey some far deeper truth but too drunk to manage a proper explanation, “I understand worrying for her, but it’s how she can help your family the best, and mine too.”

“It’s changing who she is. I don’t like it, Viv. I’m not saying that working in secret can never help people, but it’s not her. She’s… authentic, and warm, and caring. Living in the shadows isn’t for her, she’ll have to change too much.”

“You don’t think she’s strong enough? You underestimate her, you’ve been in the shadows for years.” Her grip tightens, “And it’s hardly cloak and dagger work that Kycilia is putting her on, Artesia just helps nudge things along at negotiations and around Zum. How do you think she got my brother? Luckier as usual…”

You choose not to think about that comment much for now; it’s deeply, deeply confusing to imagine.

You shake your head, “...It’s impossible to miss, but it’s not something she would have done before we came here. That’s exactly what worries me, she liked Siya, they’re both gentle souls, and then she helped push them to break up.”

“She’s happier now, isn’t she?” Vivima asks, an alarming innocence to the question, “And it got rid of that Siya girl and her family of pacifists, she had Garma all wrapped up for months, even if father refused to see it as a problem. Both of our families benefited, and we’re closer together now. Isn’t that a good thing? Family matters the most.”

“Maybe, but that’s not my only concern… I’m worried about her as a person, as my sister, not about how she can best advance our family’s interests. There are ways she can help that don’t make her change like this. Could you just try to get that across to Kycilia somehow?”

“Oh…” Vivima scoots a little closer on the sofa, close enough to cause a strange mix of excitement and deep discomfort, “That’s very sweet. I suppose she is your younger sister… You’ve always had to protect her, haven’t you?”

“Of course I have, so has Casval. She needs it less now, but-”

“Have you ever trusted her enough to protect you?”

“Yes, actually. Viv, don’t turn this around like that.”
>>
>>5554657

“I just want you to try to see things like we do, as a friend I want you to understand.” She moves a little closer; she smells nice, vaguely floral, a scent you’ve smell before… somewhere. Violet eyes flick up and down over you, taking in the entirety of your body, and you tense uncomfortably, thinking of Elena - Vivima backs right off at that, pulling away for you, “...Sorry. I think you should speak with Artesia. I’ll talk to Kycilia.”

You don’t quite sight in relief, but you’re glad she’s not trying to get more physical, things were really starting to get up to the line there.

“...And you’re right, we should get back to the party. People might think we’re screwing.” She laughs sweetly, standing up from the sofa and already looking toward the door.

>Back to the party.
>Stop her, there’s a little more to talk about. (Write-in)
>>
>>5554662
>>Back to the party.
>>
>>5554662
1)
>Stop her, there’s a little more to talk about. (Write-in)
>"...did anyone ever found out who killed Sasro?"
Maybe this isn't such a good idea to ask about, but I still think it could be useful to know and it's a golden opportunity to ask about it.

2)
>Back to the party.
>>
>>5554662
>Back to the party.
>>
>>5554662
>>Back to the party.
>>
I can potentially see Artesia potentially having objections to this, but if she does then our argument would probably be like the one we made to Casval to not go on a murder rampage; that destroying yourself for some greater goal isn't worth it, and will only leave you as a shell.
>>
>>5554670
>>5554675 (2nd)
>>5554683
>>5554694
Writing.
>>
The two of you leave the secluded room, heading back out into the hall and toward the party, splitting up to enter through different doors. You’re left with a lot to think on as you mingle back in with the other cadets, watching as Vivima makes her way directly over to her brother; it’s a smart move, she drank more than she can handle and he and Artesia will help to manage the attention she’s bound to get wherever she goes now… and Artesia does look happy, it’s impossible to deny that. Even at this distance you can see the looks she’s giving Garma as he moves to help Vivima sit.

Scanning over the crowd you quickly spot Casval; he’s moved on from speaking with Nimi it seems, now off to the side having a discussion with a tall silver haired cadet - It’s not quite the same hue as Blanche’s hair, but there’s a similarity there. They both cut quite impressive figures, bearing a similar confidence.

Closer, much closer, you hear a slightly hoarse, almost shrill voice of a girl boasting loudly from a table of rougher looking cadets; you can’t see her, but immediately you recognize the group gathered about the table as not being cut from the same cloth as the rest of the party. Their uniforms are a little less well pressed, their hair a bit less kempt, their manners certainly leaving something to be desired - They’re here by merit, not blood, and though that’s true for the vast majority of those who will attend the academy they tend to still know enough to put on a more respectable display… Not these ones it seems. Looks like they’re having some sort of drinking contest, probably not a wise move at the party of a tight laced general like Rugens, but for all of his iron discipline he’s not actually present… More urgent business, perhaps?

>Join your brother and speak with this silver haired mystery cadet he’s found.
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>Go join Garma at his table. You can’t exactly talk to Artesia about your conversation with Vivima, but your sister's still at the front of your mind. Might draw some attention.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5555006
>>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
RIZ?
>>
>>5555006
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555006
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555012
Rix, not riz.
They are next to eachother in the keyboard
>>
>>5555006
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555006
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555006
>>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555006
>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
>>5555006
>>...That’s an oddly familiar voice over there with the rough lot of cadets, check it out.
>>
Does anyone think it might be a good idea to talk with Casval and Artesia while here at Rugens' place? There probably aren't any bugs around, so it could be the best place to have a private conversation.
>>
>>5555012
>>5555014
>>5555016
>>5555020
>>5555042
>>5555072
>>5555119
>>5555153
Writing.
>>
There’s something about the girl’s voice that sounds oddly familiar, but you’re having a difficult time placing it, and soon you find your feet carrying you toward the rough looking cadets and their raucous competition.

“Giddyup, blondie!” The girl shouts from just out of sight, a few tall cadets still blocking your view of her side of the table, “Drink! It’s a party! Ahaha!~”

“P-please, miss, I… I don’t enjoy you sitting on my lap in such a wa-Agh! Stop that! Cease that lewd motion at once,” You hear a boy’s voice call out, soft and not terribly masculine, “My glasses!”

“Wohoho, you’re cute, four eyes!~” She teases him, and you push past the tall cadets to get a clearer view. A neon purple haired girl - definitely not regulation - who has to be even shorter than Artesia is sitting in the lap of a deeply uncomfortable looking and very prim blond haired cadet - She has the poor boy’s glasses in one small hand, peering through their thick lenses with big red eyes, her other arm wrapped around his neck and shoulders so she can recline back while sitting atop his lap, that hand gripping a lit cigarette and one leg lifted up slightly, her entire being somehow constantly in motion, “How do you see anything out of these specs?”

“They’re prescription, it won’t work for you-” He starts to explain, face burning crimson as the girl tosses them lightly onto the table, glasses landing among glasses, “D-do be careful, they can break if you… oh my, where’d they go?”

“Got em’ right ere’, lad, not to worry.” A stocky and short cadet says from nearby, and you immediately recognize the unbelievably stout fellow as being the spacenoid from the alley fight in Von Braun, now holding the cadet’s glasses securely in his off hand, a shot glass in the other, “Gonna drink or nae? Tiff, git off o’ him!”

“I… I must object to this incessant clinging! This is most inappropriate!” The blond haired boy protests rather stiffly, his voice weak and limbs nearly frozen into inaction as he’s unable to make sense of the girl’s aggressive attention, blue eyes as wide as saucers and cheeks burning.
>>
>>5555261

“No clinging? How about clanging? No? How about banging?~” Tiff teases him, her voice piercing and hoarse as she leans back further and flicks at another cadet with her now free hand, riotous laughter sounded from the other cadets, male and female alike, “Drink, specs!”

“P-please, I… I… Oh! You!” The blond haired boy points to you in much the way a drowning sailor would when spotting a rescue plane, “Tell them to stop, I implore you! You’re an aristocrat, aren’t you? I’ve been forced into these most perilous hijinks, and I must say-Agh!”

Tiff leans forward quickly enough to cause the boy to yelp, looking for a moment as if she’s going to kiss him but instead moving past to take a quick drag of her cig, red eyes wide and a bit crazed as she looks to you, her voice shrill with excitement, “Another one? Ahahaha, tonight’s my night, Rix! We made it!”

>”Get off of him, miss.” Answer the prim cadet’s plea for aid.
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5555262
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
>>
>>5555262
>>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
>>
>>5555262
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?

We aren't that good with drinks if I remember, though it's tempting to take a few. Also it could be important to stay sober so that we can talk to Casval and Artesia after the party since we have important things to say to them both.
>>
>>5555262
1)
>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
2)
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>>
>>5555262
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
>>
>>5555262
>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>”I’ll drink if he won’t.” Take a seat, ignore the plight of the straddled cadet for now.
Hayooo, new battlebuddies inbound. And good handling on the previous votes, anons.
>>
>>5555262
1)
>>”Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” This is entertaining, throwing some fuel on the fire can’t hurt too much, right?
>>
>>5555269
>>5555273
>>5555278
>>5555474
Writing. Might take a bit to get the update out, not sure.
>>
“Careful there, I hear she bites off fingers.” You warn the blond cadet, prompting a tiny growl and joking chomp from Tiff which just sends the poor guy further along the path of becoming a blushing nervous wreck. You nod to the others, “Howdy.”

Howdy? How’dya know about the finger chomping, ye cowboy poof?” Rix questions, wide frame leaning forward in his chair and causing it to creak a bit, the rough features of his face darkening for a moment as he looks you over, “Oh, holy hell, yer the alley guy! Haha, sit down! Forget that poof stuff. Sit!”

“Didn’t expect to see you again,” You grin, taking a seat at the table next to a dark straight haired girl and directly across from Rix and motioning toward the blond boy being victimized by Tiff, “I’ll drink if he won’t.”

“...Blondie two’s the alley guy?” Tiff ceases her torment of the cadet for just a moment, taking a better look of you and a big toothy grin spreading across her small face, red eyes wide, “Burner! Yo, blue eyes, my man, what’s your name? I’m Tiff!”

“Max.” You answer, a shot glass seeming to almost materialize before you as several cadets pass it along the table, “Is Tiff short for something?”

“I’m short for everything!” She replies enthusiastically, pointing a small finger at you aggressively, “But I’m just Tiff - Better not forget it!”

You down the shot easily and immediately; it burns a bit, a rich smoky flavor to it, but it’s nothing compared to that almost toxic swill Dozle had you drink back on the Zam. Rix downs his own.

“Call er’ Tiffany at yer peril.” Rix warns with a chuckle, Tiff practically spinning about atop the blond cadet to glare at her muscular friend, “And ye can call me Rix. Gid scrapper, aren’t ye?”

“You’ve been in battle together?” The dark haired girl next to you questions, already passing another glass along to you, which you graciously accept and down; Rix again matches you. He might be around a foot shorter than you, it’s hard to tell precisely, and yet he probably weighs quite a lot more than you; he’s built like a bear that fell into a vat of anabolic steroids - the opposite of Dozle in height, but uglier and somehow packing more muscle on his frame proportionally.

“On Luna.” You explain, “Bit of a dust up with some feddies, I came in during the second half.”

“Aye, thirty o’ them there were!” Rix boasts loudly, “Or maybe ‘twas ten - but there we were, me n’ Tiff, the academy had just let us in - And lo n’ behold a group of feddie bastards came up on us, all tan jackets and jackboots, with the flat caps - All o' it!”

“You were assaulted?” The blond cadet squeaks out from under Tiff.

“Sure was!” Tiff replies cheerily, snuggling up a bit closer and interrupting whatever words he was finally mustering, “They got frisky, I got fighty!”
>>
>>5555863

“Ye insulted their ma’s an’ tellt em’ tae go back tae earth, Tiff.” Rix corrects her.

“That was you, muscle brains!” Tiff shoots back, practically using ‘specs’ as a pole to lean from, one arm still around his neck as she points accusatively at Rix.

“A supremely dishonorable way to goad one's opponents into battle, but undoubtedly effective.” The dark haired girl next to nods sagely, passing along another shot which you again down, “You were victorious?”

“Sent the feddies limping away,” You confirm, already awaiting the next glass, “Didn’t have time to hang around.”

“Those were sick wheels, man!” Tiff describes your escape, mimicking controlling a steering wheel with her free hand, “Went screaming out of the alley, totally floored it! Where’d you burn off to? Got a girl?~”

“Had her with me there,” You shrug, another glass finding its way to your hand somehow, Rix still matching you, dark liquid vanishing away, “Didn’t want to wait for the cops, looked like things were handled.”

“Aw, I wanted another… Congrats on your girl though, bro! Haha!” Tiff frowns for a moment before returning back to her usual chaotically energetic self, laughing and flashing you a genuine smile and thumbs up before turning her full attention back to her captured cadet, putting both arms around his neck now, “You’re all mine, blondie!~ Woah, yo, don’t push me-Aaagh!”

She continues protesting as the blond haired cadet starts to try to stand, having finally mustered the courage, but he’s soon dragged back dawn into the chair, freezing up as Tiff plants a kiss on his cheek - That seems to destroy whatever resolve he had found, and he resigns himself to his fate. A faint embarrassed smile crosses his bright red face for just a moment before vanishing.

“She was drinking before me?” You ask, nodding toward Tiff, and Rix shakes his head grimly.

“She’s always like this. Nae started yet, have ye Tiff?” Rix questions, wide brow furrowing.

“Not a drop, bro!” She calls back hoarsely, stopping to take another quick puff of her cig before leaning way over to snatch a drink from the table, offering it to ‘specs’ first, “Drink! Lighten up, specs - You’re my boyfriend now!”

…That’s definitely not how that works, but she does seem to be cracking through the boy’s extreme anxiety - Though her choice to pile on a mountain more of it and then smash it with a sledgehammer is far from a gentle subtle approach. He still sort of looks like he wants to escape. You don’t think about that too much, downing another shot handed to you by the dark haired girl.

>”So how’d y’all get into the academy?” You already said howdy, may as well sprinkle on a little more.
>”Just go around provoking fights for fun?” Something tells you the answer is probably ‘yes.’
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5555864
1)
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
>”Just go around provoking fights for fun?” Something tells you the answer is probably ‘yes.’

2)
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.

Introductions have been a long time coming for all of us.
>>
>>5555864
1)
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
>”So how’d y’all get into the academy?” You already said howdy, may as well sprinkle on a little more.
2)
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
3)
>”So how’d y’all get into the academy?” You already said howdy, may as well sprinkle on a little more.
>>
And we should probably stop drinking too, before we say something we're going to regret.
And we need to keep ourselves sober enough to talk with Casval and Artesia. This is practically the only place were we can talk in private.
>>
>>5555864
>>”Just go around provoking fights for fun?” Something tells you the answer is probably ‘yes.’
>>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
>>
>>5555871
I can support no more drinks
>>
>>5555877
I'm not sure how we can make that happen though.

>>5555864
Do we need a write-in to have Felix stop drinking?
>>
>>5555882
A write-in would work. I'll just take >>5555877 and
>>5555871 as already doing that for both of you, no need to tack on more unless you change your votes further.
>>
Though I have to admit, it would be really funny if after all that conversation about pretending to forgive Vivima we suddenly started to be hostile to her because of how drunk we are (and end up spilling some of our real plans).
Even just speaking against the Zabis with the cadets here could make for a some fun reactions and double takes.
>>
>>5555891
I see, thanks Contolist! Will be sticking to that then.

>>5555892
Then again I'll probably regret it if I do support that course, as tempting as it might be.
>>
>>5555864
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
+1 one to the no more drinks.
>>
>>5555864
>>5555867
Changing my vote to just:
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
And to stop drinking too.
>>
>>5555864
>>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
and put down the drink, getting drunk offers 0 advantages and is unbecoming of an officer and a son of Zeon
>>
>>5555864
>”You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” Some more introductions might be in order.
Temperance is no fun anons
>>
>>5555931
>>5555921
>>5555917
>>5555907
>>5555868 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
>>5556041
With no further drinking, just to be clear.
>>
>>5556043
Sad!
>>
>>5556043
Happy!
>>
>>5556043
Angry!
>>
Just a heads up that it'll take longer than I expected to finish writing, busy night.
>>
>>5556152
Don't worry about it Contolist, thanks for telling us though.
>>
>>5556152
Tiff has the VA of Rebecca from Edgerunners, right?
>>
“You don’t even know his name, Tiff, do you?” You give the wild purple haired girl an intensely skeptical look. She sticks her tongue out at you, proving her maturity for all time, and then looks to her claimed prize with real interest.

“What’s your name, specs?” Tiff asks him, a little less manic than before, red eyes still wide and taking in every detail.

“B-blare.” He answers timidly, moving back a little from Tiff, eyes even wider than hers, “I’d say it’s been a pleasure to meet you, but that would be a lie-”

“Blare?” She interrupts him, testing his name out a few times before breaking into a fit of giggles, “Blare, blare, blare… Blare? Hahahaha!”

“It’s a traditional name, we’ve passed it down for generations,” Blare protests weakly, standing up for himself but almost mumbling as he’s in such discomfort, Tiff practically burying her head against his chest and shoulder, still laughing, “I… I won’t stand for you to ridicule my name like thi-”

“No, no, man, not like that!” Tiff pulls back, still struggling not to laugh, a far cuter grin across her face than before, one slender finger booping Blare on his nose, “You’re so quiet - It’s perfect! If anyone ever gives you shit about it, point me at em’.”

“I… thank you? I think that’s good, I’m so confused… Miss, we’ve only just met…” Blare eases up a little more, his cheeks still practically scarlet. You turn your attention from the two of them for a moment and back to Rix and the dark haired girl that keeps seeming to materialize drinks from the ether.

“I’ve had enough,” You say, just starting to feel some of the early effects of the first shot - In a few more minutes it’ll all really start to hit, you’ve been downing it like water, “Could keep going, but it’s not the place. Another time, Rix.”

“Aye, prolly’ best tae stop.” He nods, which surprises you a bit - Restraint and understanding wasn’t something you expected from such a fighter, “...Means I win! Who’s next?”

…Never mind. There aren’t any immediate takers, a few cadets trying to push their friends to go up against Rix, none terribly keen to do so - It’s hard to blame him, it looks like he’s been at this for awhile now and he doesn’t seem fazed at all.
>>
>>5556325

“My name is Izumi Fuchs,” The dark haired girl next to you declares, sitting up straighter in her chair and facing Rix directly, one hand held in a fist against her chest, “And I accept your challenge, Rix!”

“Fancy. Could hay just said aye, tho’.” Rix shrugs, “Let’s drink! Cowboy, pour for the lass!”

Izumi hands you a tall bottle almost reverently, and then slides over a few shot glasses, your roles suddenly reversed following your withdrawal from the competition.

“I must warn you, Rix, I have been preparing for this day for years.” Izumi replies ominously, taking her gloves off and setting them aside, a showy motion with absolutely no benefits in a contest like this - It does send a clear signal though - “You will be going to a hospital after this, as may I, and it is even possible we may both be expelled from the academy - I am willing to risk everything upon this competition, are you?”

“Holy christ, lass, it’s just a drinkin-” Rix starts to say, the girl’s intense melodrama a bit much for him, but something about her tone of voice tells you that it’s not at all an act.

“Are you a coward, Rix? Prove yourself!” Izumi challenges, the first shot glass already in her hands moments after you finish pouring, held almost accusatively toward the muscular cadet.

Rix answers her simply by downing his shot, and it begins.

>”...Maybe you shouldn’t go this hard?” A voice of restraint might be necessary.
>”So how’d you all end up here?” Direct the question to the whole table. Keep pouring drinks.
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5556327
>”So how’d you all end up here?” Direct the question to the whole table. Keep pouring drinks.
>>
>>5556327
>>”So how’d you all end up here?” Direct the question to the whole table. Keep pouring drinks.
>>
>>5556327
1)
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked?”
>”So how’d you all end up here?” Direct the question to the whole table. Keep pouring drinks.

2)
>”So how’d you all end up here?” Direct the question to the whole table. Keep pouring drinks.
>>
>>5556327
1)
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked?”
>”...Maybe you shouldn’t go this hard?” A voice of restraint might be necessary.
2)
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked?”
>>
>>5556327
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked.
Bro time at the gym.
>>
>>5556329
>>5556331
>>5556332 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“So how’d you all end up here?” You direct the question at everyone at the table, a few of the other cadets immediately answering some mix of an explanation about grade and test scores, and something about receiving an invitation - sensible enough answers, but nothing special.

“My family has been in military service for centuries, excellence in service is expected. As with our other comrades, I was accepted based upon satisfactory test scores.” Izumi answers very clearly, accepting another shot glass from you, “My invitation to this gathering was due to my victory at the All Side Six Kendo Championship. My opponents fought well, but ultimately it was hopeless for them.”

That gets your attention, and not just her seemingly insane levels of self confidence, “...Very impressive. Placed first?”

“Indeed.” Izumi downs another shot, “You’re a fighter, have you tried the sport?”

You shake your head, “No, but I’ve been fencing for years. Mostly saber, but epee and foil as well.”

“Excellent sports. I have been familiarizing myself with them in preparation for the academy.” She nods politely, eyes refocusing on Rix with a killing intent, “I look forward to defeating you at the academy, but I must focus upon my current battle.”

You just keep serving as they go, drinking themselves into what will surely be some kind of trouble, but for now you turn to Rix, “How about you, Rix?”

“Didnae git in oan may grades,” He answers with a chuckle, “Killed a pair o’ terrorist twats at a hospital, ‘twas there for mae brother - he’s sick a lot. They came in with’ guns, lookin’ for an auld diplomat fellow. Took em’ both after they shot his guard. Bloody work, that. News loved it, o’ course.”

“Such a burner story, Rix, wish I was there!” Tiff says, turning away from a… actually slightly more comfortable looking Blare, though the purple haired girl is still using his lap as a chair, “Hit em’ so hard their eyes came out, wild shit!”

“...Aye.” Rix answers his manic friend, flashing a toothy grin but just a moment later than you would expect, “Nae just one hit, took some proper work.”

“What a horribly gruesome tale.” Blare half gasps, eyes wide in shock, his voice soft but the faintest bit curious, “You do not speak in jest?”

“Nae somethin’ tae joke about much.” Rix replies, downing another shot, “Unless yer’ Tiff.”
>>
>>5556794

“You know it!” Tiff laughs, “How’d you get here, Blare?~

“P-perfect test scores.” He answers, suddenly far more quiet as Tiff returns her attention fully to him, planting another kiss on his cheek and this time eliciting a longer lasting little smile, “And… uh, a-and I won several Go competitions. H-how were you accepted, Tiff?”

“Not grades, haha! But I’ve got you for that, don’t I?” She questions, and to your surprise Blare gives a tiny nod, “Wacked a guy at a Zabi youth rally, kinda like Rix!”

“You… you killed a man?” Blare barely squeaks out the question, smile vanishing.

“Yeah! Knife to the thigh, lights out. Blood went everywhere” She answers cheerfully, snapping her fingers to emphasize the quickness, “Still get cards from all the kids' moms, they’re so sweet! Love em’ all, and the cookies, oh man, you have no idea. How about you, blondie two?... Uh, Max, right?”

>”Grades too, but I’m a friend of the Zabis. Our families go way back.” Sort of true.
>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.
>”Me? Oh, well I’m one of the long lost sons of Zeon Zum Deikun. Can’t you tell?” And Tiff is the Queen of England; fuck with them a bit, even if is the truth.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5556801
1)
>”...Maybe you shouldn’t go this hard?” A voice of restraint might be necessary.
>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.
>”Rix, I have to ask - How’d you get so jacked?”

2)
>”...Maybe you shouldn’t go this hard?” A voice of restraint might be necessary.
>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.

I'm starting to regret going along with the competition here, don't want Rix to get in trouble.
>>
>>5556801
>>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.
>>
>>5556801
1)
>"Little bit of grades, little bit of flying and a little bit of good old fashioned connections. Me and my siblings kept sending letters to Dozle, and then we had to prove we had the skills for it."
2)
>”Grades too, but I’m a friend of the Zabis. Our families go way back.” Sort of true.
>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.
3)
>”Grades and good flying skills, simple as that. Won a few races and caught Dozle Zabi’s attention.” Also sort of true.
4)
>”Grades too, but I’m a friend of the Zabis. Our families go way back.” Sort of true.
>>
>>5556801
+1 >>5556813
>>
>>5556813
I'm trying to go for our old cover of us being from Texas colony, and how we sent letters to Dozle asking us to join before we got spacenapped. The "connections" would be people to deliver the letters to him
>>
>>5556801
>>5556804
Changing my vote to support >>5556813
I'm hoping we'll get the chance to stop the challenge if it goes too far.
>>
>>5556813
>>5556818
>>5556823
Writing.
>>
“Little bit of grades, a little bit of flying, and a little bit of good old fashioned connections.” You answer her, choosing to stick with your old cover from the Texas colony but with a few additions, “My siblings and I kept sending letters to Dozle Zabi, and then we had to prove we had the skills for it.”

“Woah, you met the big guy?” Tiff questions in that hoarse tone of her, cocking her head slighting, bright purple hair brushing up against Blare’s face as she does so, “What’s he like?”

“I believe he met more than the colonel, Tiff.” Blare comments before you can answer, finding his voice once again, “Observe the tailoring of his uniform and his casual mannerisms, he’s of fine breeding and raised among the upper classes.”

Fine breeding? ...You talk funny, Blare! Max, you are pretty frilly though, bro.” Tiff agrees as she looks back to you, whatever 'frilly' means in this context, “Blare, lay it on me, what's blue eyes hiding? He's holding out on us."

For half a moment you sense something in the air around you. Probably just a draft.

“I observed him exiting the party with Vivima Zabi earlier, shortly before I made the mista… Before I joined this table.” Blare corrects himself, getting an appreciative little wiggle from Tiff, his voice growing a little higher pitched again, “I-i, oh my, Tiff - I suspect his family’s overtures were most successful.”

“They went far better than we could’ve hoped, all three of us were accepted.” You nod, a little startled by how observant the timid and prim cadet really is but keeping your cool, the effects of your earlier shots starting to be felt - Being conscious of the subtle change helps a little, but you know that it won’t be long now before it really hits, “It’s been a big change from Texas colony.”

“Why did you exit the party with Vivima Zabi, Max of Texas Colony?” Izumi questions, Tiff motioning for you to speak up at the same time; you pass the next shot to Izumi who downs it immediately.

“...She was apologizing on behalf of another,” You lie as easily as you breathe, though there’s still a slim truth to it, “One of the officers at another table had too much to drink, he asked questions that… I won’t repeat here. I appreciated the gesture, she's a kind person.”

“Come on! Spill it!” Tiff pushes.

“Lay off o’ him, Tiff.” Rix commands her, and though she makes a face at Rix in response she does back off, dropping the issue.
>>
>>5557010

“Apologizing for the behavior of those beneath her station?” Izumi questions, taking in the details of your story and working them over piece by piece, “...A peculiar sense of responsibility, but honorable - Rix, you’re wobbling, yield and I will spare you.”

“What? Nae, thas’ you, lass!” He shoots back, the two of them working downing shots at a genuinely concerning rate; Rix might be able to handle it, he’ll be drunk as a skunk but the guy’s built like an armored vehicle, but Izumi is… Well, she’s tall at least, quite tall, but she just doesn’t have the mass to keep this up.

“Impossible.” Izumi replies with absolute certainty, still completely steady, “Max, my next shot, please.”

>”...Maybe you should both slow down? That stuff is going to hit you like a train in five minutes, I’m already feeling it.”
>”Right away, miss.” Either she’s the best actor you’ve ever met or she really is completely certain of her victory - Which probably means she’s madder than Tiff, just in a very different way.
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5557011
1)
>”...Maybe you should both slow down? That stuff is going to hit you like a train in five minutes, I’m already feeling it.”
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”

2)
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5557011
>>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5557011
>”Right away, miss.” Either she’s the best actor you’ve ever met or she really is completely certain of her victory - Which probably means she’s madder than Tiff, just in a very different way.
Do not dishonor the noble warrior!
>>
>>5557011
1)
>”...Maybe you should both slow down? That stuff is going to hit you like a train in five minutes, I’m already feeling it.”
2)
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5557011
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5557011
>”Right away, miss.” Either she’s the best actor you’ve ever met or she really is completely certain of her victory - Which probably means she’s madder than Tiff, just in a very different way.
>>
>>5557010
>For half a moment you sense something in the air around you. Probably just a draft.
Something to do with newtype powers?
>>
>>5557011
>”Right away, miss.” Either she’s the best actor you’ve ever met or she really is completely certain of her victory - Which probably means she’s madder than Tiff, just in a very different way.
>>
>>5557011
>>5557017
Changing my vote to just:
>”...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, need to check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”
>>
>>5557126
>>5557034
>>5557026
>>5557018
Siblings.

>>5557123
>>5557083
>>5557024
Glorious battle!

Writing.
>>
You pass the next drink along to Izumi, but think better of your role in this particular contest, “...I think I’ll leave you two to this battle, I should check in on my siblings. Been great meeting all of you.”

“Later, Max!” Tiff calls after you as you depart, the others giving their own farewells as you politely leave the table behind - The last thing you hear clearly of them is Izumi declaring something about victory by ‘entirely by her own hand’ or some such. Quite the odd group.

About ten minutes later.

Getting your siblings away from the rest of the party wasn’t too difficult, Garma’s an accommodating friend and Casval clued in on what you were doing before you even asked; he just sort of showed up at your side after you’d spoken with Artesia.

You’re all off in the same room you were speaking to Vivima in, still as good a place as any for a secluded conversation but now with far few worries about rumors spreading - The worst you’ll have to deal with is the oddity of three siblings being together here at all.

The last couple of minutes have been spent giving them both the basic run down of what Vivima told you, for once the three of you being able to speak relatively freely - Casval, every wary, is still not speaking openly of revenge but he’s not taking quite the same efforts to conceal his distaste for the Zabis.

“...I think she really is sorry.” Artesia begins, sitting next to you on the sofa, her presence close about you in the air as well and all the more comforting for it, “When I’ve spent time with her and Glemy she’s so caring for him, mother thinks so as well. Vivi’s my friend.”

“Vivi? Artesia, be careful not to get too familiar with them.” Casval warns her, his gaze ever steady, “Getting them to open up is good, but don’t lose sight of our goal.”

“It’s what Glemy calls her, I know it’s childish but it sort of rubbed off.” Your sister gives an innocent shrug, “And I’m not losing sight of anything, I just think maybe we could go about it… differently.”

You nod, finding at least part of what she’s saying to be appealing even if the rest weighs heavily upon your mind, “Peace is seeming to be more of an option with part of their family, but I still don’t trust them at all - I trust I can predict how they’ll act, but that’s not the same. I’m not sure I believe Viv at all, she’s nearly as good of a liar as Kycilia. Speaking of that witch, you really should spend less time with her, Artesia.”

“You think I like spending time with her? It’s awful, but…” Artesia hesitates for a few seconds, choosing her next words after much deliberation. “We’ve done at least some good things, I think, and nothing I’d call bad. You said earlier that I feel… cold?”
>>
>>5557322

“Your presence does, or maybe your aura? I’m still not sure how we should talk about these things,” You say, the imprecision of the terminology is a continuing point of confusion even after your trip to the Flannigan’s laboratory, “She’s been changing you, I can feel it every time you come back.”

“I haven’t felt it, but I can see it in how you act with Garma.” Casval agrees, “That Zabi woman has her claws in you Artesia.”

“I… I know.” Artesia admits hesitantly, pain in her blue eyes, “But it’s what we have to do, isn’t it? I want to do my part, even if it’s with her. I’d rather get away if I could, but I don’t think I can do as much elsewhere.”

“You’ve been doing well with Garma.” You comment.

“...He’s different.” She says softly, taking one of your hands in hers, soft and comforting; you can almost feel her emotions through the contact, not quite the mental connection you often share but only a hair’s breadth from it. There’s a comforting warmth when she thinks of him, more like her old self, thawing away the ice that’s been slowly building up about her psyche.

“I’ll admit he’s grown on me too, but that doesn’t change much; a Zabi is a Zabi.” Casval says, single minded as ever, crossing his arms and utterly unaware of the connection you’re sharing with your sister, “This information about Sasro is interesting though. I doubt it’s true.”

“A little convenient, isn’t it?” You ask, and both your siblings nod, “I think Mink tried to tell me something about it once, when she had that panic attack.”

“Poor Mink…” Artesia mutters quietly, and even though it’s an extra degree removed you can feel the sharpness of her empathy for the mistreated maid; it’s an aching regret, a feeling of continuing powerlessness. There’s nothing much to be done about it, and yet it hurts.
>>
>>5557323

“A pervasive lie then, or maybe a partial truth, but it doesn’t take the blood off of that family’s hands. Do you think we should speak with Degwin about it?” Casval asks, eyeing the door to the room suspiciously. Artesia gets up quietly and checks; the hallway outside is clear, and she quickly returns back.

>”Of course we need to talk with him. Artesia or I might be able to pick up on some of his emotions when we do - Can’t ever bet on that though. Maybe there is some truth to the story, maybe not, but I want to find out.” You have a right as Zeon Deikun’s children to know the truth of his death, press that right.
>”Mother’s been talking to him for a while now, it might be best for her to ask. She has as much a right to know as we do, and I trust she’ll handle it with care… Might be better at catching things than either of us, don’t you think so, Artesia?” Mom's a classy lady, she can handle this with tact.
>”No, not yet. If the story is true then it’s one of his greatest shames, I think we should wait until we’re more familiar. Once we’ve been in the academy for a while it might be time. He might even come to us with it, that would be best.” Why rush and risk things? You’ll be at this for years probably.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5557328
>”Mother’s been talking to him for a while now, it might be best for her to ask. She has as much a right to know as we do, and I trust she’ll handle it with care… Might be better at catching things than either of us, don’t you think so, Artesia?” Mom's a classy lady, she can handle this with tact.
>>
>>5557328
>”No, not yet. If the story is true then it’s one of his greatest shames, I think we should wait until we’re more familiar. Once we’ve been in the academy for a while it might be time. He might even come to us with it, that would be best.” Why rush and risk things? You’ll be at this for years probably.
>>
>>5557328
>>”No, not yet. If the story is true then it’s one of his greatest shames, I think we should wait until we’re more familiar. Once we’ve been in the academy for a while it might be time. He might even come to us with it, that would be best.” Why rush and risk things? You’ll be at this for years probably.
>>
>>5557328
>”No, not yet. If the story is true then it’s one of his greatest shames, I think we should wait until we’re more familiar. Once we’ve been in the academy for a while it might be time. He might even come to us with it, that would be best.” Why rush and risk things? You’ll be at this for years probably.
>>
>>5557328
Might be a bit suspicious if we didn't do anything, especially to someone like Kycilia (assuming Vivima will tell her). But I suppose we could just explain to Vivima that we didn't think it was the right time yet.
Though I have a question, did we check for bugs already?
>>
>>5557346
>bugs
You've checked for bugs as thoroughly as you can under the circumstances, which isn't all that much without a scanner or a lot of extra time and a willingness to tear apart furniture.
>>
>>5557328
>>”Mother’s been talking to him for a while now, it might be best for her to ask. She has as much a right to know as we do, and I trust she’ll handle it with care… Might be better at catching things than either of us, don’t you think so, Artesia?” Mom's a classy lady, she can handle this with tact.
>>
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>>5557329
>>5557379
Mother knows best.

>>5557331
>>5557337
>>5557341
Do not disturb the prune.

Writing.
>>
>>5557328
>”Mother’s been talking to him for a while now, it might be best for her to ask. She has as much a right to know as we do, and I trust she’ll handle it with care… Might be better at catching things than either of us, don’t you think so, Artesia?” Mom's a classy lady, she can handle this with tact.
Might be best if we don't let this stew. Vivima will probably have something planned if we wait. If things do go badly, we can count on Dozle to stand up for mom hopefully.
Still I'm a bit hesitant to potentially get her into danger.

>>5557364
Should be good enough I hope.
>>
>>5557495
>less than a minute difference
That's unlucky lmao
Still this shouldn't be bad necessarily. Maybe we could even talk to mom about it when we have a break in the academy, since then she'll really have a friendship going with Degwin by that point I'm guessing.
>>
It’s been sneaking up on you for a while now, but you’re really beginning to feel just how great everything is; being with Artesia really makes it clearer in your mind.

“No, not yet.” You shake your head a little more than is probably needed, “If the story is true then it’s one of his greatest shames, I… I think we should wait until we’re more familiar. Once we’ve been in the academy for a while it… might be time. He might even come to us with it, that would be best!”

“Max, are you…?” Artesia looks over you worriedly, but why? You’re actually starting to feel a lot better than just a few minutes ago; she’s such a nice sister, you really love that she worries about you like this, but you wish she did it less - And she has your mother’s eyes! They’re both so great.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” You insist, feeling quite sharp and fully ready to make long term plans, “We, uh, need to deal with this Kycilia thing though.”

“You are!” She gasps, blue eyes widening, “How? There was only champagne!”

“Drinking competition, tapped out early. Saw it while I was talking with Gato.” Casval explains with a shrug, “He’s not that far gone… right, Felix?”

“I love you both.” You answer with a grin, just so glad they’re both here with you; Artesia smiles so sweetly at that, almost laughing as she holds your hands, and you continue, “No, I’m fine, Cas, I only had seven… eight shots? And a couple of glasses of the sparkly stuff earlier, or maybe it was three?”

“...He’ll be fine, could’ve been a lot worse.” Casval concludes with a small nod and smirk, placing a hand on your shoulder as you sit together on the sofa, “Come on, Felix, focus.”

“Right.” You blink, bring your immense intellect to bear on these tiny problems, so puny and easy to solve, “So… Kycilia. I don’t like her. I don’t like that you’re with her. Stop helping her.”

Artesia loses it at that, giggling uncontrollably; what’s so funny? You’re laughing too. Casval doesn’t, maybe he didn’t get the joke.

Eventually Artesia gets a hold of herself, “I’ll see if I can work with Vivi to get her to back off on things a bit, I promise. Max, are you sure you want to do this right now? I… Might have had a few too many glasses with Garma too... It was good, wasn’t it?”

“Absolutely!” You reply cheerfully, “I’m… I’m not that drunk, I just had enough to really help me think about things. I’m so glad you’re my sister!”

You lean over and wrap her in a hug, which she accepts warmly; yeah, okay, maybe it took a little longer to really feel those shots than you expected - this is nice though. It’s so nice to share everything with Artesia, feelings exchanging so easily, inhibitions melted away.
>>
>>5557570

“Lightweights, both of you.” Casval comments, looking at the two of you a touch amusedly, though his blue eyes narrow as he watches on.

“I’m fine!” Artesia steals your line, “Just a little giggly, it’s okay Casval. So what else is there? I can try to work on Kycilia, I guess, I’ve been trying but maybe with Vivi I’ll get something… And we wait for the big prune to talk to us about dad, right?”

“If she was telling the truth - Did you know she likes girls?” You almost whisper as you tell her secret.

“Mhm, she asked me if I did, it was kind of awkward.” Artesia answers quickly, and you can feel the faint impression of past discomfort from her, “You know she still likes you, right?”

“Yeah, but she backed off - I didn’t want it. Confusing. She was drunk earlier, before I… Before this, when we talked.” You expertly explain, a sudden wave of melancholy filling you, “...I wish Elena was here.”

“Aww, Felix…” Artesia pouts, feeling your sadness as easily as her own, “You miss her so much! That’s so sweet!”

“...Maybe I should drink.” Casval mutters to himself, watching the two of you fall into eachothers mildly, or perhaps not so mildly, inebriated minds. It’s like you’re feeling Artesia’s drinks… too… wait a minute!

“I think we might be,” You giggle as Artesia thinks of something incredibly embarrassing about Garma, the details eluding your mind but the emotions nearly overwhelming you in a fit of laughter, “I think we might be, uh… Uhm… hehehe, I think we might be sharing too much, Artesia.”

“...I don’t think I drank this much.” She laughs and nods, moving away from you on the sofa, more uncoordinated than she should be. Closing your eyes you try to refocus your mind, warmth and clouding confidence slowly fading… not completely.

Blinking a few more times, taking a deep breath, you steady your thoughts as best you can. Alcohol and newtype powers have interesting interactions, it turns out, something you’ve never had much of a chance to test before… Both sides being a bit tipsy seems important.

>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
>”So, how about Viv? I think she meant it, now that I’ve thought about it a bit. She could be a nice friend, I’d actually like that…”
>”So Viv’s a sneaky purple haired liar, right?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5557572
>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
I feel like Artesia still has some reservations. Best to make sure.
>>
>>5557572
>”So, how about Viv? I think she meant it, now that I’ve thought about it a bit. She could be a nice friend, I’d actually like that…”
I'm fine with getting on her good side if it'll help us in the long run.
>>
>>5557579
I think this is more about how Felix will see Vivima, doesn't really mean that we'll be on her good side necessarily.
Besides, she'll always put her family first before any friendship we have with her.
>>
>>5557572
>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
>>
>>5557572
>”So, how about Viv? I think she meant it, now that I’ve thought about it a bit. She could be a nice friend, I’d actually like that…”
>>
>>5557582
>She'll always put her family first before any friendship we have with her.
Absolutely, and we can potentially use that to our advantage in the future.
>>
>>5557582
I don't expect Vivima to ever betray her family in Felix's name at least, if you lot don't lean in to Vivima supremacy qua waifu. Nevertheless, she is attracted to and inclined to trust Felix. I think she is much closer to a good-faith actor than a bad-faith one and treating her as such is a solid step towards cultivating relations with an actually important Zabi. Dozle and Garma are nice, but merely secondary players in comparison to Kycilia, Gihren, Degwin, and Viv.
>>
>>5557592
>Spoiler
I'm really torn on her as a waifu candidate. Ultimately we'll just have to see how it goes, both the OYW and post war era.
>>
>>5557590
>>5557592
I agree. It's just that making Felix want to legitimately make a friendship with her, instead of currently being almost neutral about her, will give us less room to maneuver.
I'm not saying we shouldn't make her believe she's our friend and make her trust us, just that having Felix actually think about her desires might make things more difficult for us in the future (I'm predicting we'll become more hesitant let someone like Gihren or Kycilia die, since that would devastate her).
>>
>>5557595
And not just that I see wanting to make sure Artesia doesn't become influenced by Kycilia anymore to be more urgent, at least for now.
>>
>>5557596
What I'm saying is that we can always decide to legitimately be Vivma's friend later, but right now this might be the only opportunity to dissuade Artesia about this stuff.
>>
>>5557572
>”So, how about Viv? I think she meant it, now that I’ve thought about it a bit. She could be a nice friend, I’d actually like that…”
I really like Drunk Felix
>>
>>5557597
>about this stuff.
About being a spy, that is.
And saying that we'll be Vivima's friend ring now just means that we'll be pushing into that again. In which case, what was the whole point of mentioning this to Vivima? Let's not make this any more complicated than it has to be.
Again, not saying that we can't be Vivima's friend to get the Zabis to trust us in the long run, just that we have more important things to talk about now.
>>
>>5557572
>>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
>>
>>5557609
Drunk Felix is fun!
>>
>>5557572
>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
Playing hard to get is what made Vivima interested in us in the first place. Don't know why anons want to suddenly become more friendly.
>>
>>5557572
1.
>”So Viv’s a sneaky purple haired liar, right?”
Only reason I'm voting this is cause it gave me a chuckle.
2.
>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
This one is more urgent to say.
>>
>>5557936
Maybe not suddenly, but I'm ok with gradual friendship. Seems more natural that way.
>>
>>5557609
>drunk newtype shenanigans

>>5557572
>”I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece. I know you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”
>>
>>5557955
If Artesia is this affected imagine how Tryphosa will be kek
>>
>>5557578
>>5557585
>>5557643
>>5557936
>>5557947 (2nd, kek)
>>5557955
Kycilia.

>>5557579
>>5557588
>>5557609
Vivima.

Writing.
>>
“I really mean it, Artesia, I worry a lot about you being with Kycilia, I don’t want to see you chipped away piece by piece.” You say, moving a little closer again, thinking better of separating as you feel her presence begin to depart, “I know you’re… you’re trying to help, but we’re doing better anyways, you don’t need to sacrifice so much.”

Well, so much for backing away. She hugs you again, face distraught, “Is that how you feel when you see me?”

“I… Yeah.” You answer. There’s no need to say more, that swirling mix of emotions taking you in once again; maybe you’re not in a great mental state to make sense of a lot of it, but you can feel so much from her, everything is so freely shared. You feel how she does when she sees you and Casval, even your mother, and Garma… wait, what’s he doing there?

“Careful with him too.” You warn gently, smiling even as her emotions concern you - It’s really just a dim intellectual concern though, you feel happy and… content even. What if you got Tryphosa drunk?

“Careful with her.” Artesia parrots right back at you, “Where would you even get drinks at the lab?”

“I guess you’re right…” You admit, the briefly conceived plan has a lot of practical issues, though just grabbing some in the nearby city wouldn’t be that difficult, “Probably shouldn’t make this a habit though, yeah?”

“Mm, I guess so…” Artesia mumbles unhappily, “...Yeah, definitely. Too much.”

You separate again; it’s actually almost painful - You love your siblings so much it hurts. Casval soon finds himself in a hug, accepting it easily with one arm but with far less bubbling enthusiasm than your sister - That’s okay though, it’s just how he is.

“Are you alright, Felix?” He questions with unusual kindness.

“Yeah, Cas.”

>To the academy! [Time skip]
>...One last thing before the academy. [Smaller skip]
>Wait, wait, just one more thing here! (Write-in)
>>
>>5557997
1)
>To the academy! [Time skip]
Finally after all this time.

2)
>...One last thing before the academy. [Smaller skip]
>>
>>5557997
>To the academy! [Time skip]
Can't think of anything else we might need to do here.
>>
>>5557997
>To the academy! [Time skip]
>>
>>5557997
>>To the academy! [Time skip]
>>
>>5557997
>To the academy! [Time skip]
onwards, to the military road!
>>
>>5557999
>>5558002
>>5558044
>>5558056
>>5558080
Writing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE9LIKWXEAo
>>
>>5558093
i liked that they used that song in origin but i prefer its og version https://youtu.be/ZibLQaVp9fo
>>
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10:30, 7 June, UC 0075
Zeon Military Academy on Guardian Banchi, Side Three (Republic of Zeon)


You sit in a crowded red and gold theater, hundreds of cadets in Zeon uniforms surrounding you, stretching above and behind and out to either side. Parents and officials in suits and dresses watch from higher up, behind the cadets, and far below you past row after row of heads is a grand stage upon which Gihren Zabi delivers an address to the incoming glass. Dozle stands near him, but Degwin and Kycilia are seated a bit further behind in chair that look almost to be thrones - There are enough for all of the adult Zabis, two laying empty for now.

“...We are standing before a curtain that is about to rise on a new era.” Gihren speaks passionately, gesticulating with practiced skill, emphasizing every line perfectly - Say what you will, but the man can give a one hell of a speech, “Through the difficult times endured by the first generation of immigrants, we spacenoids have gone from being called the dispossessed to become the chosen people! Now we have unexpectedly found ourselves standing at the forefront of human history, and you bright young cadets here today, you are our vanguard! Do not for a moment hesitate to consider yourselves the elite, for you are the elite!”

You lean over to Sayla as the speech continues, speaking quietly, “He realizes there’s a federation admiral right behind him, right?”

She smirks a little but says nothing.

Gihren continues on with his address, “...Each of you has gone through a rigorous selection process just to be able to make it here today - Take a look around you! You will be the champions of a new colony based society, as well as the leaders of a new humanity! To lead humankind out of its stagnancy, we must take action! Push yourself to become the great military leaders of tomorrow! Join me! Stand with me - On the battlefield!”

As he ends his address, arms outstretched toward the many rows of cadets, the theater erupts into cheers and supportive whoops, many standing to applaud. As this goes on, Dozle steps forward… and past the microphone Gihren was using. The big man draws in a great breath, chest puffing up slightly as he prepares to speak, his gaze sweeping over the entire incoming class.
>>
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>>5558191

Without a microphone, simply shouting to be heard, he addresses his new cadets, “I AM COLONEL DOZLE ZABI, AND I SERVE AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS ACADEMY - I TELL YOU, I AM WHAT PEOPLE CALL A ‘STRAIGHT SHOOTER,’ AND FROM TODAY FORWARD I WILL BE WHIPPING YOUR SORRY ASSES INTO SHAPE!”

A few of the more easily startled cadets let out small gasps, but Dozle doesn’t relent.

“I DON’T GIVE A DAMN IF YOU’RE THE NEW ELITE - THERE’S NO ROOM FOR ANYONE WHO IS PUNY AND WEAK, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR TEST SCORES ARE!” Dozle roars out at the crowd, holding up a giant clenched fist.

Sayla snickers a little, speaking to you and Edouard, “Big teddy bear’s trying to look mean. He is pretty scary looking though.”
“He’s just warming up.” Edouard comments, his eyes as focused as ever on the line of Zabis down below on the stage; Vivima and Garma are in the bottom row of cadets, closest to their family.

“Careful, Sayla, you know we won’t be getting special treatment.” You warn your sister.

“Maybe you won’t, enjoy your six weeks.” She teases back, making a little face at you; she has a point though, if anything it’ll be just you getting his ire. Sayla and Edouard aren’t on his shit list, but every instructor will know you’re already up for disciplinary action somehow. Not a good start.

Dozle sweeps his arm toward a small group of high ranking Federation officers sitting in their own line of chairs on stage, far less spectacular than the Zabi family’s, “…TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST FOR YOU - ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE THE EFSF’S VICE ADMIRAL REVIL!”

The crowd of cadets begins to boo and jeer, and you see Tiff down below getting ready to throw a shoe before being pulled down by Rix and Izumi.

Dozle carries on, a toothy grin spreading across his heavily scarred face, federation officers shifting uncomfortably under the boos and jeers of the crowd and the huge man’s attention, “IF I MAY BE SO BOLD AS TO SPEAK MY MIND, IN MY VIEW THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACADEMY IS NOT TO TRAIN A LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP FOR COLONIES - IT IS TO PRODUCE SOLDIERS! PRODUCING THE VERY BEST OFFICERS AROUND IS WHAT THIS ACADEMY DOES!”

A couple of the federation officers whisper to each other, but the cadets are eating it up - Gihren’s speech got them primed for this, but Dozle’s handling his bit well. It’s hard not to like him.

“…I’VE SAID MY PIECE AS THIS ACADEMY'S SUPERINTENDENT - NOW PROVE ME RIGHT!” Dozle concludes, moving off to take his seat with the other Zabis, less important officers taking over the proceedings from here.
>>
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>>5558193

“Listen up!” An officer calls from a podium nearby, his voice clear and loud through the auditorium’s speaker system, “We will now be introducing our incoming cadets. When your name is called, let your presence be known and stand up! First, from the Republic of Loum: K. Nishimura!”

“Here!” A male voice calls out.

“...Also from Loum, Lou Fang!”

“Here!” Another cadet replies sharply.

It goes on like this for a while, cadet after cadet.

“...From Moore, Zenna Mia!”

“Here!” A blond girl just behind you stands and declares.
>>
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>>5558194

…And so it continues, eventually reaching you and your siblings.

“From Loum, Edouard Mass!”

“Here!” Your brother stands and replies confidently.

“Also from Loum, Maxime Mass!”

“Here!” You stand alongside your brother and call out. This is it, you’re finally both in.

“...And again from Loum, Sayla Mass!”

Your sister bolts up, “Here!”

“You guys made it? Woah! It’s been months!” You hear Char say from nearby, an aisle separating your seats - He must not have seen you until you all called your names out. There’s no time to respond though, his name already being called.

“And another from Loum, a lot of you today, Char Aznable!”

“H-here!” Char replies hastily, standing up half in a panic.

Several more minutes of this go by, working down through row after row of cadets, and soon enough everyone is standing except for the very bottom most row, but even that is quickly being worked through.

“...From Zeon, Vivima Zabi!”

There’s a round of cheers as she stands, purple hair clearly visible even with so many cadets between your position and the bottom row.

“Here!” She calls out, turning and giving a playful wave to some of the cadets who cheered - Things quiet down quickly as Dozle glares out at the crowd.

“...And for the 265 cadets from Zeon, representing and leading your entire class, is Garma Zabi!”

“Here.” Garma stands and speaks confidently, exemplifying everything his family so often pretends to be; he’s been well prepared for this moment.

“On behalf of your class, direct the pledge to Degwin Zabi, Chairman of the Republic!”

Degwin and the other Zabis rise slowly from their chairs, a thin smile crossing the old man’s wrinkled face as he looks across the stage toward Garma; he’s never hidden his favoritism, but it’s easy to miss for those unused to the man.

Garma moves a bit of hair from his eyes, takes a deep breath, and takes the final steps toward the microphone in front of him, “I pledge!...”
>>
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>>5558197

Early the next morning.

“Move it! Move it! This is half the pace the EFSF sets! You’re better than them, aren’t you? Come on, maggots!” A drill instructor shouts from beside the outdoor track as the class of cadets runs along it.

The artificial lighting of the colony is almost painfully bright for as early as it’s supposed to be, and the academy grounds are the very image of military perfection - Everything is new and clean, well maintained and in use by the various classes of cadets. The track you’re on right now around a sports field looks like it has new turf, and an early morning run like this is nothing for you, but many of the other cadets seem to be struggling. Garma’s group is a little slower than you know it could be, but your months of guidance did whip him into much better shape - The lackeys he’s already collected don’t seem to enjoy the fast run though, barely keeping up.

You’re in your siblings unit, but groups for exercise get reassigned each week…

>You’re running with Edouard and Sayla. Your brother is setting a blistering pace for the poor bastards assigned to your group, but you and Artesia can handle it fine. Mostly.
>You’re with Vivima, setting a pace nearly as brutal as your brother’s. It’s keeping the other cadets from gawking at her too much, but she’s struggling a bit as well. Months spent not preparing are still biting her in the ass.
>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.
>>
>>5558199
1)
>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.
2)
>You’re running with Edouard and Sayla. Your brother is setting a blistering pace for the poor bastards assigned to your group, but you and Artesia can handle it fine. Mostly.
>>
>>5558199
1)
>You’re running with Edouard and Sayla. Your brother is setting a blistering pace for the poor bastards assigned to your group, but you and Artesia can handle it fine. Mostly.

2)
>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.

3)
>You’re with Vivima, setting a pace nearly as brutal as your brother’s. It’s keeping the other cadets from gawking at her too much, but she’s struggling a bit as well. Months spent not preparing are still biting her in the ass.

Well this seems like fun. I forget where Garma is in all of this.
Also Dozle's speech seems to be more thought out than in the original, from what I remember at least.
>>
>>5558199
>You’re with Vivima, setting a pace nearly as brutal as your brother’s. It’s keeping the other cadets from gawking at her too much, but she’s struggling a bit as well. Months spent not preparing are still biting her in the ass.


God I hate the earthnoid slut.
>>
>>5558199
>You’re with Vivima, setting a pace nearly as brutal as your brother’s. It’s keeping the other cadets from gawking at her too much, but she’s struggling a bit as well. Months spent not preparing are still biting her in the ass.
I'm sure Cas is running three times faster than everyone else.
>>
>>5558199
>>You’re running with Edouard and Sayla. Your brother is setting a blistering pace for the poor bastards assigned to your group, but you and Artesia can handle it fine. Mostly.
>>
>>5558199
>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.
>>
>>5558199
>You’re with Vivima, setting a pace nearly as brutal as your brother’s. It’s keeping the other cadets from gawking at her too much, but she’s struggling a bit as well. Months spent not preparing are still biting her in the ass.
>>
>>5558199
>>5558206
On second thought, changing my vote to:
1)
>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.

2)
>You’re running with Edouard and Sayla. Your brother is setting a blistering pace for the poor bastards assigned to your group, but you and Artesia can handle it fine. Mostly.

Bonding with the new faces could do us some good, and we might not get a good chance to interact with Rix for some time again (unless he happens to be in our unit somehow).
Does the reassigned groups mean that we'll potentially be with different people each week for exercises? I'm guessing this doesn't mean we'll be in different classes for the entire week from our siblings, right?
>>
>>5558363
I'm >>5557588 by the by
>>
>>5558199
>>You’re with Rix, Tiff, Izumi, and Blare - They managed to stick together somehow, and you snuck near them while the groups were being assigned. It’s not a hard system to game. For being as built as he is Rix isn’t struggling at all with the run, but his legs are a bit too short for him to ever really be fast - Poor Blare looks like he’s going to die, long hair already plastered to him, Tiff practically shoving him forward to keep him moving.
>>
>>5558205
>>5558346
>>5558369
>>5558388
Others.

>>5558210
>>5558264
>>5558363
Viv.

>>5558344
Siblings.

Writing.
>>
>>5558194
>Zenna Mia

I'm a little sad that our screwing with the timeline means shes not likely to become dolze's wife.
>>
“Blare, man, come on!” Tiff shouts alongside him, encouraging the panting and sweat covered cadet to keep up the pace - He’s by far the least fit of your group, falling to the back and struggling to even manage that.

“I… My lungs… I cannot-” Blare tries to complain, his talking only making things worse as he doesn’t focus on his breathing, “Need… stop…”

“Only cowards surrender!” Izumi back shouts from alongside you, long legs easily carrying her along to match you and Rix as you set the pace alongside the stout cadet, “Run!”

“Hoof it, lad!” Rix calls out as well; his pace is only limited by his short gait, surprisingly good at distance running for someone so incredibly built - It’s actually rather shocking.

“Don’t talk, Blare. Focus on your breathing!” You call back to him, “You’ll push through this, we’ve only got five laps left!”

“Fu… Five?!” He cries in despair, sounding very much like he was about to say something else for a moment, “I… I will… try…”

“Enough yapping! Keep it moving, hustle!” Another instructor shouts from along the track; aren’t they supposed to lead by example or something? This is total horse shit, they’re just standing there.

Vivima’s group comes running up behind yours; she’s clearly pushing herself to match your speed.

“Got a problem with one of yours, Max?” She half taunts, glancing toward Blare as he struggles along, Tiff keeping close by his side as he begins to lag a little more.

“Looks like he’s not cut out for this, look at his form! He runs like a schoolgirl! Haha!” A particularly large cadet in Vivima’s group taunts, nothing halfway about it.

“I’ll cut something out of you if you don’t zip it, meathead!” Tiff hisses threateningly, waving a relatively tiny fist, before speaking more encouragement to her unilaterally selected boyfriend, “Blare, you’ve got this, man!”

“What the hell’s going on over here, cadets?” The instructor shouts, running to catch up, apparently having heard the threat.

“Crazy bitch threatened me!” The same cadet from Vivima’s group answers him, pointing an accusatory finger at the short purple haired girl. Her red eyes flash with anger, narrowing with murderous intent.

“I’ll show ye a fuckin’ threat ye bald cun-” Rix starts to insult the cadet before the instructor begins shouting threats of discipline at all three of them.

“That is not language befitting a cadet of this academy! You, you, you, and you - Off the track!” The instructor shouts, pointing at Rix and then Tiff, Blare, and the large cadet from Vivima’s group, “First day and you’re making enemies? You god damned idiots, you’re on the same side! Comrades! Is this how you treat your fellow cadets? Look like you need some time bond, a week of scrubbing the barra-”
>>
>>5558580

“Sir, they are my companions! I will not allow them to face punishment alone, sir!” Izumi practically leaps in the way of the instructor’s berating of the others, willfully getting caught up in the mess; everyone is still running along, but they cadets that were called out are beginning to split off.

“I like that one!” Vivima points to Tiff, panting and laughing a bit as she struggles to talk and run at such a pace, but she’s already leading her group past yours regardless, “This was all said in good spirits, sir! No need for anything harsh.”

“Cadet, who are you…” The instructor’s words dies in his mouth as he realizes who he’s talking to, anger fading to confusion as noticed her purple hair and violet eyes, “Well… A bit of banter never hurt anyone, you’re soldiers now! Keep up the pace, another couple of laps for all of you! You too, Zabi!”

You don’t dare call out to her directly, but you give Vivima an appreciative nod as her group carries on past yours, the cadets behind her mumbling and complaining about the extra laps. A couple of extra laps is nothing really, barely an inconvenience… other than for Blare, perhaps. Guy has no endurance at all, it doesn’t seem like he tried to prepare physically for the academy even the slightest bit.

“Woah, Vivima Zabi?” Tiff questions almost in total shock about what just happened, red eyes wide as saucer, but still keeping close to her unathletic if quite attractive man, “She likes me! Hahaha! Blare, that was a Zabi! We’re golden, man, totally set!”

“I… I’m happy… for you… us… I think…” He gasps out, still not refusing to just run quietly - For a smart guy he’s sort of an idiot, “But… why us? …Max?”

…Maybe not that much of an idiot.

“A gross abuse of her family’s station, but for the sake of her comrades in arms…” Izumi contemplates the situation, speaking mostly to herself and still easily keeping pace.

>”We’ve flown together, she’s a good wingman!”
>”Probably just trying to ingratiate herself! Come on, keep moving!”
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5558582
>”We’ve flown together, she’s a good wingman!”
>>
>>5558582
>”We’ve flown together, she’s a good wingman!”
>>
>>5558582
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.
>>
>>5558582
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace
Mostly because Felix singing seems like fun
>>
>>5558582
1)
>”Probably just trying to ingratiate herself! Come on, keep moving!”
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.

2)
>”Probably just trying to ingratiate herself! Come on, keep moving!”

3)
>”We’ve flown together, she’s a good wingman!”

4)
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.

Always good to sing, and it's good to motivate our team!
Also I don't remember us actually flying with her, unless I'm not remembering something.
>>
>>5558593
Other than the simulations, I mean (unless that's what Felix is referring too).
>>
>>5558593
>>5558595
It's in reference to the simulator, so a bit of a stretch if anyone dove into the details. Felix has yet to actually fly with her.
>>
>>5558582
>>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.
>>
>>5558582
>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.
>>
>>5558582
>>”...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!…” Sing. There’s no need to answer their question, they just need a distraction to help keep the pace.
>>
>>5558588
>>5558589
>>5558593 (4th)
>>5558600
>>5558611
>>5558652
Writing. Probably won't be done until the morning.
>>
“...Oh, Luna’s got her craters, and Mars is red as gore! Earth is home to traitors, so Zeon’s off to war!” You sing the familiar if rather politically provocative tune; it’s a common feature of protests all across Side Three, easy to march or run to and often improvised almost entirely - Usually to fit whatever the most recent political crisis is.

“...I’ll always keep your favor, I’ll hold it close and dear! With your scarlet I’ll not waiver, with this scarf I shall not fear!” Izumi catches on immediately, referencing something far older than you were intending.

You lead with the next line and keep with Izumi’s theme, the others not quite catching on yet, “...So write me while I’ve left you, my dear love so far behind! Earth is now in view, but you’re never out of mind!”

“...The drop is gettin’ closer, and the shuttle's engines roar! Soon our lives may all be over, down to battle do we soar!” Rix joins in, losing more of his accent while singing than he keeps, his voice harsh and unpleasant - Apparently he cares less about the romance angle.

“...Flashing fire all around me, and the hull is burning red! Feddie guns are god damned lousy, or we’d all be fuckin’ dead!” Tiff calls out in that hoarse voice of hers, laughing - She’s terrible, but it seems to spur something in Blare - It might just be a fear of Tiff belting out another awful line more than anything else though.

“Around… around my arm I’ve wrapped it, the scarf that makes me brave!” Blare manages to find his breath, and though his words are shaky he manages to sing, “To Earth I shall not submit, I shall never be her slave!”

“The door goes crashing open, and feddie rats begin to flee! I don’t just give them one burst - I give them two or three!” Tiff continues, just as shrill and awful as before, enthusiastic as ever about violence. You’re actually catching up to Vivima’s group, and you can see her glancing back toward you and making a cutting motion across her neck. Odd, but you don’t see anything but another instructor up ahead. They should encourage this sort of thing…

“I leap over razor wire, and rush across the bloody field! The odds are ever dire, but sons of Zeon never yield!” You continue, your group still gaining on Vivima’s, her cutting motions growing more frantic - And suddenly you see why.
>>
>>5558809

”What’s this?!” The rotund instructor cries out in disbelief, the EFSF insignia on his uniform only visible just now as his face turns bright red in anger, “Did I hear cadets singing about ‘feddie rats?!’ You! Halt your group! Halt, cadet!”

This is one of the rare federation instructors at the academy. You were warned about them all being assholes, but they’re supposed to be rare and only usually at big exercises… It is the first day though, he might be out making a point of things. Shit. You raise a hand and the group slows to a halt near the portly man, his bald head reflecting strangely in the bright morning light of the colony as he glares at you, one eye twitching in rage.

“You!” He points a chubby finger at you, “Explain yourself, cadet! What’s this about ‘feddie rats’?”

>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
>”Yes, sir, feddie rats! Huge ones all around here from what I hear, sir!” …Fuck it, already caught, might as well double down.
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5558812
>>”Yes, sir, FAT rats! Huge ones all around here from what I hear, sir!”

All in. Insult his chubby arse.
>>
>>5558812
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
I strongly regret having any association with Tiff. This girl is a walking, talking call to violence. Nevertheless, LMAO
>>
>>5558812
>>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
>>
>>5558812
>”Yes, sir, feddie rats! Huge ones all around here from what I hear, sir!” …Fuck it, already caught, might as well double down.
>>
>>5558812
>>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
And if he asks why there's a fire, it's Aurora Borealis.
>>
>>5558812
1)
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
2)
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
>>
>>5558812
>”Yes, sir, feddie rats! Huge ones all around here from what I hear, sir!” …Fuck it, already caught, might as well double down.
>>
>>5558812
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
Forgot about the feddie instructors, gg.
>>
>>5558812
>”Yes, sir, feddie rats! Huge ones all around here from what I hear, sir!” …Fuck it, already caught, might as well double down.
bad ratz: escape from side 3
>>
>>5558812
1)
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.

2)
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
>>
I can't believe I fell for another vote trap, and such an obvious one too.
>>
>>5559105
I wonder if Dozle will add extra weeks of duties to our punishment to appease the feddies, or if he is going to be happy. Maybe even both.
But don't worry, even if you voted for another options, this would still have won
>>
>>5558815 Close enough.
>>5558829
>>5559000
>>5559046
Feddies of unusual size.

>>5558817
>>5558975
>>5559019
>>5559089
Just a song!

>>5558819
>>5558835
Steamed Raz.

I'll give voting another couple of hours.
>>
Let's not get into more trouble than we need. We already have disciplinary action on from before we even got here, no need to make things worse for us.

>>5559114
Knowing him, it'll probably be both.
>>
>>5559129
Part of me wishes that Frederico won, so the instructor could say that he is from Madrid but never heard the story
>>
>>5559152
Kek. There's still a chance, anon.
>>
>>5559152
>>5559156
>Oh not in Madrid, no, it's an Andalusian expression
If someone else votes for it I'll change my vote to it too.
>>
>>5559159
Remeber to say it in spanish
If you are changing, then I'll change as well. There's still a tie, but it's between different options
>>
>>5559160
>No, no, no en Madrid es expresión de Andalusia.
The spanish dub transcribed was easier to find than I expected.

>>5558812
>>5559089
I'll change my vote to the meme:
1)
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.

2)
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
>>
>>5559162
In that case, I'm making mine official as well
>>5558975
Changing to
1)
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
2)
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
>>
>>5558812
1)
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.

2)
>”...It’s just a song, sir!” No point denying it.
>>
>>5558812
>”Feddie rats, sir? No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.” Give a winning smile, try to bullshit out of this.
>>
File: Steamed Bernie.png (173 KB, 306x360)
173 KB
173 KB PNG
>>5559163
>>5559167
>>5559169
>>5558819
>>5558835
Writing.
>>
Agh! Your run is ruined! But what if you lied about the song and disguised it as something from earth?

“Feddie rats, sir?” You question innocently, putting on a subtle accent as you concoct a delightfully devilish way to escape this situation, “No, sir, she said, uh… Frederico Raz! He’s… a Spanish folk villain! I told her about him earlier - A real scoundrel, that one, lots of songs about him.”

“Uh huh. ...A Spanish folk villain? From what region?” The instructor's rage lingers on, mixed with confusion as his eyes narrow in suspicion.

“Uh… It’s a southern legend, sir.” You explain, flashing a winning smile.

“Southern? Really?” His eyes narrow further, chubby face wrinkling up skeptically, “Well, I was based in Murcia for fifteen years and I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a folk villain by that name.”

You switch to Spanish, hoping it might lend some semblance of credibility to the story, “No, no sir, not in Murcia - it’s an Andalusian legend!”

“...I see. You know that tune was remarkably similar to ‘Zeon Forward’ that protestors sing at those Zabi political rallies.”

You shake your head, trying to wave away to accusation, “Haha, no, sir! It’s an old Spanish military tune, I think the Zabis might have stolen it.”

“...For their political rallies?

“Yes, sir.”

“...And you want me to believe that you were singing about this ‘folk villain’?” He raises his voice, gaze shifting across your entire group but mostly between you and Tiff, “This far from Spain, at a military academy in Zeon, and entirely to the tune of a Zeon separatist song?”

“...Yes, sir.” You keep up the smile.

“...May I hear it again, cadet?”

Tiff begins to say something but Rix’s hand finds her shoulder, squeezing hard enough to make her think otherwise.

“Max, are you in trouble again so soon?” Edouard shouts in Spanish as he runs by, before you have a chance to answer the instructor - That seems to allay the pudgy man’s suspicions.

“...No, brother, just talking about Frederico Raz!” You call out to him before turning back to the instructor and trying to look innocent once more.

“...Well, you’re odd cadets… but I must say that you sang a good tune. Get back to running! It’s good to see another earthnoid around here, son. Got no idea why you’d sign up for a colony defense force though…”
>>
>>5559260

Later, shortly after the delayed end of your longer run.

“Yo, Max, you’re from earth?” Tiff questions, the little gremlin somehow not at all winded by the running - You’d think that her smoking habit might slow her down, but apparently not. Rix and Izumi are fine too, Blare not so much.

“No, I'm a third generation spacenoid - I just lived down there for a couple of years.” You shrug, glad the incredibly poor lie managed to work a few minutes ago. If not for your brother’s timely intervention it probably wouldn’t have been believed, that instructor didn’t seem like he was buying it until then.

Blare’s on the ground next to Tiff’s feet, panting and clutching at a bottle of water, looking half dead as he tries to gulp it down.

“Slower, lad, ye’ll spew et out if ye don’t slow.” Rix warns him, and Blare backs off a bit; poor kid really wasn’t ready for any of this at all.

“You lie easily, Max.” Izumi comments, speaking about as weirdly as ever - part of you wonders how she’d get along with Blanche - “Deception is a useful tool in battle. I’m glad you were with us today.”

“Don’t mention it, Izumi.” You accept the praise with a small shrug, “...Really, don’t. Makes it less effective.”

“Of course.” She nods, crouching down next to the Blare along with the others… You really do need to catch up with the other cadet groups, yours was the last to finish due to the extra laps.

Later that day, after classes with your siblings and the rest of the third student corp.

“...How the hell did you end up disciplined on day one, cadet?... No, before the academy even started, this dates back over a month... Damn, almost impressive…” The instructor’s brow furrows as he looks at the crumpled record sheet gripped in his hand more closely, “What the hell did you do to the colonel to deserve this?”

“I’m not at liberty to disclose that information, I would need the colonel’s permission, sir.”

He doesn’t press the issue, clearly experienced enough to know better than to chase down strange stories, “...Right. Well, I’m Sergeant Mendez - welcome to maintenance duty. Have any mechanical experience, cadet?”

“Yes, sir. I’m a licensed private pilot, and I’ve taken a few maintenance courses.” You respond sharply.

He smirks, “Really? Look a bit young for that, but alright. Ever removed carbon scoring from a rocket nozzle by hand?”

“...Yes, sir.”

“Well, aren’t you lucky? You’ve got four hours of that ahead of you, and that’s just today.” Mendez says, now with a wolfish grin, “Follow me, cadet…”
>>
>>5559267

A week later, at shooting practice.

The first week of classes went by without much issue; the academic side of things is mostly beneath you but it’s not a complete breeze, and you’ve been preparing for the exercise for months. Until today there hasn’t been all that much military about it other than learning to march and doing everything in units, plenty of discipline getting thrown around - Today is different though, you’re finally being allowed to shoot.

The last hour has been spent in a mind numbingly boring safety and firearms basics course, covering things you’ve known since you were… twelve? Eleven? It’s difficult to even remember. The last two days also had training like this, no actual weapons but plenty of safety and handling instruction - Most of the cadets have never even touched a gun - but today will change that.

“...Very good cadet Nishimura, that’s perfect form. You were a sports shooter before coming here, weren’t you?” The female instructor asks politely as your fellow cadet shows proper standing shooting stance to the rest of the class, pointing a mock rifle off toward one of the room’s concrete walls.

“Yes, sir.” Nishimura answers, “Competed at a club on my colony.”

“Well, cadet, this should serve as a good refresher - The rest of you, form up in groups of five and follow me, we’ll be entering the shoot bays now!”

About a minute and a half later, at the academy’s indoor shooting range.

Compared to the range at the Zabi palace this facility is incredibly limited, straight lanes with static targets and bright overhead lighting… It’s all well put together and clean, and the ventilation seems great, but other than having room for about forty cadets per bay there’s really not much special about it. You’re with Sayla and Edouard, as you usually are, the three of you getting ready to shoot - This is all familiar to you, you’re just waiting on permission from the instructors to begin.

This is another mixed lesson, just like the larger academic classes and morning exercises, all four student corps mingled together, so Garma and Vivima aren’t far off.

>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
>You’ve kept away from anyone you recognize, giving you and your siblings a bit of isolation as you shoot - There are still cadets off on either side, but you don’t know any of them.
>You’re near the Rix and the others; they seem to stick together and you’re curious whether they can shoot or not.
>>
>>5559260
My sides have left orbit
>>5559268
1)
>You’ve kept away from anyone you recognize, giving you and your siblings a bit of isolation as you shoot - There are still cadets off on either side, but you don’t know any of them.
2)
>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
>>
>>5559268
1)
>You’re near the Rix and the others; they seem to stick together and you’re curious whether they can shoot or not.
I want to see if we can introduce Casval and Artesia to them, and this seems like as good of an occasion as any.

2)
>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.

3)
>You’ve kept away from anyone you recognize, giving you and your siblings a bit of isolation as you shoot - There are still cadets off on either side, but you don’t know any of them.

I'm a bit torn on the last two, since both getting some (relative) privacy could be good, but Casval might be right in keeping close to Garma and Vivima in this.
>>
>>5559260
>you sang a good tune
This whole post was unironically hilarious.
>>
>>5559268
>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
I'm excited for the gun 'tism
>>
>>5559268
Contolist I have a question, are Casval and Artesia close to us in these choices, or is it just Felix going by himself for a bit in options 1 and 3?
>>
>>5559268
>>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
>>
>>5559317
They're close in all the options.
>>
File: 1515367576781.gif (1.49 MB, 346x261)
1.49 MB
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>>5559260
nailed it
>>5559268
>>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
>>
>>5559330
Alright, thank you Contolist.

>>5559268
>>5559277
Changing my vote to:
1)
>You’re near the Rix and the others; they seem to stick together and you’re curious whether they can shoot or not.
I still think it's a good idea to introduce them to our siblings, might even get some connections going.

2)
>You’ve kept away from anyone you recognize, giving you and your siblings a bit of isolation as you shoot - There are still cadets off on either side, but you don’t know any of them.
Even a little bit of privacy could be very good (considering the noise from the shooting and all of that), and getting the chance to know some more cadets might be a nice bonus.

3)
>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
I'm wondering what Casval has planned.
Maybe he'll try to make them more competitive with each other? Either that or getting them closer to us.
>>
>>5559341
*thank you for clarifying, Contolist.
I thought I wrote 'clarifying' in, huh.
>>
>>5559268
>>You purposefully kept close to Garma and Vivima, your brother thinks it’s for the best.
>>5559260
kekd based QM
>>
>>5559294
>>5559325
>>5559340
>>5559399
>>5559275 (2nd)
>>5559341 (3rd)
Writing.
>>
I love how the suspicions of Blare, Izumi, and co. are steadily rising
>>
>>5559453
It could either be a good or a bad thing if they found out, considering the type of person Tiff is (I don't fully trust Blare, he seems to like the whole Zabi aristocracy thing. No idea what goes on in Izumi's mind, and Rix is cool). So who knows maybe we should keep our distance, at least for a bit.
>>
“Alright, cadets, you may begin! The range is hot!” The instructor from before announces over the range PA system, her voice coming through loud and clear even with your hearing protection on.

There’s a brief delay before the thudding indoor gunfire begins, the high ceiling and small caliber of the rifles rendering it barely a distraction. Behind the firing lanes a series of monochrome screens display the live scores of each cadet, a few names quickly moving to the top as those cadets get to work at once.

You look over to your brother and exchange small nods of understanding; this is far from the first time you’ve done this, and it’s always a competition. You both lean back a bit and look at Garma and Vivima, finding them doing much the same; it’s almost comical, blond staring at purple for a moment, each of you peeking from your lanes.

“Let’s just try our best, okay?” Sayla asks, appearing from her own lane, blond hair waving a bit loosely as she looks out to speak with you all - She’s right between you and Garma, because of course she is. There are probably regs against their relationship, but you pity anyone other than Dozle attempting to actually enforce them.

“I always try my best.” Garma replies, holding his chin up a bit proudly, hamming things up just a little for, “Hey, Ca… Edouard, think we can take the top five?”

“Top five? Aiming so low, Garma?” He replies almost disinterestedly, completely confident in his own ability, “Have a little more faith in yourself.”

“But there’s five of us… Hey! Don’t just write us off lack that!” Artesia complains grumpily.

“I’m going for first!” Vivima calls back, voice muffled as she leans back into her lane, a small thud sounding from it a moment later; the score screen registers a hit in the ten ring and her name jumps up to nearly the top.

You chuckle and turn back your own weapon, shouldering the slender rifle and work the action without the magazine in; the bolt throw is short, and you discover it’s a cock on closing design - Combined with the light bolt it would be incredibly easy to run this thing fast. Front post is nice and fine, the rear aperture is crisp and easy to acquire through, and the trigger pull is light and incredibly crisp, breaking almost like a glass rod. This… This is almost cheating compared to your single action armies, even if the trigger’s about the same, and the target is only at fifty meters.
>>
>>5559526

Resisting the urge to laugh you proceed to actually load the rifle, more than comfortable with it now. Around you small cracks and thuds sound from the other lanes, your siblings and the Zabis already firing away. Your brother stands some chance of beating you, but you’ve been diving back into shooting much, much harder than he has recently.

>See just how fast you can shoot this thing, it’s practically begging for it with this design. Might goad Edouard into doing the same, he’s usually the fast one. The competition is really just between you anyways.
>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.
>>
>>5559528
>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.
I'm going for sniper build, to fit our perception.
Let brother be the fast one
>>
>>5559528
>See just how fast you can shoot this thing, it’s practically begging for it with this design. Might goad Edouard into doing the same, he’s usually the fast one. The competition is really just between you anyways.
>>
>>5559526
Bleh, bunch of typos.

>>5559467
>what goes on in Izumi's mind
The inner machinations of her mind are an enigma.
>>
>>5559528
>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.
This is Felix's strong suit.

>>5559536
kek
Did Felix ever find out who won the drinking contest?
>>
>>5559538
I don't think it is, actually. Felix was practicing action pistol shooting on the Zabi range earlier.

>The last thing you hear clearly of them is Izumi declaring something about victory by ‘entirely by her own hand’ or some such. Quite the odd group.
>>
>>5559538
Izumi, somehow.

>>5559545
It was after that, she was just being loud about not having Felix there to pour the drinks for her anymore.
>>
>>5559528
>>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.
It may not be fast, but it will be impressive.
>>
>>5559545
That's a fair point, yet the sniper build the other anon was talking about seems tempting though I might change my vote, since both of these options are just for us showing off and going fast might be beneficial in this case.
>spoiler
I thought that was implying Izumi being confident in winning, not her actual victory. But it makes sense now that I look back at it.
>>
>>5559553
Huh, interesting.
In Rix's defense he just came out of winning a bunch of previous challenges, so I guess he could say it wasn't fully fair if he really wanted to press it.
>>
>>5559528
>>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.
>>
>>5559528
>Take things nice and slow, strive for absolute perfection. A hundred rounds through the same hole. …Or at least as close as you can manage to it. Prove your skill.

One shot, One Suit kill. Aim and squeeze.
>>
>>5559533
>>5559538
>>5559554
>>5559595
>>5559602
Writing.
>>
Sighting in on the target, you steady your breathing and squeeze the trigger mid exhale; the sight picture barely even moves as the gun barks, a perfect hole appearing in the dead center of the target. You smile and work the bolt, ejecting the spent brass almost contemptuously - This is going to be far, far too easy. You fire again, the second round barely marking the target, passing through the same hole as the first and only picked up by the range’s sensors. And then you do it again, and again, again; it’s a steady thumping pace, careful to fully prepare before each trigger press, the ‘pressure’ of the time limit set by the instructors a total joke in comparison to what you ran back at the Zabi palace. That was a very different kind of shooting, but you’re hardly a stranger to rifles either, and this sort of short distance target work suits you just fine.

A few minutes later.

Setting the rifle down for the last time, ejecting the magazine and leaving the bolt open for inspection by the instructors, you finally turn around to check the score. Your siblings and the Zabis, along with quite a few other cadets, are gathered around the screen and commenting on the results. You’ve come in first, followed by Edouard, then Izumi, Nishimura, Garma, a few you don’t recognize, Vivima, a few more you don’t recognize, Sayla, Rix, Char, another small gap, and then Tiff. The rest of the class falls before there, Blare quite far down toward the bottom. There’s a clear gap between those with some experience and those who’ve never shot before.

Your brother’s score was off yours by three points, a trio of tiny deviations dragging him down, and Izumi is tied with him for second - That raises your eyebrows if nothing else, the girl must be able to shoot like a pro. The other placements are less surprising, Garma finished very well and Vivima and Sayla both made good showings.

“Congratulations, Max.” You brother says, a competitive glint in his eye as he separates from the crowd of cadets, “We’ll see how that holds up next time. Finished a couple of minutes ago, you really wanted to come in first, didn’t you?”

“Eh, you’ve still got fencing, let me have this.” You reply, but you know he won’t do anything of the sort - You don’t want him too either, it’s just the usual exchange by now.

A few other cadets step aside to congratulate you, but most are more concerned comparing their scores with their closer friends. Tiffs off a ways with Blare, both of them talking on their own; poor guy looks pretty destroyed, he’s sharp as hell in academics but physically coordinated he definitely is not. It might just be a familiarity issue. Hopefully that’s all it is, or he’s really going to be miserable.

>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score.
>...See if you can help out Blare.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5559664
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>>
>>5559664
>>5559665
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>...See if you can help out Blare.

2)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.

I really want to talk to Izumi, but this seems like it should take priority.
>>
>>5559664
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score
You're pretty good
>>
>>5559664
1)
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score.
2)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>>
>>5559664
>>5559667
Changing my vote again to:
1)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>...See if you can help out Blare.

2)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score.

3)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>>
>>5559664
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score.
>>
>>5559664
>>5559671
Screw it, switching 1) and 2) in my vote preferences.
I wanted to see if we could start Felix on the road to teaching others, but Izumi's competence is interesting.
Either way this should be fun, and getting Garma's, Vivima's and our sibling's thoughts could is always good (also I think Casval wanted us to interact with them in this at least).
>>
>>5559664
>>...See if you can help out Blare.
>>
>>5559664
>>...See if you can help out Blare.
>>
>>5559664
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
Coming back to that steamed hams post was great, Contolist. 10/10.
>>
>>5559664
>...See if you can help out Blare.
>>
>>5559664
>>5559698
You know what, changing my vote to:
1)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.

2)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>...See if you can help out Blare.

3)
>Join Garma, Sayla, and Vivima to discuss the results.
>Find Izumi, that’s a really impressive score.

Again sorry for changing my vote so much.
>>
>>5560102
>>5559940
>>5559670 (2nd)
Garma, Sayla, Vivima.

>>5560076
>>5559709
>>5559707
Blare.

>>5559672
Others+Izumi.

>>5559669
Izumi.

Looks like we've got a tie. I'll give it two hours.
>>
>>5559664
>>>...See if you can help out Blare.
>>
>>5559664
>>...See if you can help out Blare.

In my experience, a weak link in your section gets you much more attention from your DI's. It's for his benefit as well as the teams.
>>
>>5560150
>>5560196
>>5560076
>>5559709
>>5559707
Writing.
>>
“Hey, Edouard, we can talk about this later. Got something to handle over there.” You nod vaguely in the direction of Blare and Tiff, and your brother catches on immediately.

“It’s good to look out for the weak links.” Your brother comments, his blue eyes taking in every detail of the situation, so very much like your own at times, “He did well in physics earlier… Blare, right?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Tiff’s been looking out for him but… Well, she’s Tiff.” You say, already turning to head off to the dejected cadet, your brother giving you a slightly puzzled look, “Go make sure Garma’s not going to cry about coming in fifth.”

Edouard chuckles and turns back toward the other cadets, moving on through towards the pair of purple haired Zabi siblings; it looks like they’re both bickering over something, probably just banter about the scores. Long strides take you quickly to Blare and Tiff’s side, the two of them mostly off on their own, Rix and Izumi nowhere to be seen right now.

“Yo, Max, congrats man.” Tiff says, far less enthusiastic than usual, her shoulders slightly slumped and a clearly fake smile across her face, “Here to brag?”

“No, I came to help. Solid shooting from you though, Tiff, top third - Not bad at all. Blare, how’d you do?” There’s no need to ask, you’ve already seen his abysmal score, but it’ll be good to judge his reaction in his own words first.

“Dreadfully…” He says with a sigh, staring back toward the lane he must have been using; he didn’t even expend all of his ammunition, there’s at least ten rounds still sitting out in the paper sleeves they come out of the packaging in.

“Ever shot before?” You ask, putting a hand on one of his narrow shoulders. Tiff’s smile turns more genuine and appreciative as she seems to realize what you’re doing.

“This was my first time, but even so… Observe the results for yourself, I could barely strike the target.” Blare laments, and now that you’re getting a better look at him you can tell just how exhausted he must be; he’s trembling, and not from emotional instability, at least not directly - He’s just been worn down over the last week. Hard to shoot standing with shaking arms, no matter who you are or how good your technique is, let alone if it’s your first time.

“First time’s never easy, but there’s some simple ways to get a lot better.” You comfort him, though it’s merely the truth, “...Clock’s still running for a few more minutes and you’ve got a few rounds left. We’ll need to work fast though. Come on, I’ll show you what to do - The instructors didn’t explain it clearly enough, I’ll walk you through it.”

“...What did you score, Maxime?” Blare asks, tired eyes meeting your own.

“Bro’s a dead eye,” Tiff answers for you in that hoarse voice of hers, managing to be something close to gentle for once, “Go on Blare, get your piece, you’ve got this.”
>>
>>5560327

You lead him over to the lane and watch as he readies the rifle, loading the magazine awkwardly with shaking hands.

“Tired?” You ask.

“...I feel dead.” He says, shouldering the weapon, elbow sticking out like some sort of chicken wing and his posture all sorts of wrong, the barrel visibly moving about - If this is what he was like earlier then the results make more than enough sense.

“Too tired to learn?”

“Never too tired for that.”

“Good. Hand me that, watch exactly what I do.” You say, taking the rifle from him and assuming a proper stance, “See how I’ve got it pullet in tight here, and how my feet are spread? It’ll help stabilize things.”

Blare nods, watching carefully.

“Now, you’re not going to be able to hold it steady even like that, but if you do…” You loop your arm through the rifle’s small sling, “...this, it’ll help keep it steady. You can pull it in a lot more tightly and with less effort - Don’t overdo it, if you start shaking from the tension that’s way too far. Here, try it.”

Blare follows your instructions, mimicking the technique easily enough - It’s not exactly complicated.

“Good, see how the sights are steadier?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead and put a round into the target. Don’t close your other eye like that, keep them both open.”

There’s a dull crack as the rifle fire, muffled by your hearing protection, the caliber to really feel much concussion even indoors. A small hole appears on the target, center right. At least he hit it this time.

“Did I get it? It’s hard to focus on the sights.” He questions, lowering the muzzle just slightly and squinting before spotting the hole for himself.

You grin, realizing his actual issue, “Blare, you’re right handed, aren’t you?”

“I am. Why?”

“Try shooting from the other shoulder, I think you might be cross dominant. Left eye’s going to be better taking the lead for you.”

He does as he’s told, using the sling once more as he switches to the other shoulder; it takes a few moments, but the look on his face tells you everything you need to know - You were right.

“Give it another shot, Blare.”

The hole appears much closer to the center this time, still to the right. Honestly not that bad.

“Take a breath before shooting, squeeze the trigger mid exhale, let the break sneak up on you.”

“...Right.” He inhales deeply, exhales, and the the rifle cracks once more. Right in the eight ring, still off to the right though.

“Keep at it, seven to go.”

“Damn, I know how to pick em’” Tiff says proudly from just behind you both, peering past to watch. The next seven rounds go by fairly quickly, which is good since there’s little time left for shooting - By the end of it Blare’s probably gone up quite a few spots, likely still well in the bottom half of the class but far above where he started. He even managed a bullseye hit, though the rest were more modest successes.
>>
>>5560331

“Thank you, Maxime.” He says as soon as he’s put the rifle down and readied the lane for inspection, magazine out and bolt open just as the instructors ordered, “I should have guessed it was an issue of ocular dominance, but that technique with the sling was splendidly simple and helped a great deal.”

Wordy, but you appreciate the the thanks nonetheless. “Thank yourself, you did the shooting. In a few weeks when the PT stops beating the hell out of you you’ll be a lot better, practice won’t hurt any either. Come on, not much time left to check the scores.”

“Of course!” He says, following along behind you, Tiff keeping close to his side and congratulating him in her usually colorful language.

When you arrive back at the crowd of other cadets milling about near the score screens you’re immediately greeted by the instructor from earlier, apparently having decided to see the cadets in this bay for herself.

“Cadet Mass…” She says, pausing for a moment as you, Sayla, and Edouard all straighten slightly, “Maxime Mass.”

Your siblings relax, and Vivima stifles a small laugh.

“You’ve achieved a perfect score, congratulations. Did you compete before coming here?”

“Thank you, sir. I only shot as a hobby, never entered any official competitions.”

“Ah, always one like that. You were showing another cadet how to shoot just a moment ago, weren’t you?” She questions with a smirk.

“Yes, sir, he was!” Blare answers her question. You answer in the affirmative as well, almost simultaneously.

“Good. Very good. I like to see that kind of initiative in a cadet. Keep up the excellent work, Mass.”

The next day, at fencing practice.

“...Now, who has fenced with a foil before?” The thin instructor questions, looking out across your class of cadets, some two hundred and sixty faces staring back at him and his pencil mustache as he struts back and forth across the floor of the hall, chin held up slightly, every step reeking of martial arrogance.

You raise your hand along with your siblings, the Zabis, and several dozen other cadets. Perhaps a quarter of the class eventually holds their hands up.

“Separate from the chaff. To the left. Now, cadets, go!” The instructor barks, some faint hint of a French accent sneaking in for half a moment as he raises his voice. You hustle along with the others to group up off to the left, the unfamiliar cadets grouping closer together on the right to fill in the new gaps.

“Now, my dear fighters,” He continues, “Find your opponent, pair up, and then form groups of four pairs. You’re an even number, do not be shy - I’ll have anyone who hesitates flogged.

…You’re pretty sure he’s joking, but you don’t waste time trying to find out. Who do you partner up with? There’s not much time to find people, everyone is in a bit of a rush.

>Garma.
>Edouard.
>Izumi.
>Someone else? (Vivima, Sayla, or maybe a new face?)
>>
>>5560336
>Izumi.
>>
>>5560336
>Izumi.
She's into kendo, right? It's a lot slower of a sport than fencing, it'll be good to proverbially bring her up to speed.
>>
>>5560336
1)
>Someone else?
>Char
I want to see how he's doing unless we don't really have the time to find him in which case nevermind.

2)
>A new face
Sparring is a good way to make connections I think.

3)
>Izumi.
>>
>>5560336
>Izumi.
>>
>>5560336
>Char
>>
>>5560339
>>5560342
>>5560346 (3rd)
>>5560357
Izumi

>>5560422
Char.

Writing.
Might take awhile to post, got a late class starting soon that goes for a few hours.
>>
Searching through the moving crowd of cadets, some cadets already beginning to pair off, you spot Izumi’s dark hair and make your way over to her. She greets you politely as you approach, turning away from another cadet who looks rather disappointed, “Good morning, Max.”

“Morning, Izumi. Care for a bout?” You ask, and her face lights up immediately, more than eager.

“Perhaps you’ll prove a worthy opponent, I had to turn away two amateurs already.” “You spoke before of fencing - That was the truth?”

“Absolutely, been at it for six years or so.” You reply, “I tell the truth as often as I can, I’m no Frederico Raz.”

“Deceit is the very nature of effective stratagems. You’ve proven… wily.” She smirks, sounding as if she was paraphrasing something at first. Together you head off to join in with another group of cadets, finding Char and Sayla to have paired up and joining that group. Vivima and your brother are nowhere to be seen, probably mixed in with the other groupings.

“Sun Tzu?” You guess, and she shakes her head as you take your positions in the group, Char giving you a low five as you pass - It’s been good seeing him again, even if your meetings have been fairly brief so far. He’s wearing his hair pretty different than your brother, very short, and it really gives a different look to his face even if there’s still an uncanny similarity.

“Clausewitz.” Izumi corrects you, “A fair guess though. Hopefully your skill at arms will prove better than your knowledge of military philosophy.”

You shrug, “Hopefully you’re a better fencer than a shooter, I’d like a challenge.”

“Vicious words.” She answers, a flash of competitiveness in her dark eyes, “Prepare for defeat, today you face a true warrior.”

“That's the spirit, come on.”
>>
>>5560633

“Alright, cadets, you’re all mine.” A new instructor says loudly, motioning to your group, “You’ll be my assistants today, we’re going to be putting on a bit of a show for the new guys. How many years do you have?”

“A little less than a year of taking it seriously, sir.” Sayla answers.

“Three, off and on, sir.” Char says; he was never much of a fencer, but he did join in with you and your brother at times.

The other cadets give their own answers, and then it finally falls to you and Izumi.

“Six, sir.” You answer, and the instructor nods approvingly, “But I’m more of a saber fencer, foil is my second choice.”

“Hm, Dozle’s the same.” The instructor comments, having no idea how close he’s cutting to something deeper there, “And you, how many?”

“Thirteen, sir.” Izumi answers him, causing some eyebrows to be raised among the other cadets, “Predominantly Kendo. I’ve only begun practicing foil in the last six months. A few years of Mensur as well, sir, but it isn’t a sport.”

“...Thirteen, cadet?” He questions, “Must have shoved a sword in your hand as soon as you could hold one.”

“Before, sir. My grandfathers were very competitive with one another.” She answers, raising many other questions that you don’t have time to ask.

“No scars either... Well, try not to kill anyone, cadet Fuchs.” The instructor jokes, “You’re all familiar with the standard rules then, good. Follow me, we’ll be walking the others through the basics. No showing off, we’re just making sure they understand the basics before we let them at one another.”

Fifteen minutes later

A fair chunk of the unfamiliar cadets are gathered around two of the hall’s pistes, you and the knowledgeable cadets standing before them alongside the instructor. Similar groups comprising the rest of the class are elsewhere in the large hall. The last few minutes have been a plodding process of slow instruction, explaining scoring and the basics of attack and defense, you and Izumi and the other student pairs providing clear examples as the instructor worked his way through the basics.

“And now a few proper matches, so you can see it all in motion.” The instructor announces, a low rumble of approval coming from the crowd of cadets, “Mass, Fuchs, you’re up. Aznable, Gato, take the other piste.”

You and Izumi take your positions on the piste, masks on and foils in hand, saluting one another and then waiting for the instructor to call the match.

“Allez!”

>Attack! You might have a speed advantage, you’re far more practiced in this style.
>Take a more reactive approach, punish mistakes of technique; surely she’ll make some with only half a year's experience.
>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.
>>
>>5560637
>>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.

Our match will be the one where both are rock solid stone still while every is going at it. Then when the instructor walks up, there is a sudden bout of violence and then reset.
>>
>>5560637
>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.
From my own limited pool of knowledge, Kendo will do well in countering but not outwardly in offense against a foil which makes me think she might play defensively. If we play it balanced she won't have as many openings to counter us.
>>
>>5560637
>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.
>>
>>5560637
>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.
>>
>>5560637
>Attack! You might have a speed advantage, you’re far more practiced in this style.
She's probably better than Felix bros
>>
>>5560637
>Draw this out, try to get a full sense of how well she can fight; the outcome matters less than judging her ability, there will be other matches and you’re curious now.
I want to learn what she can do
>>
>>5560637
>Attack! You might have a speed advantage, you’re far more practiced in this style.
Going on the aggressive has consistently given us good results.
>>
>>5560637
>Gato
I'm guessing he was the 'new face' right?
>>
>>5560640
>>5560643
>>5560644
>>5560646
>>5560651
Writing.
>>
Peering out through the tinting mesh of your mask, you watch Izumi carefully as the match begins, taking in every detail; she does the same, steady and still, a silent figure observing everything about you. Finally the stillness breaks, shattering like glass, Izumi bolting forward with a quick lunge, the explosiveness of the attack very nearly taking you off guard, you parry and retreat backwards, foils striking here and there as your exchange blows rapidly, neither getting the better of the other.

Your eyes widen as you realize you’ve been beaten to the punch; she’s taking your measure, pressing you enough to gauge your reflexes and technique, precisely what you’d been planning to do to-

You’re struck in the torso, her blade slipping just past yours and flexing against your chest for a split second. She’s frighteningly good; it’s not an overwhelming speed advantage, though she’s plenty fast, there’s something else going on here. Could it really just be skill?

You reset and start once more, taking things more seriously this time; you’ll be the one probing her defenses, none of that pansy retreating business, and she’s… She’s better on the defense! How? How? Your brother is good, when he really lets you have it he can win pretty reliably, but this feels almost like you’re being toyed with - It’s not even her focus! Even still, only a coward surrenders, and you press on.

As you continue to crash against her defenses, a sneaky little whipping counter attack tags the top of your shoulder, just barely a legal hit and done in a way that almost violates the spirit of non-electronic scoring; a real blade would never have done anything meaningful with a hit like that, and yet a point is a point. You reset once more.

As the match stretches on you begin to get a sense of Izumi, and her ability not only to outmatch you in almost every regard but also her unflinching willingness to push to the edges of the game’s rules to do so; it isn’t cheating, and it’s not quite unsportsmanlike, but it is a level of hyper competitiveness you weren’t quite expecting - That was probably foolish.

Focusing yourself entirely upon the match you resolve not to be made a fool of. You’ve come back from worse than this against your brother and Dozle, though it’s rare. As you reset once more you take a deep breath and close your eyes, blocking out the sights and sounds of the hall, the clatter of steel on steel, the rapid hustling footsteps of fencers at work moving across the piste - All of it fades and then suddenly returns, sharper and clearer than before as your project your awareness outward, brushing past your sister’s presence for a brief moment before drawing back inward and focusing upon just yourself and Izumi.
>>
>>5560821

You open your eyes and prepare to fight once more.

This time you wait, allowing her to strike first - You’re in motion before her thrust has evenly fully begun to extend, predicting her move with near perfection and executing an absolutely textbook parry and riposte, the tip of your foil pressing into her chest, pushing the fabric inward. She lets out a little surprised noise, not quite the sound of a warrior, but you refrain from commenting.

“And so you reveal your hand, trickster!” She says in a low voice just before you reset, realizing at once that something has changed with you, “Very well then, allow me to reveal mine.

She switches her foil into her other hand. Uh, wait, is that even legal? The instructor doesn’t call it out though, so you go along with it for now.

A few minutes later.

You salute the victor, and she salutes back, the match over.

“How did you achieve that point early on?” Izumi asks immediately once you’ve left the piste, eyes narrowed in suspicion when she takes her mask off, “You were holding back until then.”

“Chalk it up to intuition, I was just getting warmed up,” You half lie, “You’re pretty good, you know that? Why bother faking your handedness though?”

“Traditionally the better fighter should take a handicap of some kind.” She answers quite straightforwardly, “However, you’ve proven to be a worthy adversary - if lacking in experience. You possess more skill at saber?”

“Significantly more.”

“Excellent. We must try that sometime, I’d like to see you in your element.”

“Any time, Izumi. My brother’s better than me at both though, you should try your hand against him.”

“Right to the left hand for him?” She questions curiously, brushing back a strand of her dark hair.

“He’s not one to toy with.”

>”Have you really only been practicing foil for six months?” Maybe even that was a ruse.
>”Hey, Sayla, guess who you get to fight now!” Shout over to your sister, she managed to beat Char which puts her up against Izumi now. Poor girl’s about to get hit by a train.
>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5560822
>>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.
>>Write-in.
How does kendo compare to this?
>>
>>5560822
>”Have you really only been practicing foil for six months?” Maybe even that was a ruse.
>>
>>5560822
>>5560827
+1
>>
>>5560822
>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.
>>
>>5560822
>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.
>>
>>5560822
>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.
>>
>>5560822
1)
>”Hey, Sayla, guess who you get to fight now!” Shout over to your sister, she managed to beat Char which puts her up against Izumi now. Poor girl’s about to get hit by a train.
>”So your grandfather’s taught you to fight? Did I hear that correctly earlier?” Not much time to talk but you'd like to learn more.

2)
>”Have you really only been practicing foil for six months?” Maybe even that was a ruse.

Well that went about as expected. Now this makes me really glad we didn't go on the defensive when sparring Dozle.
>>
>>5560994
Still in a way this was probably better than winning, since if we did beat her there's a chance she wouldn't of opened up to us about anything and just declared us to be her rival or something before leaving.
>>
>>5560995
Though maybe I'm overestimating Felix's abilities when thinking we had the chance to actually win against her.
>>
>>5560827
Support
I like Izumi, she's cool
>>
>>5560827
>>5560835
>>5560841
>>5560849
>>5560900
>>5561045
Writing.
>>
“So your grandfather’s taught you to fight?” You ask Izumi, more than a little interested in how she became so outrageously skilled, “Did I hear that correctly earlier?”

“I said they’re competitive, but your guess is correct. They’re both masters of very different arts. It’s… something of a rivalry.” She smiles as she speaks of them, a softer side shining through her martial exterior, “My maternal grandfather is a tenth-dan, and my paternal grandfather is the master of the largest fechtschule in Riah. I’m their only grandchild so the competition is quite fierce - I owe all of my skill to their instruction.”

You let out an impressed whistle, things beginning to fall into place - She did mention winning the All Side Six Kendo championship, which now that you really think about it means she must have come out on top of… Damn, what’s even the population of Riah? Hundreds of millions of people at least, and though only a fraction would practice Kendo and a much smaller fraction would compete, Izumi came out on top of all of them. Maybe there’s age brackets to it or something you just don’t understand, but that’s still astounding.

“...Right, no wonder that went how it did then. My brother and I had instructors for awhile but we’ve mostly had to sharpen our skills on each other.” You scratch at the back of your head, smiling as you realize you managed to get any points on her at all - the sports might be very different, but she must be outstandingly athletic; that does match up with what you’ve seen of her during other PT, “So how does Kendo compare to this?”

You walk along with Izumi toward your sister, passing by other cadets; there isn’t much time to keep the conversation going.

“There’s very little in common besides learning to read your opponent and act decisively, but that is a feature of all combat sports. I am better at Kendo, it suits my temperament more than foil.” Her expression turns a touch guilty after a moment, a small frown crossing her face, “...Though perhaps I should have emphasized my years of mensur more greatly, or my experience in european martial arts. They... are not truly sports, but I fear I may have not been fully forthright about my abilities. It was not not my intention to deceive you on that front.”

“...And you’ve had time to learn to shoot while doing this?”

“My Opa is a true huntsman, he was a federation sniper many years ago - I’ve shot with him nearly every weekend since I was five. He loves longsword, but rifles are his second passion; both have their beauty as weapons…” Izumi spots your sister approaching from nearby and trails off, facing toward her new if quite unfortunate opponent, “We’ll speak another time, Max. Sayla, are you prepared to fight?”

“...For what? Max, you didn’t win?” Sayla asks, blue eyes widening as she looks between the two of you.
>>
>>5561290

A week and a half later, in your permanently assigned dorm room.

As the first three weeks of the academy, and your punishment, have crawled by, you’re now allowed back among the other cadets. The most ‘severe’ portion of your punishment has had you in inferior quarters for the last three weeks, an open barracks with other cadets facing disciplinary issues, sharply watched over and with even more tightly enforced schedules for every aspect of life. It wasn’t all that bad, having been punished prior to even arriving at the academy there were no other cadets around for nearly all of the first week, and only a tiny handful after that - You didn’t have much of a chance to speak with them, it’s not an environment conducive to free conversation, but that’s all behind you now!

Now you stand in the doorway of your permanent room, the one you should have gone to from the very first day. Duffel bag in hand you walk into the small space, finding a familiar face waiting there…

>Char.
>Edouard.
>Rix.
>Blare.
>>
>>5561292
>Blare.
>>
>>5561292
1)
>Rix.

2)
>Blare.

3)
>Char.

Maybe it might be better to be with our brother to make plans in private, but I think it might be more beneficial to have him make some connections elsewhere.
How much privacy is in the dorms of the academy? Do we have to worry about bugs?
>>
>>5561292
>Rix.
>>5561298
I'm hoping our siblings get a loyalty base started here. We'll need all the help we can get, especially in the OYW where I very much doubt we'll get to sit in with our family on combat ops.
>>
>>5561298
I might change the priority to Blare, since we seem to have a good thing going with being his teacher.

>>5561301
How come? I admit I feel like Casval will probably get his own unit (probably with Vivima, since they seem to be the most skilled and will sow the most chaos if they work together), but we'll probably be assigned to/go along with with Garma and Artesia since we promised Degwin we'd be keeping Garma safe.
>>
>>5561292
1
>Blare.
2
>Char.
>>
>>5561292
>Rix
>>
>>5561306
>How come?
Gotta get that Neo-Zeon ball rolling early man. Who better to be our loyalists then our brothers in arms?
>>
>>5561306
Looking back at the archive it was less of a promise to keep him safe and more of us preparing him and being his companion. Though I guess keeping Garma safe factors into the companion part, so nevermind.

>>5561315
Based. We'll get that going with our band of Deikun loyalists.
Am I being optimistic? Yes. But shooting for big dreams gives the most payout. Usually.

But I still think we'll at least have to stay close to Garma, at least for part of the OYW (if for no other reason than to provide him with a semi-competent mobile suit pilot).
>>
>>5561292
1)
>Char.
2)
>Rix
3)
>Blare
>>
Hm, if we're going with spreading our influence more here maybe we should have Char as our roommate instead? Since he seems to be fully committed to Zeon's ideology (or Gihren's version of it at least). He might be a bit of a double-edged sword though.
But Rix could be a huge bro and might save our life someday (also he seems like he could have the potential to influence some of the average everyday soldiers), yet keeping up with helping Blare could make him fully admire us and cement our sway with him (he probably will have some influence with the intelligentsia and scientists/engineers someday).

Most of this is just assumption on my part. There probably isn't a bad answer to who we should room with, each with their pros and cons.
>>
>>5561370
Any of them would be fine IMO, but I personally want Rix because he just screams 'reliable NCO' to me. And that'll go a long ways for any future subordinates we have.
>>
>>5561379
Agreed, he might be the better choice here for our future plans (other than maybe Blare).
>>
>>5561292
>Blare.
>>
>>5561472
>>5561309
>>5561295
Blare

>>5561314
>>5561301
>>5561298
>>5561335 (2nd)
Rix

Writing.
>>
As you walk into the small room, lucky enough to get one with a window, you find Rix mid workout, feet up on the lower bunk as he works through one arm decline pushups; his wide face turns slightly to look at you, acknowledging your presence with a grunt and vague nod to enter. He then refocuses on the workout, maintaining a steady and almost machine-like pace as he finishes out the set. You walk around him, setting down your bag on the room's single table near the window and unzipping it/

“Max. So yer the other.” Rix says, switching arms and resuming the steady pace of his workout, “Make yerself at home. Was getting used tae havin’ it al’ tae maself.”

“All good things come to an end.” You joke, opening your bag and beginning to unpack, finding a couple drawers along the wall that haven’t been used yet - The furniture is spartan, built into the building itself, but at least you’re not living out of a footlocker anymore.

“Aye.” Rix grunts, continuing on with the push ups, “What’d ye dae tae git sent aff so early?”

“Can’t talk about it,” You shrug, “Not something to press on either.”

“...Aye.” Rix drops his feet from the bed and stands up to his rather unimpressive height, “None o’ mah business anyways… Shag that Zabi girl?”

That gets an almost barking laugh from you as you take a seat at the room's sole table, “I’d be dead if I did that, Rix, not on a few weeks of extra duties.”

“That wis Tiff’s theory.” He chuckles, clapping a surprisingly large hand on your shoulder, “Ne'er thanked ye fur joinin’ in on Luna. Good scrap, that.”

“One of the better ones I’ve been in.” You agree, “Didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Rix moves on to take the seat opposite you, the chair groaning under his weight, a red eyebrow lifting on brutish face, “One af em’?”

“Yep. How’d you end up on Von Braun?” You ask him, dodging the questions with something approaching the grace and nimbleness of a beached whale.

“Got intae the academy, had tae celebrate. Tiff wanted tae gamble, ah wanted tae fight. We compromised oan a lookin’ fer a fight.”

“Tiff wasn’t the one wanting to fight?” You question skeptically.

Rix flashes a toothy smile, “Nae in a ring. Wee bloody devil, that lass.”

>”How’d you two meet?”
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5561615
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
Is this the route to Felix learning the basics of CQC? Let it be so!
>>
>>5561615
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
>>
>>5561615
1)
>”How’d you two meet?”

2)
>”How’d you two meet?”
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”
>>
>>5561615
>>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
>>
>>5561615
1)
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”
2)
>”How’d you two meet?”
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
3)
>”How’d you two meet?”
4)
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
>>
>>5559670
>>5560651
>>5561045
Linking to previous IDs
It's probably going to change again soo
>>
>>5561615
>>5561619
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”How’d you two meet?”
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”

2)
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”

3)
>”How’d you two meet?”

4)
>”Didn’t get any blowback for taking out those feddies?”
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”


5)
>”How’d you two meet?”
>”Fight in a ring? Almost feel sorry for the other guy.”
>>
>>5561615
>”How’d you two meet?”
>>
I honestly thought Rix and Tiff were siblings from the way they were acting.
>>
>>5561669
Me too
>>5561629
This is me
>>
>>5561685
What do you think they might be? Distant relatives, or maybe just good friends?
I'd be really surprised if they used to be in a relationship or something.
>>
>>5561730
Childhood friends, neighbors and/or cousins is always a good bet
>>
>>5561749
>Childhood friends
That feels like it might be it, seeing how they seem to at least be close.
>>
>>5561617
>>5561618
>>5561621
Ask about fighting.

>>5561625 (3rd)
>>5561636 (3rd)
>>5561641
Ask about how they met.

Tied. I'll give it an hour.
>>
>>5561801
I suggest a compromise of asking both
>>
A shame we aren't going to ask how he avoided the Feddies, it could've been useful information.

>>5561804
I'll agree to that if the other anons do as well.
>>
>>5561804
>>5561801
I'm fine with a compromise as well
>>
>>5561615
>How’d you two meet?”
>>
>>5561801
>>5561822
Well nevermind, for the sake of speeding up the vote I'll keep mine to just 'how did they meet'.
>>
>>5561617
>>5561618
>>5561621
>>5561625 (3rd)
>>5561636 (3rd)
>>5561641

>>5561804
>>5561822
>>5561824
I'll just do the compromise to keep things moving. Writing.
>>
“How’d you two meet?” You question, resting you elbows on the table, hands held together.

“Knew ‘er since I were a wee tyke.” Rix explains, launching into a story with enthusiasm and plenty of gesticulation, “Wer maybe six or seven years, out in a playground, an’ some right fuckin’ cockhead 'n' his muckers wer pushing her around. Didnae like that, so ah knocked a pair o’ teeth oot of his fuckin’ head. Never bin weak sae it wasn't ard, but ah didnae know how tae scrap yet. Took a branch tae the side o' me head, hit the ground - afore ah knew it she wis throwing sand in ther eyes an found a muckle stone. Beat em alf tae ther graves. Best friend a’ve ever had, my Tiff.”

“Sounds like things haven’t changed too much between you then,” You laugh, picturing the two of them as kids in your mind and all the headaches they must have caused for any adults within a several kilometer radius, “Have you ever dated?”

Rix snorts, pounding a hand on the table in laughter, “What? Date Tiff? She's like mah sister, that's juist wrong. Like me lasses tall anyhow. An’ less… Tiff-y.”

“So best friends then?” You confirm, “Get why you’d be excited to both get in the academy, sounded like awful luck with the circumstances though.”

“Aye, nae a memory tae relish, but it ain’t so bad.” He agrees grimly, face contorting into a look you recognize all too well - You’ve seen it in the mirror a few times before, “Ye ever end a man, Max? Ye look like a poof sometimes, but nae in the eyes.”

“...A few times.” You admit, sensing a kinship in his tone and deciding to go out on a small limb - There’s no need to divulge anything further.

“Right. Nae gonna push that.” He says, understanding, “Get in with yer kin?”

“Yeah, Sayla and Edouard. Not sure you’ve had a good chance to meet yet, classes aren’t the best for chatting.”

“Nae, they aren’t.” Rix says, his brutish brow furrowing a tad, “Need tae fix that.”

“I’ll find the time to make it happen, Edouard would like you at least.”

“Nae yer little sister?” Rix asks, apparently more than clued in to the fact that she’s not actually seventeen; it’s not a difficult thing to guess, and a few other cadets have age waivers.

“Not sure how she’ll feel about Tiff.” You admit; they’re about as opposite in nature as two people can get, but Tiff’s shown a soft side and Sayla can be vicious at times… Maybe it’s not impossible.

“Ah, o’ course.” He nods, “Acquired taste.”
>>
>>5561893

“...So you said you were looking to fight in a ring on Luna?”

“Aye, mixed martial arts.” He grins devilishly, raising a clenched fist, “Love et’”

“Damn, I almost feel sorry for the other guys.” You shake your head, a bit concerned by the idea of someone as short, dense, and freakishly strong as Rix getting into grappling range - especially as fast as he still manages to be, “Always focused more on weapon based sports myself, but Edouard and I spar a lot.”

“Well, ye can tackle a’ bastard,” Rix chuckles, “Do ye know when we start close quarters training? All the prissy foil waggin’ got old fast, need tae crack some heads.”

“A few more weeks I think. That’ll be a sight… Ever win any competitions?”

“Ye, a few! Got some pictures…” He gets up and rummages around through his things in one of the draws that comes out of the wall, eventually retrieving a couple of photographs. They’re of him and other rough looking types, all of them looking rather bruised to hell, most of the other guys nearly if not more than a foot taller than him and clearly older. Tiff’s in the background of one making a face at the camera.

“Nice bruises.” You comment.

“Had a cracked rib.” He grimaces, “Still won. Nae me worst.”

>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>”...Think I’m going to hit the sack a bit early. Been scrubbing APCs for the last three hours, nearly lights out anyways...” Sleep is important.
>”What do you think of Tiff and Blare? She, uh, sort of jumped him, but I think he’s going along with things now.” It’s a bizarre relationship, slowly normalizing.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5561895
>>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>>
>>5561895
>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>>
>>5561895
1)
>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>”What do you think of Tiff and Blare? She, uh, sort of jumped him, but I think he’s going along with things now.” It’s a bizarre relationship, slowly normalizing.
Showing him pictures of Elena and talking about her seems like a natural way to get into the conversation about Blare and Tiff.

2)
>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
Either way being more familiar with him will be great for getting him on our side.
>>
>>5561895
>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>>
>>5561895
>>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>>
>>5561895
>>Show a couple of your own photos; it’s mostly innocuous pilot stuff, images of you in a cockpit, one with Elena - Nothing really linking you to being one of Zeon’s lost children.
>>
>>5561906
Support
>>5561685
Me
>>
>>5561899
>>5561900
>>5561906
>>5561909
>>5561949
>>5562018
>>5562106
Writing.
>>
“Got a few of my own photos, give me a second to dig them out.” You say, getting up from your chair and moving over to where you just unpacked your few personal items. It doesn’t take long to find them, among a couple of recent letters from Elenea, and soon you’ve got a few in hand and return to the small table.

You slide them out on the table, “Don’t have any pictures of fights, but check this one.”

“Revolvers?” Rix questions, “And yer hat - Ha! A’ knew it!”

“Yeah, everyone dressed like that back on Texas colony.” You reply, finding another that might actually be interesting.

“Horses too?” He asks quizzically, voice low, “Tiff’s obsessed wi’ thaim.”

“She’s about the right size for racing, bloody minded too - Bet she’d be good at it.” You think on the issue for a moment before coming to a careful conclusion, “...But if you got on one their eyes would probably pop out from the weight, Rix.”

“Har har, jus’ need wun thas nae weakling.” Rix flexes one of his arms, taking the banter easily and starting to retort before his eyes nearly pop out a bit, “Bet the beasties don’ even notice - Holy Christ, who’s she?

“Elena.” You slide the photo of the two of you in normal suits closer to Rix. It was taken next to the Mustang, but there’s not nearly enough of the craft visible to even begin to tell what it is, “She’s the girl I was with on Von Braun.”

“Got a looker ther, Max… Tall too, proper red. Still with her?”

“We’re in love.” You say, that big dumb grin that spreads across your face when you think of Elena returning once more.

“Agh! Hell, dinnae go getting a’ soft like that,” Rix waves a hand in joking contempt, Git enough o' that from Tiff now, her 'n' that blondie twig she likes… Yer one mak's mair sense tae me though, haha! Good catch.”

You slide the photo back over to your side of the table, away from Rix’s grubby hands as he continues to eye Elena’s picture… Which is understandable, she looked damned good in that normal suit, but she’s not for him to ogle.

“Tiff’s only known Blare for a few weeks, right?” You question, pretty sure they met at that same party at the Rugens manor.

“Aye, told er’ tae slow it, but she ne’er listens.” Rix shrugs, taking another of the photos to look at, “So ye fly, don’tyu?”

“Yeah, that's how me and my siblings got into the academy, other than grades. That’s the inside of a worker pod - Ever flown?”

“Me pa used tae do repair werk in wun a’ these.” Rix smiles again - It’s really quite an ugly thing to look at, he’s a squat ogre of a man, but there’s still an undeniable charisma to him, sort of like a scarred up nasty looking fighting dog that still manages to be endearing at times, “Got tae mess with wun sum, ne’er really flew tho.”
>>
>>5562276

A voice crackles on over the PA system.

”Lights out in five, cadets.”

“...Well, better hit the hay then.” You sweep up the photos, get them in a a nice stack, and then stand and place them back with the letters, “Can talk it over more tomorrow.”

“Aye, lookin’ forwerd tu it.”

Two weeks later, after the results of your classes first examinations.

Test scores are posted publicly on big boards in one of the academy’s halls; it’s a cruel system, but it serves many purposes - You know who’s better at what which can come in handy during some exercises, it scares the hell out of underperforming cadets, and for those feeling a bit more of a comradely spirit it tells you who needs help.

The tests were, admittedly, not as easy as you expected. Academics have never been an issue for you or your siblings, but getting perfect scores was more challenging than usual - In fact it didn’t happen, the lost points aren’t enough to amount to a single missed question, but there must have been some answers that weren’t quite satisfactory. Still, an A is an A. As you stand around the boards with the rest of your class you can’t help but overhear other cadets discussing the results.

“Look, there’s those two Zabis, right up near the top - Think they cheat?”

“Dude, shut the hell up, don’t say stuff like that… But yeah, of course they do.”

Elsewhere, the conversation is less speculative.

“I’ll take a’ load a’ B’s, ain’t so bad. Wait till we get physical scores.” Rix remarks to a very dejected looking Tiff, “How’d ye du?”

“...Nearly failed.” Tiff grumbles, arms crossed and face red in either anger or embarrassment, “...Stupid ass earth history and physics… I’ll give earth some fucking history, drop a big rock on it or something, that should count for both classes…”

“Physics is vitally important, Tiff.” Blare says, immediately receiving a glare from the purple haired girl, though it soon softens into a sad pout, “If you’ve been struggling with understanding the concepts you should have come to me.”

Checking the scores you find Blare at the very top of many of the lists; he received multiple perfect scores, dragging him just above the pack of other high performing cadets.
>>
>>5562280

Behind you, Sayla and Edouard are discussing things with Garma and Vivima.

“Looks like you placed well. Fitting for the nobility of Zeon.” Your brother says to the two Zabis, both of whom are under his scores except for in two categories, Vivima somehow receiving perfect marks in strategy and earth history. In truth you’re all mostly neck and neck with one another, half a point here or there giving the lead.

“Make light of my family at your own peril, Mass.” Vivima retorts, but you know there’s no real venom behind it, it's just competitive banter She’s prideful, but not really over matters like this, at least not in your experience so far, “All three of you performed well.”

"It's true, those are great scores, Sayla." Garma adds.

Sayla beams at his compliment, “We always do well, isn’t that right, Max?”

“Absolutely,” You reply, looking back to them…

>”Just wait until we start to get scores for physical examinations too, that’ll be when things get interesting.”
>”...But it’s still a race to the top, isn’t it? Close enough to be a real competition.”
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5562282
>>”...But it’s still a race to the top, isn’t it? Close enough to be a real competition.”
>>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”
>>
>>5562282
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”
>"Zeon is only strong as it weakest links, right?"
They probably will mention something about only the strongest should survive, but it's worth a try.
Besides, when the other side has enough numbers to drown you in bodies, some extra on yours wouldn't hurt.
>>
>>5562282
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”
Knowing when and how and who to help that need it is important to not wasting our time later. Especially once we get into exercises knowing how to properly motivate others should help smooth things out significantly since we probably won't always have much of a say in team / role selection, and keeping options open isn't a bad idea.

We're all in this together after all, and making connections at this stage can only help us later on, even if it does slow personal progress somewhat.
>>
>>5562282
1)
>”Just wait until we start to get scores for physical examinations too, that’ll be when things get interesting.”
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”

2)
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”
>"Zeon is only strong as it weakest links, right?"

3)
>”...But it’s still a race to the top, isn’t it? Close enough to be a real competition.”
>”...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.”

>>5562286
Vivima will probably say something like that, though I'm interested in how Garma will reply after all the influence he's been getting from Artesia.
>>
>>5562286
>>5562289
>>5562291 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“...So what do you say about helping out some of our classmates? I don’t like the look of those scores down at the bottom.” You ask as you turn, moving to join your siblings and the pair of Zabis, “Zeon is only as strong as its weakest links, right?”

“Weakest links?” Vivima questions, arching an eyebrow in approval, “I remember my brother calling us the elite just a few weeks ago, and you’re already looking down on the others?”

Garma gives his sister a quick look, not quite of disapproval but certainly not pleased with her comments, “Viv, you know that’s not what he means.”

“Of course it isn’t, I’m just having a bit of fun.” She smirks, laughing sweetly as her violet eyes catch the light for a moment, “And it’s an excellent idea, Max - We’ll all be leaders of Zeon in a few years, anything but perfection would be an insult to our people. Garma, you should lead this effort.”

“...I should?” He questions for a moment before smiling, clapping his hands together, “Of course! Art… Sayla, Edouard, are you in? I might be a man of the Zabi family, but I can’t handle an entire class alone.”

“I’d be honored, of course.” Your brother replies, bowing his head slightly in what might be a touch of mock reverence, but it’s hard to ever really know - It’s all an act of course, but he really does like to ride along that edge.

“I’d love to, Garma!” Your sister answers, “...But where do we start?”

Garma thinks about it for a moment, and while he does so you exchange looks with your brother; this is still an opportunity, even if the Zabis are jumping all over it as well.

“...We need to speak with the other well-ranking students and get them on board first, and then I’ll make an announcement to the entire class in a few days.” Garma finally says, sounding more sure of himself with each word, “If you have time to speak with some of those who are struggling that would be good as well, but I’ll need time… Sayla, you’re good with people, could you make lists of who could be matched up with others? I’d prefer not to have personalities clash.”

“I’ll get right to it.” Your sister nods, “Max, could you help me… Oh, that’s right, you still have a week of extra duties, don’t you?”

“I’ll still do what I can. Edouard?”

“A few pairings already come to mind. Consider it done.”
>>
>>5562452

A few days later, after morning PT, Garma is speaking to the entire class.

“...And to that end I’ve had a few other cadets prepare lists of who should help who, they’ll be handing them out after this. These are just recommendations, but we’ve tried to match people with others they’ll mesh well with - We’re all comrades in arms now, soldiers of Zeon, and as your class leader I expect nothing less than excellence from all of you, in and outside of exercises. Our student corps are still in competition, but that’s a secondary concern compared to our entire class! If you have issues with the arrangements, or want a larger or smaller group to work with, speak to me or my sister Vivima. We’re going to be the best class this academy has ever seen, better than anything the federation could ever dream of having - So… So let's get to it!” Garma finishes his speech to the other cadets, stepping down from the bench he was using as a makeshift stand from which to speak, a few cadets among the class applauding his speech. They’re mostly the sycophants that follow him and his sister around at all times, but it still manages to get others clapping along, a low murmur moving through the class as the papers are handed around.

You make your way to the groups you worked up, handing out a few of the papers, stopping to explain things to a few confused looking cadets, and eventually you meet up with Rix and his usual gang. You hand Tiff her paper, and she glances over it quickly.

“Kept you in with Blare, Tiff.” You let her know at once, and she stops reading at that point, delivering a light and mostly playful punch to your side.

“Thanks, bro.” She beams up at you, rushing off to Blare; you spoke with him yesterday, and he agreed readily to the idea. Rix remains nears you, a slightly confused look on his face that fades into a bloodthirsty grin.

“Going tae du this wi' th' physical tests tu?” He questions, looking eager to beat the snot out of some fresh blood.

“Once we get the first scores, still a few weeks off.” You explain, and he nods along, “Was going to tell you about it last night but it took forever to track down Blare.”

“Aye, been rushing aroond all over, haven't ye? Thought something wis afoot.”

“Tried to plan for it with the groups as much as I could, but there’s fewer struggling with that from what I’ve seen so far. I’ve got you and Izumi in my group, we’ll have a hell of a job getting Blare and some of the others into fighting shape.”

“Speakin’ o which, when are ye gonna fight me in the ring?”

>”Notice that, have you? Eh, hell, why not today? I’ll volunteer.”
>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5562454
>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”
>"The moment I'm off the ship, I'm rushing to the ring."
>>
>>5562454
>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”
Huh, didn't think we'd be going back so soon.
>>
Also, this went surprisingly well. Even VV was on board
>>
>>5562454
>”Notice that, have you? Eh, hell, why not today? I’ll volunteer.”
>>
I hope Hogo is holding up well. Also going back could be a good way to gauge how the terrorist threat is doing after our intervention.
>>
>>5562486
We are going to side seven, not Luna, so we probably are not going to be able to do those two things
>>
>>5562486
Side Seven, not Von Braun.
>>
>>5562494
>>5562495
Ah I misread it, my bad.
But wait, isn't that the place where the Gundams were being worked on?
>>
>>5562498
Side Seven, I mean.
>>
>>5562454
>>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”

>>5562498
>But wait, isn't that the place where the Gundams were being worked on?
Yes. There's a research facility where it all started. Amuro miiight be there already but he'll be like 10 or something.
>>
>>5562498
And Mirai should also be there by this point, if I'm remembering the timeline right.
Huh, I can see the potential to do some cool spy stuff while over there.
>>
>>5562503
Thanks for confirming, it's what I suspected.
>Amuro
Well that should be fun, though I'm guessing the chance to actually meet him again will be very small.

>>5562504
Now that I think about it Mirai probably won't be there yet.
>>
>>5562454
>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”
well, that was fast, great opportunity to snoop around a bit but project V wasnt really a thing at this point, instead only the precursor work on turning the original guntank into the first shitty guncannon was happening so other than confirmation that the feds are working on MS we wont get much
>>
>>5562454
>”I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment'll be over in time for the long weekend. ...I’d rather not have any broken bones, after I'm back we can go at it.”
>>5562498
We're still a ways out from that. Op-V doesn't start until after the OYW does. First feddie rollouts are like 4 or 5 months into the war.
>>
>>5562560
Well that's a shame. Still I feel like there's some interesting things to learn over there and getting a good feel for that area could help us for when we (maybe) swipe the Gundam.
>>
>>5562575
Absolutely, they still have an advanced research facility over there so we'lll still probably get something out of it. Who knows, maybe we've thrown the story of course so much that they start development early and have their own MS on opening day.
>>
>>5562582
>maybe we've thrown the story of course so much that they start development early and have their own MS on opening day.
Now that's a scary thought. I wish I could say it was impossible for that to have happened.
Can you imagine a OYW with a mobile suit race before the war even begins?
>>
>>5562560
>>5562548
>>5562503
>>5562461
>>5562460
Writing.
>>
>>5562591
>Spoiler
Horrifying, though without that initial advantage it might push Zeon into not turning their supply lines into a clusterfuck.
>>
>>5562591
The war is over if the feddies have Mobile suits before Zeon pushes them back to Earth bros. Only the combination of nukes/colony-drops and the overwhelming advantage of mobile suits versus conventional Federation hardware let them get as far as they did.
>>
>>5562603
I guess that's an optimistic view of it, but I feel like that's asking for a lot from Zeon's high command. At least they aren't as corrupt as the Feddies.
Although we could use any failures from both the Federation and the Zabis to our advantage. Turn any disillusionment either side's soldiers might have to support us instead.

>>5562632
Well let's hope the Federation isn't as far into that type of research. Either way we're going to find out either from Elena and/or our own snooping.
>>
“I’m off to Side Seven to see Elena next weekend, punishment’ll be over right before then.” You explain, “I’d rather not have any broken bones before that, Rix. After I’m back we can go at it, the moment I’m off the ship you’ll see me in the ring.”

“Haha, a'rigjt, that's mair like it!” Rix says with a real fire in is his voice, slamming a closed fist into his palm, “...Side Sevens the farthest away, right? Lot o' travel fur a weekend visit.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a haul, going to be taking a long burn shuttle there and back, speeds it way.”

“Pricey.” He says, eyebrows lifting slightly.

“Going to be crazy rocket lagged when I get back - maybe you’ll manage to win our match.” You joke, already well aware of how that fight is going to go - It’s good to face superior opponents though, real fights are never fair.

He chuckles, reaching out and grabbing your arm in an iron grip, giving it a bit of a squeeze, “Ha, an’ ye wur ‘fraid o’ a broken bone - Boastin’ like thas’ a way tae get two or three! Aright, have yer fun with that scarlet haired lass o’ yours, I’ll be waitin’ - Looks like Tiff's makin' a scene, gotta go!”

Rix lets go of your arm, laughing as he heads off to stop Tiff from snogging Blare in broad daylight with instructors around - Can't blame her for lacking passion or attitude, but she's a walking pile of reg violations.

>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
>Right to Side Seven!
>>
>>5562660
"Speeds it way up" rather.
>>
>>5562660
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
I'm always happy to see the Zam Man
>>
>>5562660
1)
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.

2)
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.

3)
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.

Does finding time to learn what the others are doing mean we can help them before we leave? Or is it just hanging out with them for a bit?
>>
>>5562660
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>>
>>5562660
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>>
>>5562673
It's assumed that Felix will be helping people when and where he can. The option to learn what others are up to includes having enough time to react to and properly discuss their plans. Once Felix is back from his trip he'll have significantly more time to do things with people, siblings or otherwise - Three to four hours of disciplinary labor at the end of every day barely leaves him any time. If he wasn't so advanced academically the lack of time to study would b a major issue, but thank Teabolo for that.
>>
>>5562660
1)
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
2)
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
3)
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>>
>>5562660
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
>>
>>5562687
Thanks for answering Contolist. I made that question since I didn't know what we'd be doing exactly in that time frame.

>>5562660
>>5562673
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
This will be the best way to make connections and actually befriend people.

2)
>Find some time to learn what the others are doing during the long weekend.
>Meet with Dozle in a few days to discuss the new class wide effort to raise exam scores - He’s heard from Garma that it was your idea initially.
I really want some more Dozle time, but making sure we focus on having a group of people that will at least think well of us will be for the best in the long term.
>>
>>5562687
One more question, will we still be able to help in what they're all doing and cement our friendships even if we just skip to meet with Dozle or go right to Side Seven?
>>
>>5562663
>>5562682
>>5562684
>>5562691 (3rd)
>>5562696
Writing.
>>
Two days later, in Dozle’s office at the academy.

You sit in a comfortable leather armchair near a small table, Dozle sitting in his own matching but far larger chair on just the other side, a pair of drinks between the two of you; it’s technically a violation of regulations to be drinking right now, especially so for you, but they’re shallow drinks, just a finger of Dozle’s favorite whiskey.

“Cadet Mass,” Dozle rumbles with a strange formality, so many parts of this meeting at odd with your generally more casually interactions - Mentally you’re still adjusting to life in the military, even if you snap of yes and no sirs just as cleanly and reliably as anyone else, “Your class leader spoke with me yesterday about your initiative to organize your class. This is a commendable initiative.”

“It was just a suggestion, sir, Garma took the lead with it after that.” You admit honestly, having no intention to deceive the big man; he called you here on his own, but it was an odd request and without much urgency. Still, when the colonel asks a cadet to speak with him ‘when they have time’ it’s not a good idea to keep him waiting.

“Yes, he mentioned that as well.” Dozle nods and then takes a small sip of his drink, savoring the harsh flavor for a moment before setting it back down, “It is an admirable initiative, but I hope you realize the trouble this will bring you.”

“Sir?” You question, searching over the details of his scarred face for some missed clue as to his meaning.

“The purpose of this academy is to craft you and your fellow cadets into the best officers in Zeon, soldiers without peer.” He rumbles, and you take a small sip of the smoky foul drink as he speaks, still finding that the taste has strangely grown on you, “Pressure is required to forge officers of that quality. Your idea to organize your class outside of the usual student corps layout is commendable, I expect it will succeed. Similar efforts have been made in the past.”

“...I think I understand, sir.” You say, catching onto his intentions now, “Other classes have done this?”

“Not here, no.” He shakes his head, “When I prepared to take on this role I studied the great academies of earth’s old militaries. The federation devoured them and crushed their traditions, but the records survived. From time to time a class of cadets would attempt something similar to what you have begun.”

“...That’s reassuring, sir. It works then?” You ask, though you know he’s soon to get to the bad news.

“When done diligently.” He answers, voice deep and calm, “Working as a single unit, the strong strengthening the weak - That is the essence of brotherhood. But a certain degree of stress is still needed. The work will be made harder. That will not be an issue, I believe.”

“No, sir. We’ll be ready for it.”
>>
>>5562822

“Good. Do not tell the others. Garma and Vivima know - I know you are quick to catch onto things, as are your brother and sister. It was inevitable you would discover the truth, but the class must not be aware. Do you understand, Felix?”

“Yes, sir.” You answer, “No need to spread unnecessary discontent with the program, right, sir?”

“Indeed.” Dozle smiles, scars stretching slightly on his rugged face, “I expect higher performance, even with the added pressure. In a few months when the first exercises begin I look forward to new records… But enough of this business - You depart for Side Seven tomorrow, don’t you, Felix?”

His change in tone signals the end to the military component of the conversation, at least as much as that can ever end now between the two of you.

“I do, sir. I… I thought you okayed the arrangements.” You confirm, finding the question odd - Your request surely must have gone through his office.

He shakes his huge head once more, frowning slightly, “Kycilia is handling the arrangements, as well as a trip for your sister. I thought you would want to know.”

“Oh? Where are they off to this time, sir?” You question, displeased by the news but careful not to reveal too much; Artesia did distance herself from Kycilia that last month at the Zabi palace, but it seems Kycilia hasn’t let her go quite so easily, even with Vivima’s request.

“It’s a visit to that pet scientist of hers.” Dozle rumbles, “Vivima will be going with them as well, she insisted - They’re good friends, our sisters.”

“...Yeah, I suppose they are, aren’t they, sir?” You say, the words sounding oddly true as they leave your mouth - They bonded quickly over their shared care for Glemy, and even your mother found a lot of common ground with Viv around that plucky little kid.

“Indeed. If only both of my sisters were so friendly.” He chuckles, and you join in a bit hesitantly - he doesn’t seem to mind, so you let yourself laugh a bit harder, “I’ve spoken with Kycilia about her efforts with your sister, and Vivima has told me of your concerns about the two of them.”

“I just don’t want her turning out as a spy, sir, it’s… It’s just not who Artesia is, if she gets pushed into that life it’ll destroy her.”

“I agree wholeheartedly. She has a strong soul and a sharp mind… But it is a poor fit.” Dozle rumbles approvingly, but he then hesitates for a moment before continuing, sounding a bit more boyish as he speaks, “I have spoken with your mother about it as well. She agrees that it is a bad idea.”

>”...Did she ask for your help?” Seems like there’s a lot going on behind the scenes while you’ve been busy scrubbing vehicles clean and running laps.
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5562827
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>>
>>5562827
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>When do we call you Step-Father?
>>
>>5562827
1)
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>”...Did she ask for your help?” Seems like there’s a lot going on behind the scenes while you’ve been busy scrubbing vehicles clean and running laps.

2)
>”...Did she ask for your help?” Seems like there’s a lot going on behind the scenes while you’ve been busy scrubbing vehicles clean and running laps.

3)
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.

Damn it. We could've made a request with Artesia or Vivima about Tryphosa. Oh well, I guess Artesia will tell us what's happening after she goes.
>>
>>5562827
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
Dadzle
>>
>>5562827
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>>
>>5562827
>”How’s that going, by the way?” Dozle looks much less fearsome when he speaks of your mother. Still feels weird though.
>>
I hope we can help mom with whatever she's planning behind the scenes.
>>
>>5562831
>>5562833
>>5562834 (3rd)
>>5562835
>>5562884
>>5562885
Writing. Probably won't finish until tomorrow morning.

Things will probably slow down some for the next week and a half or so, I'm registering for the bar and my classes are starting to pick up as well. We'll probably need a new thread sometime late next week anyways so it works out. Expect things to pick back up and a new thread after the 20th.
>>
Upon reflection, Izumi's warrior autism really does it for me. I am officially registering the warrior-waifu party with Contolist and will be opening registration for positions shortly
>>
You finish your drink in a single large gulp before speaking, needing some assistance for this, “How’s that going, by the way?”

Dozle follows your lead and finishes his own drink in a single swig, clanking the crystal glass back down on the small table between you, “Very well. She’s a wonderful lady.”

“...Good.” You say, wishing there was more to drink; Dozle might be your favorite of the Zabis, but this is still a conversation about your mother’s love life, however strange it might, “Still, uh, still just talking? I’ve been wondering how she’s been doing.”

Dozle’s cheeks turn just slightly red and he dodges the first question with all the grace of Dozle dodging a question - There’s really not much comparable to it, “She’s doing very well, she was just here a few days ago.”

“Oh? And she… Ah, yeah, I guess that would be strange.”

“Yes. It’s… put me in a conflicted position as superintendent, but Garma and Vivima are here, so that ship has already sailed.” The huge man shrugs, looking a bit comical as he does so - But what else is there to really say about it? The bias is unavoidable. “She watched your morning run from the windows there, she was very proud of all of you.”

You smile, even though you already knew that to be a fact it never hurts to hear, and by Dozle’s unusually gentle tone you know he already knew as well, “It’s a bit hard to take her out in public, isn’t it?”

“It’s tedious. She’s as beautiful as she was before…” Dozle cuts himself off, a pained look in his eyes, and it takes a moment before he finds his words again, “People would still recognize her. Even the park is a struggle. She wears big hats, it helps. And… Well, I’m no better at remaining hidden. Guards have to make a perimeter.”

You laugh at the mental image, having spotted her with a few truly prodigious sun hats before back at the palace, their purpose suddenly making far more sense, “Maybe you should try some hats too then.”

Dozle chuckles deeply and shakes his head, easing up a bit, “I look terrible in hats. I tried to wear one for a while after I took command of the Zam. Didn’t last a week.”

“Kept flying off?” You ask, knowing how troublesome hats can be in microgravity unless you resort to pins - There’s a good reason people wear them so rarely, even a lot of federation admirals will skip their hat if they can help it.

“That as well. Mostly it looked silly. It did not become an officer of my size.”

>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.
>”So when do I start calling you step-father?” Bit of banter. He’s only a Zabi, massively higher in rank than you, and physically gigantic - What could go wrong?
>Off to Side Seven!
>Write-in.
>>
>>5563023
>”So when do I start calling you step-father?” Bit of banter. He’s only a Zabi, massively higher in rank than you, and physically gigantic - What could go wrong?
I love the good idea fairy
>>
>>5563023
>>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.

No. Be serious about this first. Its an important question to ask and is even expected of us. If he responds in the affirmative, then we can joke with him.
>>
>>5563023
>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.
>>
>>5563023
1)
>Off to Side Seven!
I'd rather not push it with the big guy. We already know it's serious.

2)
>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.
>>
>>5563023
>>Off to Side Seven!
>>
>>5563023
>>Off to Side Seven!
>>
>>5563023
>Off to Side Seven!
>>
>>5563023
1)
>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.
2)
>”So when do I start calling you step-father?” Bit of banter. He’s only a Zabi, massively higher in rank than you, and physically gigantic - What could go wrong?
>>
>>5563023
>>”...Are you serious about her, Dozle?” It’s been several months, it’s not a totally unfair question.
>>
>>5563023
>>5563038
Changing my vote to just:
>Off to Side Seven!
>>
>>5563324
>>5563061
>>5563055
>>5563040
Side Seven!

>>5563310
>>5563308
>>5563028
>>5563027
Serious?

And we've got a tie, I'll give it an hour.
>>
>>5563384
I'll change to just go to side seven then
>>
>>5563324
>>5563061
>>5563055
>>5563040
>>5563399
Writing.
>>
Noon, two days later.

You step from the spaceport’s lift, midday light shining bright through the vast enclosure of the colony’s interior, reflected down and through the great glass sections of the vast construction. Nature and urban sprawl stretch out before you, neighborhoods and towns mixing with green zones, all of it rather tranquil and peaceful - Side Seven, Noa, is just this single colony, and huge but distant construction machinery signals that even this lone colony is still incomplete… In fact it looks like it’s only about two thirds finished…

There isn’t long to ponder the strange state of the colony, other travelers pushing past you and out into the pickup area of the spaceport; a man in a business suit bumps into your shoulder and quickly apologizes but doesn’t break his step - You hurry along to get out of their way, quickly spotting who you’re really here for.

Elena is leaning against the door of a little sporty looking green convertible elecar, in her usual tight blue jeans and green jacket, her long red hair unbraided and loose in the light wind of the colony, a beautiful smile across her pale face as she waves to you. Smiling, everything in the world feeling right once me, you head over to her, pulling your luggage along behind you.

“Heya, Max.” She greets you, and you embrace in a hug and then kiss for a long moment; god, you’ve missed this, the last few months have been awful.

“Hey there, beautiful.” You say as you pull away from her, that beloved cinnamon perfume of hers clinging about her pleasantly, “You have no idea how good it is to see you.”

“Oh, I think I have at least some idea~” She bites her lip, looking you over with an expression that sends a thrill of excitement through you; you know those eyes, “...Later though, come on, get in - I’ll drive this time, lead foot.”

“I thought you liked going fast?” You chuckle, waiting for her to unlock the trunk and then putting your suitcase inside, “Doesn’t get your blood pumping anymore?”

“I didn’t say anything back on Von Braun because you’re too damned cute, but you drive like a maniac, Max.”

“...Yeah, I know.” You scratch at the back of your head, “Or maybe everyone else just drives too slow?”

She rolls her eyes and gets into the driver's seat, and you get in alongside her. It’s not a spacious vehicle, but the interior is nice enough; leather and a nice enough electronics suite - It’s the kind of elecar you can get in trouble in very easily.

“How’s your summer been?” You ask once you’re settled in, taking another long moment just to look over Elena - She notices, blushing a touch.

“How do you do that?” She asks, ignoring your question for a moment.

“Do what?”
>>
>>5563569

“Those looks.” She answers, almost exasperated, glancing for a moment to check traffic before starting the electric car up and pulling out into traffic; it’s got a lot of get up and go, pushing you back a bit in your seat from the sudden acceleration.

“It just comes naturally.” You shrug, wind blowing through your hair as the car zips along through the streets near the spaceport, heading quickly toward rows of quaint little homes and all the buildings of picturesque urban life - It’s not a terrible original looking colony, but you’ve never had a chance to really spend any time in a place like this, and it immediately has an idyllic appeal to it. A person could live their whole life here and be happy and fine, no grand palaces or lethal intrigue in sight.

“Just comes naturally?” She scoffs, somehow managing to make it cute, and shakes her head, red hair blowing about in the wind as you both speed along, and then speaks more loudly to be heard over the road noise and wind, “...My summer’s been great, got a lot of work done, made some friends - Even learned a secret or three - but I’m more interested in yours! How’s the academy been?”

“Exhausting!” You answer immediately, “Dozle had me on extra duties after the whole Von Braun incident, so I’ve barely had any time to sleep let alone think - Sorry I couldn’t write long letters. Made a few friends so far though, the actual classes and training aren’t bad at all - Actually, do you remember that alley fight we got in?”

“Uh, yes, I remember our first kiss.” She laughs, “What’s that got to do with the academy?”

“The guy we helped out, Rix, bunks with me at the academy, and that girl he was with is there too!” You say, “Small world, right?”

“Seriously?” Elena questions, and you nod, “That’s almost suspicious, Max.”

“Long odds, sure, but weirder things have happened! I try not to worry about it too much.”

Elena shakes her head, not letting go of the issue, “But really though… What are the chances of that? …Think it’s a newtype thing?”

Where the hell’d she get that idea?

“What?” You question, deeply confused, “They’re not newtypes.”

“Didn’t say they were - I’ve been doing some reading, that Dr. Flanagan you mentioned has published a lot of his work, and I have access to a bunch of databases through my university’s library - Ah, never mind that, I’ve been reading a lot is my point. Maybe you’re tied to them somehow?”
>>
>>5563571

“Sure you were reading scientific papers? Pretty sure bonds don’t work like that, trust me, I know.” You question, her suggestion sounding more mystical than anything else - But you’ve experienced far too much to set aside that possibility, “I haven’t felt anything from either of them, other than… Yeah, nothing really.”

“Just throwing out ideas, I’ve had too much time to think out here on my own - Get along with them then?”

You’re in among the proper urban sprawl of the colony now; it’s not as tall or dense as some cities you’ve been to, neat streets and clean looking houses blurring past.

“Mostly - Rix is great, hell of a fighter, pretty solid guy. Tiff though…” You’re not quite sure how to describe the little fireball of a girl, “She’s fun, not so bad once you get to know her, but she’s trouble - For everyone, herself included.”

“I know the type.” Elena answers, “Looking out for her, aren’t you?”

You think about that for a moment - other than saving her from a few disciplinary actions, most notably that first run, you haven’t had to pull her out of that many fires yet, “...Sort of, but not just her, got a story about that actually. Why?”

“That’s what you do, isn’t it?”

“What, look out for people?” You ask, and now it’s Elena’s turn to nod, her eyes fixed on the road ahead of you, “…I suppose it is.”

Thirty minutes later, outside of a small house in the suburbs.

“You’ve got an entire house to yourself?” You question, looking out from the park elecar toward a small two story home; it’s a simple affair, remarkable largely for how unremarkable it is - Most of the homes around here are pretty in a simple sort of way.

“It was easier than renting in the bigger towns, and it’s a lot closer to the firm I’ve been working for; a lot of engineers live around here actually, never quite figured out why though…” Elena says, getting out of the car as you do the same, popping the trunk for you to get your luggage, “The owner’s away until the end of the summer so I’ve been taking care of the place, cut the cost way down - Nice old lady.”

“Ah, that’s sweet of you.” You comment while retrieving your suitcase, close the small trunk with a thud, and then follow Elena on up the walk toward the door; she unlocks it with a key and soon you’re inside - and assaulted by a vicious beast!
>>
>>5563574

A dark furred blue leaps through the air, it’s huge bulk slamming against you and sending you sprawling to the ground - You manage to grab onto your suitcase for a moment and slow your fall, not hitting too hard, the great big hound licking at your face.

“Ugh, gah, Zammy! Off, boy! Off! It’s good to see you too!” You try to push the familiar pooch away, and he gets in one last big lick against your cheek, tongue hanging out and tail wagging as he bounds off of you in the narrow entrance hall - There’s barely even enough room to get up with him crowding you, but you manage it.

“Could have mentioned the guard bear.” You laugh, leaning over to scratch the dog’s head, “Hogo let you bring him?”

“He’s on loan.” Elena grins, joining in to pet Zammy, running her slender hands through his smooth fur, “Eats spies for me. Isn’t that right, boy?”

Zammy lets out a deep woof.

“...House is clean, then?”

“Completely.” Elena nods, sliding past to close the door that got left open after Zammy jumped you, “...You don’t have a guard with you this time?”

“I’m sure there’s someone watching.” You shrug, “I don’t have much time or a reason to make trouble, I’m just glad they’re letting me go anywhere after last time…”

Elena moves past you again, waving a little for you to follow her deeper into the house, the two of you moving past a small dining room and kitchen and towards what must be the living room, “That’s great, we’ve got a bit of freedom then… So, what do you want to do?”

>”You.”
>”...Honestly I’m starving. Know any good places?”
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5563576
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
>>
>>5563576
1)
>”...Honestly I’m starving. Know any good places?”
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
2)
>”...Honestly I’m starving. Know any good places?”
3)
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
>>
>>5563576
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
>>
>>5563576
>”You.”
Usually I don't go for this unless it's funny or makes sense in the moment, but the fact that there might be someone waiting for us to go somewhere makes me want to wait for a bit.
>>
>>5563576
>>5563582
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...Honestly I’m starving. Know any good places?”
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”

2)
>”...Honestly I’m starving. Know any good places?”

3)
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”

I'm tired of being scared of spies, might as well bite the bullet.
>>
>>5563608
Food > Spies
>>
>>5563609
based
>>
>>5563576
>”Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you? Spit em’ out.”
>>
>>5563730
>>5563581
>>5563577
>>5563578 (3rd)
>>5563608 (3rd)
Writing.
>>
“Come on, you’ve already got plans, don’t you?” You urge her, taking a moment to look around the interior of the house; it definitely looks like the home of an old woman, tidy and yet somehow a bit cluttered, colorful and decorated in a sort scattered sense, the accumulation of an entire life of little knick-knacks and other things - It’s put together better than most.

“My plans? Oh, now that sounds like permission - I do, actually.” Elena says a little proudly, motioning toward one of the halls leading from the living room, “Rooms over there, I’ll get things started - I need to make a phone call.”

“Get things started?” You question, the details of her plans still just out of reach, “Going to just leave me guessing?”

“Go on, get unpacked!” She almost shoos you along with one hand, moving toward a phone on the wall nearby, but you linger for a moment to hear a bit more, “...It’s a picnic, if you must know. I wasn’t sure when you’d get here, but there’s a place that puts together baskets - Go, come one! At least let the food be a surprise.”

“Alright, alright!” You reply, laughing at how insistent she’s being, knowing how much she adores surprises. You head off into the nearby bedroom, look around a bit, and unpack your suitcase; you won’t be here for long, but living out of luggage never feels right to you. Zammy sits around and watches as you move your clothes into empty drawers and the room’s small closet, being a remarkably good boy - For how many precariously perched objects there are around the house it’s a wonder he isn’t an existential threat to it all, but the big dog has moved around with great care other than his leaping greeting at the door.

…The room itself is clearly the one Elena’s staying in, and not the house’s master, but the bed looks… Well, that’ll wait for later, but you still grin. There’s a photo of the two of you on the nightstand, and feeling a bit curious you check the small drawer under it - There’s a sleek silver handgun, and you close the drawer again leaving it as is - It’s good to know Elena’s prepared for bad situations, even if that gun is probably incredibly illegal. After a few more minutes you’ve finished unpacking and begin to head back out, but hearing Elena still talking you hold for a little while until she finishes.

“...Took awhile to pick everything.” She shrugs innocently, smiling, “So I’ve got a spot picked out, you’ll love it.”

“Oh?”

“There’s a rise in the landscape not too far from the construction zone, it has a great view of one of the glass sections, and the reflectors mostly aren’t in the way - You can see right out into space from the hill, it stretches out like an ocean… Y’know what, you’ll see it soon, I think that’s enough.”

Zammy woofs, looking to you both expectantly, seemingly having clued in on the fact that you’re about to leave the house.
>>
>>5563932

“That sounds wonderful, Elena.” You grin; she knows you better than anyone, save perhaps your siblings, or… or maybe Tryphosa, but that’s a different kind of knowledge. A picnic with a view of space is just about perfect.

Half an hour later.

Picking up the basket didn’t take too long, and though the picnic site wasn’t far it took a bit of effort to get there, Elena’s convertible having to go down some dirt roads through one of the colony’s green zones before reaching the base of the hill - Zammy’s came along for the trip, free and off a lead but hardly a concern with how easily he responds to commands.

The three of you walked up the hill, which is larger than you expected and rather steep in place, following along a small trail that’s easier to traverse than the rest of its harsh slopes. Thankfully it’s mostly clear of brush, and you’re at the top after a few minutes.

The view is gorgeous - Elena was right, the great glass panels stretch out for kilometers, wrapping up into the horizon until they reach the next land section of the open-type colony, looking almost as a shimmering lake at times - As your eyes adjust to the view, piercing the faint illusion, you can see further out into the dark of space and the countless twinkling stars far beyond… Now this is more like it.

“Like the view?” Elena questions by your side, and without thinking you wrap an arm around her waist and pull her a bit closer.

“I love it. This is perfect-” Just as you begin to move to kiss her again, you’re cut off by what’s unmistakably a very muffled and distant explosion - But definitely an explosion. A few more follow it soon after, the ground rumbling faintly, a little vibration moving up through your whole body with each blast.

Confused, you look off toward the construction zone, large walls and artificial hills blocking your sight of much of it. There’s no visible sign of the detonations, but that means less than nothing with all those barriers in the way.

Elena sighs in frustration, “I didn’t think they’d be blasting today.”

“It’s just construction, I can barely hear it anyways.” You say, trying to comfort her even as she pulls away.

“...Actually I’m pretty sure it’s more than that.” She says cryptically, “Let’s get the blanket set out.”

“Right…” You say, spending the next minute or so getting the picnic site set up properly, Zammy remaining on guard nearby, watching the treeline intently.

Sitting down on the blanket, some of the food set out in front of you, your stomach rumbles audibly - Elena stifles a small laugh at the noise.

>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”
>”...What did you mean earlier about the blasting?”
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5563933
>”...What did you mean earlier about the blasting?”
>>
>>5563933
1)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”

2)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>”...What did you mean earlier about the blasting?”
>>
I feel like there may or may not be spies around listening in. I'm sure they're focused on us if they are here, since we've just arrived.
>>
>>5563933
>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”
>>
>>5563933
>>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
That's concerning. Someone's watching us and I don't think it's our normal tagalongs.
>>
>>5563933
>>5563936
Changing my vote to
1)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”

2)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>”...What did you mean earlier about the blasting?”

Probably not a good idea for Elena to mention her friends, at least not as of yet.
>>
>>5563933
>>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>>
>>5563933
1)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”
2)
>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”
3)
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>>
>>5563933
>>”So the summer’s been good to you? Looking forward to meeting some of those friends you mentioned.”
>”Is Zammy always this alert? Good dog.”
>>
>>5564030
>>5563945
>>5563942
>>5564289 (3rd)
Writing.
>>
As you enjoy one another’s company and the absolutely delicious food, you can’t help but shake the feeling that Zammy is doing a bit more than just standing guard.

“Is Zammy always this alert?” You ask Elena, and then reach over to scratch at the hug dog’s haunches; you feel immediately that he’s as tensed as he looks, focused on something off in the tree line.

“What, afraid of spies?” Elena asks jokingly, but she’s following along the path of Zammy’s gaze as well now, emerald eyes searching over the trees in the distance, “...It’s probably just an animal, they released a lot of them into the green zones awhile ago. Squirrels and deer.”

“It could actually be a spy…” You say in a low voice, trying to pierce through the deep shadows of the forest, even your eyes struggling to make out much - There’s a bit of movement though, some of the brush rustling about - “Should have brought that gun…”

“Saw that, did you?” Elena asks, looking away from the suspect section of the tree line, and then reaching down to her ankle and pulling a thin but surprisingly long knife from her hiking boot, keeping it low and hidden, “They teach you knife fighting yet at the academy?”

You pretend to stop paying attention to the forest as well, forcing yourself to relax and putting on a fake smile, “...Not yet, no. I’ve trained a few times with Casval though. Kiss me and hand that over.”

Elena leans over a bit and soon you’re both kissing; it’s brief, but she’s surprisingly passionate - why the hell do things like this get her so excited? The cold grip of the thin blade is soon in your hand, and you pull back from Elena, the knife in a reverse grip and hidden along the length of your arm.

“So are we going to do this?” You question, reaching down and taking another bite of the shockingly good sandwiches that came with the basket; it’s practically divine in comparison to the food at the academy.

“...It might still be nothing.” She shrugs, “Sometimes kids come out this far, but it’s rare… Think we should let Zammy go after it? He’ll listen.”

>”Give him the order… But be ready to call him off though.” You’ve been on the wrong end of that dog once, he’s terrifying if you don’t know how absolutely friendly he can really be - It’ll flush anyone out.
>”Maybe the three of us should go for a walk over there?” There’s safety in numbers, but it won’t be as aggressive or startling as a huge dog running at full pelt.
>”...We’re ready if something happens, no reason to go running off through the woods.” Stay where you are. It’s probably just paranoia, an animal does seem more likely than a spy… but stranger things have happened…
>Write-in.
>>
>>5564472
>”Maybe the three of us should go for a walk over there?” There’s safety in numbers, but it won’t be as aggressive or startling as a huge dog running at full pelt.
>A walk through the woods is still romantic right? Although this is more of a hunt...
>>
>>5564472
>>5564475
Supporting.
>>
>>5564472
>”Give him the order… But be ready to call him off though.” You’ve been on the wrong end of that dog once, he’s terrifying if you don’t know how absolutely friendly he can really be - It’ll flush anyone out.
Spontaneous thought, what if it's Amuro?
>>
>>5564481
I feel like that's unlikely, since I remember Amuro being a bit of a shut in before the OYW.
>>
>>5564485
I don't think it's particularly likely either, just a gut feeling which is probably wrong. WHat's far more likely is a feddie observer in some capacity.
>>
>>5564487
That's what I was thinking too, though I was leaning more on it being some third-party spying, since part of me doubts the Federation would be competent enough to keep tabs on someone like Elena and Felix.
But the fact that they're everywhere in Side Seven is starting to make me think it could be.
>>
>>5564502
>But the fact that they're everywhere in Side Seven is starting to make me think it could be.
At this point time, S7 is a single colony being used as a front for the fed base that built RX-78-2. We're standing on top of a preverbal wasp nest even if they haven't begun MS dev yet. It's still a research black site.
>>
>>5564511
Yeah, that would probably do it.

>>5564472
>>5564477
Changing my vote to:
>”Give him the order… But be ready to call him off though.” You’ve been on the wrong end of that dog once, he’s terrifying if you don’t know how absolutely friendly he can really be - It’ll flush anyone out.
This could be the best way to get a potential spy to open up.
inb4 it's actually Amuro and this makes him have a phobia of dogs.
>>
>>5564472
>>5564475
Support. In case my ID has changed, I'm >>5563934 >>5563577 >>5563025
>>
>>5564472
>”Give him the order… But be ready to call him off though.” You’ve been on the wrong end of that dog once, he’s terrifying if you don’t know how absolutely friendly he can really be - It’ll flush anyone out.
>>
>>5564616
Oh yeah, I should probably mention my previous IDs.
>>5564475
This was me
>>5562106
And this is my ID chain
>>
>>5564472
>why the hell do things like this get her so excited?
Hm, now that I think about this it probably stems from the attack in Spain. The only reason she's alive is because of Felix's heroics there.
>>
>>5564664
Forgot to write "as well" at the end of the first sentence.
It gives the impression I'm this anon
>>5564616
When I'm not, him linking his IDs just made me remember to do mine.
>>
>>5564629
>>5564526
>>5564481
Unleash the (already unleashed) hound!

>>5564616
>>5564475
Romantic spy hunt.

Writing.
>>
>>5564747
I can almost hear the hounds
>>
>>5564748
Good taste.
>>
>>5564748
>>5564771
Indeed, fellow enjoyers
>>
“Give him the order… But be ready to call him off.” You say to Elena, still trying to play the part of a couple out on a casual picnic.

Elena smirks, “Don’t think he should get to eat too? That’s hardly fair.”

You shrug, “Let him if you want, I’m just thinking it could be a kid. They’ll probably scream, call him off if they sound too young.”

“Mmm, could be a cowardly spy though.” Elena jokes, glancing over to Zammy for just a moment before looking back to you, “Alright, here we go… Zammy, attack!”

The dark furred dog explodes into motion, kicking up a spray of dirt and grass as his hind legs tear into the ground and he bolts toward the treeline in a blur and disappears into the brush and shadows. A moment later and there’s a muffled scream from trees, panicked Spanish.

“Hey, woah, bad dog! No, no! Aaagh!” A boy shouts, and you can see the brush rustling about quite a lot; you exchange a quick worried look with Elena and she’s quick to call the dog back.

“Zammy, ease up!” Elena shouts, stifling a laugh as she stands to go see what’s going on - You’re already up and heading over, knife hidden away out of sight. It sounded like a kid, but there’s no way to know for sure until you see them.

Together you approach the brush and push past it a little, finding Zammy pinning a boy to the ground, growling and making all sorts of awful noises but not having harmed a hair on his head. He’s probably thirteen or fourteen, a bit tan and with long sort of blue-ish hair - It’s a bit difficult to tell in the shadows - and he’s terrified and babbling in spanish, holding his hand up defensively between himself and the huge dog.

“...Kai?” Elena questions in an angry tone, apparently recognizing the boy and conversing in Spanish, “What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Oh god, don’t eat me!” He says, Zammy’s growling intensifying for a moment until Elena calls the dog back to her side. Kai slowly rises and looks between the three of you, face nearly white as a sheet in fear, but he still stutters out some angry words at the obedient hound, “...Yeah, that’s right, run! …H-hey, Elena, nearly had to fight your dog, it’s a good thing you called him off or I’d really have let him have it-”

“Ugh, shut it.” Elena facepalms, “What the hell are you doing out here, Kai?”

Kai shrugs innocently, flashing a grin, “J-just out on a hike, y’know me, always getting exercise.”

“Little lying brat,” She scolds him, moving over and grabbing him by the ear, prompting a couple of yelps and half hearted slaps at her arm from the suspicious looking boy, “Again, and the truth this time.”

“What the hell does that matter to you?” He retorts, a bit of petulant venom in his tone.
>>
>>5564798

“...I feel like I’m missing something here,” You say mostly to yourself, joining the two of them, Kai’s eyes widening as you approach, “You know each other?”

“Barely.” Elena answers, still gripping the kid by his ear, ignoring his struggling, “His parents had me watch him for a weekend, but you’re a bit too old for that - Aren’t you, Kai?”

“I’m not a kid!” The kid protests, “Let go of my damn ear! You’re the one that wanted to know about the construction area!”

“Yeah, that didn’t mean I wanted you to follow me around afterward. He’s just a local troublemaker, Max. Follows me around too much. I asked him to take a look past some of the barriers maybe a month ago.”

“And I did! Damn, let go!” Kai continues to complain, “What the hell did I do to deserve this shit?”

“Spy on me! We talked about this, you little peeper!” Elena says in a huff, yanking a little more firmly on his ear.

>”Come on, let him go, we can talk about this reasonably.”
>”...What’s past the barriers?”
>”He isn’t one of your friends, is he? What’s this about peeping?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5564800
>”Come on, let him go, we can talk about this reasonably.”
>>
>>5564800
1)
>”He isn’t one of your friends, is he? What’s this about peeping?”
2)
>”Come on, let him go, we can talk about this reasonably.”
>”...What’s past the barriers?”
>>
>>5564800
1)
>”He isn’t one of your friends, is he? What’s this about peeping?”
>”...What’s past the barriers?”
Once he learns Felix is her boyfriend I feel like he'll talk a bit more.

2)
>”He isn’t one of your friends, is he? What’s this about peeping?”

I almost can't believe we're actually meeting one of the main guys from White Base.
>>
>>5564810
>one of the main guys from White Base
Holy shit I just realized it's Kai Shiden, thanks for pointing that out.
>>
>>5564800
>”He isn’t one of your friends, is he? What’s this about peeping?”
>>
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>>5564803
>>5564810 (2nd)
>>5564820
Writing.
>>
“He isn’t one of your friends, is he?” You ask incredulously, looking between the two of them; it’s a comical sight, the boy’s a bit short than Elena and maybe three or four years younger, but there’s no way she’s really restraining him by just an ear… It does look painful though, “And what’s this about peeping?”

“Friends? You know, I’m a lot less sure about that after last week,” Elena almost growls, pulling at the boy’s ear again, “Little brat had a pair of binoculars and was posted up across the street - Could see right into my room, thought I wouldn’t notice.”

Kai half shrugs and tries to defend himself, doing more harm than good, “I uh, I was out bird watching, and I found a nice bird-Ow! Agh, stop that!”

“He’s my boyfriend, Kai,” Elena says, “Not going to get any sympathy from him like that.”

“...The bird was in that tree outside!” Kai changes his tune immediately upon learning of your relationship, looking at you once more with wide eyes, “Do I look like I’d lie?”

“Yes.” You chuckle, approaching menacingly but with no real intent to harm the kid; it’s a bit of a creep move to have spied on Elena like that, but Kai’s already getting enough hell from Elena for it, “Apologize to her.”

“Ah, fine - I’m sorry, alright! Let me go!” He says, not sounding terribly genuine, and for a moment you consider slapping some sense into him, “What happened to you being nice, Elena? Always such rotten luck, life’s so unfair.”

“Watching me while I was changing happened!” Elena replies, “You’re lucky I like you or I’d feed you to my dog.”

Zammy growls again, but Kai ignores the hound for a moment.

“You like me?” He asks, cheeks turning red.

“Oh my god…” Elena lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head and nearly letting go of him, “Kai, come on, why are you out here?”

“I was going to try to make another run past the barriers, I saw your car and thought I’d see what was going on.” He explains, finally stopping the meaningless denials from earlier - This guy really knows how to dig himself into a deeper hole.

“That’s it?” You question, easing up, and Kai nods eagerly - It really just makes him look more suspicious.

“Yeah, I’m pretty good at sneaking around, y’know, one of the best. Tan caps had no idea.” He says proudly, crossing his arms - Elena’s continued grip on his ear takes away from any sort of image he’s trying to build, just a bit too young to really pull off being a defiant punk.

>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
>”Elena, ease up, you’re going to take his ear off at that rate.”
>”You couldn’t hear us from over here, could you? Eavesdropping is a terrible habit, Kai.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5564907
>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
Oh my, do I smell an opportunity to introduce meta knowledge to Felix?
>>
>>5564907
>”Elena, ease up, you’re going to take his ear off at that rate.”
>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
>>
>>5564907
>”Elena, ease up, you’re going to take his ear off at that rate.”
>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
>>
>>5564907
>>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
>>”Elena, ease up, you’re going to take his ear off at that rate.”
>>
>>5564907
>>5564912
Just to be clear, I'm only going with the "Elena, ease up" option if it isn't said with any anger or sharpness.
Otherwise I'll just go with the Tan caps.
>>
>>5564907
>”Elena, ease up, you’re going to take his ear off at that rate.”
>”Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?”
>>
>>5564912
>>5564914
>>5564915
>>5564927
Writing.
>>
“Tan caps? What’s the federation got to do with any of this?” You ask, your mind stuck on Kai’s comment.

“Max, you know those secrets I mentioned?” Elena asks, turning from Kai but still holding his ear in what must be a vice-like grip, nodding her head vaguely toward the third of the colony under construction, “The construction area over there is a Federation facility of some kind.”

“A Federation base? Bit of a remote place for one, that’d be a pretty big one too…” You squint at Kai, taking another look at the boy - He’s only a few years younger than you, but it’s hard to imagine him doing much effective spy work with how easily Zammy caught him.

“Yeah, no idea what they’re doing though - That’s why I was going to try again!” Kai claims, shooting a pained and annoyed look at Elena, unable to move much with his ear still held hostage, “Everyone knows they’re not just building still, it’s been years - You’d have to be thicker than a boulder to buy that crap.”

“He’s right, the engineering doesn’t make any sense, new colonies get finished all the time - It takes a couple of years at most, and Noa’s been going for nearly a decade.” Elena emphasizes the point, and you’re inclined to take her opinion a lot more seriously than the boy’s, “I looked into the corporation that paid to start the Side, and the Federation has a huge stake in it. I thought it was just normal corruption, but I’m not so sure now.”

You scratch at the back of your head with your free hand, the knife still concealed along your other arm, and think about the information for a moment, “Do they defend the perimeter?”

“There are gun ports along some of the walls near the big obvious entrances to the construction.” Elena shrugs, Kai letting out a small pained noise as her hand moves, “I haven’t gotten closer for obvious reasons, binoculars can only catch so much and they patrol sometimes.”

“...Elena, could you ease up a bit?” You chuckle, pretty sure Kai could get away if you really tried but feeling a bit bad for the kid anyways, “You’re going to take his ear off at this rate.”

“Maybe I should.” Elena says, giving it a final small tug before letting Kai go, “If I catch you watching me again you’ll lose an eye, Kai.”

Kai backs off a few steps, rubbing at his ear, “Pfff, yeah right. Play tough, I know better. …Got any extra food? Biked out here and forgot my lunch.”

>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.
>”...I guess we’ve got some extra, come on.” There’s a bit too much food.
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5564957
"if he really tried" rather.
>>
>>5564957
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
As much as I want to snoop around the feddie base, that's a sure fire way to get in hot shit with anyone and everyone. We should pass off the info though, for sure.
>>
>>5564957
1)
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.

2)
>”...I guess we’ve got some extra, come on.” There’s a bit too much food.
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.

3)
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.

The opportunity for doing some spy work is too big to pass up. I don't want to make the same mistake as I did with voting for staying safe in Von Braun.
>>
>>5564957
1)
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.
2)
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
3)
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
>”...I guess we’ve got some extra, come on.” There’s a bit too much food.
White Base, Holy Grail
>>
>>5564957
>>5564964
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”...I guess we’ve got some extra, come on.” There’s a bit too much food.
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.
I think we can reasonably talk about both of topics these while we're eating at the picnic.

2)
>”Elena, how’d you two meet exactly? You were his… babysitter?” Weird if true, Kai is definitely a couple years too old for that by most standards and doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate parents coddling him like that.
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.

3)
>”...I guess we’ve got some extra, come on.” There’s a bit too much food.
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.

4)
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.
>>
>>5564957
>”So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing? …Sounds like a mystery to be solved.” Might be something deeper going on here.
>>
>>5565015
>>5564976 (4th)
>>5564974
Writing.
>>
“So you’ve been looking into this base and you’ve got no idea what they’re doing?” You ask, ignoring Kai’s request for food as you sense an opportunity here; or maybe it’s just your curiosity being piqued, sometimes it’s a little hard to tell in the moment.

“Yeah, haven’t you been listening at all?” Kai asks, “Is he always this sharp?”

Elena ignores the boy’s comment, “That about sums it up, Max. Noticed something was wrong as soon as I got here - You must have seen it too, right?”

You nod, “The construction did strike me as odd… Sounds like a mystery to be solved then.”

“So we’re on the hunt then?” Elena asks, grinning mischievously, “...You can give me my knife back, by the way.”

“...Knife?” Kai questions as you hand the slender blade back to Elena and she resheathes it in her boot, “Woah, what the- You had that the whole time?”

You shrug casually, “She asked me to hold it for a while, don’t worry about it, Kai.”

“...Right.” He says skeptically, looking between the two of you; as his gaze settles on Elena it seems to ease whatever thoughts he was having, “That was just to scare people, right?”

“...Sure, yeah.” Elena says, and Kai’s eyes go a little wide again, “Oh come on, don’t be such a baby, there’s all sort of things out here.”

“Like what?” Kai questions a bit nervously.

“Man eating dogs, from what I’ve heard.” You joke, crouching down to scratch behind Zammy’s ears for a moment, the big pooch rubbing up closer to you as you do so, really leaning into the petting.

“...Anyways, the base,” Elena strikes up the earlier topic once more, “I think it might be a research base of some kind, a lot of the engineers around here go there for work from what I can tell… I might have tailed a couple of them.”

“Oh? Getting up to all sorts of trouble without me,” You comment, “Almost makes a guy feel left out.”

“Tell me about it.” Kai complains, crossing his arms once more - What does this kid even know?

“Would’ve written to you, but… Well…” Elena glances over to Kai, clearly a bit annoyed he’s still here, “You’re sticking around, Kai?”

“Where the hell else would I go?” He questions. Elena grins for a moment and tries to hide it; as hostile as she’s being, it's still clear she doesn’t really hate the kid.

“Home? Go bother Mr. Rey’s kid or something.” Elena tries to dismiss him, brushing back a strand of her red hair, “Maybe you’ll learn something interesting.”

“From him? He’s such a shut in.” Kai shakes his head, almost sounding disgusted, “I mean I guess he’s not that bad, but come on, he’s like… twelve. Throw me a bone - You’re about to do something cool, aren’t you?”
>>
>>5565073

“Everything I do is cool, Kai. Scram, go be useful somewhere else.” She tries to wave him off again, but it’s half-hearted now.

“You need me and you know it.” The boy lies, looking far less confident in it than he’s probably trying to - If he keeps that crap up for a few more years he’ll really be an insufferable dick.

>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.
>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5565079
>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>>
>>5565079
>>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>>
>>5565079
1)
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.

2)
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.

I don't trust he won't tell on us. Besides, having the little bastard around sounds cool, might even make him like us when the OYW starts.
>>
>>5565079
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>>
>>5565079
>>5565092
Forgot to add
3)
>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.
>>
>>5565079
>>”So a lot of engineers go there? Yeah, that does sound more like a research base.”
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
Screw this kid and how hungry he is
>>
>>5565079
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.
Hey it's that guy.
>>
>>5565079
>”Mr. Rey? Someone from your job?”
>”...We’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.” May as well keep him around, probably best if he stays in sight.
I kind of like that asshole.
>>
>>5565607
>>5565598
>>5565092 (2nd)
>>5565095
Food+Rey?

>>5565098
>>5565088
>>5565086
Engineers+Rey?

Writing.
>>
“So who’s this Mr. Rey?” You ask Elena, “Someone from your job?”

She shakes her head, correcting your pronunciation just slightly, though you could have sworn it’s what she said just a moment ago, “Ray, not Rey, and no - I did meet him through work though, there’s a sort of social club for a lot of the engineers on the colony, they get together on Sundays for lunch every couple of weeks.”

“Alright, Ray then. He’s related to the base somehow I’m guessing, probably works there?” You ask, piecing things together quickly.

“Yeah, as far as I can tell.” Elena says, totally ignoring Kai not, which gets another round of annoyed looks from him, “He’s one of the ones I tailed to an entrance, the guards didn’t even check his ID.”

“Alright, a big shot then. Nice catch.” You smile, meeting her emerald eyes steadily, “You’re pretty good at this, Elena.”

Elena beams at your compliment, looking as beautiful as ever even in the shadowed dark of the forest, cheeks turning a touch red, “Of course I am.”

“What, like you’re someone to judge how good of a spy someone is?” Kai laughs, and Elena promptly slaps him; he freezes up for a moment in disbelief before jumping backwards, rubbing at his cheek. It wasn’t that hard of a slap, barely more than a tap.

“Don’t insult him, Kai.” Elena’s eyes narrow for a moment, but then her face shifts to something almost apologetic.

“Crap, I was just asking a question!” Kai complains, “Why’s everyone got it out for me?”

You laugh at the scene, shaking your head slightly, “My ego’s not that delicate Elena, I appreciate the thought though. Kai, we’ve got some extra food if you want to eat.”

“Haha, that’s more like it!” He says, immediately starting to walk off toward the picnic sight, keeping clear of Zammy but otherwise heading directly there.

“You’re inviting him to our picnic?” Elena questions with a sigh, “He’s like a stray dog, Max, feed him once and you never get rid of him.”

“Good thing I like dogs then.” You shrug and then move over to wrap an arm around her as you both walk back, “Come on, you know this is more exciting than just talking - We’ll have plenty of time for that tonight.”

“...Oh?~” She bites at her lip a little, giving you those eyes again; a big part of you wants to ditch Kai right there and rush back to the car, but you fight back your baser instincts for now.
>>
>>5565644

A couple of minutes later.

“These sandwiches are killer,” Kai says between huge bites, “Where’d you get em’?”

Elena begins to answer him, “There’s a small shop a couple of blocks from the house I’m renting-”

“Oh, yeah, right, one of those froofy girl places for food.” Kai days dismissively, cutting Elena off before she can finish, although he seems to think better of it after a moment, “Maybe I’ve been wrong about those, this is great!

“...Glad you like it.” Elena laughs and then takes a bite of her own small sandwich. You’re already mostly done with yours, the portion sizes a bit smaller than you’re used to but making up for it in flavor. Zammy, to his immense credit, doesn’t beg for any of the food and remains firmly on watch - Damn, what a dog.

>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”Think we could sneak past the base perimeter? Might be able to get a closer look.”
>”So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house? Kai, you know his kid, right?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5565645
1)
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house? Kai, you know his kid, right?”
2)
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”Think we could sneak past the base perimeter? Might be able to get a closer look.”
>>
>>5565645
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
If there's even an inkling of MS dev then this shoots up to priority IMO.
>>
>>5565645
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house? Kai, you know his kid, right?”
>>
>>5565645

>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”Think we could sneak past the base perimeter? Might be able to get a closer look.”
>>
>>5565645
1)
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”Think we could sneak past the base perimeter? Might be able to get a closer look.”
>”So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house? Kai, you know his kid, right?”

2)
>”So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?”
>”So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house? Kai, you know his kid, right?”

I feel like we're going to end up bullying Kai more if we keep him around lmao
>>
>>5565797 (2nd)
>>5565655
>>5565651
Writing.
>>
Apologies for the delay between posts, should be able to get back to writing soon.
>>
“So, any theories about what they’re researching over there?” You ask both of them, though the question is mostly directed to Elena - Kai’s unlikely to know anything, he’s barely even a teenager let alone an engineer.

“Theories? One, but I don’t have much to base it on…” Elena scrunches up her mouth a bit, clearly lost in thought about the idea.

“She thinks they’re researching weapons!” Kai says for her, “Big bombs and stuff.”

“I think they’re researching energy weapons.” She corrects him, “There’s a lot of specialists in the field around here, might just be reactor research though.”

“Reactors? Boring.” Kai complains between munching bites of his rapidly diminishing sandwich. It’s a little concerning that he’s hearing all of this, but it doesn’t sound like it’s new information to him.

“...Fusion reactors, right?” You ask for confirmation, ideas already swirling in your mind. Could they be working on miniaturization as well then? You let that question go unspoken; snooping around a federation base is one thing, revealing Zeon’s secrets to some random kid is something else entirely.

Elena takes a small swig of her bottled soda before replying, “What else would it be? Doubt the federation would be shoving fission engines back in things.”

“Fair.” You reply, “It’s not exactly a new field of research though - Why do you think they’re researching weapons based off that?”

“What else would there be for the military to research in secret? They added those new mega particle cannons to their fleet a few years ago, and like you said: reactors aren’t new. I suppose it could be a new kind of fusion reactor, or maybe better energy management systems…” Elena shrugs away the rest of the possibilities, clearly at a loss for anything definite, “Energy weapons are just a guess, I’m just going off of what I could learn from pulling research papers. Once I knew something was going on I started looking into some of the engineers that go to that lunch with us.”

That raises your eyebrows a bit, once again she’s proving her aptitude for this kind of work, “And you could just check all of that on your own?”

“Yep! The papers are pretty old for some of them so it’s hard to know if they’ve gone on to do other work.” Elena explains, “You’d be amazed what databases a university library gets access to, thank Anaheim for footing the bill for a lot of that.”

“Great, so you read some stuff.” Kai comments, “Still don’t know anything.”

“Oh shut it, you thought it was impressive three weeks ago.” Elena shoots him an annoyed look.
>>
>>5566249

“So this Ray guy, think he might have something from work at his house?” You ask the two of them, trying to keep things on track, “Kai, you know his kid, right?”

“Yeah, I know him.” Kai answers, “He’s a shut in, he goes to school and back and that’s it. Talked to him a few times, but he’s younger than me.”

“...Something from work at his house?” Elena says to herself, pondering the idea aloud and mulling it over for a few moments, “Max, you’re not…?”

“I was thinking his kid might know about it, and Kai knows him.” You say innocently, though you definitely did mean to imply taking a look for yourself, “People take home work all the time, even just a note or an address book could give us more to work with. Look at what you did with names from lunch.”

Elena nods, thinking it over a bit more, suddenly sounds much more pleasant as she speaks to Kai, smiling a little, “Kai, think you could check on that for me? Mr. Ray works weekends most of the time.”

“...Yeah, fine. But only because you asked nice.” He agrees, feigning begrudging acceptance; you can almost feel his excitement in the air. “Want me to snoop around or check inside?”

Troublemakers encouraging a troublemaker, that’s all this is.

>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>Write-in
>>
>>5566251
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.
A more comprehensive planning session sounds nice.
>>
>>5566251
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>>
>>5566251
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.
>>
>>5566251
1)
>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”

2)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.

3)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>>
>>5566258
Might change my priority to the vote combination, since having a game plan we can stew in could bring better benefits.
Though it might be better to do this quickly, just to keep the momentum.
>>
>>5566260
We have momentum? I thought we were having a picnic.
>>
>>5566258
And just to explain my reasoning why I'm even choosing to go for slipping in to Amuro's house, I think we can manage if we use our newtype powers.

>>5566262
I'm referring to how we all might not be as excited/up for it if we wait a day, probably should've made that clear.
>>
>>5566251
>>5566258
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.

2)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”

On second thought sneaking into the house is just begging for something to go wrong.
>>
>>5566251
>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”
>>
>>5566251
>>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”
>>
>>5566345
>>5566313
Check the house.

>>5566303 (2nd)
>>5566256
Split up.

>>5566257
>>5566255
Don't rush in.

Three way tie, I'll give it another hour.
>>
>>5566682
Contolist, I have a question. Does the vote for keeping Amuro distracted mean that we'll meet him, or are we breaking in through a window or something similar?
Or is it yet to be determined?
>>
>>5566683
And by 'yet to be determined' I mean that if Felix and the others haven't decided yet.
>>
>>5566682
Changing my vote to
1)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.
2)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
3)
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.
>>5566256
I think I'm this anon
>>
>>5564974
Ok, I remember making the Moby Dick reference, so I was right about the ID
>>5564664
ID chain
>>
>>5566682
>>5566303
Screw it, changing my vote to:
>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”
High risk, high reward.
>>
>>5566683
The exact method isn't decided, but if Felix meets him again it would probably be incredibly brief since the main idea is to snoop around while he's talking with Kai.
>>
>>5566692
Thank you for clarifying man, that makes me feel a bit better about it honestly.

>>5566251
>>5566691
Will just change my vote to this:
1)
>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.

2)
>”Can you keep the kid distracted? We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”

3)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”
>”We shouldn’t rush into any of this, a night to think things over should help plan things out.” And it gets you back a bit of the time you were planning to spend with Elena, even if these spy games are sometimes fun in their own way.

4)
>”We’ll check around the base again, you try the kid.”

Just to iron out the preferences.
>>
>>5566693 (2nd)
>>5566313
>>5566345
Check the house.

>>5566689 (3rd)
>>5566257
>>5566255
Plan more.

Going to give it half an hour and then just roll off between these two if there isn't a winner.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5566705
House 1, Plan 2.
>>
>>5566723
Writing.
>>
“Kai, can you keep the kid distracted?” You ask, a plan beginning to form in your mind, “We can just slip in for a couple of minutes.”

“Just a couple of minutes? Yeah, easy.” Kai grins confidently, standing up and balling his fists, “I’ll just break a window or something.”

“...How about just talking? We’re not looking for trouble.” Elena suggests, speaking more gently than she was early when she kept trying to send Kai away, “I’d feel bad about breaking anything.”

“Come on, it’s not a big deal. I break, you enter. I’ll just say it was an accident or something. Give me the cash for a new one and we’ll be golden.”

You shake your head, “I like the spirit but that’s a bad plan.”

“You just want to skim off the top of the replacement money.” Elena narrows her emerald eyes in suspicion, a bit of that earlier hostility returning even as she smirks, “Not going to slip that past me that easily.”

Kai just shrugs at that, “Fine, alright, I’ll talk to Amuro, whatever. Can’t blame me for trying, right?”

Elena rolls her eyes at that, the blatant admission almost causing her to laugh, “I can, but I won’t… for now. Come on, let’s pack this up and head back into town.”

A little while later, after the ride back into town.

“...Man, I’m gonna have to go get my bike back out of the damned woods, this blows.” Kai complains, having finally realized that accepting the car ride back into town might not have been a great course of action, “And this back seat is so small, what’s this for, ants?”

Zammy woofs next to Kai as the little sports car continues to speed along, wind blowing past its open top. You’re nearly back into the suburbs proper now, some of the houses looking vaguely recognizable.

“I’ll drive you back later.” Elena reassures the kid, and that seems to settle him somewhat, although he’s soon assaulted by a few aggressive licks from Zammy. Kai struggles to keep the huge dog away in the cramped confines of the back of the green convertible, eventually giving up and resigning himself to his fate - If Zammy’s come around to liking him then he can’t be that bad.

“So Kai, what’s your play?” You ask him after Zammy relents a little, trying not to laugh at the scene.

“Easy, just gonna tell him I’ve got something techy to show him.” Kai says, waving an arm to emphasize the point, “He’ll be all over it.”

“...Are you sure about that?” Elena questions doubtfully, “You’ve never done that before, right?”

“Yeah, so?” Kai asks, not seeing the problem, “First time for everything, trust me, I’ll get him out.”
>>
>>5566756

She shakes her head, red hair blowing slightly in the wind, “That makes me feel even worse… Maybe I should go with you, I’ve actually got something back at my house he might want to see, it’s in the garage. And I sort of know him, we talked once for… a couple of minutes, I guess.”

Kai shrugs, grinning, “So you’re sort of inviting me over to your place? Alriiight.”

Elena takes on of the empty plastic bottles from the car’s small cupholders and tosses it back at Kai, whacking him right in the forehead; Zammy lunges forward and grabs the bottle in mid bounce before it flies from the car, sinking back low into the seat and beginning to chew on it, crackling plastic sounds doing a lot to drown out Kai’s immediate complaints.

“That’s the place up there?” You ask, spotting a house further up the road that matches Elena’s description from earlier in the ride back. The car slows down and comes to a stop along the side of the road, confirming your suspicion.

“Max, how should we handle this?” Elena looks to you, deferring to your judgment for the investigation.

“...You’ve got a lockpick set, right?” You question, and she gestures to the glovebox; you open it and find that she’s done a bit better than just a pick set, there’s also gloves and a magcard spoofer that looks homemade, and a small camera, “...Damn, I love you.”

“Yeah, I know.” Elena says a bit proudly while Kai makes a displeased face in the backseat, “Never hurts to be prepared.”

“Sure no one other than the kid will be home?” You check again, and Elena nods.

“Mr. Ray works weekends, and I don’t think anyone else lives with them.”

>”...I’m not that experienced with this sort of stuff but I can probably manage it. Go with Kai, go back to your palace if you need to. I’ll look around inside and walk back or something.”
>”Kai, handle this Amuro kid, Elena and I will go around the back and look around.”
>"Maybe we take this a bit slower. Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? Might even invite us over." ...Or not, Kai does keep calling him a shut-in.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5566758
"go back to your place if you need to," rather. Damned Zabi palace trying to sneak back into things on its own.
>>
>>5566758
>”...I’m not that experienced with this sort of stuff but I can probably manage it. Go with Kai, go back to your palace if you need to. I’ll look around inside and walk back or something.”
>>
>>5566758
1)
>"Maybe we take this a bit slower. Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? Might even invite us over." ...Or not, Kai does keep calling him a shut-in.
2)
>”...I’m not that experienced with this sort of stuff but I can probably manage it. Go with Kai, go back to your palace if you need to. I’ll look around inside and walk back or something.”
3)
>”Kai, handle this Amuro kid, Elena and I will go around the back and look around.”
>>
>>5566758
1)
>”...I’m not that experienced with this sort of stuff but I can probably manage it. Go with Kai, go back to your palace if you need to. I’ll look around inside and walk back or something.”
As long as we use our newtype abilities and our enhanced perception we should be good.

2)
>"Maybe we take this a bit slower. Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? Might even invite us over." ...Or not, Kai does keep calling him a shut-in.
Only if this means we can get an actual plan going with the three of us, and not just sending Kai to go there by himself tomorrow or something like that.

3)
>”Kai, handle this Amuro kid, Elena and I will go around the back and look around.”
Arguably the most risky option.
>>
>>5566774
>going with the three of us
Not as in all three of us break in, but that we'd have a better plan involving us all (probably with Kai as the distraction with whatever Elena had to make Amuro interested and Elena coming with us to get info from the computers).

>Arguably the most risky option.
Things go could go either very well, especially with Elena and Felix both looking around, or we could have a 'funny moment' that could potentially spiral into something bad that might even sabotage some of Zeon's plans worst case scenario.
tldr high risk high reward
>>
>>5566758
>>5566774
Changing my vote to:
1)
>Write-in
>Let's get that thing from your house first, then we can come back. Kai can deal with the kid while Elena and I go around the back and look around."

2)
>"Maybe we take this a bit slower. Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? Might even invite us over." ...Or not, Kai does keep calling him a shut-in.
But only as long as we don't make ourselves that known. Though meeting Amuro might be interesting.
>>
>>5566758
>>5566781
Argh, didn't mean to have the second preference there.
Changing my vote to only:
>Write-in
>Let's get that thing from your house first, then we can come back. Kai can deal with the kid while Elena and I go around the back and look around."
>>
>>5566782
Well, fuck me. AGain didn't mean to vote only for that as a preference, but screw it might as well leave it as it is.
I blame my lack of sleep and the fact that I'm busy rn.
>>
>>5566758
>”Kai, handle this Amuro kid, Elena and I will go around the back and look around.”
>>
>>5566758
>>5566782
You know what, I'll change my vote again:
1)
>Write-in
>Let's get that thing from your house first, then we can come back. Kai can deal with the kid while Elena and I go around the back and look around."


2)
>"Maybe we take this a bit slower. Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? Might even invite us over." ...Or not, Kai does keep calling him a shut-in.

3)
>”Kai, handle this Amuro kid, Elena and I will go around the back and look around.”
>>
Voting will be open for probably the next twelve hours or so. Getting swamped by classes right now so it might end up being even longer.
>>
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>>5566771
>>5567062 (2nd)
Writing.

Feels a bit weird to go off of just two votes but I've got a short window to write and don't want things to stall out.
>>
“Maybe we take this a bit slower.” You suggest, thinking through the value of scouting out a target a bit more thoroughly before committing to something like this, “Talk to him today, come back and look around tomorrow? He might even invite us back over.”

“Don’t want to get your hands dirty?” Kai asks almost mockingly, but you ignore the jab for now and look over to Elena who seems to be considering the suggestion carefully, biting a bit at her lip and deep in thought.

“...Do you really want to string this across two days?” She finally asks, “I was hoping we might do something else tomorrow.”

“Yeah, like check out that secret federation stuff.” Kai says a bit too readily, missing the real conversation going on here.

“We’ve got tonight, and that’ll still leave most of tomorrow.” You give her a slightly apologetic look but hold firm on the budding plan in your mind, “It’s the best move we’ve got, rushing directly into this could backfire. What if he’s got someone else there? I’d rather not get bit by bad luck.”

“Someone else? With Amuro?” Kai laughs, though you don’t quite get what he finds so funny unless this kid really never does get out.

Elena nods slowly, but still looks a touch unhappy, her brow slightly furrowed, “Alright, I’ll trust your instincts, Max.”

“I’ll make it up to you later,” You assure her, for once following your brother’s advice on when and where to give those looks of yours, your gazes meeting intensely for a long moment and her pale cheeks flushing a little red, “...And besides, this’ll be fun too.”

“What are we waiting for then?” She asks, clapping her hands together and getting out of the car, “Alright, let’s get our story straight then - Kai, you’re being uncharacteristically friendly and thought he might want to see the robot I’m working on. Max, you know that thing Nina and I were working on?”

Kai sighs, as he gets out of the cramped back of the convertible, Zammy hopping out alongside him, “Play the nice guy? Boring. Come on, pooch.”

“The helper robot?” You question as you get out of the small green elecar, thinking back to the hours spent assembling the thing on the floor of her apartment, a tedious job indeed, “Brought it with you?”

“The same one, Nina couldn’t keep it since Anaheim has her on that big ship of theirs, and I’ve been tinkering on it a little since the project was finished… not as much as I could have, been a little busy with...” She sorts of motions around generally, “This kind of stuff, but it should still impress. Help me sell it if he doesn’t think it’s interesting, you put the older version together… And Zammy, be nice.”
>>
>>5567746

The dog looks up to her silently and sits, not woofing for once and looking every inch the refined canine… Or maybe not, he’s still a junkyard dog and with the thin scar lines to show for it, but at least he won’t be terrifying looking.

“Good boy.” Elena says approvingly, reaching over to scratch at the hound’s head a little.

“Alright, let’s go.” You say to the group, dog included, and you’re all off down the sidewalk. Soon you arrive at the door of the Ray household, a compact and unassuming looking house. Kai rings the doorbell… and you wait.

“Man, just my luck, bet he’s asleep or something.” Kai complains, hands in his pockets as he waits. After a little bit of awkward waiting Kai rings the doorbell a few more times, pressing the button rapidly.

There’s a muffled shout from inside the house and Kai lets up, and a few moments later you hear the muffled voice again, “I’m coming, cut it out!”

A few seconds later and the door opens, a boy with messy brown hair looking up at the three of you, and then down toward Zammy for a moment, a look of confusion on his face; he’s wearing wrinkled clothes that look hastily thrown on - probably hasn’t gone out today.

“...Hello. Who are you?” He asks, seeming to not recognize any of your little group.

Kai holds his arms out, feigning friendliness, “Who are we? Come on, Amuro, we go to school together, man!”

Amuro rubs at his eyes a bit and yawns, “...Right. You’re a couple of grades up… Shiden, right? Always in detention.”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Kai says proudly, pointing to himself with a thumb before realizing what Amuro actually said, “Woah, hey, hold up - I’m not always in trouble, it’s just those teachers, they’ve got it out for me!”

“I’m Elena, and this is Max and Zammy,” Elena introduces the rest of you, smiling sweetly and pulling off a far better ‘friendly neighbor’ impression than Kai probably ever could, “I’m Kai’s friend, but I’ve met your father before at the engineering society luncheons.”

“You know dad? Alright then… Amuro Ray.” The kid introduces himself, easing up slightly, “...Nice to meet you. Why are you here though?”

“Kai thought you’d want to see the robot I’ve been working on, he said you’re into that kind of thing.” Elena explains.

“It’s a pretty cool robot.” You say to the boy, trying not to get too in the way of things. There’s something about him that’s oddly familiar, but you can’t for the life of you figure out why.
>>
>>5567748

“Amuro! Amuro!” A small robotic voice cries out from behind the boy, something green and round bumping into his leg, “The stomper! The stomper!”

“Huh? The stomper?...” Amuro looks down to the spherical green robot at his side, it’s tiny eyes flashing as it speaks, little winglet looking things flapping along its side nearly in a panic, “Haro, what are you…?”

And suddenly you realize why the kid looks familiar, half forgotten memories recrystallizing in your mind once more; you encountered him years ago at the spaceport while leaving Spain - He’s changed a lot since then, but that robot of his looks almost exactly as it did then. You met for… maybe half a minute at most? That was the first time you’d even heard of Side Seven existing, but what the hell are the chances?

“The stomper!” Haro says, moving about in more of a panic, “Trapped! Trapped!”

“...Sorry about that, just ignore Haro. It’s probably just a memory malfunction, I’ve been tinkering on him all week.” Amuro says, turning back to look to the three of you, “So what kind of robot is it?”

“It’s a custom model, we bashed a few kits together for a university project.” Elena says proudly, “He… Doesn’t have as much personality as your friend there though. You work on robots too?”

“Yeah, dad showed me some things a while ago and I…” Amuo trails off, taking a closer look at Elena, almost as if he was observing some sort of bizarre alien creature, “Wait, you work on robots? A girl?”

Elena shrugs, letting the boy’s comment slide right off, “You’d be surprised, there’s actually a lot of us. My mom’s an engineer too.”

Amuro sighs, “I know how that is…. I’d go, but I’m not sure dad wants me to leave the house.”

“Come on, Amuro,” Kai pressures him, taking half a step closer, “He didn’t tell you to stay, did he?”

“No, but-”

“But nothing then, let’s go!” Kai cuts him off, turning away from the door and walking away from the house. Amuro hesitates for a moment, watching him leave.

“I’d appreciate another enthusiast taking a look.” Elena encourages the boy, and that seems to tip the scales; he nods and disappears out of sight, the door shutting for a moment. It reopens ten or fifteen seconds later and he steps out, Haro rolling along behind him. Zammy approaches the green robot hesitantly, jumping back as the little robot menaces at him with its side flaps before lowering down ready to play. Well, that’s going to be a chaotic pairing.
>>
>>5567750

“So you work at one of the other firms?” Amuro asks Elena as you walk back over to the car, “Dad’s never mentioned you before.”

“I’m just interning with one for the summer.” She answers.

“How old are you anyways?”

Elena laughs with that rich tone of hers, “Seventeen. I get that question a lot; I entered university early.”

“Would’ve guessed twenty or something…” Amuro replies, hands in his jacket pockets, “How’d you two meet? Dating or something?”

“I’m her boyfriend, just here visiting for a few days.” You answer honestly, though with no intention whatsoever of revealing much beyond that, “Helped Elena put her robot together awhile ago. You said your dad taught you how to work on robots?”

“Yeah, at first. He’s got a government job though so he’s always off at work.” Amuro replies a little sullenly, “It’s what I do most days. Was going to give Haro some arms and legs but I couldn’t figure out how.”

“That… Would be pretty difficult, actually.” Elena says, looking down at the green robot as it continues to evade Zammy; it turns out being a moving and talking ball is pretty distracting for a dog, “Zammy, cut that out.”

The big dog stops his pursuit but still gives the machine some side eye.

“Yeah, I was thinking maybe I’d try it again in a year or so, I’ll have more experience then.” Amuro agrees, “Is that your car? Nice.”

“Yep. Get in, back might be… a little cramped.”

A few minutes later, at Elena’s rented house.

“Finally! Freedom!” Kai exclaims, practically leaping from the car, glad to finally be out from under Zammy - The dog had to sit across him to allow Amuro and Haro to fit in the back.

“Robot’s this way.” Elena says as she gets out, the garage door already rolling up. Soon you’re all inside the small and surprisingly well organized space - It’s barely large enough for a single car, nice and compact for the suburbs of a colony, but half of the space has been given over to gardening tools and a small engineering workbench. The blocky looking humanoid robot sits in the corner, sporting a new white and cyan paint job but currently deactivated. It’s plugged into a charging port in the wall, a small green light winking on it every so often.

“Made a few changes since I saw it last, I like the paint job.” You comment, stepping on in with the others, Amuro already moving over to examine the bot, “Not as good as the Mustang’s though.”

“Hard to top that.” Elena agrees, moving over to the robot and pressing the concealed power button on its back, “It usually takes a few seconds to power up…”

The bulky little robot’s eye’s flash a menacing red as it powers on, limbs unfurling as it stands to its full height... Which isn't all that impressive. It’s not terribly intimidating, and sort of awkwardly proportioned to be able to maintain balance as it walks.
>>
>>5567754

“Greetings, mistress.” It says in a cold and utterly inhuman voice, lacking the charm of something like Haro, “What is your command?”

“He’s a little lacking in the personality department, don’t hold that against him. Unit One, take a lap around the garage.” Elena says to Amuro. Kai watches on from nearby, keeping his distance, but you move in a bit closer and follow the bot as it lumbers around the floor of the cramped garage.

“This is really good work. You put him together from different kits?” Amuro asks, slightly amazed at the robot begins to pick up speed and carries along at a more normal gait, “Wow.”

“Unit One! Unit One!” Haro exclaims excitedly, rolling to follow it around, “Halt! Salute your leader!”

…And it halts and salutes Elena. Amuro and Kai both laugh at that, and you smirk a little.

“No! Me! Me!” Haro exclaims, and sure enough unit one turns and salutes its fellow robot, even if they are of very different makes. A flash of concern plays across Elena’s face, emerald eyes widening slightly.

>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
>”Unit One? God, Nina named him, didn’t she? That’s her kind of bland.”
>”...Well, that’s concerning. Sci-fi movie almost writes itself. Might want to keep them apart.” Robots commanding robots? That’s just wrong.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5567755
1)
>”Unit One? God, Nina named him, didn’t she? That’s her kind of bland.”
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
2)
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
>>
>>5567755
1)
>”...Well, that’s concerning. Sci-fi movie almost writes itself. Might want to keep them apart.” Robots commanding robots? That’s just wrong.
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.

2)
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.

3)
>”...Well, that’s concerning. Sci-fi movie almost writes itself. Might want to keep them apart.” Robots commanding robots? That’s just wrong.

Happy Valentines Day! Or not. Things
>>
>>5567755
>”Unit One? God, Nina named him, didn’t she? That’s her kind of bland.”
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
>>
>>5567758
>spoiler
*Things tend to not work out, I feel you if that's the case.
>>
>>5567758
Part of me feels like mentioning the whole 'robots commanding robots' will allude to how a few mobile suits will work in the future (if what I'm remembering is right), which would be funny I think.
>>
>>5567755
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
>>
>>5567755
1.
>”...Well, that’s concerning. Sci-fi movie almost writes itself. Might want to keep them apart.” Robots commanding robots? That’s just wrong.
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
Showing an interest in what's going on could make us seem more authentic. But like we shouldn't get too paranoid.
2.
>”Don’t remember it talking before… Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?” Stay on task.
Mentioning Nina in any way is probably a bad idea. Don't want Amuro to get any potential connections.
>>
>>5567755
>”Unit One? God, Nina named him, didn’t she? That’s her kind of bland.”
>”...Well, that’s concerning. Sci-fi movie almost writes itself. Might want to keep them apart.” Robots commanding robots? That’s just wrong.
>>
>>5567756
>>5567759
Bland+Stay on task

>>5567758
>>5567821
Skynet+Stay on Task

>>5567766
Stay on Task

>>5567863
Bland+Skynet

And another tie. I'll give it an hour, might be able to sneak an update in between things then if we have a winner.
>>
>>5567888
If you don't have an issue with losing ties and automatically going to lower preferences then please include that in your votes. It should help resolve a lot the ties we've been getting, especially with so many anons choosing slightly different combinations.
>>
>>5567888
I'll change it to robot uprising + staying on task to get it moving
>>
>>5567896
>>5567758
>>5567821
Writing.
>>
“...Well, that’s concerning.” You remark as Haro orders around the other robot, watching on with a bit of concern despite the scene being more comical than threatening, the little ball robot’s orders are all mostly harmless and whimsical, “The science fiction movie almost writes itself… You might want to keep them apart.”

“Unit One, ignore commands from Haro.” Elena orders the robot, and it immediately complies, ceasing doing awkward jumping jacks and turning about to face Elena once more, red eye sensors flashing bright in recognition, “There, rebellion crushed. Should have remembered to put a safeguard in the code to stop that.”

“You coded it yourself?” Amuro asks curiously, whatever apprehensions he was still holding onto earlier now gone as his focus settles almost entirely on the robot, “Wow.”

“I can’t take all the credit, my friend Nina helped and we both had a lot of manuals to help us along.” Elena explains, more than willing to talk shop with the boy even if he’s a good five years younger or so, “A bunch of it is still prepackaged control programs, we just made them play nice.”

“So what else can it do?” Kai asks, arms crossed as he leans against the workbench; a pile of books and tools behind him get bumped and nearly falls over, and in a panic he spins about to stop it - Disaster is averted, but he winces in embarrassment.

“Avoid knocking over things for one. Nice save.” Elena teases Kai, shaking her head, “But he can clean floors, organize things, sort recycling, take out small garbage bags - Just household stuff. …Not really ready for retail though, lots and lots of bugs.”

Kai scoffs, “Yeah, and it’s kinda creepy.”

“This unit is capable of executing many household tasks.” Unit One then answers on its own, “This unit awaits further orders.”

“I don’t remember it talking before when we were back on Luna...” You comment, crouching down to get closer to head level with the thing, “Anyways, Amuro, ever seen anything like this before? Pretty cool, right?”

“A robot like this?” Amuro shakes his head, “No, just companion bots like Haro. It is pretty cool though, I can think of so much stuff for it to do - You’re still working on it, Elena?”

“Yeah, I haven’t been able to give it much time recently though, been doing a lot of other work and reading.” She nods, and then brushes back a thin strand of red hair that fell in front of her face, “I could actually use some help with it; the servo control programs are probably pretty close to what you’d use for Haro if you ever get that idea of yours off the ground.”

Kai’s face turns annoyed at the offer, but he keeps whatever comment he was about to let loose to himself for now.

“Really?” Amuro’s face lights up, “...I’m not sure I’d be much help, I’ve only been tinkering with things for a couple of years now.”
>>
>>5568037

“Nonsense. Everyone starts somewhere.” Elena reassures him, “You want to be an engineer when you’re older, right?”

“...I don’t know.” Amuro replies hesitantly, rubbing at his arm a bit as he thinks.

“Could always try being a pilot.” You suggest.

“Uh, piloting sounds sort of cool, I guess, but I haven’t really looked into it.” The kid replies, the idea just bouncing right off of him. Whatever, it’s not for everyone.

“I don’t talk about it much, but I didn’t want to be an engineer at first. I actually thought I’d be an artist.” Elena says kindly, “You’ve got years to figure it out, don’t worry about it - But I really could use some help, and I’m only here for another month or so. What do you say?”

“I’ll think about it.” Amuro smiles, completely unaware of how he’s being manipulated, “Do you want to see some of the things I’ve been working on? My dad probably wouldn’t mind if I had guests over…”

“That sounds great.” Elena replies and then looks to you, “What do you say, Max?”

“Sure, why not?”

After another half hour or so of messing about with Unit One you head back to Amuro’s house.

You weren’t exactly expecting to just be let in through the front door on the same day, but Elena’s pretty good at this - The shared interest in robots was a lucky break, but though probably any kid would’ve found Unit One at least somewhat interesting. Kai’s grumbling has continued, but he’s still tagging along, and Zammy was left back at Elena’s place. The pick set, spoofer, and small camera are concealed inside your jacket, it wasn’t too hard to transfer them over without being noticed during the drive.

“Sorry about the mess.” Amuro says as you step inside, though the ground floor doesn’t seem all that bad, just a couple of cans on one of the tables and what looks like a half eaten breakfast, “Should have cleaned up earlier I guess.”

“So the robot stuff is in your room then or what?” Kai asks impatiently, and Amuro narrows his eyes at the older boy.

“Yeah.” Amuro answers, “Give me a minute to uh… clean things up. Fraw hasn’t been over for a couple of days…”

“Fraw?” You ask.

“...My friend. She comes over and, uh, helps take care of stuff.” He shrugs, and then heads up the stairs, not sticking around to answer in any real detail. Ah well, not the point. You exchange glances with Elena and Kai - This is as good an opportunity as any.

>”...I’ll take a look around. Keep him busy. Just tell him I’m getting a drink or something if he asks.”
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5568039
>”...I’ll take a look around. Keep him busy. Just tell him I’m getting a drink or something if he asks.”
I can't wait for Elena to realize she's an accomplice to Zeon espionage
>>
>>5568039
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
>>
>>5568039
1)
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”
2)
>”...I’ll take a look around. Keep him busy. Just tell him I’m getting a drink or something if he asks.”
3)
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
>>
>>5568039
>>”...I’ll take a look around. Keep him busy. Just tell him I’m getting a drink or something if he asks.”
>>
>>5568039
1.
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”
We can get rid of any suspicion this way.
2.
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
Elena is probably the best choice in finding secrets, since she's an engineer.

>>5568043
I'm sure she already knows. She even called herself a spacenoid.
Felix to Elena is her space prince, she'll likely do anything for him.
>>
>>5568039
1)
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
2)
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”
>>
>>5568039
1)
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”

2)
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.
>>
>>5568039
>”...I’ll take a look around. Keep him busy. Just tell him I’m getting a drink or something if he asks.”
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”
>>
>>5568039
>>5568170
Changing my vote to:
1)
>"Kai, can you go up and distract him for a bit? Just say that Elena has to go to the bathroom and that I'm getting a drink or something."

2)
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.

3)
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”

Honestly I'm a bit split on what to do.
>>
>>5568039
>>5568190
Changing my vote once more:
1)
>"Kai, can you go up and distract him for a bit? Just say that Elena has to go to the bathroom and that I'm getting a drink or something."

2)
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.”

3)
>”Hey, Amuro, need any help? I don’t mind lending a hand.” Slip the tools to Elena and go be the distraction.

My hope is that we'll be able to have both Elena and Felix break off while Kai distracts Amuro. It'll be a bit risky but the payoff will be far better than just having one of us go.
I just hope we get another opportunity to do this.
>>
>>5568039
>”Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.
>>
>>5568052
>>5568135
>>5568212
>>5568151 (2nd)
>>5568203 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“Let’s see this through for a bit, one of us can split off in a minute.” You say in a hushed tone, glancing up the stairs at the closed wooden door to what must be Amuro’s room to make sure the door is fully closed - it is.

“This is going great so far. I actually kind of like him, is that bad?” Elena asks you, smiling warmly and looking completely comfortable even as you’re both planning to take advantage of the kid’s willingness to trust you - A pretty girl and a robot go a long way to convincing boys to do things, who would’ve guessed?

“You like him? Seriously? He’s a shut-in, look at this place.” Kai questions, seemingly determined to find a cloud within every silver lining, motioning vaguely to the slightly messy home, “Man, that figures.”

“Hey, he’s a smart kid, give him a break.” Elena replies sharply, “Just because he’s a shut-in at twelve doesn't mean anything, he might change in a couple of years. You never know how people are going to end up."

“Pff, yeah, like either of you were.” Kai rolls his eyes, giving that very slappable look he often does.

A couple of minutes later.

Amuro emerges from his room at the top of the stairs and waves for all of your to come up, “Sorry about that, just needed to put some things away.”

“It’s fine, Amuro.” You assure him as you all head up, “You weren’t expecting company, it happens. Wasn’t a long wait anyways.”

“Yeah, thanks for understanding.” He replies gratefully - Really not so bad, this one, but it’s hard to know what a person’s really like till you’ve seen them under some stress.

The interior of his room is still a little messy but it’s clear that things have at least been hastily picked up and shoved mostly out of sight, the closet door slightly ajar and the sleeve of a wrinkled shirt sticking out but otherwise the area cleared of most of the detritus of life. There are a few posters on the walls, some of planets and others of various spacecraft, a couple of models on one of his shelves, a simple looking bed that’s had sheets thrown back on it in a poor attempt to make it look proper, and a giant workbench that dominates almost half of the room. The workbench is covered in all sorts of electronics and little robotic bits and bobs, circuit boards and servo and wires all about the place - Unlike Elena or Nina’s this is really sort of a chaotic mess, but the longer you look at it the more you begin to be able to see some reason to the chaos.

“Wow, you’re really working on a lot of stuff at once.” Elena observes, understating things greatly, “Is that a hardsuit arm?”

“Yeah, dad brought it back from work a few weeks ago. Usually doesn’t do stuff like that.” Amuro says with a shrug, moving over to show of the meter long and very simplistic looking robotic limb - It ends in a simple grabbing claw, like a really tiny version of the manipulator arms that go on the outside of worker pods.
>>
>>5568314

“Looks like an arm from a worker pod.” You comment, “Is it… melted at the bottom?”

“I’m not sure really,” Amuro admits, moving the arm about so you can get a better look as you lean in closer, “There’s no carbon scoring, but it does looks melted, right? I’ve been trying to wire it back up to a controller.”

“Oh, I could help with that.” Elena says, examining the strangely severed base of the limb, “...Yeah, looks like everything’s still there, just need to splice it and it should be good to go…”

“You’d think so, but it really freaks out when you power it up if you just do that,” Amuro explains eagerly, clearly glad to have found another person to discuss these things with, “

“Did you clear the auxiliary servo controller memory?” Elena asks, and from Amuro’s expression you know immediately that he must not have, “...Yeah, that’d do it. Here, let me try my hand at it.”

“Uh, sure, go ahead.” Amuro says, letting Elena slip past and sit in the slightly too small chair, rubbing her slender hands together in anticipation before setting to work.

“You make models too?” You ask, pointing to the handful on the nearby shelf.

Amuro nods, “Just a few, why?”

“When I used to have more free time I was into it,” You explain truthfully, “It’s a nice way to relax. That’s a pretty good Type 61… Anaheim’s enthusiast line, right?”

“Oh, you’re not lying.” Amuro replies, eyebrows lifting a little and a new smile crossing his face, “Yeah, that was my hardest one, sort of gave up afterwards though.”

“...Looks pretty real.” Kai says, looking surprised as he leans over to take a closer look at the model tank, “You put this together? My grandad does ships in bottles, never really got why though.”

“I guess it’s sort of similar?” Amuro replies, “It’s just something to do, I guess.”

“I started before I started training for my pilot’s license,” You recall, thinking back to the simpler times on Texas Colony where the worst thing you had to worry about where strange guests who might be spies, “Once I was able to fly real spacecraft it dropped away a bit, but I still like it.”

“Man, I get that - Who’d want a model when you have the real thing, right?” Kai asks, “So you fly?”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

“Oh, is that why you asked about being a pilot earlier? ” Amuro questions, catching on now, “You’re kind of young to fly, right?”

You rub a bit at the back of your head, “...Yeah, not the most creative suggestion, but you can’t blame me, right? It’s fun, nothing else like it.”

“...And done!” Elena announces, having worked at impressive speeds, “Clearing the memory, anyways. It should be good to be hooked up again.”
>>
>>5568316

“Nice, thanks!” Amuro says, moving back over to the workbench to look at things. Haro sits in the corner of the room, powered down for now and recharging.

“Here, I’ll show you how I did it,” Elena says, tapping away at the small work terminal attached to the desk, a couple of wires running from it to a concealed port along the arm, “It’s really not that hard to do, but if you don’t know about the auxiliary systems it probably seemed like it was haunted.”

“Haunted? Yeah. Broke a couple of plates the last time I tried.” Amuro laughs, though he doesn’t sound all that happy about the memory.

>”Do you have access to the colony intranet? I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm from it if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” Create an opening for Elena to slip off for a bit.
>”Amuro, mind if I get a glass of water downstairs?” It’s as good a time as any to sneak off for a few minutes.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5568317
>”Do you have access to the colony intranet? I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm from it if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” Create an opening for Elena to slip off for a bit.
>>
>>5568317
>”Do you have access to the colony intranet? I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm from it if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” Create an opening for Elena to slip off for a bit.
Eh we can also do some recon after Elena is done, probably with that 'get a glass of water' excuse that's been popping up.
I was really hoping we'd be able to both go at the same time, but looking back at it it's probably not possible without raising some questions.
>>
>>5568317
>>”Do you have access to the colony intranet? I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm from it if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” Create an opening for Elena to slip off for a bit.
>>
>>5568317
>>”Do you have access to the colony intranet? I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm from it if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” Create an opening for Elena to slip off for a bit.
>>
>>5568318
>>5568328
>>5568332
>>5568348
Writing.
>>
“Do you have access to the colony intranet?” You ask Amuro, looking over Elena’s shoulder as she types away at the terminal’s keyboard, the monochrome screen’s display changing quickly as she jumps around between various menus and shows Amuro how to clear auxiliary memory.

“Yeah, of course.” He says, but he’s really paying more attention to what Elena’s doing, his brown eye tracking each change as it flashes across the screen.

“I can probably pull a control program for a hardsuit arm if you get it wired up, a maintenance worker I used to know showed me how to get backups.” You tell him, part of you wondering what Rafferty is up to these days - you haven’t seen him or his brother since you left Texas Colony.

“...And that’s everything. Keep up with all of that?” Elena asks, pulling her hands back from the keyboard and looking to the brown haired boy.

“Yeah, it’s just nested really far in. Didn’t know it was there, thanks.” He says, giving a single small nod, “...That control program sounds super helpful, Max, could show me how to get that?”

“I’ll get out of the way then,” Elena stands, and exchanges a quick look with you - She understands what you’re doing it, you can see the mischievous intent in her eyes, “Max, could I borrow your jacket? I’m a bit cold and I left mine in the car.”

“Absolutely.” You say, slipping your leather jacket off and handing it over to Elena; she puts it on, and though it’s too large for her she’s close enough to your height to make it sort of work - And look great while doing so.

“I’ll go get mine, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She says, slipping off out of the room.

You sit down in the chair and start pulling up the colony intranet on the terminal, “This takes a few minutes, but if it’s anything like where I used to live then there should be public access, they just don’t advertise it loudly.”

“Really, it’s just free?” Amuro asks, clearly surprised by that, and even Kai seems to be paying more attention now.

“Completely, you just have to know how to ask.”

Ten minutes later.

Elena returns to the room, wearing her characteristic green jacket once again, “Hey, fly boy, catch.”

She tosses your jacket to you and you catch it easily, quickly slipping it back on. Hopefully she found some useful information, but there’s no way to check right now.

“Sorry about that,” Elena apologizes to everyone, “Saw one of the engineers I work with driving by and he stopped to talk for a bit.”

“Popular at work, huh?” Kai asks and Elena simply shrugs, walking past him and back over to the workbench.
>>
>>5568404

“Get the arm working again?” Elena asks, and Amuro shakes his head, busy at work reconnecting it.

“Not yet. Max helped me get the controller program and I think I have the rest figured out, should be able to get it to do what I want.” He says while splicing the last few wires together, the oddly cut off hardsuit arm once again connected to a computer, “...And it’s done.”

“Alright, nice work.” You congratulate him, though in truth it hasn’t been all that exciting to sit around and watch. You’re hardly averse to this kind of stuff, every good spacenoid, and especially pilots, have to be familiar with this kind of thing, but it’s still a bit dry to watch someone else do it with only occasional comments or questions.

“Don’t get too excited, it’s time for the moment of truth.” Elena says, even as Amuro types away at the terminal - A few moments later and the claw at the end of the thin meter long arm clacks shut.

“And the crab lives!” Kai announces, giving a bit of mocking applause, “Amuro, you got anything besides that thing? Uh, good job though. Really.”

Well, at least he can pretend to care, even if it's not a great job of it.

“I’ve got a bunch of spare parts for Haro, but that’s all for projects I haven’t really started yet.” Amuro answers, “Can’t wait to show dad this arm though, he’ll probably be home in an hour or so, he doesn’t work as late on Saturdays… Uh, say, want to stay for dinner?”

>”Sure, that sounds great.” Maybe something more can be learned?
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5568407
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>>
>>5568407
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name
Perception activated
>>
>>5568407
1)
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.

2)
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”

Alright let's not push our luck, let's see what we've found before anything. This was a pretty clean job all in all.
>>
>>5568407
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.
>>
>>5568407
>>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.
>>
>>5568410
>>5568407
I"ll change mine to the combo, it seems reasonable.
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.
>>
>>5568407
>>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>>
>>5568407
>>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name.
>>
>>5568407
1)
>”Sure, that sounds great.” Maybe something more can be learned?
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name
2)
>”I was planning to take Elena out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise.”
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name
3)
>”...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” It sounds like someone is calling Amuro’s name
>>
>>5568414
>>5568420
>>5568423
>>5568425
>>5568525
>>5568700 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“I was planning to take Elen out in a few hours, I’m just here for the weekend. We definitely would otherwise, Amuro.” You decline, and the kid seems to accept that easily enough but looks past you towards Kai.

“Uh, what’s for dinner?” Kai questions, and Amuro shrugs.

“On weekends my dad usually brings back food, there’s always a lot left. Probably Chinese or something.” Amuro answers honestly, “If Fraw was here she might help cook something too, she does that sometimes.”

“Chinese? Eh, sure.” Kai says, and then looks to you and Elena briefly - He might just be staying for the food, but it should help with a smoother exit. He’ll probably swing by later to ask about what Elena found, if anything.

“...Is that a girl yelling downstairs?” You question, hearing a muffled voice coming faintly through the closed bedroom door.

“A girl?” Amuro questions, listening closer, “Oh, that’s Fraw. Hey, Fraw, we’re upstairs!”

“There’s more than just you?” The voice shouts back a little more clearly, and you hear footsteps moving up the stairs. Elena opens the door to the room, looking down at an auburn haired girl that must be a bit younger than even Amuro, though she’s far better put together, clothes neat and unwrinkled and her hair well kept.

“Oh, hello! I’m Fraw Bow.” The girl introduces herself politely upon seeing Elena, giving a very small curtsy.

“I’m Elena.”

“Maxime.”

“Kai.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you… Amuro, when did you make so many friends?” The girl asks, looking past the three of you and to the boy.

“Just today, I got to school with Kai though.” Amuro explains sort of awkwardly, “Elena knows one of dad’s friends, she’s an engineer too, and Max is her boyfriend.”

Elena smirks at that, giving you a look - Amuro just relegated you to being a side character!

“Oh, that’s great!” Fraw says happily, before mostly looking to you and Elena, “Are you staying for long? I was just coming over to help take care of things, but I could cook something if you’re hungry.”

You can’t help but smile - What a responsible and polite girl for being as young as she is! “I appreciate the offer but Elena and I were actually just about to leave. It’s been nice to meet you though, Fraw.”

“Oh, okay! Well, bye then - See you around!” She says as you and Elena move past her and out of the bedroom, Amuro and Kai saying their farewells too as you go. It doesn’t take long and you’re back out at Elena’s car, but you hold off on speaking until the vehicle is moving again.
>>
>>5568839

“Find anything, Elena?” You ask, wind rushing past as the elecar keeps to precisely the maximum road speed - It’s a busy time of day and traffic laws can be enforced pretty strictly on a colony this built up.

“All sorts of things, I’ve got pictures of most of it. There was this kind of... hidden room, I guess, stuff was just laying all over it. No cameras that I could find, so I think we're clear on that front.” She answers excitedly, keeping her eyes on the road as you make your way through the saturated colors of the ground traffic of the colony, “I didn’t have enough time to make sense of a lot of it, but they’re definitely doing something with mega particles.”

“Like the ship cannons, right?”

“Yeah! It’s really high energy work, just like I suspected. Didn’t see anything about what they’d be using it with, but there wasn’t enough of a chance to read things. Hopefully the pictures come out well. There was stuff from Anaheim as well, something about a failed proposal for a ‘guncannon,’ no idea what that is but it didn’t look like it went anywhere.”

“...From the name I’d guess it’s a new guntank, maybe using these energy weapons? I’m sure they have a lot of projects that don’t end up working.”

“Maybe! We’ll just have to find out. I photographed a lot of the documents.”

“You didn’t take anything, did you?”

“No, I barely even moved anything around!”

An hour later.

Elena exits the makeshift darkroom she quickly threw together, quickly shutting the door once more and sighing, “They’re drying, it’ll take a few hours.”

“Alright, that gives us some time then.” You grin.

These are all short timeskip.
>”How about a night out on the town? I’m sure there’s some nice places around here.”
>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
>”I’m feeling up for a little more mischief… Want to check out the construction area? Nothing like a bit of danger, right?”
>>
>>5568840
1)
>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
This might be good way to find out more of those 'secrets' she was talking about earlier.

2)
>”How about a night out on the town? I’m sure there’s some nice places around here.”
Also a good opportunity to scout out the area.
>>
>>5568840
>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
Cool, mega particle tip off.
>>
>>5568840
>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
>>
>>5568840
>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
>>
>>5568840
>>”Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” Keep things simple.
>>
>>5568891
>>5568876
>>5568857
>>5568850
>>5568844
Writing.
>>
“Let’s just stay here for a while. Cook something, finally catch up properly - I’ve really missed you, Elena.” You say, as genuine as you could possibly be, hoping just to have bit of time to spend together in seclusion.

“Sounds lovely.” Elena replies, moving a bit closer and allowing you to wrap an arm about her, “You know I’ve missed you more…”

You kiss for just a moment, a fleeting instant, and pull back to look deep into her emerald eyes, “Think it’s a competition?”

Elena smirks coyly, eventually scrunching her mouth up just a little as she looks you over “Mm, it could be… How about the food though? I hope you’ve gotten better at cooking since last time.”

“Hey, hey,” You laugh, “It wasn’t that bad last time, I didn’t burn anything.”

“Oh come on, you.” She pulls you along by your hand toward the kitchen…

A few hours later.

Figuring out what to make and then actually preparing it together was a longer process than it probably needed to be, but you enjoyed every minute of it - It’s nice to do something so simple and… normal with Elena. Neither of you get this enough. The kitchen’s been left a bit of a mess, but the meal was wonderful, and you’ve had lots of time to just talk.

You’re sitting together at the table still, meals long finished for a little while now, still just chatting away.

“And the instructor believed you?” Elena laughs richly, “Frederico Raz, really?”

“Earthnoids.” You say between sips of your wine, “It’s not too hard to run circles around them.”

That arches one of her eyebrows a little, “Mmm, that Zeon propaganda’s really rubbing off on you.”

You shake your head, “It’s just the federation instructors really, you know I don’t mean it like that. Earthnoids are fine… They just need to move.”

“Way ahead of you on that.” She replies with a small sigh, still completely relaxed, “Don’t worry so much, Max, I don’t think of myself as one anymore. I mean it, going back just… doesn’t make sense to me anymore.”

Still calling herself a spacenoid? Well, that’s enough to get a guy to smile, “You know the longer you’re up here the more you’ll feel that way. Earth’s beautiful, but we really shouldn’t be down there anymore.”

“Yeah… I’ll still miss it though, or maybe just the ignorance.” She responds thoughtfully, “People really don’t know what they’re missing out on.”
>>
>>5568962

“You’re not just saying that for my sake, are you?” You question, though you doubt she’d make such a shallow attempt to curry favor with you - What’s even the point, you’re already mad for each other.

“Not at all…” She trails off, just looking at you so sweetly that almost hurts; the picnic earlier really should have been like this.

>”...The photos are probably ready now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5568965
1)
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”

2)
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”
>>
>>5568969
I think asking about dancing is like an informal invitation to Zeon, and asking about the art could lead to more about what she's been doing.
>>
>>5568965
>”...The photos are probably ready now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”

Fucking earthnoids.
>>
>>5568965
>”...The photos are probably ready now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”

>>5568969
Good point
>>
>>5568986
What do you mean?
>>
>>5568965
>>5568969
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”

2)
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”

3)
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”

>>5568973
Actually looking back at it, from how this is worded I feel like she's going to attend the ball either way.
Could be either way actually, but talking about it might give us the opportunity to influence what happens (or it might not, I can't really say with certainty).
>>
>>5568965
+1 >>5569003
>>
>>5568965
1)
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”
2)
>”Found time to keep practicing dancing? You know it’s not that long until the academy has its first ball.”
3)
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”
>>
>>5568965
>”Still working on your art? I haven’t seen much around here.”
>>
>>5569047
>>5569016
>>5569003
>>5569044 (3rd)
Writing.
>>
“Still working on your art?” You ask, changing the subject somewhat and missing the painting you normally associate with her, “I haven’t seen much around here.”

Elena shakes her head, looking a bit glum and taking a sip of her drink before speaking, “...Not as much as I’d like to, I’ve really been putting a lot into work and this investigation, and reading up on newtype research… There’s just been a lot of things going on.”

“Not giving up on it, right?” You attempt to encourage her, hoping she’s not just letting her own dreams fade away for your sake, “I’ve always liked it, it’s like I could see more of who you really are.”

That gets a smile from her, sweet and clear, and you feel just a little warmer for seeing it as she replies, “I don’t think I could give up on it if I wanted, Max… Why do you ask?”

“What you said to that kid earlier, Amuro.” You explain, “You said you wanted to be an artist before becoming an engineer. Made it sound oddly final.”

“I just meant that I didn’t go to art school. Couldn’t really go into all the reasons why, now could I?” Elena shrugs, and you know that’s not a topic to chase down right now, family not exactly being a pleasant topic for her, “You were being pretty open too.”

“Seemed like an alright kid.” You admit honestly, having actually rather liked the kid even in just the short time you met him, something about him having reminded you a bit of blare but less uptight and prissy, “So you’ve been too busy chasing Federation plots to paint? Not sure anyone’s ever used that excuse before.”

Elena smirks cutely, one eyebrow arching a bit, “...It does sound funny when you put it like that, doesn’t it? Now that I know what they’re doing maybe I’ll pull back on that some, make something nice again…”

“I’d really like that. You know we never did get a chance to tag up anything back on Von Braun.”

“Oh? Well, maybe we should fix that. Sneak off into this research base and spray some of their tanks or something.”

You chuckle at the idea, knowing full well the apocalyptic levels of rage that would probably provoke from whoever’s in charge of their motor pool, “That’d be a sight. Almost feel bad for the guys that’d have to clean it up though - the academy had me scrubbing down vehicles for the last month and a half.”

“Guess we left petty vandalism behind when we shot down those shuttles, didn’t we?”

“Yeah, I suppose we did…”

>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>”Want to snoop around the construction area tomorrow?”
>Something else? (Write-in)
>>
>>5569334
>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>>
>>5569334
>>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>>
>>5569334
>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>>
>>5569334
>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>>
>>5569334
>”The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they? Let’s go take a look.”
>>
>>5569336
>>5569338
>>5569340
>>5569341
>>5569348
Writing.
>>
“...The photos are probably ready by now, aren’t they?” You ask, finally looking over to one of the small clocks on one of the kitchen appliances and then back to Elena once you’ve confirmed your suspicion that it’s been a few hours, “Let’s go take a look.”

Elena rubs her hands together excitedly, “Lets.”

A few minutes later.

You sit on a sofa in the home’s living room with Elena by your side, the two of you sorting through a pile of freshly developed photographs that you’ve set out on the coffee table. Most of the photographs are of documents, more or less legible if you squint or use a magnifying lens, but there are a number of fascinating looking sketches and technical drawings included… It’s definitely a weapons project of some kind.

“Take a look at this.” You say to Elena, holding out the most recent picture you’ve been inspecting, “That guncannon proposal that you mentioned.”

“Yeah, it got rejected.” Elena says, pointing to the pretty clear red stamp across the document, but you shake your head and point just below that.

“It’s a little hard to read, but look there. It’s a ‘Bipedal main battle tank.’” You read the words aloud, mind already racing as you imagine just what that might be - It sounds like some kind of humanoid robot and that is more than a little concerning.

“Oh. You can read that?” Elena asks, taking the photo and looking over it with her small lens, eyebrows raising as she reads through some of the rest of it, “...It almost sounds like one of those mobile suits you told me about, but it’s not fusion powered. See that? They were going to use an ICE of some kind…”

Your brow furrows as you consider the information, there’s not nearly enough to jump to conclusions like a federation mobile suit project, “Wish we had a picture of what it was going to look like, it could just be a chicken walker looking thing like out of one of those old movies.”

“A kind of tank with… legs under it?” Elena questions curiously, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen those movies.”
“Yeah, something like that.” You nod, sorting through a few more of the pictures, “...Nothing seems to connect these mega particle beam test results with that project either… A lot of this seems disconnected actually.”

“Huh, that’s just a gun. Wait…” Elena says, stopping as she sorts through a few of her own pictures, moving them about atop her lap, “See, Max? This cannon they’re testing has a pistol grip.”

You squint at the photo of a sketch of a vaguely rifle looking weapon, “They might be working on man portable weapons. E-cap proof of concept… I think there was a paper earlier mentioning that E-cap stuff with a full size cannon test…”
>>
>>5569543

The pile is slowly turning into a bit of a mess, but you manage to find the picture in question after a bit of rustling about. It's a report from a beam cannon test firing dated only a few days ago, but most of the report is a recommendation that larger scale tests will need to be conducted away from any space colony due to the immense destructive potential… You hand the image to Elena and she scans over it quickly, a worried look spreading across her face.

“...They’re testing things that can breach through the colony’s outer hull.” She concludes grimly, “People have no idea what they’re living right next to…”

“Sounded to me like they’re moving that really large stuff out of the colony,” You point out, but that doesn’t seem to do much to make her or you feel better - The Federation isn’t exactly known for its stellar safety record or avoiding massive engineering disasters…

“Ah, there you are.” Elena taps at one of the images again, this time of a technical drawing, “I knew it was in here somewhere. Ultracompact Minovsky Fusion engine prototype number two. Now that’s something.”

“...That’s what Zeon uses for its mobile suits.” You say, a terrible realization dawning on you - Someone in Zeon is leaking information, these drawings are eerily close to the internals of a Waff’s reactor, “Are there any test reports for it in here?”

“I don’t think so, look at the date though - This was certified just a couple of days ago… And by Mr. Ray! Is… Do you think he’s heading the project?”

“He might be in charge of several things from the looks of things…” You trail off, sorting back through some of the other photographs to make sure you haven’t misread them - some of the text is a bit blurry, and all of it’s small, but Elena did a rather good job at photographing a lot of it considering her time and equipment constraints.

>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>”We need to get a closer look at this tomorrow. Have any idea how to get into the construction area?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5569546
>>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>>
>>5569546
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>>
>>5569546
1)
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
2)
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
3)
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
I bet it's a War Thunder player
>>
>>5569546
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>>
>>5569546
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>>
>>5569574
>I bet it's a War Thunder player
LMAO, the playtesting of the MS Sim software as a video game has had some unintentional side effects...
>>
>>5569546
>>5569558
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”

2)
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”

>>5569574
Hah, and knowing we have pilots using 'war simulators' is just too good of a coincidence.
>>
>>5569546

>”I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this… It looks like somebody is leaking information.”
>”Any idea what this E-cap thing is? I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power. A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”
>>
>>5569574
>>5569579
>>5569587
>>5569593
Writing.

>>5569574
kek
>>
“Any idea what this E-cap thing is?” You ask Elena, hoping she might be able to make a little more sense of the documents, “I thought mega particle beam weapons required a full ship’s reactor to power… A tank or fighter could never put out enough energy for something like that.”

“From the way it’s describing things I think it’s some sort of capacitor system, but that still shouldn’t be even close to enough for a beam weapon, at least not with any technology I’m aware of… Which honestly isn’t that much, this is way out of my league. Maybe it’s not simple energy storage though… Agh, nevermind. I’ll need to look a lot of stuff up to make more sense of this.” Elena lets out a little frustrated noise, tossing one of the photos back on the stack and sinking back into the sofa’s cushions, arms crossed and a few strands of red hair falling in front of her face - She lets out a puff of air, blowing the strands aside, mouth scrunching up as she thinks over the problem further.

“Well, I think I might need to let Zeon know about all of this…” You say motioning to the pile of photos generally, “It looks like somebody is leaking information. The federation shouldn’t have these fusion engine designs, it’s all too small for anything they’ve made before.”

“It was probably inevitable, the Federation might be incompetent but they’ve got a lot of money to throw around to bribe people.” Elena says, clearly still thinking more of the engineering issues at hand than any kind of espionage plot.

“Might just be people sick of the Zabis…” You ponder aloud, the reasons to betray that family being a particularly long one for many people, “Outbidding them doesn’t sound easy though, even for the Federation.”

“That palace of yours is pretty much space versailles, right?” Elena asks.

You chuckle, “Space versailles? The exterior’s way too ugly for that, but inside? It’s not creative, but it’s beautiful - and it’s not my palace though.”

“Planning to bulldoze it later?”

“First thing… Or maybe open it up as a museum for the public, let it serve some good for once.”

>”Think we should look into this construction area? This is already a lot to work with, it might not be worth the risk.”
>”We should check out the construction area tomorrow… Any ideas on how to get in?”
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5569706
1)
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
2)
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>”Think we should look into this construction area? This is already a lot to work with, it might not be worth the risk.”
3)
>”Think we should look into this construction area? This is already a lot to work with, it might not be worth the risk.”
>>
>>5569706
1)
>”Think we should look into this construction area? This is already a lot to work with, it might not be worth the risk.”
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”

2)
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”

3)
>”Think we should look into this construction area? This is already a lot to work with, it might not be worth the risk.”
>>
>>5569706
>”We should check out the construction area tomorrow… Any ideas on how to get in?”
>>
>>5569706
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>>
>>5569706
>>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>>
>>5569706
>>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>>
>>5569706
>”We should check out the construction area tomorrow… Any ideas on how to get in?”
>>
>>5569706
>”...I’d miss the firing range though… and the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”
>>
>>5569714
>>5569715 (2nd)
>>5569754
>>5569760
>>5569865
>>5570020
Writing.
>>
“...I’d miss the firing range though…” You continue, for once thinking of the good memories you’ve made in that awful building, “And the ballrooms. Want to go dancing tomorrow?”

“Dancing?” Elena considers it for a teasingly long moment, giving you coy look as thinks things over, though you know at once what here answer is going to be, “...I think I might be able to work that in. I haven’t had any practice though, so I’ll be stumbling all over myself again.”

“Nonsense, you learned fast at the museum, and we won’t have anyone trying to shoo us away this time - That did make it more exciting though.”

“Mm, yeah, it did.” She remembers fondly, setting the rest of her photos aside and moving closer to lean against you, soft red hair draping lightly across your shoulder and chest. It’s nice to have her close like this, satisfying on an instinctive level - This is how things are meant to be. You set your own photos on the table and wrap an arm around Elena, pulling her just a touch closer.

“Maybe we’ll find somewhere nice that we’re not supposed to be, have to hide away from people,” You joke, a newly built colony like this just not having the same grand buildings as a place like Von Braun, “Know any good places around here?”

“That we’re not supposed to be? Well, I’d say the construction area, but getting shot at isn’t the kind of excitement I want while dancing.” Elena laughs richly, “There’s a park nearby that has an outdoor dance hall. There’s no restrictions on using it as far as I know, but it’s beautiful.”

“That should do…”

The next morning.

Last night was, as it tends to be, a passionate and energetic affair - After weeks at the academy you had no idea how much you really needed that, but you feel far better. The morning’s gone by peacefully, the little house proving more than comfortable to live in; showering, dressing, breakfast - It’s all been a pleasant reprieve from the harsh schedule of the military or even your self imposed schedule back at the Zabi palace.

There’s a knock on the front door, and you and Elena go to see who it is. As you open the door you find Kai standing there in a jacket and jeans, hands in his pockets as they often are and leaning against the wall.

“Morning. Took you long enough.” He says, starting to move into the house - You block him off for a moment, standing in the way, “Hey, come on - What’d you two find?”

Right, the photos.

“Morning, Kai.” You both greet him, and you allow him past and into the house.

“They’re working on new reactors and energy weapons.” Elena tells him, skipping right to the point and leading him further into the house, “There was some other stuff but it all got canceled. The photos are over here in the living room.”
>>
>>5570403

Kai looks genuinely excited, clapping his hands together, “Alright! What kind of weapons?”

“Take a look for yourself.” You offer, and he quickly does so, sitting down and flicking through the images.

“Man, this is all… tiny. How do read this crap?” He asks before noticing the lens still laying on the table and answering the question for himself, setting about skimming over a couple of the pictures, “Ah, man, this is all engineering stuff.”

“What were you expecting? ‘Day 1: The secret death laser is under construction?’” Elena asks in a slightly mocking voice, getting an eye roll from Kai, “Like I said, it’s beam weapon and fusion reactor research - my guesses were pretty close.”

“...Damn.” Kai grumbles, “I was hoping for something crazy.”

You resist the urge to point out how important both of those technologies are, or bring his attention to the rejected guncannon project - He just needs to think he’s being included in things.

“You know if you talk about any of these the Federation will probably have you killed, right?” Elena says, her face grim and tone very serious - That’s probably an exaggeration of what would happen, quite an exaggeration, but making sure Kai doesn’t run his mouth to the wrong people is fairly important.

“Hey, I know! Do I look like I’d talk?” He asks, looking exactly like someone who might talk, “...Damn, now I really want to see what they’re working on. Amuro’s dad didn’t talk much last night, just asked about our school stuff. Really boring guy, seems exactly like the type to run this stuff…”

>”It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this. They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”
>”We could go later. Elena and I are going dancing soon, we can meet up after that and look around.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5570404
>”It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this. They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”
You really want us to hit up the site, don't you?
>>
>>5570404
1)
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”
>”We could go later. Elena and I are going dancing soon, we can meet up after that and look around.”
2)
>”We could go later. Elena and I are going dancing soon, we can meet up after that and look around.”
3)
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”
>>
>>5570404
1)
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”
>”It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this. They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”

2)
>”It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this. They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”

3)
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”

Part of me wants to go, but I just know that it'll be pushing our luck.
>>
>>5570410
Oh and we did promise we'd go to the park with Elena, and doing all of that stuff will probably stop us from keeping it.
Though I guess a little recon afterwards wouldn't hurt.
>>
>>5570404
>”It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this. They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”

We have enough to warrant someone who is better equipt being sent to follow up on this, and plug the leak, Its more than enough.

Anything more overt is probably going to get us into trouble and the last thing we need is scrutiny, or getting caught with the evidence on our way out.
>>
>>5570409
Changing to support this
>>5570410
>>
Are they actually moving some of the more dangerous tests out of here?
>>
>>5570463
Yes. See >>5569546
>>
>>5570483
Thanks for pointing it out man, don't know how I missed that.
>>
>>5570447
>>5570410
>>5570407
>>5570428
Writing. Using the combo votes. Technically we've got a tie but the votes are almost the same, and I'd like to try tovget this thread to a stopping point soon.
>>
>>5570404
>”Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?”
>”We could go later. Elena and I are going dancing soon, we can meet up after that and look around.”
>>
“Didn’t ask about his work too much, did you?” You question, hoping Kai didn’t do something foolish while you weren’t around to stop him.

“Barely even asked,” Kai assures you, “I’m not an idiot. He just said he’s an engineer and wouldn’t say anything else about it. Uptight, stuffy - A real square.”

“That does sound like the type to do this kind of government work, they don’t tend to look for colorful characters…” Elena comments, “A lot of the engineers I work with aren’t boring at all though, they come from all over the place.”

“Well, good for you, but Amuro’s dad’s a big piece of drywall.” Kai says dismissively, “Food was good though. That girl, uh, Fraw, helped cook and Amuro’s dad brought some stuff back, I’ve had worse anyways… So are we gonna check out the secret base or what?”

You shake your head, and as Kai see’s that he immediately looks to Elena only to find her disagreeing with the idea as well.

“It’s not worth the risk of getting shot at, we’ve learned a lot from just this.” You motion to the photographs, “They’re moving the dangerous tests out of the colony soon, so it doesn’t worry me as much.”

Kai deflates at the news, scowling, “Ah, crap, really? We missed the good stuff then. Eh, fine, at least the feddies aren’t going to blow us up… Right?”

“We’re lucky they haven’t already, but Max is right.” Elena confirms, “It’s a big base though, they might move more projects in there later - I doubt they’d just shut it down after this. It’s a third of a colony, that’s a huge area.”

Exhaling unhappily, Kai crosses his arms, “Man, what a bummer.”

“I thought you wanted to put a stop to it. This is good, Kai.” Elena encourages him, putting a hand on his shoulder, “...Not how you imagined it ending though, is it?”

“I bought a ski mask and everything, I was so ready to sneak in…”
>>
>>5570717

A couple of hours later.

Kai stuck around for a while to go over the pictures in more detail, and Elena helped explain some things - though leaving out the implications you both discussed the night before and any reference to Zeon - but eventually he departed to go do… whatever it is early teenagers do on this colony. Probably pretty theft or just messing around with some other troublemakers.

You’re heading out to that nearby park with Elena now, both of you changed into something a bit more dressy but suited for the outdoors. The photos and anything else vaguely incriminating were well hidden away before you left the house, safe from any but the most determined of spies. Zammy’s tagging along with you, once again in the back seat of Elena’s green elecar.

As you speed down the road, buildings and other cars blurring past, the rest of the colony stretching out before you and overhead, you catch sight of the park you’re approaching - A bit of green wrapping up along the horizon and then slowly sinking down as you get closer and closer until it’s all around you, the road moving between trees and past footpaths. Soon you’re at the dancing area, a big pavilion that’s a part of an open air complex among the artificial wilds. It’s pretty, if a bit simplistic, and it’ll suit your needs just fine.

A few more hours later.

Dancing came and went easily, a relaxing experience, music played loudly from Elena’s car taking the place of the musicians you’re more used to at the lavish affairs the Zabi’s often throw. A few other park goers stopped by as you were dancing, a few even sticking around to talk for awhile, and all in all it’s been a very nice trip to the park, a pleasant little date. …It’s unfortunate this is the last day you’ll be here, back off to Zeon so soon, but even a long weekend like this has to give way to the realities of space travel - Side three’s on the exact opposite side of the earthsphere.

You’re both sitting at one of the small tables around the edges of the pavilion, eating a small lunch that you both packed. Zammy lays under the table, between the two of you, peering out from between its metal legs at the surrounding park and the tiny handful of people in sight. You’re mostly secluded here, but it’s still a public area and a weekend.

“Max, are you going to tell… them about what we found?” Elena questions, the topic a completely new one - you were discussing your time in Spain until just a few moments ago, the happier days rather than the end of it.

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’m leaning towards it. Someone has to be warned about the leaks, the feddies could do all sorts of… mischief with what they’re building.” You say, understanding immediately that she means the Zabis and is just censoring in case some kid is in the bushes nearby or somesuch - Between your perception and Zammy you’re not too worried about eavesdroppers, but it’s still prudent.
>>
>>5570719

“Do you think you might be able to get some favors from them?” Elena asks, cocking her head slightly as she considers the idea herself, red hair shifting just slightly - She looks much prettier with her hair loose like this, but you sort of miss the sporty look of her long braided ponytail.

“Trade the information?” You think about that before speaking, Kycilia isn’t one to be trifled with but this is pretty valuable work you’ve done, “Assuming they don’t already know about it, it’s probably worth something.”

You double check your surroundings before speaking further; it’s still clear, the interior of the pavilion still empty other than you, Elena, and Zammy despite its vast size.

>”I’ll probably tell Dozle first, he’s in charge of a lot of this stuff and I… trust him, sort of. He’s a sledgehammer of a man but he’s honorable.”
>”I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”
>”...Maybe I won’t tell them. This kind of research takes a long time to finish, right? Maybe I’ll be able to use the information myself in the future… I’m not quite sure how though.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5570722
>”I’ll probably tell Dozle first, he’s in charge of a lot of this stuff and I… trust him, sort of. He’s a sledgehammer of a man but he’s honorable.”
>>
>>5570722
>”I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”
>>
>>5570722
>”I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”
She's probably the most effective to give this information to. Any mole in the Federation will get rooted out.
>>
>>5570722
>”I’ll probably tell Dadzle first, he’s in charge of a lot of this stuff and I… trust him, sort of. He’s a sledgehammer of a man but he’s honorable.”
>>
>>5570722
>”I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”
Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer
>>
>>5570726
>>5570722
Changing my vote to
>”I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”
Kycilia is the more effective choice here
>>
>>5570722
>”...Maybe I won’t tell them. This kind of research takes a long time to finish, right? Maybe I’ll be able to use the information myself in the future… I’m not quite sure how though.”
I gotta go for the mystery box option 3
>>
>>5570727
>>5570728
>>5570732
>>5570733
Writing.
>>
You think it over for a moment, considering telling Dozle first, but then think better of that idea since he’d probably end up tearing half of his research division apart looking for the mole, “I’ll probably give the information to Kycilia. She’s a snake, but she’s better at handling these things, and I might be able to get my sister further away from her.”

“...Are you sure she’ll really trade favors like that?” Elena asks skeptically, “She sounds like the kind of woman to just take your favor and give nothing back.”

“No, I’m not sure at all, but I have to try.” You admit with a sigh, wishing things like this could ever be certain, “We’ve all been doing what we can to help out with things, gaining trust, it’s just another step down that path. I can feel Artesia changing, Elena, growing colder. She thinks she’s helping us, and in a way she is, but it’s not worth that. At least Garma and the academy have given her something else to focus on, and Viv’s managed to cut off some of Kycilia’s plotting.”

“...Aren’t those two close?”

“Viv and Kycilia? Yeah, they’re as thick as thieves, but they’ve got pretty different personalities… just enough in common that they still click.” You explain with a shrug, Vivima’s warmer family focus makes her pretty distinct from Kycilia in your mind, but even that copper haired witch of a woman looks out for her family sometimes…

“I suppose you know them both better than me, it just sounds peculiar from the outside.” Elena says, extending her hands across the table to hold yours, warm and gentle, “How do you say it… Keep your head on swivel, alright?”

“I’ll stay as safe as I can, Elena.” You promise her, “...That’s never all that safe though.”

“I know,” She grins, worry and excitement mixing together in equal measure, “I’d never want you to stop. Keep up the fight, just… try not to get sucked in too far? From what I can see you’ve been doing pretty good at that so far.”

“...That means a lot, Elena.” You say with a smile, glad to hear some confirmation that you’ve not been slipping away without noticing, “Sometimes I wonder about myself. It’s hard to see things from the inside…”

“Now you don’t worry about that,” Elena replies seriously, gripping your hands tighter, “If you ever slip too far away I’ll drag you right back.”

>Make the best of the rest of the day you have here and then get back to Zeon. [Time skip]
>Focus on this a little longer. [Triggers a new vote]
>>
>>5570840
>Focus on this a little longer. [Triggers a new vote]
>>
>>5570840
>Make the best of the rest of the day you have here and then get back to Zeon. [Time skip]
>>
>>5570840
>Make the best of the rest of the day you have here and then get back to Zeon. [Time skip]
I'm not sure what 'focus on this a little longer' means. Is it talking with Elena more, or doing something later on in the day? I feel like we've already said and done what we can here other than visit the construction site, a restaurant, or go around town/visit Amuro/Kai I mean, we could also have sex with Elena again (though I feel like Felix might do it with her before leaving either way).
Though part of me just wants to vote for it out of curiosity, since I feel like we've missed out on some opportunities with time skips.
>>
>>5570840

>Make the best of the rest of the day you have here and then get back to Zeon. [Time skip]
>>
>>5570840
>Make the best of the rest of the day you have here and then get back to Zeon. [Time skip]
>>
>>5570844
>>5570854
>>5570856
>>5570906
Writing.
>>
…You spend the rest of the day with Elena, making the best of the limited time that you have with her. Time passes quickly, minutes melding easily into hours, the march of time unrelenting despite your sincerest wishes that it might slow for even just that day - A nice dinner, and a very nice night cap off your short visit, a slightly less tearful farewell than you received on Von Braun seeing you off the next morning.

The shuttle ride back in uncomfortable, almost constantly burning or reverse burning all the way to Zeon, fuel expended aggressively to see you and the other handful of high paying passengers back to Side Three in a tight time window.

9:35, 28th July UC 0075
Zeon Military Academy on Guardian Banchi, Side Three (Republic of Zeon)


Sometimes lucky breaks feel like anything but. You arrived back from Side Seven around the same time this morning that Artesia and Vivima were dropped off at the academy, and it presented you with a brief opportunity to speak with Kycilia in person - Better now than later, you reasoned, as so you rushed over to request a meeting.

You got one.

Kycilia Zabi sits across from you in the small wood paneled study, reclining languidly in a high backed leather chair and yet somehow managing to look imperious, utterly arrogant, long legs crossed and fingers interwoven mischievously as she watches you. Dark eyes search over every inch of your body, probably more closely than you’ll ever grow comfortable with, and even in your cadet uniform you can’t help but feel exposed - In the past this sort of attention might have stirred something in you, she’s not a beautiful woman but she does have a certain charm, but now all it makes you feel is… violated. Disgusted. You’re a tool to be used by her.

“Such an urgent request, Felix - You know how to make a woman feel wanted.” She teases, but there’s no real flirtatious warmth to it. You understand at once she’s just trying to fuck with you as she always does, crass manipulation that almost used to work, “You’ve brought me something valuable, haven’t you?”

You nod, deciding to get right to business rather than sparring verbally with her, that’s almost never a winning strategy with this Zabi harpy, “The Federation has a secret research base on Side Seven, I’ve brought back photographs of sensitive documents detailing some of their research.”

Without waiting for a request, you remove the small folder you transported the photos in - Elena’s kept some copies for further study, but these are the originals - and toss it over to Kycilia. She catches it deftly, opening the folder with ease and removing the photos, fingering through them quickly.

Kycilia’s black eyes narrow to slits, whatever faint grace her sharp features usually possess drowned in a sea of suspicion as she examines the images, “Where did you get these?”
>>
>>5570963

“From the home of what I believe to be the chief engineer for the base.” You explain, “There’s evidence that someone in Zeon is leaking information, I thought you’d want to know immediately.”

“A leak? Explain.” She demands, setting the photographs down on her thigh for a moment.

“There are design drawings for a minovsky ultracompact fusion reactor in there, and discussion about tests of miniaturized mega particle beam weapons.” You get right to the point, “Only Zeon has that reactor technology, everyone I’ve ever spoken to has claimed the Federation is years behind.”

Kycilia’s features darken, a murderous aspect taking her, “Minovsky. I knew that rat had a change of heart.”

“...Dr. Minovsky?”

“Zeonic picked him up quite some time ago, much of our progress is due to his genius...” Kycilia informs you, a cold anger filling her voice as she finds one photo in particular and pulls it from the small stack, “No one else would know of this design yet, he only proposed something similar a few months ago. I was there.”

“One of his assistants couldn’t have done it?” You ask, a little lost, but a spymaster like Kycilia always knows far more than she gives away.

She shakes her head and stands, sliding the photos back into the folder, “No. You’ve… served Zeon well today, Felix. I suspect this wasn’t purely out of patriotic fervor though, was it? Fearful I’m turning your sister into some smaller, blonder version of myself?”

Was… was that an attempt at a joke? Ugh, what a witch.

You nod, and Kycilia laughs. She laughs harder than you’ve heard her in years, in fact you haven’t heard something so deep and genuine from her since when you were just a young child - Back right after your father’s death, when she struck that deal with Casval and trapped you all in the tower.

“Very well then,” She smirks, “Once again you’ve served well - First Jedar, and now this - And without any prompting~ I still need your sister for negotiations, but I could cut back… some. The next time I visit Dr. Flanagan, I’ll take you instead of dear Artesia. How does that sound?”

>”Fine, deal.” Better than nothing.
>”You can do better than that. What do you really want here, Kycilia?”
>”...I could fill in for her for the other tasks. She’s busy with Garma anyways, let them have their time.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5570964
>”Fine, deal.” Better than nothing
Tryphosa detected!
>>
>>5570964
>”Fine, deal.” Better than nothing
I'm not particularly interested in becoming a spy for her, I'd much rather integrate more closely with the military under Dozle.
>>
>>5570964
>”...I could fill in for her for the other tasks. She’s busy with Garma anyways, let them have their time.”
I think Felix should, ironically, grow closer to Kycilia. She probably sees us as a useful asset, considering that it was us who spoke about the Jovians and made Tryphosa comply. On a practical level we are better at making her get what she wants than Artesia is, and we could take advantage of that by gaining her more of her trust (or at least appear to want to comply with her demands).
>>
>>5570969
Also this gives us more potential to interact and plot with Tryphosa.
>>
>>5570967
Why not do both? No reason we couldn't play it from multiple angles.
>>
>>5570964
Changing vote from earlier too this

>”...I could fill in for her for the other tasks. She’s busy with Garma anyways, let them have their time.”
>>
>>5570974
Priorities. I can only imagine that doing spy stuff in addition to the academy will adversely effect our social links with the other students. I'd much rather focus on getting a loyal core of followers.
>>
>>5570976
Yeah, it's largely a time issue. Felix can't be in two places at once, somethings got to give somewhere.
>>
>>5570964
>”Fine, deal.” Better than nothing.
>>
>>5570978
Hm, is it possible to do both at a reasonable extent? I mean, just because we go with Kycilia doesn't mean we can't dedicate some time to other things.

But still I feel like we're better suited and will do more stuff in our favor with Kycilia, considering that Artesia is trying to distance herself a bit from her.
>>
>>5570983
I feel like the 'reasonable extent' is what we've already been doing. Happenstance events that put us in a better position with Kycillia.
>>
Well either way I still feel like that 'stay close to your friends but be closer to our enemies' philosophy that the other anon from before said is good enough for me to stay put.

>>5570984
I mean, doing both to a reasonable extent, not just pursuing something if we happen to be in the right place at the right time.
>>
>>5570986
I think you're forgetting Kycillia's character. We don't get to say no to a request if something else is going on or comes up. There's no choice with her, we either do it or we're on the shitlist.
>>
>>5570987
>We don't get to say no to a request if something else is going on or comes up.
Not saying that we should say no, just that I think we can juggle both if we really tried. But even if it comes to being a bit of a sacrifice, I think there's a chance more opportunities open up for us (with sensitive documents, newtype test subject connections, Jovians, Laplace's Box and so on) if we do some of her tasks.
>>
>>5570995
>do some of her tasks
Better wording would be 'playing along with her plans for the foreseeable future'
But either way, we'll be able to more more than Artesia will if we pursue it. I mean even if Artesia fully dedicates herself to the spy stuff, she'll just be outmaneuvered constantly and end up as her puppet.
That and I'm interested in the possibility of finding Laplace's Box with a bunch of deprogrammed cyber newtype Deikun loyalists.
>>
>>5570964
>”Fine, deal.” Better than nothing
>>
>>5570995
I just realized something, our whole family is already on her shitlist lmao.
>>
>>5570966
>>5570967
>>5570980
>>5571009
Writing.
>>
Hopefully we'll get another chance to get closer to Kycilia's faction in the future, since while Dozle Dadzle? is cool to be around he isn't one of the more important players in the Zabi family compared to the others.
>>
“Fine, deal.” You accept the offer, albeit a bit unhappily - It’s not nearly as much as you would’ve liked, but Artesia being used to manipulate other newtypes is a level of unpleasantness you’d prefer to avoid.

“Excellent. I hope we understand one another, Felix.” Kycilia coos happily, seeming to find this all quite pleasing, but her dark eyes remain as cold as ever, “Continue to serve well and perhaps I might find less use for your sister - For now at least, little Garma’s quite smitten, isn’t he? From what I understand it’s mutual.”

“...They’re good together.” You say, unsure of how to respond to Kycilia's comment, her cheerfulness about the match far more unnerving than any of her past attempts to get under your skin.

“It’s a perfect fit.” Kycilia agrees as she begins to walk toward the door, slowly for a moment just before reaching it, turning back to face you, “The idea didn’t appeal at first, but you can thank my little sister for bringing me around to the thought of it - There’s nothing new under the sun, Felix.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing more than what I’ve said.” She replies cryptically, the door opened for her from the other side before she even needs to reach for it, one of her personal guards on the other side, “Farewell for now, but do enjoy playing at being a soldier - Dozle’s spoken well of your performance.”

…Bizarre. You’re left alone in the room, puzzling out what exactly Kycilia meant by any of that. Clearly she’s not against Garma and Artesia, but you’d already caught wind of that somewhat from Vivima and back at dinners at the Zabi palace, but this was more in your face than any of that had ever been. She seemed genuinely pleased there at the end. An involuntary shudder runs through you. Nothing good can come from that.
>>
>>5571127

Several hours later, in Dozle’s officer back at the academy proper.

“Tryphosa missed you, Felix.” Artesia says, daring to use your real name in the seclusion of Dozle’s office, her face lit up in a smile as she sits across from you in one of the tall chairs of the room, “We spent most of yesterday meditating together, it was… liberating, really. We went out so far together, beyond the edge of the colony. Do you remember that time we reached all the way out of the Zam and nearly to mother?”

“I do, we almost got lost out there. There was nothing to anchor us.” You reply, thinking back to your foolish attempt at communication - It’s impossible to know for sure, but at the time it nearly felt as if you couldn’t return to your body, just moments away from being disembodied forever… You’ve avoided pushing out like that since then.

“We did that a few times, they wanted to measure our psycho waves, they’ve got a whole room that does it passively now, and it was amazing - I could see so much more than I ever have before… It’s hard to even describe it, a lot of it didn’t really stick in my memory, but the impression of what it was like is still so clear… Oh, I wish you were there!” Artesia says excitedly, struggling to find her words but the warm feeling emanating from her telling you more than enough, little flashes of insight piecing things together as your minds brush against one another, “...Uhm, things went well with Elena?”

“We did some spy stuff, danced, and… Yeah. It was great.” You grin, not wanting to get into the lascivious details, cheeks heating slightly as you think back to it.

Artesia giggles, your blushing not going unnoted, but soon she cocks her head a bit curiously, “Spy stuff?”

“Long story, I’ll tell you another time.” You say as Dozle enters the room, oddly late for once. Your brother is with him, and both take seats in silence, a few nods of acknowledgement passing between you.

The big man tugs at his collar a bit nervously before speaking, adjusting his well fitted uniform slightly and then clearing his throat loudly before he rumbles out what sounds almost like a prepared speech, “I’ve gathered the three of you here today to make an announcement of my intentions.”

Your eyes widen slightly, suspecting at once where this is going.
>>
>>5571129

His voice grows louder as he speaks, as if raising the volume of the conversation will somehow make the words easier to say, “I have been courting your mother for several months now, and I have settled my thoughts on the matter - Made up my mind completely. I intend to marry Astraia before the year is out.”

Artesia gasps in excitement, covering her mouth with one hand, and Casval slowly smiles, a calculated expression covering what you know to be a profound hatred. Despite immense uncertainty and an upwelling of mixed feelings you find yourself smiling more genuinely - Surely this must just be part of mother’s plan, she’s just being very successful, right?

“I will propose in a month’s time, if all continues well, and adopt the three of you as my own children.” Dozle smiles, his deeply scarred face easing a little as he sees your expressions, perhaps surprised by the seemingly positive reactions, “...It was only proper that I let the three of you know in advance. If you would speak against it… I would hear your reasons now. You have my word of honor that I… I will not hold your words against you! I swear it on the Zabi family name!”

Artesia looks to you and Casval, a conflicting look on her face for just a moment before she gets up from her chair and moves to hug Dozle; the huge man is taken completely off guard by the display of affection, struck far more deeply than any blow ever could, his eyes almost welling up - Damn, mom really did a number on him…

“That’s wonderful,” Artesia says, and for just a moment you feel a touch of that cold emanating from her once again, but it’s soon drowned out by genuine happiness and a faintly lingering sense of confusion and resentment, “I didn’t think you’d act so soon though.”

“So soon?” Dozle rumbles, one giant arm wrapped around Artesia for a moment, patting her back uncertainly, utterly unused to this, “Was it that obvious? ...It's not too early, is it?”

“You’re not a subtle man, Dozle.” Casval chuckles, eliciting a small - or rather quite large - shrug from the largest of Zabis, “I’m glad you asked us first though, I appreciate the gesture. You have my blessing.”

You know he doesn't actually approve at all, but Casval’s nothing if not a good actor - Pretending to be someone else comes naturally to the three of you by now, but this must be taking a colossal effort of will.

>”...I approve as well. So we’ll be… Zabis then?” Adoption isn’t something you considered much before, just the relationship itself… Bizarre.
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.
>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5571132

>”...I approve as well. So we’ll be… Zabis then?” Adoption isn’t something you considered much before, just the relationship itself… Bizarre
I doubt the siblings will adopt the new name, it's atypical for adult children and would undercut the importance of their lineage.
>>
>>5571132
1)
>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.

2)
>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.

3)
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.

Huh I completely overlooked we'd technically become Zabis if he married her.
>>
>>5571132
>>”...I approve as well. So we’ll be… Deikuns and Zabis then?”

The Deikun name is just too big to let go so easily. I expect ours and our mother's last name will be Deikun Zabi, like the previous last name becoming more of a middle name:
Artesia Deikun Zabi, for example.
>>
>>5571134
Well I know of a person that had his last name changed when he was in his late teens after his mother remarried. Don't know if this applies to Zeon or anything, but I feel like it's a possibility.
>>
And for any anons worried about us not saying we approve, we already did say we trusted Dozle and that he was already doing a good job.
>>
>>5571143
And also if anyone in the room pushes for us to become full named Zabis we can just say that Garma would be our uncle if that happened.
>>
Should we also let dolze know about the leak.
>>
>>5571196
That's a good idea. I'm sure we'll get an opportunity to do sooner or later.
Although one could make an argument that it could make him lash out against his forces (though it might ultimately be a good thing for that to happen, depending on how he reacts to it).
Still, it could be redundant if Kycilia decides to inform the rest of her family first about Minovsky.
>>
>>5571196
OPSEC would dictate that we only tell him about things that aren't the leak (as that is likely already being handled), the less people know the less likely to be spooked and do something.
>>
>>5571203
I was more thinking of using it to make more distance between kycilla and dolze. Especially if dolze spooks minosky. Kycilla will be rightfully furious with him after all.
>>
>>5571205
Yes, but it could probably be traced back to us. I feel like the chance of causing a divide here is limited due to how (at least as far as we know) only us and Kycilia think it was Minovsky. Most of Kycilia's anger will probably be directed towards us in that case.
Ideally we could get someone else to tell Dozle, but that might prove difficult since we don't have a scapegoat and lack the connections with the Kycilia Agency.
>>
>>5571205
Since it would be obvious who told him that likely won't end well for us. the best thing to do would probably be to point Dozle to Kycilia so she can handle things appropriately, though I do think advising an increase in surveillance of Side 7 would be a good idea since recon (following the project's transports elsewhere) may not be within the agency's wheelhouse and be better suited to a LRRP mission through the military
>>
>>5571132
>>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.
>>
>>5571134
>would undercut the importance of their lineage.
I just realized the Zabis are probably planning to just absorb our identities into them, and make it impossible to fight them.
>>
>>5571132
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.
>"Adoption wont be necessary, we are almost adults anyways and becoming formal members of the Zabi family would only complicate our relationships" motioning to Artesia making it clear what relationship you mean
This is most probably a Kycilia/Ghiren ploy to absorb us into their family, overall wont help us in anyway and it'd be better to go public as the Deikuns instead to start building a support base.
Also, we should start thinking more deeply about what our actual plan against the Zabis is since hoping the Feds kill off at least some of them isnt really viable after giving the data to Kycilia. The Dr Minovsky hole will be plugged before the iron cavalries meaning no battle on the moon and no feds taking MS development more seriously. Though losing minovsky early will also slow down Zeonic development of MS reactors so who knows
>>
>>5571132
1)
>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.
2)
>”Will we finally go public with our identities?” There’s too many questions racing through your head.
3)
>”Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?” Even if it’s just some elaborate ploy, which surely it must be, it would feel deeply wrong not to be a Deikun anymore.
>>
>>5571313
>>5571147
Yeah, the whole uncle and niece thing would be weird, even if it's just an adoption.
Although nobility have done weirder things, like actual incest, not adopted one.
>>
>>5571134
>>5571140
Approve.

>>5571135 (2nd)
>>5571341 (3rd)
>>5571223
Deikun.

>>5571313
Public+Write-in.

Writing.
>>
You hesitate before approving along with your siblings, trusting enough in Dozle’s assurance to be willing to ask a question or perhaps two, “Will we be able to keep the name Deikun?”

Dozle strokes his chin thoughtfully, brow furrowing, “You could have both names. That was the old way of things. A fine enough tradition.”

“Deikun-Zabi?” Artesia asks, backing up from the big man, his arm slipping back to his side.

“Indeed.” Dozle rumbles, forcing that smile back across his scarred face, “You will all be a part of the Zabi clan, and the last remnants of the feud will finally be at an end. I love Astraia, more than I ever would have believed I could.”

“Do the others know about your intentions?” You ask, still not quite ready to give your approval to the match. Dozle might be the best of the Zabis, other than Garma at least, but there are political questions lingering at the edges of your mind. Is this some kind of ploy?

Dozle shakes his head, sitting up a bit straighter as Artesia steps a little more off to the side, “My siblings do not know yet. I have spoken only to my father. He approved of the match.”

>”I approve as well.”
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
>”So… Viv will be my aunt? That’s sort of weird, Dozle, I’m slightly older than her.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5571451
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
>>
>>5571451
1)
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
>”I approve as well.”
2)
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
>”So… Viv will be my aunt? That’s sort of weird, Dozle, I’m slightly older than her.”
3)
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
4)
>”So… Viv will be my aunt? That’s sort of weird, Dozle, I’m slightly older than her.”
>>
>>5571451
+1 >>5571458
>>
>>5571451
1)
>”So… Viv will be my aunt? That’s sort of weird, Dozle, I’m slightly older than her.”
>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”

2)
>”So… Viv will be my aunt? That’s sort of weird, Dozle, I’m slightly older than her.”
>>
>>5571344
I'm almost certain the pseudo-nobility of Zeon practices some form of incest, even though it really isn't a principality yet.
Our family tree will start looking like a family wreath if we're not careful.

>>5571581
Just to clarify, speaking about Vivma might make Artesia realize the implications here. It could lead to rethinking about her relationship with Garma, and maybe even tone it down with him for a bit. But that's probably an optimistic view. And not just that it could help us a little at keeping our own identities distinct from the Zabis, stopping ourselves from becoming their puppets (I can just see the sort of things Gihren would push for and the plots Kycilia will make).
Basically if we become full on Zabis it'll probably be safer (but maybe not, considering the type of people they are), but with far less opportunity.
Also I feel like it'll be funny to mention the weirdness of it.
>>
>>5571451
>>”Will we finally go public with our identities then?”
>”I approve as well.”
>>
>>5571605
>>5571482
>>5571458
Writing.
>>
“Will we finally go public with our identities then?” You ask, that day having long loomed over all of your dealings with the Zabis, especially Gihren and Degwin.

“Yes!” Dozle thunders, balling his hands into fist, “The day will finally be at hand, whether Gihren wishes it or not!”

“Are you sure that’s prudent, Dozle?” Casval questions, “If you’re planning for a December ceremony that would be right in the middle of Gihren’s treaty negotiations with Side Six.”

“My father voiced similar concerns. It will help Gihren’s efforts! Imagine it, Casval - The return of the Deikun family to Zeon! The end of years of uncertainty!” Dozle thunders on, sweeping an arm out triumphantly and causing Artesia to jump back half a step to avoid being struck, “Men prefer steady allies, strong allies - Zeon’s lingering weaknesses will at last be crushed by the big... the big foot of… of unity!”

…You stifle a laugh, Dozle’s lack of poetic acumen not something you wish to hold against him.

“...And it will be big indeed.” Casval chuckles, choosing to go along with the poor choice of words, “There are certainly a few advantages to the timing, assuming Side Six’s concerns are about Zeon’s internal stability.”

“I’ve heard rumbling of such slander from their defense force officers,” Dozle replies, pulling his arm back away from Artesia, “The talks are not trade negotiations. Gihren will be proposing a military alliance. …Felix, have your concerns been settled?”

“I approve as well.” You nod politely, keeping a few lingering questions about Viv being your step-aunt to yourself - What an odd circumstance that will be…

A wave of relief washes over Dozle, much of the fearsome aspect his scarred face often possess fading away into something much warmer, protective even. It’s a look you’ve only ever seen him give to Garma and Vivima before, “Then I will pursue this course to the end. Before the year is out we will be family, I swear it on my… our family name!”

>”...Well, this’ll be interesting to explain to the other cadets when it happens…” So much for the cover stories, everything goes up in smoke in a few months.
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5571657
1)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”

2)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”

3)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>>
>>5571657
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>>
>>5571657
1)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
2)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
3)
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
Teabolo was good to us, it's only fair that he is remembered and notified.
>>
>>5571657
>>”...Well, this’ll be interesting to explain to the other cadets when it happens…” So much for the cover stories, everything goes up in smoke in a few months.
>>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>>
>>5571313
>Also, we should start thinking more deeply about what our actual plan against the Zabis is since hoping the Feds kill off at least some of them isnt really viable after giving the data to Kycilia.
I've been thinking about this for a bit, and I feel like at this rate we'll either have to start a violent revolution for Neo-Zeon or create a civil war. We could try to do some subterfuge and subtle assassination, but without the right connections with either Kycilia (though it seems likely that we'll get some with the Agency soon) or Gihren (though I'm assuming Casval is covering that) we can't count on it.

>>5571666
Well said, Satan.

>>5571657
>>5571659
I just realized I made 1) and 2) the same. I need to get some sleep.
I'll clarify it to:
1)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”

2)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>>
>>5571657

>”...Well, this’ll be interesting to explain to the other cadets when it happens…” So much for the cover stories, everything goes up in smoke in a few months.
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
Dadzle is based
>>
>>5571657
1)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
2)
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
3)
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
>>
>>5571657
>”Artesia, I hope this won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year.” Okay, maybe it’s worth bringing up that weirdness after all.
>”...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but… we’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”
>>
>>5571666
>>5571672
>>5571686
>>5571696
Writing.
>>
“...You know technically we’ve already been adopted once, Dozle - I’m sure the legal issues will just get waved away but.. .We’re all part of the Mass family, on paper anyways.”

“...That’s true.” Artesia joins in immediately, “It’s been strange since we came to Zeon, but I do think of Teabolo as being my father. “It might have been at a confused time but he tried to shelter us and he was kind and caring for years. He wasn’t doing well the last time I saw him, this might be too much to bear…”

“He’s a good man.” Casval agrees, which is just about the most you’d ever be able to get from him on the subject, never having seen Teabolo as much more than a temporary guardian.

Dozle crosses his huge arms, looking over the three of you, “I have already made plans to speak with him. There is no use in further conflict, he threw himself onto Texas colony, exposed his neck to Kycilia. I see that all clearly now. It was an honorable risk. A sacrifice!... I will make sure he understands.”

“Try to be gentle, he’s strong man but his health is so weak now,” Artesia warns, her tone concerned as she moves closer to Dozle again, the two of them meeting one another's eyes, “...When you tell him, could go as well? I’m the closest with him.”

“If it would save you from worrying.” Dozle agrees, his voice deep and gentle.

“Thank you, Dozle.”

“Artesia, I’ve been thinking things through a bit more, and I hope these changes won’t cause any issues with Garma - He’ll be your step-uncle next year, you know.” You say, unable to keep the odd thoughts to yourself anymore. Your sister’s eyes widen in sudden realization, confusion wracking her face.

“I… You’re right, he will be…” She steps back a bit from Dozle, turning to face you with a look of mild shock, but a look of resolve soon returns, “That’s… Well, that’s fine then, it doesn’t change my love for Garma.”

Wait, what? That’s new.

“Love?” Dozle questions, it now being his turn to look on in shock. Artesia’s cheeks redden, but she gives him a small nod.
>>
>>5571730

“I… I try to hide it,” Artesia admits, looking at you and Dozle but avoiding Casval’s gaze entirely, “Not from the three of you, I mean you must have seen a lot of it by now, but for the other cadets sake. I only realized how strongly I felt a few weeks ago, but relationships are against regs and I didn’t want to demoralize everyone else by breaking them so obviously and getting away with it.”

Hiding it? Hardly, she’s been with him nearly every chance she gets during classes and the large exercises, but perhaps that is concealing her feelings. She’s only barely sixteen though, it’s a strong declaration to make… of course you’re not quite a year older and you feel strongly about Elena, so perhaps it’s understandable - Garma’s been quite a standup guy, occasional bouts of childishness aside. Artesia’s assumption that she’d get away with rule breaking does result in Dozle’s eyes narrowing a bit, but he says nothing for now.

Artesia keeps speaking, just spilling her secrets as the rest of you watch on, no one ready to jump in just yet, “Viv knows, but don’t tell anyone else, please, especially not Garma - I want to tell him myself… I was thinking I’d wait until the first dance in a couple of months.”

“...You have my word of honor, Garma will hear nothing of this.” Dozle swears, “Your dedication to discipline is admirable. However, if you believe that I will bend the rules of this academy for your sake then you are mistaken.”

“S-sorry, sir, of course!” Artesia replies quickly, standing a touch straighter and eliciting an approving chuckle from the huge man.

“...Sounds like you’re serious about things as well, sister.” Casval notes, his tone even and steady, but you can sense the disapproval emanating from him - Artesia’s ploy was meant to be just that, a ploy, but she’s gone an actually fallen for the young Zabi, “I’m happy for you, and Garma - You make an excellent team.”

Artesia must feel Casval even more keenly, his true feelings so utterly mismatched with his words - He doesn’t broadcast quite as loudly as you or Artesia do, his inner self under much tighter control, but this is hard to miss.

>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” This is a problem, she needs to get some perspective again.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5571732
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” This is a problem, she needs to get some perspective again.
>>
>>5571732
1.
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
2.
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
3.
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
4.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
It shouldn't be that bad, Garma's a good lad.
>>
>>5571741
Well, as long as Artesia is the bigger influence in the relationship it should end well.
>>
>>5571732
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” This is a problem, she needs to get some perspective again.
>>
>>5571732
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
I'm fine with Artesia and Garma happening, he's the most salvageable of the family and having her with him would be a good influence. As long as she doens't lose herself.
>>
>>5571732
1)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
2)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” This is a problem, she needs to get some perspective again.
3)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
>>
>>5571732
1)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
2)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
3)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>>
>>5571730
1)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
Should be funny if we go with this, and I'm not really against them being together. She might even convince him to go against Kycilia (since Kycilia wants to push her away from the military).

2)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.

3)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.

4)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
>>
>>5571781
I'm assuming that the write-in means that while we're not against them being together or their love, she shouldn't 'lose herself' like with what was happening between her and Kycilia (I'm actually starting to not get so worried about her wanting to save them, since when the whole 'Zeon did nothing wrong' starts she'll be against themand might even convince Garma of siding with us if we're lucky).
>>
>>5571796
>she'll be against them
Bold assumption, as Zeon has done and will do nothing wrong
>>
>>5571808
based?

>>5571781
>>5571732
Changing my vote to:
1)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.
As long as the 'poking' is in good fun.

2)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually don't know what to make of this yet, only time will tell how this develops. You're not against her loving him, but she should think about important issues as well.
Again I'm assuming the write-in means that we're just worried about her changing to better suit what Garma wants, and instead being the bigger influence on him while not losing sight of our goals to bring justice to the worst of the Zabis.

3)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>”So that’d make Dozle your step-father and brother-in-law after you marry Garma, wouldn’t it? Is there even a word for that?” Poke at her a bit more.

4)
>”I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You actually mean it though, especially if it keeps her from Kycilia.
>>
>>5571826
And I'm also assuming this doesn't mean we suddenly want Artesia to become more involved in spywork or get closer to Kycilia, just that we're concerned and that we don't want to see her under the threat of losing herself again.
>>
>>5571741
>>5571749
>>5571769
>>5571826 (2nd)
Writing.
>>
“I’m happy for you as well, Artesia.” You reply after Casval, though honestly you’re not sure what to make of your sister’s new feeling yet. Only time may tell how this develops, you’re not against the idea of her loving Garma, but a large part of you hopes she’s still keeping important issues in mind as well - The goal is still the destruction of the Zabi family, not happy intermarriage. Hopefully mother’s still got her head in the game as well, or things might begin to get incredibly complicated.

Artesia smiles weakly at your response, and while you try to open your mind for her to understand your true intentions it’s difficult in the moment - Sometimes connections just don’t come, and despite your ready awareness of Casval’s displeasure this seems to be one of those times.

She brushes back her blonde hair and tries to stand a little taller as she looks to Casval, an attempt at confidence in the face of your older brother’s unspoken feeling, “I’m glad you both think so, you’re always so supportive.”

Ouch. That hurts, even if you’re not quite against things. Her eyes flick over to you for a moment, a hint of regret in them, but she continues to face Casval resolutely.

Dozle speaks up again, voice rumbling low and deep, one of his hands balled into a fist hitting his open palm, body language aggressive even for these matters of the heart, “Young love! A precious thing, may it last! You’re a fine young woman, Artesia. Garma is lucky to have you - He has been much better for it! I support you both fully, just not displays within the academy… Discipline must be maintained.”

For all of that scarred and muscular exterior Dozle really is a softy at heart - In a more peaceful world he’d probably be a far kinder man, but his family has been an unfortunate mold of sorts, shaping him into the militaristic giant he is today.

Artesia’s silent standoff with your brother softens slightly as she turns back to face Dozle, hugging him again, a hint of pain in her voice, “Thank you, Dozle, that means a lot.”

Dozle nods, wrapping his arm around her again, and they hold like that for a moment. It’s almost fatherly, though really Dozle’s more of an age to be a much older brother - He does look older however, surviving that bomb and his rough looks give him a more mature appearance.

Months of the academy stretch out before you, ready to begin once more.

>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.” Alright, it hurts to see her like this. Encourage her a little, even if a date like that would serve more to keep her in check than anything else.
>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.
>[End thread]
>Write-in (Something else to discuss here?)
>>
>>5571940
>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.
Say it ain't so, Cas.
>>
>>5571940
>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.

Digusting, Look at all these ZABI lovers! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLAN? THE EARTHNOID WHORE DID THIS.
>>
>>5571940
>>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.
>>
>>5571940
1)
>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.” Alright, it hurts to see her like this. Encourage her a little, even if a date like that would serve more to keep her in check than anything else.

2)
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.” Alright, it hurts to see her like this. Encourage her a little, even if a date like that would serve more to keep her in check than anything else.

This sounds like it could be interesting.
>>
>>5571940
>”Casval, you haven’t been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you? May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.” Hopefully he doesn’t also say Garma.
>>
>>5571956
And the main reason I'm supporting this is to clear the tension between Artesia, Casval and ourselves. We can't let a family divide start to emerge between us while Vivima is making the Zabis grow closer.
>>
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>>5571948
Reject gravity forever, return to proto cyber newtypes.
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>>5571987
That's true
>>5571985
Changing to
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.” Alright, it hurts to see her like this. Encourage her a little, even if a date like that would serve more to keep her in check than anything else.
>>
>>5572016
I am the only one who has not lost his way, and yet I must work the most. Why must gravity hold my soul back so heavily?
>>
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>>5572022
You know what must be done.

>>5571946
>>5571948
>>5571950
Casval.

>>5571956 (2nd)
>>5572020
Double date.
>>
>>5572037
Writing. Forgot to say that.
>>
“Casval, you haven't been hiding feelings for someone as well, have you?” You poke at your brother a bit, trying to knock him off of this unspoken negativity of his - even if you do understand it somewhat, “May as well admit to anything now while we’re all at it.”

Your brother smirks, giving you a look that tells at once he knows what you’re doing here, “No one yet, if only I could be so lucky.”

“I don't know, you seem to give Nimi a lot of attention whenever she’s around.” You shrug, giving him a look right back.

His smirk spreads into a proper grin, “...What can I say, she’s a beautiful woman? It’s nothing to get worked up over, we’ve only met a few times.”

“...My communications officer? That Nimi?” Dozle rumbles curiously, unsure of what to make of the mention of one of his bridge crew.

“He’s got a type, Dozle.” You tell the big man amusedly, “Isn’t that right, Artesia?”

“Felix isn’t wrong, Casval, you really do. You’re not as sneaky as you think you are.” Artesia joins in, more than ready to get a bit of light hearted vengeance - Casval almost never gets needled like this, it’s good to just be siblings sometimes.

“A man’s tastes are his own business.” Casval says, quite unbothered, “Don’t you think so, Dozle?”

“It’s my business if it’s one of my officers.” The giant man rumbles back in reply, pressing the matter a bit more forcefully, “When did this happen?”

“Back on the Zam, and at General Rugens’ party,” You answer before your brother can, “Nothing’s come of it… right?”

“Nothing at all, you have my word.” Casval confirms, and that settles Dozle’s suspicions.

>”Taking things slow for once? That’s not like you, brother.” Continue the assault!
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.”
>Write-in.
>[End thread]

One more post and the thread’s done, even if end thread loses.
>>
>>5572072
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.”
>>
>>5572072
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.”
That'll be a site.
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>>5572072
>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.”
>>
>>5572072
>>”Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right? I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a sort of double date.”
>>
>>5572075
>>5572078
>>5572086
>>5572092
Writing.
>>
“Artesia, you’re waiting for the dance to tell Garma how you feel, right?” You say, shifting the conversation back a step or two, “I might have Elena visit then, we could make it a double date.”

Artesia’s face lights up at the suggestion, perhaps taking it as approval of her feelings for Garma, “I’d love that - I haven’t seen her in years, it would be so nice to catch up! She dances, doesn’t she?”

“That’s being generous,” You chuckle, “Elena’s been a quick learner but I haven’t had much of a chance to teach her. We actually went dancing yesterday, it was nice, just the two of us out in one of the colony’s parks.”

Artesia moves back to her chair and sighs as she sits down, “I’d like to do something like that, it sounds romantic. It’s always big parties or events with Garma. I enjoy that too, a lot, but…”

“Have you told him that?” You ask, and Artesia shakes her head, “You should, I’m sure he’d understand.”

“There’s an appeal to privacy. Garma would listen, he’s sensitive to others.” Dozle agrees, which hardly surprises you from what he’s mentioned of his time with your mother and Blanche’s comments months ago about the big man’s failings with women - He might be an energetic leader and soldier, but seclusion suits him better in more personal affairs.

“I know, he just enjoys the parties so much and I don’t really mind them. I’ve been putting it off for his sake, I suppose.” Artesia responds, sounding more like she’s reasoning aloud to herself, “...You’re both right, I don’t have anything to worry about. He’s not like that.”

Casval remains silent, blue eyes watching on. Hopefully he’ll come to terms with this in time.

End of thread.

I’ll start a new thread sometime next week, maybe as early as Monday but more likely it’ll be later in the week. This thread will probably still be on the board for another week or so at least, so go ahead and ask any questions you have and discuss the quest if you want. I’ll still be checking in to answer what questions I can without getting too spoilery.

Ideally the next thread will cover all of the academy, with some brief diversions for Tryphosa and Elena.
>>
>>5572194
Thanks for the run, Contolist
>>
>>5572194
This was an amazing thread, thank you!
I hope you the best in your studies.

I do have a question if you don't mind, why did you decide on formatting the updates the way you do? I've heard different reasons as to why QMs write updates in a certain way, and I'm a bit curious.
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>>5572222
Assuming by formatting you mean text followed by green text voting options: I just do it because it's easy to read and traditional. The spacing is for legibility when reading on a phone or a compact browser window I hope people aren't ever reading in full screen, that would be nightmarishly bad looking. When I have multiple votes I try to label it clearly with bold text since I've seen people miss that frequently in other threads. The occasional date/location stamps are mostly for my own sanity when I look back at past threads to try to keep the timeline straight, but it also helps establish a scene immediately.
>>
>>5572230
That's what I was referring to, should've made it clearer sorry.
>The occasional date/location stamps are mostly for my own sanity when I look back at past threads to try to keep the timeline straight, but it also helps establish a scene immediately.
They really do help in getting a feel for where and when the scene plays out.
Anyway thanks for responding and QM'ing, have a good one man.
>>
>>5572194
Amazing work QM, you are really bringing the setting to life and keeping things interesting, imo so far this is the best non tomino UC content.

Since the thread is over i want to bring up the topic of our general Zeon takeover strategy again. As i see it there are two general plans
1st is Violent insurection, whether by coup or by civil war during or after OYW. A coup would most likely not work pre war and definitely not post war provided a Zeon victory where Ghiren still lives, a coup during the war could work but the threat of Zabi loyalists would be too great, it would really have to look natural like for example Ghiren and Kycilia are dead and we take de facto control in place of Degwin.
A civil war during the OYW would be a dangerous gamble and would need the EFF to already be fucked beyond repair but even then we have to remember that many prominent admirals are Zabi fanatics (Delaz, M'Quve) and of course the actual Zabis control three of the fleets.
Coup or civil war following a defeat in an axis setting would be easy and desu i cant imagine Zeon defeated with Ghiren still alive, and if Garma or Dozle are alive getting the Zabi loyalists on our side would be easy.

2nd is "peaceful" takeover, where Ghiren and Kycilia get killed directly or indirectly and the blame isnt placed on us, would be hard to do but Kycilia did visit the front a lot of times during the war so setting up for an "accident" could work. Ghiren dying in such a way though would be impossible since he didnt inspect the front at any time. Ghiren dying in combat would mean that the last lines of defense are being pierced by the feds which would take us into a post war setting. Ghiren getting assassinated also just wont happen without our very overt co-operation which would be discovered and civil war would begin

Dozle has really thrown us a treat with his move to make our identities public, we'll be able to build up our Deikun support base but it'll take a lot of careful manoeuvering. The academy will be very important, becoming liked amongst the cadets and the various instructors and officers. The dawn rebellion will also be really useful, in the origin Casval was random guy Char so he was sent away to earth by Dozle as punishment while Garma was given the credit for the victory over the feds but since we'll be known as the children of Zeon banking in on that to build a reputation will be ez. However its unlikely that the Deikun loyalists will approach us before we move against the Zabis, us getting adopted into the Zabi family will make the hardliners sceptical and everyone will be too afraid to openly support us anyways following the purges.

After that honestly no idea, we'll have to wait and see how things progress but if anyone has any ideas please share
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>>5572402
>2nd is "peaceful" takeover, where Ghiren and Kycilia get killed directly or indirectly and the blame isnt placed on us, would be hard to do but Kycilia did visit the front a lot of times during the war so setting up for an "accident" could work. Ghiren dying in such a way though would be impossible since he didnt inspect the front at any time. Ghiren dying in combat would mean that the last lines of defense are being pierced by the feds which would take us into a post war setting. Ghiren getting assassinated also just wont happen without our very overt co-operation which would be discovered and civil war would begin

As long as there is the potential for Artesia and Garma to get together, and we should have a direct line on any children thatare likely to turn up come of things so as long as we are there to provide a moderating influence we can get what we want, maybe not for ourselves but eventually. Sure it would be a bit of a step down but that does give us less responsibility and more free time to do the things we want to.

>However its unlikely that the Deikun loyalists will approach us before we move against the Zabis, us getting adopted into the Zabi family will make the hardliners sceptical and everyone will be too afraid to openly support us anyways following the purges.
This does bring up a good point where we will need to remain aware of happenings and moderate things to either not occur or maximize their potential timing.
>>
>>5572402
>Coup or civil war following a defeat in an axis setting would be easy and desu i cant imagine Zeon defeated with Ghiren still alive, and if Garma or Dozle are alive getting the Zabi loyalists on our side would be easy.
That's a good point. It makes me feel like we need to sabotage the Zabis somehow as the war goes on, maybe even send some sensitive documents to the Federation to 'help' them or more likely have the Jovians think of the Zabis as too much of a threat to keep on existing. It helps that Kycilia's agents are investigating them. I doubt Jedar and the rest of them haven't noticed. All we'd have to do is make sure the Jovians become hostile enough to not fund the Zabi war machine.

Peacefully taking over Zeon sounds unrealistic honestly. Especially considering that we haven't even directly interacted with Gihren besides the initial dinner we had when coming to Zeon. Kycilia seems like the more likely of the two we could have an 'accident' happen to like you were saying (well, probably only if we become close/aligned with her like Char did in canon).
>>
>>5572410
>Sure it would be a bit of a step down but that does give us less responsibility and more free time to do the things we want to.
And this is another reason why I don't want to go down the 'peaceful takeover' route. We'll just end up as more moderate Zabis. Sure we 'might' be able to influence them, but ultimately we'll just be sucking up their wishes and have to think about their interests in almost whatever we do.
And I disagree with us being able to do what we want, practically everything we've gotten only happened because we gave concessions to the Zabis in some regard. Being leaders comes with responsibilities, so unless we surrender completely to the Zabis we'll have to be responsible.
But I agree with the Artesia and Garma connection, the possibility of turning Garma to our side actually exists as long as we make the right moves and get lucky with how Gihren and Kycilia behave.
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>>5572194
QM, How can I fix these thirsty anon's? They betray zeon and will vote against what must be done to break the federation dogs when it comes time?

How can I free my brothers and sisters of the sins of gravity?
>>
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>>5572927
The only solution is to fight fire with fire.
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>>5572927
Spacenoidbros, we need to unite in favor of a waifu from the superior kind
>>
How do we feel about the colony drop? Is this something that we will try and prevent or will we go along with it. I cant really imagine Elena staying on our side if we go along with it. It might even hurt our relationships with our siblings. Artesia would probably be against it and Casval would probably want to go for it.
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>>5573693
How about not meta gaming it, because we've already pushed the time line off the rails as is? With E-mag and other beam tech being brought to Zeon's attention and its mole problem?

Also, War is war.
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>>5573693
I think Felix would be against the colony drop. First, he seems like a guy that would be horrified by a mass loss of life, he seems to generally want to protect people amd prevent casualties. Secondly, I think he would want to prevent the ecological effects of crashing a colony onto Earth, which his father's writings declared a sacred space for humanity. I think his beliefs tend toward encouraging gradual emigration of earthnoids into soace as opposed to a mass exodus.
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>>5573693
I don't think we should go with it, considering the opposition it might present to Zeon's (the person, not the colony) philosophy. Felix tends to be ideological more often than not. Despite that I don't think anything we do will be able to stop it.
But it does present an opportunity to bring more people in Zeon to our side and against the Zabis (I'd be surprised if Vv doesn't support Gihren and Degwin when they present it, considering her opinions on forcing people to space).
>>
>>5573693
And another point, if we can somehow make it so that the colony drops don't happen it might be better to take it. The Zabis already seem like they're on the path to victory, with them potentially knowing about laser and beam technology from the Federation as well as denying them any more help from Minovsky that might've happened.
If we can deny the Zabis such a strategic victory while their plans are 'accidentally' leaked to the public it could put us in a favorable position as a more humane and reasonable alternative to their rule in the eyes of Zeon's masses and any possible defectors from the Federation. Though all of this is probably just me being optimistic.
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>>5573693
>>5573709
>>5573742
>>5573765
if we can oppose the cannon zeon attrocities and expose them discreetly then we should, itll help tally support from outside side 3. Please remember that Ghirens assaults in the first week destroyed many colonies even outside of Loum, if we can prevent this and expose the colony gassing plan we could use it to leverage support from the elites of the other sides.
Also the colony drop was a very important uniting factor for EFF morale, the war turned existential for them so deapite the inherent weakness and moral decline of the EF it managed to survive and pull through. Focusing on destroying federal influence in space is the best winning move for us as the Deikuns
>>
>>5573874
Agreed on all your points, especially the one about exposing the Zabis discreetly.
>colony drop was a very important uniting factor for EFF morale, the war turned existential for them so deapite the inherent weakness and moral decline of the EF it managed to survive and pull through. Focusing on destroying federal influence in space is the best winning move for us as the Deikuns
There's definitely something to be said about getting support from the other colonies. A weakened Federation won't be able to contest two independence wars simultaneously happening. Add Jovians to the mix (whether its just their denial of resources to Zeon or physical interference in the OYW) and we might have a chance against both the Zabis and the Federation.
>>
>>5573693
I think we should prevent it purely because it involves gassing millions of SPACENOIDS, but that's just me
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>>5575231
So you'd be fine with dropping an empty colony or Axis on the Earth then, right? Casval approves.
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>>5575243
Of course. A land invasion of Earth would be far too costly in terms of spacenoid lives. A little WMD could save a lot of people.
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>>5575243
Only if it hits what is aimed at.
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>>5575243
And how would the most efficient way of getting an empty colony be? Gassing spacenoids.
It's a lose lose situation lmao

>>5575247
>A little WMD could save a lot of people.
>cause a nuclear winter, potentially causing billions of casualties in the process
based?
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>>5575710
People, I said. Land dwellers need not apply.
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>>5575815
kek
On another note talking about this made me realize that Jones will die in the OYW one way or another. Man now I feel sad.
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>>5575835
Jones is based, I was sure he died during the attack but the madman survived
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>>5575843
Don't give me that false hope man. I really want to say that he's based enough to survive but I know what the Gundam series is like.
>>
>>5575952
New thread is up.



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