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[Takosher]

Willard

While the rest of the ship had time to take a break, engineering was bustling with a frantic energy twice what it normally had. Downtime like this was the only time the engineering crew could work on several key systems, and until everything was in tip top shape, they wouldn't find any room for breaks. Which made it all the more unusual that Elyn was missing, she would never be the first to leave, not so long as there was work to be done. If Willard asked just anyone where she went, they wouldn't tell him, Elyn made sure of that. But there was always Private Dunner. The young fellow was always so focused on his work, he never realized it was Willard asking, making him an easy source of information.

Cree

Skylar was unfazed by Cree's scars, after all that unfinished story was about a man who had lost most of his face to a plasma leak, but there was a sadness in the doctor's lone blue eye. It always hurt so much more to see those who had suffered long than it did to see those that had suffered painfully.

Wordlessly, Skylar set about checking each and every one of Cree's injuries. Most of it was through a firm but gentle touch around the scarred area, but on several occasions a relevant medical instrument was put to use. It didn't take very long, but it felt like eternity before Skylar finally backed off.

"Alright, I admit it, you've picked your doctors well." was the reluctant verdict, "Physically I'm going to give you a clean bill of health, though I want you to come back if the pain you've been feeling in your shoulder gets any worse. And I need to run through your normal physical, that's also important. While I'm doing that, I want you to tell me about your mental state. You've been through a lot, so I'm sure there's a lot of baggage. I don't think you need it, but if you aren't up front with me I'm going to grab the psychiatrist and make him evaluate you for combat again."

While the physical was new, Cree had been put through a psychiatric screening before the Eclipse officially let him join its striker squadron. It had been a bit stressful, but he'd come out of it with an okay to fly. In other words, the threat was basically meaningless, and Cree got the distinct impression that Skylar was only even bringing it up out of concern.

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Cree

"A Physical eh? Never really had one...ever. Fine though, if it's necessary..." The cowboy sighed as he sat up again, staring at the old bolt scars marring his Achilles. His nose briefly wrinkled as the sight brought back the pervasive memory of the stench that hung so heavily over the crumbling Ecumenopolis of his birth. Decay, folly, despair, all given physical form and dispersed in the form of a horrid odor that seemed to cling to anything and everything that lingered in it for too long.
      "Don't know how much I can tell ya about my mental state though, kiddo. I'm old... or at least I feel old. A lot older than I look. Don't think that just because my body's this broken that my mind is the same- scraping by and fighting tooth and nail is all I've ever known. I was born a nothing and destined to die a nothing. So if I wanted to ever be something, I had to do whatever it took to live. Sometimes that means stealing food from the other kids despite knowing that everyone else is just as hungry as you are and the traders don't care if some of the weaker merchandise dies off. Sometimes it means getting into fights with the boys twice as big as you because you know if you don't stand up to them now, they're never gonna stop stealing your food until you die of starvation yourself. Sometimes it means entrusting yourself to a total stranger because even if they're some crazy cannibal who's gonna eat try to you, your chances with them are still better than the assholes who own you now. And sometimes... it means letting that stranger numb you to the things you can't justify, so that you'll be tough enough to fend for yourself one day. And sometimes it means putting a bullet in that strangers back when you've had enough of being their tool and they've got nothing else to teach you, besides a crash course in how to finally free yourself from the power of another..."
    The cowboy trailed off after that point, eventually shrugging, genuinely unsure where the hell he'd even been going with all this. He shook his head as if doing so would banish the stupor of a tangent altogether. "Point is- I think you're worrying about the wrong cowboy, kiddo. I've had plenty of time to come to terms with the things done to me and the things I've done. If I spent the rest of my days lamenting over how bad most things have gone, I wouldn't have any time left to actually enjoy the good parts."

[Swampellow]

Alezar

Alezar could only guess as to what Naomi thought of him. He then did a slow half nod as Naomi spoke “Mhmm”. He gave no further response after that, going back to eating. He would always be of the thought that mechanics are the safer way to go when trying to advance than biologics.

[Takosher]

Naomi, Rose, and Alezar

Torin didn't say much in response to Naomi's disagreement. She was totally wrong, but he found greater satisfaction to let her finish digging a hole for herself before he filled it in. And so he smirked and continued eating, waiting for a good opportunity to shoot her down. Alezar going silent again seemed like a good enough time, and so Torin spoke up. "Resanti cybernetics aren't just mechanical in nature, they also use biological augmentation, and on a level beyond our current tech." He explained smugly.

Cree

Skylar's eye narrowed slightly as the doctor finished checking Cree over. Cree had largely dodged the question, but his response was telling enough in itself. There was another round of typing before Cree got another response. "You've opened up a lot, so I think it's only fair I return the favor." Skylar's eyepatch was lifted, and Cree got a good look at what was underneath. It was something he'd seen before, and not something he was happy to see again. One of his many adventures across the galaxy involved a run-in with the Followers of Gejef, a dangerous cult obsessed with psychic powers which supposedly came from exposure to subspace. What he had expected to be a routine delivery turned into a rescue mission, and he was the one who needed rescuing. While he'd been captured, he'd had the unfortunate privilege of sharing a cell with some of those who had tried to escape the cult. Skylar's eye was missing, and a brand had been placed over the empty socket. The Gejef did this to children as a warning to their parents, and a marked child was treated as impure by the rest of the cult. Cree had seen some of the inhuman things done to the impure, and it was never pretty.

"I guess you know what this is." Skylar read Cree's face, "Don't worry, this is the worst they did to me. My parents saw the mark, decided that my safety was worth any risk, and we fled immediately. I don't have a story like yours to tell, but I thought it was only fair for you to see my scar after you showed me yours. You're free to go now." Skylar put the eyepatch back down and flushed a shade darker, embarrassed at having shared something so personal, even if it was in return for Cree doing the same.

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Cree
The old cowboy couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Even all these years later, that one particular run haunted him the most. There were a great multitude of unsavory things that had long since lost the power to faze him, but never that type of abhorrent cruelty. Especially when the people doling it out could remain so straight faced and calm. Not even the fuckers who ran the old Rixori Markets had been that unnerving. At least they would laugh while you suffered and squirmed, taunt you, torment you. You always knew the reason they were doing it was because it amused them, or you had pissed them off, or... or...
     Or anything really. You at least had some idea of why you were suffering in that particular moment. From what he'd seen, the cult folks denied their victims even that small solace. Perhaps that was part of the point though. Gas light the impure until they convinced themselves that they had somehow brought it upon themselves. That their label was right, they were impure, and thus they were not fit to live...

Cree still remembered the feel of cold steel in his palm, after so many days separated. The kick and heat as the sound of glorious liberation resounded throughout the chamber, not just for himself, but all those who had suffered down in those cells as well. The electric, euphoric sensation that ran through him as he watched that madman crumble to his knees, the very thought of an assassin having made their way so far utterly and completely unfathomable in his final moments. Cree had relished the look on that man's face for as long as he could. If only the short-lived king could've known that there would've been no assassin to bring him so low in his hour of glory, had his little cult not have captured a certain space cowboy...

"Still almost died getting the hell out of there afterwards. But fuck it, it was worth it in the end..." Cree muttered to himself, "Yeah, I know what is. I know all too well. If I'm really free to go, though..." Without another word, he got off the exam table, re-robed, and saw himself out to the door.

"Till next time, kiddo. Oh and uh..." He paused halfway through the door "Those folks can't do much of anything to anyone these days, from what I hear. Apparently they broke apart and dissolved, after a certain scoundrel put a bullet in their king. just figured you'd want to know, if ya didn't already."

And with that said, he was truly gone.

[Chevaleresse]

"Interesting," Naomi replied in her usual cool tone. "If anything, though, this only calls for more concern. There is a lot we don't know about the Resanti, and biology is a notoriously treacherous field to navigate in the dark." She had to wonder how exactly that mind worked. It seemed improbable that there would be a significant biological aspect to how they coordinated their drones, but it was not beyond the realm of possibility entirely.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen

Vixen could care less about the typical admiral's absence, it was only a matter of time until he was displaced any way she figured. She'd fake the sympathy to at least appear human if it wasn't for something that caught her attention and was important enough to keep her eyes. In truth it was two, both unexpected arrivals. The first for reasons easy to discern, anyone would be taken off-guard by the arrival of a sibling. The second, a point of interest, a woman that Vixen had never seen before. Even despite her elder sister's presence she couldn't help but wonder what the Empire was up to... but Vixen had made it habit to take people at their words and let actions be what damned them. So she watched. Angelica had reason to be unnerved. Vixen had been sizing her up from the second she laid eyes on the assumed greenhorn. The break in her composure just from a glance confirmed as much. Vixen knew that the new recruits knew of her... they tended to be afraid of her. After all, She was the person the Empire wanted to make sure no other solider in their employ was like at all costs. She was the poster girl of what the Empire wanted to call "a bad egg." But 1. They couldn't argue with results and 2. They'd bring the biggest socio-political scandal to ever rock the Empire crashing down all around them if they tried to have her discharged.

Vixen confirmed all she could've wanted from that singular moment, but one locking of eyes. An intended subtle smirk spread over her face, though it was betrayed. The left side of her face wasn't known to subtly, every little movement ended up pronounced due to the mass of scar tissue that was located there. A well dressed burn but one that was not the kind you asked someone about without good reasoning. Angelica knew the burn well, a favorite past time of new recruits was trying to guess how she got it. They ranged from reasonable to purely absurd. Whether she participated herself in such a trivial matter... who knew? That truth mattered rather little. Palla knew something would becoming at some point. She of all people knew what Vixen was like... after all she had the luxury of growing up with her at least... some of her childhood. That was more than most could say, the only who's been around her more was the two's father. But Vixen had changed little over they ears... for better or worse.

"I can smell the green on this one you didn't need to mention it Palla." Vixen added with her typical biting tone. Angelica would note her seeming lack of care at a higher rank of authority, her rather casual address of an officer. "Lesson 1 for ya rookie, it's polite to address every new party in the room not solely the highest ranking officer. Or were ya too busy starin' at my scar to remember I'm a person? Oh... Lesson 2. Don't stare at somebody's scar, It's incredibly rude. And those ones are free..."

The icey vixen then shot her glance quickly to the commodore. It was difficult to read her emotion or meaning in the following words. "So, Empire sent Big Sister cause l was misbehaving again... even sent her with a nice toy poodle. They talk so much about trust and yet they seem to not know what trust was if it hit them upside the head." the ambiguous of her words wasn't helped by the click of a zippo lighter going off again and again as she spoke. It was unclear to perhaps one person if the sniper's menace was menace or not.

[Takosher]

Vixen and Angelica

Commodore Trapp didn't even flinch at Vixen's verbal attack, it was actually rather weak for the sniper, this mission must have softened her up a bit. "Actually, I'm here with a commendation." Palla said, another faux smile accompanying, "Admiral Theris thinks the Eclipse has been performing fantastically in the field, and in no small part thanks to your sniping. Which is why..." she turned to look at Matthews, "I'm to extend you an invite to the anniversary gala, as he cannot go himself, the Admiral would like a representative from the Eclipse to accept his invitation, and for one of your crew to participate in the pageant. He believes it will be an excellent opportunity for you to forge some connections." She held out an envelope for Matthews to take.

Vixen and Angelica both knew of the pageant in question, of course. Although it was presented as a beauty contest, it was in actuality a test of skill which combined the Empire's love of elegance with it's military obsession. Women from across the Empire's navy would gather to show their beauty and combat skills in an event broadcast throughout the Empire and even beyond. As Palla had suggested, it also served as an excellent opportunity to forge diplomatic connections and political alliances. It struck Vixen that perhaps the sly old admiral was perfectly well, and in fact feigning illness to give Matthews the opportunity to attend the event.

"We would be honored." Matthews accepted the invitation.

"The admiral will be pleased to hear that." Palla's smile this time was genuine, "There is one more thing..." She pulled a tablet from her bag and began scrolling through a few files, "I have here your promotions, they've all been officially recorded in the Lliman database, but I noticed an irregularity. Your information is handled by one Lieutenant Rhees, who is of equivalent rank to several of her subordinate pilots."

"Lieutenant Rhees was a replacement for a previous officer, many of our higher ranked staff were unwilling to join in our... exodus." Matthews explained.

"That explains how she ended up in this position, but there is still something I don't understand." She handed Matthews the tablet, "These are the reports we've received from Sergeant Major Edelweiss, each and every one states that Lieutenant Rhees is an exemplary officer, yet she has not received a promotion. It seems to me that not only is such a promotion necessary for the chain of command, but well deserved."

"No Drasian has every been promoted above lieutenant after less than two years of service. It's tradition."

"Captain, if I may be frank, I think you've defenestrated tradition several times by now."

Matthews mulled it over for a moment before agreeing, "Very well, you're right. I'll file the paperwork as soon as we're done here."

"I've already taken the liberty, it just needs your signature."

"Oh, well, that's... proactive of you." Matthews seemed perplexed, but signed the document nonetheless, "I'll inform Lieutenant Major Rhees of her promotion later." It seemed like Matthews needed more time to process the promotion than the Lliman bureaucracy, that was certainly a feat.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Not even a rise, seemed the froufrou Commodore was getting a much thicker coat of thorns. Vixen was
almost impressed. Almost. Vixen could barely contain her laughter at the next order of business. It was difficult not to now knowing exactly why their former Admiral ditched. She was about to comment on it but business flew. Palla was a go-getter that was for sure. Vixen couldn't complain, she preferred the brass actually cut to the chase, get down to brass tacks so to speak. She much preferred that to the hours of drivel and so called hospitality that some of the higher ups praised. Fake smiles and banter to give the illusion you were speakin' ta somebody that gave a damn. Saw ya as more than a number. At least Palla's smile was obviously fake... to Vixen anyway.

When it got to the subject of her reports and the promotions the lone fox became impossible to read again. The look on her face cryptic as she processed the information. "So command does actually read those. Figured they used most of them as toilet paper." Palla knew that most of Vixen's reports were probably about the quality she was belying. They both knew she wasn't much the model solider and there was definitely a fair few "Nothing Unusual" type relays in there solely to annoy those in command. However there was a different type in there as well to annoy command. Palla had just spoke of them. Every now and then the sniper wrote with a special type of fervor and zeal. One of those reports was 300 pages long at minimum and properly formatted at that! "Good to know sometimes they pull the foot out of their asses long enough to figure out what's goin' on."

Matthews still looked a bit dazed, so Vixen decided to go back to a prior subject to snap him out of it. She pushed her elbow into his stomach, enough to shock him out of his processing. Barely not enough to bowl and him over and knock the wind from his sails though. "Heh, Theris did always say you should get out and see some of the Llimian beauties eh? An invitation to that ol' stuffy gala, rare it goes to any non-Llimian parties. It's ridiculous decadence but..." Vixen hadn't realized the implications of the good admiral at this point by doing this. After all any one coming needed a +1 and Theris only knew two crew members of this ship personally. "They're just lucky there's all that stupid beauty horseshit all over the joint. l'd win every single year otherwise... talentless hacks."

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Angelica

As soon as Vixen began talking to her, the young pilot visibly flinched for a moment, only to take a breath and turn back to the sniper, “Right, my apologies Sergeant Major Edelweiss” Angelica replied in a calm voice, this time actually choosing to look back at Vixen, a slightly more cheerful smile growing on her face as she did so, “It’s a pleasure to work alongside you as well”. While her general, outside calmness could be commended, the truth of the matter was that Angelica was still inwardly screaming in panic, for multiple reasons outside of the fact that Vixen had chosen to talk to her directly. Was she supposed to use her full title instead of just ‘Sergeant Major’? Was she overstepping her boundaries by even responding to her? She had no idea what she was doing, and it didn’t help that she, someone who didn’t have much experience in the military or showing proper respect to people way above her rank, was having to learn as she went in front of Vixen herself.

Regardless, she’d make sure not to stare at her scar. Or anyone else’s. Take the free lessons and keep going, that’s all she had to do.

After that, and once she got rid of the chill that went up her spine when she heard a zippo lighter, Angelica mostly stayed quiet, letting the three with business… Actually getting their business done. If she wasn’t trying to keep a still face for her first meeting though, Angelica would be practically glowing at the chance to go to the anniversary gala. It wasn’t something she had ever imagined going to until far later into her life, when she was well known enough to earn an invitation, but to be given a chance to just go? That was more than she had ever expected.

… Though, that’s specifically a single representative and another crew member from the Eclipse, instead of the entire crew. Scratch her initial excitement, there wasn’t much of a chance for her to get chosen as the newest face on the ship. Still, it was a nice prospect.

[SOLDIER First]

Willard

Ah, right. Dunner. Willard was so consumed by the problem with his Striker that he had, in irony not lost on him, utterly forgotten about the kid. It made him feel a little bit bad to take advantage of Dunner like that; he was a nice enough guy. But the pilot actually needed to talk to Elyn right now. Not at all like the last five times he'd asked. ...Or was it six?

Surreptitiously glancing at the rest of the crew members working away around him, he strolled over to the private's station and stood behind him to look over his shoulder. Willard had learned during attempt number two that he didn't even need a pretense to get answers out of Dunner, but he liked to talk with him anyway, so he begins, "Hey, Dunner. You're working pretty hard over here, huh?"

[Takosher]

Willard

Dunner didn't even bother looking up when Willaelrd spoke to him, he was too engrossed in his work. "It's not that hard, just a bit tedious." he answered, sounding tired but not yet worn out, "Have to run through all of the major energy pathways individually and check that they respond properly to shutdown commands and that all of the backup routes initiate properly." It was actually rather impressive that Dunner could hold a conversation like this without slowing his task at all.

Vixen and Angelica

The captain shot Vixen a glare at her little jab. He appreciated her snapping him out of his daze, but she has chosen to do so with a topic that she knew would irritate him. Of course that was probably the point, as the mild flare of anger he felt was exactly what he needed to clear his head.

"Will that be all, Commodore?" he asked, his composure returning.

"For now, yes." Trapp replied, "If you're looking for a mission to pass the time, I do have an aid request I can send yoy. It's nothing official, just a small world having pirate issues sending out an SOS that we picked up. We don't have the ability to handle it ourselves, but it seems right up your ally."

"That it does, please send me the details when you get back." Matthew's didn't express his discontent with Llima's isolationism. They had more than enough military might to police half of the neutral galaxy, but simply chose not to use it. It wasn't really all that different from the way the Assembly coward from the Resanti.

"I do have a personal request for Sergeant Major Edelweiss, if you'd mind excusing us, Captain?"

"Certainly, I'll introduce Angelica to some of the crew." he gestured for Angelica to follow him, leading the way to ensure she didn't get lost and leaving Vixen and Palla alone to talk.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen

Vixen certainly caught that little glare shot at her, a rise she successfully had gotten! She was always impressed at how well Matthews could keep his cool. Palla could probably get a few pointers from him at some point. She'd take her small victory all the same though. She silently waited for the two to conclude their business. A rare gesture of respect from the sniper one that didn't truly know her would think but Vixen didn't sow unneeded discourse. There was a difference between being an abrasive loner and a downright pest, and that nuisance was of utmost importance.

She didn't show it on her face but she was a bit taken aback about Matthews not pushing against Palla about certain Empire policies when she mentioned their "inability" to act. He's always been more... candid about the subject with Admiral. Vixen had always figured him the type to speak his mind, one that lead with emotion as their driving force and everything else second. Though, perhaps even he could see it be poor form to hoist such matters on an officer the first time she appeared. Further, they did have a quite lackadaisical rapport with the Admiral. Even she was loathe to act herself in that presence. She had no more time to think on the subject as something new took her mind's attention. Her sister had a personal request for her? This time her resolve wasn't enough to keep the surprise from her face. It wasn't often she cracked her steely visage, something that Matthews knew well by now and probably much to his ire.

Vixen's body language immediately shifted to a casual air the second she was sure that the captain was gone. Meeting was over as a result and she no longer needed to pretend to be a good little solider. "So, what's this request of yours?" cutting to the chase, and without her usual ounce of dripping venom. If her sister was asking something of her, it was definitely important. Given she'd made it clear on multiple occasion... it better be important if she had to take the time to listen but that was neither here nor there at this point.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Angelica

Well, it seemed like she was going to be able to make a somewhat decent impression for the Captain sooner than she expected, with the recent pirate issues. Regardless, the meeting was over, and she was to be shown around by the Captain. So, Angelica gave Commodore Trapp an orderly salute, before following the Captain out of the room.

Truth be told, she was thankful that the meeting was so short, because she was not used to this kind of stress from just being near someone. Angelica hoped that the Captain wouldn't see it fit to give the two any major assignments together. Granted, Vixen was more of a lone wolf from what she heard, but she didn't entirely know how things worked in the ship yet. Ultimately though, it was still nice to be on another ship and be able to see some action. Even if she had to go through the troubles of getting acquainted with the rest of the crew, not that she particularly disliked the concept, she just knew that she was likely going to be seen as 'the outsider'.

In a more present tense, Angelica merely walked a few steps behind the Captain, keeping herself to the side a bit so he could easily make sure she was following, her posture straight and rigid as she opened her mouth to speak, only to quickly close it. Was the Captain someone who enjoyed small talk? What would she even talk about if she tried to start a conversation? Should she apologize for her earlier lack-of-professionalism with Vixen?

She had no idea. Just keep walking, maybe he didn't notice that.

[SOLDIER First]

Willard

Willard crosses his arms. "Pretty important work, then. I do the same checks on my Striker at least once a week; usually twice. You can never do too many checks, that's what I think. Sometimes I even..." He trails off, remembering why he was here. As much as the promise of this conversation excited him, Willard couldn't let himself get lost in it. He had A Mission.

"...Actually, never mind. You don't happen to know where Elyn might be, do you, Dunner?"