synflux | [ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

We're all shoved into combat positions. Like I said, I get by.

[ He peers over like he can make any sense of what's going on. He's a ye old, so all of the innards of that generator are beyond him. ]

Find anything exciting in there?

Nothing exciting, but this shouldn't be too difficult to get working again.

[ He frowns. ] And if something like this needed repair suddenly in the middle of a battle, the ones able to fix it in a pinch wouldn't be able to if they were just, as you say, shoved onto the frontlines and expected to fight. Has anybody tried speaking to the top brass about that?

Negotiations with these creatures don't seem possible, sure, but I've heard talk of smugglers trying to make profit off of younger ones they manage to get their hands on. That sounds something more up your alley of expertise.

And soldiers can't fight without information. Information that can change at the drop of a hat, so sticking someone like you into a fight when you could be saving our asses if something rapidly started to change that we couldn't see it out there ourselves, seems like a bad idea and dangerous for all parties involved.

Goodness me, you have all sorts of ideas, don’t you? Perhaps you should consider speaking to the “top brass” yourself.

[ Winter has literally no idea who that would actually be around LILITH headquarters. ]

I will say the situations I’ve been in have called for more than brute force. Everyone does what they can, however they can.

Correct. I am not incapable of combat, but it is certainly not a subject I specialize in.

If you want to look at it that way, then sure. But everything I just said, that's all common sense to me!

But, maybe I will reach out and see what I can do! It sounds like some things around here could use some tightening up.

As should be your choice here. Even if someone can fight, they shouldn't have to if they don't wish to.

Even that bit of apprehension about it could end up in a tragedy. If not for the person in question, then for someone who's going to have to pick up that bit of slack for them out there. And I know I neither want to die for a stupid reason like that or see someone else die because of it!

Why don't you get on their asses about it? Tell them hey! I have the experience here and you want to get this done, right?

If nothing else, you have me curious just how much say we actually have. I'm no military man, so perhaps they'll be more inclined to listen to you, instead.

I offered, but they're adamant on experimenting on the kaiju first. We're here to collect materials, fight monsters, and be field agents. I mean, it's all pretty cool, but I miss spending all day in workshops.

[And he doesn't know if he can be intimidating enough to brute force his way into a position.]

I don't know. [He folds his arms and slumps against the Gundam.] We can't even reach the people in charge.

[Dearka doesn't have quite the same hangups or anxieties that Yzak does, but that doesn't mean he's taking this situation a whole hell of a lot better. The degree of violation they've apparently been subjected to would set anyone off. Knowing that their brains were tampered with really takes that to a new level of unforgivable. Whatever these implants are, it's obvious that they're of a technological level beyond what the two of them are familiar with... And if their captors can create such devices, what other disciplines might they be as advanced in? Is their understanding of neurology on the same advanced level? If so, what else might they have toyed with while they were rooting around in their heads?

He grinds his teeth and makes his own demands of the system, and for a moment they both fall silent as they verbally spar with the computer that now lives in their heads. Dearka's questions are not devoid of the technical details, but he's more immediately focused on the why. Why them? Why here? What possible justification could their captors have for violating their autonomy to this extent?

The answers to those questions are... Not exactly enough to quell his anger entirely, but they are enough to stop him from seeing red for the moment. He comes around a little faster than Yzak does, enough to shake off the last vestiges of the activation headache and make his way over to his friend, a scowl still lingering on his features. He touches Yzak's arm lightly, quietly reminding him that he's not alone in all of this, and waits for him to surface from the tidal-wave of information.]

[ You know it's bad when Yzak isn't appeased by hearing that their experiences and talents are the reasons they've been taken here. Since he's so easily pleased by hearing compliments and having his hard work praised in such a way. Because of course his skill should be wanted by any smart organization.

Yzak's now got a headache for entirely different reasons, even when the one due to activating inside of him cedes. He hardly looks satisfied with what he hears either, but his rage does seem a little more subdued. Silver linings. Dearka's touch anchors him, the reminder that neither of them are alone in this loud and clear. Sure, they're both perfectly capable of handling a situation like this on their own if they had to, but the support, the familiarity of something to lean on and support, carry the weight of it together ... Yzak is glad they've got that right now in each other. ]

So that's it then? [ He bites, fingers untwisting from his hair as brings his hand down some. ] We're so god damned good at what we do, some interdimensional organization decides to kidnap up for their cause.

And fully expects us to just go along with it when we've got much more important matters to deal with back home!

—that's dangerous and stupid to do!

[ The response is short and sharp - not toward Ratio, of course, but rather toward confirmation of that information. ]

Even if you are capable of fighting if needed, nobody with a lack of combat experience or lack of preference to do it should be out on the front lines! That's a perfect recipe for disaster! What are the people here in LILITH thinking?! Are they even thinking at all?

Edited (im editing this 2 days later because if i keep goblinfingers misspelling his name like I KEEP DOING im going to MCFUCKIN LOSE IT) 2024-05-31 16:09 (UTC)

If we're fighting for their cause, we'd better have plenty of say!

Even as someone who knows full well that there are times where you need your team to listen to you, you're not going to foster the trust you need for those moments if you don't show any openness to listen to them about anything else!

[ Salary can come after they can ensure they're actually alive long enough to get it. Plus, between more funds going to people like Dearka who wants his hair gel versus if somebody ended up losing a limb and actually having better medication and anesthetics, it's no question where it should go.

(nobody ask what Yzak's going to buy for his bestie when he finally decides to work a little,) ]

That's a question I'd like an answer to, as well. Not long after my partner and I arrived, I wondered about that myself. Not just the fact that how those creatures are getting here is still something shrouded in mystery if it can't be stopped, but these guys have technology or magic...? so advanced that they can reach over into an entirely different universe to pluck someone out of it?

It's not only a conflict that seems off, but it's ... worrying.

Maybe we've just got drive the point in that we'd like to discuss these things because it's pretty fucking important! So they should get their heads out of their asses and come speak to us.

Just because they're in charge doesn't mean they're better than us or that they should be cooped away somewhere secret and safe while our asses are on the line!

Oh, that much I know. [ About this stupid paperwork and these awful dresses. ]

But, no advancement sounds worrisome. How many kaiju have you fought off? What have you learned about them from those fights? It sounds like they're at least trying to expand to another base, but I've also heard that they're really cheap when it comes to matters of our pay and our well being if we're injured.

There's plenty to do at the base. Make sure all of my training is upkept so I don't get rusty. Ensuring that the weapon I use to fight is likewise up to date with maintenance and any adjustments it might need. I could even look into learning new skills that could be useful on the battlefield or to help our organization - which seems pretty sloppy at the moment.

[ He gives Ren A Look, but doesn't deem it worth arguing against his insisting to head inside. Yzak sighs, though, so make his discontent known before he steps into the first door into the vestibule, and then into the cafe proper. Once inside, that cat at the window leaps down to the ground and is joined by a few others to greet the two of them. It meows loudly up at Yzak before giving him a nice, hard headbutt against his shin. ]

How ... are we expected to walk through this?!

Sure.

[ He does as asked, though once he's through the second door he's getting headbutted affectionately in the shin by one cat. Another sits directly at his other foot, meowing up at him loudly. A third which is on the cat tree just next to the entrance is leaning forward to sniff at the side of his head. He feels the last one, turns and pulls his head back, to which the cat just follows, stretches its neck out more and sniffs at his nose. It's as though they're greeting one of their own brethren, and Yzak does nothing to dispute the idea as he himself tenses up some, not unlike the bristling of a cat. ]

Are they all this nosy!?

...How much maintenance does your weapon need?

[Like that's a good list and all, but considering they have enough downtime that LILITH assigns them various jobs and a lot of them work those jobs...

But he lets Yzak suffer as he crouches to greet the cats in return, rubbing the ears of a friendly tuxedo. This is blatant favoritism.]

Say hi and maybe they'll have mercy on you. [Like the cats can talk... Sure. Though in lieu of this reaction and the comment about no pets:] Have you ever actually interacted with a cat before?

Just as much say as we had about being brought here, hm? Perhaps LILITH need only go so far to foster trust when we're essentially being held hostage.

[Now he's speaking Raidou's language - combat.]

Ah. Quite a bit, though it's varied from kaiju to kaiju. Is seems there are many types. The firsts we fought resembled orca whales. The second were lizard-like, with electricity attacks. Both came in large numbers with one enormous kaiju taking the lead. Rifts occur and LILITH gets a reading regarding where it might open up, which is where we know where to be. Only a few hours warning. Thankfully enough time to evacuate citizens and prepare ourselves.

[This is a lot of talking with a stranger for him, and Raidou pauses for a moment, forming his words in his head before speaking them.]

Yes. I would say those are correct. In my opinion. Though they will heal you. However, they withhold anesthetics and painkillers from those that choose elective surgeries. To save them for battle injuries.

Seems like it, yeah.

[Dearka's tone is, for lack of a better word, taut. He doesn't have his typical easygoing swagger going on right now, those blond eyebrows of his still knit together in consternation. Yzak is correct, but... They were also brought here to help what sounds like an extremely dire situation. He can't discount that factor.

Whether or not those are his own thoughts, or if it's the influence of the chip tampering with his brain... We may never know. What is definitely still 100% Dearka, is the way he automatically looks to Yzak now for guidance. Always following, always ready to support.]

So. What's our next move from here, Commander?

Look - [One arm is folded around his chest while Taryon points at Yzak.] I'm all for running in and demanding they let us help, but we have to make sure we have some leverage. I don't know all of the science of this world, but I have my magic. We have to prove that they can't do enough without us, or that locking us up will only hurt their efforts. As it stands, we could end up being sent back home without warning.

I'm not planning on just letting them off the hook for doing that - because it is bullshit that they just took us dragged us here without our say.

But they could do a hell of a lot more on their end to explain themselves if they don't want an eventual mutiny on their hands! Because I know I'm far from the only person pissed off about that.

Being sent home won't have any complaints from me - I've got tons to do back there that I would much rather be focusing on anyway!

They're probably pretty aware that they're only so powerful without our help. Hell, that's why they started "recruiting" us in the first place! So that'd definitely some leverage to start with.

You're not.

[ The only one pissed off, he means. ]

But I'd wager that they hold more cards than they've let on, so threatening mutiny, even as a hypothetical, might not work to our advantage.

[ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

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