synflux | [ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

[ Passing by the dispatch area? Here you'll find Yzak, his focus entirely on a new machine standing about 10 feet high that arrived alongside the new batch of teammates. The machine is open ('open' in whatever way that would allow a pilot to climb inside of it almost like it becomes a large suit of armor around them) and he's specifically checking out how the inside of it looks. ]

Completely different from the standard cockpit setup... I'll have to test-run a bunch of system checks to see how it handles like this.

[ He frowns after a moment, brow furrowing. ]

Why did it have to get so small?

[ Usually Elan is never found in dispatch but this month he happens to be doing some...work on his gundam, let's just say. While dropping by he notices a man fussing over what sure looks to be a mobile suit. Elan hangs back to watch him fiddle with it and should the pilot notice him he'll plaster on an innocent smile. ]

What's this?

[ Playing dumb. ]

[ Docked next to the one Yzak is checking out is another mech, and it's really clear at a glance that the two are Related. The head designs, the feet are nearly identical.

Yzak peers over his shoulder when he hear Elan enter. And not knowing who this guy is outside of the fact that he's another ally here, he doesn't find it an issue to share. ]

It's a mobile suit. [ He looks back to the pair of them.] Both mine and my partner's. Weapons from where we come from that we'll be using on these missions.

They should be a hell of lot bigger, though! [ Here he goes falling into a small tangent, bristling up slightly. ] They've been altered due to their size, but I don't understand why! If we're supposed accomplish what we're here to do, them coming in as-is should have been fine!

[ He's guessing the other mobile suit belongs to the yellow-haired guy from some Plant that doesn't ring a bell. Neither of the Spacians had reacted to the face of Elan Ceres. Granted, space is a large place, but it's not impossible someone well-connected would happen to recognize the heir of one of the most influential corporations. Now that would have been annoying.

So, he's enjoying his continued anonymity as he waves his hand in the air, tone flippant and a touch insincere. ]

Really? Well that's too bad, but it doesn't surprise me. They're always skimping on us! Salary, weapons, even anesthetics...

[ There is a different mobile suit hanging out in dispatch, but whose could it be. It's a mystery. ]

[ The foreign-looking mobile suit has in fact caught Yzak's eye. But after checking out his own and figuring out the access limits (and any possible sharing of) being connected just to the pilot, even if he were THAT nosy he couldn't poke around at it as he'd like. But as it stands, as a pilot Yzak also has enough respect not to do that to someone else's machine.

And what Elan speaks about seems to catch his attention (and ire) a lot more right now. ]

On weapons and anesthetics? Why the hell would they do that in this sort of dire situation!?

Gee I don't know, for the same reason they're kidnapping people? They've already demonstrated they don't care.

[ This guy's going to be in for an unpleasant time if he's already this worked up over LILITH's practices. ]

If we die, they'll just replace us with more Outsiders.

[ He knows how these organizations work. It's the same shit everywhere. ]

[ He gets worked up over his own military's practices, it's fine. His world is a god damned mess. ]

Yet they care about curbing this kaiju problem. That's not going to happen under a leadership that skimps on what they need in order to do exactly that! Especially the soldiers expected to directly face them.

Soldiers that are not just expendable and replaceable. If they keep thinking that way, they're going to be in for a rude awakening soon enough!

[ The way he goes on about soldiers and leadership makes Elan suspect he might speak from experience. Come to think of it, Yellow Hair had also compared LILITH to the military. Wouldn't be surprising for mobile suit pilots to hail from there. ]

What are you going to do about it?

[ While he doesn't disagree, the 'rude awakening' just isn't gonna happen. Though he would love to see this guy try. ]

There's plenty that I could do! [ For someone who actually cannot in their particular circumstances, he sounds pretty sure of himself. ]

But I'd rather focus on what could be done to avoid more drastic steps. Such as what we can do to prioritize fixing whatever issues we currently face where proper care and weaponry preparation are concerned. But that's going to require pinning down what exact problems need solutions.

[ Imagine being here all of three hours and already thinking about how to put the organization in order. Cannot be him! This guy seems to have a real Type A personality which just tells Elan they are going to clash. ]

Let's see...Their paperwork system could use fixing, their technology always glitches, and they constantly withhold information from us. Could you get us a raise while you're at it?

[ He has a list of problems and he's filing all his complaints through Yzak now. ]

Ugh ... I'm already well aware of the problems with getting their paperwork in order. [ Which says it all, really, if the way his face gets red doesn't. He was one of the many unfortunate victims of those maid outfits. ]

Are none of the people they're bringing in practiced in technology or programming? That would be a gross oversight on their end since so much of this is reliant on that technology.

And not sharing information if there are issues like that... [ Yzak's eyes narrow, instead of the complainy, blustery aura he's given off so far, there's a more serious gleam in them now. ] What sort of information do you mean, when you say that?

[ So no action item on salary. He sees. ]

Like how they brought us here and how we get back.

[ Probably not what the man wants to hear, but Elan wants out of here, thank you very much! Everyone should be more concerned about being drafted. Then there's also LILITH's DNA research and a host of information about kaiju they're withholding, but does he want to get into it? He doesn't want to stand here being interrogated all day. ]

[ 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.

That's a Gundam!

[Taryon recognizes the design from the one Elan uses, and he forgets that he has to head to work to run over and admire the large, intricate robot.]

Do you know Elan? He's got one of these, too! How's this one different? [It's obviously a different model, and Taryon cannot put his mind at ease when he doesn't understand how it works.]

A— what?

[ It takes Yzak a moment, when he turns to Taryon and lets the word Gundam sit with him. ]

Oh, right. [ And the way he responds implies that he isn't unfamiliar with the term - they just don't call Gundams Gundams where he comes from - GUNDAM is just the acronym of the operating systems on the super special giant robots.

And then his expression drops into a somewhat annoyed little scowl at what he says next! ]

Huh!? Yeah, I met him! Why the hell didn't he tell me that other machine was his when we were both right here!? [ How dare Yzak not get information immediately???? Wow! ]

A Gundam, right? It's not a word anyone knows. [He folds his arms lightly and smiles.] Must be a surprise to hear it from me, right?

[But no, Yzak does not respond positively. Instead, it seems like Taryon has walked into and instigated some sort of complex drama between others. Again. He somehow has a habit of doing that no matter the universe.]

...I don't know.

[Elan is an alright kid, but how is he supposed to know what's going on in his head?]

He doesn't like talking about it?

Yeah, but we were right here the other day and talking about that unit!!

[ Yzak makes a small grumbling noise, and the fuss doesn't exactly subside in him about this, but it's more that he has more pressing matters to focus on for now. He's still getting used to how this altered version of his machine works. So he throws up a hand dismissively. ]

Ugh, whatever! I'll talk to that guy later! [ That almost sounds like a threat, sorry Elan for when Yzak sees you after this. ]

Anyway, [ He huffs. ] we don't actually call these things Gundams, but I've heard one or two people use that term because of the operating system certain machines use, like this one. They're just called mobile suits.

Are you from my world, then? Or that Elan guy's?

Oh, no, Elan taught me that word. [Which...doesn't paint him in a better light at all. Taryon grimaces.] Look, Elan's pretty cool, and he and I have been working a lot together. So, don't be too hard on him?

[He's dreading that Yzak will punch him or try to instigate a fight. It's a common occurrence between adventurers and mercenaries in Taryon's world.]

Mobile suits, right. And you're...sure sure not from Elan's world. You're the only people with these kinds of robots.

[ IT'S TOO LATE ELAN'S ON THE SHITLIST*.

*it is completely worthless

He makes no promises about being hard on anyone - though really all he's going to do when he sees him again is get cranky and yell a bit, because that's just how he rolls. ]

The build of his machine is vastly different and nothing that I've ever seen before. [ As he speaks, he looks over to Elan's Gundam. There's another machine that sits docked next to Yzak's own, and from a glance one can tell from their many similarities that they come from the same place. ] Both in and outside of my own military.

I suppose there's a chance he's from where we are. [ 'We,' he says. ] But that could open up an entirely new can of worms, because what sort of organization is designing and building new machines that nobody else is aware of?

[Looking over them again, it's clear that they are variations on the same design, but some of the components function differently. He thinks of Winter, of how both Exandria and Faerûn share the same systems of magic, the same races, and strangely similar environments, but they diverged at some point.]

If he recognizes the countries from your world, then you know you're from the same place. Of course, there's a chance that it's slightly different, like how lots of people here have a Japan at home. [He shrugs.] Either way, you guys are the robot piloting experts.

I'll have to dig deeper and find out if that's the case or not.

Considering how ... different [ In a tone that really also means 'ugly'. ] the entire design is, I doubt we're from the same place.

But you are right, I know my partner and I are more than qualified to pilot our machines. We've had years of experience in the military. Hopefully Elan has similar experience or can at least keep up.

[ And once he says that, his focus seems to shift more toward the man directly in front of him. He meets Taryon's gaze with sharp, curious blue eyes. ]

Have you been here for very long, then? And if we're the 'robot piloting' experts, what does that make you?

[Taryon wants to insist that all robots are beautiful in their own way, but if Yzak hates it, then he just has bad taste. It's a shame that all the robots and robot-experts can't get along.]

A few months. I was with the first group that showed up back in December. [He steps away from the Gundam to admire it from afar.] Sure, I've built automatons, but they're powered by arcane runes. Robots, as far as I've come to know them, are powered by electricity. Both involve mechanical engineering, but one involves studying circuits. I'm pretty sure I have many more books to study until I can full understand one of these.

The first group, huh? [ That seems to sincerely interest him. ] I do hope there's been some progress since then.

[ And then he brings his hand up in a sharp salute. A habit, but he still sees himself as on duty as he would if this was happening back home. ]

Lieutenant Colonel Yzak Jule, by the way.

[Taryon hesitates and angles his head side to side while he figures out a diplomatic answer.]

Some? We fought two big monsters and tracked down some smugglers. I think that counts. There's still a lot we don't know.

[The salute is a surprise. Taryon figures that if Yzak is bringing in military manners, that he must meet that with his gentlemanly politeness. He bows deeply, mimicking a fairy tale prince.] Taryon Darrington, hero and adventurer, at your service.

I think that definitely counts.

[ He gives Tary a polite nod before easing up and bringing his hand back down. ]

But if there's still critical information we lack, that should be one of our primary focuses when we head out again. The nature of these "rifts" they come through, for example, still seems shrouded in mystery.

[ OPEN ] here comes the boooooooy

[ OPEN ] gundam time

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