TSW 7

IcePickLobotomy	Time: 11:46am, June 4th, 1988. Location: DeSanto's Memorial Hospital.
	IcePickLobotomy	Reagan is laying in the bed, a few IV's threading through her arm. The wall before her, like so many buildings here, is a window overlooking the sea, the warm light of the sun flowing in pleasantly.
	=-=	IcePickLobotomy has changed the topic to “11:46am Local Time, June 4th, 1988. Gilbratar, DeSanto's Memorial Hospital”
	=-=	WE1RD is now known as JohnH
	Mary	is sitting on a chair next to her, her head leaning against her shoulder while she has slumber down and sideways so that she is hanging half of the chair. Her eyes are closed and a bit of droll is visible. She is wearing civilian clothes but the dress wasn't quite meant
	Mary	for this position as she goes forth and hunts morpheus
	Reagan	struggles to open her eyes as she awakens, blinking sleep away feebly. She observes the room, groans softly, and stops short when she her eyes land on Mary.
	Reagan	says in a croaky voice, "Mary, is that you?"
	-->|	Kasra (chatzilla@SystemNet-87D9EA92.hsd1.wa.comcast.net) has joined #TSWIC
	Mary	blinks as she hears a voice and her lids flutter open slowly and exhausted and mumbling something unclear , and then her eyes widen and she has to fight with her balance to prevent her behind from gracing the floor before she moves foreward and hugs Reagan while babbling.
	Reagan	laughing, "Aww, honey, it's okay, it's okay, what's this all about?"
	Mary	"Don't do that again! You YOu... Died you..."
	Mary	engages in crushing.
	RobinE	walks in from the hallway, after noticing that Reagan was awake she waves "hey, glad you are up."
	Reagan	in a slightly choked voice, "Ahaha, now that can't be right, unless you're dead too, darlin."
	Reagan	"Oh Robin, darling, save me!" she calls weakly, patting Mary on the back.
	RobinE	"Oh, uh... Mary she, uh, needs rest, not crushed lungs." she says as she gently tries to pull Mary out of the hug.
	Mary	let herself be pulled away and one can see that some tears have appeared at the corner of her eyes. "Well no, but your heart stopped beating and all that and they hat to pull you back "
	Reagan	"It was just takin' a little rest," she jokes.
	Reagan	"How long have I been outta comission?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"About 24 hours." Dr Kirmani steps into the room, a clip-board tucked under one arm. "I'm glad to see you are awake and well Ms. Sinclair, it was rather touch and go at a few points."
	RobinE	"Stupid science," Robin mumbles.
	Mary	"Science put more pilots in the hospital then the Intruders
	IcePickLobotomy	She frowns. "And Ms. Sinclair, I owe you a apology on behalf of SciDiv. What happened to you was both unprecedented and unacceptable. I can assure you, we are doing a massive revision of our safety protocols to avoid these sorts of incidents in the future."
	Reagan	"This is why we don't teach it in schools where I'm from." She snorts. "That was a little joke."
	Mary	"Didn't you also do the freaking same thing after you put me in here?!"
	Mary	employs angry sassyness
	Mary	turns towards her and crosses her arms below her breasts.
	Reagan	pats Mary's knee. "It's alright."
	Reagan	"They're just doin' their best, I suppose."
	IcePickLobotomy	She steps forward and reads over Reagan's vitals, before taking a moment to test Reagan's reflexes, checking her eyes with a pen-light. "I owe you a apology as well then Ms. Robinson, likewise it was both unprecedented and uncalled for, and we have resolved the issue that you encountered."
	RobinE	shakes her head in disbelief.
	Reagan	says a little dryly, "How many more issues, Doctor?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"There comes a certain risk when dealing with beyond the cutting edge ladies."
	Mary	fumes and mutters something in the lowest angry drawl that she can get out without being comprehensible for a non southerner.
	Mary	"One can feel that it is so cuting edge that we cut ourselfs on it."
	IcePickLobotomy	"You seem to be doing well so far Ms. Sinclair. More bed-rest just to be safe however."
	Mary	grumbles and sits down again with a angry blush.
	IcePickLobotomy	"And Ms. Robinson, while I am sympathetic to your situation, I would appreciate it if you didn't undercut /everything/ we are trying to do here."
	Reagan	sighs. "Ma'am, there wouldn't possibly be a television in this hospital, would there?"
	Mary	"I ain't even started yet if I had wanted to do so , I am just having a bit of Temper Miss."
	IcePickLobotomy	"I'll have one sent to your room." She cracks her neck. "I am attempting to address your concerns as best I can."
	Mary	"Its just..."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Frustrating, I know. No one likes being subjected to the whims of circumstance."
	RobinE	"Well," Robin heads towards the door, "I'll let you rest Reagan."
	Reagan	"Sure, sure. It was good seeing you, Robin."
	Mary	"Uh.. sorry.."
	Mary	mutters
	IcePickLobotomy	"I had a dughter about your age, I know how it is." She clears her throat, "But I should be going, I have a briefing with Walker in a hour."
	Arina	opens the door a moment before Robin does, blinking. "Ah, you're up as well, Reagan?"
	Reagan	"In one sense of the word."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Ah hello Arina, hello John." Dr. Kirismani says before slipping past you and down the hallway.
	RobinE	heads out after the other two come in.
	Arina	nods to the Doctor and Robin. "Conscious, I suppose. It's an improvement."
	Reagan	"Anything's an improvement over dead." She laughs.
	Arina	nods, moving to take a seat. "Hard to argue with that."
	JohnH	"You faired better than Kasra, I'd say"
	Reagan	"What? What happened to Kasra then?
	JohnH	"Oh, the usual. Set on fire inside his giant robot, beaten to a pulp in his giant robot."
	Reagan	her smile drops. "Is this happenin' ta all of us, we're just dropping like flies?"
	JohnH	"Nearly died inside his giant robot"
	Arina	"Kasra got himself beat up in battle."
	Arina	"Again."
	Arina	"It's becoming a very bad habit of his."
	Reagan	"Wait, wait--there was an /angel battle/ ?"
	Arina	nods. "About five minutes after your... incident... the Angel appeared in the EU and made its way here."
	JohnH	"Uhhh...you haven't heard?"
	Arina	"Few hours after that, we engaged and destroyed it."
	Reagan	"I was dead!"
	Arina	[Angel redact to 'Intruder', we keep forgetting that]
	Reagan	"Jesus Christ.." She slumps in her bed. "...But other than Kasra gettin' chewed up, it all went fine?"
	Mary	"I didn't got the time to say that to her yet. And yeah we otherw where fine after the fight."
	Arina	exhales heavily. "I wouldn't say 'fine', but all the pilots other than him got through without injury."
	Arina	"It went, and the Intruder is dead."
	JohnH	"Fine is the word I would use"
	JohnH	"Just like my mom always said she was fine. But she wasn't"
	Arina	"Apt enough way to put it."
	Reagan	"Well then. What all've you been up to?"
	Arina	"Not a great deal. It's been quiet for the past little while, at least."
	Mary	"running a bit raged thanks to someone deciding they needed a bit of beauty sleep and kasra going for the same..."
	Reagan	smiles. "Oh fine, I'll try to pick better timing next time."
	Arina	"Well, we probably shouldn't blame Reagan for her nap. Not a lot of choice in that."
	Mary	"I am not blaming her!"
	Reagan	"Simmer down children, Grandma wants to watch some television."
	Arina	chuckles. "Pretty well-equipped hospital for those long stays."
	Reagan	"Thank god, if I was gonna have to read a book I was just gonna die."
	Arina	coughs into a hand and makes no effort to hide the book in her other hand.
	Mary	"hey books are good"
	Reagan	"Oh sure, I like books well enough, but I can't hardly pay attention, reading is just...boring to me."
	Reagan	"I like it when they take a book and then put it into a movie."
	Arina	looks at Reagan strangely. "... I... see?"
	Mary	"Ah but you have so much morein the book when it meets your imagination
	Reagan	"Ah well I've heard that said for sure but, I ain't all that good at imagining in the first place." She shrugs and smiles.
	Arina	"Ah, a pity."
	Mary	"hmhm"
	Mary	"Well uh.. What did you see?
	Reagan	"Mmm? Me?"
	Mary	"yeah before.." she waves her hand in the air
	Arina	"Ah, in the... experiment, you mean."
	Mary	nods
	Reagan	"Ah ha, well just like--land and trees and whatnot, I couldn't hardly make anything out of it..."
	Kasra	"Well, what's important is that you tried." On that note, Kasra waves to the assembly and sags into the nearest chair.
	Kasra	"How are you feeling, Reagan?"
	Reagan	"What in the world--boy they told me you got torn up, what are you doin' walkin around?"
	Kasra	shrugs. "They exaggerated. I'm more worried about you.
	Reagan	shakes her head. "I feel just fine."
	Kasra	"I spoke with Scidiv and told them about what happened during the test, so if it helps, they're looking into it."
	Arina	"Mm, Kasra, done your report?"
	Reagan	"Hmm? What happened, then?'
	Arina	"And unless you recover 0x1dfast0x1d, you really shouldn't be walking."
	Kasra	smiles broadly. "You know I do. I have a doctor's note, if you care to see it."
	Kasra	"And Reagan, like I said, they're not sure, but I can't go into specifics. I didn't think to ask how much I'm allowed to say. We most likely have the same clearance, but I'd rather not risk it."
	Arina	hums to herself. "I see."
	Reagan	"Sure don't sound like we got  the right clearance."
	Kasra	"Oh, nevermind that. They were attempting to use experimental systems to reduce the synch ratio minimum for piloting. I think you already gathered that, but again, beyond that, they don't know why we reacted the way we did."
	Arina	"Mm."
	Kasra	"And don't worry, I volunteered to help with further testing, so they may not require you all next time."
	Arina	"That's precisely why I just now started worrying."
	Mary	"Well, and you should rest after that fight
	Mary	sound a guilty there
	Kasra	"I've rested plenty, and I'll take it easy this next week. Sorry, John. Light exercise only. You may have to find a new jogging pal."
	Arina	"Yes, please do take it easy this week. And a bit more than that."
	JohnH	"Oh no. We'll still jog. You'll need /some/ form of inspiration to get better"
	JohnH	"We can go a bit slower, though. If we have to."
	Arina	"Jog slowly, John, Kasra doesn't need any encouragement to break himself."
	Kasra	"I /promise/ I'll rest. Arina? Mary? I promise. And don't look so down. We came out of this with hardly a scratch among us."
	Kasra	"John, powerwalking. What do you think?"
	JohnH	"I'
	JohnH	"I'm all for anything that has power in the name"
	Arina	"Well, that's one way to look at it..."
	Arina	sweatdrops.
	Kasra	"That's the spirit! Okay, Reagan, when can you head home?"
	Reagan	"Well they haven't quite told me that part yet."
	Arina	"Seems she just got up a few minutes ago."
	Kasra	"Oh. Well, in that case, maybe I could stay a while longer. Keep you company? This chair is wonderful. And look! Assured rest."
	Arina	"We'll go with that."
	Reagan	"Absolutely, they're having a TV brought in you know."
	Kasra	"Oh, great! Do you like watching the news?"
	IcePickLobotomy	At that moment, a pair of nurses wheel in a tv and plug it in, handing it to Reagan.
	Reagan	"Don't everybody like the news? Fire it up, Mr. Nariman." She tosses the remote to him.
	Arina	"Well, that's universally useful, at least."
	Kasra	Tuning into a local news station, Kasra sets the remote on the bedstand. "This city is an incredible place. I always find it interesting to listen to how they skirt around METI classifications and redactions."
	IcePickLobotomy	"-ly tally at 37 dead, 153 still missing. Search and Rescue efforts continue, but have moved on to recovery operations." A pretty young woman stands before a massive crater littered with debris, the smouldering wreck of one of the support vehicles a backdrop. "However, all combat operations have ceased by this point, and the all clear signal has been given. Civilian casualties remain low, at...
	IcePickLobotomy	...only 2 dead and several injured. A press confrence has been scheduled for later this week, we can only hope that it's good news."
	Arina	grits her teeth. "... well. It's better than it looked."
	IcePickLobotomy	The camera cuts, this time showing a man in a METI uniform, though you don't recognize him. He goes on to very broadly explain at the Intruder was engaged and destroyed by METI Forces, and to remain calm.
	Reagan	"So nobody knows that we killed that thing with giant robots?"
	Kasra	"See? They can make anything sound good. If people knew the repair costs to Unit 3 alone..."
	Kasra	"Ohhh. Oh I don't want to think about poor Unit 3..."
	Kasra	"And no, Reagan, not really. We try to keep it from becoming a more spectacular story than it already is."
	Reagan	"Well I'll be, I didn't even realize it was something that could be covered up..."
	JohnH	"Ah don't listen to the media, they make everything sound worse than it is"
	Mary	shivers as she remembers the screams, or the lack of it from the technicans as they died in the levine storm.
	JohnH	"Just be happy they didn't report on Kasra, or he'd be dead in 37 languages"
	Kasra	"Heh. Well, that plan was going well until you guys showed up."
	Reagan	"What exactly happened, if I may be so bold?"
	Arina	"They can cover it up a 0x1dlittle0x1d, since people are evacuated to shelters, but it's going to hit its limits sooner or later."
	Kasra	"Definitely, but they aim to hold it under wraps until we're in a more favorable position to reveal it. A couple more wins with low civillian collateral and we may just go public."
	Arina	"That will be exciting."

	IcePickLobotomy	Kasra: Your eyes flicker open, the thine haze of painkillers mix with the fuzzy-headedness of awakening. The sun hangs high over the ocean, the warm light spilling past the windows and across your lap.
	-->|	JohnH (Thunderbir@SystemNet-2FD170B0.hsd1.wa.comcast.net) has joined #TSWshenanigans
	Arina	looks up from her seat. "Ah, good morning."
	Arina	seems to have been sitting near the bed reading something.
	JohnH	"Oh, he's awake?" John looks up, excited
	Kasra	"Oh. Good morning. I hope I uh, didn't keep you waiting long?"
	Kasra	"Oh, hi, John! How did we do?"
	Arina	"Longer than I'd 0x1dlike0x1d. This is getting to be a very bad habit of yours, Kasra."
	JohnH	"Which we are you referring to?"
	JohnH	"Because we did well. You and Reagan....not so well"
	Kasra	"Things got a little...hazy there at the end." Kasra laughs a bit before meeting Arina's look and clears his throat pointedly.
	Kasra	"Well, the intruder was defeated, right?"
	JohnH	"Sure hope so!"
	Kasra	s expression shifts from abashed to horrified. "The kill wasn't confirmed?"
	Arina	"It exploded, so it's about as confirmed as we're going to get."
	JohnH	"And we're not on fire, so there's that."
	Arina	makes a sour expression. "In my face. I'm still psychosomatically smelling the ozone."
	JohnH	"Psycho-what? Don't use big words, Kasra's practically dead"
	Kasra	"Oh no. Um," Kasra fumbles about looking for the nurse paging button. "Am I cleared to stand?"
	Arina	"Not sure, but I'd stay down for now. If you're going to get beat up all the time you can at least recover properly."
	Kasra	"And John, I'm fine. I'm sure with METI's care, I've been in the best of hands."
	IcePickLobotomy	The nurse, a rather severe looking Russian man nods and helps you to your feet. "If you feel light headed or dizzy, sit down and call one of us." He says, as much to John and Arina as he does to Kasra.
	JohnH	"Well I guess you didn't notice, but you lost one of your legs in the fight"
	Kasra	"Yes, thank you, sir! Wait, one of my legs? Which one?"
	Arina	nods to the nurse. "We will."
	IcePickLobotomy	He nods and heads off to attend to his duties.
	Arina	facepalms.
	JohnH	"I'm not sure which one, it was lost"
	Arina	"John please don't toy with the invalid's feelings."
	Kasra	"What? Was it the right foreleg? It's been a little fragile ever since a diagnostic went wrong a few years back.
	Arina	"Kasra your Outrider 0x1ddoesn't have legs0x1d."
	Kasra	"What? Yes it does, it has four. Arina,are you okay?"
	Arina	[Edit out from Arina's facepalm, player brainfart]
	JohnH	"Kasra don't use big words, Arina is practically dead"
	Kasra	"What? Arina, are you hurt? What happened after I passed out!?"
	Kasra	frantically scans Arina for signs of duress.
	Arina	"... We finished the Angel off. Seriously, though, stop getting yourself grievously injured."
	Kasra	"John! This isn't-oh," Kasra manages to make his indignation induced fall into a rather graceless seat onto his bed. "This isn't funny right now, this is serious."
	Kasra	"I apologize for falling unconscious, but I need to know what happened. Is everyone alright?"
	JohnH	"It's not as serious as it was when we brought you back. So far, everyone seems to be okay. Just relax"
	Arina	"Everyone other than you and Reagan is uninjured."
	Arina	"Of the pilots, at least."
	Kasra	lets out a massive expulsion of breath and sinks lower into the bed.
	Kasra	"Yes... I'm aware that we failed the secondary objective, but there didn't seem to be much we could do."
	Arina	"... Quite."
	Kasra	face turns to a vision of pure dread.
	Arina	raises an eyebrow. "Just thought of something?"
	Kasra	"I-I'm sorry, I think I actually need to make a couple reports and...and I should really go do that as soon as possible. Uh, thank you for keeping watch on me." Kasra smiles and gives a quick wave before walking out of the room supporting himself on the walls.
	JohnH	briskly follows and grabs kasra's shoulders "No you dont"
	Arina	frowns, following him out and looping his arm over her shoulder.
	Arina	"So where are we reporting to?"
	JohnH	"Back to the bed"
	Kasra	"Oh, first to the front desk and the nurses kiosk to get permission to leave and my clothes, then to METI. John, they said I'd be fine."
	JohnH	"You're in no condition to go make reports. Not to mention that there are plenty of other people who can do paperwork. You get to relax"
	Arina	"If you need to lean on the walls, you're not fit to book out of the hospital."
	Kasra	"W-well, no. This one is a very...personal manner and..." Kasra double checks himself before removing his hand from the wall.
	JohnH	directs Kasra back to his room
	Arina	twitches slightly as Kasra's weight drops entirely on her now. "Right, let's get you back to bed then."
	JohnH	"We can leave and you can write your report in bed"
	Arina	"Just call in whoever you need to talk to."
	Arina	supports Kasra back to his room.
	Kasra	"I...okay. Yeah. Why don't you two go do something? This is a highly personal report."
	Kasra	s expression shifts. "Two teens, out on the town on a wonderful sunny day! Much better than slinking around a hospital, right?"
	JohnH	"If we could trust you to stay in bed, it might be better"
	Arina	nods to John. "Once whoever you're reporting to comes in to make sure you stay down, we'll leave."
	Arina	lowers Kasra into his bed.
	JohnH	leans out the door "Can we get a nurse in here? Its not an emergency"
	Kasra	"I...thank you. You two are right, it would be irresponsible to risk further damage to METI property." There's a wan smile implying humor.
	IcePickLobotomy	The same nurse from before emerges. "Yes?"
	JohnH	"If you don
	JohnH	't watch him, he will leave. Make sure he doesnt, please"
	Arina	holds up a finger. "I will vouch for you if you have to use straps."
	IcePickLobotomy	The nurse responds by pulling out a stool and plopping it, and then himself, next to Kasra's bed. "If you do not behave, I will tie you down like young Miss suggested."
	JohnH	leans in to the nurse and whispers "At the very least, tell him that he's not fit to leave. That might scare him enough into staying."
	Kasra	"I don't think we'll need straps..."
	JohnH	nudges Arina "He'll be good for now, lets go"
	JohnH	"Get well soon, Kasra. If you want company, we'll be around"
	Kasra	"Thank you again you two! I'll see you soon."
	Arina	nods. "See you soon, recover properly."
	Arina	curtsies and steps out. "Should we check in on Reagan next, then?"
	JohnH	"Probably"
	Arina	nods, striding down the hospital halls towards Reagan's room.

	IcePickLobotomy	RobinE: The streets are clear, and people are starting to return to their day to day lives. A thick collum of smoke still hangs on the other side of the city, the scent of burning buildings hanging heavy in the air alongside the sea-water. The sky is clear, and the sun out, the air is warm.
	RobinE	"Stupid science division." she mutters as she walks.
	IcePickLobotomy	You pass through a throng in the crowd, and standing on the street corner are three people, dressed in white robes lined with golden thread. They are holding pamphlets, smiling as they offer them to those who pass. "Miss?," One of them, a Persian woman who's head is covered by a light yellow scarf "Would you like a pamphlet?"
	RobinE	"huh?" she was caught in thought, "uh, for what?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"The Church of our Lord's Light." She holds up the paper, it has a group of men and woman, all looking happy in some sort of gathering.
	RobinE	"Uh, sure." she takes one and continues walking.
	IcePickLobotomy	"Bless you Miss. Have a wonderful day!" She calls after you.
	RobinE	"yeah... you too."
	IcePickLobotomy	RobinE: It's the standard motivational church stuff you could expect. Their symbol is a golden cross, though it has a X overlayed on the intersection as well, crating a 8-pointed cross.
	RobinE	checks out the pamphlet while she walks.
	IcePickLobotomy	It also lists the address, and a event calendar for the month.
	RobinE	"huh," she skims the calendar.
	IcePickLobotomy	Weekly services on Sunday, plus several charity events, fundraisers, and community nights.
	RobinE	closes the pamphlet and continues brooding on things she is frustrated about.
	IcePickLobotomy	The sky does not darken in sympathy. In fact you hear the jaunty tune of a ice-cream truck as it passes you

Arina   pulls Kasra aside into a private corner at some point. "Right. So. How recovered are you?"
    Kasra   "Oh, my, how forward." A grin is concealed after a half of a second by a faux cough. "I feel much better, almost completely."
    Arina   "Good, I've been owing you this since halfway through the battle."
    Arina   doesn't wind up at all and slaps him completely out of nowhere.
    Arina   folds her arms across her chest. "Don't just 0x1dgive up0x1d on your life! And have some sense of self-preservation! We need you alive, damn it!"
    Kasra   "I...sorry I..." Kasra steadies himself, and  gingerly touches his face. "Please, try to control yourself and act with some degree of proffesionalism. What is your complaint." As he speaks, it is almost visible to the naked eye how he shifts into a mint condition toy soldier.
    Arina   "My complaint is your inefficient allocation of resources. We are a team. Sometimes one of us needs to protect the others and draw the focus of the enemy, but that needs to stop before that one 0x1ddies0x1d, because the pilot and Outrider are both nearly irreplaceable."
    Arina   "Sacrifice yourself and you sabotage the mission."
    Arina   "You're alive. Stay alive as long as you're able, don't just give up on it the minute the first challenge appears. We need you alive."
    Kasra   "With all due respect, I am not dead, and Unit 3 can easily be repaired. My allocation of resources, as you crudely call it, was perfect. Medium damage to one unit, minor psychological backlash to one pilot, and the rest nearly unharmed."
    Kasra   "I had no intention of jeapordizing METI equipment or mission parameters for some personal desire."
    Kasra   "Is that all, Pilot Alkaeva."
    Kasra   *"Is that all, Pilot Alkaeva?"
    Arina   raises an eyebrow. "You don't, do you?"
    Arina   "Mm. I suppose it is." She turns on her heel and stalks off.
    Kasra   clenches his fists before pursuing her. "No, no it's not, actually."
    Arina   comes to a halt, and turns to face him again. "It isn't, mm?"
    Kasra   "Where do you get off criticizing /my/ 'reckless' behavior? You've ignored solid tactical advice to leave a damaged outrider in a potential combat zone and sent a civillian to re-establish contact in an unknown scenario! You are so determined to play the hero that you refuse to stand in line, ranging out to the point that unit cohesion is strained to non-existant! I asked you if you thought...
    Kasra   ...you were prepared to be a soldier, and you told me no! You don't get to reprimand me for protecting you!"
    Arina   hums. "One way to look at it, I suppose."
    Kasra   "Oh, a hum, surprised you didn't laugh at it. Never mind, I should have known better. I'm heading back to Reagan's room, but maybe you should be getting home, hm?"
    Kasra   brushes past her, with a perfectly clear attempt to shoulder ram past Arina, which he just as blatantly aborted at the last second.
    Arina   "Another way to look at it: 02/A is massively optimized for forward melee combat. Unit cohesion is not 'everyone in the same place', it is 'everyone in the appropriate place'."
    Arina   "I have no intention of dying in this war, Kasra. That means I need you alive as long as possible to keep that from happening. I won't break at a little love tap, and 02/A is one of the most survivable units on the squad. I am perfectly fine taking a hit or two if that keeps you alive long enough to help me survive the 0x1dactual0x1d threats."
    Kasra   If he heard, Kasra gave no indication.
    Arina   purses her lips and walks away.

	IcePickLobotomy	Much later that day, having been released from the hospital (There are advantages about having a nurse on the same floor as you) and returned home. Artyom as usual makes dinner that is interrupted by a weary Walker dropping into her seat with a small pile of file folders. "Afternoon everyone. Reagan, good to see you up and about. Kasra, same to you. Everyone else, good afternoon." She says...
	IcePickLobotomy	...in a monotone.
	Reagan	"The same to you, Ma'am."
	RobinE	"hi Walker."
	JohnH	"Ma'am"
	IcePickLobotomy	Artyom spoon up a generous helping of casserole for his co-worker. "So," Walker starts "You've all been cleared to be told what the purpose behind that test was for."
	Kasra	"Good morning, Walker."
	Arina	nods to Walker. "Good afternoon."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker blinks and chuckles. "They got you hooked up on the good stuff don't they Kasra?"
	Kasra	stands up from the table excusing himself curtly and heads to his room.
	RobinE	"No offense Walker, but I don't care why we did it. I already said I wasn't doing it again."
	Mary	"mergn"
	Arina	"We were told it was an attempt to reduce the effective floor for synch rates, was that wrong, or incomplete?"
	IcePickLobotomy	She nods. "They're already putting together plans for the next generation of the OUTRIDERS, and part of that is a less stringent requirements on the pilot pool, part of that requires them to understand what exactly is going on when you sync. As for what happened, it appears that the Emitter created a interference with the test, which reacted poorly with Reagan for some reason, either bad...
	IcePickLobotomy	...luck or a quirk of herself."
	IcePickLobotomy	"They didn't expect the Emitters range to extend that far."
	Arina	"Mm. I see. Chances it had anything to do with the sudden appearance of the Intruder?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"We're not ruling that out, but the activity had been on the rise before the test, so it may not be."
	Arina	"Causality could be either way around, I'd imagine. The Emitter might have been altered in output somewhat with the Intruder's presence?" She shrugs.
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker nods. "That as well. It's, like so much of this, not fully known to us."
	Arina	nods. "... I see."
	Reagan	http://adrianic-sea.tumblr.com/post/142048329535
	IcePickLobotomy	"In other news, we're going public later this week. We've already confiscated several bootleg copies of the battle."
	Arina	nods. "Right then. I'll get ready."
	Reagan	"Oh? For real? What all will that entail, I wonder."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Good, also Arina? You, Kasra, and I going to be meeting with a EF contingent later this week. Make sure your uniform is in order."
	Arina	nods. "Yes Ma'am. Regarding the damage from this attack?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Here? Minimal. In Europe?" She shakes her head 'Catastrophic. We're looking at hundreds of thousands dead."
	Arina	shuts her eyes and nods. "... thought so."
	Reagan	"What--? What all happened  in Europe then?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"The bright side is that the EF has decided that /maybe/ we've got the right idea and are asking about joining in now."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Which is what I want you and Kasra to be around for."
	RobinE	"Europe didn't want our help with the Intruder, so..." Robin trails off.
	Arina	turns to Reagan. "The Intruder first appeared in Europe."
	Arina	"It carved through at least five cities on the way here."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker nods.
	IcePickLobotomy	"It's . . . bad."
	Arina	"... I imagine so."
	Reagan	"I wonder when when anyone was planning on telling me this? I sure am finding a lot of important things out secondhand." She looks at Walker.
	RobinE	"I didn't want to say right when you woke up. I figured someone else would."
	RobinE	"Sorry"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Sorry, I just got back from dealing with a litteraly mountain of bullshit Reagan. Between dealing with SciDiv, the post-battle debreifs, working out a plan with the Colonel, and conferencing with a EF Colonel, I have litteraly not had time to even eat until now. I'd thought you'd have heard from the others."
	Arina	"My apologies, I mentioned it but I suppose I didn't put the correct emphasis on it."
	Reagan	"I don't expect to hear about this kinda thing from children, was there really nobody under you Ma'am who coulda' at least /briefed/ me on all this?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Honestly? it was a low priority. I'd have gotten you caught up in due time, but it wasn't as pressing as the what else I've had today."
	Reagan	"I just  can't help but feel like we're being treated more like wards than employees."
	IcePickLobotomy	"It wasn't due to your age or value, just how busy I was, and how time important getting you caught up was, which as I said, was pretty low compared to everything else I had to deal with."
	Reagan	"Not like I expected you to come in and tell me yourself, but you mean to say every. Single. METI personnel was too damn busy to give me a briefing?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"No not that, more that it slipped through the cracks."
	Reagan	'I pilot one of the most expensive pieces of military junk you got lyin around and it slipped through the cracks? Ma'am you keep giving me excuses but I was bein serious, are we meant to be wards or employees?"
	JohnH	"Reagan, we're neither. We're soldiers"
	Reagan	"Soldiers get briefed, Mr. Hunter."
	JohnH	"Soldiers get the relevant information. You were incapacitated. The fight was not relevant to you"
	RobinE	stands up "Please excuse me." Robin heads for her room.
	JohnH	"Sometimes the "briefing" that you ask for is just being told to wait." John makes the air quotes
	Reagan	"I meant after I woke up!" She pauses and continues at a slower volume. "I've been awake the whole damn day,"
	JohnH	"It still wasn't relevant to you"
	IcePickLobotomy	Reagan, what would briefing you immediately have had any bearing on /anything/ we needed to get done after the battle?" She shakes her head "Nothing aside from fill you in, and you'd have learned that soon enough."
	Reagan	"Like /hell/ it wasn't, I'm apart of this aren't I? Or am I just a battery to run that damn thing?"
	JohnH	"You are a part of the team. Your mission in this fight was to recover. To live to fight another day"
	Reagan	"It's better than finding out at the dinner table." She stands up and puts her napkin on the table, and leaves without another word.
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker slumps in her chair muttering under her breath
	Arina	purses her lips, sitting back with her arms folded.
	JohnH	looks around the table, hoping someone agrees
	Arina	"It's been a rough day for everyone."
	Arina	turns to Walker. "Kasra and I are representing the pilot corps, right?"
	Arina	"Any particular notes we'll need to hit on ahead of time?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"Ask me that after I've gotten some sleep. I'm running on several pots of coffee at this point."
	JohnH	"Early nights' sleep for all of us, then." John nods to walker "Ma'am."
	JohnH	departs the table
	Arina	nods. "No problem."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Yeah. I'll talk to you about it once I get some more details."
	Arina	leans forward to rest her hands on the table now that they're alone, frowning slightly. "A lot to manage here. Sounds like you're overworked and need a deputy."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Probably. The mess with the EF is what's killing me right now, normally it's manageable."
	Arina	"Did the higher-ups just not plan case studies for if an Intruder appeared in EF territory first?"
	IcePickLobotomy	"We did. This was pretty much the worse case."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Well, at least they didn't declare war on us, so it's not /the/ worst case."
	Arina	nods. "Still a fairly bad one, I suppose."
	Arina	stands. "I won't keep you up, it sounds like you need a lot of sleep."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Yeah, I'll need to talk to Kasra first." She stands up, "Good night Arina, see you tomorrow."
	Arina	pauses. "... Keep an eye on Kasra. You've probably noticed, but his approach to the battles so far has been... mm..."
	Arina	"Trying to make himself the only victim, I suppose."

[20:33] IcePickLobotomy After dinner.
[20:33] IcePickLobotomy There's a knock on your door. "Kasra?" It's Lt. Walker "Do you have a moment to talk?"
[20:34] Kasra   "I, uh, one moment, Walker." Tidying up his workplace and closing his locket, he opens the door. "Yes, ma'am?"
[20:35] IcePickLobotomy "I wanted to apologize, if I offended you at dinner. It was a joke, but. . well people don't always take them the way you intend."
[20:35] Kasra   "Oh, no of course not, I'm just busy is all. You didn't do anything wrong."
[20:36] Kasra   Perhaps hearing how weak that sounded, he goes on to explain, "I've been working with Scidiv on a theory," as he gestures to his work desk.
[20:36] IcePickLobotomy She nods, appearing a tad relieved. "Oh?"
[20:37] Kasra   "Yes. Right now it's not much to look at, it's only been a day, still brainstorming."
[20:37] IcePickLobotomy She nods. "A slow, but good, start makes everything easier down the line."
[20:39] Kasra   "Was there anything else? Or would you like to hear about it? As captain, it would fall under your rights, but I know that you're off duty."
[20:40] IcePickLobotomy "There was. The EF are looking to join METI, and are sending a detachment out later this week. I'm going to take you and Arina as representatives of our Pilot Corps. You'll need your formal uniform."
[20:41] Kasra   looks as though he's been struck. "Of course...I. Right, you can count on me."
[20:45] IcePickLobotomy Walker rubs her temple and shuts the door. "Kasra? What's going on here?"
[20:46] Kasra   "I'm sorry?"
[20:46] IcePickLobotomy "You're upset, you're not happy about this."
[20:48] Kasra   The blatant lie that slips through his teeth is barely worth committing to memory. After a moment, he gives Lt. Walker a dejected look. "It's a stupid childish thing...I promise, I'll make METI proud."
[20:50] IcePickLobotomy "I have no doubts about that, but if it's something I can help with, I will. I'm not going to order you to tell me, I trust you enough that I don't think I need to, but I'd like to try and help."
[20:52] Kasra   "It's..." He takes a deep breath and very deliberately exhales it before continuing. "It's Pilot Alkaeve. We've been at odds for a while and we...behaved immaturely earlier today. I'm not looking forward to making it right, or to working alongside her to prove METI's capabilities."
[20:52] IcePickLobotomy She nods.
[20:53] IcePickLobotomy "Without knowing what exactly happened, I won't claim that you, or her, have the moral high ground here."
[20:54] Kasra   "Neither of us do. Any good points I made were made irrelevant the moment I lost my temper. And the conversation opened with he slapping me, so it was every point I made."
[20:54] IcePickLobotomy blinks
[20:55] Kasra   "Yeah."
[20:55] IcePickLobotomy "I'm going to have to talk to her about appropriate bounds of conduct. That's not. . ." She shakes her head.
[20:56] Kasra   "She's just a kid. It makes sense. I just thought I'd be better than that."
[20:56] IcePickLobotomy nods
[20:57] IcePickLobotomy "That doesn't excuse her, she /should/ know better. But, are you willing to forgive her if she apologizes? Not asking for you to forget it or act like it hadn't happened, that's not reasonable, but if she's willing to apologize in good faith, would you be willing to try and not hold it agianst her too much?"
[20:59] Kasra   Walker briefly recalls a drunken Artyom acting a similar way when Kasra immediately jerks out of his slouch and stands at attention. "Of course. I'm not going to allow a lapse in judgement to damage squad unity."
[21:00] IcePickLobotomy "I'm glad to hear that. And, what sort of punishment do you think would be appropriate for Arina's actions?"
[21:01] Kasra   "Wha-I, none! None, ma'am. She acted out of a misguided concern, and if anything, I should appreciate the sentiment. I'll go apologize right now, if you'd like."
[21:02] IcePickLobotomy "No, I need to talk with her first." She smiles "I just wanted to see how. . . " She pauses
[21:02] IcePickLobotomy "I wouldn't want to let her off if it'd result in you feeling angry about it, if you don't think I should take any official action, I'll just give her a firm lecture."
[21:06] Kasra   "Of course. Uh, Leuite-Walker? Thanks."
[21:06] IcePickLobotomy "You're welcome Kasra. Despite how busy I may be, you all /are/ my first priority here." She waves weakly. "Night Kasra, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
[21:07] Kasra   "Night!"
[21:07] IcePickLobotomy Walker trudges out of the room, finally letting the weight settle onto her shoulders.

	JohnH	knocks on Kasra's door before hitting up his own bed
	-->|	Kasra (chatzilla@SystemNet-87D9EA92.hsd1.wa.comcast.net) has joined #TSWshenanigans2
	JohnH	knocks on Kasra's door before hitting up his own bed
	Kasra	"Walker?"
	-->|	Arina (Pale_Wolf@SystemNet-7827C8D.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com) has joined #TSWshenanigans2
	JohnH	in his best walker impersonation "Report to this door immediately"
	Kasra	John can hear a scuffling of paper and the sound of drawers being closed quickly before Kasra opens the door. "She'd never phrase it like that. What's going on?"
	JohnH	"Just thought I'd check in. You checked out earlier, so I'm checking up."
	JohnH	"Having a one man drawing contest in here, were you?" says John in a reference to the papers he heard
	Kasra	"Kind of. Want to see?" Kasra illuminates, then it's gone in a flash. "I should have asked if you wanted to check my work..."
	JohnH	"Well don't get so excited. Sure, I'll take a look." John invites himself in
	Kasra	"So, you know how we use our AT fields as like, shields and things?"
	JohnH	"I mean, you guys might. I am like a civilian when it comes to using that thing"
	JohnH	"But yeah, go ahead"
	Kasra	begins opening drawers and putting out what appear to be very sloppy Spirograph with very dainty curvy lettering in the margins.
	JohnH	"Do tell."
	Kasra	"So, AT stands for advanced tensor fields, but roughly what it is, is the data points that make us us. If you feel poetic you might call it a soul, but for what I'm going to say, it's easier to refer to it as personal data.
	JohnH	"Do we humans have an AT field?"
	JohnH	"Or is it something that only our robots have?"
	Kasra	"We do, it's part of why we can synch with the outriders. Man, I've been dying to talk about this stuff to someone!"
	Kasra	"But right, when you shield, you're making a wall of everything that you believe in to prevent changes to the way that you percieve yourself, in other words, horrible pain inducing damage."
	JohnH	"Sounds like hippie talk, but keep going"
	Kasra	"The hippie stops here, friend. Not sure if you remember, but we can perform a function called AT Negation. It's what I've been doing to the intruders. I use my field," he pulls out a piece of smudged paper with a few graphs on it at the cost of three others hitting the floor. "to cancel out theirs."
	Kasra	"Because what makes me /me/ is stronger than what makes them /them./ Well, kind of."
	Kasra	"Okay, not really, that was stupid, sorry. Back to the point."
	JohnH	"I think I get it"
	Kasra	"So the idea is, if my personal data can override theirs, why can't I change my data to change theirs?"
	Kasra	"Get it?"
	JohnH	"But we can't just rewrite them like some kind of computer"
	JohnH	"They're alive. If that's something we could do, we'd have been doing it to eachother for years!"
	Kasra	"Well, no..." he rubs his arm and looks away for a moment. "Wish I was just some computer, this might be a lot easier..."
	Kasra	"And well, we have. People change other people all the time. This is just an extention of some really basic thoughts."
	JohnH	"Are you actually trying to make this do something? For real?"
	JohnH	"Because you can't just change who you are."
	Kasra	nods, beaming. "But you can! You're thinking that I'm just going to...dye my hair black and sing hateful rock music, but that's not it. I just need to learn how to use this better."
	JohnH	"But you can only do it from inside the robots, right?"
	Kasra	is about to go into another rant, but stops, his finger pointing upwards then curling down, his mouth hanging open with nothing to say.
	Kasra	"I...think so?"
	JohnH	"Then how does all this drawing help?"
	JohnH	"Why aren't we out there, right now, trying to talk to eachother with our minds or something"
	JohnH	is desperately trying to not sound like he thinks this is stupid
	Kasra	"Because this is all in draft right now. It's not like we can just sing to each other in the silver moonlight, /that's/ hippy talk. This is applied metaphysics, and it's complex, and at the core of everything that METI is working with."
	Kasra	For a moment, John swears he's been out patriotized, as Kasra nobly proclaims the glory of METI.
	Kasra	But just for a moment.
	JohnH	"But what you said earlier, its all about what you believe in, right?"
	JohnH	"So its some kind of battle of wills? whoever has the stronger belief will overpower the other?"
	Kasra	"Well, that's what the AT field is. I think, kind of, yes."
	Kasra	"But here's the thing, we can /all/ use negate pattern. All I need to do is figure out how to change my AT field more accurately, more precisely."
	Kasra	"It doesn't have to be a spiritual boxing match, it could be judo, do you get it?"
	JohnH	"I think so" John says, understanding it even less than before
	Kasra	"...I'm losing you, aren't I?"
	JohnH	"Not at all." It's obvious that he's lying
	JohnH	"What about instead of trying to fight them with love, we just make bigger robots?"
	Kasra	"Listen, here;s the quick version, people have personal data, this personal data is a smaller version of the AT fields that our outriders use. Whenever I negate, I'm using my data to direct the outriders much larger data points against the angel. If I can figure out how to control it, I'd go from punching them to stabbing them."
	JohnH	"No I get it" John refuses to admit he didn't get it
	Kasra	"Sorry, I'm just really excited to try this,"Kasra gives a wistful look at the papers as he sets them back down on the table.
	JohnH	"What if we, instead of going out for jogs, go..uhh..brain judo..eachother in the mornings?"
	JohnH	"I know you have to take it easy..." John trails off
	Kasra	"Well, it's not really something you and I can do, per se. There's only one person in the lance I can think of that has any idea as to what I need to figure out, and that's Mary."
	JohnH	"Well I'm not above trying to learn it...even if I am ineffective at it"
	Kasra	"Think I could bring her with in the morning? We're supposed to keep it to a walk anyway, and she seems really self concious about her weight. We could just talk about all of this."
	Kasra	"And you're not innefective at it, it's not something that can be done yet."
	Kasra	"Did I get a little too mad scientist?"
	JohnH	"No, science is good. It makes medicine, helps people, and makes cool guns."
	JohnH	"It's just not science that I fully understand"
	JohnH	admits nothing more
	Kasra	"Yeah! I just intend to turn my soul into a gun. That's all."
	JohnH	"Now we're speaking the same language."
	JohnH	waits for a moment then asks "So you seem to be getting close to Arina"
	Kasra	"What?"
	JohnH	"I've seen the way you two act. You gonna try to get with her?"
	Kasra	laughs out loud, and looks back at John while still trying to calm down. "So you heard what happened, huh? Maybe I shouldn't have told Walker so quickly.'
	JohnH	"I haven't heard anything." John looks genuinely confused
	Kasra	"Oh."
	Kasra	"Well..."
	Kasra	"It's not...a thing, so...no. Not really, no."
	|<--	JohnH has left irc.systemnet.info (Connection reset by peer)
	-->|	WE1RD (Thunderbir@SystemNet-2FD170B0.hsd1.wa.comcast.net) has joined #TSWshenanigans2
	=-=	WE1RD is now known as JohnH
	JohnH	"Not a thing, huh? What happened, then?"
	Kasra	"Well, I mean. Look, I've already told this story tonight, so I'm going to give you a really quick version."
	JohnH	"Deal"
	Kasra	"She slapped me and called me a bad soldier, I yelled at her and called here  worse one, now I'm sorry I did it, and Walker asked me to apologize which I intend to do."
	Kasra	"Please don't laugh."
	JohnH	chuckles only slightly
	JohnH	"I had thought it was something...different"
	Kasra	"Oh yes, of course. Two people that always argue slap each other out of affection." Kasra sighs. "I just thought I was better than that to be totally honest."
	JohnH	"I didn't know that you two were slapping."
	Kasra	"Well yeah, I guess, but seriously, she and I barely get along. Kind of a stretch isn't it?"
	JohnH	"But don't worry, its what makes us human. Just don't try that with me, or we'll have to take it a step further" John grins and lightly taps Kasra on the shoulder
	Kasra	snorts. "Which, slapping you to show that I have a crush on you, or to say you're a bad soldier?
	JohnH	"Any of it"
	JohnH	"But I wouldn't want to take that first one any further..."
	Kasra	"Okay, okay, out of my room, this is getting weird, and I have more hippy drawings to make. Power walk at 0500?"
	JohnH	"Oh you want to sleep in now?"
	JohnH	"Get whooped in one little skirmish and you need an extra half hour?
	JohnH	"
	Kasra	"It was for Mary's sake! Fine, fine, 0430, apologies, sergeant!"
	JohnH	walks out and in his best Walker impersonation "Bright an early, soldier"
	[ERROR]	The command “Walker” is not known to the server.
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker clears her throat.
	IcePickLobotomy	"Good eveing John." She says, hair damp and clad in a long fuzzy bathrobe.
	IcePickLobotomy	There's the faintest crook of a smile on her lips
	Kasra	laughs, shuts the door and falls down on his bed pressing his hands against his face. "Hhhhhheeeee didn't get iiiiiiit."
	JohnH	"uh- ma'am!" John looks away and pretends he wasn't there, briskly walking to his own room
	IcePickLobotomy	JohnH: as you leave, you hear Walker giggling to herself as she heads to her own room

Reagan	An hour or so after dinner, Reagan peeks out of her room and looks around the hallway. Finding no one there at that moment, she steps out and goes to Robin's door, knocking gently.
	RobinE	opens the door "hmm?"
	RobinE	"Oh hi Reagan, you alright?"
	Reagan	"Hey there Robin. Oh sure I'm fine, I was actually wanting to check up on you."
	RobinE	"come on in," she gestures. "Why check on me? You were the one in the hospital."
	Reagan	smiles briefly. "Well I won't beat around the bush, I was worried for you when you left dinner early." She looks around the hallway. "Do you mind if I come in?"
	RobinE	looks at her confused, "sure come on in."
	RobinE	"I left early cause I had had enough of that arguing. Walker talking about how lower priority telling you stuff was."
	Reagan	"Sorry, I just didn't wanna talk in he hallway..." She steps into Robin's room and goes to stand by the window. "You don't like listening to arguing?"
	RobinE	"I don't care for conflict no, but also I felt the same way you do. And hearing Walker talk also made me a bit frustrated."
	Reagan	"Yeah?" She turns to Robin. "Has it seemed that way to you then, that they don't really treat us like we're METI?" She twists her fingers. "Like maybe they aren't telling us everything."
	RobinE	"I feel like a tool, not an employee."
	RobinE	"its a company operating on hiding the truth."
	Reagan	"Yeah, they sure talked big when they were having us sign the contract, but when it comes down to it..."
	Reagan	"And I s'pose it wouldn't matter much, but if we keep getting hurt because they're treating us like, like we're expendables, then..."
	RobinE	"Every time something goes wrong they brush it off, like it can't happen again. They don't know what happened to us." She seems a little worked up.
	RobinE	"And its harder for us to trust them if they do that."
	Reagan	goes to Robin and pats her shoulder. "I know just how you feel, I know. I've been having...side effects, I think, but they won't even tell me.."
	Reagan	"...They've been treating you okay though, up until now? I know you've been here for a while.."
	RobinE	"We both have been seeing things, its true, but we don't think we all know how the others feel."
	RobinE	"I mean... I don't think we know how each other feels"
	Reagan	"You and Lana, you mean?"
	RobinE	"I meant me," her face is a bit red.
	Reagan	"It's okay, honey.  I think I agree with you though, we oughtta maybe bring this up with some of the others... I mean if we could get them to agree, maybe we could all talk to the Lieutenant, maybe get something changed.."
	RobinE	"We heard about John's opinion, and I cant Imagine Kasra has anything against METI."
	Reagan	frowns. "True. And Arina seems to be much the same way as Kasra, to be honest. But it might do well to talk to her and Mary."
	RobinE	"METI does not have my trust as of now, and trust is harder to gain than it is to lose."
	Reagan	"We don't have to bring this up to anyone at METI just yet--just the other girls. I agree, we certainly wouldn't get too far as we are now..."
	RobinE	takes a deep breath to calm down, "Well, I'm on your side."
	Reagan	"If you want, you don't have to do none of the talking--I'll bring it up. But would it be alright if I mentioned to them you're on my side?"
	RobinE	"That /I/ am, yes."
	Reagan	smiles broadly. "Of course, my Robin."
	RobinE	"sorry, I didn't mean to get so upset."
	Reagan	"Nah, nah, you're doing fine--it's been a stressful time. Give me a holler if you ever need some talk though, okay honey?"
	RobinE	"I might," she looks at the floor, "same to you."
	Reagan	boops her nose. "Of course!"
	|<--	JohnH has left irc.systemnet.info (Connection reset by peer)
	RobinE	's head retaliates at the booping as she did not expect it.
	Reagan	"Anyway thank you for talking with me Robin, I'll go ahead and get out of your hair now." She twists her fingers again.
	RobinE	"Yeah, ok." she walks to the door with Reagan and closes it behind her.

	IcePickLobotomy	The next day.
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker knocks on Arina's door. "Arina. It's Walker, we need to have a little chat."
	Arina	opens her door, nodding. "All right."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker closes the door behind her. "So, I spoke with Kasra last night. He told me you two had a bit of a spat and you felt it appropriate to slap him." Walker's tone is disappointed. "Would you care to explain this from your side?"
	Arina	sits down, lacing her fingers together in her lap. "There isn't a great deal to explain, I'm afraid. His cavalier approach to his own survival angered me."
	Arina	"I struck him partially to vent that anger, and partially to get his attention, as he'd ignored all less forceful attempts to broach the matter."
	IcePickLobotomy	"And did you really think hitting him would mean anything?"
	Arina	"It got him to talk, a little. It likely wasn't the most productive option, but it was the one that came to mind."
	IcePickLobotomy	"And slapping you comes to mind as well, but that would not be conductive to our relationship."
	Arina	"That's fair."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker shakes her head. "On Kasra's behest, I'm willing to let this slide /once/ . But I better not hear /anything/ like this again without a /very/ good reason on your part? And I expect a earnest apology to Kasra over this as well."
	Arina	nods. "Understood."
	IcePickLobotomy	"And Arina?" Her tone softens "I know we're all under a lot of stress, you pilot's moreso than the rest of us. I'm nt unsympathetic to that. And I know you're worried about Kasra, and I'll be honest, he worries me as well sometimes." Walker takes a seat. "He's been raised for this, he /lives/ this, it's his life quite literally. It's not something I'm fully comfortable with to be honest, but...
	IcePickLobotomy	...the best way to try and help him is to /give/ him reasons to stay alive, to value his life more."
	IcePickLobotomy	"But in the end?" She bows her head "He's not wrong either. His life, or humanities? That's very easy calculus."
	Arina	"It's easy calculus, yes. That's why you need to check your work."
	Arina	"It can be a correct answer, but it isn't 0x1dthe0x1d correct answer."
	Arina	"He's a vital element of humanity's defenses. His death means they are forever weakened. His death at the wrong moment means the Intruder wins."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker nods
	IcePickLobotomy	"I think you understand then."
	Arina	"We may die, we may not. But there's no value to him throwing his life away pointlessly."
	IcePickLobotomy	She nods again. "You need to be patient with him. It's trying sometimes, when you're dealing with someone who's. . . conflict is rooted so heavily in their very nature, but few things worth doing are done easily."
	Arina	nods. "I lost my temper. And to be frank, probably watched too many movies."
	IcePickLobotomy	Walker chuckles.
	IcePickLobotomy	"I'd be lying if I said I'd never done the same either. It's part of growing up."
	Arina	"I suppose so."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Well, unless there's anything you want to bring up, I'll get out of your hair here. You can apologize to Kasra whenever you're ready for it."
	Arina	nods. "One thing. I didn't want to pile on while you were tattered, but Reagan was not entirely wrong."
	Arina	"Keeping her informed was low priority, yes. That's precisely the problem - she's risking her life for an organization which seems to be considering her low priority."
	Arina	"She feels she's giving far more in trust and concern than she's getting."
	IcePickLobotomy	"It wasn't that Reagan was a low priority. Just that her being informed was a immediately pressing matter. Regardless, it was a oversight on my part, and I owe her a apology."
	Arina	nods, clasping her hands together. "She's not alone in this. I'm not touching on the great degree of information that I know is being hidden from us."
	Arina	"I'd like to trust that METI knows what it's doing, classified information is a thing organizations are known to withhold and it's not in and of itself a bad thing."
	Arina	"But this is a difficult trust to extend when we find ourselves continually getting hospitalized after the latest strange experiment."
	IcePickLobotomy	grimaces.
	IcePickLobotomy	"I can promise you, the Colonel and I were as pleased with that as you were."
	Arina	purses her lips, nodding.
	IcePickLobotomy	"That said, you're more than justified at your mistrust considering what's happened thus far. I can only hope that time will mend that, as I don't think there's anything I can say that'd make this better, so I'll spare you."
	Arina	"I appreciate that, thank you."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Thank you for being forthright with me Arina. It may not be want I like hearing, but I'm glad you're willing to tell me all the same."
	Arina	"You're welcome."
	IcePickLobotomy	"Have a good day Arina." Walker adds before stepping out the door.
	Arina	nods. "Good day."