NERV Victoria Post First Battle

* Gods_Mechanic the long oaken table that took up most of the conference room seemed to stretch to accommodate the four pilots, their commanding officer, Miss Karin, the living hair-golem that was Montgomery Burnside, and several other key members of the Institute.
* Gods_Mechanic Sir Weissman stood at the end, standing besides a large projector that was currently shining a map of Europe onto a large screen. Several angry red circles dotted the coasts, along side a larger, more ferocious one centered on London.
* Gods_Mechanic The Intitute's prestigous leader flourished a small poker. "Well, as all things went, I would say that was a succesful first launch.
<RickDominated> Sir Lord Admiral Hood puffs on his pipe thoughtfull near him, looking over the projected map with a long practiced eye. "I'd rather agree, minus a few misshaps with the Gunnery."
* Mort was seated, arms on both rests. He seemed more pale than usual today, and he seems to have trouble keeping fully awake.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere stares at the table, awkwardly chewing her lip.
* Isaac_Allenby keeps his eyes locked on the map.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Yes, compared to other skirmishes, the costs of this one was no where near as high. The Totem only managed to destroy a few outposts and Europan regiments, here, here, and here. And, the general destruction the battle itself caused in southern London."
* Mort leans to the side, resting his forehead onto his fingers.
<Gods_Mechanic> "And of course, this is the second time a Totem has been killed. So, both the Queen and Parliament are quite happy with us."
<RickDominated> "Rather Good for us all around then."
<Gods_Mechanic> "Yes, but let's not waste time patting our own backs. Mongomery, what's the status of the damaged units?"
* Gods_Mechanic the hairy, broad man shifted backwards in his chair. "At least three more weeks until we've repaired unit Roxton, the main gear-controls are broken, and then we need a new arm for the blasted thing".
<Gods_Mechanic> "The Germanian model only took a a slight pounding, we won't even need to relay it."
<Mort> "Teach you to..budget everything right..blumbering fools.." Morty muttered.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Excellent, good work everyone. Especially you operators, most of you have exceeded my expectations, and one even met them." Weismann's eyes lingered over Isaac for a few moments.
* Isaac_Allenby grins, returning the gaze.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "...But I made mistakes." Elizabeth says, not quite believing what she's hearing.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Yes, and?" Weissman hit a button on the projector, turning it to a slide of the charred Totem, still lying in the streets of London.
<RickDominated> "You still killed the thing, even with the unfortunate incident with shooting Mortimer there in the Back." Hood harrumphs.
* Mort sneers at that.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "...I'll do better next time." She says, grimacing.
<Isaac_Allenby> "I'm sure you will, Lady Darrowmere!"
<Gods_Mechanic> "We're gathering amazing data from the remains of this creature, this is the first specimen to leave some corpse behind, and it has the scientific community in an uproar."
<Gods_Mechanic> "I assure you all, you have done wonderful in all regards."
<Isaac_Allenby> "What about its club, sah?"
<RickDominated> "Thats actually interested me as well, Cyrus..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "I would have thought the existence of a creature as big as a cathedral would have done so already..." Elizabeth muses.
* Gods_Mechanic made a face. "We cannot determine, much of anything from the weapon."
<Gods_Mechanic> "Or, really, it's tool."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "I feel I must voice a concern of mine." Elizabeth states, crossing her palms in her lap.
* Gods_Mechanic paused "Oh? And what would that be?"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "In the midst of the battle, the Totem took a great deal of abuse from our weapons before it even began to show injury of any kind. I believe our current equipment may be... inadequate."
<Mort> "You think? Hoho.. so next time you can disintegrate my titan and myself completely rather than wounding me like so?"
<Gods_Mechanic>  "Oh most certainly." He said brightly. "The Titan designed weapons are hardly what you would call potent in any form or use."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "If the Totem had died when first I shot it, I would never have hit you in the first place." The girl said coolly, not looking in Mort's direction.
<Gods_Mechanic> "There were logistics of building a gun that size. The best minds are on that problem though. And stop arguing over me, it is incredibly disrespectful." Weissman's tone became very.... threatening.
<Gods_Mechanic> "And I despise disrespect of any kind." His glared at the two.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Yes sir..."
<Mort> "A cross-eyed sharpshooter woman and a non-existant budget for the titans.." He stands up from his seat, being extra careful because of his wound, "I'm retiring to my quarters."
<Gods_Mechanic> "You'll retire when I say you retire, boy, now sit down."
<Mort> "HMPH." He gives Weissman a half second spiteful look as he sat back down.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Now." Another click of the projector, another slide, this one showing another map of Europe, though with oscillating lines.
<Gods_Mechanic> "The giga-storm is going across it's northern crest, and, as we've tracked it, that same crest has decreased from the Arctic to just under Iceland."
<Gods_Mechanic> "Which means it's very likely that another Totem may be approaching soon."
<Isaac_Allenby> "Let it come, sah! We'll destroy it like the last one!"
<RickDominated> "Don't be so eager for that, Issac." Hood puffs again, looking thoughtfully at the map.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Indeed, some Totems are not hostile...until provoked, which they often are." Cyrus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, sliding it down the table to Isaac. "And for the second Slayer of a Totem, a gift from the Crown. Queen Annabeth asked me to deliver it personally."
<Isaac_Allenby> "Such an honor, sah..." He merely stared in awe at the box.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "It will approach from the Northwest then?" Elizabeth asks, looking at the map.
<Gods_Mechanic> "The most likely course if it does approach, yes. And, *now* you have permission to leave, Mr. Mallory."
<Gods_Mechanic> "The meeting is adjourned, enjoy victory, it is rarely seldom seen these days."
* Isaac_Allenby gingerly begins to open the box, his curiosity getting the better of him.
* Mort fumes at the sight of the gift. He stood up again. "Good. This whole place is run by incompetent fools, women, and plebians."
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere stands, fidgeting slightly. It seemed like the meeting had only just begun.
* Gods_Mechanic Inside is a beautiful gold pin, an emerald encrusted into the circular design. A spiral, or a constantly turning circle.
* Mort opens the door to the hallway and quickly leaves the conference room, half slamming the door behind him as he left.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere observes the pin with approval.
<Isaac_Allenby> "It's magnificent sah..."
<Gods_Mechanic> As Morty leaves in haste, he bowls over the small form of Cici, who had been kneeling to listen at the lock. She made a terrified squeak as she was tossed to the side by the door.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere turns in the direction of the squeak, looking slightly concerned.
* Mort raised his eyebrows. "And what were you doing, girl?" He hesitated, thinking, before he offered her a hand. "Bloody institute. There's nothing for you here, girl."
<Gods_Mechanic> The small child quickly covered her face, as was normal, and shied away from Mortimer. The proffered hand, stopped her flinching, and she slowly took it, still trying her best to hide her face with her dirty blond hair and unused hand.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere 's eyes widen noticeably.
* Mort felt a stabbing pain in his stomach as he helped her up and winced. "Now-" He quickly let go of her hand and backed away. "Polyp..gah! Is there no god in this world?" He started his way down the hall to his quarters, rubbing the 'contaminated' hand off on the leg of his trousers.
<Gods_Mechanic> The adults of the room filtered out, blocking the space between Morty and Cici, when they cleared, she was gone.
<Gods_Mechanic> No doubt hiding behind Miss Karin's dress.
<RickDominated> "Tch...Nancy..." Hood Grumples.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "So uncouth..." Elizabeth said, clucking. "Shall we go, Isaac?" She asks, plucking a fan from somewhere and waving it beneath her chin.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Y-yes..."
* Isaac_Allenby closes the box, standing and moving to leave.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere swishes out, looking bored.
* Mort sat on his bed and then rested his back on it, his feet still planted on the floor. He closed his eyes to rest. Isaac's clock toy was in the trash bin
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere made it back to the common room, sighing and searching the book shelves for something she hasn't read yet.
* Isaac_Allenby sits in the commons, hesitant to remove the pin from the box, content to examine it while it sits inside.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere turns after a few moments.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> She walks around to stand behind Isaac's chair, looking down over his shoulder. "May I?" She asks, motioning toward the pin.
<Isaac_Allenby> "B-by all means!"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> She takes the box gently, examining the pin without removing it.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Exquisite. Ostentatious without being gaudy. Lovely workmanship. Her Majesty has good taste." She says, handing it back.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Yes...it is wondrous..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Lock it away and keep it safe. Wear it only for the most formal events. And be careful, that's your children's birthright you're holding." She says, mock-chidingly.
* Isaac_Allenby goes to his room, setting it down on his table, looking for a suitable place to keep it safe.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere leans in his door, feet firmly outside the threshold.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "It's not a sock full of coins you know. You need something secure, and preferably difficult to move."
<Isaac_Allenby> "...perhaps a numerically locked container?"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "I believe we call those "Safes." Ask the staff, I'm sure one can be found." She said, slightly ironically
<Gods_Mechanic> Indeed, one is quickly brought up by two heavy looking servants.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Is the locks combination able to be changed?"
<Gods_Mechanic> "Ye'sah, jus' spin i'd thrice and put in' zerah, zerah, zerah, then the numbah ya want." One of the servants said on his way out.
* Mort stood up, having thought of something to waste his day on. He started to powder and apply makeup, masking imperfections and getting ready for the rest of the day.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Thank you!"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "So, what's it like, holding something more valuable than your house in the palm of your hand?" Elizabeth asked, unable to stop herself from grinning.
* Mort walks out of his room, which leads into the common room. He completely ignores the two pilots sitting there as he moves his way outside at a deliberate pace.
<Isaac_Allenby> "It feels...different...I've never owned anything that cost more than a few pounds..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Well, get used to it. I imagine that of all of us, it's your life that will change most after all this is over."
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<Isaac_Allenby> "I think so too, Lady Darrowmere..." He snickers a little. "Perhaps I'll even be Lord Allenby!"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> She nods. "It's a definite possibility."
<Isaac_Allenby> "I-I was joking..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Well you should still recognize the possibility. You didn't think the noble houses were ALWAYS noble, did you?" She asks, arching an eyebrow.
* Mort was outside on the road leading to the streets of london. He snapped his fingers. "Carriage!"
<Isaac_Allenby> "O-of course not! They had done great things to get there, but...why would I be given nobility for merely doing my duty?"
<Gods_Mechanic> A mechanized carriage suddenly stopped, revealing the black armored form of a Bondsman at the helm. "Where you off to, operator?"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> Elizabeth sighed. "For dozens of reasons, none of which you have the background to understand, yet. Just consider the possibility, and prepare for it."
<Mort> "I will decide later, good man. But for now, drive. I wish to look around." He hops in the carriage.
<Isaac_Allenby> "As you say, Lady Darrowmere." He opens the safe, placing the box inside and resetting the combination to one more suited to his liking. "I need to go into town. I'm short on parts, and tools for that matter..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Mind if I join you? I'm bursting to get out of this stuffy institute and stretch my legs."
<Isaac_Allenby> "O-of course not! If anything I should be asking you if I could accompany you, Lady Darrowmere..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Hmhm. I shall prepare then. And you make yourself presentable as well, you hear?" She asks, ducking into her room without waiting for an answer.
* Isaac_Allenby closes his door, changing into his least stained clothes.
<Gods_Mechanic> The bondsman paused for a second. "Sorry operator, can't take off now, I'm on a schedule."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> She reemerges wearing a different dress, since apparently the first was inappropriate to wear in public, but not in front of one's superior officers. It's a long dress, of course, with dark boots to match, as well as a hat that trailed a mesh of lace down over her eyes. In one hand was an umbrella with what looked like a hand-carved handle.
<Mort> "You- Argh!" He gets out angrily, "If I have to WALK then so be it!" He opens an umbrella over his head and starts to walk out to the front gate..
* Isaac_Allenby exits his room in clothes with a few stains here and there, but otherwise okay. His satchel is at his side, ever present.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> Elizabeth eyes him for a moment, before deciding that's probably acceptable. Most likely the assumption is that he's her servant anyway.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Shall we go then?"
<Isaac_Allenby> "Yes, Lady Darrowmere."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> Outside the institute, Elizabeth opens the umbrella as she steps out, rain mixed with a healthy amount of soot flowing off the heavy fabric.
<Gods_Mechanic> A mechanized carriage awaits near the front steps, the doors open.
* Isaac_Allenby looks around him, taking it in once more despite the pounding rain.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere steps quickly into the carriage, closing the umbrella behind her and shaking it free of rain.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Afternoon, Operators." The Bondsman checks his watch, before starting the engine and heading for the main gate, passing a familiar forlorn figure.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere waves to Morty, smiling.
* Mort gives the passing carriage a rather crude gesture.
* Isaac_Allenby returns it double.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere tuts.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Men..."
* Mort makes his way to his former place of residence on foot.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Lady Darrowmere, I'm merely a working class man. What is his excuse for such crass behavior?" A sly grin crosses his face.
<Gods_Mechanic> Through the winding, twirling roads of London the carriage flies, it's engine cluttering. Finally, it comes to a stop on a busy, main road, next to a sign marked with the Institute's signal.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Carriages come on the hour, Operators." The Bondman spoke, spitting what was presumably tobacco onto the wet cobblestone road.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Yes sah. Thank you for bringing us."
<Gods_Mechanic> "Why, thank ye!" The man looked genuinely pleased and surprised.
<Gods_Mechanic> "Beaten that Totem down good, you did."
<Isaac_Allenby> "N-no, I just did as any red-blooded Englishman would..."
<Gods_Mechanic> "Right, right you did!" The Bondsman clapped Isaac on the arm, grinning with stained rotten teeth. "You ever need a ride, jus' ask for Jerry." And with that, he took off down the street.
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "Interesting impression you've made." Elizabeth noted.
<Isaac_Allenby> "I guess...nice to have one of them that actively wants to drive us instead of someone doing it just because it's their job though, isn't it?"
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "And I suppose it's nice for them to have someone protecting them because they want to, and not because it's their obligation." She notes, smiling.
<Isaac_Allenby> "Y-yes...I need to get to the machine shop, you're welcome to join me if you like, Lady Darrowmere..."
<Elizabeth_Darrowmere> "I suppose I must. It wouldn't do for a young lady to walk about unattended."
<Gods_Mechanic> The great Estate of Mallory was...strangely unattended.
<Mort> "Hmm..peculiar.." He tried the front gate door.
<Gods_Mechanic> Staunchly locked against Mallory, how very concerning.
<Mort> "Father and Jan would always leave the spare keys hidden somewhere here.." He tried the usual spots.
<Gods_Mechanic> And the spare key was under the Begonia pot, as it always was, the more things change.
<Mort> "Ah..feeling more at home already." He tries the door with the key this time.
<Gods_Mechanic> The door swings open easily enough, revealing a familiar entrance hall. The spot where Chugga had been brained had been cleaned, and there was no sign of damage where the three men had busted down his door.
* Mort closes his umbrella and leaves it in the bin, hanging up his coat as well. "JAN! FATHER! MOTHER! I'm HOME!" He bellows out.
<Gods_Mechanic> A sudden stumbling from the The parlor, as if somebody had just been startled into falling. More sounds of movement followed that.
<Mort> "What's all that racket about? You'd better be cleaning that mess up already Jan!" He makes his way to the parlor casually.
<Gods_Mechanic> Jan looked quite perturbed by this sight, on the floor with something clutched in her hands. "Oh, Mastory Mallory!" she said, as she suddenly stood up, putting her hands behind her back.
<Gods_Mechanic> "You're home..."
<Mort> "Yes, I am. Where is everyone? Are you the only one here?" He smiles amusedly, "What did you break this time, Jan?"
<Gods_Mechanic> "Oh, well, after that horrible day...your parents got a letter, from The Institue!" Jan hid her hands behind her back even father. "You were drafted, they were so proud."
<Gods_Mechanic> "But your mother took rather poorly, and in order to better restore her health, your fatha' decided to go on a tour."
<Gods_Mechanic> "All of the Continent, they said, they took an arhship to Paris just last Tuesday."
<Mort> "A...tour?" He sighs, "not to the dark continent again? I- ..."
<Mort> "Are you the only one here then?"
<Gods_Mechanic> "Oh, yes Master Morty, they took Chugga along for better air, and of course to protect the missus."
* Mort takes a seat. "Pour me a drink, woman. I've been wounded while gallantly fighting off that horrid thing. I had to take one for the team, because everyone else was too weak-kneed to face it at first but me."
<Gods_Mechanic> " Of course Master Morty." Jan disappeared into the kitchen, her hands still clutched behind her back.
* Elizabeth_Darrowmere is now known as Evening
<Gods_Mechanic> ....some time passes, and then even longer. Jan still has not come back with a drink.
* Isaac_Allenby is now known as The_Captain
<Mort> "Jan? Where is my drink?"
<Gods_Mechanic> No answer came from the silent, empty house.
* Mort grumbles and looks for her in the kitchen..
<Gods_Mechanic> The kitchen is as empty as the rest of the house, the servant's backdoor wide open and squeaking with rust in the rainy wind outside.
<Gods_Mechanic> There's something sparkling on the table.
<Mort> "Ohhhhh...bloody hell. Are all women of this world so treacherous?!" He slams the door shut and goes to examine the sparkly.
<Gods_Mechanic> It's a familiar golden cross necklace, inlaid with rubies...this was Morty's mothers, and was only worn to church on the first Sunday on every month...normally it never left her jewelry draw.
<Mort> "A thief..a filthy thief.." He makes a decision in his mind to report her to the policemen. He picks up the necklace. He's seen it enough times to make him puke, but whether it was the long absence or just his emotional state at the moment, he started to examine it. A lot of memories crossed his mind as he did so. "Where should I keep this? I can't just leave it here for that filthy cur.."...
<Mort> ...He looks around the room. "I'll..keep it safe, mother." He takes it with him and pockets it inside the coat he left hanging.
<Mort> "Peh..but don't count on my suddenly being pious."
* Gods_Mechanic is now known as Voodoo_Juice