MonMusu Mekton Quest: Episode 16

8:52 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Your eyes flutter open. You look around dazedly, mind processing the scene as you recall what happened the previous. You glance to the side, finding yourself wrapped in the arms and pedipalps or Widoia, still completely unclothed. Your arms are laced beneath her, and her sizeable chest - positioned in just such a manner so that your face is resting on her cleavage like a warm cushion - heaves gently as she breathes, rising and falling. Your sheets are thrown aside in a tangled mess, Widoia's abdomen taking up the majority of their surface, not that you need them with the warmth of your partner right next to you.
9:01 PM - Kari: As the scene before her comes slowly into realization, Kari relaxes in her lover's arms for just a little bit longer. Her own heavy breathing brings her chest to rise and fall as she gives Widoia a gentle hug. After fading into near sleep for just a little bit longer, a mild restlessness grows until she just can't take it anymore. With a reluctant sigh, she nuzzles into Widoia's pillows before gently sliding her arms out from beath the spider, and tries to carefully esacpe from the affectionate trap. Gently prying at the limbs gripping her, she ever so steadily slips out, careful not to wake up the sleeping beauty. As she finally manages to break free, she grabs a pillow and gently tucks it back into Widoia's arms and tucks her in.

She sits beside Widoia for a time, gently stroking her hair with a little smile. Eventually, she finally stops procrastinating to throw on her clothes and gear. All kitted up and ready, she moves to the door, stopping to give Widoia one last little smile before stepping out into the hall.
9:07 PM - MonMusu Zeta: You slip outside into the hall, and the door seals behind you, leaving your lover to rest a while longer. Prepared for another day aboard the ship, you consider how to spend your time. You weren't told of any upcoming jobs, or where your next destination will be, so as far as you know the day is yours.
9:16 PM - Kari: Kari decides if she has nothing else to do, she might as well get a shower in before officially starting her day, and then perhaps track down the Chief. Thinking it over, she never did know that Langio was following her on the station. It might benefit her to learn how to be a little more stealthy herself.
9:26 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Electing to head back into your room, you take a nice, long shower, washing the sweat and... other fluids, clean from your skin and chitin. You can still faintly taste Widoia as you wash, bringing back memories of the previous night.

With your shower concluded and some clean clothes thrown on, you head out and check Langio's usual places, finding her in the shooting range, blasting targets on the range. Her long fingers are incredibly dexteritious - as you are /keenly/ aware - and she pulls the trigger of her semi-auto slugthrower pistol as though it were full-auto. She clicks the button to bring the target closer and inspect her shots. Her rounds shot through the paper target in the shape of the Spyder Sylk logo with stunning accuracy. She twirls the pistol, satisfied with her work as she turns towards you, halting the pistol's rotation and placing her free hand on her hip.
9:30 PM - Kari: "Good shooting, Chief~," Kari chirps. "Glad I choose to learn from the best. Do you think you have time to teach me something?" Feeling rather confidant in herself after last night's events, Kari crosses her arms and stands talls before the terrifying woman.
9:34 PM - MonMusu Zeta: She looks down at you with that predatory smile of hers which sends shivers down your spine, sparing a glance briefly at her watch, before returning her attention to you. "I may have some spare time for a morsel like yourself. The delegate of the Federation isn't arriving until later. That just means we'll have to work /extra/ hard," her voice takes on a particularly icy tone as she enunciates 'extra'. Her smile widens almost imperceptibly.
9:35 PM - Kari: Kari winces, faltering just a little but forcing a smile to try and work through it. "D-Delegate? What delegate?"
9:42 PM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, idly inspecting her weapon. She racks the slide back and forth several times, ejecting the magazine and manually loading individual rounds into it out of a box from a nearby table. She says all the while, "That's right, delegate. We caught their interest after offloading that Flal biomek, and they requested us to send transmissions of vidfeeds from all of our field agents... that being you." She spares you a sidelong glance as she says 'you.'
9:46 PM - Kari: "... M-Me...?" Kari blinks once, and then scans Langio's face to try and figure out if she's serious. "B... but... wait-. Who does this delegate represent...? I'm really confused." Running a hand up into her hair, she awkwardly scratches at her head as she mulls all the thoughts.
9:49 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "They represent the Galactic Federation Council. More specifically... their Wraiths. You've heard of them, I suspect?"
9:51 PM - Kari: "I... I h-have, yeah. I met one of them on Zeta-95. Something about like... secret agents and super cool half-robot ladies."
9:58 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "The latter part of that is more likely a single agent than a generalization of all of them. But you're not wrong. Just not right. I think you know how I handle... incorrect answers, at this point, hmm?" She grins, baring all of her pointed teeth in a wide smile. Spreading the fingers of one of her hands, you glance to find webbing spread between them all. She pulls taut a thin strand of silk with her opposite hand, taking several firm steps towards you.
10:00 PM - Kari: Kari throws one arm up to block her face. "N-No! Wait! We have training to do!"
10:00 PM - MonMusu Zeta: She leans down, bringing her face close to yours. "It would seem that your recent successes have garnered their interest, though."
10:01 PM - Kari: Calming down from her initial onset of panic, she blinks a couple of times as she processes those words. "Huh....?" Lowering her arm, she brings the other to rub it nervously. "But... why? I'm nothing special. Wouldn't they like... have an interest in you before me?"
10:07 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Standing back up, she returns to the shooting counter, grabbing her pistol and sending the target back to the far side. "They already have." Unloading several magazines in rapid succession, swapping for a fresh one from the counter with such speed that her constant high-speed trigger-pulling never failed to fire a single round. By the end of it, she sets her smoking gun back down, calling the target up to the front. The bullets in the target depict a crude - but recognizable - picture of you, hanging upside-down, bound and gagged. "I ran with them for some time before leaving. It was not the life for me."
10:10 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "But that doesn't mean it can't be the life for you."
10:13 PM - Kari: Kari's face flushes at the crude picture, wings buzzing as she trembles in place. With a hard swallow, she tries to deviate from the matter at hand. "Y-You did...? That's.... that's awesome...!" Her nervous smile slowly works to become more genuine, and her hands clench lightly with excitement. "Wh-what were they like!? Were- oh, right, you said it wasn't for you, but I-.... h-huh?" Suddenly being derailed, Kari's wings continue buzzing as the rest of her freezes up until they slowly wind down. "S-So wait... they're really here for me? But.... wait, what!? B-But I'm nothing special! I... I'm j-just a pilot! And... I still have a lot to learn. I'm not very sneaky - which I came to work on - and I'd probably lose in a fight with anyone who was actually trained in stuff... Wh-why would they even consider me?"
10:16 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Her face turns to a surprising shade of serious, that cruel-but-sexy smile of hers fading into a thin line. "Raw talent is desireable. Honed, it can be one of the deadliest weapons in the galaxy. You've already proven to have the unrefined talent, and the determination to improve it. They want you because you can become among the best of fighters in the galaxy. You don't have to possess every imaginable skill in order to be considered."
10:18 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "The skill to hold your own against impossible odds and the desire to improve it even further. That is what makes you a consideration for the title of Wraith."
10:21 PM - Kari: Kari's expression falls. Her disbelief and panic slowly fade away into a bit of reverence for someone who sees such in her. She stands a little taller and more neutral, fists still partly clenched. Both her eyes swirl with brilliant colour as she mulls over Langio's words. Kari stays quiet for a good long while, and when she finally processes it all, she gives her mentor a firm nod. "Then let's make sure I meet their expectations. Chief, I'd like it if you taught me to be a fraction as stealthy as you."
10:25 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Her smile returns, and her eyes gain that expression of cruel leadership they possess when instructing... or in bed. "Good. Then let's waste no time." She stands to her full height, crossing her arms and framing her ample bosom in her tight jacket. She closes her eyes. "You have ten seconds to find a hiding place in this room."
10:28 PM - Kari: Kari jumps in place at the sudden deadline before slipping into a lower stance. Looking right and then left, her eyes shoot open wide the sight of the firing range. She throws her whole body through the opening for one of the booths and forces herself up against the far side of the booth while laying on the floor.
10:29 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Roll Stealth. That's a Reflex skill.
10:30 PM - Kari: (16)
10:40 PM - MonMusu Zeta: You hear Langio skitter around the room, silently stalking across the floor. A few sudden rustles of cloth indicate her likely darting around suspected hiding spots quickly before she skulks off to find another potential spot. Following this, you hear her shoot off a strand of silk, ascending to the ceiling, along which she crawls silently. You're too afraid to look up, tucked behind the counter as you are, but the sounds of Langio's movements ring clearly in your ears. It's a little over a minute later when you feal a presence hovering above you, and opening your eyes, you're met with Langio's grinning face.
10:41 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "Almost impressive. It took me over a minute."
10:42 PM - Kari: Kari's eyes hang open wide, and she stares into Langio's own crimson orbs. She blinks a couple of times before finally registering her words. A big toothy grin spreads across her face, sharp chompers on display. "Y'think~?"
10:46 PM - MonMusu Zeta: She licks her lips slowly, eyes gleaming in a predatory glance. "Unless you'd like to find out what other opinions I have on you, you'll get moving and hide again."
10:49 PM - Kari: Kari's expression falters immediately, and she wriggles away from Widoia before scampering back over the counter. She scitters along over to a pile of boxes, popping the top of of one that's partly open before clambering inside and trembling atop some boxes of bullets.
10:50 PM - Kari: ((*Langio))
10:50 PM - Kari: (21 Int Roll)
10:56 PM - MonMusu Zeta: You and Langio play this odd game of hide-and-seek for some time. And she finds you /every/ time, but it usually takes upwards of a minute to do so. After doing this for approximately an hour, she finally takes you out in the open, drilling you in various means of sleuthing and sneaking; when and how to stick to shadows, ways to walk so as to make less noise, and other similar exercises. You do remarkably well, learning a great deal from this short exercise.
10:58 PM - MonMusu Zeta: While not as mentally or physically exhausting as other training regimes you've undergone with Langio, it still took its toll all the same. She smiles down at you, satisfied. "You may make a halfway decent Wraith yet, morsel."
10:59 PM - Kari: Kari beams up at the still ever so terrifying spider, feeling extremely proud of herself. "Thanks, Chief! You're the best! I'm really, really glad I have you around to teach me. I hope that if they want me, that I'm able to make you proud."
11:03 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "Oh, you'll make me proud alright. I won't have my teaching wasted on someone who up and dies that easily." She manages to intone that in a simultaneously threatening and complimentary manner. You're not sure whether to blush with glee or flee in terror.
11:05 PM - Kari: Kari fights with herself for a minute, but after a few seconds she finally settles for blushing. With a playful giggle, she snaps a smart salute and shouts, "Yes, Ma'am! No dying on your watch!"
11:12 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Nodding faintly, Langio checks her watch. "It's about time the meeting got started. Mr. Silk and the delegate should be waiting. Chin up, chest out. Look determined, and no silly smiles thinking back to late-night rendevous with comm masters." Langio's knowing grin glances at you as the two of you walk out of the range and towards Mr. Silk's office.
11:15 PM - Kari: Kari's manages to hold a stoic expression, feeling pride in herself right up until it all explodes into a flustered flush of an expression. She stares straight forward, even as Langion walks past to open the door. "H-Hey-!" she starts, only to realize time has lapsed. Whipping around, she charges off to catch up with Langio before walking out.
11:20 PM - MonMusu Zeta: You stop by your quarters on the way, quickly switching clothes into your freshly tailored formal crew uniform. It's a tastefully dark shade of gray, the red logo plastered onto the right side of the chest. It even comes with a hat, similar to the one Langio is wearing now, though you suspect that part is optional. As you change, you notice the bed is empty, and the shower is on. It doesn't take long to put the pieces together. Buttoning the coat up, you look yourself over in the mirror, inspecting yourself for any uniform mishaps.
11:20 PM - MonMusu Zeta: ...wanna roll Wardrobe, for funsies?
11:24 PM - Kari: (17)
11:27 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Going to your room where the shower is not on because Widoia is actually in her room, you change into your uniform, straightening your collar, polishing your buttons, and ensuring your wings are properly positioned in the holes in back so the entire getup doesn't shift with a minor twitch. You nod, satisfied with your work as you duck back outside, passing Widoia's room where you can faintly hear the shower running.
11:31 PM - Kari: Kari blushes, thinking a little about Widoia. Then the intrusive thoughts of Langio punishing her push their way into her mind, and she immediately straightens up with a nervous cough.
11:32 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "I /did/ say not to do that. Or did I misspeak?" Langio notes with a satisfied tone, teeth bared in another grin as you walk.
11:33 PM - Kari: Kari's eyes shoot open wide as she stares straight ahead, terror stricken across her face. "Y-Yes, Ma'am! Sorry, Ma'am!"
11:37 PM - MonMusu Zeta: "I'll ensure you pay for that... later." She allows herself a short laugh. You laugh too, nervously. You're not sure you want to know what makes /her/ laugh, especially if it has to do with you... Continuing through the ship, you arrive at Mr. Silk's office soon after. You can hear him talking within, apparently brokering some sort of deal with this delegate. The delegate responds with her own take on the deal, her a voice a familiar feminine, serious, near-monotone sound that you could /swear/ you've heard before.
11:42 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Langio doesn't bother to knock, electing to stride right in with you right at her heels. She nods to the Dryder behind the desk, who in return nods at you both. He stands, hands gesturing to the black-haired girl whose lockes reach down to her waist. Her eyes are a brilliant purple, and her outfit - a dress and legging-length boots featuring lavender, black and white - is even more familiar than her voice. But it's her cybernetic arms that really seal the deal, and you recall Eve Akemi, from back on Zeta-95. Mr. Silk introduces her, "I'm pleased you've both arrived. This is our guest, Ms. Akemi."
11:46 PM - Kari: Kari's steps in with Langio, surprised by the abruptness but keeping most of her stride intact. She steps into the room, standing at ease until her eyes roam over the Wraith in the room. "E-Eve...?" she stammers out under breath.  'Er-... Miss Akemi?" she asks a little more audibly this time. "It's good to see you again." Despite the formal nature, she can't hide the faint whisper of a smile at the corner of her lips.
11:52 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve's eyes flick over you. "Likewise. And hello to you, Langio." Though she addresses Langio, she doesn't take her eyes off you. She gives you a thorough look that puts you on edge, making you feel as though you've done something wrong, or made some sort of slight. Mr. Silk clasps his hands together, smiling. "You know each other? Excellent. That makes this far simpler, does it not?"

Giving the two of you his full attention, he begins, "Ms. Akemi is here to inspect young Kari's potential candidacy for none other than the Wraiths, those galactic special agents that work behind the scenes to keep citizens like us happy and well." He says it almost like a sales pitch, and you can't help but wonder if that's just a habit he's picked up in his years of mercantile dealings.
11:53 PM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve continues to eye you, gauging your reaction to the news.
11:57 PM - Kari: Kari falters slightly under Eve's harsh gaze, but only enough that her smile fades. She looks back into her assessor's eyes, trying to figure out what's going on in her head. "So I've been told," she says, a little distantly. "I... was curious who wanted my mek telemetry." Despite her response, she holds back a little as another smile hints at her lips. It's hard, but she manages to suppress her enthusiasm and cheers of "I was right! AHAHAH~!" and keep them firmly in her own head.
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
12:02 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Mr. Silk continues as you and Eve have your staring contest. "While I unfortunately cannot be privvy to the exact details of the upcoming mission, we will be providing transport to the destination. Ms. Akemi's Mekton is already in the hold, prepared for deployment, as we are en-route to the system." He unclasps his hands, electing to tap his fingers together. His chitinous claws make small clacking sounds as the impact one another. "When the Wraiths make their move, they do so silently and without hesitation. The Federation works quickly," he adds.
12:03 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve nods. "When you have trillions of lives in your hands, a moment's hesitation can mean countless needless deaths."
12:05 AM - Kari: Kari finds a question popping into her mind, only to have it obliterated by the gravity of Eve's statement. "T-Trillions?" she asks, trembling slightly at the thought. Thankfully, she manages to stop her wings from buzzing before they start, but they tilt uncomfortably at the thought. "S-Sorry. Please continue."
12:10 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Mr. Silk continues. "Ms. Akemi and Kari will have their debriefing in the bridge, but to summarize, our destination is nearby our previous worksite. We are still within Human territory, merely traveling to a different system, hence the lack of FTL."
12:12 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve nods. "We should be arriving shortly. If you would come with we, can get the briefing underway." Eve stands, bowing to Mr. Silk. "You will recieve compensation from the Federation as we agreed."
12:13 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Mr. Silk nods, extending his hand. "Excellent. It has been a pleasure speaking with you." Taking his hand, Eve shakes it before stepping past Langio on her way out.
12:15 AM - Kari: Kari's eyes follow Eve's movements until she's stepped past. Brining her legs together to snap a salute, Kari offers a firm "Sir!" As she is dismissed, she turns on the spot and hurries to catch up with the mysterious woman with a slight skip to her step.
12:20 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve walks with a long, confident stride, her metallic legs beating heavily against the metal flooring as you approach the bridge. You enter, continuing to follow as you approach the planetary holomap, as you've done with Mr. Silk in the past. The planet portrayed is a fair bit larger than your average planet, with vast blue oceans and a good amount of varied landscapes, though most is greenery. Eve points to the planet, "Lyncis V. A Superlarge-class planetoid, with gravity slightly higher than that of what'd you'd expect in a colony world for small bipeds such as Humans."
12:22 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "We're here because the colony has gone dark. Our last reports indicate they unearthed a piece of ancient technology, and had contacted the Federation in regards to it. We suspect it may be of Progenitor origin."
12:24 AM - Kari: Kari hurries along, feeling quite unsure of herself as she tries to keep up with the enigmatic figure. As she steps inside, she gazes in awe over the holomap, taking in all the sights. At the mention of the planet going dark, however, her gaze turns immediately to Eve's eyes. "Pro... genitor? What's that?"
12:32 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve brushes her long hair back behind her shoulder, saying, "I suppose an underdeveloped planet such as Mey'Ga wouldn't be aware of them. The Progenitors are the most prominent of pre-modern species to have had a galaxy-spanning empire. They were extinct long before any of the races that make up today's civilization came to be, but they left behind curious technological relics. While most are defunct from age and disuse, they are all valuable pieces to the scientific community. The Progenitors single-handedly expanded across the galaxy, whereas our races require the assistance of each other to truly prosper. The Progenitors were specialists in biotechnology as well, leading to many speculatory theories that some modern races were spawned from their work, though this is all unconfirmed."
12:34 AM - Kari: "So... they weren't a coalition or something like that...?" she asks, trying to understand as best she can. "Just... one race? That sounds really scary. To have that much power I mean."
12:38 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Precisely. And that is exactly why their technology is so highly valued. For one race to have such power is almost inconceivable. It should be noted that 'Progenitors' is not what the race called themselves, but it is rather a monkier of our own design. In the Human language of English, 'Progenitor' means 'ancestor.' "
12:42 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "The colony went dark less than a week after the artifact was recovered. If it /is/ of Progenitor origin, we will require extreme caution. Our objective is to determine the status of the colony and recover the artifact if possible. Should you perform well in this, you will be promoted from Candidate to Apparition, the lowest ranking of a Wraith. And worry not, you will be compensated for your work."
12:44 AM - Kari: Kari blinks a couple of times trying to soak it all in. "A-Apparition? Just like that?"
12:47 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods. "Just like that. You'll receive further information on what it means to be a Wraith upon completion of the mission, and from then, you will have the option to decide whether or not you are interested in joining. Take note that this is not any sort of clandestine offer of 'join or be silenced.' You have full freedom over your decision, and there will be no drawbacks for refusing."
12:48 AM - Kari: "Okay. I think I understand that." Kari nods, but hangs on continuing for a moment. "Mr. Silk and the others... they can't know anything about any of this can they? The mission details that is."
12:48 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She shakes her head. "This debreifing is classified information, and anything from the mission about what happens planetside is equally so."
12:51 AM - Kari: "Okay. I understand," she says with a firm nod. "So we'll have no support once we're down there, right? Normally I have a handler while on-mission."
12:58 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Correct. We will be alone on this mission. The colony itself is still in its infancy, scarcely two years in age. It consists mostly of prefab metal structures, and is likely still being expanded, so Mektons will be commonplace. Due to the increased effect of gravity on the planet, the majority of its inhabitants have cyberware. I recall your interest in cybernetics, but I presume you've none of your own? Legs especially so."
12:59 AM - Kari: "Right. I'm looking to save up for the interface, so I have none at all."
1:01 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, raising a silvery hand to her face and inspecting it, flipping it before clenching into a fist. She lowers her hand, leaning against the railing surrounding the holomap. "It should be no real issue. You will feel some discomfort, and your movements will be sluggish on-foot, but in your Mekton while seated you're not likely to notice. Consider it additional training; Wraiths will need to be prepared for all manner of hellish encounters."
1:04 AM - Kari: "Alright. I should be fine I'd think. Is there anything else different about this planet? Does it have unusual or dangerous weather we should consider for deployment and extraction?"
1:07 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Thankfully, no. The planet is quite tame, and even local wildlife is nothing to fear. Our main concern will be determining whatever caused the colony to go dark and recovering the artifact. Should we encounter resistance, we are to eliminate it without hesitation."
1:08 AM - Kari: "What kind of wildlife is there? Even if it's tame, could it have maybe been affected by the artifact?"
1:14 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She pauses, thinking the question over. She taps her fingers against the railing, the repetitious sound of metal-on-metal filling the air. She looks up at you with a small smile. "A good question. Local wildlife consists mainly of small avians and some varied quadrapeds, none of which have been reported to attack Humans. While I can't speak for their disposition towards Kunchoren, I doubt it will be much different. As for changes caused by the artifact, we're completely unsure. We have no information on the artifact or its effects, apart from the fact that it is a metallic tube-like construction that appears to have two doors on its front, and attached to a variety of machinery with an unknown purpose."
1:18 AM - Kari: A small smile works it's way across Kari's face at the sight of Eve's own. Her eyes swirl a little more vibrantly as the positive vibes work through her. "I guess it's a good idea to avoid any wildlife we can anyway. They could be infected with something and be violent or contagious."
1:20 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "An astute observation. We're not liable to encounter much within the colony, but with the artifact in play nothing is certain. We will exercise caution and investigate thoroughly."
1:21 AM - Kari: "Okay." Kari nods in agreement, but a creeping thought runs through her mind. She hangs on it, and despite her best efforts to push it to the back of her head, she can't fight the need to bring it up. "Um... Miss Akemi? Can I ask you a question about your cybernetics?"
1:23 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Go ahead," she nods, rubbing her left bicep with her right hand as she looks at her arms.
1:24 AM - Kari: "Can you... interface with terminals? Like... with your mind?"
1:24 AM - Kari: "B-By hooking up to them I mean. Or... wirelessly... or something."
1:25 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Those are features available for a variety of models, but I possess nothing of the sort. My cybernetics are limited completely to my limbs and some minor internal modifications, and are mostly combat-oriented in nature."
1:26 AM - Kari: "O-okay then." She breathes a slight sigh of relief, and seems much more calm as a result. "Sorry. It was just a thought I had..."
1:27 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, apparently having deduced what your thought might have been and taking it into consideration herself. "If you've no more questions, then prepare yourself and meet in the Mek bay."
1:30 AM - Kari: "O-Of course. I'm actually ready whenever you are." Kari gives Eve a firm nod, wings buzzing slightly in anticipation. "The rest of my gear is in the hangar, so I can get suited up there."
1:31 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Very well, then let's make haste. The sooner we can determine the cause, the sooner we will be able to rectify it."
1:34 AM - Kari: "Got it!" Kari gives Eve a confident thumbs up before motioning towards the door. "Right this way. I'll show you to the hanger if you want."
1:35 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, smiling faintly and stepping to line beside you.
1:38 AM - Kari: Kari marches off at Eve's previous pace, wings buzzing as she smiles to herself down the hallway. With a quick ride down the safety line, she hurries her way to the Hanger with Eve in tow. As they arrive, she turns to her companion to give her a little nod. "Alright. Be in my cockpit in a minute," she says, hopping backwards towards the lockers. A short changing sequence later, and she's all geared up and ready to go, eagerly racing off to leap up to her Mek's cockpit.
1:43 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Understood. I will hail you on the comms and provide you with communication channels." As you approach the Yuida, you can't help but marvel at the fact that it is already seemingly completely repaired. Additionally, your new mining drill seems to have been given a harness, and is currently strapped to your Mekton. Dematus crawls off the side of the Yuida, visible bags under his eyes and a coating of dirt-caked sweat across his body. He nods to you as you pass, "The Wraiths offered to help repair her. I declined. She's mine as much as yours. I like to take care of my own problems... I did accept their parts though." Yawning hugely, he places a hand on your shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.
1:46 AM - Kari: "Thanks, Dematus. I knew I could count on you." Kari looks him in the eyes, a knowing smile planted on her face. She gives him a curt nod and says, "I'll try to bring her back in one piece this time. With any luck I won't be dealing with cruise missiles on this run."
1:51 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "Hopefully. Take care down there." He yawns once more, skittering off into the main area of the ship. You suit up and mount your Mekton, going through the usual start-up routines. Just as you get it up and running, a comm call comes in from Widoia. Her screen shows nothing but her empty chair, though you hear plenty of skittering and "oops"es. Finally, Widoia appears on-screen, clad in a hastily thrown-on top, her hair an uncombed mess. "Kari! K-Kari, oh good, you're still here. I didn't realize what time it was... I'm glad I didn't miss you."
1:53 AM - Kari: "Oh, h-hey, Widoia~." Kari's face flushes as she closes the cockpit and sets her helmet in her lap. "I'm glad I got to see you before we set down. I would have come to visit you, but the mission is fairly urgent. How did you sleep?"
1:54 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "V-very well, thanks. Sorry, I would have been here sooner, but I was, um..." she blushes, turning away and holding a hand to her mouth. "R-reliving last night, in a sense..."
1:57 AM - Kari: "O-o-oh~." Kari's face tints a little more red as she realizes what Widoia means. "I... I'm g-glad you enjoyed it. I know I sure did. And uh... I'm going to hold you to our agreement. I'll be seeing you again soon, but until then I'm to maintain radio silence with the ship."
1:58 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, turning to face the camera and smiling cutely. "R-right! I'll be waiting for you to get back, Kari. Be careful, alright?"
1:59 AM - Kari: "You got it. Cutie's orders after all~." Kari puts on a cute smile of her own and gives Widoia a small wave.
2:02 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "C-c-cutie's!? I-I, um..." with the new context from your previous night, Widoia seems almost hesitant to call you cute in return, despite how freely she doled it out prior to the fact. Her blush intensifies, and she looks down, tapping two fingers together. "S-see you soon, cutie~." She waves, closing the comm.
2:05 AM - Kari: Kari giggles to herself, thoroughly pleased with both herself and Widoia's goodbye. Picking up her helmet once more, she slides it on over her head and seals it up nice and tight. When she's done, she cracks her joints and limbers up a little before laying her hands on the controls, itching to get going at the Wraith's say so.
2:09 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Eve hails in a moment later. She makes no mention of your conversation with Widoia, but you can't help shake the feeling that she may have heard it, as you recall something said during your previous mission in regards to "Remember to encrypt your transmissions." Or maybe just use a private line... Eve says, "I'm sending you classified transmission codes for Federation and Wraith frequencies. You are not to contact them unless there is an absolute emergency and I am unavailable."
2:13 AM - Kari: "Eheheh... r-roger." Kari says, making to brush a lock of hair aside only to tap the side of her helmet and look thoroughly embarrassed. Pushing past the awkwardness, she clears her throat to get back to business. "G-Got it. Let's make sure I don't need to then. Um... If there are civilians down there, do we use our real names when we communicate with them?"
2:15 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "That is generally left to your discretion. Having your name known can be beneficial in some respects, and there are Wraiths who act as the 'face' of our organization. Being a recognized part of the Wraiths is not classified, but what you do is."
2:15 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "So the decision ultimately rests with you."
2:16 AM - Kari: "I suppose a fake name wouldn't really do anything for me... seeing as so few of my kind are even in space yet... Do you use a fake name when on missions, Miss Akemi?"
2:17 AM - MonMusu Zeta: "I do not. While I have no desire to become widely known, I also see no point in falsifying my name. Whether or not they recognize they fact that it is my given name, they are liable to remember my face anyway."
2:18 AM - MonMusu Zeta: the fact*
2:20 AM - Kari: "I understand. Then I think I'll use mine as well. Standing by when you're ready, Ma'am."
2:25 AM - MonMusu Zeta: She nods, closing the vidfeed, but leaving comms open. The hatch doors open, revealing the planet beneath, and Eve's Mekton steps forwards. Looking at it closely, it's almost as graceful and lithe as she is, having more curves than sharp points, though it appears to pack a mean aersnal. You approach the opposite side of the hatch. "I'll drop, you wait three seconds, then follow me. Three... two... one..." at the unspoken 'zero', she leaps down the opening, heading planetside at a high veolcity.
2:27 AM - Kari: Kari makes to answer, but the countdown cuts her off. Albeit slightly flustered from the lack of formality, she simply nods, counts out three seconds and then steps off the ledge into the sky. She does her best to look out for Eve, and to fall in behind her as the planet's gravity pulls her down.
2:28 AM - MonMusu Zeta: Jumping after at the appropriate time, the two of you begin to descend planetside. Completely unsure of what threats may lay ahead for the two of you, you prepare for the worst, steeling yourself for the challenges beyond...
2:28 AM - MonMusu Zeta: aaaand we'll cut here