unbr8kable | meeting dr. cross

meeting dr. cross

[She's met with Cross enough times that they are legitimate acquaintances now. There are only so many recruits, so they've ended up in some of the same training sessions, and she's fairly certain she's seen him in the dorms despite this mysterious Dr. Cross in the west wing. He's actually followed through on the promises to hang out, too, which was surprising enough that she hasn't prodded too much about his secrets. Cross himself hasn't been any less tight-lipped about the subject. He has instead shown her some cool nooks and crannies--they've found a closer entrance to the ceiling above the storage lockers in the maintenance closets near the courtyard--and while they haven't made it to Tokyo yet, he's shown her how to jimmy the lock to the roof, and otherwise just spent time with her he didn't have to, and that's been enough to effectively distract her from the topic.

That said, it hasn't made her any less curious, and today she's got a whole afternoon off--the tuning session for her arm ended early, and no one said she couldn't make any stops on the way back. Which is how Xia finds herself deep in the Tenno complex's west wing, in front of a door labeled 'Cross.' She stares at it for a while before giving it a quick rap.]

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[There is no immediate response.]

[She...waits?]

[Maybe no one heard.]

[Maybe the door's unlocked? Seems like a good time to check.]

[The door is, in fact, unlocked.]

[Inside, there is a desk in sleek stainless steel, overrun by schematics. A hologram display near the wall shows a turnaround of a half-complete suit with numbers running down one side. A bookshelf stands near the door, crammed with reference books. Three metallic workbenches are crowded with partially complete projects and parts, and if Xia is up on her model specs, it looks like one of them is the chest piece of Team Alpha's Foresight, in for upgrades.]

[A woman is standing over that workbench now. She is tall and thin, intently focused on her work. She wears a labcoat that's smudged with grease, and she definitely bears a passing resemblance to Cross. Her hair is sandy blonde, pulled back into a severe bun at the base of her skull. There's something of him in the shape of her cheekbones and the line of her jaw.]

[She doesn't look up.]

Leave it on the bookshelf.

[Is that what happens if you wash out of piloting, you're put on book delivery duty? --At any rate, Xia takes a few more steps into the room, looking around with unabashed curiosity.]

Uh, no, Doctor, I'm not-- Is that the new chestplate for Foresight? I heard it was getting magnetic shielding, supposed to be stronger and lightweight.

[She half-turns from the workbench at the words, eyes flickering briefly over toward Xia. They perform a quick once-over, taking in the uniform, and the insignia, and the untidy hair - glance away again, as though she's been appraised and found lacking.]

It is.

Do you have the treatise I asked for, or don't you?

[It is hardly the first time Xia's been judged lacking, and it probably won't be the last. Her shoulders twitch, but with effort she keeps from any other reaction.]

This was more of a social call, I guess, but if you tell me who you're looking for I can go find out what's the hold up.

[There. Helpful, even-tempered, polite-enough. Being friendly with Cross notwithstanding, she wants some of that magnetic shielding on her suit. When she gets a suit. Someday.]

[Dr Cross' eyes don't turn back toward her again; she's already facing the workbench again, moving to pick up a pair of pliars.]

Dr. Wada's assistant.

[Luckily she hadn't actually been planning on helping because she doesn't have any idea who that is. Either way, her expression stays pretty placidly friendly.]

Okay. When I run into 'em, I'll send 'em your way. What's the treatise on?

[Dr. Cross' hand pauses briefly, and her eyes flicker back toward Xia again.]

Something that's vital for my current project.

[hooks her thumbs in her pockets, rocking back on her heels]

That's cool. Sounds like you're into some crazy stuff. I'm surprised Cross doesn't talk you up more.

[Her hands find the pliars. She leans forward to peer into the chestplate, reaching in with careful hands to begin adjusting the wiring.]

Mm.

[She watches with unfocused interest; it's cool, she guesses, but she knows far too little about electronics to know why. Anyway, that was as good an opening as any, so why not get this fact-finding mission started.]

We're in the same cohort, me and your, uh, kid, I guess. He's actually pretty decent, I guess, he'll probably hang in there for a while. You guys worried he'll get bullied for having family here, I guess?

[Dr. Cross frowns down at whatever she's seeing - hauls over a light on a flexible arm and turns it on, to add its harsh LED glare to already-bright lab lighting.]

[She glances up briefly at the question, expression momentarily blank as though the possibility had never ever occured - and then leans back in again, beginning to adjust the wiring again.]

Not especially.

Oh.

[Rocks back on her heels again, more of a nervous movement this time. Maybe there actually was something to it when Kuwahara said she wasn't cut out for Leader--she feels flat-footed, not having gotten anything to work with.]

Uh, just wondered, since he's in the dorm with us and all, even though you're here? Maybe it would've been weird, to send him mail, it's not like everybody gets some, I don't...

[Just kind of keeps babbling since she doesn't know where to go or how to stop]

[Dr. Cross sighs, the exhale slow and deliberate.]

[She sets the pliars down, and she turns to face Xia. Somehow, the weight of her stare, even and unfaltering, is far worse than the blatant dismissal from before. She cuts into the stream of chatter, so abrupt it seems jarring:]

What's your name?

[Immediately snaps to attention. It's not easy to meet that gaze, and her voice falters for a beat before she can reply]

Uh-- Igarashi from Eta cohort, ma'am.

And you say you know my son.

Yes, we-- Yes.

Then allow me to correct his oversight, as he apparently found it amusing to mention the location of my office and nothing else relevant.

I don't have the time or the patience for idle prattle, Miss Igarashi. Do you understand me?

No-- I mean, yes, but he didn't--

Team Alpha's support is currently out of commission. Would you like to venture a guess as to what will happen if the sirens in this building go off and I'm not finished with this chest plate?

[Opens her mouth and closes it, swallowing any comment]

Precisely.

[She turns back toward the workbench, reaching for the pliars again.]

Now see yourself out. And kindly tell my son to actually think before he speaks next time.

H-hey, he didn't say anything.

[There's a thin, worried edge to her tone; getting in trouble is one thing, getting other people in trouble (getting him in trouble) is another. She swallows and continues, voice stronger.]

Leave him out of this, this was my idea.

[She continues to work, not glancing back again. Now that her too-intense focus has been broken, it's as though there's a wall separating them.]

Was it?

[Licks her lips. She should probably just go.]

Yeah. He didn't want me to know about you, and I guess now I know why.

[No response. She adjusts a delicate bit of wiring. Her expression doesn't change at all.]

[Takes a tight little breath

And leaves the room, fists clenched and mouth pressed tight]

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