first sortie.

[unbr8kable]

[Six hours previous, everything had been so much simpler. The Eta cohort had made it to live combat training, out in one of the few areas the Tenno had claimed back from the invaders. Xia had been vibrating the whole day, grinning wide as she suited up in the boring steel training mech (hers would be blue, she decided, or maybe black, with bold red stripes on the limbs) and deployed to the field, not even cracking on Wimperson, the Support (not his real name, but it may as well have been).

The Heralds didn't come up on radar until they were practically on top of the trainees. Maybe if there'd been more lead time, it would've been less of a shitshow, but who the hell knows.

The grimy details aren't important, but they aren't great. Damage to all suits, with two damaged beyond repair; the Leader froze under pressure, the Shadow couldn't keep up with the speedy Heralds. Wimperson actually came through. Johnson the Medic went down right there, in front of them.

Xia and Jacob have only just gotten out of their debriefing, another unexpected first for the day.

She and Jacob did good, Xia knows. They kept their heads, were barely hurt, they moved together well. "You'll make a good team," Corporal Kuwahara tells them before turning towards the medical ward to check on Johnson's surgery. "Go get some rest."

But no, rest is pretty much the opposite of what they need right now, Xia thinks. She turns to Jacob, giving her best attempt at a normal expression.]

Wanna get out of here?

Comments

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Glances up, a bit surprised; he'd thought they had more time.]

Yeah, we better hurry.

[unbr8kable]

[time flies when you are defying death by acrobatics and food. or maybe there's something crazy going on in the eastern part of the city, bonfires or protests outside the palace again lighting up the sky. either way, a better view won't hurt?]

Wonder if they keep the real pilots on such a short leash? I mean, after saving the city, I think all-night karaoke is the least you deserve.

[crossmyheartandhope]

We'll find out for sure before too much longer.

[He grabs for her arm to pull her off toward a likely-looking tall building.]

Come on!

[unbr8kable]

Hell yeah!

[She is up and running within a few paces; she's finally getting used to the rhythm of his manhandling. The residential tower they approach is older, its architecture and somewhat garish colors hinting at late Showa glory. But it is tall, compared to many of the buildings around it, and more importantly, doesn't have an electronic lock on the door to the elevators. Though with the rolling brown-outs, that was less of a concern recently...]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Even better, the elevator doors face the alcove in the front of the building, instead of making them traipse in through the lobby. He takes a quick glance around and jams at the elevator button; when the numbers light up to show the elevator's on the way down, he gives a little grin.]

Jackpot!

[unbr8kable]

Sweet! This sure beats the pants off of running up all these stairs.

[the elevator dings, slooowly the door opens, and Xia tugs him inside. the elevator sags distressingly as they step inside, and the doors close. After an unnerving pause, the elevator shudders and begins to rise]

Man, HQ needs like 500 percent more high-rises. This underground stuff is the pits.

[crossmyheartandhope]

That's the real reason we gotta wipe the floor with those aliens.

[The elevator chugs and lurches; how old is this thing, anyway?]

[unbr8kable]

Pretty much. Or we just gotta figure out how to reinforce the windows or something.

[the elevator gives a shuddering rattle, almost a stall--but keeps going]

...Gotta say, this elevator feels like those crappy training suits. Are we going to the roof or pushing Gs here? Who even approved this thing?

[crossmyheartandhope]

Someone, I hope. We better not've missed some kind of, "Danger, never use this thing under fear of death," notice.

[unbr8kable]

Maybe the whole thing was a trap. The building was set up so that we wouldn't be able to escape. Like in an action movie!

[crossmyheartandhope]

If it's like an action movie, we've got it covered. We can climb out the hatch up top and slide down the cables when it inevitably breaks down.

[unbr8kable]

...Do you think the hatch'll open?

[eyeing the ceiling, 'cause why not?]

[crossmyheartandhope]

...we could try.

[unbr8kable]

...I've got a 10 yen coin if you can give me a boost.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[It is probably for the best that, just as he's lacing his fingers together to make a platform and going down on one knee, the elevator finally jerks to a stop.]

Oops. Too slow.

[unbr8kable]

Aww...

[a good thirty seconds later--honestly, who approved this thing--the door opens and they're allowed to trip out to the roof. It seems to be well-used for entertainment, with a grill and a table for eating]

Whoa, looks ready for relaxing!

[crossmyheartandhope]

We oughtta keep this place in mind for later.

[He's wandering over to the railing along the side, though, because the view is the most important thing right now.]

[unbr8kable]

[it's clear tonight; from here they can see over to Chuo Park where they were before, as well as the fancy, private Shinjuku Gyoen, and even over to part of the imperial palace grounds before other buildings block the view. the sky is light enough that it's obvious the night is getting shorter rather than longer, but the light that's coming from the horizon is actually more to the north than true east. it's flashes, bright, like a thunderstorm. faintly, when the wind whips their way, there are faint sirens over the twilight quiet.]

...That's the direction of the training grounds, isn't it?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He stands there for a second, hands on the railing, eyes wide and smile washed away.]

...we gotta go.

[unbr8kable]

They're not going to let us do anything, much less schlep us out to Saitama. We're not even on the reserve squad yet.

[but her hands twitch until she digs her nails hard into her palms]

...Guess we didn't get 'em all, after all.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His hands are holding so tight on the railing that the knuckles have gone white.]

What do you think the sirens mean? They didn't go off earlier... did they?

[unbr8kable]

Didn't notice, was kinda busy.

[but he knows that, being equally busy, and she lets out a breath, shifts to fold her arms tight around herself, tap tap tapping on her metal arm]

Must be near a town or something. When you hear the sirens, you're supposed to go to the shelters. Not that that necessarily helps any.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Glances at her sidelong, trying to gauge her expression - then gets a look at it and decides he doesn't want to see, eyes skittering away and back out toward the city.]

It'll help this time.

The whole project's based here. They'll get someone out in time.

[unbr8kable]

[more flashes light the clouds to the north, but the wind has shifted and there's just the sounds of Tokyo at night for now. she shrugs, not quite casual, continues to tap out a rhythm of nervous energy on her arm.]

Whatever. Not my problem.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's quiet for maybe a beat too long.]

Pretty soon, we'll be the ones they get out in time.

[Which isn't what he wanted to say, exactly. But it - kind of toes up to the edge of it a little. For someone who's so good at people, he's bad at this.]