[center][h1][color=teal]Agatha Smith[/color]& [color=0076a3]Stein Kalfox[/color][/h1][b]Hangars, New Anchorage[/b][/center]
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[color=teal] "Wow, that is certainly one way to set up an ultimatum."[/color] Whistling in undisguised appreciation, Agatha felt her respect for the Commander rise. It would have been a bit foolish to assume he would just take whoever comes without some screening process, and given the contracts they signed he'd probably confiscate their NCs if they failed so it wasn't a loss on his part. She might have been tempted to question the man himself, maybe reminisce about their first encounter, but at this point he wouldn't bother investing himself in someone who had yet to prove their worth. [color=teal] "Well, better get to working or get to dying. Time ain't with any of us."[/color]


Offering a brief salute to their commander Agatha excused herself wordlessly before approaching the pilot she held the highest opinion of, largely for not involving themselves in the mess hall incident- She could not wait for what name the scuttlebut came up for it later on-, Stein Kalfox 


[color=teal] "Agatha Smith, pleased to meet you."[/color] She greeted, offering her hand to the pilot nearly a third her age. [color=teal] "Pardon my intrusion, but you seem the hardworking sort. Could you show me the ropes around here? I'd rather get to work now so we can get through this testing as smoothly as possible."[/color]


[color=0076a3]“I could familiarize you with essential facilities and information, yes.”[/color] The blonde-haired girl replied back with little to no emotion in her reply as her eyes kept on Commander Graham in case he had anything more to say before he left them to their thoughts.


Her reply was about as much as Agatha expected to get from the Ace. [color=teal] [i] Definetly one of the prodigy types. No nonsense behavior in full force with this girl.[/i] [/color] Still, a unit needed someone who could be the rock in an emotional storm, and she was certain she would grateful to have someone like Stein up on the frontline in the future. [color=teal] "Thank you. Perhaps we could get some physical exercise in together? I'm nowhere near out of shape but I believe you would have a better grasp of the standards our Commander would set--"[/color]


A sudden thought occured to her that her statement could possibly be misconstrued as a more promiscuous advance, and hoped she wouldn't make such an assumption.Stein wasn't the type of person you seduced, you [i]earned[/i] their trust. Given that Agatha operated as a rather aggresive scout-sniper in the field, it was important that she could trust Stein to do her job just as much as it was for her to trust in Agatha. That kind of bond wasn't something brought forth from mutual attraction, but an understanding of each other's abilties and character that often came from extensive practice and training with each other. 


Stein turned her head as Agatha cut herself off, quizzical about the older woman's train of thought. There was a second of silence before the former Volkov pilot monotonously chuckled as she shook her head. [color=0076a3]“Before Graham there were little standards. No mandatory training, simulation, conditioning— I assure you this is new for New Anchorage.”[/color]


Agatha let her hand return to her side as her thoughts turned quizzical as well. No training? Even as an independent Agatha had been expected to keep in shape, even if it was only a part of the pilot culture. There was a reason you never found a fat pilot, at least one that lived very long. Folding her hands comfortableybehind her back she let a competitive, but not condescending, smirk scratch across her face. She was a fellow pilot, not an elder or a grandmosther, and it was never a good idea to act superior until you earned the rank or proved your strength. At the moment, Agatha had done neither.[color=teal] "Well it looks like we are going to have to set the standards then, aren't we?"[/color]


Stein eyed the woman, a small smirk rising on her lips. [color=0076a3]“I would imagine you are out of practice. If you require someone you could easily outpace I suggest challenging someone less adept.”[/color]


Smirk broadening at the small fire lit under the former Volkov pilot, Agatha knew she had made the correct choice in approaching her. Stein may very well demolish Agatha in every test and leave her behind in every practise session, but she was confident she'd always be a close second so long as she had that bench mark to strive for. Heck, maybe Stein would find some new motivation as well, or risk being usurped from her lofty throne.[color=teal]"If I was looking to bolster my ego I wouldn't be here at New Anchorage. I came to work, and if one of the qualifiers is being in the best damn shape of my storied life, then you can be certain that I will."[/color]


[color=0076a3]“You could be worse off; many of our… [i]comrades[/i] lack that discipline—”[/color] Stein’s eyes moved to that of another female pilot, the one that Agatha remembered introducing herself as Eli. [color=0076a3]“—but there are exceptions.”[/color]


Following her gaze she landed upon the scarved pilot that irked her earlier. It wasn't fair by any stretch of the imagination to fault her for having the kid, but at the moment she was operating off her gut and past experience. It seemed to serve her well so far, but Agatha was aware it only went so far. Judgement would reserved till after she read up on the dossiers, but she would take the ace's commendation as a mark in her favor. The tightness in her features, however, told her to steer cleer of the pilot for the foreseeable future. That was a painfully familiar expression that left an old knife wound between two her ribs aching dully. 


[color=0076a3]“Hm. Give me a moment.”[/color] 


Agatha would then notice Stein's eyes shift again, this time to the NC that Graham had designated as their final test. Without a second comment the blonde-haired pilot began moving her feet forward to get a closer look at it. The aged lion wondered what was going through Stein's head as she gazed upon the final-- No, the penultimate test Graham had for them. Live combat was the true measure of their worth, after all. Was she envisioning her own assent? Could she already do it? Agatha flashed a predatory glimpse of her own teeth. [color=teal][i] Because I know I can. [/i][/color]