[hr][hr][center][color=0076a3][h2]STEIN KALFOX[/h2][/color] [sub][i][b]“Greed is so destructive. It destroys everything.”[/b][/i] E A R T H A K I T T[/sub][/center] [hr][hr] [center][b]MECH HANGAR - NEW ANCHORAGE[/b][/center] The conversation that had occurred with Percy Moore was one that Stein wasn’t particularly happy with the result of. Whilst his incessant whining and excuses was mildly annoying, it wasn’t until he had called her a [i]robot[/i] did her emotions come a little bit unhinged. Stein wasn’t sure why she let it bother her as she finally made back to the hangar, stopping in front of her own mech— The Little Dragon. The sound of plasma cutters, welding tools, and spinning gears in the hangar seemed to have calmed her down for the moment or at least a slight amount. The blonde-haired pilot took a heavy breath as she centered herself. [color=0076a3]“Hm. Well, the repairs seem to be adequate on the exterior.”[/color] She muttered underneath her breath. A higher-pitched sound rose above the whirring and burning, and while it might have at first come off as some asinine shout, when Vera rounded up beside Stein it became apparent it was her voice. [color=662d91]”Heya--whoo!”[/color] she said, and nearly dropped the two stacked sandwich boxes in her hands. [color=662d91]”Heya Stein! How was mission talk?”[/color] Stein nearly chuckled, this place was much more [i]social[/i] than her previous assignment. She still had to get used to that. She turned toward Vera’s direction and gave a reply. [color=0076a3]“Adequate. Though there were some issues, but they are dealt with.”[/color] [color=662d91]”Was it someone? Do I gotta yell at someone? Was it Lizzy, I’ll double yell at her.”[/color] she asked, and just as quickly her attention turned to the sandwich boxes, as if she’d forgotten they were there. [color=662d91]”Oh! You want something to eat?”[/color] [color=0076a3]“I have not had issues with Officer Jackspar, no.”[/color] Stein stated, matter-of-factly. Stein thought back to her entire day here and realized she hadn’t gone off to the mess hall yet, so the suggestion wasn’t an off one. [color=0076a3]“I haven’t visited the mess hall yet, so the option is favorable. Is it not someone else's?”[/color] Vera shook her head. Despite the fact that she had originally gotten them for Eli and herself, she couldn’t find the other girl. And besides, she was making new friends, no harm in that. [color=662d91]”Here!”[/color] she beamed, and held out one of the boxes. [color=662d91]”Whatcha up to? Mind if I hang out?”[/color] Stein shrugged after she retrieved the box offered to her. [color=0076a3]“I was going to commit to maintenance on my NC, but it seems it is ready for field use. Though I could still do diagnostics on internal systems or… retire for the night?”[/color] Stein blinked, she didn’t really have any options or additional activities she could fall back on. For the last ten years it had been pretty formula for non-mission: personal barracks, mess hall, hangar, briefing, hangar, mess hall, personal barracks. It hadn’t really occurred to her considering the concept of “hanging out” was so alien to her. [color=662d91]”Sleep? Already?”[/color] Vera didn’t bother trying to hide the confusion in her voice. [color=0076a3]“Not really many options that I can see. But as such can be delayed due to social encounters.”[/color] The smaller girl smiled. [color=662d91]”Yeah, hanging out! Come on you guys had to have done that, right? What do you do for fun in Volkov?”[/color] There was more sincerity to the last bit, even if it might not have come across. Vera had never voiced her desire to know a bit more about her family’s homeland. Her real family, anyway. Fun? Stein tried to think on that. Some of the other soldiers, engineers, and pilots had activities they engaged in but Stein didn’t really have anything to carry over from childhood… because being a combat pilot [i]was her childhood[/i]. [color=0076a3]“Fitness Regiments and Obstacle Course engagement, I suppose? There was also simulation.”[/color] [color=662d91]”Really?”[/color] Vera’s head cocked to the side. [color=662d91]”You never like, made snow forts, or told stories, or...wrestled bears?”[/color] Stein laughed at that last one. [color=0076a3]“No, I have not.”[/color] Vera laughed with her, shuffling onward to find a place to sit. [color=662d91]”Well we’ll think of something. Maybe after your missions I’ll have some fun stuff for you to try.”[/color] Finding a small stack of boxes as a good enough place, she sat down and started to work on her own sandwich. [color=662d91]”But hey, there’s always stories. Best part about them is everyone knows some. I bet you’ve got some [i]super rad[/i] stories!”[/color] [color=0076a3]“I suppose I do.”[/color] Stein stated as she leaned against a industrial scaffolding before getting to her sandwich as well. [color=662d91]”Like--like--[/color] Vera’s excitement refused to let her decide between chewing and speaking. [color=662d91]”Like you said you were a pilot when you were a kid. I bet that was super cool, when did you actually get to be in the robot for the first time?”[/color] Stein thought back for a minute. [color=0076a3]“There was a medical examination, it was discovered I had the affinity required to be a NC pilot. Few weeks after that I was thrown into orientation and training.”[/color] [color=0076a3]“I was ten.”[/color] [color=662d91]”[b]Ten?![/b][/color] Vera covered her mouth to stop any more crumbs from flying out. [color=662d91]”How’d you do?”[/color] [color=0076a3]“First mission? or First simulation?”[/color] [color=662d91]”You went on a [b]mission[/b] when you were ten?”[/color] [color=0076a3]“Yeah, a bunch of soldiers and engineers made a independent company; much like this one. I was assigned to a squad to deal with them under Commander Vox after they decided attacking company holdings was a good idea.”[/color] Stein laughed, [color=0076a3]“I was utterly terrified. I completely shut down after my first kill.”[/color] And as quickly as Stein finished speaking, the excitement drained from Vera’s face. She stared at the older girl, and tried to imagine herself in the cockpit after… [color=662d91]”You...killed someone when you were ten…”[/color] despite its phrasing, it was not a question. [color=0076a3]“He had cornered me against a mountainside, and I think my instincts just took over— tore through his cockpit with anti-armor machine gun fire. Like swiss cheese, as the expression goes.”[/color] Stein recalled, not comprehending Vera’s reaction. Vera didn’t weigh much, there wasn’t much strength to her, and so it might have taken a bit for Stein to realize that the girl had her arms wrapped around her in a hug. [color=662d91]”I’m sorry you had t’do that.”[/color] Stein blinked, utterly confused by the reaction. Normally she would’ve reacted instinctively to someone breaching her personal space like this but for some reason… she didn’t. [color=0076a3]“W-Why are you apologizing? It has nothing to do with you.”[/color] Vera just held tight. [color=662d91]”I know what the pilots here do. Lizzy tries not to bring it up, but you guys...you fight a lot, you have to kill people. But you’re grown up, that’s what happens.”[/color] She gave Stein a gentle pat on the back. [color=662d91]”But not back then.”[/color] Stein coughed as she [i]let[/i] Vera [i]try[/i] to comfort her, as naive as it was… it felt nice for what it was. She hadn’t ever had real affection in her life or at least not in many many years. [color=0076a3]“I wasn’t the only child soldier, so you know; even ‘back then’. It was pretty common.”[/color] [color=662d91]”Just cause a bunch’a people do it doesn’t make it okay,”[/color] Vera said, her voice still soft. [color=662d91]”Ms. Jackspar told me that about drugs too.”[/color] [color=0076a3]“It’s a reality of the world we live in.”[/color] Stein cleared her throat as she put her hands on Vera’s shoulders, indicating it was okay to halt her intrusion of her personal space now. [color=0076a3]“But that was the last time I was ‘scared’ as they call it. I became really good because of that experience; I was already the best rookie in the simulations.”[/color] Stein not sure if she was lying right there to Vera or to [i]herself[/i]. She had been frightened on other missions though by the time she was fourteen it had all been shot out of her system. But that was due to her conditioning rather than her own will. Perhaps she had forgotten or perhaps she had been [i]made[/i] to forget. Vera took the hint and let Stein go, bringing herself to smile again. [color=662d91]”Yeah...I guess if it made you brave, that’s good. Gotta be brave to be a pilot.”[/color] she took up her sandwich again, but ate much more slowly. [color=662d91]“I’m glad you’re a good guy.”[/color] [color=0076a3]“...I don’t really see things like you do, I think.”[/color] Stein nervously chuckled before taking another bite from the sandwich. [color=0076a3]“Thank you for the sentiment, though, I guess.”[/color] [color=662d91]“Mhm!”[/color] Vera looked off towards the NCs, and she couldn’t help but let her curiosity run wild.