[hr][hr][center][h1][color=Teal]AGATHA[/color][/h1][b]CORRIDORS, NEW ANCHORAGE[/b][/center] [hr][hr] Things had been rather peculiar the past few days in New Anchorage, at least in Agatha’s opinion. Maybe it could have been passed off as the somberness resulting from Alexander Sky’s death, but the atmosphere had grown thick for reasons beyond simply the death of one pilot no matter the circumstances. There wasn’t a particular feel to it, not fear or anger, anticipation or apathy, just an aimless feeling that pervaded the air. Or maybe Agatha was going senile, who really knew at this point? All the aged lioness knew was that she needed a change of pace from the usual routine, and if that meant skipping lunch and taking it easy on the physical labor till dinner filled her up again, she would. Lunch had become an awkward time of day anyway, given the notable absences among their numbers and the odd tension Stein exhibited when around the senior staff. If they hadn’t had so many pilots to begin with Agatha may have been concerned they were understaffed, but as it was they would be able to make due on missions with what they had. [color=Teal][i] Assuming things don’t decline further. Dangerous times, and we haven’t even fired a shot yet.[/i][/color] She thought with a grim sense of humor, stalking the halls as she made her way to the office she had been pointedly ignoring up till now. [color=teal]Time to see the Commander. Wonder how far the brats come along.[/color] The corridors leading towards Commander Graham’s office felt harrowing, even more so than the entire facility felt— the reality of the last time a pilot stepped into the office becoming all the more apparent to not just Agatha but anybody who stepped forward to speak with the commander. The incident with Alexander was still labeled under a “need to know” basis and it all felt so hush hush despite Alvarez going over the announcement that Alexander Sky had definitely attempted to kill Graham during their last fated meeting several days prior. Agatha was well aware of the history in being made here in these halls. It was amusing to contemplate the ghost stories that would emerge in relation to Graham’s office, especially if he had to shoot another pilot. [color=teal] Hmm, I wonder if the ones that already left were the superstitious sort…[/color] Thanks to the directions Stein provided shortly after their arrival, as well the map on all their datapads, it wasn’t difficult for Agatha to turn the corner onto the corridor where Graham’s office resided. As she approached, it certainly did have an ominous appearance if looked at as a whole, but it wouldn’t slow down the aged lioness. With two armed guards leading into the checkpoint with another guard and of course an administrative assistant behind the monitor of a computer console. With confident strides she approached the approached the officer at the desk. [color=teal]”Permission to enter, sir? I feel I must inform you that I am unarmed, but feel free to search.”[/color] She said the last part with a touch of cheek amidst the serious nature of her words and spread her arms to be frisked if the need arose. The nametag read ‘Abigail Kord’, as the sound of clattering keys continued as Agatha asked her question. “Another pilot this week? Have you come to resign as well? At this point the commander should appoint an officer to deal with resignations.” [color=teal]“Resign? No. I’m only leaving in a body bag, if at all.”[/color] “I see. Commander Graham is very busy, I hope you aren’t here to waste his time. I’ll let him know you need to see him.” [color=teal]”Of course, I wouldn’t dream of it.” [/color] Finding they weren’t going to strip search she let her arms settled comfortably behind her back and waiting to be let in or sent away. She supposed Graham was a busy man and could have too much work for a social visit, but Agatha would just find another use for her time if he was unavailable. One can never have too much time on the firing range, after all. As Agatha waited there were a few whispers over Kord’s communication device before she looked up from her desk and to the pilot, giving a subtle nod as she waved her in the direction of Graham’s office doors, which were also guarded by two additional soldiers. Finding her way cleared with little difficulty, Agatha gave a parting nod in return to the desk officer before progressing to the next checkpoint. With all this security it was a small wonder Alex got a gun into Graham’s office in the first place, or was the security in response to the incident itself? Well, she was being moved forward, so however this went down it was at the very least on the behest of Graham himself; otherwise she wouldn’t have gotten this far without her resignation papers in hand. [color=teal]Hmm, does he remember our first and last encounter? Awful long time for a child in an iron giant to remember, but he seems to have proven his competence so far...though his hiring practises could use some work.” [/color] Though since it was these same practises that got her a job, it wasn’t in her interest to bring this up in conversation. Stopping before the final two guards Agatha looked between them expectantly, wondering if they would be the ones to search her or if Graham would take her in directly. Neither soldier seemed to stop her, though had she been specifically armed perhaps it would’ve been different. As the door slid open, Graham’s voice became apparent. [color=olive]“Smith.”[/color] There was a pause. [color=olive]“I’m in the middle of a few things, but how can I help you?”[/color] [color=teal]”Commander.”[/color] Agatha stepped inside and stood at ease before his desk. While Graham may have been rather militant in his practises, he hadn’t yet instituted such stringent guidelines into the pilot's behavior. It being a social call also left her in a bit of a lax mindset. [color=teal]”I was actually looking to talk with you if your workload wasn’t too cumbersome; don’t worry, it’s not a matter of resignation or life and death.” [/color] The aged lioness amended, not trying to worry the man over losing another pilot. [color=teal]”It’s more of a social call then anything else. Getting a measure of the man leading us moving forward into the future once we are past this testing phase.”[/color] [color=olive]“Fourteen days in and you want a social call instead of lunch. That’s not something I was expecting, honestly. Especially considering the fact that every single pilot has only stepped into this pilot for anything but.”[/color] [color=teal]”Truth be told I was going to save this for after the testing, but given recent events I’ve figured there isn’t much point waiting. Besides, if every Tom, Dick, and Jane came walking into your office to talk about their feelings, you wouldn’t be a very authoritative commander.”[/color] Her foot scuffed along the crimson streaks left ingrained into the cold steel of the floors. Agatha had to admit that it was a poignant reminder to everyone who entered the office who was in charge around these parts, and couldn’t help her lips curling upwards in approval. [color=teal]”Heh, I never would have thought this is where we would wind up.”[/color] [color=olive]“I never thought so, either. Not so bad for an orphan from Vegas, really.”[/color] [color=teal] “Not bad at all, though I guess we were all just starry eyed kids before we got tested.”[/color] Graham chuckled as he looked to Agatha as he put the datapad down on his desk. [color=olive]“Not all of us were idealistic.”[/color] She allowed herself to grin a bit easier as Graham appeared to loosen up. Since she had not been outright cast out and Graham was participating, it was a given that at least she was going to be getting an interesting conversation out of this. Agatha herself wasn’t exactly idealistic growing up, but her childhood was so distant it bore no relevance now. Still, there was always a sense of wanderlust when she gazed upon the hulking Neural Combatants, reverence for walking Armageddon, that wasn’t something a child could really put into words. Looking on it now, Agatha thought she may have desired the liberty that wielding that kind of power would give her. [color=teal]Well, regardless of ideals, you came out fine. Even have that bucket of bolts you call an NC still in operation. Heh, I swear I took its leg off, but looks like my memory must have failed me.”[/color] [color=olive]“Tell that to the nerve damage in my right leg.”[/color] Graham grinned as it looked like the thought of talking about that period of his life was a much wanted distraction from what he had been dealing with. The aged lioness was intimately familiar with the allure of reflecting on one’s past. Lingering regret mixed with the sweetness of nostalgia made for an intoxicating and enthralling mixture that was difficult to arouse oneself from. Yet this wasn’t inherently wrong to imbibe in, Agatha would be rather hypocritical if she thought so. This was exactly what the both of them needed, a brief reprieve from their current woes in the halls of times since past. [color=teal]”I think your leg is fine if you aren’t dragging yourself around in a wheelchair. Me? I still feel like my ribs are going to implode from you nearly coring Charon! Suppose I should thank you for that, otherwise I wouldn’t have upped the armor.”[/color] [color=olive]“Seems like a upgrade that didn’t get a lot of use. You retired not too long after.”[/color] It spoke to how much Agatha was enjoying this moment that she didn’t seem off put by mention of her retirement. [color=teal]“You’d be surprised how effective a heavily armored NC in your yard can dissuade trouble from hitting your family. I’m sure it would have gotten plenty of use, but I’d rather have kept the kids safe until they were ready for it.”[/color] Agatha ran a hand through her faded hair and looked upwards, eyes seeming to be locked on an ephemeral image far away from New Anchorage. [color=teal]“Sir, you ever have any of your own?”[/color] [color=olive]“Out of the ones I [i]know[/i] about, there’s two of them here at New Anchorage.”[/color] A short bark of laughter slipped out of Agatha at Graham’s phrasing. While she hadn’t known it at the time her future research into the boy who nearly killed her would reveal that he had a reputation as a ladies man. The both of them probably knew he had more than one bastard out there in the world. [color=teal] “Ah, must be nice having them close. Since I’m willing to be my first month’s salary none of the pilot’s here are yours, I’m going to say….engineering and security?”[/color] [color=olive]“My daughter is in medical, educated in Denver-Vegas Pharmaceuticals. She’s done pretty well, but she has abandonment issues so she left when I left.”[/color] Graham paused, [color=olive]“As for my son, he’s in engineering. He was a pretty talented NC technican, has a bit of a wanderlust though. I honestly will be surprised if he’ll be staying on for more than a few months.”[/color] [color=teal]”You must be proud of them. Sound like smart kids, they’ll do well for themselves even if your boy looks for his own place in the world. My girls are out there somewhere, wandering souls not likely to stick in one place too long. Still wouldn’t mind more frequent correspondence.”[/color] [color=olive]“I could do some digging, see where they ended up; if you’d like.”[/color] Agatha shook her head in the negative. As much as she loved her girls the aged lioness knew there was a time to let her girls go and have the time to find their own place in this violent world. [color=teal][i]And so can I now.[/i][/color] Agatha crossed her arms across her chest to occupy her hands as her finger twitched in irritation from her own thoughts. [color=teal]”I shouldn’t be nosy. They weren’t raised to be damsels, so they don’t need their mother coming to rescue them.”[/color] Looking about the room, noting the bloodstain and the rather stringent decorating style that were presented here. Everything bore a degree of theatre to it, an image he desired to present to the world, or in this case New Anchorage. The rigidity of military doctrine, or the latest monument to his power in the splatter of a mad pilot’s life fluid on the floor. Agatha understood that these were important to project to maintain his authority, but a question lingered. [color=teal]”If you don’t mind me asking, but why did you take this position?”[/color] Graham’s smirk dropped and he averted his eyes for a moment, taken back by the question. [color=olive]“What do you mean? It’s a good position.”[/color] [color=teal]”It is, but it’s also a heavy load. Takes you from behind the wheel of your NC but it isn’t any safer.”[/color] [color=olive]“I haven’t been behind the ‘wheel’ of my NC in a decade. So that’s not a change. I’m also not concerned about safety.”[/color] Agatha snorted mirthlessly, foot tapping the floor. [color=teal]”Clearly. So I take it you do this for the love of the job, or is retirement not your style?”[/color] [color=olive]“I have my reasons.”[/color] It wasn’t in Agatha’s imagination that Graham was done with this line of conversation. Agatha hadn’t expected to get anything truly profound or a closely held secret out of her former adversary. She had gotten more than enough to slake her curiosity and they had been enjoying themselves for a time. [color=teal]”Heh, don’t we all?”[/color] The aged lioness chuckled disarmingly before finally deciding to slip into a chair across from Graham’s desk. Things had already been pushed to the brink of tension and needed to unwind with the one thing every parent enjoyed, bragging about their children. [color=teal] “So where did your daughter get her education?”[/color] [color=olive]“One of the medical universities in Vegas. Pretty much most of o— my reserve earnings from my early career went into her education in the megacity.”[/color] Graham paused as his hand reached to the comlink connected to his right ear. He held up his hand. [color=olive]“I’d hate to cut this short, but I have a new pilot to integrate to the base that has just arrived.”[/color] [color=teal]”Of course. Thank you for your time, sir. Perhaps we can talk more another time then.”[/color] Just as soon as she had gotten comfortable Agatha was back to her feet. Offering Graham a tidy salute, she turned and left the way she came. As curious as she was about the new pilot, they’d likely be introduced at the next meal anyway. The aged lioness had a lot to think about after their brief conversation, and there wasn’t much time left to make it back to the cafeteria and eat.