[hr][center][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjEwNi4xMWIxZDAuUlhabGNtbHVJQ0pUYldGc2JDSWdVMnQ1WlEuMA/vtks-embromation.regular.png[/img][/center][center][h1][color=f7941d]Port Algec[/color][/h1][h3][color=00FFFF]Hanger #3[/color][/h3][/center][hr]
	The hangers of Port Algec were better then most of the hangers that Skye was accustomed to. When it came to storing 18 to 20 meter tall mobile suits the Empire often fumbled when it came to temporary storage and maintenance areas. Major cities and military bases had large, proper facilities with steel and concrete walls that felt appropriately safe to leave a mobile suit. Yet on the outskirts of the Empire however it was a blessing when Skye had an aircraft hanger just barely big enough to worm her unit into.

	Hanger #3 was a 30 meters tall, 90 meters long steel skeleton plastered with corrugated sheet metal. It was badly lit, it was drafty, and the concrete floor was either too damp or too cold. And it was [i]wonderful.[/i]

	Lying on her back atop a glorified skateboard, Skye performed her third maintenance check that hour. The tedious task of opening the bottom leg panels of her Flag and carefully examining the joints helped to pass the time. Having solid concrete beneath her instead of just dirt, or god forbid [i]sand[/i], allowed Skye to focus more on the act of maintenance and less on the possibility of her mobile suit suddenly dropping down on her and popping her insides across the hanger like the world's most crippled zit.

	The initial excitement Skye had felt upon hearing of her transfer, and the clear signs she would be heading to state, had quickly faded as time slowed to a crawl. Seconds stretched into minutes, minutes became hours, and hours felt like they never arrived to begin with. Boredom followed by irritation quickly consumed Skye's mind as she struggled to find ways to pass the time until she could climb into her mobile suit and do what she had dreamed of doing for close to a decade.

	Eating clean through two standard issue rations (and a third 'bartered' from shifty mechanic), Skye inevitably found herself drawn to her flag. As soon as she approached the mechanics near it all but fled, and the ones who didn't quickly realized their mistake. While Skye did not consider herself an expert on mobile suits, and certainly not a researcher, she knew enough to know when someone was doing it wrong. And [i]no one[/i] was allowed to fuck up working on her pride and joy.

	A glare and a few idle threats allowed Skye to have her flag to herself without the need to start waving around a wrench like a club. Over the next hour and a half Skye had poured over her mobile suit three times, going through its systems again, and again, and again with a fine tooth comb. She didn't find anything wrong with it of course, but that was sort of the point. Better to find nothing the third time, then miss a major mechanical failure the first time. 

	It was much easier for Skye to lose herself in her work when left alone beneath the shade of her machine, allowing time to pass [i]slightly[/i] faster. Her impatience however was persistent and even Skye could feel herself rapidly losing interest as she neared the completion of her third check. Still on her back, massive wrench in hand and impact driver on the floor, Skye finished sealing the last leg panel when she heard a voice from the front of the machine.

	[color=FFC0CB]"Excuse me, have you seen Carius Everin Skye?"[/color]

	As soon as she heard the words Skye placed her palms to the ground, lifted her legs up, and launched herself forward. The wheels of the board beneath her sent her shooting out from under the shade of the mobile suit and back into the light of the open hanger. Slamming her feet into the ground, a dull metallic 'clunk' sounding out through the soles of her shoes, Skye jerked her eyes towards the first person she saw.

	[color=00FFFF]"Oh gods, please tell me you're here to give me orders to launch!"[/color] Skye said, a pleading tone in her voice as her eyes readjusted to the light. As soon as she realized who she was staring up at however Skye's eyes rolled back in her head, a look of visible disappointment and bitter frustration flashing across her face as she laid back down on her board.

	[color=00FFFF]"Oh god damn it, what do you want?"[/color]

	Standing beside her to the left of her board was a young man standing around 5 foot 8 with sandy blond hair and a neatly pressed and decorated uniform that made him stand out like an empty plate at a dining table. His blue eyes narrowed and his lips formed a thin line as he looked down at Skye, who partially reasserted herself back underneath her mobile suit pretending to work.

	[color=FFC0CB]"I haven't said a word and this is how you treat me?"[/color] The young man asked and Skye simply scoffed, picking a wrench off the floor beside her.

	[color=00FFFF]"Well you're not here to give me orders to prepare for launch, so I don't really give a shit what you have to say."[/color] Skye said as bluntly as possible. 

	[color=FFC0CB]"Aren't you going to even ask who I am?"[/color] The blonde boy said, impatience growing in his voice as Skye refused to slide out to look him in the eye.

	[color=00FFFF]"A morale officer? The world's most persistent insurance salesmen? The one guy with the pegleg from Astra who I accidentally set on fire? If you [i]are[/i] the last one by the way I'm still not apologizing, next time don't have a leg made of something that can absorb flammable fish-oils."[/color] Skye smiled beneath the machine, chuckling to herself as she feigned work. 

	Skye heard a deep, beleaguered sign from the blonde before she was suddenly pulled forward. Wheels spinning against the concrete Skye was jerked back into the light and left staring into the sapphire blue eyes of the blonde, leaned over and all but bellowing into her face.

	[color=FFC0CB][b]"I'm the son of Havin Harkin, Havrok Harkin."[/b][/color]

	A moment of silence followed as Skye looked up, head cocked.

	[color=00FFFF]"And I should care...why?"[/color] She eventually asked, the stern force of the blonde men melting away as he leaned back up. He stared down at Skye, beside himself as he pressed a hand to his torso.

	[color=FFC0CB]"Havrin Harkin, of House Harkin, one of the 13 noble households?"[/color]

	[color=00FFFF]"..."[/color] Skye blankly stared at the boy.

	[color=FFC0CB]"One of the most fervent supporters of the imperial military since it's inception?"[/color]

	[color=00FFFF]"..."[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Producer of Harkins Hungies?"[/color]

	[color=00FFFF]"OH YEAH!"[/color] Skye's eyes widened in realization, slapping her hands together and pointing up at the blonde. [color=00FFFF]"That stuff tastes like concentrated diabetes, but gods damned if it doesn't hit the spot after weeks of nothing but canned food. This isn't about that commercial thing, is it? Because I'm not having my face put on a gods damned cereal box, I have standards."[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Well it's nice that you know my prestigious family name from...peasant breakfast cereal. But no, it's not related to any sort of commercial deal, at least not directly."[/color]

	Skye breathed a momentary sign of relief, leaning up on her workboard and wiping her grease laden hands on a work rag.

	[color=00FFFF]"That's great! Well what are you here for? Because I'm a very busy girl with a whole lot of fuck-all to do, and you're keeping me from it."[/color] Skye smiled as she spoke, making her to get the black out of her fingernails as Havrok simply glared down at her.

	[color=FFC0CB]"I'm here about our arranged marriage."[/color]

	Skye froze. Her smile remaining on her face as her mind went blank, taking several moments to process the information. Slowly she looked up, her smiling face rigid.

	[color=00FFFF]"Our arranged what-now?"[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Marriage. Holy Matrimony. The thing most peasants see as a suggestion rather then a binding union."[/color] Havrok said, frustration in his voice as he spoke down to Skye. The blue haired pilot continued to stare, blinking in confusion as the facts sank in. [color=FFC0CB]"Your boss, that famous propaganda film director, contacted my father and offered your hand in marriage. The paperwork was all filled out and signed three months ago"[/color]

	[color=00FFFF]"So THAT'S why he tried to order that fucking dress!"[/color] Skye blurted out, her face tensing up as she pushed herself off the floor and onto her feet. [color=00FFFF]"Also, that camera monkey isn't my boss. My boss is a [i]general[/i] and I'm a pilot first, and a glorified cereal mascot [i]second[/i]. So whatever that unshaved prick told your father, it was a load of bullshit."[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Listen, I'm not exactly overjoyed at the idea of marrying the Empire's 'Wonder Cripple'. However my father has made up his mind and what my father says, [i]goes[/i]. Besides its purely for career seasons. I need to cement my loyalty to the empire to climb higher in the Beloth Intelligence Agency, and marrying a 'famous' ace pilot is the effective way to do that."[/color]

	Skye's eyes dropped to Havrok's uniform, her eyes narrowing in realization and recognition of the BIA's dress uniform. [color=00FFFF]"Oh god, you're a spook! Yeah, this wasn't happening to begin with but it's [i]definitely[/i] not happening now. Listen, Hoovin-"[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Havrok"[/color]

	[color=00FFFF]"Yeah, whatever. Let me make something clear to you and your father. There's only one love in my life and its 18 meters tall and casually breaks the sound barrier."[/color] Skye reached out a hand and slapped it firmly against the side of her mobile suit. 

	[color=00FFFF]"Whatever you were told, or promised, or think you're owed is [i]not[/i] happening. So turn around, walk out those hanger doors, and we can both forget any of this happened."[/color] Pointing over the blonde's shoulder Skye looked the boy dead in the eyes, receiving blue glare as the young man's face grew ever redder then it had before.

	[color=FFC0CB]"Do you have any idea how long it took to find you? Much less arrive here? Do you have any idea who my father really is and the sway he holds?"[/color] Havrok said, practically spitting. 

	[color=00FFFF]"Your father could be the king of fucking Pluto and I would still not give a shit about him, or you."[/color] Skye spoke coldly, her initial amusement rapidly souring into genuine anger. [color=00FFFF]"I have no room for distractions in my life. If you get in the way of what I'm after I'll remove you like I have every other obstacle up until now."[/color]

	[color=FFC0CB]"Is that a threat?"[/color] Havrok took a step back, aghast as Skye continued to stare him down.

	[color=00FFFF]"It's a [i]fact[/i]. Now get the fuck out of my sight or you'll suffer the consequences of your stupid-fucking decisions."[/color] Skye's voice grew grave, arms at her side as she continued to stare the blonde noble boy down. 

	All but shaking Havrok moved forward, shoving his face into Skye's as her growled through rows of perfectly white gritted teeth. [color=FFC0CB]"Listen to me, you degenerate tomboy, I'm in a very bad spot at the moment and I have aspirations that [i]you[/i] are in the way of. So you're going to marry me or I'm going to set your fictionalized joke of a pilot career aflame and force you to crawl on the ground like the broken little animal you are."[/color]

	Skye said nothing for several moments. Her expression became blank and she looked down at the floor. Havrok took a step back, smiling in self satisfaction. Suddenly Skye looked up, reached out and placed her hands on Havrok's shoulders and nodded her head.

	[color=00FFFF]"I think you need a hug."[/color] Skye said.

	[color=FFC0CB]"I'm sorry, a what-"[/color]

	Skye's hands swept down, coiling around Havrok's waist and locking behind his back as she tipped backwards and pulled upwards. 

	In a single fluid motion Havrok was hoisted into the air as Skye fell backwards, her back bending as she pulled Havrok off his feet and slammed him skullcap first into the concrete. His head hit the ground with an audible force that echoed through the cavernous hanger. Immediately she let go, allowing her back to hit the ground as Havrok slowly tipped out of his nonconsensual headstand and crashed belly first onto the floor with a weak flop.

	Within seconds several engineers in bright orange jumpsuits ran over, faces lit with confusion and concern.

	"Oh gods, are you alright? What happened?" One of the engineers asked, offering a hand that Skye quickly accepted. Pulled to her feet Skye brushed herself off, feigning mild pain as she looked back at Havrok who remained motionless on the floor.

	[color=00FFFF]"He tripped over me and hit his head on the floor."[/color] Skye said. [color=00FFFF]"Looks like he hurt himself pretty badly, you might want to get him to the infirmary. Try not to move his neck though, might have ended up broken or something."[/color]

	"Y-yeah, r-right!" One of the engineers said and immediately ran off to find a medic. The other engineers remained at the young man's side, who remained motionless on the cold concrete floor, blood starting to stain the top of his blonde hair. Skye looked down once and immediately started to walk off, reaching into her uniform and pulling out a pair of aviator glass. Slipping them on she waved to the engineers behind her.

	[color=00FFFF]"Don't touch my suit, I'm going to get something to eat. I'll be back in a bit."[/color]

	And without so much as a glance back, Skye walked away.