"All personnel, prepare for the start of Operation: Mock Battle. Cadets, your plugsuits are in the changing rooms next to the Framewerk hangars. Suit up, prepare for deployment, and wait for further instructions. System checkups and communications are permitted."
Time to go. The aftermath of Lora's verbal lashing and her proposal for a group split was yet to be seen in full, so she only had to trust that it would all work out somehow. Harold seemed accepting enough of the apology (up until the point where Sigma nearly planted her heel in his chin, anyway), but however tolerant the fighter veteran actually was underneath that couldn't be known. And while some of them had certainly had discussed the idea of splitting into smaller teams, no one actually made any attempt beyond the few that had already tried in the first place. Never mind the couple that refused outright - Lora just echoed her previous sentiment over such independent types to them in her head.
If nothing else, there appeared to be no outright hostility. Hopefully that meant if the cadets did end up in a team structure, then no back-stabbings or sabotages would occur.
Lora moved along in a firm trot, business-like as ever in anticipation of the practice sortie. The plugsuits were terribly snug, as per standard code, and she once again strained to even get inside them. Complaining about something like this was just petty (certainly considering that she didn't exactly have a body to be ashamed of), but Lora might've done less of it in her pilot history if the material just affixed less into her curves.
Not looking to risk flaunting anything, the cadet suited up proper quick and took a brisk, accelerated walk to where her Framewerk rested in the hangar. The novelty never wore off, seeing how damned huge these things were. Though as time passed, it turned into less of, "How the hell did they manage to build a standing machine that big?" and more of, "How the hell did I drive this thing like an actual body?" The answer to both was 'physiological and mechanical science', but to Lora, the matter appeared like something the human mind just couldn't comprehend, even if she had done it times before.
Never mind that; now was the time for action. The engineers gave Lora a brief once-over of the maintenance as she approached, and she glossed over it with the assurance everything was working as it was supposed to. Poor form, yes, but this was a mocking of an operation, and the Framewerk certainly hadn't been near or done anything that would put it risk recently. The pilot paced across the catwalk, slid in through the main hatch between the machine's shoulder blades, and entered the cockpit.
The controls for Lora's Framewerk, codename Dynasty, proved to be more than the standard cockpit layout. Her seat was more of a harness, the back lining up along her spine to hug her plugsuit's torso, armrests ending with buttoned joysticks, and the leg space containing a small series of pedals. The intent of this design lent towards pilots better synchronizing with their Frame via actual movement coordination; much like a new ship's maiden voyage, however, it could very easily sink or swim in practice. To say that Lora managed to boast just under 60% Framewerk synchronization without having entered a real battle might be a testament to success, but the key part was that battle. She strapped herself in, took a moment to get a feel for the harness, performed movement calibrations - all the typical procedures in Lora's experience.
Blaster Cannon left, right... online, green. Thruster systems, green. Targeting suite calibrating... online. Engaging Framewerk/pilot synchronization: 10%, 24%, 37%, 42%... 58%... reached max ratio 59%, sustaining sequence-
Dynasty's black and silver body twitched once, twice, then shifted to stand upright and at attention as best it could. "This is Dynasty," Lora announced over the broadcast channel, "All systems nominal, prepared for launch. Standing by." A couple moments of silence followed from her, as the cadet weighed what she might say next. Was there any more use to attempting a team dynamic when they hadn't yet tried to apply it, and had little time to do so now?
Putting herself back on the feed, Lora spoke once more, "If any of us still wish to attempt a formation of smaller groups, now would be the time to plan it out. If we don't- well, it wasn't more than a suggestion anyways. Good luck." That being said, Dynasty's pilot quickly flipped a few dials on her communications panel and re-opened the line to only a couple of the fellow Framewerks.
"Ariin, Elora. If you still have any intent to team up, I will offer Dynasty to your formation. I can use thrusters to give my lighter machine a finer range of movement, and the dual Blaster Cannons have a great power yield when combined. Consider the offer." Lora cut off her channel, and then simply sat back, waiting patiently for the go-ahead.