7 Sins IC

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Aoba

Show

"Then it's settled. Let the Sins show us who can do this. I will need to speak with engineering about the special AT training, but let's focus on the combat training for now. Inform the Sins tomorrow - I don't want them getting distracted from their PR work today.

Spoiler: Pilots

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The camera crew has chosen their angles carefully. Foot patrols and aerial drones ensure that no one crosses the very broad perimeter, but the cameras pick up none of it. A silhouette of the fallen elder lay across the golden horizon. This area was mostly light forest, but it's now trampled. The ground is uneven in places from Virtues stomping around, but you can find a path to the elder on foot. S2 keeps an eye on you, but doesn't make any attempt to dissuade you.

Before you get close enough for a good look, you can smell ozone. This only gets stronger as you get closer. Once you do, you notice the lack of a necklace. A moment later, you see signs of a very large scale autopsy. The top of its skull has been removed, and placed back on for the benefit of the PR shoot. They likely took the brain with them.

[Elfbird]

Liza puts her all into her performance for the commercial. She has the dual advantage of doing it for and with the only people she wants to support, and not giving a damn what the public thinks of her, so she's able to act in front of the cameras, film crew, and S2 without a shred of hesitation. They don't have a lot of daylight, so there's not much time wasted on off-camera fussing either.

Even so, the unrelenting attention starts to wear on her nerves by the end, and the smell of ozone puts her even more on edge. She's glad to recognize an angel's smell now, but being deprived of even one of her senses is a warning to her instincts. Luckily she's so used to being in the dark that the setting sun isn't a problem for her.
Once it seems like her part is done, she asks the group for a few minutes alone, and makes her way to the Elder's body.

There's something relaxing, refreshing about picking her way through the debris field. Judging footholds, reading the path ahead, measuring her strides to never waste a step, just moving her body in different ways. Life at Babylon involves far too many polished floors and people who care about decorum.

When she's cleared the majority of the debris up to the Elder and slows down to catch her breath, the ozone hits her like a wall. The sudden muting of her sense of smell causes her to glance around anxiously, but S2 is keeping an acceptable distance, and she can hear every movement now that she's away from the filming site. The growing darkness becomes a comfort; away from the camera lights, it becomes something that hides her, rather than hides others from her.

Now properly adjusted, she gives the Elder more of her attention. She paces slowly beside its arm toward the neck, looking the creature over, enjoying the pride and satisfaction swelling within her over having been part of the team that killed this bastard.

She puts her hand on its shoulder, first just her fingertips, then her whole palm. Its skin looks like porcelain, but feels more like leather. Flesh - something dirty and mortal, not the trappings of the higher being it pretends to be. And they killed it!
She laughs with glee, and gives it a solid kick. Her foot bounces off like kicking a tire.

The things that murdered her family and ravaged her hometown? They're not so scary any more. She'll master Japanese, get into engineering, and come to understand the Elders so well that she could turn every last one into butcher's cuts on the battlefield. Protecting her friends, avenging herself and her family, and becoming one of the biggest heroes on Earth? Right now, it all feels within reach.

Coming up to the neck, she's not surprised that they took the necklace and whatever else they tore out of it for research. She'll learn about that soon enough.
What she is curious about is whether she can nick any necklace fragments left behind - maybe something flew off when Xiren struck it and lodged in the dirt, charred by her flaming axe and hidden from the recovery crew?
She shuffles around the area, using her feet to feel for hard, loose objects, rather than rely on her eyes for something she's hoping the adults missed in full daylight.

One other thing she's curious about are its eyes - specifically, if they took or left them, and if she could take one as a souvenir. Are they jelly balls like human eyes, or hard like gems? Did it... even have eyes? The memory is a bit fuzzy now.
...Tempting, but not worth the hassle right now. Even if she could get up there and pry one out, there's nowhere she could hide it on her person unless S2 were dumb enough to believe she'd suddenly become pregnant. Hm, could be convenient to be 'seen' sleeping around for just that excuse...

She'll surreptitiously search for her necklace fragment until the others start calling her back. If she finds more than one, maybe someone would appreciate the trophy as a gift...

[Volthawk]

Although the filming wasn't quite what he was used to, Takeo was quite happy with the trip in general - reliving everything around the battle against the Elder kept his spirits high and from time to time between takes, he'd even sing a little to himself. The smell didn't seem to bother him - it was less of an annoyance, and more of a reminder of a job well done, that the enemy can be killed.

Takeo hadn't planned to follow Liza or interrupt her alone time, but he'd nonetheless made his way to the Elder's corpse, thoughts about the battle and his cause taking up the parts of his mind not occupied with the PR work. For a short while, he doesn't even notice the other pilot, standing a short distance from the body and just looking it over as a whole thing, feeling a strange kind of satisfaction from observing where parts of it had been removed for examination.

The sound of laughter breaks his train of thought, and after some looking he finally spots Liza as she moves into a spot where the Elder wasn't breaking his line of sight - he never really understood how big it was from the perspective of his Virtue - and smiles. Good. It wasn't just him that felt drawn back here. Still, he wasn't sure what she was doing there...was she looking for something?

Walking down from his vantage point, Takeo gives Liza a wave as he approaches her, although his brain fails to come up with a good thing to say in the situation, leaving him quiet, waiting to see what she says first. At the least, he still seems to be in a good mood.

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Pilots

Show

The camera crew does what they do best, and the shooting goes off without a hitch. Gabriel dutifully memorizes his lines, and delivers them with the grace and discipline you've come to expect from him. Carmen is dragged out to the shoot and instructs her phone to throw a fit for her, but does what's expected of her nonetheless. Her inability to hear herself actually helps, as she sounds a lot more invested than she probably is due to her volume.

Once everything is filmed, the director lets you all go, unless you want to stick around and watch the crew splice footage together.

The following day, you all find mail has been slipped under your door before you wake up. Except for Ryall and Xiren of course, who are already awake. An optional new training regimen is being offered. This is to take four parts: general exercise and hand to hand combat led by Akari, bladed weapon training led by Kazuma, and marksmanship led by Irina. The schedule shows that this would take up four hours of your day, everyday, if you were to take part in all of the classes. The letters state that it is not an all or nothing situation, and you will be allowed to drop out at any time.

[Note: There will be rewards to be determined (after in channel discussion) for sticking with the regimen. It is not possible to fail except by not attending. You can optionally roll your related skills to see how well you perform before posting, but it won't have a mechanical effect.]

Spoiler: Takeo

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The smell of the elder is very similar to what you smelled when you happened to pass Mimi Nijima in the hall.

Spoiler: Aoba

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The autopsy has been performed. The agent died of an acute drug overdose. The medical examiner has gone on record as saying the equipment used to administer the mannitol used to reduce brain swelling has safety features that require significant intervention to override. Your team has taken this to mean the agent was definitely murdered.

None of the medical team show signs of having been tampered with, according to the security footage review. Review of the footage of the agent's room shows he died very abruptly, with no one in the room.

Day 6

People in base gather around televisions for the first showing of Babylon Japan's new PR campaign. While the reactions were mostly positive, many staff question the decision to release security footage of the gala.

The internet explodes with activity. It probably isn't much fun to be managing the Vatican's social media accounts right now. Weapons manufacturers take the opportunity to remind everyone they stand with Babylon. It becomes an even more important political platform. S2 gets a lot of new applications, and though many of them can be dismissed out of hand, former military personnel and law enforcement present valuable opportunities.

Funding is increased dramatically, and staff can be heard buzzing about expanding operations in their various departments. There is to be an influx of staff, new facilities, and relief efforts in areas that need it. No one wants to say it, but the US needs that more than any other Babylon host country.

Kazuma is likely going to pop a blood vessel vetting all these new people. Hey, he asked for this.

[Volthawk]

The overall success of the filming gives Takeo some satisfaction, but after he's done his bit and finished with the Elder, he leaves as soon as he's allowed. While some creative arts did interest him, editing footage was not one of them.

---

The letter describing the training regimen offered gives Takeo some food for thought when he reads it. On the one hand, things like this were definitely not his area of expertise or something he enjoyed, but on the other hand if command was directly suggesting it, perhaps it might be a good idea to go along with it? Akari's part of it causes a small grin - she's finally getting him to train with her, huh. The other names bring a little pause - they must be concerned about the pilot's physical ability, if they're involved. In any case, he'd be disrespecting his duty to his purpose if he turned down this opportunity, so had no choice. He had to accept, and do his best.

---

After several days of training, parts of Takeo were beginning to regret his decision, although on the other hand, even if he still wasn't enjoying it or doing too well, he was nonetheless drawing a small amount of satisfaction in sticking with it. Maybe it gets better with more time? He had to hope so.

The reception of the PR project by the public was gratifying to see, but at this point he'd lost interest in the exact details of the outcome - just that they'd helped was enough, really, and his mind was on other matters. At the moment, his time is spent looking for Akari. After a few days of training, he's started to wonder why it's happening.

[velvetWing]

Xiren spends much of her free time over the next few days watching the flurry of reactions to the TV spot - she's unconcerned about what backlash there is, writing most of it off as those who would be enemies of Babylon no matter what information was presented, and looks over the doubling-down of arms companies and the flood of new applications with unrestrained glee. For her part, she backs off of her Babylon-monitored social media accounts for the duration, content to retweet and reblog official Babylon media. Her own personal public image doesn't mesh well with the more confrontational tone of this new commercial, and it's best if she avoids taking direct responsibility for it.

Xiren doesn't immediately jump at the chance for physical combat training, recalling her rather embarrassing incapacitation at the Gala. She's already found her way of serving Babylon, and she appears to be quite good at it; why muddy the waters with something she's just not built for? However, the prospect of bladed weapon training with the Commander catches her eye - after all, she's never had a particularly high sync rate, and if she understood more about how to wield a blade, she might be more effective when piloting Castitas. It's very definitely only in the interests of personal development, and not an excuse to spend some time with the Commander. That's her story, and she's sticking to it.

Unfortunately, Xiren isn't particularly adept with a blade right off the bat. She's very good at memorizing stances and forms, but she's struggling quite a bit at taking and keeping the initiative during sparring sessions - simply put, she's too rigid and reactive to make a good fighter, for the moment at least.

[fibericon]

Spoiler: All pilots

Show

It comes as no surprise to any of you that Carmen didn't make a token attempt to attend a single class even once. Gabriel pushes himself to get through it, despite not being particularly proficient at any of it.

Spoiler: Takeo

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You find Akari reviewing what looks like a conversation log. She looks up when you approach, and closes the folder.

"Hey. Surprised to see you attending. After the gala, there was a meeting, and we decided you all need to know how to handle yourselves better, since this is apparently the kind of crap the Vatican is willing to pull now."

Spoiler: On a successful read person

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That's probably not the real reason.

Spoiler: Xiren

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Kazuma is brutally efficient with a knife, and even the practice knives hurt. He has managed a mixed combat style of Tantojustsu and Systema Spetnaz. The result aims to enact a death blow in the fewest possible moves. He explains that the longer you stay in a fight, the more consequences begin to pile up.

For as stiff as he is in conversation, he flows like water in a fight.

Spoiler: On a successful read person

Show

This might be a good time to ask him for something, since he's loosened up a bit.

[Elfbird]

Liza takes the morning to consider the offered training regimen, then decides to give it a try. If the letter is to be believed, she has nothing to lose, and she doesn't exactly hate physical exercise.

She enjoys the stretching and muscle training portion of Akari's class, but gets her derriere handed to her in every single hand-to-hand exercise. She doesn't have the psychology for direct confrontation; her instinct is always to disengage and flee, or trick her way out of fighting, which leaves her stance vulnerable when she's not allowed to do either. It's frustrating, but she likes Akari's teaching style, so she's willing to stick with it for now - at least until she gets tired of running the same route every day.

Kazuma's class is a different story. His fearsome aura and the ceaseless pain of being struck by knives compared to punches and throws just exacerbates Liza's tendencies. While knifeplay leaves more room for trickery than Akari's structured exercises, Liza simply lacks the proficiency to do anything with the opportunity, especially against someone as skilled as the Commander. It feels like she's being beaten down as a way for the authorities to 'put her in her place', which is perhaps the part she can tolerate the least.
Liza can't fathom how Xiren is taking it so resolutely in comparison, when she's hardly performing any better.
She endures through the end of the first lesson, then tosses her practice knives aside in disgust and frustration (but stops to pick them back up and pocket them for herself) and never goes back.

Irina's class is... entirely the opposite of her CQC experience. Unavoidable confrontation is bad. Hanging out at a distance, disguising your presence, controlling your breath and heartbeat, watching and waiting for the opportunity to eliminate the target that doesn't even know it's in danger? That's something Liza can get behind. She already has the basic skills from her days following the Rapture, so it's considerably more rewarding to refine them into the specific tasks of sniping than to be fighting her instincts while building skills from scratch.
Aside from that, it's nice just spending time with Ms. Kuznestov, enjoying her presence with little need for words, and feeling her approving gaze as Liza disappears into the environment and the targets fall one by one. It's been a long time since she's felt like she's doing a good job. Usually her only reward is filling her stomach with a little food and a lot of guilt.

Between needing to distract herself from her misery with the CQC training and feeling extra motivated by her time with the Lt. Com., it's no trouble for Liza to dig into her Japanese studies in her spare time while letting her body rest. It turns out she actually absorbed a lot from her tutoring until now, she just never had the motivation or confidence to put it all together. By the end of the week, her phrasing is still an awkward mix of formal and informal speech no matter who she's talking to, but she's able to make smalltalk at a good pace and understands more of what she overhears that isn't tailored for her as if speaking to a child.

Part of her self-study involves following the reactions to the TV spot. It's kinda fun, like she helped pull off a big practical joke or started a good rumor, except this is actually beneficial - even if most of the funding and recruits aren't going to the pilots directly, she still squeezed a whole lot of money and time out of people who weren't gonna do anything better with it. Next time maybe they'll be the suckers taking Vatican bullets instead of her friends.

---

The one downside of her back-to-back work, training, and study that Liza's starting to regret is that it leaves her precious little social time, and everyone is too exhausted to do much during what little they do have.

That weekend, she decides to pay Xiren a visit. Mostly to hang out with her, but she has plenty of excuses: talking about funny comments she's seen from the PR campaign, practicing her Japanese, asking for her advice about the knife forms...

In retrospect, pulling a pair of practice knives on a smaller girl after being invited into her room might have come off as more threatening than intended. Whoops.

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Liza

Show

Irina starts from the basics, working off the assumption that no one in the class had ever held a personal scale firearm before. It wasn't true for everyone, but rushing the instruction for handling a deadly weapon can exact a heavy toll down the road. She starts with small calibers first, allowing you to learn proper handling before throwing something that really kicks at you.

And that's what the first day mostly is - firearm discipline. One pilot fires at a time so that she can inspect their form. She occasionally deliberately distracts the shooter to ensure they won't sweep the weapon while turning to reply.

Her preferred weapon seems to be an older bolt action rifle, and she's surgical with it. It fires a much larger round, which makes the proper firing position even more important. If it's not pressed snug up against your shoulder, you're going to have a bad time.

With a few days to monitor your progress, she approaches, looking through your file. She makes no effort to conceal it. "I'm hearing good reports about you, except that you dropped the commander's class. But I don't think any of us were surprised at that outcome. Hopefully you aren't too bored with the closer range firearms. You won't always have the time and distance to snipe a target."

[velvetWing]

Xiren's sitting, looking rather defeated, on the practice mat. The new red welt from where Kazuma's practice blade just jabbed her in between the second and third ribs stings angrily as a reminder that if it had been a real blade, she'd be dead right now. When the Commander barks out the call to reset, she stands back up and resumes her stance quickly, but without much enthusiasm. She darts forward in the same move she's attempted the previous three times - a simple lunging strike with her knees bent, her knife hand pushing upward toward the neck, her free hand raised to deflect the Commander's incoming blow... but just like the last three times, Kazuma elbows her strike out of the way, puts his free hand directly into her face, sweeps her knee, and sends her sprawling onto the mat.

Her face hot and flushed with embarrassment, Xiren stands again, swallowing hard in an effort not to tear up. This was a mistake. I'm not cut out for this after all.

She feels, as she so often has over the past six months, like a child playing at being a soldier. For a moment she considers just throwing the practice knife on the mat and fleeing the training room with her tail between her legs, but because of this childish feeling - or perhaps in spite of this - a snippet of memory comes back to her.

Spoiler: Smash cut to:

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High summer in Sichuan, with overcast skies belying humidity so oppressive the air hangs off your shoulders like wet clothes; the smoke-spice-heat smell of cooking wafting out into the courtyard, and mixing with the scent of dust and old wood buildings, forming an unmistakable greasy mix that to Xiren, smells exactly like home. She's lying in the dirt, hand-me-down bike (her mother's, pink floral paint long since given way to bare aluminum and rust) in a heap next to her, freshly-skinned knee oozing blood. She clears her hot and stinging eyes of tears to see the calm, measured face of her grandfather standing over her.

"Why are you crying?"

It hurts.

"All pain is a lesson, xiao ren. It tells you: do this, don't do that. You must listen to what it tells you."

But I don't know what I did wrong.

"That's because you're not listening. Try again, and this time, pay attention."

But it hurts! I don't want to do this anymore.

Grandfather crouches by her side. "If you stop now, the pain you feel-" He raps a cool, rough knuckle against the raw spot on her knee, making her flinch, more from surprise than pain. "-will be for nothing. So get up, xiao ren."

What if I fall again?

"What if you don't?"

But what if I do?

"That's why you have me here. To make sure you stand back up again."

Cautiously, she lowers herself from a ready stance, letting her practice knife drop to her side. "Commander... I'm sorry, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I try to counter every single time, but I just can't react fast enough. Is there some other way you can teach me? Did you learn it this way?"

---

Xiren just looks rather amused when Liza pulls the knives - she doesn't know the girl very well yet, but she's seen enough to know that this is almost certainly a miscommunication. "Sure you haven't had enough of sparring practice? I don't know how many more involuntary frontflips I can handle this week." Nevertheless, she takes the proffered dummy knife and folds it into a reverse grip. "I hope your marksmanship training with the Lieutenant Commander is going better. After that shot you made with Caritas I bet you're her star pupil."

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Xiren

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The commander stops, and takes a moment to give you the once over before replying.

"Yes, this is how I learned, but that's irrelevant. If it isn't helping you learn, it isn't an effective teaching method. Perhaps Kuznetsov was right."

He steps off the mat and walks over to a locker. Setting his practice knife down, he removes his shirt to reveal a white undershirt, then reaches into the locker. He produces a white t-shirt for you, and hands you a red marker.

"The practice knives are weighted to feel more like real knives, and are thus believed to be more useful in training, but not everyone feels the same way. Also, pain fades. This way, you'll have a visual representation of where a blow is struck, reminding you to not leave the same area unguarded. Here, go get changed, and we'll try again."

[Elfbird]

Spoiler: Irina

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Liza takes longer than usual to compose her reply here. She spoke normally during lessons, but in private she particularly wants to make a good impression on Irina and show off what she's learned, without relying on Russian.

"Mm... It's scary to be too close. I was shot at sometimes, but never hit before. I can practice as long as it's with targets. The worst part is seeing money shoot out every time I pull the trigger!"

She chuckles as if she made a good joke, but quickly turns somber again as she thinks back to the gala, when she took the fake agent's sidearm and used it to save Envy. She never really intended to fire it; its power as a symbol was enough at the time. But that won't always be true, especially when it comes time to face enemies with bigger guns and smaller morals. As long as she wishes to protect and provide for the other pilots...

Her voice comes out much smaller this time; she's letting a little bit of her heart show from behind the facade.

"Ms. Kuznestov... How did you learn to kill people? Did you ever have to? Um, instead I should ask... How do I learn to kill people, without hating myself? I've never stolen anything that can't be taken back..."

Spoiler: Xiren

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Liza follows Xiren's lead in adjusting her grip on her own practice knife, but doesn't take a sparring stance yet. If anything, she seems embarrassed.

"Ahaha, yeah... The truth is, I can't stand the Commander. I saw you trying your best, even though you were as bad as me the first day. So I wondered... Is it too soon to give up, maybe? If you can teach me differently, we'll both get better together! Something like... how to fight when you want to run?"

Liza's speech is markedly improved since the last time she and Xiren spoke at length. Still awkward and stilted, but she can convey much more complex ideas than before.

"I'm best at sniping because it's about paying attention. It's scary being close enough to be hurt, but watching is fine. You do the same, right? You watch people, then shoot for their heart or their brain with your words. If you have trouble with anything, ask me!"

[Syless]

Aoba contemplates her tasks. They need intel on the Vatican... but Babylon Japan is compromised. That much is clear. Not to mention given their lack of ties to Christianity or Catholicism, any Japanese applicant would likely be suspect.

...unless...

Could they manufacture a history? Create an online record of anti-Babylon propaganda, then send off someone to play the zealot, any investigation seeming to back them up as having a history of being pro-Pope? Something to consider... She sends a couple of messages off.

Spoiler: Intel Dept

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<Do we have any available agents, preferably European-passing, who would not have been seen by potential infiltrators? Or at the very least, aren't distinct enough for that to be obvious?>

Spoiler: PR Dept + Computer Dept

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<I need someone to write some over-inflated anti-Babylon propaganda, and someone who can set up a blog that seems to go back months, at minimum.>

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Liza

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"Taking a life isn't easy. It does have an effect on soldiers too. There is no training that can make this okay - only the understanding that it is a last resort. When you have decided it is okay to kill someone, it is because you know that you or someone else will die if you don't. At the gala, the Vatican attacked with lethal force. People died. Others are in the hospital. Agent Hikozaemon is lucky to be alive after the sniper hit him while aiming for you, but for the rest of his life, his bones will hurt when it rains."

Irina sighs and presses a button on a post, bringing one of the targets forward. She looks at it briefly - it's from one of your fellow pilots. They're aiming high and to the left, but it works in her favor this time.

"The Spetnaz comprises the National Guard, and some special forces. I won't bother you with my full service record, but suffice to say I've held more than one position in my lifetime. Have you ever heard of Krokodil? It's a horrific drug that quickly destroys the body, but it is so fiercely addictive that its users will fight to the death to protect their supply. It literally turns people into monsters. One of those monsters attacked my partner... after being tazed. We couldn't stop him without lethal force, and he'd just driven an ice pick, right here." She taps one of the bullet holes on the target. "Right into Yury's shoulder. And he was trying to do worse. Yury was pinned down. And I had the choice of killing a victim of a horrible drug, or watching my partner die. And some people like to say that if you choose to do these drugs, you get what's coming to you, but I don't believe that. I don't believe he deserved to die that day... but I had a choice to make."

Spoiler: Aoba

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Spoiler: Intel department

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<We have two half Japanese that weren't on duty that night. Yahiro Shinzaki is on the darker side, but he could pass for half Chinese pretty easily. Chiyako Ayase is very light skinned and has her father's eye shape. I'd flag her as half Korean if necessary. They both have given English names that don't appear on any official paperwork.>

Spoiler: PR & IT departments

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<One of our techs got cocky at the request. The writing's no big deal either. You want standard crazy, our writers will handle it. Expect a link in your mailbox in the next couple of hours.>

[roko10]

Ryall took to the additional training sessions like a fish in the water, enjoying the additional physical exercise. She performs rather well at the CQC portion of the training, even managing to knock down Akari once or twice; although not a particular focus of her training, she did learn basic hand-to-hand combat just in case, so she has some experience in that field.

Knife-fighting, however, was an entirely different story. Ryall got her ass handed to her multiple times by Kazuma, owing to her acting like she's in Humilitas and being too aggressive with the two knives that she wielded, causing her to overextend herself multiple times. Over the course of the week, the ground became a far too familiar place for her back, to say nothing of the countless bruises she gained over the course of the week. Still, Ryall's well aware that failure is the best teacher, even though it goddamn sucks at times, so she persists in following the lessons and standing up every time she gets knocked down.

The marksmanship lessons by Irina didn't go too well, though for entirely different reasons than training with Kazuma. Ryall only has had enough experience with firearms to not have the recoil result into the gun smacking her face and never particularly had any affinity with them, so most of the shots she made were off-target, especially early on. Deciding this was a weak spot of hers and somewhat miffed that she did so poorly, she decided to hit the range of her own accord, supplementing the training given by Irina with her own self-study, and by the end of the week she became an adequate enough marksman, if not great by any stretch of the imagination.

In any case, the combat training was supplemented by her daily exercises, and soon enough, she feels like she have picked up a thing of two about personal combat. She's toying with requesting a sidearm for her personal use just in case, but decided to at least wait until later for such a large request.

---

In the weekend, Ryall decided to make a visit to the engineering department after her morning run, curious about the progress made on the AT Drive and having nothing better to do that morning. [

[Elfbird]

Liza listens to the Lt.Com. intently, then seems somber and contemplative afterward. She lapses back into Russian.

"<...I don't think it's ever okay to kill another person. But I know all about doing other things that aren't okay, even if they're necessary to survive. I'm fine with hunting animals, and with destroying Angels and Elders, but... Lieutenant Commander, I'm scared. In a way I don't think I've ever been before. If I have to kill Vatican soldiers and Christian terrorists to protect my friends, and find out that I can't? Or if I teach myself to do it, and become a monster myself? I don't know how I can possibly accept either outcome. Please, tell me what I shou-->"

She bites her lip to cut herself off. This isn't like her at all, and it's unbecoming in front of a superior officer besides. Relying on someone else, gushing like a little girl...?
A warm, unwanted memory flashes through her mind; she crushes it with an icy grip.
Japanese only for the rest of today; that'll be her punishment.

"Ahem. I'll look forward to your continued instruction, Lieutenant Commander. Even if I lack your strength, soon I'll definitely have my own."

She abruptly stands to leave, but waits for a proper dismissal.
If she's being honest with herself - which she's trying very hard not to be - she wants to speak with Ms. Kuznestov more, even just to hear her voice for a while longer.
But she's annoyed with herself for opening up so much to an adult. She knows she'll be betrayed, that she's barely more than a pawn in the eyes of the person she most looks up to right now, and she needs to take measures to minimize the damage when that happens.
So, leaving sooner than she'd like will be her punishment, if Ms. Kuznestov doesn't prevent it.

Ugh... I wanted to visit Alyona to practice Japanese with her, but I'm in no mood for that now. Oh Yelizaveta, why did your parents raise such a fool...?

[velvetWing]

Spoiler: Kazuma

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Blushing ever-so-slightly, Xiren hurries from the room and returns clad in the t-shirt. She takes the proffered marker and again resumes her combat stance. This strategy doesn't work instantly, of course, but she's gotten her motivation back, and as the red marks pile up on her own chest while Kazuma's remain unblemished, she realizes that they're all clustered in the same spot - she hasn't been adapting her tactics to the situation, merely focusing on executing the forms she's been taught with better speed and precision. With some effort, and no insignificant amount of luck, Xiren manages to score her first blow - a bright red mark on Kazuma's side, just above the floating ribs.

"It's sort of like a chess game, isn't it?" She remarks, a broad smile on her face, practically bouncing in place with glee. "Move, countermove... You have to read your opponent just as carefully and change your approach accordingly. Though... I guess a knife fight is usually over much quicker."

Spoiler: Liza

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"That's a good way to put it. 'Words are weapons, and thoughts the act of wielding them', after all. But how to fight when you want to run... That's an interesting question." From her nightstand, she grabs her Bible and places it on her lap. "If it were me, I'd turn to faith." She opens the heavily-marked tome to 1 John 4 - a passage she's highlighted and marked specially, clearly read and re-read many times over. "'Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.' Maybe you don't, or can't, love God, but... I remember what you told me about why you fight. To give the Sins back what we've lost. If you can't shed fear by loving God, try loving all of us instead. Think about what makes you want to fight, and put it out in front of all the things that make you want to run."

[Elfbird]

Liza visibly cringes as she struggles to follow the Bible's archaic phrasing in a language she's barely halfway to mastering, but the way her face lights up at the end shows that Xiren's final summary made it easy to grasp.

"To put love in front of fear... Hm?"

She puts her finger on her chin and looks up, rolling the idea around for a few moments. It's clear that those few words left a strong impression on her.

...

...Then her head drops, expression dark, and she lets out a humorless chuckle.

"The truth is... I don't know how to love, except to be so afraid of losing that my heart will break. Even that feeling, I want to run away from. I didn't lie, but my reason to fight isn't strong, for the moment..."

Abruptly yet gracefully, she moves to sit beside Xiren, entirely too close, and aims to lock eye contact.

"I want my love to be stronger than my fear. Like yours. Will you show me... a different kind...?"

Then she leans in to steal something she's never stolen before.

The thrill of the theft, the fear of rejection, the allure of a whole new kind of power nearly within her grasp...
The feelings of affection she holds for Xiren as a fellow pilot, and the feelings of affinity she's fostered since what she saw in her while cleaning up at the gala...
The pounding of her heart, and its overflowing warmth...
The medley is more intoxicating than vodka; she may not be able to hold herself back.

"Your confidence... I want it... for myself," she whispers to Xiren in the following breath.

[Syless]

Aoba starts cross-referencing the ideas in her head. Gears turn, ideas form. She types up a quick profile and sends it off to both agencies.

Spoiler

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Our agent will be Ji-Hyun Williams- Half Korean, half American, wholly Catholic. Anti-Japanese streak as well as unashamedly pro-Vatican. Has firearms training from time on her father's military base. Give her no human relations, but add minor humanizing details- give her pictures of cats. [Yes, this means someone in the PR department gets to go stage pictures of cats. Have fun.] Add other grounding details as necessary.

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Ghost in the Machine

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Pushing through the paperwork at the highest priority gets you your new toy very quickly. Ryall probably thinks it's her new toy, but really, this is a lot more interesting for you and your team. That electricity in the air when you're about to learn something new. Excitement buzzes throughout the room when it's brought in.

A small device - relative to Virtue scale, of course - with hooks to latch onto a progressive knife. The meat of it - the core, if you will - is a half sphere, somewhat larger than a person. The flat edge is meant to press up against the blade. The panels are bolted and welded on, and come with dire warnings.

WARNING: CORE CONTAINS HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ALPHA, BETA, AND GAMMA RADIATION
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL UNDER SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE
REMOVING ONE OR MORE SEALS WILL CAUSE HIGH VELOCITY DISPERSAL

"Radiation shielding the lab would take months, if not longer. We can use lead sheets as a close enough approximation for now. Send for two prisoners."

S2 brings in two conscripts from the Japanese prison system. It's the type of person no one would miss if something went wrong. The science team, meanwhile, is in another room watching through their equipment only. Everything is wired by necessity - the shielding makes wireless communication impossible. Scientists are monitoring the inside of the room with every kind of relevant sensory equipment they could procure, for visible light, sound, different forms of radiation, and temperature. Guards armed with tasers are stationed outside the door, and the order is given.

The prisoners break the first seal. Radiation spikes, and a brilliant flash, reminiscent of the infamous screwdriver slip with the demon core, announces to your team that these people have maybe 48 hours to live. The prisoners probably don't even grasp the significance. Inside is a set of tubes, running deeper past a second seal. You expected a reactor of some sort, but this appears to be meant to irradiate whatever is inside.

While the other scientists are taking down scientific measurements and asking the prisoners questions to see if what they're observing is different from what the researchers see or hear, Mimi whispers to one guard to get a team ready with heavy-duty radiation gear in case they need to retrieve the bodies. She turns back to the microphone and says, "Tell us what you're feeling as you go. We don't expect there to be any problems, but if anything indicates you're facing a serious health risk, we'll pull you out." A bald-faced lie, of course.

"Feelin' fine, boss."

They probably are, for now. They didn't poke the elephant foot - it'll take some time for this to be noticeable. When they remove the rear panel, there's a dull "whomp" heard through the speakers, as though they'd just been turned on. Everyone inside the room collapses simultaneously. Biomonitors indicate signs of life. A mostly opaque green and white humanoid figure flickers into existence near the open panel. Feminine in appearance, loosely sitting on her knees and propped up on her hands.

"Am I free? No... just a bigger cage."

Mimi frowns, her eyebrows twitching.
"What is she? Does she show up on the radiation monitors?" She asks the scientists, then leans forward to the microphone. "Can you hear me through this?"

Sensors indicate no signs of life from her position, but you lack a biomonitor on her person. She is significantly irradiated - it's like pointing your sensors directly at a reactor.

"I can hear you." She looks up toward the speaker. "Are you going to let me out?"

Mimi tents her fingers, thinking. "I can't promise either way. I'd like to have a positive relationship with you, but I need to make sure we can interact safely first. What did you do to the two in the room with you?"

She looks around, then pushes some of the hair away from her face. It's a blank stare on her part as she quietly evaluates one of the prisoners.

"Nothing on purpose. I think it's similar to what being near an angel does. I remember them saying it before. In the other lab. They say Sins can better tolerate it."

Her eyebrows raise. "The other lab? I see." A pause. "My name is Mimi. Can I ask who you are?" She catches herself wondering if she should've asked 'what' instead of 'who,' but she really does want to develop a positive working relationship.

"Oh. You don't share information. Okay. I'm Ren Tanaka. The last lab experimented on me and put me in that cage."

"My apologies if I've been trite, but the only thing you've asked me is if I'll let you out. Feel free to ask your own questions."

"Well... am I still in America? I lived on the coast of Japan before they flew me out and told me I was going to be a Virtue pilot.

"Negative. You're back in Japan." She pauses. "So you were originally a normal human, then."

"I was. I guess this is a rescue attempt? I'm grateful for your efforts. I can't tell you everything about them. Just what they let slip. I wasn't the only one there, but I think I'm the only one who survived."

After several agonizing seconds of consideration and a deep inhale, Mimi leans forward to the microphone again. "I understand you've been through something very hard, and I'd like to help. But I'm sure you understand I also need to keep everyone on my side safe. So if I can ask anything of you, it's that you be patient just a little longer. I'm going to put top priority on creating a mechanism - I'm thinking a suit - by which you can move about and have a life outside without injuring people around you. I'm sorry it isn't immediate freedom - I know you're only a victim in all this, and that that's what you deserve. But the people I'm taking care of also deserve safety. So... I just need time and cooperation to help you not be stuck in a cage anymore. Is that acceptable?"

Ren opens her mouth, hesitates, then closes it. She looks down at her hands for a moment and nods before looking back up at the speaker.

"Of course. It's not okay for me to just hurt people. Do you know what they did with me? What is this thing? Oh, and... I'm afraid I'll never be able to walk around. I have no mobility or sensation below the waist. It's been that way since before they flew me out."

"I don't know the whole story yet, but I've deduced almost enough to help you. The rest is just details. They... Tried to use you like an angel core to create a weapon enhancement. I don't know why they did it to you, but if it's akin to the effects of being near an angel... R&D has already been trying to synthesize materials that can dampen AT Fields in order to protect civilian bunkers during Virtue-scale military conflicts. We haven't had any success on a large enough scale to help against the angels, but perhaps if it's just enough to make the mesh for a plug suit out of... Then it could be possible."

"The main problem is a lack of access, right? The other scientists complained about it sometimes. They said they can't develop without a test subject or they'd just be... well, uh, they said they'd be doing the equivalent of making it all up. So... if you can help me, you figure it out at the same time, right?" She suddenly looks hopeful. "I can be good for something? I can... wait. I can tell you why me. Well, not why I survived, but why I was in the experiment. They let slip that there are only 42 active duty Sins. A few dozen more reserves. But they estimate the number of angel encounters to be in the low hundreds. I'm one of them. They said I wasn't fit to pilot, so no one would be looking for me."

Mimi absorbs the information, making sure the other scientists are taking careful notes. When the subject is done speaking, Mimi thanks her for sharing.

"Do I... need to be that weapon? Or, weapon enhancement, I guess. I don't know what happens when I'm... used like that."

"What is the experience like for you?"

"I can't see outside when I'm in there. I can feel movement. The shock absorbers are good, I guess. They wouldn't want to damage me. Once I saw a vision of someone else's angel encounter. Just once. It felt like something pressing on my chest. That was the only time... oh. That was the only time a pilot tested this thing, wasn't it? Then I guess that's what happens."

"It doesn't sound very pleasant," Mimi notes the obvious.

"No, not really. But I also had no idea what was happening."

One of your team passes you a receiver - an ears only message from Kazuma. "If the AT Drive can be scaled down to fit a personal scale weapon, I need it done."

Mimi scowls at the receiver, before sending back her own encrypted message, "The 'AT Drive' is a girl. Human, or at least formerly so. I can't just hit her with a shrink ray." Then she turns back to the room microphone and says, "I'll do my best to keep you from having to go back in. But to be completely transparent, I'm only the head scientist. I don't believe it's safe or ethical to use you that way and will make that clear. But the best thing I can do is finish that suit as fast as possible. Otherwise the military heads may ignore me. I'm on your side, but like I said... I need time."

"Ma'am," one of the team says quietly, "What do we tell the Sin? Should we make up a safety issue as the official story, or...?"

"Okay. I hope it doesn't come to force. I'll help you in any way I can."

Mimi looks thoughtful as she shuts off the microphone. "Yes." She looks at the prisoner bodies on the ground, fighting a grin from forming. "The test released enough radiation to kill a couple of personnel, after all. We fear that using it carelessly could spread enough radioactive material to endanger wildlife and render residential areas uninhabitable. We'll appeal to have it classed as a C-3 crisis weapon... Just below a nuclear strike." She looks back at the soldiers at the door. "I'm officially raising the classification information about this entity. Do not discuss it with anyone of lower clearance than the science team without my approval."

"Understood, ma'am."

[Volthawk]

When Akari gives him an explanation, Takeo doesn't see any reason to doubt it - it makes sense, and he trusted Akari. She had his interests in mind. He smiles at her surprise about him taking part, though. "This time, it seemed like something bigger than your constant attempts to get me to train with you - perhaps I had the same realisation your meeting did. I did find it strange to see the three of you were running it, though. Didn't think our physical condition was so important it needs Kazuma and Irina as well as you." Takeo's tone makes it clear that he's not suspicious about anything, just making conversation about the training without realising any connections he's making to the truth, but that changes as he considers his next point, looking more serious. "Have they considered my theories about the Vatican's possible alliance with the Elders? It still feels like the most plausible theory when I consider everything. Are they doing anything about it past all this PR stuff?"

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Ryall

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When you ask about the AT Drive, the engineer you happen to run into pulls you aside.

"Ms. Lagrange, I think you should have a seat. The AT Drive... killed two members of the science team during the initial tests. It's a very unstable prototype, and the danger should not be underestimated. The level of radiation it emits would be too great of collateral to justify deployment. We don't even know if it would be safe for you to use. But I want you to understand that this is in no way your fault. The blame lies entirely on Guns of Liberty for sending us something like this."

Spoiler: Liza

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Irina doesn't call you back, but she does reply.

"Not everyone can do this. Some soldiers freeze in battle. It is easier when you don't have to kill something with hopes and dreams. But I can tell you that you won't spontaneously become a monster after drawing blood. Much more likely is to become traumatized or jaded. The first time you kill someone, that's one feeling. The first time you kill someone who really didn't deserve it, that's another. After that, it doesn't really matter. That, or you end up needing therapy. Ask yourself if you really want to be like me, Liza. Because you can't copy the good alone. When you open a can of sardines, you get to see all of them."

Spoiler: Xiren

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Is it just you, or are Kazuma's rare smiles becoming a touch more common?

"Excellent. Yes, even a quick game of chess tends to be over in minutes rather than seconds. Still, it is an admirable skill to cultivate - planning your moves so quickly. I believe if you keep up with this training, you will do very well in close combat, should it ever become necessary. I would encourage you to take advantage of the basic exercise and hand to hand class as well, since it does help, but if the methods don't help you learn, your first instinct might have been correct."

Spoiler: Aoba

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It isn't long before you receive the new person. The blog is done by that time, too. Your organization can afford very good employees - especially now. The blog is amateurish, but not so poorly written as to raise questions about trolling. The pictures are instagram quality. It looks like she got an expensive camera and started calling herself a photographer. The passport is enough to fool airport security unless they have a reason to bring out the big guns.

You soon have one Ji-Hyun Williams in your office. She looks notably different from her pictures - liquid foundation. It would seem she, or at least her contact to you, took the threat of infiltration seriously.

"Korean was a good choice - written Korean is very easy to learn. How long do I have to learn the spoken language, and where am I deploying?"

Spoiler: Takeo

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"Yeah. PR is step one. We're actually not sure what step two is yet, but I'm worried about what their step two will be. They went Seal Team Six on us and got taken apart for it. Somehow, I don't think they're just gonna take an L on that. For the record, I think you're right. You know, about the Pope. I can't prove it, not yet, anyway. Global Babylon suspended their galas 'until further notice' after the attack here."

[roko10]

Ryall looks shocked for a moment, then grimly nods. What, was this just a roundabout way for Jacob's dad to kill me? "...I understand. Can you tell me why it is radioactive, or is that sensitive information?"

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Ryall

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"It isn't uncommon to use radiation in Virtue equipment, due to the nature of AT abilities. However, the AT Drive was deemed unacceptable. If it could do this, while powered down, the hypothetical consequences of using it in actual combat are enormous. Worse, it could hurt you. Our projections suggest that one of you being seriously injured or killed could result in the deaths of thousands of civilians, and many of us consider that a conservative estimate. We will have to devise a way to safely confirm that you will be okay before approving the use of this equipment. I'm sorry."

[Syless]

Aoba shakes her new agent's hand. "That's an excellent question. We need to try and get you an in with the Vatican, and you're not likely to have your 'native' language questioned, but we need to be prepared for extremities. If possible, brush up on Italian, Latin, and English as well. It's a tall order, and the first two are fine if you can't- frankly, they aren't likely to expect fluency, so they may let something slip if they think you don't know. Catholic dogma, too. You need to make sure you can pass any loyalty tests. Anything else... hm. We'll get you a full timetable of operations as soon as possible. Study 'your' blog to make sure your voice is consistent. Be ready to communicate with potential Vatican agents."

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Aoba

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The agent considers this for a moment before replying. The gears are turning, but her face betrays concern.

"I can probably be expected to be new to Italian and Latin, but isn't the Vatican a boys club? Did something change that you think they'll let me in?"

[velvetWing]

Spoiler: Kazuma

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Yes, but then I wouldn't get to see you smile. She can't very well say that now, can she?

"True, I suppose, but there's something about this that feels... right." Xiren curls her fist tightly around the red marker. "Maybe it's because I'm more used to fighting in Castitas. Maybe I just like keeping something between me and the enemy. But I like the feeling of a blade in my hand." She chuckles. "Then again, that means I'm useless if I'm disarmed. And they'd hardly let me carry knives around the base. Or into town, for that matter."

Spoiler: Liza

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For a moment, Xiren is too stunned even to move. She doesn't resist Liza's affections, but neither does she accept them. As Liza pulls away, her eyes are wide and distant, and she brushes two fingers against her lips, as if in disbelief at the sensation.

Oh.

Oh no.

This is wrong in so many ways. We're fellow soldiers, there's probably regulations against this. Not even beginning to mention the mountain of scripture.

Her knuckles, still clutching the Bible, go white.

And yet...

And yet, since the night of the Gala (or perhaps before), she's had something lying in wait in the pit of her stomach; something warm and primal that whispers to her in quiet moments. Something that's now awake and coiling up her spine like a serpent. As Liza whispers breathily, her eyes still shut, Xiren entertains wild impulses to run from the room or to drop to her knees and start praying as loudly as her voice will carry her.

But alongside the serpent, alongside the scared little girl hiding behind her Bible, there's a third voice in her head: the soldier. The one that quietly reminds her that she's just made a breakthrough with another pilot, and that if she handles this poorly, she's at risk of not only losing that, but setting back the entire unit's cohesion. If Kazuma were here, what would he tell her to do?

She remembers the blood underneath his fingernail. She knows the answer, even if he'd never say it aloud. And even if it's only a thin justification she repeats to herself to make what she knows is about to happen not her fault, the conclusion is still the same:

Whatever it takes.

She leans in, a bit too quickly, darting forward to close the space between them. The book on her lap clatters, forgotten, to the floor.

[Elfbird]

Spoiler: Xiren

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At a certain point, Xiren's affection sinks into Liza's psyche. For the first time Liza can remember, she feels... wanted, valued, by someone she can actually trust. Like a small wish came true.
A warm, comfortable weight settles in her chest and limbs, entirely unrelated to the other girl's body on top of her. Did I actually steal her heart? Is this what it feels like to hold another one?

Clothes disheveled but still fully worn, she wraps her arms around Xiren's shoulders and hums in contentment (an unconsciously possessive gesture), bringing an end to that part of their exchange.

"A love that can stand in front of fear... This one is capable," Liza murmurs into Xiren's ear.
I need more... Much more... I could shield you, but I'd hesitate to kill for you. Still, this is a step closer to the power I want. How much more do you have to give me, I wonder?
"Thank you..."

After another moment like that, lying quietly together, Liza gives Xiren one more kiss, then sits them both upright. Her hand goes to Xiren's between them; she's reluctant to fully let go of the other girl, for reasons she's largely unaware of that have little to do with loneliness.

"So you and Ryall and that guy at the gala... You only love girls, right? Is that why you like training with Commander Kazuma? Because he's like a high-difficulty training dummy, compared to everyone else's... distractions?"

Spoiler: Irina

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"Thank you, ma'am. I'll consider your advice. Until class, then."
Liza's reply is stiff, even the inappropriately casual farewell at the end. Maybe she'll get a proper scolding for that, or maybe she needs more practice before she can get herself called out on mistakes like that.

---

Once she's gotten out of Irina's office, walking through Babylon's hallways starts to clear her head a bit.

Who do I want to become...? It seems like a simple question, but I've always been too focused on my next meal to think beyond it... Who is there to become? All my childhood role models were killed by God. Would Irina be so bad? Or...

Well, I can't do everything right this moment. Maybe I should pay Alyona a visit after all...

She stops by the cafeteria for lunch first, pocketing a few extra napkins and chopsticks as usual and eating in some secluded cubby instead of the main dining area. She'll join a table when she wants to socialize, but having exposed food always makes her feel vulnerable, like some person or animal will snatch it away if she's not perfectly vigilant. Moreso when she's lost in her head, which hasn't moved on from Ulyanovsk most of the time.

With a full belly and some time to digest her thoughts, by the time she finds Alyona she's able to greet her with a properly energetic smile.

"Alyona-chan! Do you remember me~? I studied a lot this week, so please help me practice Japanese!"

While she's being honest about wanting the practice, Liza's intention is to make it a pretext to learn more about Lt.Com. Kuznestov... About the person she's thinking of becoming.

[velvetWing]

The corner of Xiren's mouth twitches. She has to roll her shoulders and count to ten inside her head while she reminds herself that Liza's bluntness is a product of her newness to the language and her brash Russian character, rather than outright malice.

"Do you know, I hadn't really given it much thought? These last few weeks have been... eventful." Xiren squeezes Liza's hand gently. "I've never had time for love before. Before the Elders came, I was practically still a child, and after... well, it was too much to ask just to survive. I know that you understand what that's like. So I don't think I want to put restrictions on who I might or might not fall in love with. I like training with the Commander because he's a good teacher. He's firm, but kind. And... he reminds me of someone. I don't know that I'd be more distracted by the Lieutenant Commander than I am by him. Or any more than you are."

[fibericon]

Spoiler: Xiren

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"The primary reason we don't allow you to carry weapons is for pilot safety. Giving you a weapon is hypothetically a danger to you and others. While I don't believe you would be a threat to your fellow pilots, an untrained person with a weapon is far more dangerous to themselves than anyone else. Yes, you have some training, but I wouldn't be able to sign off on that just yet. Only if I believe you're safer with a knife than without one would I approve the request."

He heads over to his locker and takes out a knife in a horizontal sheath.

"I carry mine on my back, attached to my belt. It is what I have decided is my acceptable balance of concealable and accessible. You might choose to carry yours on your ankle. Some people carry theirs in a sheath worn around the neck. I don't recommend it, but it's important that you understand your options."

Spoiler: Liza

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If Irina has any qualms about letting you leave, she doesn't voice them.

Alyona is rather excited to see you. "Liza! You're not stumbling anymore - that's wonderful! Mother told me you all have extra training right now, so I didn't know if you would have time to practice."