Alright.... I'm just being careful.
A modified version of the previous...... both elements courtesy of Rob, then modified a little bit.
And why Noah receives his own Frigga-built Caster gun. He's the one who convinces Maico to sit on the story.
I might call this finished here..... or I could add one more scene, featuring the gun and something about defence plans..... and a polite warning that the Saber's secret won't last for very much longer.
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
A modified version of the previous...... both elements courtesy of Rob, then modified a little bit.
And why Noah receives his own Frigga-built Caster gun. He's the one who convinces Maico to sit on the story.
I might call this finished here..... or I could add one more scene, featuring the gun and something about defence plans..... and a polite warning that the Saber's secret won't last for very much longer.
Quote:----________________________________
Fresh, soft, bedsheets. Smelling faintly of lemon. Maico gathered a bunch up between her hands, pressed it to her face, closed her eyes tight shut and inhaled deeply. It was the fresh scent of a place that was alive, rather than dry industry.
She could hear people moving around her. Footsteps. Doors slamming. Instruments rattling.
There was an energy about the station that seemed to reinvigorate her. It charged her batteries. It was good to be back in civilisation, and not that arid ghost town of a rock.
"It's good to see you again, although I wish you were in better shape."
She started to hear a familar voice. Her eyes sprang open, dizziness ringing in her mind. Maico looked up at Noah Scott from the infirmary bed she was lying in. "Ms. MacKenzie tells me I'll be well enough to leave in a week, but I don't want to impose on you for that long." she said.
"Because you have work to do."
"Of course."
"That's no reason to make your head injury or your concussion any worse. Even if you and I think Rhiannon tends to err on the side of caution, she does know how to do her job, and right now, her job is to help you become healthy. Rest up and get better - then you can chase after your story with a clear head."
Maico grimaced. "I don't have the luxury of being able to stay in bed for a week, Mr. Scott."
A small smile spread across his face. "Then I'll have to bribe you to stay where you are."
Maico's eyebrow went up, Spock-style. She finally forced herself to sit upright in the bed. "Are you offering me a story?"
"Not quite." She was surprised to feel disappointed by that answer. "Since you showed up here with the Knight Sabers, and," he smiled, "they told me ahead of time that you know who they are, I see no reason not to let you interview one of their technical advisors. I'm offering you background for the story you already have."
"Don't tell me StellviaCorp rebuilt their ship for them."
"Not, but Kohran did design a lot of their weapons systems. If you stay in bed for the entire day, doing only whatever Rhiannon says you need to do to get better, then I'll have her answer your questions when she's off duty tonight."
A pause.
"Mister Scott, about that story ..."
"Please, Maico," he interrupted. "I'm not going to tell you to bury your story, but I'm asking you to bury it. I'm sure you know why by now. We all have important secrets. Let the Sabers keep theirs."
“So, you know who they are aswell,”
“Yes, I do,” he confirmed
“And you know Jet?
“We come from different ends of the fandom, but I know her, and her record.”
“She told me about an attack on Frigga a few months ago, and how she defended her station. I assume you’re familiar with it?”
“I am,”
“Jet told me about how she defended Frigga. She explained her attitude towards lethal force.” she pursed her lips for a moment. She came from a different cultural background to many Fen and boy did she know it. “I’m just not comfortable with the idea of someone with her mindset, being in charge of a group of mercenaries who aren’t sanctioned by, or answerable to, any of the usual authorities, and who have the capability and willingness to use that level of force.”
Noah took a deep breath. “If that’s your decision,”
Maico sat back against the bed’s pillow. “But. If you’re willing to trust them enough to ask me to sit on what I have, then that is enough for the time being.”
The quiet implication was obvious to both.
----
It was early morning in Crystal Tokyo, and the Tipsy Senshi was practically empty, save for a group of five women who looked like they’d been awake and busy for days... and a cyber in armour who wasn’t bothered.
Breakfast was being served.
In one corner, a television was chattering away to itself.
“Could you turn that up, please?” The flame haired woman with the datapad requested.
The Tuxedo’d waiter obliged. It was ISN. Could be worse. Captions and graphics whizzed around the newsreader’s face, clamouring for attention before finally settling down into a headline:
BREAKING NEWS:: Fenspace agencies pursue United Belt Alliance holdings.
The newsreader began
“I'm Constance Gardner, sitting in for Lily Smith. You're listening to
ISN Business News. Our top story: the Bank of Sol announced today that
they have sent a forensic accounting team to inspect the UBA's books.
This announcement came less than two hours after Maico Tange's report
of UBA's recent actions in the Belt, leading ISN's analysts to
conclude that the auditors were ready and waiting for an excuse to get
at the company's books. The makeup of the auditing team is unusual, to
say the least: Lafiel Abriel from Greenwood, Jess Ayanami from the
Roughriders, S.Yang from Hermes Universal, Takami Sakuragi from
StellviaCorp, Hermes from Hephaestus Mining, Cal Renken from the
Soviet Air Force – all highly-placed executives in groups that are at
odds with UBA. With me to discuss the neutrality of the auditing team
is investigative reporter John Simmons ...”
“PWNED!” Anika called out, punching the air.
Only the bar staff were present to witness and wonder.
------
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?