Watching Warriors Work (DT-1, Afternoon, Simulator Room)

[Freja Fogel]

"It'll probably work, but please don't try doing that too often against heavy mechs." There was punching above your weight and then there was kicking above your reality.

She turned to Mata and nods after a moment's thought. "Si. Kiara's like a dinosaur."

To Marik she gently clears her throat. "Yea, it was. He's very good in that Dragon."

She nodded absentmindedly, seemingly not paying any attention.

Until she did. "Uhm, did you say some--" she was distracted momentarily again by something happening on the viewscreen; though nothing of note was happening just yet; "Oh... uhm, anyway. Should I... have a thing of my own? You all had a thing."

[Felicity]

Felicity blinked, looking straight at Freja now. "What thing?"

[Marik Wa Mo Ishtal]

"You did a good job, Mechwarrior Marik."

Mata add, "I really like how you tried to take on the Grand Dragon by yourself. It was like in the stories my father told me about."

"You both honour, but I only did so because I felt I had to. I don't know if the Thorn is your creation, Just Technician, but it absorbs heat like Lady Nyct herself. It is a beautiful machine."

The idea that technicians built everything on his home planet was evident in the way he complimented the technician.

Until she did. "Uhm, did you say some--" she was distracted momentarily again by something happening on the viewscreen; though nothing of note was happening just yet; "Oh... uhm, anyway. Should I... have a thing of my own? You all had a thing."

"Forgive me, Wa Freja, but what do you mean by... 'thing' ?"

[Andrea DeTroyes]

Andrea made her way to the observation area, she had added a long double-breasted coat to cover up her mech gear and to provide a belt to hand her saber from. "Congratulations everyone." She said before taking a spot near the monitors. Her body was turned toward the others present, showing an openness to conversation.

[Freja Fogel]

It was Freja's turn to blink. Surely they were *aware* of their *things*?

"You know... the tail. the pointy metal. the kneeling. I thought maybe I was expected to have a thing too."

Either she had the best poker face in the galaxy, or she was being entirely serious.

[James Hall]

"You did a good job, Mechwarrior Marik."

Mata add, "I really like how you tried to take on the Grand Dragon by yourself. It was like in the stories my father told me about."

"You both honour, but I only did so because I felt I had to. I don't know if the Thorn is your creation, Just Technician, but it absorbs heat like Lady Nyct herself. It is a beautiful machine."

The idea that technicians built everything on his home planet was evident in the way he complimented the technician.

James is surprised. "Um.. no. No need for such compliments. Around here, it is the scientists who make them. We just keep them going."

Andrea made her way to the observation area, she had added a long double-breasted coat to cover up her mech gear and to provide a belt to hand her saber from. "Congratulations everyone." She said before taking a spot near the monitors. Her body was turned toward the others present, showing an openness to conversation.

James wasn't sure how she would be feeling after being the only falling in the sim, so he is simply gives a, "Well done."

[Felicity]

Felicity hunched down ever so slightly. She was wary. She glanced back and, yes, her tail was quite obviously out on show. She couldn't tell from looking at Freja whether she was being serious or setting up a joke. She's hard to read. "Sorry...?" She offers, unsure. Then she sighs and stands up tall once more, her tail flicking left and right. "I... you want a tail?" She hadn't seen Marik's customary gestures, and while she had noted Andrea's sword she didn't immediately make the connection. It took a look over to the ex-Federated Suns Officer. However, as seconds ticked by Felicity began to understand.

She gestured Andrea over. "She wants to know about your sword and my tail. Freja wants her own personal thing. Like..." What's the word? She could think of it in Spanish. She tried to think of the equivalent. "Like a... gimmick?"

[Marik Wa Mo Ishtal]

James is surprised. "Um.. no. No need for such compliments. Around here, it is the scientists who make them. We just keep them going."

It's as if the world itself was revealed to Marik for the first time.

"Ooooohh - That - Oh. That explains why what I have been saying must have sounded strange - it appears in space, the role of a technician is very different from what it is on my home planet. Please, forgive my earlier talk - it must have been very abnormal."

He looks sheepish as he offers his apology.

"You know... the tail. the pointy metal. the kneeling. I thought maybe I was expected to have a thing too."

While Felicity is speaking, Marik appeared to have disappeared into a head space, but alas his mouth hadn't followed him.

"Well I imagine having a skin as fair as winter snow and lady nyct's lush obsidian mane would be enough of a-"

"Like a... gimmick?"

Snapping back to reality, he looked around for a second, before addressing the word 'gimmick'.

"My prayers are not a gimmick - they are a form of meditative rites passed down for generations to remind us Wa that these are not simply machines, but extensions of selves, and should be treated as such. If you feel like you need to be different, don't be - do whatever is comfortable for you before you march to war."

[Freja Fogel]

She considered the words. First there was an apology. Then an offer to get some tail. No wait, not an offer for a tail. Then something something gimmic something something muttering followed by something something prayer not gimmick philosophical stuff.

Freja had difficulty following it all, but eventually settled on a meaningful slow nod.

"Yes. A gimmick."

[Marik Wa Mo Ishtal]

Thankfully, his mistake had been lost to the sands of time - or at least ignored.

"I don't think you need a gimmick."