Taking Count (Day T-2, Afternoon, Mech Hangar)

[Nora Crossette]

"Ah. Well, some hands on experience does a body good, I'm told."

With a faint grin, she glanced at the other two, taking their measure.

"And you two kids from Rasalhague... the nation is free and you leave it first chance. A real bundle of misfits we have here."

[Freja Fogel]

"Yes..." she said, taking another sip of coffee. How many sips were even left in her cup? "... a joke."

She continued finishing her cup, and then mention of leaving Rasalhague came. Did the quartermaster know of her circumstances? Possibly. Didn't sound like it, though. But apparently the other 'kid' was from Rasalhague too? The accent should've given it away, but Freja rarely paid attention to such things.

"...We're free?" She asked then, before *finally* draining the last of the coffee in the cup.

[Nora Crossette]

"Well, Rasalhague is a Republic now. Not a part of the Combine."

Nora sighed. "I suppose you might be behind on the news. Still... if the job goes well, maybe you can go visit some time..."

Or maybe not, considering how we found you...

[Freja Fogel]

Freja nodded; she might actually have to do that sometime. She knew *of* Rasalhague of course. She even knew it was a republic, didn't she? She might know a lot more than that, in fact. Like what the Combine was. Or the latest news happenings. Or where to get a fresh cup of coffee. But her expression was just one of neutral blankness about all of these things.

"...It's good to be free," she said, finally.

[Snorri Tycho]

"Yeah..."Free" is a word." Snorri looks decidedly uncomfortable. He pauses, rolling up a sleeve to reveal a tattoo.



"Let's just say that "freedom" is a different path for everyone"

[Nora Crossette]

Nora gazed at the dragon in silence.

Then she just nodded.

"Makes sense."

Finishing her own cup of coffee, she added, "It isn't easy to keep a firm footing when the ground shifts under you. Well, we're glad to have you. While we hope it's a quiet deployment... let's just say I doubt it'll go completely according to plan. It never does."

[Freja Fogel]

If Freja had any reaction whatsoever to the tattoo, she certainly didn't show it. Which was entirely due to the fact she; in fact; had no reaction to it. It was a tattoo. It probably had some significance. But she didn't know what; if any; that was. Still she recognized the shift in mood. The proverbial 'air quotes'. Apparently this was a "thing".

She was determined to not let things be things, by making sure that other things became things instead.

"Well, yeah?" She responded to his statement about different paths, "That's what freedom is."

You responded to air quotes with eye rolls. Although she wasn't sure why.

[Nora Crossette]

With a chuckle, Nora shrugged, and then leaned back against the crate she had been sitting on, adding, "Some people hold grudges a lot longer than others - seems Freja here lets go of the past quite fast. That's the spirit."

Tapping the pad in front of her, she went on, "We're all on the same team here, so it's better not to bring any grudges from our past politics."

With a thoughtful expression, she added, "So, if we find some valuable lostec and make it rich... what would you want to buy? I'm thinking I might finally retire and buy a boat."

[Snorri Tycho]

"Hey, nothing buys bygones quicker than CBills." Snorri rolls down his sleeve. "And I am very much enjoying the way that the Company keeps me away from my freedom to starve. Plus, there's the lovely company of its Quartermaster" He flashes a tight grin to Nora.

"A boat...that sounds nice. I don't know about retiring though. I don't know what I would do with myself. Money always goes so fast...maybe a few amazing nights on the town and then some upgrades to Hess"

[Nora Crossette]

"Hess?"

A moment of confusion. "Oh... your mech?"

She craned her neck, but couldn't see the Hussar from where she was seated. Round hangars had a bad habit of hiding half the force.

"Where did you find it, anyway? I haven't seen a Hussar in person before - I don't think any new ones have come off the lines in an age."