What comes next? (D5 EE Briefing Room)

[Felicity]

Rather than concern for them as victims Felicity's first thought was the wider gain. "If they are then it wouldn't hurt to make nice. They'd owe us a favour... and if we salvage much more here we aren't going to be able to transport it all. The mech bay and camp are already pretty full. We still have two continents to go."

She looked a little more positive as she spoke now.

"I hope you get a good response. If they are being forced then it would be in all our interests to coordinate something with them."

[Alexei Herald]

"Yes, but I suspect the captain wouldn't want to do additional work for free - and I can't blame him. Still, that would be a matter for discussion after the current situation is resolved."

There was a flicker in the frequency, and he smirked. "Bingo... that's what I needed."

Closing the program with a few key strokes, he smiled darkly, "I've got to talk to the Major - it looks like we need to draw the enemy away from that dropship tomorrow."

[Felicity]

"Need me to go find him?" Felicity responds, thinking it likely.

[Alexei Herald]

"If you want - or I can. We'll need to discuss what options are on the table..."

Glancing at Felicity, he added, "You may want to get familiar with that mech, miss Harrington. You'll be fighting tomorrow, I suspect."

[Felicity]

How many people did you tell Major? Felicity resented that she had to keep a secret, but one of hers had been shared freely. Again.

"I'll go find him. Then I will try to go for a walk around the perimeter in it." She replies with a very neutral expression, doing her best to hide her sourness. It probably wasn't Alexei's fault.

[Alexei Herald]

"Ah, I forgot, you dislike your name for some reason. My apologies. It was mentioned in your file."

The man sighed, and then glanced at her, "And yes... being comfortable in your mech is important. You want your reflexes as sharp as they can be in the limited time you have to prepare - if we do corner the enemy, the battle to finish them will be bloody and short, so best to be ready."

[Felicity]

Felicity intensely wished she did not have a file. That made her immensely uncomfortable. Rationally, she knew it was normal. The emotional part of her still hated it however. She preferred to pretend it didn't exist.

"Eehm, right." She confirms his assertion. "I prefer just Felicity, or maybe Fee."

Nodding, she gets up, picking up her water bottle and fiddling with her hoodie. "Yea, you're right. I will. You make it sound like you've piloted more than aerospace fighters Captain. Eehm, and dropships. Of course." She scratched her cheek. "I clarified this with the Major, but not you. Are we meant to salute you or...?"

[Alexei Herald]

"You don't work for me, miss. So no, saluting is optional."

With a chuckle, he added, "I never piloted a mech in more than simulation, for fun, but I've known many mechwarriors, over the years, and I imagine it's not so different from losing a fighter - you grow attached... it becomes comfortable. Natural. That takes time to get back."

[Felicity]

"R-right." She didn't sound entirely convinced, but she nods anyway.

She murmurs agreement as Alexei eloquently expressed the situation. "That's about right." Her tail swayed left and right gently as she looked down. "Yea..."

Then she bounced up as she regained her senses. "I-I'll get the Major for you. Thank you Captain. I'll try to make it quick." She waved with a quick smile before setting off to find Yuri. By the time she did she had remembered he'd caused the incident, which had nearly killed her, so she was back to a neutral expression once more. Still, it was a start.

/ Exit