Welcome to Illium (Day T-2, Morning, Briefing Room)

[Lucretzia Winters]

Sensing that the questions had been asked. Lucretzia tapped the holotank, closing the image, and then addressed the room.

"That is all for now. There will be much to do. Please look forward to it."

Then she swept back out of the room, her boots ringing off the floor with an astonishingly crisp and clean pace.

[Maja Eklund]

Lucretzia passes close by Maja who had been lingering quietly in the doorway, clearly unwilling to venture much further into the busy room. Ms Winters gets a nod but nothing more as the mechwarrior scans the inhabitants of the room, comrade and client alike with a cool gaze. Her eyes pause for a moment on any visible weapon or expensive jewellery before continuing on.

[Dorgan Bruun]

Lucretzia passes close by Maja who had been lingering quietly in the doorway, clearly unwilling to venture much further into the busy room. Ms Winters gets a nod but nothing more as the mechwarrior scans the inhabitants of the room, comrade and client alike with a cool gaze. Her eyes pause for a moment on any visible weapon or expensive jewellery before continuing on.

Assuming the client's dismissal applies to everyone, Bruun steps away from the wall and turns toward the door. Maja will see he wears a pistol holster on each hip, and he's breathing straight toward her.

[Maja Eklund]

Assuming the client's dismissal applies to everyone, Bruun steps away from the wall and turns toward the door. Maja will see he wears a pistol holster on each hip, and he's breathing straight toward her.

Maja's jaw muscles tighten slightly but the short woman steps slightly into the room from the doorway to give the older mechwarrior the space to pass if he wished. She'd seen him around, he was the one always telling stories about the time he did this or that.

In her experience this meant he was either an actual veteran, full of drek, or both.

[Dorgan Bruun]

"Hey Eklund," he says, starting to pass, and then stops. "Hey, I got that right, didn't I?" He looks more pleased with himself than a person should for remembering one name.

[Maja Eklund]

"Hey Eklund," he says, starting to pass, and then stops. "Hey, I got that right, didn't I?" He looks more pleased with himself than a person should for remembering one name.

“....”
In slightly accented English
“That is correct Herr Bruun.”

There’s a slight pause as if she were sizing her companion up
“The briefing.... what did you make of it?”

[Dorgan Bruun]

"Ha ha, great," he says proudly, as though remembering people's names was an achievement for him. A big smile continues through her question, and then he chuckles a little.

"Well, I reckon it's the same as most early briefings: You're gonna do something dangerous, and we're not sure how dangerous, but you better follow orders or you don't get paid. So that's all fine. We're gonna visit some people who could be rich if they knew what they have, but since we do know, we get to take it."

He steps to the side so he can keep talking but not block the door.

"I like the sentiment," he adds in a quieter voice, "that we won't shoot anyone we don't have to. That's good. But that scary lady didn't shell out a bunch of cash for us to be here and not end up shooting people. So whether it's those people down there, or somebody we don't know about yet, we all are gonna earn every CBill here." The look he gives Maja is the unflinching confidence of someone who's lived this story before.

[Maja Eklund]

"Ha ha, great," he says proudly, as though remembering people's names was an achievement for him. A big smile continues through her question, and then he chuckles a little.

"Well, I reckon it's the same as most early briefings: You're gonna do something dangerous, and we're not sure how dangerous, but you better follow orders or you don't get paid. So that's all fine. We're gonna visit some people who could be rich if they knew what they have, but since we do know, we get to take it."

He steps to the side so he can keep talking but not block the door.

"I like the sentiment," he adds in a quieter voice, "that we won't shoot anyone we don't have to. That's good. But that scary lady didn't shell out a bunch of cash for us to be here and not end up shooting people. So whether it's those people down there, or somebody we don't know about yet, we all are gonna earn every CBill here." The look he gives Maja is the unflinching confidence of someone who's lived this story before.

She nods seriously, apparently taking it all at face value.
“Ja, okay. So this is the usual thing?”

Were their clients deceitful or was doublespeak just the norm?
“This is my first campaign so everything is new and strange.”
Glancing up at him
“As are many of the people on the ship. Still, this is how the omelette will be made, I think?”

[Dorgan Bruun]

"Ahhh," Bruun says at mention of her inexperience. He immediately looks protective. "We'll figure out soon who the people to trust are. Simulator runs tomorrow will help -- see who knows what they're doing and all."

He looks around the room. "For now, don't get too attached to anybody. They might all mean well, but that isn't what keeps people alive." He looks at Maja a little closer.

"You look like you need a second helping of breakfast. Want to head down to the kitchen and see what's left?"

[Maja Eklund]

"Ahhh," Bruun says at mention of her inexperience. He immediately looks protective. "We'll figure out soon who the people to trust are. Simulator runs tomorrow will help -- see who knows what they're doing and all."

He looks around the room. "For now, don't get too attached to anybody. They might all mean well, but that isn't what keeps people alive." He looks at Maja a little closer.

"You look like you need a second helping of breakfast. Want to head down to the kitchen and see what's left?"

She certainly doesn’t seem at risk of becoming too attached to anyone. And she shoots Bruun a very suspicious look at his offer of a second breakfast.

Then again...

“They allow second helpings? Is it only for the warriors in mechs?”
Her last company had barely provided first breakfasts.