Another one bites the dust (D7 LE Officers' Lounge)

[Monique McConnel]

"Highs and lows, aye. I hope it lasts. Makes my job easier. Yours too, ay?"

She mulls over the question for a little while. Catching his gaze, she smiles properly. "Aye, probably. If we were officers we'd be entitled to a bigger slice of it. We really need to renegotiate."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek chuckled "Aye I'll drink to that. Lord knows we do as much work as the officers, if not more. Not to mention we've been around since this outfit started." He said making good on it and taking another sip.

"If you bring it up with Eric I'll back you up on it. I'm sure a few of the other NCOs would agree as well. We may not have some fancy education or be nobles but we help keep this thing running all the same."

[Monique McConnel]

"Then we both ought to meet him. Maybe drag John and Steffen into it as well, aye. Just... hmmm. None of us are exactly the negotiating sort, eh? He'll want to be persuaded in terms of commercial benefit. You know what he's like."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek nodded with some humor on his face "yeah only negotiations I'm any good at are aggressive ones and Eric doesn't seem the type to be bullied into things." He chuckled sipping his drink

"Maybe we can rope one of the support class that are better at that sort of thing to help out."

[Monique McConnel]

"But it's not really their business..." Monique tilts her head slightly left and right, not quite agreeing to the suggestion.

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek shrugged "maybe not, but doesn't hurt to get help from friends if you have access to it. But you've known him and been at this longer so I trust your judgement." He said smiling as he looked at her.

[Monique McConnel]

She shrugs her shoulders. "I think we can convince him if we get all four of us on board."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

He nodded "Then the four of us it is." He grinned mischievously "maybe we'll have Butcher be our spokesman." He said jokingly

[Monique McConnel]

"... Has he gotten to the stage he won't punch the CO in the face? He still makes me a bit nervous." She didn't share Alek's humour over it. Monique was instead frowning. "He does seem calmer these days, but... he's still a little volatile. Maybe you ought to? Steffen's too agreeable."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

"Ahh Butcher is pretty calm over all. Just gets his hackles up a bit too easily. Relax a little Monique, he'll make a good NCO. He has rough edges but he's a good guy." He still carried a good humor about his tone bit there was a current of Sincerity to his words.

But then an eyebrow rose "me? What makes you think I'm the man for the job?"

[Monique McConnel]

"I agree." She waves the comments away. "He just needs more polishing. Maybe more sanding. He'll make a good Gunny."

She lifts her glass and tips it toward Alek. "Because you're a straight talker. Eric likes that. It's something all four of us have in common. Also, you could lift him up and throw him out of the air lock with one hand. That's got to count for something." She flashes him a quick grin before enjoying more of her whiskey.

[Aleksandr Korolov]

He grinned back "Ah I suppose I could. Never considered myself a good negotiator but like I said, I trust your judgment." He said with a tone of agreement looking down at the glass for a moment the smile never leaving his lips.

He was uncharacteristically quiet for a moment and took another drink "man ten years since we cobbled this thing together. Doesn't seem that long ago does it?"

[Monique McConnel]

She shakes her head. "Really doesn't, yet at the same time..." She clicks her tongue. "It really has been that long. None of us are as young as we used to be."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek snorted quietly "Tell me about it. Still strong as an ox but some days I wake up with back aches or sore knees." He chuckled a little "or after having one too many the night before wishing I was in my twenties again when I could drink all night, wake up and do PT in the morning." He laughed the sound ending in a soft sigh

"Clock never stops ticking I guess, but still have plenty of good years left in me and learned a lot these past few years due in no small part to you and Eric." He ends on a more positive tone

[Monique McConnel]

"Likewise. We look out for each other, ay? Ack." She perks up as she suddenly points at Alek's face. "You also have a few white hairs these days." She comments with a chuckle of her own. "Don't worry, they only give you a more refined appearance. If I get any I'd need to start using hair dye. Men have it so much easier."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

He laughs and waves her joking jabs away with a casual hand "yeah yeah I've been getting some white for the past few years but I'll take going gray over losing it. Don't think I'd look great with a comb over." He laughs

Then he studies her for a second "I think you could pull of the gray. I mean you already look good but I think you'd still look good with a few streaks of white in there."

He paused and laughed again "I think that's the first time anyone has referred to me as distinguished though."

[Monique McConnel]

"I like it black, but thank you for the vote of confidence Alek." Monique reached for her long braid, flicking it in front of herself and checking it out. She smiles more at Alek's next statement. "What have they called you?"

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek reached out slow when the braid was flicked in front of her and gently grabbed it looking at it and running it through his hand if she allowed "Never said the black didn't look great on you." He would say either way with an earnest look from the hair to her eyes before he let it drop and sat back grinning

"Let's see, big, brutish, ignorant, oafish, obnoxious, I get handsome now and again but not often. I guess some did say I looked fancy at new years party. Suppose fancy can be a kind of refined."He said with a light chuckle as he sipped again.

[Monique McConnel]

It was a very, very long braid. Monique allowed Alek to handle it, but she had a look about her of 'don't even think of tugging it'. When he didn't she was satisfied. "Well, good. It takes an age to get it like this." She reached for the end, pointing it at him. "You're brave too."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

He would never, for fear should would then proceed to beat him up, he looked at pointed braid and then back to the woman pointing it at him with a smile on his lips.

At her words his smile turned a little embarrassed. It was one thing for him to spout confidently about his abilities but for someone else, someone he respected and cared for to compliment him hit different and a very slight color danced across his cheeks.

Alek cleared his throat "O-oh well thank you, that's definitely high praise coming from you." he had recovered as he spoke, the embarrassment leaking out and his usual easy happiness came back "You've no shortage of bravery yourself Mo. One of the finest mech warriors I've had the pleasure of serving with."