[Day 2 EE Base Camp] On the Fence About Things (Expecting)

[Yori Hakamada]

Yori slowly paces the length of the camp's perimeter fence, face glued to her commpad. She seems to be intent on the readings playing across its screen as ever five metres she stops and carefully inputs something before continuing her walk. A few guards call out as she passes but the lieutenant seems single-mindedly intent on her task.

[Aleksandr Korolov]

she wasnt the only one out there at this time, Alek stood outside looking out over the surrounding area. He was unusually quiet for the large man, his eyes were intent as he surveyed their surroundings.

whatever deep thoughts or possible reverie that Aleksandr was experiencing was abruptly but relatively subtly as he felt a small bump at his torso. He made a small sound of surprise and looked down.

"Ah! Yori! hows it going? Head more in the pad than your surroundings eh?" he said with good humor in greeting his usual boisterous expressiveness returning in an instant.

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

Bonk!
Yori continues counting for a few moments "6...7...8"
Until she realises she's not going anywhere since something large and warm is blocking her path.
"Hmmm? Oh, Master Sergeant Korolov, indeed. I was counting."
Craning her head slightly to look up at him
"Were you counting as well?"

[Aleksandr Korolov]

The giant shook his head "Net, was just thinking and enjoying the outdoor air." He looked back out for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

"And what exactly has you counting so hard you shut out your surroundings?"

[Yori Hakamada]

The giant shook his head "Net, was just thinking and enjoying the outdoor air." He looked back out for a moment before turning his attention back to her.

"And what exactly has you counting so hard you shut out your surroundings?"

As if this was perfectly logical "I did not know the circumference of the fence."
Gesturing at her pad
"It was beginning to make me uncomfortable, so I decided to rectify this by walking the perimeter and measuring it. I am sure command will appreciate an accurate accounting."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

He shook his head a bemused smile on his lips "You know Yori, I'm sure you're right that they won't but if it makes you feel better then more power to you. Doesn't hurt to know at the very least."

[Yori Hakamada]

He shook his head a bemused smile on his lips "You know Yori, I'm sure you're right that they won't but if it makes you feel better then more power to you. Doesn't hurt to know at the very least."

"Indeed, and the not knowing does hurt. Some things I just...require knowing, I am sure you understand."
Yori's expression is her usual placid self, but there's a slight tightness to her body language when she speaks.

"Do you feel the same way? Are there things you have to know?"

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek thought for a minute and shook his head hos expression vaguely apologetic " fraid not Lt." He knocked on his skull "not as much rattling on up here as you might think. There are things I like to know. Information on targets before battle, Defense installations, whose day it is to cook in the mess." He finished with a grin at a small joke.

He thought a bit longer "but I understand satisfying a need. There aren't things I need to know but at times there are things I need to do." He emphasized the word. "Some days I need to move my body, need to work out, need to hit something, need to just do something. So I suppose in that way I can understand where you are coming from."

[Yori Hakamada]

Alek thought for a minute and shook his head hos expression vaguely apologetic " fraid not Lt." He knocked on his skull "not as much rattling on up here as you might think. There are things I like to know. Information on targets before battle, Defense installations, whose day it is to cook in the mess." He finished with a grin at a small joke.

He thought a bit longer "but I understand satisfying a need. There aren't things I need to know but at times there are things I need to do." He emphasized the word. "Some days I need to move my body, need to work out, need to hit something, need to just do something. So I suppose in that way I can understand where you are coming from."

Very seriously
"The mess schedule is posted on the kitchen door every week, I can have a copy sent to your quarters if you would like?"
Knowing who was cooking and when was how one avoided incidents.

"Yes...it is like a physical need, when people need to hit something they try to find something to hit. Although usually not eachother...usually."
Still craning her head.
"I think you have at least an average intelligence, and given body mass your brain is likely to be larger than mine barring severe alcohol use as a child."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

At first he looks surprised "No yori, I..." He trailed off and shook his head "No I'm fine Yori thank you it was just little joke."

"But yes I usually try to avoid hitting other people unless they consent to it." He said with a chuckle

He paused a little and scratched his chin "Um I suppose I have a big brain but haven't spent much time filling it with like academic information."

[Yori Hakamada]

At first he looks surprised "No yori, I..." He trailed off and shook his head "No I'm fine Yori thank you it was just little joke."

"But yes I usually try to avoid hitting other people unless they consent to it." He said with a chuckle

He paused a little and scratched his chin "Um I suppose I have a big brain but haven't spent much time filling it with like academic information."

"Oh....Ha?"
She does her best to try and imitate a humorous response.
"What have you filled your brain with? You are Lyran, correct? There are a range of unflattering stereotypes you might have pursued but I do not believe they would apply to you."
Yori carefully puts her pad into her pocket and then her hands follow given the cold.

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek shrugged "most of it is probably dedicated to muscle memory. Maneuvers both in the cock pit and in the ring, stats from my time in the arena, an unhealthy amount of knowledge of beers." He said with a chuckle "recently did start studying tactics and I always have lessons I learn as a kid on the streets of Solaris." He said with a tone of finality.

He saw her stow her hands read her body language a bit "Cold lieutenant? Would you like my jacket?" He says shrugging a shoulder and nodding toward the leather jack.

[Yori Hakamada]

Alek shrugged "most of it is probably dedicated to muscle memory. Maneuvers both in the cock pit and in the ring, stats from my time in the arena, an unhealthy amount of knowledge of beers." He said with a chuckle "recently did start studying tactics and I always have lessons I learn as a kid on the streets of Solaris." He said with a tone of finality.

He saw her stow her hands read her body language a bit "Cold lieutenant? Would you like my jacket?" He says shrugging a shoulder and nodding toward the leather jack.

Yori blinks before her conscious mind catches up with her subconscious
"It is kind of you to offer, but no. It would be too large for me."
Then she stops blinking again
"I will be alright so long as exposure is kept to a maximum of half an hour, after there my body will begin to slow down from a drop in metabolic temperatures and without shelter I'll be dead in roughly 4 hours. But I believe that is unlikely."
Always do the math before you go out.

"I knew you were from Solaris, but I did not know you were raised on the street? Or were you living in a house...but you learnt on the streets?"

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek chuckles a little "bigger jacket just means more coverage though eh?" He said in response but didn't actually press the matter.

"I grew up in a few places Lt. Spent my childhood in the Commonwealth until da passed when I was about thirteen. Took his Mech and left home, couldn't be there anymore." He trailed off a moment

"But I ended up on Solaris and lived there for many years so I guess maybe I didn't 'grow up' there" He said with air quotes "but I certainly learned a lot and did a lot of growing there. And a bit of that time I was on the streets, I spent many nights sleeping in the Mech."

[Yori Hakamada]

Alek chuckles a little "bigger jacket just means more coverage though eh?" He said in response but didn't actually press the matter.

"I grew up in a few places Lt. Spent my childhood in the Commonwealth until da passed when I was about thirteen. Took his Mech and left home, couldn't be there anymore." He trailed off a moment

"But I ended up on Solaris and lived there for many years so I guess maybe I didn't 'grow up' there" He said with air quotes "but I certainly learned a lot and did a lot of growing there. And a bit of that time I was on the streets, I spent many nights sleeping in the Mech."

"I've been told Solaris is a wretched den of scum and villainy where warriors throw away the honourable pursuit of mech combat for traitor's gold....admittedly that was not from a particularly objective source, so I am curious what it was actually like."

Yori's neck starts to develop a crick so she contents herself with staring at Alek's right shoulder
"Why did you go there? And then why did you leave? There must be a story behind it."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

Alek noted the shift in Gaze and his lips quicker a bit, he looked about and motioned toward the nearest building "walk with me, if we're telling stories we should head inside. Don't want your brain and stuff to start running slower or whatever." He said as he indicated a near by building the angels had put up yesterday.

"As for the story well, it's a lot but short of it is it sounded like a place I could make money in the Mech. Grew up in a city on the smaller side, not many opportunities. And yes Solaris was known for being dangerous but also you heard about all the big mech warriors and gladiators that lived the high life there. To young teen on his own sounded like the place I wanted to be." He explained

[Yori Hakamada]

Alek noted the shift in Gaze and his lips quicker a bit, he looked about and motioned toward the nearest building "walk with me, if we're telling stories we should head inside. Don't want your brain and stuff to start running slower or whatever." He said as he indicated a near by building the angels had put up yesterday.

"As for the story well, it's a lot but short of it is it sounded like a place I could make money in the Mech. Grew up in a city on the smaller side, not many opportunities. And yes Solaris was known for being dangerous but also you heard about all the big mech warriors and gladiators that lived the high life there. To young teen on his own sounded like the place I wanted to be." He explained

"That seems sensible."
Yori pulls out a little red flag and spends a few moments planting it exactly where she'd finished before nodding and turning to follow him.
"So you were chasing your dreams of becoming a famous gladiator? And now you are here."
She walks in silence for a few moments before adding.
"I am sorry."

[Aleksandr Korolov]

They strode toward the near building and Alek laughed "Well I don't think I'd say I was working on becoming a famous gladiator. Well not at first, at first it was just trying to survive and that seemed like the best way."

As they approached the building he opened the door for her "after you lt. Hakamada." He said with a smile and following her assuming she went in.

It seemed to be a storage room with a few boxes but it was four walls to block the wind and had light. Alek leaned on a solid stack of boxes and gave her a quizzical look "and sorry for what eh? The Angels are pretty good for a merc outfit."

[Yori Hakamada]

They strode toward the near building and Alek laughed "Well I don't think I'd say I was working on becoming a famous gladiator. Well not at first, at first it was just trying to survive and that seemed like the best way."

As they approached the building he opened the door for her "after you lt. Hakamada." He said with a smile and following her assuming she went in.

It seemed to be a storage room with a few boxes but it was four walls to block the wind and had light. Alek leaned on a solid stack of boxes and gave her a quizzical look "and sorry for what eh? The Angels are pretty good for a merc outfit."

Yori enters with a nod and perches herself straight backed on a box, like she was attending a rather serious job interview.

"I would agree that as mercenary outfits go my lance rated the Angels as one of the 4 least likely to murderous and steal our machines...in this area of space at least. But even so, I am sure you would have made a good famous gladiator, and you would have preferred that rather than..."
She gestures around
This."
Now staring straight at him.
"Do you think you will one day go back? Or are you now too old and injured?"

[Aleksandr Korolov]

The juxtaposition of their demeanor was amusing and always had been to Alek as he was rather casual as he leaned against the boxes.

The other thing he always appreciated about Yori was her complete lack of tact she just asked what was on her mind. Alek laughed at her question and shook his head a little "Well, I guess if anything happened to the Angels I might go back. Still have to make a living and finding a new company has a lot of challenges."

"As far as being old, I'm still as quick as I was in my twenties! And for injured" He rose and clenched his Prosthetic hand "Well I never let an injury stop me."