[Day 4 LE, Dropship Personal Quarters] Fishy Goings on (Expecting)

[Yori Hakamada]

Yori's room was blessedly quiet, just the soft hum of her fish tanks filters and the occasional creak of the ship. The Lieutenant sits cross-legged with her back against her fishtank slowly turning through the pages of Richard's manga. Her silk gloves look oddly ridiculous combined with the singlet and shorts she's sporting, but the fish don't seem to mind.

On closer inspection it looks like said fish are floating directly behind her, reading the pages as well....

[Gianna Rains]

There comes a gentle but insistent rapping at Yori's door, the speed suggesting someone in a bit of a rush or having for some reason an elevated heart rate.

On the other side of the door, looking obviously like she'd just come from the simulators without fully toweling off, was a slightly anxious blue-haired Canopian.

"Yori," she says, sounding more like she's asking a question and far from sounding like someone in command.

Gianna active medium.jpg (46.48 KiB) Viewed 1789 times

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

Yori pauses mid page turn, holding dead still for several seconds until in her usual neutral tone:
"Lieutenant Rains? I apologise, I was not expecting you, please come in."
She hits a button and the door's locks click open as the Lieutenant carefully bookmarks her manga and then sets it down before rising to her feet to greet her guest.

[Gianna Rains]

Yori pauses mid page turn, holding dead still for several seconds until in her usual neutral tone:
"Lieutenant Rains? I apologise, I was not expecting you, please come in."
She hits a button and the door's locks click open as the Lieutenant carefully bookmarks her manga and then sets it down before rising to her feet to greet her guest.

"No, no apology, Yori. I am, uh, unannounced," she says as she enters, looking a little agitated. She looks like she'll sit without an invitation, then glances around, hesitating.

"I, um... So, congratulations again, on your promotion."

[Yori Hakamada]

"No, no apology, Yori. I am, uh, unannounced," she says as she enters, looking a little agitated. She looks like she'll sit without an invitation, then glances around, hesitating.

"I, um... So, congratulations again, on your promotion."

Yori looks to her daily calendar of guests to double check.
"Indeed. Thank you for your congratulations, I confirmed it was not a prank of some kind."
She goes back to silently staring at her guest for a few moments/
"Are you agitated?"

[Gianna Rains]

Yori looks to her daily calendar of guests to double check.
"Indeed. Thank you for your congratulations, I confirmed it was not a prank of some kind."
She goes back to silently staring at her guest for a few moments/
"Are you agitated?"

Gianna's face scrunches, not quite sure how to respond.

"I am, um... Anxious, maybe. Just..." Her face scrunches again, then after a moment she exhales deeply.

"I noticed that you were promoted right after I had a... very poor showing... on my first planetside day as a first lieutenant." She looks at Yori intently, unintimidated by the oddly intense stare that Gianna has mostly gotten used to. "Do you think... Does that, um, change anything? In your mind? Between us?" Gianna trying to look steely might come across as intense or even threatening to someone else, but to Yori it's probably clear as just trying to hold her own.

[Yori Hakamada]

Gianna's face scrunches, not quite sure how to respond.

"I am, um... Anxious, maybe. Just..." Her face scrunches again, then after a moment she exhales deeply.

"I noticed that you were promoted right after I had a... very poor showing... on my first planetside day as a first lieutenant." She looks at Yori intently, unintimidated by the oddly intense stare that Gianna has mostly gotten used to. "Do you think... Does that, um, change anything? In your mind? Between us?" Gianna trying to look steely might come across as intense or even threatening to someone else, but to Yori it's probably clear as just trying to hold her own.

"Oh yes, I recall that there were some issues in the unloading process. Serious issues."
A long awkward pause and then... a slight shrug

"Everyone makes mistakes, and mine have been worse than most. I do not believe it has changed anything significant between us, you are still the company commander and my superior. I am not currently looking to replace you in that position."

[Gianna Rains]

"Oh yes, I recall that there were some issues in the unloading process. Serious issues."
A long awkward pause and then... a slight shrug

"Everyone makes mistakes, and mine have been worse than most. I do not believe it has changed anything significant between us, you are still the company commander and my superior. I am not currently looking to replace you in that position."

"Not currently looking to" she says, Gianna thinks, recognizing a mediocre reassurance when she hears one. But what else can she say? And you tried to quit, and Eric said no, so what do you want?

The Canopian shakes her head several times, clearly caught up in internal discussion about something. Finally she stops, looks at Yori and nods.

"Thanks. For the honesty," she says, even knowing that Yori is one of the few people in the universe unlikely to spend effort on lying to people. "I don't... I don't think I want things to change. But the whole accident was... It shook me a lot," she says candidly, nodding.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Not currently looking to" she says, Gianna thinks, recognizing a mediocre reassurance when she hears one. But what else can she say? And you tried to quit, and Eric said no, so what do you want?

The Canopian shakes her head several times, clearly caught up in internal discussion about something. Finally she stops, looks at Yori and nods.

"Thanks. For the honesty," she says, even knowing that Yori is one of the few people in the universe unlikely to spend effort on lying to people. "I don't... I don't think I want things to change. But the whole accident was... It shook me a lot," she says candidly, nodding.

Yori peers at Gianna for another moment before slowly walking across the room and opening a box on the shelf. A few seconds rustling and then she returns with some wrapped chocolates which she carefully deposits in her visitor's hand.

"You should increase your blood sugar level. I once made a mistake which shook me to. The difference between our two cases is the magnitude of the effect. You are shaken because you hold yourself to a high standard and because you want to set a good example. That is a good reason to be shaken."

Frowning very slightly and then reaching to take back one of the chocolates from Gianna's hand, unwrap it and toss it into her own mouth.
"I was shaken because a lot of people died. In my experience, your accident will be easier to recover from."

[Gianna Rains]

Yori peers at Gianna for another moment before slowly walking across the room and opening a box on the shelf. A few seconds rustling and then she returns with some wrapped chocolates which she carefully deposits in her visitor's hand.

"You should increase your blood sugar level. I once made a mistake which shook me to. The difference between our two cases is the magnitude of the effect. You are shaken because you hold yourself to a high standard and because you want to set a good example. That is a good reason to be shaken."

Frowning very slightly and then reaching to take back one of the chocolates from Gianna's hand, unwrap it and toss it into her own mouth.
"I was shaken because a lot of people died. In my experience, your accident will be easier to recover from."

"That's..." Gianna isn't sure what to say, exactly, but she feels a very genuine connection to Yori. She's quick to open and eat a chocolate herself, both to recognize that Yori offered them and in solidarity at needing them.

"Thanks," Gianna says clearly, buying time and appreciating the other woman's kindness. "Um... If you... want to talk about things. I would. Be happy to do that." The uneven delivery is accompanied by the Canopian's eyes studying Yori for any sign of reaction - in a cosmically humorous way, perhaps, resembling how Yori herself can seem when trying to show empathy.

[Yori Hakamada]

"That's..." Gianna isn't sure what to say, exactly, but she feels a very genuine connection to Yori. She's quick to open and eat a chocolate herself, both to recognize that Yori offered them and in solidarity at needing them.

"Thanks," Gianna says clearly, buying time and appreciating the other woman's kindness. "Um... If you... want to talk about things. I would. Be happy to do that." The uneven delivery is accompanied by the Canopian's eyes studying Yori for any sign of reaction - in a cosmically humorous way, perhaps, resembling how Yori herself can seem when trying to show empathy.

Two quick blinks, a slight tightening in her shoulders. Clear signs of significant Yori distress.

Neutrally
"It is kind of you to offer. I enjoy talking about things."
She turns and stares at her fish, they seem to be staring back.

Still completely calm
"You've been a mechwarrior for some time now, have you killed an opponent?"