[Day 5 LE] Dropship Personnel Quarters - Getting a Read on things (expecting)

[Yori Hakamada]

Calm steps of precisely the same length and speed precede Yori before she knock's on Richard's door, as usual assuming a 'Yori Hakamda' in knocked in morse code is the best way to announce herself.

[Richard Winter]

"Who the hell else is coming at this hour?" asked Richard, who had already changed his previous clothes for something more comfortable (sweatpants + undershirt).

He looked down at himself, thought: Well, never mind is probably eh Mei and opened the door.

To his surprise, Yori was standing there. He could have guessed it from the rhythm of the knocking, but well.

"Um, good evening Yori," he said, puzzled. "Um come on in."

Richard's table was not set in tools this time, but had a few reports open this time. To be precise, it was a mix of new and old reports, which, if you looked closely, had to come from the time of the Starlit Knights. The latest report was the last combat action of Richard's lance at the communication station.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Who the hell else is coming at this hour?" asked Richard, who had already changed his previous clothes for something more comfortable (sweatpants + undershirt).

He looked down at himself, thought: Well, never mind is probably eh Mei and opened the door.

To his surprise, Yori was standing there. He could have guessed it from the rhythm of the knocking, but well.

"Um, good evening Yori," he said, puzzled. "Um come on in."

Richard's table was not set in tools this time, but had a few reports open this time. To be precise, it was a mix of new and old reports, which, if you looked closely, had to come from the time of the Starlit Knights. The latest report was the last combat action of Richard's lance at the communication station.

"Good evening Richard."
Yori neutrally eyes his attire.
"I apologise for the late hour. I had finished the latest volume and wanted to see if I could exchange if for the next one."
Entering, her gaze snaps down to the reports with some interest.

"Oh, I did not realise you were reviewing your old logs."

[Richard Winter]

...

"Sure thing, make yourself comfortable" he bent over the table to stack the documents, neatly back together. "Yes, I wanted to review the mistakes of the last missions,... not that I could be in action tomorrow. The spider is still in the repair. But if there's an emergency, I want to be ready to go out in threes."

"Umm may I offer you tea again?" he asked. "It's way too late for coffee, at least for me".

[Yori Hakamada]

"Sure thing, make yourself comfortable" he bent over the table to stack the documents, neatly back together. "Yes, I wanted to review the mistakes of the last missions,... not that I could be in action tomorrow. The spider is still in the repair. But if there's an emergency, I want to be ready to go out in threes."

"Umm may I offer you tea again?" he asked. "It's way too late for coffee, at least for me".

Yori seems visibly relieved Richard stacks and arranges his documents.
"Tea would be nice, if it is no imposition."
Long pause
"May I?"
She gestures towards the previous mission logs.

[Richard Winter]

...

"Sure, help yourself" he said and went to his little cupboard, took out the box of tea, grabbed the green again and looked for the kettle.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Sure, help yourself" he said and went to his little cupboard, took out the box of tea, grabbed the green again and looked for the kettle.

Yori hurries, or at least quickly walks down to the table and kneels before reaching out to the reports and starting to scan through them at speed, the print reflected in her glasses as she does so.

Her face seems to noticably relax as she loses herself in the reading, with only the soft rustle of paper signalling when a page has been completed.

[Richard Winter]

He finally found the kettle, filled it with water and turned it on. After that he looked for 2 cups which he then put on the table, together with the pack of green tea.

She looks so concentrated, he thought to himself.

[Yori Hakamada]

He finally found the kettle, filled it with water and turned it on. After that he looked for 2 cups which he then put on the table, together with the pack of green tea.

She looks so concentrated, he thought to himself.

Yori slowly adjusts her glasses with one hand as the other continues turning pages. At one point she stops for a few moments to take some notes and then gets right back to digesting everything.

[Richard Winter]

The bubbling of the kettle announced its typical click with which it turned itself off. Hot steam poured out of it and Richard put a tea bag in each cup and poured the tea.

He sat down on the sofa and decided not to disturb Yori, but just to watch her.

[Yori Hakamada]

The bubbling of the kettle announced its typical click with which it turned itself off. Hot steam poured out of it and Richard put a tea bag in each cup and poured the tea.

He sat down on the sofa and decided not to disturb Yori, but just to watch her.

There are a few more moments or Yori 'excitedly' going through the reports but she reaches the final piece and sits back on her heels with a satisfied sigh before looking up and blinking.

"Oh, my apologies...I hope I was not delaying things. I just find your filing system quite impressive."

[Richard Winter]

...

"Take your time, I'm in no hurry" he said with a smile. "Have you come to any conclusions?" he asked with interest.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Take your time, I'm in no hurry" he said with a smile. "Have you come to any conclusions?" he asked with interest.

"You seem well suited to lighter mechs. I see multiple occasions where you have used their speed appropriately, closing on enemy's before they can bring their weapons to bear and then concentrating your own fire."
Yori nods, this was very appropriate.

"You also maintain a cool head if your communications logs are accurate, it is good you continue to have a grasp of the battlefield while fighting personally."
Rocking back.
"5/7."

[Richard Winter]

...

"5/7? Then there's still room for improvement, isn't there? I suppose you already have acute suggestions?"
He checked on the tea and blew a little into his cup. Hot steam rose and he allowed himself a sip. "Ahh, quite passable"

[Yori Hakamada]

"5/7? Then there's still room for improvement, isn't there? I suppose you already have acute suggestions?"
He checked on the tea and blew a little into his cup. Hot steam rose and he allowed himself a sip. "Ahh, quite passable"

Yori leans forward and takes her tea, although she keeps her gaze on the documents, deep in thought.
"There is always room for improvement. But nothing acute."
Cocking her head and daintily selecting one sheet.

"See, in this combat your forces were engaging a convoy that seemed to be separated from its escort. You chose to split up the mechs, half on one side, half on the other. It allowed you to secure the convoy quickly, but it also meant if the escort arrived one half of your lance might have been crushed on its own."
She turns to look up at Richard.

[Richard Winter]

...

"A necessary gamble. I entrusted Alpha with the second team because he already has a lot of experience. In the end, it was worth it," he said, convinced of himself. "However, the spider came off, it couldn't have withstood much more damage".

He sighed. "Say, are you in the field tomorrow? As it stands we have a big battle ahead of us. That means the heavy guns will have to go in."

[Yori Hakamada]

"A necessary gamble. I entrusted Alpha with the second team because he already has a lot of experience. In the end, it was worth it," he said, convinced of himself. "However, the spider came off, it couldn't have withstood much more damage".

He sighed. "Say, are you in the field tomorrow? As it stands we have a big battle ahead of us. That means the heavy guns will have to go in."

"An acceptable answer. There is rarely one single correct approach to each combat."
Yori nods as she sips her tea.
"Yes, it's a heavier target and my lance will be needed. We are not as heavy as I would like, but we shall make do."

[Richard Winter]

...

"I understand. That was to be expected. But we've also gathered quite a bit of information about the facility, so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises, I hope," he replied.

[Yori Hakamada]

"I understand. That was to be expected. But we've also gathered quite a bit of information about the facility, so there shouldn't be any nasty surprises, I hope," he replied.

"We have our known knowns, our known unknowns, and our unknown unknowns. It's the latter that concern me. But I believe you are correct, the scouting data is sufficient. If all goes to plan then hopefully none of my lance will die."

[Richard Winter]

...

"I hope so, too," he said, standing up briefly and walking back to his lockers. "Uh,..." he began, "I know you're rather rational, but..." he came back with a box in his hand, "Maybe this will bring you luck?"



Inside the box was a necklace that contained a pendant made of one very light and one very dark wood fish. The wood was lacquered and the fish were very detailed. The chain, on the other hand, was kept rather simple.