Work it (Pregame 1 EM Gym)

[GM Yuusha]

(Open to the first 2 PCs to join)

Some of the gym equipment would be rendered useless when gravity ceased. That made today the last chance to use some of it. Nonetheless, it was nearly first thing in the morning and most Angels were just waking up. Only a hardcore gym goer would be up already and pumping iron.

Yet, there was one such mercenary. A large woman exercising and stretching, preparing to lift weights. The gym's lights were on, illuminating some of the corridor outside, and so was the heating. It was still a little nippy, but with enough movement it was tolerable. Still, it was a little bothersome, which was why Monique had a jacket on over her sportswear.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

A bedraggled Mei entered the gym none to enthusiastic about what she was a bout to do.

"Good morning SGT Major." She yawned and made her way over to a treadmill. "Excited for the party tonight?"

[Monique McConnel]

"..." Mei-Ling received a look of recognition and also surprise. It passed quickly.

"Thrilled." Monique stated dryly as she shifted into position for a warmup weight. Fifty kilos. Clean and jerk. Nice and easy. "Morning Zhou. Spot for me in a bit would you?" She said the name with a thick accent, but it was discernible. She crouched and lifted the weight. She did a few reps without much effort.

[Richard Winter]

Better move the limbs one last time before the great journey begins, huh? Richard entered the gym and looked around, he had not yet felt at home in the dropship and many things were still foreign. However, the equipment in all gyms of this universe were the same, "Never change a broken system" he thought to himself.

Upon seeing the Sgt Major, Richard performed a short salute and the silent servo motors of his prosthesis could be heard as he did so. "Good morning, Sgt Major McConnel." he said in a neutral tone.

He also greeted Mei, in a much warmer voice: "Good Morning Mei, ready to start the day?"

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Starting at a light jog Mei turned her head, eyes wide towards the bodybuilder.

"Spot...you? Uh, sure." She said kicking the speed of the treadmill up a bit.

(Chinese) "I'm more likely to get us both killed but OK."

Oh thank god, someone who might be able to lift her weight.

"Good Morning Richard, I'm ready to get to the end of the day at the very least. So many people to get to know still. I made a fruitcake for tonight, I hope you like it."

[Monique McConnel]

(Thread full)

She didn't salute back. Not immediately. Her hands were full.

"Morning Lieutenant Winter."

He got a nod of respect at first. When she was done she gave a quick salute his way before adding some weight to either end of the bar.

[Richard Winter]

"Good Morning Richard, I'm ready to get to the end of the day at the very least. So many people to get to know still. I made a fruitcake for tonight, I hope you like it."

"Uhmm, sure, we can meet later for that" he said with memories of Mei's cooking skill flashing before his eyes. "Have you settled in? The quartes are a bit more crammy than at the Knights."

He watched Monique load the barbell with more weights. "Can I give you a hand, Sgt Major?" he asked politely?

[Monique McConnel]

"..." She shot a look at Mei-Ling before regarding Richard again. "Sure. Sorry for the trouble."

It would be trouble soon too. Sixty kilos worth. Then seventy. Then eighty... there was a nice pile of extra round weights just waiting to be added.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"Uhmm, sure, we can meet later for that" he said with memories of Mei's cooking skill flashing before his eyes. "Have you settled in? The quartes are a bit more crammy than at the Knights."

"Oh I'm bringing it to the party tonight you can try it there." She said as she kicked the speed up again, now at a steady run. "Whoever designed these ships clearly never had to live in them, is it really too much to ask for rooms big enough for a full drum kit, queen sized bed and a hot tub?" She said with a chuckle.

"Thank you for doing that Richard, I'm not sure I could really help with that." She said sheepishly. "Eventually I'm going to have to start working on my strength."

[Richard Winter]

"Ahh, I see, yes then I'll have some of that." he said, wondering how many medicine the Angels had ready to face the storm that was coming.

"Don't worry about strength training, as long as you're moving at all. Is everything working well with your leg?" he asked, briefly observing Mei's stride on the treadmill.

"You're up to quite a bit Sgt Major." he said, genuinely impressed. "Are you always lifting that much?"
Richard positioned himself so that he could help lift the weight in an emergency, even if he wondered where the limit was where he could be helpful.

[Monique McConnel]

"Record's one-twenty-five. My best is one-oh-nine. That was when I was in my 20s. Hitting a hundred now is difficult." The Sergeant explained in between reps. She was starting to sweat now. Eighty was taking effort.

She dropped the weights onto the mat after finishing her fifth lift. She sucked in air. Her gaze wandered to the weights as she psyched herself up for ninety.

"Strength training's not too bad, but flexibility is better for piloting. Still, it doesn't hurt. Better for the body too. Not everything is about piloting." She offered a counter opinion.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"Don't worry about strength training, as long as you're moving at all. Is everything working well with your leg?" he asked, briefly observing Mei's stride on the treadmill.

"Well aside from it ruining to look of all my clothes, itching, throbbing and generally not feeling right...I hate it." She said huffing. "But I'm stuck with it I guess, maybe one day they will figure out how to regrow limbs and I will be the first one in line for it." Her stride showed just how uncomfortable she was with the leg, it was an awkward gait but she powered through it."

"Strength training's not too bad, but flexibility is better for piloting. Still, it doesn't hurt. Better for the body too. Not everything is about piloting." She offered a counter opinion.

"Yeah....I really need to do something besides running and squats and crunches, as it is the squats aren't doing what I hoped they would. Any suggestions on where I should start SGT-Major?"

[Richard Winter]

"It'll work out Mei, you'll find a good look for you.... But if you ever find a way to regrow limbs, let me know. It's a bit difficult to train the bicep with this" he said with a smile and "flexed" his pothesis while looking a bit enviously at the Sgt Major.

He turned to her again: "Well, you're not getting any younger, are you? And the long pauses between jumps don't really help either."

[Monique McConnel]

"Yeah....I really need to do something besides running and squats and crunches, as it is the squats aren't doing what I hoped they would. Any suggestions on where I should start SGT-Major?"

"Anything for the upper body. The rowing machine might be more your thing to start." Most of the runners liked the rowing machine for some reason. "It'll get you toned on its own if you stick with it."

He turned to her again: "Well, you're not getting any younger, are you? And the long pauses between jumps don't really help either."

A hint of annoyance flashed on her face at Richard's careless remark. If he didn't technically outrank her...

"No. I am not. Lieutenant. No. They do not." She states awfully flatly. None of us are getting younger. She grunts in annoyance as she crouches and hoists the extra weight onto the bar. Each is then locked into place on either end. Ninety. She stood up and got herself ready.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei winced hearing Richard's comment about age.

(Chinese)"Idiot."

"Rowing machine huh? I was expecting curls or something; well I will give it a shot." Her warm-up done she stopped the treadmill and stepped off grabbing her towel. "This is going to be really hard to do when the gravity cuts out. Do either of you think swimming in zero-g air, maybe with weight bands on, would be effective?"

[Monique McConnel]

"If we had a pool, aye." But we don't. "Only half of the equipment here is going to remain useful then. The treads will still work, but it takes some getting used to. You learn to hold onto the bars." Monique shared her experience freely.

[Richard Winter]

The fact that he seems to have put his foot in his mouth was completely lost on Richard.

Ninety. She stood up and got herself ready.

"I guess the warm-up is over" he looked at the 90 kilos Monique was about to lift. He mentally prepared to fire up the Sgt Major if she started struggling lifting the weight.

"Maybe you can actually tinker something with resistance bands, but in any case it will not be pleasant"

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"If we had a pool, aye." But we don't. "Only half of the equipment here is going to remain useful then. The treads will still work, but it takes some getting used to. You learn to hold onto the bars." Monique shared her experience freely.

"No I mean swimming in the air though I wish we had a pool." She walked over the rowing machine, looked at it quizzically for a moment then sat down and started doing it wrong. "So what is an OA new Years Eve party like SGT-Major? Is it going to get crazy? You'll be there right?"

[Monique McConnel]

"I understood that. I mean we don't have a good space for air swimming. Also, the weights would float too."

She clapped her hands together and took a deep breath. Then she squats and reaches for the bar...

"I'll make an appearance." She said, griping it. She took another deep breath. Then, gritting her teeth, she lifts. It arrives at her torso okay, but the push to raise it from there was taxing. Monique was forced to yell out as she mustered the strength to raise it. She kept it there for a good four seconds before lowering it and then letting it drop. It hit the mats with a loud bang, even from just waist height.

The tall woman stretched her back and sucked in air, her gaze wandering to the ceiling. She wanted to do more.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

(Chinese) "This can't be right it's too easy." Mei adjusted her grip and posture and began again correctly.

"I can't wait to see what everyone wears, we have to dress so practically most of the time."

Mei giggled slightly imagining both her companions in one of her dresses.