Meet the Spy (D1 EN Base Camp)

[GM Yuusha]

(Up to 2 PCs)
It was dark and very cold. The sun had long since set and only the immediate area around the dropsite could be seen thanks to the lights along the perimeter. The dropships were emitting minimal lighting. There was always the chance of an enemy aerospace asset flying over the remote location and figuring out what it was. Of course, they'd have to survive with that information: The Obsidian Angels had their own aerospace assets on standby. What was less expected would be Militia ground forces somehow appearing. It was still a risk nonetheless. It wasn't too surprising therefore when a fuss kicked at the edge of the chain-link fenced perimeter when a big vehicle's bright lights were spotted in the distance. Approaching. Was it a tank?

An alarm would have been triggered if it wasn't for standing orders to investigate and potentially escort a lone vehicle approaching the dropsite. An APC with some infantry had sped off toward the unknown vehicle, escorted by a hover tank just in case. To the surprise of all aboard they met what seemed to be a very lost hover truck driver going off road above the snow. Somehow, he seemed to know who the mercenaries were and, more bizarrely, he asked to speak to one of their officers.

The hover truck was escorted back by the puzzled infantry, let in through the hastily erected gates, and brought near to the mobile headquarters. Only after it was checked for hidden bomb signatures was the driver permitted to step out. It was a young man. He was brought into the command vehicle and told to wait. In time he'd been met by Tessa, who had still been up, but a proper meeting would have to wait until the next day. The gentleman, Krisztofer Amasi, was then offered a room and permitted to stay on site.

No longer under armed watch, the man had some coffee back in the waiting space of the command vehicle.

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

A short cloud of breath steaming in the cold air heralds Yori's arrival a half second before the mechwarrior rounds the back of the command vehicle to stare at the newcomer, stare at him and his coffee.

"Am I allowed to speak with you, or am I expected to pretend you never arrived? You understand how difficult it would be to do the latter since your visit was not part of the official schedule."
Yori took great comfort in vehicles entering and leaving the camp when they were supposed to.

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"Where I'm from we introduce ourselves first miss. I'm Kris. You?" He responds easy enough, not really sure what the woman wanted or who she was.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Where I'm from we introduce ourselves first miss. I'm Kris. You?" He responds easy enough, not really sure what the woman wanted or who she was.

"Yori Hakamda, Lieutenant, Obsidian Angels."
She nods curtly at him.
"I am interpreting your response as an affirmative to my question, which retroactively permits my original query in the first place, very good."
There's a few long uncomfortable moments as she continues to stare at him.
"Are you a smuggler, a spy or here for a personal rendezvous with a company member? Any of those categories could explain the current circumstances."

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"Oh wow. That explains why you're in the command camper." He said of her rank.

"Er, that'd be number two." Kris looked around. There was nobody else nearby. He looked back to Yori. "I was expected." He says a little defensively, holding up his hands in front of his chest.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Oh wow. That explains why you're in the command camper." He said of her rank.

"Er, that'd be number two." Kris looked around. There was nobody else nearby. He looked back to Yori. "I was expected." He says a little defensively, holding up his hands in front of his chest.

"Hmmm? No, I was just staring up into the night sky and mentally cataloguing all the day's events for ease of access later, like most people do."
That reminds Yori she'll have to re-catalogue this event too.

"A spy? That is interesting, I am generally unfamiliar with your kind outside of summary executions."
There's an awkward silence except for the drip..hiss....drip...hiss of the coffee machine.
"How has the spying been?"

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"Is that meant to be a joke? It's not funny." Kris responds sharply. "Are you... high on something?"

[Yori Hakamada]

"Is that meant to be a joke? It's not funny." Kris responds sharply. "Are you... high on something?"

Yori cocks her head.
"I do not use narcotics, I sometimes joke...but my jokes are not considered funny."
Neutrally
"Are you high on something?"

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"There's not a courtesy class on it, but I had thought up until now that mentioning summary execution for spies casually to a friendly informant is a shitty thing to say. Ma'am."

He stands up and moves closer to Yori. "And now you're stuck on repeat." He looked Yori over and clicked his tongue. "You're formerly a Drac, aren't you?"

[Yori Hakamada]

"There's not a courtesy class on it, but I had thought up until now that mentioning summary execution for spies casually to a friendly informant is a shitty thing to say. Ma'am."

He stands up and moves closer to Yori. "And now you're stuck on repeat." He looked Yori over and clicked his tongue. "You're formerly a Drac, aren't you?"

"It is? I apologise, I..do not understand why it would be. But I will try my best not to mention it in the future."
Following his movements and cocking her head.
"Yes, I was a soldier of the combine. I understand this might lead animus against me."

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"It is. Because I like living. Thank you." He states somewhat dryly in response.

At her next words he gives a big, slow nod. "A lot of people here hate the Combine. I'd emphasise you're a mercenary first and foremost if you come across any angry looking Csesztreggers."

His face scrunched up a bit. He'd noticed something. "Huh. You don't blink much."

[Yori Hakamada]

"It is. Because I like living. Thank you." He states somewhat dryly in response.

At her next words he gives a big, slow nod. "A lot of people here hate the Combine. I'd emphasise you're a mercenary first and foremost if you come across any angry looking Csesztreggers."

His face scrunched up a bit. He'd noticed something. "Huh. You don't blink much."

"That is good, life is less enjoyable if you do not like living."
Yori seemed to speak from experience.

"I will keep that in mind though. I believe I would struggle to deescalate confrontations, it is a known fault."
Then she blinks, once, slowly.
"Thank you for reminding me, sometimes I forget if I am engaged in an activity."

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"That's not good. You'll need eye drops eventually. Happened to my pa."

He was beginning to figure out the strange woman a little bit. Definitely not what he expected from one of the first mercenaries he was speaking to.

"Soooo, you're here to help FedCom liberate us?" Kris queried.

[Yori Hakamada]

"That's not good. You'll need eye drops eventually. Happened to my pa."

He was beginning to figure out the strange woman a little bit. Definitely not what he expected from one of the first mercenaries he was speaking to.

"Soooo, you're here to help FedCom liberate us?" Kris queried.

"I am unusually moist."
Yori explained unhelpfully

"You are mostly correct, we are here to assist with the invasion. I believe 'liberation' is a matter of perspective, but I believe the goal is to minimise collateral damage."
Curiously
"You do not like your government? Is it a planetary matter or dislike for the republic?"
Clearing her throat
(In Swedish) "Did they make you learn Swedish? I was made to learn Swedish."

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"You're moi-oh! Your eyes." That made sense. Kris chuckled. The pink haired lieutenant was odd.

He nods at the first question. At the second he waits to reply, but paused to let her clear her throat and say her piece. He didn't get the last bit beyond understanding the word Swedish.

"No, although we could study it. I know a few words, but..." He shrugged. "And it's about our history and ancestry. We're Lyran." Kris adds, firmly.

[Yori Hakamada]

"You're moi-oh! Your eyes." That made sense. Kris chuckled. The pink haired lieutenant was odd.

He nods at the first question. At the second he waits to reply, but paused to let her clear her throat and say her piece. He didn't get the last bit beyond understanding the word Swedish.

"No, although we could study it. I know a few words, but..." He shrugged. "And it's about our history and ancestry. We're Lyran." Kris adds, firmly.

Yori looks at him for a few moments and then nods slowly.
"So you are a Lyran...patriot? You must love your people very much to risk summ-" pause "-That thing we talked about. That is interesting. What will you do if we succeed and this planet becomes part of the Federated Commonwealth?"

[Krisztofer Amasi]

"Have a party. Then I'll go back to trucking." Kris sat back then, crossing his legs. "The town I'm from has been unhappy for generations. The Republic taking over hasn't changed much. They built a new prison and put Csesztreggers and off-worlders inside. Mostly political enemies. So, to them this planet is just resources and a dumping ground."

[Yori Hakamada]

"Have a party. Then I'll go back to trucking." Kris sat back then, crossing his legs. "The town I'm from has been unhappy for generations. The Republic taking over hasn't changed much. They built a new prison and put Csesztreggers and off-worlders inside. Mostly political enemies. So, to them this planet is just resources and a dumping ground."

"I think it is.... unfortunate that having fought so hard against the Combine the Republic would see to emulate it."

turning to stare up at the night sky for a moment, letting quiet silence fall.
"Do you think they will put Rasalhague dissidents there once the Commonwealth takes over? Maybe another then another young man will stand where you are now explaining to another mercenary why they fight. The wars do not seem to end easily."

[Krisztofer Amasi]

Is she staring at the ceiling now? He wondered again if she was perhaps on something. She didn't have dilated pupils or the sweats, but it was still possible.

For a moment he looked a bit uncomfortable. He leaned forward, considering it. Ultimately, he was a realist. "Probably, if they try anything. They're welcome to leave. There were historic Rasalhague worlds. If that's what they associate with they should go there. I'd bet good money that the Commonwealth treats its prisoners better though. They have more rights for their citizens."

[Yori Hakamada]

Is she staring at the ceiling now? He wondered again if she was perhaps on something. She didn't have dilated pupils or the sweats, but it was still possible.

For a moment he looked a bit uncomfortable. He leaned forward, considering it. Ultimately, he was a realist. "Probably, if they try anything. They're welcome to leave. There was historic Rasalhague worlds. If that's what they associate with they should go there. I'd bet good money that the Commonwealth treats its prisoners better though. They have more rights for their citizens."

"Mmmhm."
Replies Yori, apparently staring into the bottom of a hatch with a blinking red light.
"Quality of life is an interesting argument, I am told that the Free Worlds have it best. But yet I have never met a 'Drac' who would want to leave...maybe because doing so is treason punishable by death?"
Now that she reflects, that probably did contribute to it.

Slowly turning back to Kriz, like her neck was creaking and grinding.
"You remind me of someone I used to know."
Now it's like she's peering into his soul.