srwu | Mission Accomplished!

Mission Accomplished!

[1]

[Post "Canceling the Apocalypse"]

After everyone cools down from the stress of the mission to seal the Breach, Alexis and Sasha can be found relaxing on the hanger gantry by their battered Jaeger. Their cheeks have a slight flush, and the shattered shards of shot glasses lie by their feet.

Sasha's leaning against Alexis's shoulder, eyes closed, but Alexis turns and waves to you as you pass by.

"Za tvoyo zdorovie." He says quietly, smiling slightly.

[2]

A week later, Alexis and Sasha Kaidonovksy, sobered up and dressed in rumbled looking military uniforms, show up at Commander Antov's desk and place two manilla folders on his desk.

"We're applying to be your prison wardens." Sasha declares bluntly.

[3]

[To Be Expanded On]

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[Just passing by the place on her way to the base proper Alex stops to join them, taking care to not sit on the shattered glasses.]

Hey.

"Hello." Alexis says. He reaches behind him and pulls out an olive bottle filled with sloshing liquid.

"Sparkling Cider?"

Yeah. I was planning on giving a round to thank you for having my back out there.

Alexis pours you a shot glass off...well, sparkling cider.

"Right back at you, I think the phrase goes." He says. "Your mech was really something!"

His smile turns a little sad. "I wonder what would have happened if your Enki could have fought the earlier Kaiju waves..."

Edited 2015-03-27 04:15 (UTC)

[Alex grabs the glass and downs it with the practiced ease of a European college student.]

Water is his thing. It'd have been bad if he'd failed to work down there.

[She pauses for a bit, looking away at the follow-up.] Yeah...We'll just have to do our best from now on.

"I'm not blaming you or anything stupid like that!" Alexis says. "Just pondering what-ifs...ah,Nichievo."

He takes a swig of sparkling cider right from the bottle! Audacious!

"Enki's the Mesopotamian God, Da? Of the life-giving water. Your mech looks like an old statue too..."

He eyes you with a strange look. "Are you a Babylonian Wizard?"

You know about Sumerian mythology?

And, no, I'm not. I'm just an archeology student in odd circumstances, but if the voice explaining things in my head when Enki was first...Summoned, I guess, can be trusted it's the actual god. And given that I've already had to fight Asag and Humbaba, I imagine it is.

Alexis blinks at Alex's surprise. "I know a little bit. Just as much as everyone else."

He listens to Alex's explanation with interest. "I see. So you have been charged by a god to fight figures from the legends of Sumer...for how long, exactly? Until you slay all the major villains of the mythology?"

Supposedly just one monster. But there have been two, so I'm not entirely sure what's going on. Hopefully it's nothing, but...

[Ren waves back.]

And a good health to you, too. Though I already see you are not lacking in this department, at all!

"Ah." Alexis says. Sasha murmurs against his shoulder. "Ren, right? How are you?"

That's me! And I'm as good as I can be, all things considered.

It's really a big relief, isn't it?

"No more terrors rising from the ocean." Alexis agrees. "Well...nothing of the Kaiju ilk. There are other threats, Da....but we can cross this one off the list."

He grunts. "Everyone in the UG seems to have a foe of their own...is there a name you need to cross off?"

No.

[Ren shakes their head.]

I thank you very much for the offer, but there is no need. My Kin dislike humanity, hate it with passion - but it's alright to let them hate as long as they don't do anything else about it, right? After all, so many people do it too.

As for those who actually take violent action because of their hate...

They won't stay a problem for long.

Alexis nods in approval. "A wise view. Too many people get worked up over the wicked and petty...the scum. But why bother hating scum?"

It is better to try to understand them. Everyone became the person they are for a reason.

"Prison wardens?"

Antov browses through the folders with an expression of shock on his face.

"Are you sure?"

"As you can see, we have experience tending to dangerous criminals." Alexis says. "You currently have a POW population indefinitely confined to your brigs. If we're to be new UG members, we can help there."

Sasha leans in. "We'll keep them contained ethically, without violating ESUN war regs. We'll provide activities to occupy them...and to evaluate who can be rehabilitated and who's still a danger. We'll do a good job...unless you have someone else in mind?"

"No, it is not that. I do not doubt your qualifications." Surprisingly fitting qualifications, all things considered.

"It's just that..."

Roland looks at the window. He's not sure how to phrase it.

"You are Rangers, Jaeger pilots. Are you really happy with just being prison wardens?"

"...if we're needed, we'll suit up." Alexis rumbles seriously. "But..." He hesitates.

Sasha rolls her eyes and nudges Alexis in the side. "What my husband wishes to say, Commander, is that we could use a freaking break, and guarding dangerous borderline homicidal POWs sounds relaxing!"

"Ah. Yes, of course." Antov comments, semi-nervously. Is this what it was about?

"Nobody is trying to force you to work when you want a break, mrs and mr Kaidanovsky. But... please do not take this personally."

He looks over the brief prisoner list. The supernatural martial artist, Ilinka, with her friends not too far away...

"Is this really relaxing for you?"

To their credit, the Kaidonovksys take a moment to think Antov's question over.

Then they nod together. "Da." Alexis says. "We could use a break from beasts: these prisoners may be dangerous people...but they are people."

"If that's what you say..." Antov seems unsure, but he nods after a moment of consideration.

"Very well, I agree. But I ask you to take this assignment seriously. I'm not doubting your credentials, I'm just saying that some of our prisoners are highly... unusual. I'm sure you know this already."

Sasha and Alexis sit down and pulls out some files from a valise.

"Indeed." Alexis says at last. "Aaron and Ilinka are dangerous and think nothing of killing, but are limited to the physical capabilities of humans and have calm tempers."

Sasha taps at at one of the photos in the files, a blurry photo due to the subject not standing still for it.

"The one called Serak will be much more...difficult." Sasha says. "We've got a plan, but wish to run it by you."

"You have a plan? She is being constrained safely and there is no risk of her breaking out, but..."

"Well. Let's hear it."

"First, we want to collaborate with Security Officer Peola and Pilot Ken Torao to develop restraints that inhibit her, ah, Chi abilities." Alexis says. "Something related to pressure points and acupuncture would work best."

"Second," Sasha adds, "the Ashe incident proves Serak only respects those who can outfight her. To be her wardens, we must defeat her in single combat."

"You ask me to organize a staged fight between you and her? What happens if you lose?"

"We die or are crippled for life." Sasha says bluntly.

"Which is why we must arrange for this spar in conditions that grant her the least advantage and us the most." Alexis says, holding up three fingers.

"First, impact stiffening cloth armor and shock gloves for us. Second, slippery terrain. Sasha and I learned to fight on mud, ice, gravel, and cold weather as part of our Sambo training, and we doubt this Serak had the patience to do the same."

He wags his last finger. "Third, confusing her emotional state. According to Peola's debrief, her mother's Ki powers are tied to feral-rage. Rousing emotions other than anger or aggression will weaken her attacks. Her empathic powers, we believe, are the key to this."

Alexis leans back in his chair, and Sasha speaks up. "If you feel this operation is too risky, we won't pursue it. However, it's our judgement that we won't be able to control her in a prison setting without personally asserting dominance."

Edited 2015-04-06 23:28 (UTC)

"You really thought this through, didn't you?" Antov flops down on his chair.

"Even with all your conditions taken into consideration, it'll still be very dangerous... please give me time to talk with others. I'm not sure is it worth the risk for a temporary prisoner. She was supposed to be taken from our hands, after all."

But then, was supposed to be - and yet no one came to pick Serak up yet.

"Peola's homeworld would indeed be better qualified to secure here." Alexis says, nodding in approval. He glances at Sasha and she nods quietly.

"We will leave this to your consideration." Sasha says. "We do have another concern: if we can't get Serak's limited cooperation or send her home, we will be forced to continue completely isolating her. Alexis and I feel such social isolation will only deepen her psychological instability. Given that her powers are fueled by malice and insanity..."

She lets the sentence trail off.

Edited 2015-04-07 22:58 (UTC)

"Yes... I know what you mean. And I'm afraid you're right. The containment was successful, for now. But it didn't do any wonders to her."

For your health, as well.

Do you have mayonnaise?

Sasha yawns. Alexis's eyes twinkle. "I can get you top-line black market mayonnaise at a moments notice if..." He yawns too. "...you feel like. Do you?"

It has to be a curious situation, for mayonnaise to be only available on the black market.

No, I do not need anything too strong. Merely something that will let me feel the kick from your drink. A normal Gebian barely feels the effect of alcohol; for an augmented champion like me, it is like drinking water.
I feel like that would be disrespectful, in this celebratory situation.

Alexis grunts. "Well...let me see if there's anything in the mechanic's bridge..."

He goes off to check. And then Sasha wakes up.

"Ah." She says sleepily. "It's you...the Egypt Alien." She gives a thumbs up. "Liked your moves. Who taught you?"

Experience. I have been fighting for almost twenty years at this point. To become a general on Geb, you need not only to be a leader, but also a powerful warrior in your own right.

Sasha frowns at that statement, thoughts churning through her alcohol-moistened mind.

"So your military leaders are sort of like tribal chiefs...they gain power through demonstrating good fighting skills...and through popularity with their peers."

Her noses scrunches up in distaste.

"That makes it difficult to have civilian oversight over your armies, Da?"

If tribes had millions of members, and had to abide by a specific military code.

Our army has to listen to the decisions of the high council, but different generals still have a high degree of autonomy - this is why it was possible for it to split into two factions, hostile to each other. It can be quite a mess at times, I do admit. That is the price for having a society where individual achievement is one of the highest virtues.

"There are downsides to going to the other extreme." Sasha allows.

She sniffs. "If your council votes against Terumun's invasion plans, will he launch a coup de-tate?"

Unlikely. It would take a complete bastard to go against such a decision. Even Teremun is not that much of one. He is close, but not quite enough.

"Mmm." Sasha says. "If you say so."

Alexis returns with mayonnaise, which he clumsily ladles into a shot glass.

"Here you are." He says, handing it to Heph. "Now...a toast before we head to bed!"

He and Sasha raises their glasses. "To a world finer than it was yesterday!" They declare. "Schol!"

I will not stop in my pursuit of a better world, until I can act no more. Let it come!

[Hetepheres downs the mayo. It makes her body shake slightly, just for a quarter of second.]

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Mission Accomplished!

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