Boosting morale

[majestic_keiki]

1
[In a move to capitalize on the fame the Rabbits got from their deployment at Nora Colony and to alleviate civilian morale following the attack on South Ataria Island, Kei has been sent to talk to the refugees on the Macross, listen to their worries and reassure them that people are keeping them in mind. As part of her busy schedule doing so, she's currently visiting those injured in the battle, having been put into a nurse outfit for this part. Between stiff smiles and very limited, awkward small talk it's an open question how good an idea it was to pick her for the job.]

2

[A small break is scheduled after the hospital visit and Kei is using it in the nearest breakroom she can find away from the masses of refugees. Still wearing the nurse outfit, she's somehow scrounged up a can of soda and a bar of chocolate to comfort herself with.]
What am I even doing here?

3

[Sometime after the endless handshaking and reassuring speeches ends, Kei is back to base clearly affected by what she saw.]
This is going to be something we will see over and over, isn't it? Except the next time, we might not succeed in evacuating everyone like we did at Nora and South Ataria. And that's not even talking about the places we couldn't get too because the new enemies force us to respond to even more places at once.

Comments

[tillallareone]

[Kei, the Autobot's Medic is with you. Maybe organic medicine wasn't his field just yet, but he could still carry equipment around - and being able to turn into an ambulance really helps.]

I'm not going to say anything to soften the blow. I've seen too much to even try with something like this. Its going to be bad, and you won't be able to save everyone. That's a reality on the battlefield or on the operating table.

But what you can do is give it more than your best every time you can, because there are still people you can save. So Try not to let this eat at you too hard. You're still a few centuries too young to be brooding over things like this. Cybertronians your age would be blustering about their egos and how invincible they are, even when I've got to replace their limbs.

[majestic_keiki]

[Well, that was going to be awkward.]

I don't think I'll get to even one century.

And I know, it's just...Earth has been at war with alien invaders for as long as I can remember. And we were losing. Now two more have arrived, even if we win the costs will be high.

[tillallareone]

Figure of speech. But with your scientific advancements so far, who can say?

And the costs are always high with war. But sometimes its best to focus on the now, and even if you have a few more problems - everything's been going well as far as I've heard.

[majestic_keiki]

We've won one battle against the UE and the Wulgaru and are holding the line everywhere else for now. But we have a lot of places to defend and that drains both manpower and industrial capacity.

But perhaps the various invaders will start fighting each other. I can't imagine that they're all working together.

[tillallareone]

Maybe, but the fact that it was a victory means that you can win. It's just a matter of doing the work one step at a time, even if it leaves you short circuiting in the end.

And there's that. With just how many armies there are, they're bound to trip each other up. For all we know they're tearing at each other while we're recovering.

2

[star_of_sad]

Thanks for your hard work.

[Setsuko puts a cup of tea on the table. Did she make this just for you?]

Re: 2

[majestic_keiki]

Thanks.

[Kei looked up, managing a genuine, unforced smile as she accepted the cup.]

Out here to help out as well?

[star_of_sad]

Not... really. I am a soldier, not a spokesperson or a celebrity. You could say I'm just playing support today.

[majestic_keiki]

I see. I thought I'd just be a soldier as well when I graduated, but apparently things are different.

[3]

[ugyuuya]

Well that's what we're here for isn't it?

[Kei turns to see Stella with a gentle smile on her face]

I'm sorry for intruding but it seemed like you were upset and I couldn't help but overhear as I came closer to check on you.

[Stella steps forward next to Kei and looks out a window down to the planet below.]

It all looks so small from up here doesn't it? In the grand scheme of things we're such a very small part of the universe but even then it's still precious to us.

Do you know where the term "Eishi" that several TSF pilots use to describe themselves comes from? It's an old term in Japanese from the time of the shogunate that refers to the mentality of the Imperial Court guardians, just don't tell Yuuya that or he may start demanding to be called a TSF Pilot as his sole title. [She smiles at attempt to brighten Kei's mood.]

I know that you and the others just consider yourself pilots without the more specific term but I think we all reach the same place in the end. You've given already and before this is over we'll all be asked to give more but at least you have a reminder [she motions towards the earth in the window] that we're still here and you're part of the reason for that.

[Stella waits for a few moment before she grins mischievously and speaks again.]

Now for that cute little nurse outfit you wore earlier, did you show it to Izuru? Though I guess Asagi could be more your speed but I think I was right in the first question.

Re: [3]

[majestic_keiki]

No. And if I'd had any choice I wouldn't have shown it to anybody.

[The response to that last question is immediate and rather defensive, the embarrassment of being reminded of the whole issue clear.]

And, right, we need to protect Earth and the colonies. I just can't help but think about all the people who'll die or lose everything in the process.

Re: [3]

[ugyuuya]

That's sad, you were so cute I'm sure he would have fallen for you hopelessly right on the spot. [Stella's grin spreads wider as she continues.] I mean by this point we'll need to have an escort ready for you if you go back home, I'm sure everyone will have gone head over heels for you. [The older woman's enjoyment of the teasing is obvious as she drapes an arm over Kei's shoulder and leans on her. Taking a moment to jostle the younger girl into a smile Stella continues.]

Yuuya said something to Asagi while they spoke after our introduction. I'm not sure if it sunk in due to the following argument but it was "Your life is the most precious thing you have, but you can't protect it by yourself". It's something they teach us to impress the importance of acting as a unit in the field but it also applies here. You can't even carry the weight of your own life by yourself out there so don't begin to add the weight of others unnecessarily or you'll only hurt yourself.

["There will be plenty of time for that for all of us later" Stella thinks cynically as she shakes away painful memories.]

Re: [3]

[majestic_keiki]

You're still talking about that outfit?

[Sorry, Stella, no smiles appear to be forthcoming. Not even a faint hint of one.]

And wouldn't that expression mean that we all have an obligation to help carry the weight of others' lives, rather than that we should be careful doing so?

3

[cloningblues]

Even if we manage to save all the civilians, casualties still happen. A lot of soldiers died in the attacks on Nora and Macross.

Re: 3

[majestic_keiki]

Yes. The civilians need new homes as well. And there still are so many enemies out there, even if we keep winning each battles we might still be overwhelmed.

[cloningblues]

That might happen in the future. But we weren't overwhelmed yet, even before all the weird new allies started showing up.

[majestic_keiki]

Right. We might have gotten more enemies, but we got more allies as well.

[kinaesthete]

...Not construction work, it looks like.

[Cathy pauses and gives Kei a curious look when she enters the breakroom herself, before going to the soda machine and holding the can to her forehead with a blissful sigh at the cold. For her own part, she's wearing a custom pilot suit, looking like she's fresh from the cockpit.]

[majestic_keiki]

No. Someone got the brilliant idea to use the fame from the Nora mission to improve morale by having me meet the refugees around here. Someone, probably the same person, also thought it was a good idea to put me in a nurse outfit when I visited the injured.

[Trying to comfort herself at the comment, she took a bite of chocolate, relaxing a bit as she did so.]

[kinaesthete]

Hey, that's not a bad idea! I know I'd feel better waking up to a cute nurse. I think Liz has that uniform, actually.

They dress your whole team up like that?

[majestic_keiki]

Asagi in these clothes would really be something.

[Kei cheers up a bit, giving Cathy a small smile before taking a sip from her soda.]

But, no, it's just me. I guess they thought the guys were too unphotogenic and Tamaki would be inappropriately cheerful.

2

[empress_without_a_throne]

Well for starters, I'd say being responsible for all the smiles I saw when I came in here.

Re: 2

[majestic_keiki]

Really? People were actually feeling better that I'd been there?

[empress_without_a_throne]

[She smiles and nods, while going to get a can of soda for herself out of a vending machine.]

Why do you think you got sent here? A friendly face from one of the people who saved Nora, coming to visit? Who wouldn't appreciate someone like that dedicating some of their time to this?

[majestic_keiki]

Because someone thought it'd make a good photo opportunity and would boost civilian morale. I just think they could have sent someone better at it.