The Shell Shock of ShelLancer's Pilot...

[actuallyselfish]

[1]

In the wake of the attack by the dimension conquering Indalph, Dido Sybil, previously an unassuming Solaris technician chief, piloted the ShelLancer machine so that Mizuki and Ken could form the combining mecha known as Sol-Savior.

A few days after the attack, Dido is walking through the hanger bay in orange mechanics overalls, carrying a roll of artificial muscle fiber looped around her shoulder.

She stops for a moment, and stares up for a time at the machine she rode in, scorched and dented here and there by the fury of combat.

Goosebumps stand out on her exposed arms. Her throat works, and she clamps a hand desperately over her mouth with a moan.

"Nope." She says. "No Way. No No No No..."

She turns around, on the verge of panic, and starts speed-walking away, breathing rapidly.

Help her calm down?

Comments

[ugyuuya]

[Rounding a corner VG walks into the distracted technician. Catching himself with the wall with one arm and Dido in his other to keep her from falling he begins to speak with his normal aggrandized tones before falling to a more subdued voice near the end of his sentence as he guides her to a seat.]

Well I was on the way to the showers but if you're so overtaken by my charm that you can't wait... what happened, are you alright?

[actuallyselfish]

"I'm fine!" Dido says, far too hastily for that to be true. She tries to pull herself out of VG's grip, but only half-heartedly.

"I just need some fresh air, is all. A breather, a break, a walk to clear my head, or some water...I'm babbling aren't I?"

[ugyuuya]

Yes, pretty badly too. Everyone's heard about what happened so I'm willing to guess it has something to do with that?

[VG looks around the busy hanger before ducking back into the hallway he came from and selecting two drinks from a vending machine. He hands on to Dido as he comes back and begins talking.]

Though I have a feeling you might prefer if we were to take a bit of a walk outside? Further from prying eyes and curious ears while you discuss what is pretty obviously bothering you.

[actuallyselfish]

"A technician and a pilot going for a walk? Think of how people will gossip!" Dido tries to joke; her heart's clearly not in it.

She lets herself be led outside. She cracks open the drink in her hand and sips.

"So...what now?"

[ugyuuya]

[VG takes a seat leaning against a rail as he sips his own drink.]

Now we have options, I can play up the flirting angle if that will help you feel better or I can listen while you try to work out whatever it is that is ever so obviously bothering you.

I think the latter would help more but it's your choice.

[actuallyselfish]

"...Answer me something first, before I get put on the leather couch." Dido says, setting the drink down on the rail and turning to face VG.

"There's a lot of urban legends about the TSF fighter jocks, the "Eishi"; you hear mecha techs whispering about them a lot. They say, among other things, that you go through complex hypnotic therapies and drug treatments that suppress your sense of fear."

She meets his eyes. "Is all that true?"

[ugyuuya]

[VG looks at Dido and pauses before answering.]

We do undergo some hypnotic conditioning and there are specialized injectors in the TSF suit that tie in with cockpit systems to administer necessary medications. Those typically include painkillers or medication to help suppress or recover from debilitating conditions but there are psychoactive medications in there.

So the answer to your question is yes it's true but I try not to rely on them. I take it your stint in combat with the Indalph has shaken you up badly enough to consider those treatments?

[actuallyselfish]

"My stint in combat with the Indalph has made me decide to never climb into one of those cockpits again!" Dido says sharply. "Still, I can't say I don't envy your sweet, sweet anti-fear drugs."

She shakes her head. "How everyone else can fight all those monsters and aliens invaders without freezing up, I have no idea."

[ugyuuya]

I have a sister, Tarisa has her homeland, Stella her parents and extended family, Yuuya, well I don't honestly know there but he should have something. There are things out there that need to need to be protected or reclaimed and that's what most of us hold to.

Everyone's scared and I can't think of one person besides Suma who would want to charge into battle at every opportunity. You stepped up to the call when needed and did your job well but if things go right then you won't ever have to again, you're lucky.

If I were you I'd take some time off and relax, maybe take a session or two with the psychs and give yourself time to calm down.

[actuallyselfish]

"Psychotherapy, eh?" Dido says, musing things over.

"My mother used to tell me that psychology was for the weak-willed...but she also gave me Mommy issues, so screw her."

She sip at her drink again. "Do you know any Psychs you could recommend to me?"

[ugyuuya]

Not off the top of my head really. Stella knew one of them well from some issues she needed to work through on her own. He's in the current batch that is fully available to the UG personnel so they should be of the same caliber or you could approach Stella herself to ask.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido receives the list on her tablet. "Yeah." She pours over the list. "Cool: thanks."