You gotta step up to the plate at least once...

[actuallyselfish]

[1]

So many people have died recently. So many people have gotten horribly hurt. And they've all left behind the wreckage of their mechs like grave markers. Fort Alhambra is swarming with technicians and engineers of every stripe and color, some working overtime, others hastily summoned back from vacation or from other UG branches.

Dido's in the thick of things, a welding rig slung over her back as she orders tech about.

"I need ScarleTiger's arm hoisted on the gantry and ready to be reattached, stat! You, you, and you: start putting Pale Rider back together. Yeah, I know you've done it before, that's why I'm trusting you with it! The rest of you, put Virgola Unit 3 and Gipsy Danger into storage–we'll deal with them after crunch-time's over!"

She turns to face you, and her bossy expression fades to fatigue. "Hey. Did you need anything?"

[2]

[Locked to Mizuki, as well as Ken potentially]

After a long day's work, Dido's kicking back with you, holding a cool bottle of beer to her over-heated head. The refurbished Sol Machines loom overheard in their gantries. DuskBird, ScarleTiger, ShelLancer. She stares up at them for a time, then turns to you and asks.

"Could you tell me about SolBalmung?"

[3]

A comn transmission is posted on the Network, addressed to every Unity Group Pilot who's built a reputation as a stone-cold badass.

"Hi." Dido says simply, scratching her head. "I need to become a better mecha pilot. Could you train me?"

Comments

Re: 3

[actuallyselfish]

"...so I won't die?" Dido answers hesitantly. "And so I can help the people I know not die?"

[no99]

"If survival is your goal, then I would recommend that you stop being a pilot. The path of a soldier is the path of death. The second is a bit better, but such a half-hearted reason will make fighting difficult. If you wish to become strong, you will need a real goal."

Suma's advice may or may not actually be good advice. She's very old-fashioned.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido narrows her eyes a little. "So...you're saying that keeping sadist maniacs from killing my friends is a half-hearted goal?"

[no99]

Aha. "So it's a specific someone you're protecting them from? This is more useful."

[actuallyselfish]

"...go on?" Dido requests, a little suspicious.