trans_9 | STOP! Hangar time!

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STOP! Hangar time!

So the captain and Trudy and... okay a lot of people had started yelling not to do this on the comm. People had also started talking calmly and reasonably, which was worse. Well, they could protest all they want--until they started doing something, Allenby was going to go ahead with her plan.

Admittedly? She was having some real second thoughts about this. But anything was better than sitting uselessly in orbit while god-knew-what was happening to her friends down on Galilee. Zouichi, Jr., Sakura, Zetta... not to mention everyone else down there! It was a big group of people! That would make getting them out complicated, but if the Galileeans had such great technology, they were sure to have some kind of spacecraft able to hold that many people.

She also had a feeling that this was the sort of plan Domon would come up with if he was around. There were enough people who'd replied that could help her out, and she was sure the crew on the surface was smart enough that they could make contact once things started getting hairy. Allenby wasn't going to let herself doubt. She just focused on her tools and looked up repeatedly to see if anyone was coming as she continued modifying the X-Wing into a platform.

[ooc: So there will be two subthreads: one for people helping out and one for the subsequent intervention and yelling-at. Feel free to tag Allenby separately or join in on a conversation!]

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Up 'till now, Allenby had forgotten just how much she hated being called that. Ensign. That wasn't a rank, that was just a nicer-sounding label than Gundam part or tool. Shut up and do what you're told because you only exist to be useful for Neo-Sweden... or for Stacy.

"I'm doing your stupid job for you!" she yelled back at Trudy. "Why the hell do you think it's right to sit up here not doing a damn thing for our crew?! Even if you don't care about Zouichi or Sakura, we have two Councilors stuck down there! Someone has to do something about that!"

She narrowed her eyes at Shoutarou. "I know it's dangerous, but I'll bet you anything they're in worse danger than us right now. They're surrounded by a government that doesn't even think they're people." So no, her plan wasn't great. Maybe it was even terrible but a terrible plan was a whole lot better than leaving them to die, in Allenby's opinion.

"What you're doing is getting your fool self killed, and dragging other people along with you!" Trudy shouted. She ignored Midna - civilian, not her problem - and focused on the two that were her problem. "One Gundam against an entire planetary defense system means that you'll be going down in a ball of fire before you manage to get anywhere near the crew. You'll be destroying your Gundam, that X-wing and yourself, all of which are vital to the war effort! And you'll be screwing up any kind of negotiations they've managed down there!"

Her temper was rising quickly, and if Allenby didn't back down she was going to be in a lot more trouble that she already was.

"Allenby, they're my friends too," said Philip, loud enough so that she could hear him. "This isn't about who's right or wrong, or who has to go down and risk their lives, or if they're in peril, it's about choice. Shoutarou... Xtreme if you will."

Shoutarou turned his head as the shrill shriek of Xtreme Memory echoed through the hangar as it swooped toward Shoutarou and Allenby. Shoutarou reached up and grabbed the mechanical bird, closing the Double Driver long enough to slot the device over the Driver. Shoving it apart, his body gained a third color - a clear, crystalline stripe down the middle, along with some cosmetic changes to the armor.

XTREME!

An instant rush of information and Philip touched their shared chin. "So that's how it is. This all stems from not wanting to lose your choice to do what you want to do, and not why you're doing it. Tell me Allenby, would Domon like it if you threw your choice away? I know of your past as a Fighter, and how they took the choice of being able to do it of your own free will not once but twice."

She just had to go and mention the odds again, didn't she? It was like Hikari had said... a planet that had years of experience in fending off threats, the ability to lock up the individual powers of the crew, and a huge army. And her Gundam wasn't even the most powerful Gundam in this hangar... but she couldn't back down. Besides, if the negotiations were going that great, why the hell were they still jamming communications?

She was about to say--yell--as much when Shoutarou activated that bird thing. Allenby almost jumped up to punch it out of the air, taking it for some kind of weapon, but it was too quick. And what happened instead... well if he'd dumped a bucket of ice water over her head, it wouldn't have felt that much different.

"You--how do you know that? What did you just do?!" Suddenly there was fear in with the rage. He'd just read her mind, he must have, even if his analysis was only half-right. "Stay out of my head, you bastard!"

Shoutarou raised his hands up suddenly, a defensive motion as Allenby yelled. "Whoa, whoa, calm down, we're not in your head! Philip just...knows a lot of stuff. It's complicated."

Well, -that- went over well, partner, Shoutarou thought. As much as it should. I planned ahead for this came Philip's answer. ...Was being sarcastic, but if you got a plan, you'd best put it in motion before she loses it.

Philip speaks again. "Allenby, I'm not trying to make you feel like I'm in your head, quite the contrary. But I am trying to make you see reason. There is a difference between doing what's right... and doing what's needed. Sometimes even when it comes down to it, standing down will benefit in the long run. At this point, you have to trust that your friends down below, will make the right decision."

His eye flashing, he added, "Think of what Domon would do, knowing that he was in this position. His hotbloodness would only cause more damage. But he has the wisdom now, to see that sometimes sitting down is the best thing, even if you don't like it."

Edited 2011-07-10 22:56 (UTC)

"If you'd left this to the people in charge - or asked before getting this half-cocked notion to go down there with a handful of people - I would have told you that we've already sent an extra team down to protect the people on the surface," Trudy said. She was still angry as hell, but trying to control it. "I don't know where you get off thinking we don't know what the hell we're doing, or that we don't care, but it's fucking insulting. Two of my pilots are down there, and believe it or not I do actually care whether or not you guys get killed. That's why I'm here instead of letting you go out there."

She had almost lost two pilots in the last battle and it scared the hell out of her. Thinking of losing Allenby, when she'd just figured out what an asset she could be, scared her worse.

"Stop talkin' about Domon like you know him," Allenby growled. "And if you didn't go in my head--you'd better explain exactly what it is you did if you two don't want broken noses later." Not the time, not now.

Goddamit, though. Did he have a point? Domon... well, he had the Shuffle Alliance, and Rain, and Schwarz, and her. They'd been able to help him figure out how to defeat other Fighters and the Devil Gundam with their heads as well as their fists. But who did she have? All of them were in the pods. The only Gundam pilot she'd talked to just now was Kira, who had told her to stop. I would have asked Zouichi, if only he wasn't one of the people I need to rescue.

Allenby brought her fists up in front of her. "So you're saying it's necessary for us to sit around and do nothing. I know the away team's smart and skilled, but that doesn't mean they don't need some kind of help--" She shot a glare at Trudy. "And if you sent an extra team down why didn't you tell us?! Maybe you shoulda figured that some of us hotheads would be worried about THIRTY PEOPLE STUCK ON A HOSTILE PLANET!" Allenby was in full agreement with Midna, despite what Trudy said. 'Vital to the war effort' was still just another way of saying that they were only useful insofar as they could operate equipment, and don't even think about trying to do anything else.

Edited 2011-07-11 00:22 (UTC)

"I don't have to justify the Captain's command decisions. He was put into his rank for a reason and you should trust that he knows what he's doing. For God's sake, you should trust that I know what I'm doing! If you don't trust my decisions, what the hell are you doing in my military?"

Okay, that wasn't helping. She was already on the edge of kicking Allenby out, despite the fact that she could ill afford to lose anyone right now. "The away team can handle themselves. Some of our best people are down there, and from the last thing I heard we have the Galileeans right where we want them. Provoking hostile action with them now is going to ruin everything - and probably put the away team even more at risk."

Allenby wouldn't have to explain herself - she'd be dead. Trudy would be the one left explaining the situation to the surface, that one of her pilots had gone rogue and she couldn't stop her.

"I never met the captain; how the hell am I supposed to trust him?!" Sure, he'd dealt with the Reavers fine, but that was just one thing. "I trust that you know what you're doin' in battles like NiSaris, but you don't get to tell me what to do the rest of the time and if you think you do? Forget it. You can take me off the list. I ain't your property."

Looked like Allenby was going to cross that line before Trudy could get there.

"Guess what, if you people had bothered to keep us informed? I probably wouldn't have thought I need to do this--but I still don't think it's as good as you say, 'cause we're under a comm blackout! Do we want the Galileeans to be cutting off our communications/!"

"You want out, you got it," Trudy said. "If you can't trust me to lead you on the battlefield and off, you don't belong in Starfighter Command. You can turn in your uniform. For the record - no, you aren't anyone's property. You were, however, my soldier. When you volunteered, I told you that you were expected to follow my orders. If you can't handle that, I can't have you fly with us. You're a danger to yourself and the other pilots."

The hard decision was made for her, at least. "Officer, she is now a civilian attempting to steal military property. Arrest her."

She turned and walked away - she was so goddamn mad she could barely see straight and she did not want to end up punching Allenby in her smart mouth.

"HEY!" Allenby leaped--a pretty big leap, landing in front of Trudy. "The X-Wing is yours. Nobel Gundam is mine. I'll rip out all her systems before I let you put someone else in her. She ain't yours any more than I am."

Under arrest? Yeah, she'd heard that, but getting the Gundam thing understood was more important.

Shoutarou stood there gobsmacked, looking back and forth between Trudy and Allenby as things spiralled downward...very quickly. Guess they'll have time to explain things here shortly, should things go well.
[19:49] Wingus: "I...ah. Well." Shoutarou sighed, then turned to Allenby, one hand out. "I don't suppose you'll be willing to come peacefully, would you? I--we can explain what we did later."

Philip chimed in, mentally - It's always hardest when two people are in the right, hmm Shoutarou...

Preaching to the choir, partner.

Shoutarou glances around at the others in the room. Tension's high, hopefully this can all go down without incident. Then Allenby's over his head and confronting Trudy again. "H-hey, hold up--!"

"Did I say anything about the gundam? Giant robot's yours. Have at it. I'm not stupid enough to try and take someone's ship away."

Trudy waved, still walking away. No, she had no authority to take away Allenby's Gundam and she wasn't about to try.

[ooc: So let's pretend she said 'barely know' instead of 'never met' because my memory is a pile of FAIL.]

Allenby looked around the Hangar. There were sure to be more Security folks here soon; the place could be locked down and everything turned off. And if all else failed, they could have Stacy grab her with tentacles.

She itched to fight, to hit something, someone. Except hitting Trudy wouldn't get her anywhere, and the guy in the armor was just trying to get his job done, and Sonic seemed satisfied with Trudy's explanation, and--well dammit, she hated to admit it, but...

Yeah, it had been a bad plan.

Allenby still thought one of Command should have actually said 'don't do it because we already sent back up,' maybe actually told them that in the first place because like hell if she was the only one worried. She was still right about that bit, as far as she was concerned. But she reeeeally should have listened to Hikari. Guess that's why Domon needed us and the Shuffle Alliance, huh.

She sighed. "Sorry guys," was all she could think to say to the people who'd come to help. Then she walked over to Shoutarou, hands on her hips. "I'll come quiet if you explain how you got hold of that information. And you don't gotta arrest these guys 'cause this whole thing was my idea so I'm responsible."

Midna shrugged in an exaggerated gesture, rolling her eyes (good-naturedly!). Too bad, she would have liked a good fight to break up the boredom a little. "What, are you going to take the best part for yourself? I'm going with you. After all..."

She yawned. "No one pulled my arm to come along."

"I'll explain everything once we arrive at the station," replied Philip, the eye flashing. "It's quite the tale really."

Shoutarou nods the shared head. "That's really the best option. Bit of a long story, to understate it." He then looks over at Midna - looks like she was coming quietl--

Y'know, in all the hubbub, he hadn't really noticed Midna. Or that she was a rather strange, big-headed, flying imp-thing. Shoutarou makes a strangled noise of surprise, and stumbles back. "What are you supposed to be?!"

Midna grinned broadly, showing teeth. She was hovering much too close to Shoutarou for comfort, really. In fact, she reached out to rest an arm on his shoulder.

"You can call me Midna. So, are you going to take me in?"

Too bad they hadn't let someone like Shoutarou take charge of this whole talking reason thing. Or that little girl. They might have gotten some results.

"You come in barking orders, treating people like your property, and telling them they're 'vital to the war effort'?" Midna shrugged. "Jeez. No wonder people aren't following your orders. Awful big embarrassment for someone who's supposed to be in charge."

Rulers were supposed to put their people first and themselves second. But the way Trudy was acting just brought up memories of the person Midna used to be -- someone who was all about door number two. Well, if it came down to a fight, so be it.

"There's the reason why you're not in my military," Trudy snapped. "And Allenby won't be in it for very much longer if she keeps this shit up. My pilots are supposed to follow the chain of command - I was very clear about that when they signed up. You are a civilian - you can get yourself killed however you damn well please. Be my guest, just don't use my planes."

Oh, Midna, you just pressed the wrong button. Trudy wasn't even supposed to be the one in charge, and she was doing the best she could with such an... individualist bunch of pilots.

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STOP! Hangar time!

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