[Open]

[indeliblepast]

Sumeragi glared at the console, and instructed the computer to bring up the simulation once more. It was a fairly simple one - just dodging an oncoming asteroid field - but she'd run it three times now, and each had ended with her ship as an asteroid bug-splatter not too far in. She could drive a car just fine, but the finer controls of the ship eluded her. She had imported the Ptolemy's basic design and control scheme into the program, so at least it was a ship she was vaguely familiar with.

Nonetheless, ten minutes into this fourth run, a fairly loud stream of curses - in more than one language - could be heard outside the door to the sensorium she was using.

Comments

[indeliblepast]

She blinked in surprise at the voice coming over the comm, and then opened up her own line.

"There are harder ways, too." Like actually crashing the ship.

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

She probably couldn't see him incline his head in acknowledgment. "Asteroids aren't exactly stationary obstacles. They move around, rotate, collide with each other. So the exercise you set yourself might be a little harder than you think."

For someone like Zouichi, who had aid in keeping precise and immediate track of multiple opponents, their movements, and combat capabilities the behavior of one of these rocks was fairly easy to keep track of and plan around. But the same might not be true of Sumeragi who did appear, after all, to be human.

Anyway, he was attempting to offer some encouragement.

[indeliblepast]

She sighed a little. "True. I suppose I could set it to stationary... but damnit, I've done some piloting before."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Walk before you run. Or at least that's what they told me." He paused. "A smaller ship might help, too. Easier to avoid running into things when there's less of you to hit."

[indeliblepast]

"Mm, true. I suppose I could get the computer to scale the ship, relatively..."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Might as well use the functionality available to you." Zouichi slipped past another asteroid as he spoke. "Why the sudden interest in navigating asteroid fields?"

[indeliblepast]

She instructed the computer to change the scale, and then spoke into the comm systems. "Asteroids have the important benefit of not shooting back."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Obfuscating much?

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to broaden your skillset."

[indeliblepast]

"Yeah - I ended up having to pilot, during the last battle. We got through it, but... the ship's a bit roughed up."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah? What happened to your usual pilot? They get injured?"

[indeliblepast]

"Nah. Never came out of the pods. I've flown the thing before - but not in a fight."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Hmm... unfortunate. But why not get another, instead of taking on another role for yourself?"

[indeliblepast]

"My crew..." She trailed off awkwardly, trying to figure out how best to explain the situation. "They don't mesh well with a lot of people here."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Aren't you part of Setsuna's group? I heard Allenby tried to punch him out earlier."

[indeliblepast]

Sumerai buried her face in her hands. Honestly, could they go a week without something new happening?

"I... hadn't heard about that one yet."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Well, it happened kind of a while ago. I'm sure she hasn't tried it since," Zouichi offered.

[indeliblepast]

There was a heavy sigh over the comm line. "Still. He and I need to have a talk."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"...yeah, that's probably for the best. So I guess he makes it a little more difficult to recruit people?"

[indeliblepast]

"Mm. The rest aren't much better, though they're quieter, at least."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"In that case, clearly what you need are new members just as dysfunctional as your old ones."

[indeliblepast]

There was a short, slightly hysterical laugh at that. "Yeah, I suppose that'd do it."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

You might want to get that hysteria looked at, Sumeragi. "So, why do you put up with them if they're all a bunch of cards?"

[indeliblepast]

That would be what the drinking is for. "Because they're capable, and despite the social flaws, dedicated."

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"And I suppose there are no similarly competent pilots who don't make people want to punch them in the face?"

[indeliblepast]

"Apparently not. I wasn't in charge of the selection process."