Re: New Beginnings

[Laine Williams 0]

Laine Williams

 

Laine tipped his head back and looked up at the brilliant white ceiling above his room.  The slight cracking noise heard in his neck as he did so was so relieving that his eyes slightly rolled.  He hadn’t been this tired for a while, that it had felt like he was back at the Academy, awaiting his exam finals.  Slipping his holdall from his left shoulder, Laine lifted his head top caress the back of his neck, before moving over to the window that peered out over the barracks.  His journey over had filled him with trepidation, anxiety over where he might be assigned his first post.  But it wasn’t the unknown that was making him nervous, in fact he hadn’t felt right since the funeral.  Slumping onto the seal, Laine sat silently motionless, observing the bustle that was happening beginning to unfold outside his window. 

 

Tanks rolling towards their destination followed by Mobile Armours caught his attention.  These behemoths of machines still held him in such awe.  The sheer overpowering size was enough to send a tremor tingling down his spine every time he saw one.  Graceful and yet intensely overwhelming, it was a wonder how anyone could oppose such a weapon.  Excitement tweaked at the edges of his lips as he arched a slight smirk, and yet it wasn’t these machines that was bringing such exhilaration from the young man.  Though he still awaited the news as to whether his application to the MS Pilot Academy would be accepted or not, the contemplation that he might be given the chance to realise a dream he held since childhood released a surprisingly enjoyable thrill through his body at the thought that he might dance amongst the stars.

 

Glancing away from the window, Laine finally took stock of his new room.  His new surroundings were so bright and precise, that he felt as though he was inside a hospital, the walls all white set against the sharp silver of various handles and frames in a way that was so authoritarian and militaristic, and yet more clearly to him it felt so unwelcoming, so impersonal that it didn’t reflect his own individuality at all.  Laine slightly nodded, acknowledging to himself that the first thing he would do, would be to journey into town and purchase a few posters, be it of his favourite sports idol or rock group or anything that might enforce his own sense of flair upon his new bleak surroundings.  Eventually his eyes fell upon the heavy holdall that he had brought with him, sighing heavily at the realisation that he needed to unpack.

 

Lifting himself out of his slumped pose, Laine strode to his pack, bending down to retrieve his bag.  It’s weight felt slightly lighter than it had just moments earlier, his muscles having had the chance to release their tightness and weariness whilst he sat at the window.  As he lifted the bag the burden made the pack sag in the middle whilst he held the strap tight, in a few lengthy strides Laine was by his bedside dropping his holdall onto his bed, before he slowly unzipped the zipper that carried along the centre of the deep blue pack.  Peering inside he was greeted by a picture that called his attention to an immediate stop.  Gently slipping his hand inside, Laine grabbed hold of the cool edge of the object, lifting it out and inspecting every minute detail of the captured moment in his life.

[Jayden Cross 0]

The plane ride back from Orb was very long. Though Jayden was surrounded by luxury with waitresses and other people to do exactly what Jayden ordered he wasn’t the least bit interested in using these privileges. The Earth Alliance soldier leaned back in his seat, placed small earphones in his ear that seemed to connect to a small black music player and relaxed while listening to hip-hop music. He waved off the waitresses that were practically at his beck and call and instead began to stare out of the window.

 

”I wonder if we will be going into battle soon. It seems like the tension has been rising between Orb and ZAFT so I wonder if the Alliance is going to choose a side. Hmmm….Maybe I should report what happened in Orb to a commander.” he thought as his eyes calmly followed the clouds below as they passed by. He was fully aware that there were other EA soldiers on his flight traveling back to the Atlantic Federation however his “allies” were the farthest thing from his mind at the moment. He couldn’t wait to get back to the place he called his home so he could settle down and begin to focus on his combat skills.

 

As the plane landed Jayden felt a slight bit of relief. Now that feeling of anxiety that he felt on the plane was gone and he was free to do whatever he wanted. He walked back to his motorcycle parked outside of the civilian airport and began to ride back to the military base. ”I wonder if I will have any orders waiting for me when I get back.” he thought as he began to pass through the city.

 

As he reached the base displaying his badge and ID which allowed his entrance, another feeling of anxiety took over. Suddenly he began to wonder why he wasn’t on placed on active duty yet. At the moment he was off duty and free to do whatever he wished however he had a strong desire to be thrown into action so he could measure his abilities while gauging the effects of his training. After parking his bike he went into the building where the dormitories are located so he could rest.

 

He walked down the hall with his hands inside of his pockets, listening to his music player when he noticed that someone had just moved into a previously vacant room. ”Another rookie, eh?” Jayden walked past the door without looking inside however before he reached his door he suddenly stopped. He turned around and walked back to the vacant room. Standing in the doorway of the room Jayden began to speak to the man who seemed to be looking at something in his hand. ”A sane man doesn’t leave his door wide open. It’s like leaving yourself open to an attack or turning your back on an enemy.” Jayden said in a monotonous undertone.

[Laine Williams 0]

The moment captured in still life filled his nose with the scent of a summer’s day.  The fresh cut grass glistening under the bright sun as he, his father and brother both challenged one another for domain of the white round spherical object at his feet.  He was naturally gifted at most things, sports being one of his greater passions, yet playing football unleashed such elation in the young man that few things could ever surpass it.  He would remember how his younger brother, Ansel, would become so frustrated that he’d eventually Rugby tackle Laine just so that he would lose possession of the ball and fall to the ground.  What usually ensued was a mass brawl where the two brothers would playfully wrestle one another that would only result in their father joining the fun-nonchalant spirit and eventually domineering the two younger Williams’.

 

He could still envision the look of feigned disdain his sister would usually wear pretending to be above such things until both boys would creep up on her and tickle her into submission.  Laine would eventually get the upper hand, as an older brother should pinning the two and sat above them wearing a grin like Cheshire cat.  His only weakness would then be exploited as the two younger siblings would pick at the hairs on his legs, making him jump and yelp in excruciating pain before his mother call for them to pose for their family outing picture, which he now held in his hand.  He looked much younger than he did now, even though it was only last summer.  His hair was a lot shorter and lighter than it was now, and his cheeks a little fuller and more rounded but then so much had happened since that carefree day, so much had changed.

 

“A sane man doesn’t leave his door wide open. It’s like leaving yourself open to an attack or turning your back on an enemy.”

 

The smile he wore as he remembered that day began to fade as the newcomer’s voice broker his attention. Laine raised an eyebrow yet still focused on the look his brother and sister wore in the photo, still hoping that day would arrive for him, though he knew those days were probably gone for as long as he wore the uniform of the Earth Alliance.

 

“Who said anything about being sane?”

 

Laine couldn’t help the sarcastic chuckle slip under his breath as he took the frame that held the photo over to the desk that he had just claimed as his own, placing it pride of place looking over the bed just opposite.  Though they weren’t here everyday, at least he could feel their spirit should he ever need them.  Sane?  He remembered briefly the conversation he had with his mother, her persistence that he should see a counsellor about Antony Lawson’s sudden and unexpected death.  That his need to join the military was only a knee-jerk reaction to having lost someone that he felt he couldn’t replace and that he clearly wasn’t of sound thinking; traumatised and whatever other insights she had into his character.  Yet through their converse, Laine always insisted he knew what he was doing.  His grandfather being the only person to actually praise his determination and act of brotherhood.  He could still recall the dressing-down speech this wily retired Admiral retorted in front of his entire family intended for his over-protective mother due to Laine enlisting with the military. 

 

“After all I did just join the military.”

 

This time Laine finally looked up, and a grin easily formed at the corners of his lips as he curtly nodded to the newcomer as a gesture of salutation.  The figure stood in the doorway looked of similar age to him, though taller than Laine, somewhat a little dishevelled in appearance though according to his old aunt, all the young looked scruffy nowadays compared as to how they used to look in the days gone-by.  His accent also caught his attention, sounding suspiciously similar in tone that he might also be from the US.  Allowing his feet to wander back to his holdall, Laine reached in to retrieve the first layer of clothing he had packed, ready to fill the adjoining wardrobe with the rest of his items.

 

“So are you the welcoming committee?  I was hoping for something a bit more, hmm, female…”

Edited January 6, 2007 by Guest

[Jayden Cross 0]

Laine: “Who said anything about being sane? After all I did just join the military.”

 

Jayden sort of frowned at the comments made by this unknown person. To him the military was the only thing keeping him sane but this man’s comments suggested just the opposite. Jayden was driven to the point where he could practically be considered insane following the tragic events that had happened only four years ago. Instead of letting his own insanity take over his mind and body, he began to train extensively. He immersed himself in this training to try and take his mind off of the tragic deaths. Now he had joined the military and this was the only thing that kept “sane”.

 

Laine: “So are you the welcoming committee?  I was hoping for something a bit more, hmm, female…”

 

”Last time I checked soldiers don’t get welcoming committees.” he answered as he folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. Jayden seemed to be unwelcoming and serious however it was his nature. This was the only way he knew how to act. In Jayden’s mind each member of the Earth Alliance military was both an ally and an obstacle. He would have to protect them in battle and in return they would protect him. However offering his protection to a weaker soldier would clearly deter him from his normal fighting capabilities as well as lowering his own defenses since the less skilled ally would only get in the way. Not to mention that each person of his own rank would also be in constant competition for a promotion. These were the things that lay in the back of Jayden’s mind each time he looked at a soldier.

 

From Jayden’s perspective this man seemed to have a different thought process. Rather than having a serious conversation with an allied soldier he chose to be sarcastic. This slightly infuriated Jayden but he chose not to allow the man unpacking in front of him to notice his aggravation. ”A little early to be unpacking, isn’t it? Why waste your time unpacking when you are probably going to be relocated soon?” he said in much of the same voice that he had spoke in before.   

[Seth Jedan 0]

OOC: Sorry it took me so long to respond and that it is short but I just remembered I have a project due on Monday so I have been doing that frantically for the past few days.

 

IC:

After 3 long years of training Seth was done his training and was now kind of excited that he that much closer to actually going on active duty. Before that however he still had to go though the actual waiting to be assigned to active duty but he was closer than ever.

 

Upon Arriving at the base he was assigned a room number and told that he was bunking up with someone who had also just got of training and was waiting assignment. “Even with these restrictions on the military I guess there still isn’t enough space for everyone to have there own room” he thought while walking over to where his room was.

 

As he got close he noticed that someone was standing at the door already. “I guess this Laine person is already here. I wonder he has unpacked already.”  But as he got closer he heard what this man was saying and that combined with the other person he saw in the room he decided that the man inside the room was Laine and the other person was some else.  “I wasn’t aware that it was three people per room?” he said as soon as he was at a respectful distance.

[Laine Williams 0]

Laine couldn’t help smirk a little as the other Earth Alliance Recruit shuffled in his spot at the doorway before stilling himself by folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe.  He seemed to be looking at Laine far more sterner than he was before, maybe a little off-put by Laine’s remarks about his current mental state or possibly the fact he had referred to him as welcoming party; yet that didn’t matter too much to him.  He was always sarcastic, sometimes to a fault as it was a constant defensive trait of his personality, which led some people to take to him because of it where as others would think he was being arrogant yet usually it was something Laine did in jest, until at least he felt comfortable.

 

“Last time I checked soldiers don’t get welcoming committees.”

 

Laine’s right eye twinkled in surprised excitement as the man opposite him seem to respond to his trivial remark, allowing a grin to teasingly hug at the fringe of his lips.  Looking back down to his hands, Laine inspected the pair of navy blue jeans he held and then made his way over to the wardrobe, weaving around his bed as he did so.  The doors were as shiny white as the walls and the silver handle was cool to touch as he pulled open the door to place his clothing inside.  There was unexpectedly more room inside the wardrobe than he had anticipated as he placed the item on the highest shelf before making his way back to his holdall. 

 

“That’s a shame, it’s been too long since I last had the opportunity to be welcomed or let alone spend some time with a member of the opposite sex, though not that I don’t appreciate your company Mr…  I didn’t catch your name…  I’m Laine; Laine Williams”

 

Retrieving the next layer of clothing from his holdall, this time a black rocker t-shirt emblazoned with his favourite band’s emblem across the chest and back, Laine mimicked his movements from just earlier placing his clothing delicately on the next shelf in an orderly fashion.  It wasn’t something he realised he did until one of his ex-girlfriends pointed out the fact that he became a little neurotic when it came to organisation, though he just thought it was mere intelligence and common sense to have things organised with jeans having their own shelf as with t-shirts, digi-vid-filenames being in alphabetical order, black socks on the left side of the drawer and white socks on the right side.  It just seemed logical.

 

“A little early to be unpacking, isn’t it? Why waste your time unpacking when you are probably going to be relocated soon?”

 

Laine stopped paying attention to how he was going to place his clothing, peering out of the wardrobe back a the figure standing in the doorway, arms still folded.  He hadn’t really given it much thought as to why he would unpack, it just felt like something he could get on with whilst trying to allow the time to pass before he had been given a clearer indication of where he would be stationed next.  Unfortunately the Alliance was keeping rather tight lipped about where he would be assigned, and this entire cloak and dagger mystery just seemed to grind on his patience.  Shrugging almost immediately in response Laine looked back to his holdall.

 

“Why not?  At least I can make this freezer box room feel a little more like a home if some of my things are scattered around the place, anything to stop this prison white look from scratching away at my sense of identity.  And knowing the Alliance Command; it could be weeks before I’m reassigned and I hate living out of a suitcase.”

 

Though with the delay of him not being immediate assign a post, it left Laine’s imagination to play with the possibilities.  Images of being in his own Mobile Armour or even better a Mobile Suit was something that he would just be ecstatic about having the chance to do, and dreaming about doing such a thing never hurt anyone, even if they were just pipe-dreams.  The movement in the corridor behind the figure caught Laine’s attention, almost nudging him out of his daydream thought of where he was going to be assigned and the tasks and expectations that would be required of him.  The commotion turned out to be another Alliance Conscript whom peered into the room.

 

“I wasn’t aware that it was three people per room?”

 

The question was something he hadn’t really expected at all; the contorted confused expression now written across his face was a good indication as to just how he was left somewhat dumbstruck by the newcomer’s enquiry.  Looking briefly back to the other member of the Alliance Laine raised an eyebrow before gazing back to the man that asked the question.

 

“Yeah, Alliance cutbacks and all that bureaucratic nonsense.  Soon we’ll be expected to all use the same Mobile Armour, probably why we haven’t been assigned as well.”

 

Laine cheekily winked to the newcomer, still wearing a mischievous grin and playfully teasing him with his sarcasm.

[GraceJP 0]

Linite was greeted by a bright flash of sunlight as she unlocked the door to her new dormitory. She had just returned from Orb and was hoping to get some rest.

Being an Ensign, she was granted a bigger room than those of the soldiers whom she outranked. However, this dorm, in all its white glory, was really not all that different from its more cramped versions; the exceptions being its lack of pencil-width bunks, which were replaced by two wider, single beds, as well as a small bathroom off to the right. The large window on the back wall was Linite’s favorite addition. Everything else was exactly identical to the other dorms; the furniture, shelves, floors, walls and overall design.

 

Linite had stayed in similar rooms before, in fact her previous room, two halls away, had been exactly the same. She always requested a room change around this time of year, when all the new recruits were moving in. Somehow, to her, each room seemed to have something different about it, most likely a trait of her imaginative mind. Still she thought in that instant that she might put in a word about making the rooms somewhat less generic, but she didn’t feel like taking that time to think of how that could be done.

 

Linite threw her bags underneath the bed which she had chosen the moment she walked into the room, then proceeded to lie down on the white-clad mattress. She then remembered her most recent assignment. She put her hand on her forehead and sighed, before standing up once again.

 

“Oh joy, attendance…” She muttered. “Guess I better go check those rooms and make sure all the new guys get settled in alright.” She thought.

 

She turned to her bag and unzipped the silver strip which held her overstuffed luggage together, and drew out her clipboard and a pen. She flipped to the checklist which she had been given and started out the door, making sure to lock up behind her.

 

As Linite turned to head down the hallway that would lead her to the fifth room on her list, she was already beginning to feel her tiredness getting to her.

 

“Please let this go by fast.” She groaned in her thoughts as she sighed again.

 

After what seemed like a ten mile walk, she came to the fifth room on her checklist. Without any hesitation, she stepped swiftly into the room as her gaze fell upon the three soldiers who were apparently bunking together.

 

“Are we getting settled in alright? I just need to make sure you’re all in the right room.”

 

Linite was surprised at the lack of fatigue that her voice carried, and proceeded to swiftly bustle around all there bags and check off the names on the ID tags, while trying not to meet any stares that the young men might be throwing her way as she swiftly checked off all three names.

 

“Good, you’re all in the right place. Let me know if there’s anything you need assistance with.” She looked at them and saw some of their eyes directly on her. She waited for them to say something, as she suspected that they would have some questions.

 

((OOC: Hope this works for everyone! )

[Roromi 417]

Jonathan Locke had been hanging around the base since his return from Orb. The day had been going rather slowly and for a young mind such as his; he was easily bored with spending his time in the simulators and doing target practice in the firing range alone. He hadn’t seen any of the other 87th forces around; it was as if they were all a dream somehow.

 

Besides being alone he found it hard to get along with the other soldiers, they didn’t like him. He could understand them being intimidated by a fourteen year old who could shoot a gun just as well as them however they were loosing his respect if they were going to act that way around the enemy. “It’s not as if I chose to be this way…” he growled.

 

Walking through the blank hall of the dorm he playfully checked his gun, unloading the clip and relocking the weapon. Finally bored of the weapon he re-holstered it and returned his attention to the environment. As he passed one of the corridors he couldn’t help but notice a familiar voice. Pausing he looked down the hall and found his “big sister”.

 

A rare grin formed on his face as he casually walked over. He paused in front of Linite and snapped into a salute, “its nice to see you again ensign.” He doubted she could have forgotten him. As he saluted he made a note of the other soldiers who she was addressing. He was wearing his uniform she he doubted any of them would ask why someone as young as him was there.

Edited January 8, 2007 by Guest

[Jayden Cross 0]

Laine: “Why not?  At least I can make this freezer box room feel a little more like a home if some of my things are scattered around the place, anything to stop this prison white look from scratching away at my sense of identity.  And knowing the Alliance Command; it could be weeks before I’m reassigned and I hate living out of a suitcase.”

 

”Whatever…” Jayden said in a unreceptive tone of voice. This man…Laine seemed to worry about more trivial things rather than the things that mattered most. It seemed as if this man had been planning to live each remaining day of his life as if it were his last. The way he spoke, the reason why he is already getting fully unpacked, it just seemed as if it were an excuse to hide his true belief. ”He doesn’t think that he will return to his home alive. This man seems to think that because he lives in the military that each day his life is at risk. What a pity it is to think that way…” he thought as he unfolded his arms and placed one hand in his pocket as he placed his back against the door frame.

 

He pulled his hand out of his pocket revealing his MP3 player and began to turn up the volume until he heard another voice.

 

Seth: “I wasn’t aware that it was three people per room?”

 

”Which is exactly why I’m going to get it changed.” Jayden thought as he placed the MP3 player back into his pocket. Looking at his “other roommates” appearance this man seemed to be even less fit than Laine. Judging from his appearance he seemed to be a little over 6’0 but seemed to weigh lightly. ”This is ridiculous. I think I’m good enough to have a room to myself.” he muttered. Soon enough a soldier… an official began to walk around with what seemed to be a checklist. ”So maybe she is the one who is in charge of the room assignments on this floor.” he thought as she began to walk toward them. As he watched her gracefully strut down the hallways he began to think of her beauty and why she would ever feel the need to join the military.

 

Linite: “Are we getting settled in alright? I just need to make sure you’re all in the right room. Good, you’re all in the right place. Let me know if there’s anything you need assistance with.”

 

A million things ran through his mind as she spoke. He knew he had to say something or else his room assignment wouldn’t be changed. However he couldn’t seem to pull himself to say anything. Instead he began to stare at her. Maybe it was more than even a stare… Maybe it was a long lasting soft gaze, one that immediately sat his eyes upon hers and rendered him speechless. The only thing that awakened him from his trance was the sound of a child. The boy began to speak to the woman calling her an “ensign”.

 

Jayden shook his head as if he were in some type of daze before folding his arms, regaining his composure and speaking. ”Damn right we need some assistance. I don’t want to live in this small room with two other people. I want my own room… I mean isn’t it highly unethical and illogical for you to squeeze three people into these small rooms.” 

[GraceJP 0]

“It’s nice to see you again Ensign.”

 

Linite briefly looked away from the three young men in the dorm to look down upon a familiar face. She smiled at Locke, who was standing stiff with his hand to his forehead, saluting her. She quickly placed her hand on his arm and pushed his hand down.

 

“You don’t have to do that right now, no one that important is around now, and besides…it looks odd.”

Linite said very quietly, almost a whisper. Her words were hinting at Locke’s tough-guy attitude. Her head was still slightly turned toward the three young soldiers as she subtly leaned toward Locke. She was about to say something else to him when one of the three soldiers, who until now had been staring at her, piped up.

 

"Damn right we need some assistance. I don’t want to live in this small room with two other people. I want my own room… I mean isn’t it highly unethical and illogical for you to squeeze three people into these small rooms.”

 

Linite immediately turned to face the soldier who had spoken. Her expression was now one of slight but noticeable irritation. Regardless, her tone of voice was still calm.

 

“If I were you, Jayden Cross, I wouldn’t be thinking so highly of myself, considering your rank” She focused her grey-eyed gaze on him, and didn’t blink.

 

“In an everyday situation, it may be illogical to have three people to such a small room, but keep in mind that this is the military; comfort should be the last thing on our minds.” Linite still kept her eyes locked onto Jayden’s. They were naturally so warm and gentle, yet they could pierce right through someone, sending eerie chills down their spine, if she were to give them the right look.

 

“My advice to you all, get used to restricted space. While you’re here in the military, that’s something that you’re going to have to deal with quite often.” Linite’s eyes finally released Jayden’s and began to shift from one young man to the next as she spoke. Her voice carried a dull tone that would suggest that restricted space was something that she didn’t personally enjoy either.

 

“If you insist on speaking to someone about this, take it up with the officials at the front desk. I’m only doing attendance and taking questions.”

 

Linite returned to her previous neutral state. She had hoped that she had made herself clear. Also, it was better to avoid getting on her fellow soldier’s bad lists. She didn’t want to seem like a grouch, but rather preferred to be someone who people felt they could talk and relate to. After all, that was the kind of person she normally was.

 

“If any of you have anymore questions or concerns, feel free to leave a message in the box on the wall outside my door. Room 206. I’d be happy to help you out.” She nodded to Laine and Seth as she prepared to leave the room, and shot one last piercing glance at Jayden. Linite took in the appearances of all three. As she began to turn herself toward the door, she couldn’t help but notice that all three of them were quite handsome. She smiled softly to them as she turned and stepped out of the room with one swift motion. Linite briefly thought about some of the other new male faces she had seen that day, noticing that there were quite a few handsome new soldiers.

 

She then turned her attention to Locke. Smiling at him like she had the day she had first met him in Kusanagi.

“So how was your trip back? Any interesting new assignments?” she asked, suddenly eager to have some social interaction. It was a far better idea than the thought of returning to her paperwork just yet.

The two walked down that hall to the last room on Linite’s checklist.

[Roromi 417]

Locke fought the urge to give Jayden a dirty look. The lack of discipline and respect he showed was irritating to the young coordinator. Still it wasn’t his place to act out against him, it wasn’t as if he was the commanding officer around. Locke took some comfort in Linite’s response to Jayden’s outburst.

 

As Locke and Linite walked down the hall the ensign asked,  “So how was your trip back? Any interesting new assignments?”

 

Locke let his bored expression answer most of the question. Stretching his arms out he yawned, “Uneventful, I was looking forward to returning to the alliance but that was a let down, I get the impression the rest of my squad is still utilizing their R and R or something… so no new orders...” Sighing Locke turned to Linite and added, “I can see where that guy was coming from though… it almost seems like it was a stupid idea signing up during peacetime… its like they don’t know what to do with all the pawns…”

 

Shaking his head as if the idea didn’t make sense he asked Linite, “So how about you? I almost get the idea you’re in the same situation as I am? Or am I mistaken and you have something more exciting than this to do?” There was a trace of hope in his voice however most of it was coated in sacasm in his final remark.

[GraceJP 0]

“Uneventful, I was looking forward to returning to the alliance but that was a let down, I get the impression the rest of my squad is still utilizing their R and R or something… so no new orders... I can see where that guy was coming from though… it almost seems like it was a stupid idea signing up during peacetime… its like they don’t know what to do with all the pawns…”

 

Locke’s response caused Linite to start laughing, despite her hardest efforts to keep a straight face as he spoke. It was somehow quite amusing to Linite to see such a young boy such as Locke talking to her as if he was ten years older than he was. However, his maturity at times astounded her. She could tell from his smug expression that he didn’t exactly share her opinion. But he seemed to brush it off as he spoke up again.

“So how about you? I almost get the idea you’re in the same situation as I am? Or am I mistaken and you have something more exciting than this to do?”

 

Linite peered down at Locke, who was looking at her intently. He looked like he was trying very hard not to look tired or bored, but it was still rather obvious. She chuckled a bit and let out a sigh.

 

“Clearly your ideas are pretty accurate, or it could be that that was just a lucky guess. But no, I’m pretty much stuck with this assignment, and then…”

She winced as she thought of it.

“There’s that pile of paperwork waiting for me when I get back to my room. I have to sort all the newcomers’ files.”

Linite rolled her eyes and sighed.

“It’s not like I wasn’t expecting an assignment when I got back, but after a holiday, it seems like quite a lot. I’ll get used to it again in three days guaranteed.”

She grinned, reassuring herself that she had spoken the truth.

 

Linite stopped at her last room, while Locke waited outside. She checked in the new soldiers, three girls this time. One of them required a pad of paper and a pen, two things which Linite already had on her person, as she expected that someone would want them in order to write to their families. Afterwards Linite and Locke continued walking down the hall, carrying on a conversation of such ease and casualty that it was just one more thing to add to the list of things that made them seem like brother and sister.

 

“You know, maybe someday you can meet my sister, Naveena. She’s the same age as me, but she’s so quiet and shy that I almost consider her to be younger than me.”

She smiled again as she thought of her sister, whom she hadn’t seen in about a month.

“Sometimes I find it hard to believe that she ended up joining the military. She was very reluctant at first, but I reassured her. She’s on duty in Japan right now.”

 

Linite thought back to the beginning of the month, when Naveena had announced that she was being sent to Japan. She had been so excited about going there, as the country had always held her fascination. Linite worried about her sister, not liking to let her out of sight for such a length of time, as she had taken it upon herself to make sure that Naveena got along alright.

The sudden thought of Naveena and Locke’s possible reactions to each other made her laugh quietly. She figured that Locke wouldn’t know how to deal with such a shy and quiet person as Naveena, and Naveena would probably think of Locke as loud and obnoxious, which, as she knew from experience, was a true fact at times.

 

As the two came to an intersection of more long, white and grey hallways, Linite stopped walking. The smile she wore changed rapidly into a clever smirk.

 

“When was the last time you held a gun?”

She asked him, looking toward the door to the shooting range, which was easily within sight. She knew that he would immediately understand her idea.

[Laine Williams 0]

“Whatever”

 

Laine couldn’t help but chuckle at the sharpness of the guy’s retort by judging his actions.  As he shook his head he watched as the man got annoyed at the thought of having to share a room with Laine and the other newcomer before his motion seemed to be caught in a daze.  A soft yet confident voice caught his attention, where he realised that this girl was the reason for such a pause in his tracks.

 

“Are we getting settled in alright? I just need to make sure you’re all in the right room.  Good, you’re all in the right place. Let me know if there’s anything you need assistance with.”

 

He was partially surprised that a woman of grace would be found in the military, only expecting to find an array of more tom-boyish women or those that you saw on low budget euro flicks where the German woman is portrayed more manly than a Brutus beefcake living in Scotland.  Manly?  They were far scarier than anything a young man could ever imagine, probably why you only saw them on the big screen like zombies and vampires.

 

As he pondered her question, Laine let his gaze slip to the others wondering whether they would comment or ask questions.  He noticed how the first newcomer still seemed to be caught in a pathetic love at first sight look which tickled Laine, he hid his giggle under his mouth and looked down to the his feet shaking his head as he did so.  It was almost like he was back at camp as a Boy Scout, who’d have imagined the military as such… Juveniles!?

 

“It’s nice to see you again ensign.”

 

The coarse voice which sound perceptively like his younger brother immediately made Laine lift his head.  His eyes widened in shock as watched a boy no older than his twelve year old sibling stride into his room and address the girl in such a formal and martial way that it almost made him cry.  At first Laine simply thought he was playing dress up, but then disregarded the idea on the sheer stupidity of the suggestion, but why would a boy be in the military?

 

He had ssen enough films and historical documents about child prodigies but to think that the Alliance would allow such a child into the Military.  Unless he was some sort of science geek or tactician, but even then why would he be in the crew dorms?  It made little sense that as he was thinking he completely ignored the argument between the woman and the ‘friendly’ welcome wagon.  The whole event transpired before him and eventually the woman and boy were gone.

 

Biting his lip, Laine pointed confusedly to the doorway that the two Alliance staff had just vacated, a bewildered look painted upon his face.

 

“Everybody else just saw that right?  The boy?  In uniform…  And I was just joking about Alliance being hard pressed, yet they are now hiring children!”

 

((Whoa-Whoa - Slow Down, let's give everyone the chance to post so that we don't lose anyone  I think it should be Seth's post next followed by Jayden-Roromi-Grace and then me again!))

Edited January 11, 2007 by Guest

[Seth Jedan 0]

“Yeah, Alliance cutbacks and all that bureaucratic nonsense.  Soon we’ll be expected to all use the same Mobile Armour, probably why we haven’t been assigned as well.”

Seth found this response odd for some reason, maybe because it had sarcasm in it or maybe it was something else. He had never been good at tell when people were being sarcastic or not.  However if it was sarcastic or not Seth had to agree with what was said, It did seem like everything was a little cheaper than what Abel had written in his letters home.  Perhaps it was because of treaty or as Laine had said maybe it was just the bureaucrats just trying to get more money by making it seem like they had less. Whichever one it was, Seth decided that he should dwell on it as it was better then living in a small apartment barely making the money for rent and food.

 

“Are we getting settled in alright? I just need to make sure you’re all in the right room.”

As he had been deep in thought he hadn’t noticed that someone else had now joined there little group. This time however it was a Female and after a quick look he saw that she was ensign.  In response to what she said he just kind of nodded his head in a non-committal way and tried not to stare at this ensign even though she was quite pretty. 

 

“It’s nice to see you again ensign.”

Now yet another person had joined them, this time it was kid, he must have been only around 13 years old. This really surprised him as he had always thought that the military was really strict about its rules but here was someone who was well below the minimum age in an official uniform. Of course he had heard of child prodigies skipping grades in school or something like that but one so young to be in the military was unheard of to Seth.  “I guess what they say about anything being possible is true…” he thought.

Next thing he knows is that the ensign and the boy were gone and Laine was saying :

 

“Everybody else just saw that right?  The boy?  In uniform…  And I was just joking about Alliance being hard pressed, yet they are now hiring children!” 

 

Seth’s first thought was “I guess he was joking about what he said earlier then.” 

 

“I guess he must be extremely good if they let him join, but it is still insane that they let him in. I would have thought that the government would have something to say about it but I guess not.” Seth said while walking in to the room and throwing his bag on one of the beds. 

 

(((I agree with the posting order)))

[Jayden Cross 0]

Linite: “If I were you, Jayden Cross, I wouldn’t be thinking so highly of myself, considering your rank. In an everyday situation, it may be illogical to have three people to such a small room, but keep in mind that this is the military; comfort should be the last thing on our minds.--”

 

The female ensign began to berate Jayden on his disrespectful behavior while locking eyes with him. For some reason he seemed to be hypnotized by her gaze, describing it as both soft yet mildly vicious. Jayden seemed as if he were just standing there frozen in time while he thought about what was transpiring before his very eyes. He was left speechless and as the domineering ensign continued to speak in her soft tone his mind wandered further away from reality. He asked himself questions and replayed what was happening in his head. It seemed as if he himself didn’t realize what was going on. However toward the end of her “speech” he had finally come to. Now began to actually look slightly aggravated but he still reserved himself enough not to say something that he would regret. She was a higher ranking officer and by the looks of things she would ensure him of that fact. Instead he kept his mouth shut and calmly continued to stare at her as she left the room and shot him another “interesting” glare.

 

As she left his sight some of his buried animosity released itself as he crashed his fist into one of the nearby walls. Placing a dent in the nearby wall he looked at his other roommates before  walking out of the room. Before the door closed behind him he calmly said ”It’s because the Alliance officials are filled with idiots. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother.. Once out in the hallway he would lean on a nearby wall and fold his arms beginning to think. 

 

(Sorry for posting so late and then so short but I have been quite busy lately. I think I’ll be back to normal posting next week. Thanks for being patient!!)

[Roromi 417]

The young coordinator listened intently as Linite described her sister. The entire notion of siblings never occurred to Locke before until he met Linite. Listening to her talk about her sibling, Locke quietly wondered what it must have been like. To know someone who would know you longer than any other person you meet in your lifetime. His thoughts where interrupted by the ensign before he could delve further into them.

 

"When was the last time you held a gun?”

 

Locke raised his eyebrow and looked at Linite, it didn’t take a genius to get what she was thinking.

 

“Up for some friendly competition Ensign? I’m game, it’d be nice to have something interesting to do for once.”  There was a small grin on his face, he was happy to find someone who was willing to spend time with him.

 

He walked with the ensign to the fire range where the room seemed virtually vacant. He took the liberty of setting up some new targets and getting it set up for them. Once he had everything prepared he took out his firearm again and expertly checked it getting it ready to fire. Looking up at Linite he casually asked, “You ready Ensign?” To a normal onlooker the way he handled the gun may have been unnerving, after all he was just a kid, however Locke knew that to be a soldier as young as himself, he had to be an expert.

 

As he looked at Linite he began wondering how well of a shot she was, he was a decent one himself. Recently he had been spending alot of time at the range to try and improve his accuracy between firing. He wanted to be prepared should the situation ever arise for him to have to use a gun. "I guess I should warn you I've been practicing..."

Edited January 16, 2007 by Guest

[GraceJP 0]

Linite watched as Locke loaded his gun and handled it with such ease that it seemed like it was no more dangerous than a child’s toy. It slightly disturbed Linite to see such a young kid handling a gun with such expertise, yet she shook off those thoughts and concentrated on loading her gun.

 

“Up for some friendly competition Ensign? I’m game, it’d be nice to have something interesting to do for once. I guess I should warn you I've been practicing..."

 

Linite glanced down at Locke as she picked up the gun with her left hand. She pointed the weapon at the target.

 

She let her mind drift back to the three soldiers whom she had spoken to not all that long ago. She knew that they would likely have been surprised when they saw Locke, who was so young for a soldier. She knew that they were probably thinking about why the Earth Alliance would admit a mere fourteen year old into the military, and she admitted to herself that she was also very curious. It surely wasn’t a common event, after all.

 

Linite wanted to get to know those three soldiers better; and perhaps get back on Jayden’s good side, if she had in fact managed to slip into the adversary.

In that instant, she decided that when she returned to her quarters that evening; the first thing she would do was write to Naveena.

 

Linite concentrated on her target and raised the gun a little higher. She tilted her head and closed one eye as she aimed; which was an old habit that she’d adopted when she first started to use a gun. Her finger tensed on the trigger as she placed her right hand on the bottom of the gun. She widened her stance slightly before snapping the trigger back.

 

The bang that followed echoed through the room and into the hallway, followed by the tinkling of the bullet hitting the floor behind the target. The bullet had hit remarkably close to the bull’s-eye, and Linite’s satisfied expression, with the smirk that she donned so often, clearly showed her approval.

 

“You’re not the only one who practices, Jonathan” She laughed softly as she addressed the young soldier by his given name for the first time.

 

(( Sorry for moving ahead so fast in my previous posts. I got carried away. Many apologies.))

[Laine Williams 0]

”I guess he must be extremely good if they let him join, but it is still insane that they let him in. I would have thought that the government would have something to say about it but I guess not.”

 

Laine twisted his neck to look over at the comment just made, arching his brow as he did.  Good?  He wondered at first if the man was being cynical he had enough reason to, yet as he gazed over his expression, the idea of this man’s pessimistic outlook washed away as Laine realised the naivety displayed in his eyes.  Laine slightly shook his head letting his eyes slip from their stare to glance at the other man still standing in the doorway.

 

“Extremely good?!  Seriously!  A kid on the battlefield?  Maybe I’m a little Idealistic but really is he that good that we have to place him in danger?”

 

The idea that a child be used in the military truly worried him.  There were something’s a child just should not witness, to sustain their fragile innocence as long as they could.  Even if he was talented surely society had moved on from the brutality of it’s past.  His mind simply wandered to his grandfather and his deep-seated views.  The old stalwart was extremely pretentious and yet to Laine as soft as a child’s stuffed bear.  A victim of the previous wars and a decorated Admiral his outlook on the Coordinators worried him, yet he knew deep down that his words centred from a place so deep set in him that time just would not allow him to change.  But the idea of a child in the military?  He knew his grandfather would never stand for such, unless those above directed it.

 

”It’s because the Alliance officials are filled with idiots. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother”

 

Laine watched as the guy hit the wall alongside him before storming out.  A little dramatical but he got the point as so it seemed did the wall, now dented with a whole the size of a softball.  There was something amiss about this, something they didn’t understand.  There must surely have been a reason for such a reckless decision to place a child in the military, yet Laine for all his foresight couldn’t understand why.  Maybe a chat with the youngster might help clear a few things, and maybe a word with the female ensign about his own concerns might be cleared up.  Sighing Laine placed his hands on his hips.

 

“It’s no wonder why Antony died under the command of such…”

 

He would’ve continued yet he realised that he wasn’t just thinking but actually muttering the words to him.  He clenched his fist tightly as he remembered his lost friend, tears forming a little at the cradle of his lower eyelids.  Blinking back the pain of loss Laine again focused on his bag not wanting to appear weak and fragile.  It had been a hard journey from the funeral to this room decorated in pure white that portrayed a sense innocence in a world of destruction - how ironic.  He peered back to the man whom he just snapped at though keeping from making direct eye contact.

 

“Sorry mate.  Must be suffering from jet-lag, didn’t mean to snap at you like that”

[Jayden Cross 0]

I wanted to follow the posting order but Seth hasn't posted in a while (actually its been 6 days) so do you guys want me to just go ahead and post?

[Laine Williams 0]

((Yes go ahead, six days is more than enough time to post, if he wants he can catch us up - you're up next Jayden.))

[Jayden Cross 0]

Jayden’s eyes curled into the back of his head as he closed his eyes and began to let his mind wander. It had been a couple of years but ever so often he would begin to think of his past. He felt that facing his past would make him stronger no matter how traumatic the events. Why? Simply because those traumatic events are what shaped the eighteen year old boy that survived those events and enlisted himself into the military. Listening to his music calmed him even more as the R&B music that filled his ears cleansed his soul and allowed him to think clearly.

 

Only moments later, Jayden would open his eyes and begin walking down the hallway. Jayden’s face was filled with mixed emotions. He looked relaxed while at the same time exhausted and some what angry. His eyes were always full of anger even when he wasn’t aware of it. The pain that he felt during those traumatic events had already taken its toll on the boy as he often gave off negative vibes without intentionally meaning to do so.

 

As he walked down the hallway a loud, alarming noise prompted him to quickly reach in his pocket and turn off his MP3 player. ”Sounded like a gunshot. Some one must be doing a little target practice.” he thought as he walked toward the room. Usually the sound proof room would contain the sound of gunshots but someone forgot to close the door behind them. Though the sound didn’t exactly echo down the hallways it was kind of loud and it did surprise the unsuspecting Jayden.

 

He walked in the room and noticed that the people that occupied the room were that beautiful but stern ensign and the young boy by her side from before. Without saying anything he closed the door and leaned on the wall behind them. ”Well let’s see what you can do ensign. Let’s see if you earned your rank or was it mistakenly given to you.” he thought as he watched their respective targets.

[Seth Jedan 0]

((OOC: I'm sorry for being absent but school semester is ending so i have to study for exams and do all my ISU's. SO I'll catch up as soon as it is my next turn after next Saturday(or sooner, hopefully) but in till then you can count Seth as an NPC and control him however necessary)))

[Roromi 417]

(OOC: could you guys please refrain from posting pure out of character posts on this board, we have other places where you guys can discuss this, next time this comes up i'd suggest creating a topic in the roleplaying discussion boards or in the Earth Alliance discussion. Thank you.)

 

Locke chuckled as he studied Linite's stance and her accuracy. “Not bad…” he mused; eager to join in on the fun he smirked and raised his own gun after assuming a solid stance. He fired two shots with both his hands on his gun. After each bullet marked his accuracy he playfully switched hands with the weapon and fired two more with his left hand; leaving all four shots relatively near if not piercing the center of the target.

 

Unlike Linite he showed his disapproval, with a worried look. He may have done well by other people’s standards however it was no where near what he wanted. Perhaps it was his own eager imagination, but he toyed with the idea of being able to leave only one perfect bullet sized circle on the bull’s-eye after firing a clip. “I still got some improvement to make…” he wasn’t trying to sound cocky, if anything there was genuine concern in his voice. Retuning his attention to Linite he causally told her, “You know maybe you’d be more accurate if you didn’t close one of your eyes…I mean its not a sniper rifle your shooting right now…Then again its different for each person I suppose…” His attention drifted off as he noticed one of the soldiers from before had been watching them. So far he hadn’t been very impressed with the soldiers he saw, and he didn’t really like the fact that he was simply watching them too; he couldn’t help but feel like him and Linite were being judged on their abilities. Returning his attention to Linite he tactfully added, “You know you’re pretty good for being just a natural.”

[GraceJP 0]

“I still got some improvement to make…”

 

Linite’s eyebrows automatically rose up as she stared at the two small holes that Locke’s gun had made. She was quite amazed at the amount of skill that his accuracy clearly showed, and added to that surprise was the fact that he was merely fourteen. It was just another thing about him that made Linite both confused and curious. She had only just taken her eyes off of his target when he spoke again.

 

“You know maybe you’d be more accurate if you didn’t close one of your eyes…I mean it’s not a sniper rifle you’re shooting right now…Then again its different for each person I suppose…”

 

She followed Locke’s glance as he looked back at one of the young soldiers from before. Jayden had stepped into the room and was now watching the both of them intently as he leaned against a wall. Before she could respond, he continued.

 

“You know you’re pretty good for being just a natural.”

 

Linite looked back quickly at Locke as her surprise escalated even more as she took in his remark.

“For being just a natural?” She repeated the words in her head, and for some reason they sent a chill of curiosity down her spine. 

Linite told herself that she was being stupid and shook off these thoughts. She tried to keep her calm temperament about her as she focused on her response to his previous comment.

 

“Trust me; you don’t want to be within range if I shoot with that eye open. It wouldn’t be pretty.” She spoke with a hint of laughter in her voice as she thought about the training she’d received when she first joined the EA. She remembered how inaccurate she had been before that one-eye-closed habit had set in.

 

Suddenly a thought popped into Linite’s mind. She winked at Locke and started toward the back wall where Jayden was leaning.

Linite smiled at him, though it was very slight. She wanted to look cheerful, while showing that she understood that he was probably still angry about the previous “incident”.

When Linite reached Jayden she immediately flipped her gun around and held it out to him, offering him the handle.

“Wanna give it a go? I wouldn’t mind seeing how much you got out of your training.”

[darkphoenix 0]

“Blya, why I was transferred to Atlantic Federation? They could give me place not that far from Moscow.” – Alexei questioned himself.

“We must cooperate with our allies. We must be ready to anything. Yesterday’s enemy can be today’s friend, but he can backstab you tomorrow. That’s why you became a pilot.” – was an answer. This sequence repeated itself at least 10 times, while Alexei rode to his place of services.

***

He show his documents at checkpoint and questioned: “To who must I report about my transfer? Or who in charge of this?” Soldier on checkpoint say: ”Ummm, there’s so many newcomers…you could at least report to Ensign Linite Estral“ 

“Too many newcomers?... That’s strange. And why I must report to mere Ensign? But maybe she’s in charge of this, so it shouldn’t be surprise. I’m should be calm - this is no time and no place to be nervous…” Then Alexei calmly questioned soldier: “So, where I can find that Ensign?” “She was in pilot’s dormitory, so you can try to search her there.” – was an answer. “You must go in that direction.”

“Spasibo” – said Alexei and walked in direction of dorm. “Dormitory? Heh, that sure brings back memories. Interesting, how large it are. Maybe it even larger than in Academy? “

***

“Blya, this base absolutely too big. How the hell they are build it? Maybe they used Destroys, ha. Well, let’s find that Ensign and end this stupid formality.” He entered large building, that appears to be an pilot’s dorm.

“Wow, maybe it will be not that bad. They even have an separated rooms. Thank you, Mr. We-Will-Transfer-You-Very-Far.” He hears an angered voice from an half-closed door.

“Maybe they know, where is that Ensign?” He come closer and said:“ Sorry to disturb, but anyone here know, where Ensign Linite Estral ?”

 

(OOC: I hope, you will not kill me for my intervention. As for "Blya"="Damn" in Russian,altough more roughly))