Phase Eleven: Keep Calm and Drink Tea

[emorangerpink]

1. (the hangar)

[After the chaos of the fight, the hangar crew are working overtime on cleanup duty. Laura's pitching in, flying around in The Great Pretender, righting fallen mechs and clearing heavy objects.

For now, though, she's in the open cockpit of the Knightpolice she's been working on in her own time for the last while, and which came

Comments

1

[amber_damsel]

You made added a kettle to the inside of a Knightpolice...

[Liana is confused here.]

[emorangerpink]

Well it's only normal for a military vehicle to have a means to heat water, isn't it? For medical treatment, or field rations...

...Or, you know, for a cup of tea. Pilots can be stuck in their cockpits for hours on end!

[amber_damsel]

Isn't that a public safety machine, I'm sure the cops can get out for some coffee or donuts anytime they want.

[emorangerpink]

Mhm, this is the civilian model. They took out the boiler. I've been restoring and upgrading it, so when I found the parts to put one back in I added it to the list of modifications.

Want a cup?

[amber_damsel]

I don't think this is really the tim- Oh come on Liana you could at least try to be nice.

Fine...I'll have a cup of tea!

[Yelling at herself.]

[emorangerpink]

I know how busy I've been, and I don't imagine it's been much better for you. We can afford to take a minute for ourselves.

I'd offer you coffee, but I don't have anything up to your standards, I'm afraid.

[amber_damsel]

It's fine, Chris is the one who likes her coffee. I don't really have any skills besides piloting.

Fur jacket seems to be the biggest believer of that.

[Insert obligatory stab at Josh here.]

[emorangerpink]

Well then, enjoy.

What has you out, Liana? Helping with the cleanup?

[amber_damsel]

Something like that.

[Drinking.]

Ever since that incident at Antarctica I've been finding it a bit easier to be out. Chris seems to think that me being out more often is a good idea. Something about showing people that not all people with multiple personae are bad.

Whatever that means...

[emorangerpink]

Ah, well, we have more than one person aboard whose personalities aren't all so, ummm, personable. Not quite like you two, but she might be right that it'll help...

[Laura looks like she's about to say something further, but instead she takes another drink.]

And it gives people a chance to get to know you better, so it's a good idea for that at least.

[amber_damsel]

[Unlike most people when Liana notices something like that she has to ask about it.]

You seem like you had another thought there. If you need to ask me something you're welcome to.

[emorangerpink]

Ah...

Well, it's about you and Chris. I thought it was probably too personal - ummm, I don't know you as well as her, after all...

But... one of those other people I mentioned is a friend of mine, and it's a big problem for her. I was wondering... what it's like. If you might have any advice. How you and Chris get along so well...

[amber_damsel]

Perhaps you don't but that shouldn't be a reason for you to not speak your mind.

Besides Chris tells me enough about you, a lot of people already seem to depend on you for help. The least I can do is assist you with this.

[The cup of tea is promptly finished.]

How we get along so well huh...not sure if I really have a clear answer for that. Chris is like a little sister to me, it's my responsibility to keep her safe. I can respect that this body is hers considering that I'm a byproduct of the experiments her father performed on her several years ago.

In the end I guess it depends on the personae. If I were truly cruel and evil then maybe I would just try to take Chris' body for myself. I'm not that sort of person though.

[emorangerpink]

Thanks. I'm... not sure they should, but I supposed I'd better do what I can...

[Laura listens intently, looking worried.]

I see... that... well. Unfortunately, the friend in question - her... other side... is that sort of person, it seems. If you two saw each other as sisters from the start, well... that's a good example for them, but I'm not sure how to get past that problem in the first place...

[She gives a small smile.]

Kind of funny that you see her as a little sister, though. I'd have thought, if you're not twins, then you'd be the younger.

[amber_damsel]

Twins huh, that might have been a better way of putting it.

[At the statement of actually being the younger sister Liana laughs a bit.]

I guess if you think about it in just age yeah. I'm the one that takes care of Chris though...keeping her safe and such. That is the responsibility of the older sister isn't it.

[She's getting a bit embarrassed just thinking about it.]

A-anyways getting away from that just for a second. If her other side is like that I'm not sure what you can do besides trying to make sure that the side that is your friend remains dominant. The situation doesn't sound like one that can be fixed so easily. Aside from that there isn't much else I can tell you. If Josh's old man was still alive I'd try to get some help from him.

[emorangerpink]

Sounds like you and Josh have something in common there, then.

And... you're right. I guess there's not a lot else any of us can do. Thanks for trying, though.

...Is Chris... all right? About that? It doesn't sound like it bothers you that much, but I'm afraid I messed up when I told her...