Abandoning All the Cliche Working Song Lyrics I'm Sure You're Expecting

[by_my_will]

Who: by_my_will, gargleblasted
What: Working... Wire maintenance.
When: Evening shift
Where: Suburbs
Warnings: It's an open log. Anything can happen.

Comments

*lead here by Itachi-mun* o/

[count_to_peace]

Hair pulled back, Zechs worked on some wires that frayed underneath some heavy machinery, taping them with electrical tape. They didn't need replacing, as their state was not that dire. Working in such a field was not new to Zechs, since being a gundam pilot meant that he would need to maintain his own suit and others, if necessary.

He also didn't mind a bit of hard labor like this.

The last bit of tape is used up, forcing him to withdraw from the crevice he had hid half his body under. He pulled back with a THUNK, though.

"OUCH!"

The sore spot is attended to by a gentle hand rubbing it, while the owner looked around, grumpily.

"Where do they keep the tape...and ice?"

o/

[by_my_will]

"I have some spare tape in the toolbox I was given," Tieria responded, resisting the urge to wince a little in sympathy at that thud. "As for ice, that was not provided in my kit." He looked around for a moment, then nodded at something down the way.

"It looks as if there may be a first aid kit in that wall panel over there." He wasn't sure what was in it, but there might be an instant cold pack the other man could use.

[count_to_peace]

Zechs looked to the new voice, nodding softly. "Ah, I'd appreciate that."

He was still rubbing his head, grateful that his bangs would cover the bruise that would eventually be there. "It's probably best to get these wires taped up first. I've taken a lot worse than a bump on the head, so I can manage for a bit," he replied with a wry smile.

It still didn't mean that it hurt less.

[by_my_will]

Tieria nodded as he handed over the tape. He'd had his fair share of injuries from being tossed around in a cockpit during battle (or those damn taser wires that would wrap around the limbs of a mobile suit... those always hurt), so he could understand.

"What is it you do in your world?" He went back to where he had been working, but the way the other man had reacted about being injured had intrigued him a little. Was he an athlete? A fighter? Maybe another pilot? Tieria had already met several here...

[count_to_peace]

Zechs took the tape, finding the place where it began while speaking.

"I was an ambassador," he replied, as if reciting the weather. Being an ambassador was practically a one time gig. There were still many uncertainties about this place, and it wouldn't smart to let down one's guard.

Once he found the start of the tape, he went over to his work area. "What of yourself?"

[by_my_will]

"I was a pilot," Tieria said. It was true enough, and he really wasn't up to explaining anything if this Ambassador wanted to know about what a Gundam Meister was... or Celestial Being. He already had some explaining to do to other people. It went against his grain so badly.

[count_to_peace]

During mid-taping of the wires, Zechs paused and looked back to the other in curiosity. "Another one, huh? There seems to be a lot of pilots here."

Zechs didn't think the other was a gundam pilot, or at least did not jump to conclusions. Although there was a significant amount aboard the ship.

"What kind of vessel did you pilot, if you don't mind me asking?" He returned to his taping, finishing off the last wire after cutting the end.

[by_my_will]

A lot... yes. A lot of a certain kind, too, Tieria mentally noted.

"A space vessel," he said. The Ptolemaios counted. He had done some piloting on that during the rebuild. It had been hard to find someone to handle the piloting, unfortunately, after their initial operations had failed. And, the Gundams flew in space, so it counted as well.

[count_to_peace]

"Ah, a profession I can envy," he replied, replacing the panel screw by screw. He had the training to fly almost anything, but was mostly adept at flying mobile suits. He rarely got an opportunity to fly vessels outside of that.

[by_my_will]

"Really?" Tieria glanced over. He did seem a little well versed in wire maintenance for an Ambassador...

[count_to_peace]

Hey, an ambassador needed extra skills just in case.

"Yes. Ambassadors rarely pilot their own vessels," he replied with a wry smile. The last screw was finished being put in and Zechs stood, stretching out his back. There was a wince, obviously from not being more active.

He then walked back over and handed the tape Tieria. "Thank you."

[by_my_will]

No, they generally didn't.

Tieria took the tape back and nodded. There hadn't been any reason to keep it to himself. They were doing the same job, after all.

"I would imagine that's a difficult enough job without worrying about piloting your own vessel." He'd seen enough on history to figure that Ambassadors probably had a lot of stress.

[count_to_peace]

He was always an eccentric ambassador.

"Everyone has dreams," Zechs replied with a shrug. "They won't be realized anytime soon, though."

[by_my_will]

"I've heard that piloting jobs are offered on occasion here," Tieria said. "If you have any experience at all, I'm sure you could try." He planned on it himself, after all.

[count_to_peace]

This was certainly news to him. Zechs rose an eyebrow, curious.

"I was under the impression that most jobs were based on the wage you qualified for, not experience."

[by_my_will]

"They are," Tieria said. "But it doesn't seem too hard to work up to a certain level." This coming from a workaholic, of course.