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 through the confusion blessedly unscathed. There's one last finishing touch to cap off her modifications to it, and this is just the time to make it. There are some odd whistling noises, a fan whirring, and what looks like - no, it's not smoke, it's steam rising...

Laura sinks back into the pilot's seat, out of armour and so with her leg propped up in a cast, and takes a deep, satisfied drink from the mug with the 501st's insignia emblazoned on it.]

Ahhh... got the kettle working at least.


2. (the Arboretum)

[Even using the Pretender for all her activity, Laura's under doctor's orders not to push herself too hard, so she's sitting untransformed under a tree trying not to scratch at her leg in its cast. She's not exactly relaxed, though - tapping away at a tablet, it looks like whatever she's reading or writing is giving her some grief.]

They probably won't even recognize me. Maybe they'll just think it's a sick prank.

Comments

2

[sunshine_maiden]

W-What are you up to there, Laura? And what h-happened to your leg?

[Here's Sora, uninjured but with a noticeable stutter (that she frowns when she notices), and shaking somewhat.]

[emorangerpink]

I'm writing a letter. And the hit on the hangar happened. Specifically, I was suddenly between the leg of one of the Knightmare Frames, downhill, and a heavy equipment trolley, uphill.

[Laura hasn't forgotten promising Momo she'd talk to Sora... but goodness, is the other girl in any state to talk? What's eating at her?]

Are you all right, Sora?

[sunshine_maiden]

Ah. F-Fair enough... Damn this stutter... why am I... [Sora shakes her head.] I'm g-glad you weren't hurt worse, at least.

I just... I have s-some issues that need sorting out. Being on top of the Chalice and almost hit b-by the shots from that girl earlier didn't help, so I'm really o-on edge right now...

[She sure sounds like it.]

2

[minorbeat]

(Momo sees Laura's leg and worry crosses her face.)

Laura are you okay?! Is there something I can do to help?

(It is then that Momo registers Laura's words.)

Is something wrong Laura?

[emorangerpink]

I'm fine, don't worry! I broke my leg during all the confusion, but it'll be all right in a couple of days. One of the perks of being a Shifter.

[First priority is to reassure Momo, but then Laura realizes she must have been thinking out loud.]

Oh... ah.

I'm just worrying over something. I'm, er... trying to contact my parents.

[minorbeat]

(Momo lets out a small sigh of relief but still looks a little sad that Laura got hurt. Hearing Laura talk about her parents gives Momo a serious look in her eyes. She sits down but flinches a little in pain. Laura can seem some bandaging on her arms and stomach.)

You're worried about how they will react, aren't you?

1 | dual weilding threads

[an-alpha-wolf.livejournal.com]

[Unfortunately grounded, along with the rest of the Wolves when something dark and chaotic welded shut the doors of their dropship, Resnick sprints towards where he's been told she is and looks up from the base of the knightmare frame, an unusual expression of concern on his face.]

Laura Ericks! Are you alright?

[emorangerpink]

Resnick!

I'm okay. Broke my leg, is all. Are you all right? And the other Wolves?

[an-alpha-wolf.livejournal.com]

Aff. Something jammed the door of our dropship shut in the attack, but the armor held.

...I hope for their sake that it was debris that broke your leg and not someone specific. [He goes up on his tiptoes, trying to see from his perspective how bad her damage is.]

2

[gamenojikan.livejournal.com]

Ah, Laura.

[Yui seems...a bit roughed up. There's some soot here and there on her clothes, a few wayward pieces of ash.]

Writing something?

[emorangerpink]

[Laura looks up, startled. She hadn't noticed anyone was there, and she hadn't realized she's spoken aloud, so she's momentarily disoriented.]

I want to send a message home. I'm trying to work out what to say.

You weren't hurt, I hope?

1

[amber-damsel.livejournal.com]

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!

2)

[aceshighhealer.livejournal.com]

Hi, Laura~! Were you the one who helped fix up my Striker-?

(And she experiences a double-take upon seeing Laura in a cast.) Waaah! A-Are you okay? What happened? Do you need me to heal you?

[emorangerpink]

Hi, Yoshika. I'm okay, something fell on my leg in all the confusion, is all. My armour's already healed it a lot, so it's probably safer to leave it to work, but thanks.

I didn't see your Strikes, though. I was trying to clear the hangar and let people launch to help the fight and help out in the city. Were you out in the battle itself?

[space-mcgyver.livejournal.com]

Work, work, work.

[An appropriately named Works GINN is busy pushing up another mecha into standing position. Lowe appraises the damage done, and sighs mentally.]

Hello mr Overtime, we meet once again. Huh, what's this smoke?!

Laura? Is that you?

[The machine turns in the Knightpolice's direction.]

[emorangerpink]

Hi Lowe!

[Laura can't actually stand up to be visible over the cockpit block, or make the KMF wave at him without closing it up, but the radio still works.]

It's just steam, don't worry. Nothing's on fire. How's the cleanup going on your end?

2

[chozo_girl]

Who?

[Voice from nowhere - no, from upside. Looking up, Samus is there on a branch, looking down. Turns out, the tree Laura is under happened to be housing a bounty hunter in thought, so she heard Laura's mutters]

[emorangerpink]

- Oh, Samus.

[Laura leans back further, enough to meet the hunter's eyes.]

...My parents.

2

[mecha_eihwaz]

Oh no...! Laura, what happened to your leg? I'm sorry, I should've been here with you...

[emorangerpink]

Ah, Lily! Don't worry, it's nothing serious - just a broken leg, it'll heal up quickly thanks to my armour. It was so quick I don't think anyone being there would have helped, anyway...

What about you? I heard you were out in the battle? You weren't hurt, were you?

[perfect-frost.livejournal.com]

[When the hell did Ciel get there, and how long has she been peering over Laura's shoulder?]

Well now, what's gotten the young lady so very flustered? [She asks, a little pointlessly; it would seem she's already read the tablet, as she's looking down at Laura with a wan smile.] Surely your leg isn't bothering you 'that' much.

[emorangerpink]

!

Ah - Ciel. Ummm. No, the leg's just itchy. I've never broken a bone before, actually - I'm glad to know it'll heal faster than for most people, I'd hate to have to deal with the cast for too long...

[Avoiding the question? ...Well, perhaps wondering just what Ciel's read, and what she's going to say about it...

The tablet seems to contain notes for a speech or message... one Laura can't seem to decide how to word, because it jumps around between reassurances that she's alive, apologies for not having made contact sooner, angry recriminations that they haven't contacted her... Just what she's trying to say is much less clear than how difficult she's finding saying it.]

2

[gudbye_despair]

Who are you pranking, Miss Laura? You look unsure. I'm good at pranking, I might be able to help you.

[emorangerpink]

[Laura jumps slightly. Then, naturally enough, she winces rather more.]

- Oh, Elena. Ah, I'm not pranking anyone. I want to contact someone, but I'm not sure they'll believe it's me.