(no subject)

[themomentoftherose]

[1//Network]

I've found an unused storage room and fixed it up to be...I suppose you'd call it a place of reflection. I installed sound insulation on the walls and soft carpeting [Though the Stalkers carried it there, but not actually into the room.] There's a small window that can be opened or shut, with heavy curtains. The overall atmosphere is quite peaceful, I think.

I suppose you could call it a place for reflection, or meditation, or praying. Use it as you like.

[2]

Later, Oenone can be found exactly there, with the curtains open to the midday sun. The light through the glass doors gives it a church-like atmosphere.

She prays there, not for forgiveness (it's either infinite and thus asking is unneccesary, or finite and thus impossible for her) but perhaps for two things: one that the consequences of the action she's taken don't hurt Kensuke, two for the peace of the dead man's soul, and three for guidance on what is right to do next.

Answers don't seem to come though. Perhaps the voice of God has been silenced by the wicked works of man again. Perhaps she contributed a bit to that herself in the past week.

[3/Private to Kamille]

After asking him up to Shortening Of The Way, she rounds on him with an expression of exasperation the gentle doctor rarely shows.

"Kamille...I can't believe someone who grew up under the Titans would show that level of...of stupid machismo!"

Meaning: he should have learned the lessons of how to be discreet, as it seems everyone who grew up under a dictatorship but him has.

[4/Private to Raynor]

Hello Mister Joz. I'm Surgeon-Mechanic Oenone Zero, of the Green Storm's Ressurection Corps. I have something for you, when you have some time.

[5/Private to Richard]

I'm almost finished. I'll be inviting him up to fit it today.

Comments

5

[paladin_robot]

Good. I imagine it'd be harder to pull off the longer the wound had a chance to heal... It might hurt him, but hopefully we'll make good on our promises.

[themomentoftherose]

I'm afraid that it will have to hurt, as anaesthetic would defeat the purpose. However that only needs to happen during the attaching process.

[paladin_robot]

...Oh, right, nerves and all. Wouldn't know if they're working properly if he couldn't properly feel anything...

[Richard's gotten a good enough grasp of biology now thanks to the Doc, though he does still scratch his head at some things.]

Thanks again for the help. Owe you one myself.

[themomentoftherose]

Exactly. You're getting this all remarkably fast. And please, it was my pleasure. Call it a bit of public relations work for the Storm.

[paladin_robot]

Still, if you ever need anything, just ask. I'll do some final checks on the arm... I can't have the balance be off when we're this close!

4

[whats_a_paladin]

Doctor... Should I assume it is ready?

[themomentoftherose]

You're correct. Come to my airship at your convienence and i'll the the final fitting.

[whats_a_paladin]

I'll be there as soon as I can! Thank you.

When you offered me your services, I never imagined they will take such a form...

action

[themomentoftherose]

When he comes up, she has the arm laid out on the airship's exam table/workbench. It's not exactly the prettiest of limbs, being skinny and almost Gigerian. But it's very functional. Her remaining two Stalkers are laid up against the wall, placid with their power off and a Stalker raven may demand snacksies.

[whats_a_paladin]

That arm looks kind of... Do you guarantee it will work, doctor?

And I think that bird is hungry.

[themomentoftherose]

"He doesn't have a digestive system. He's just a gourmand and a little spoiled." By her, really. She holds the arm up. "General Naga has legs that are virtually identical. If I lost a limb I would use one myself."

[whats_a_paladin]

[Raynor takes a closer look at the limb.]

Alright. I trust your judgement. I don't care how it looks like, as long as it works well.

What am I supposed to do now?

[themomentoftherose]

"Well i'm going to have to take a nerve map first. Then i'll attach the hookups to the nerves of your arm." She removes a tub of some kind of gel from a shelf and spreads it on the stump of his arm with a q-tip. She then retrieves a strange, blocky and primitive looking sensor from another shelf and runs it over it. Nerves appear like constellated stars on an ancient cathode ray monitor nearby.

3

[zetahatsudo]

Kamille seemed exhausted by this line of dialogue, and didn't need to be a newtype to predict just where this would go.

"...?" He raises an eyebrow as he takes a seat. Would she be proving him wrong, or will she just put to words the exact same thing he'd been thinking about himself?

[themomentoftherose]

He seems genuinely confused. She sighs and thinks she's going to have to explain it to him. Her dealings with him so far have given her the erroneous impression that he's a boy with an average amount of common sense.

"When you're fighting an organization as big and powerful as NERV, you can't just kill their members in public. You have to be discreet and...deceptive. You're weak and they're strong." She thinks this is probably a condition most men have been taught not to accept. "By killing that tech, you put us all in danger. Not to mention you strained relations between them, Zeon and the Storm." She'd had to make so many promises she wouldn't stalkerize the corpse.

[zetahatsudo]

Kamille sighed. So this was how this was going to play out after all.

"I never should have killed him." It might have seemed like a token response due to the lack of emotion behind it, it wasn't because he didn't bother to put any into it. It was because he COULDN'T. "The man grabbed Kensuke to restrain him, I acted instinctively to Ken's panic." He couldn't give out an emotional response because he was drained completely by the events within the EVA cage and the fight against the inspector.

He wouldn't say more. Not yet. He had to hear what Oenone had to contribute before he could state his piece.

[themomentoftherose]

"Well, i'm glad you understand what went wrong." She'd expected him to snap back at her, to fight her on this. His defeated look took the wind out of her sails. "Just please promise me you won't act so rashly in the future? All our safety depends on acting very carefully." She shuddered to think what might have happened if this hadn't occurred after Stalker Fang died. The loyalists would have made common cause with NERV and from there, nothing good could happen.

[zetahatsudo]

If anything Kamille just sunk that much lower upon hearing her words, as if disappointed somehow. "If that's all you have to say," Kamille let out, "then I'll head back to my room, Dr. Zero." That... was a first. Kamille never really used her last name when speaking with Oenone. He got out of his seat and turned to move.

[themomentoftherose]

Don't think she didn't notice. Kamille Bidan, master of emotional Aikido had unbalanced her with her own momentum.

"Wait." She got up and tugged on his arm. "You seem like you've got something weighing on you. Is it something you want to talk about? No more admonishments, I promise."

[zetahatsudo]

Wrong move, Oenone. "You seemed to hit the nail on the when you talked to me, we both know what went wrong." Have you ever had Kamille angry at you, Doctor? It's not fun. "I really see no point in being here if all you wanted to do was rehash the same thing I've been thinking about since the moment everything went to shit in the EVA Cage." He yanks his arm away. "Zeon's gone to shit anyway, there's no point saving it, so let Nerv and Axis point their god-damn guns at each other for all I care." And this is likely more news for Oenone, as Kamille always seemed to be supportive of his Axis compatriots. Something had changed about this, obviously.

[themomentoftherose]

That cut her to the quick. But it seemed illogical with his previous actions. He was so hyped up about being part of Axis Zeon until recently. What had changed him?

"I don't believe you mean that. You may not approve of everything the Regent does, but you're passionate about the welfare of your people and proud to wear that uniform."

She knew treason. She'd killed Revered Leader The Stalker Fang twice now. Kamille hadn't reached anything like that point yet.

2

[bluehippopotamus]

*Rock is closing to Oenone, when he notices that she's deep in prayer."

"Um... I'm sorry. Is this a bad time?"

[themomentoftherose]

She finishes up: "In nomine patris, et fili, et spiritus sancti." And crosses herself. She then turns towards the voice. "It's alright, i'm done here. Rock Volnutt, I presume?"

[bluehippopotamus]

(Dangit, can't introduce self as Mr. Metal Giraffe or something).

Yes, I just want to thank you for saving me when we got stranded back then, Ma'am...

[themomentoftherose]

"Not a problem. You were a great help yourself. Those Townies and Pirates were pretty vicious." She regards him with a practiced, professional eye. Looks like those parts are armor, not implants then. "You don't have to call me that, by the way. Doctor Zero, or just Oenone is fine."