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RP: Bahram Wing [Bahram Wing Side Story] What Is It, Frame Runner?

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Firebrand

Inactive Member
ON, Fort Jarizas, Mazerin
Yetsava 16, 935
3:00, Commonwealth Standard Time


Jlu ung up her apron for the day, hands wrinkled yet soft from time washing and loading dishes in the giant automated cleaners. Her eyes and limbs were getting heavy, ready for bed. She exited the kitchen and started down the hallway toward her room. Tomorrow was a big day after all.

Almost on cue came Malik, walking by the hallway. He didnt look too happy though, for some apparent reason. He didn't seem to be stoic either, he actually seemed to be truly depressed for once, the first time he's been like this ever since getting assigned to for Jarizas.

As she got closer to him Jlu contemplated just walking by, painfully aware of her need to sleep yet wondering why he was acting like he was. "Hello Mal. How are you? You look like you've just eaten a bad runyaen," she said jokingly.

Shokhi had just finished his first ever bottle of alcohol! At first he hadn't felt like it was affecting him at all, but then he realized something rather telling. He hadn't recalled the floors being so shifty and unstable, after all. Yes, that was definitely new. Must have been freshly installed. And Shokhi found himself taking on a rather Herculean task: he had to make it from the lounge to his room, and he couldn't for the life of him remember how to get there. Well, he would figure it out, surely. He was, after all, a creature of unparalleled genius. He took his first step... and the floor shifted below him, and he found himself introduced to it face-to-face. "...nnf..."

Mal looked up, noticing Jlu. "Oh? It's nothing Jlu, I'm fine." Mal smiled at Jlu, weak as it was, to reassure her that he was perfectly fine.

"You don't look fine, honestly. Come on, let's take a walk," she said, putting her hand on his shoudler. She started walking her original direction and then noticed Shokhi, "Now he doesn't look so good either," She walked over to his body, crouching down to get a better look. "Help me get him up Mal," she told him. The caregiver put one of his arms around her neck, waiting for Mal to take the other one.

Mal sighed, and crouched, putting Shokhi's other arm around his neck, and helping her pick him up. "This is why I don't drink."

Shokhi started to push himself up. "D'ah." And then, much to his embarrassment, he was noticed by passersby before he had managed to find his feet again. He stuttered a couple incomprehensible words, then managed a coherent sentence after a moment. "D'ah! I am fine... just seem to have... forgotten which way is up." Most of him didn't want to accept their help, but they gave him little choice, and he found the floor beneath his feet again. And then he bristled darkly at Malik's comment. "Only the first time!"

Malik smiles a bit, wishing he were a bit lighter. "We Iroma are naturally light drinkers. I say avoid the stuff at all costs."

"Aww, so you were a virgin?" she said playfully, "Naturally eh? If that's the case you can call me a freak,"

"If anyone's a freak, it's me. I don't even look like a Cohronl OR a Mazerinii." Malik chuckled to himself as he stated a failing

Shokhi flushed painfully. Oh he was not happy with this interrogation. But he had no way to escape. "V-virgin. Ah... yes. Brother, he... always interfered when I tried to..." He had also completely missed the meaning of the word 'virgin' as Jlu had meant it.

Malik grinned, patting Shokhi on his back. "You should be glad women arent interested in you. So far, the girl who I thought was interested in me seems to hate me."

Alia_Jyotsna a young woman with brown skin, grey hair and a set of mirrored goggles over her eyes peers around a corner a little ways down the hall.

Just as quickly as she leaned over, she was gone.


"And for good reason. She's way too good for you," Jlu said smugly. Then smiled a bit, not entirely serious, "Don't worry honey, there's plenty of women in the Bahram Wing," she said to Shoki.

"Of course she's too good for me, I'm an idiot." Malik let go of Shokhi, smiling.

Alia_Jyotsna was before Malik within the blink of an eye. "NOONE'S USELESS!" She cried with as much gusto as her lungs allowed.

Malik jumped back, reaching for his waistscarf. "I never said I was useless! I just said I was an idiot!"

"They were, the Ivuori were interested but... more in Lasif..." Shokhi took immediate advantage of Malik letting him go and proceeded to stumble sidelong into the wall, which he used for support. Oh yes, support. He just needed to balance himself. He then pursed his lips. "Err... sorry. Can you direct me to... quar-" His attempt to ask directions was interfered with by Alia. He yelped loudly and stumbled back, and found himself reintroduced to the floor. Uncomfortably. "N'da!"

Jlu smile faded at his downtrodden dimeanor, but before she could respond Alia surprised them all wither her yell, "Hey, that hurt!" she said, referring to her ears.

Alia_Jyotsna points right at Malik's nose. "They're the same thing!" She said, far too much energy was being excluded by this person. "You need to believe in yourself!"

Malik pointed back at Alia. "I do believe in myself! I believe that i'm a bad pilot, and I believe that i'm an idiot for totalling my VANDR!"

"You're mired in doubt! It's as plain as the horns on your head!" Alia exclaimed as she continued to point at Malik.

Malik stepped back, slightly in shock. "Okay, before this can continue."
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"
"AND WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!"

Shokhi stared up at the shouting match, looking quite dismayed. Was this an attack? A drill? Why had he been drinking so much with a drill planned? Why hadn't he been told about a drill? "CAN WE STOP SHOUTING PLEASE?" His shouting voice was rather high pitched. Almost like a little girl screaming. It was very odd, to be sure.

"YOU ARE THE ONE WITH DOUBT IN YOUR HEART! THE VANDR CAN SENSE IT AND AS THE SAINTS AS MY WITNESS, I SHALL PURGE IT FROM YOU!"

"Yeah, it's not exactly polite to be accusing strangers of being weak," Jlu calmly told her.

"And, who are yo- Shit, You're Alia, aren't you?" Malik sighed, trying to think of a way out of this.

"EXCATLY!" She shouted, one arm pointed right up, index finger extended.

"Who the hell is Alia?" she looked at either of them for an answer.

Shokhi, in the grip of a growing nervousness, and still entirely too drunk to figure out just what was happening (the noise was making his head hurt rather than making sense), began scrabbling backwards quickly, not even trying to take his feet again. These people were crazy and someone was going to die and he couldn't remember which direction was up...

Malik sighs in exasperation, turning away. "Maybe yelling and screaming like a child will help you as a Mechanic, but it won't help me as a pilot.Especially if i'm caught up thinking about how stupid I am."

Alia_Jyotsna pointed right in Malik's face with enough force to poke his nose and tilt his head. "WRONG!!!"

Malik shook his head, taking hold of Alia's finger, and getting it out of his face. "No, It's Right! Sankhur Frazig didnt become an ace pilot by running around, yelling like an idiot."

Alia_Jyotsna stops her antics suddenly and scratches her head. "What?"

"Oh please don't mention him again..." Jlu pleaded.

MalikIputs his finger in Alia's face. "Being hotblooded and determined is good and all, but that's not a suitable replacement for skill and luck! A good pilot, A True Ace, He balances them out! A true ace is hotblooded, but is completely logical in combat. That's why the Ice Wyrm has his limitations, he lacked passion! Passion and skill, those are the dual keys to victory!"

"..."
Alia_Jyotsna bites Malik's finger.

Shokhi backed himself into a wall, quite accidentally, and pressed back into it. At least he had enough distance between him and the attacker that he would be the last to die. Yes, that would suffice... for now... until he could figure out how to stand, at least.

"The Ice Wyrm was a monster that existed to counter the courage and guile of the pirate VANDR aces, an ace in name only." Serhan interjected, his ominous orange glasses burning holes into Malik's back with the 'degree of stare' they seemed to project. His voice was unemotional, almost more deliberately detached than usual. "If a man is the only thing that can slay a monster, the Ice Wyrm was a monster made to slay men."

Jlu finally looked back to see Shokhi, scared and backing away. She was tired of listening to them go on. She walked over to him and crouched down once again, "Don't be scared," she consoled him, "I'm sure they'll be done with their pointing contest soon."

Malik turned, starting straight back at Serhan, his face unflinching. "If the Ice Wyrm be a demon, then I shall slay it. If people wish to bury a memory, to try and forget, I'll dig it up with my bare hands. The Ice Wyrm is a monster, and I'll be the man to surpass him." The orange haired runner saluted to the Marranr. "Sir."

Shokhi took several long deep breaths, trying to still the world around him. Alcohol was really... really... not for him. Not ever again. "Why are they screaming? And why is the Marranr there? I missed a drill didn't I? I'm going to be discharged... I'm going to be discharged..."

"That's the kind of thinking that can get a decent VANDR injured." Alia muttered as she glared at Malik's head.

"I don't know why they're screaming, but it has nothing to do with you. Poor thing...I oughta remind myself to watch your drinking..."
"Was. A monster." Serhan corrected the recruit frame runner. "A monster that was effective because men who are brave and crafty are foolish and arrogant. If you wish to surpass that monster by the means of those he slaughtered mercilessly, it will cost you much more than your life."

"I do not drink..." Shokhi protested. "I just... Marranr gave us wine... as a reward because I tried to have his daughter shot...? I think..."

"The future isn't set in stone, Sir." Malik trembled, partly with anger, but partly with Joy. "I'll defy that destiny. There are people I, no, people that we, as members of the AV, must protect, and I don't intend to let them down. I'm going to stand up for those who have been wronged, the only way I know how, with my VANDR."

"... Don't expect me to treat your VANDR any more special then the others, even if you do and a crazy dream that will get you killed."

Jlu turned her head toward Mal, "Would you calm down? You're one person, and this just so happens to be a team. And if you can't handle that then you might as well join the enemy."


"... I see. That you believe in a destiny to be defied is a sign of your foolishness or a mark of your stubbornness, I'll wait to see." The Marranr replied, unimpressed.

Malik smiled, in response to Serhan. "Would you rather I be foolish, or just stubborn? I can play the fool quite well, sir."

"Either will get you killed." Alia muttered.
"Ive seen VANDR with more then enough injuries to tell when an idiot with a bravado complex pilots them."

Malik shifts his eyes towards Alia, voice filled with venom. "Werent you just ranting on about courage and bravery and all that stuff just a minute ago?"

"Can't we all just calm down? It's too late to be doing this," Jlu pleaded with them. Her brain was starting to pound on her skull.

"Courage, Bravery and Intellegence. And No I wasn't I was talking about confidance you whipling."

Serhan asked, clearly uninterested in the current squabble. "Fool around on your own time, Vayshirin Rashidan. Even if it is an act, I expect you to act like a frame runner while on duty."

Shokhi, conversely, had managed to fall fast asleep, right there pressed against the wall. Definitely had too much to drink.


Malik saluted. "Understood sir." His face softened about, visibly calming down. "Um, Sir, can I talk to you about Vayshirin Sahrzad?"


"I don't see how it's my business. She's the Master Mechanist's charge, not mine." Serhan shrugged, adjusting his glasses. The officer almost had the feeling the recruit was going to ask for something pointless and personal, and wanted him to do use his authority as leeway. Oh well, he could always say no.

Malik saluted again. "Sir, do you know where I could get some flowers, for her?" Mal smiled, the deadly serious frame runner replaced with this goofy... idiot.
"..." Alia_Jyotsna flicks a coin past Malik and at Serhan. "You win."

"..." Serhan perked an eyebrow. That might have been the first genuinely intelligent question Malik had asked him since they had met. "There are numerous flower shops in the upper tiers of the neighboring arcology. The shops near the airport are, however, unfortunately overpriced."


"Thank you Sir!" Mal saluted, then turned to Alia. "Alia, is it? Can you tell Khiyai that i'm sorry for being an idiot around her?"

"... I'll rely it." Alia muttered.

Malik thinks. "in fact, I'll just run by and see her right now! Thanks Alia!" Malik smiles and hugs the mechanic, the heads off to say hi to Anik and Khiyai.

Alia freezes in place when Malik hugged her... Then shivered uncontrollably for a few moments after he left. Turning to Serhan, she looked over her shoulder. "Sir, I have an objection to that one being a pilot of my precious VANDRs."

Jlu picked up the aforementioned pilot, struggling at his weight but managing to heft him up, "I dunno, he doesn't seem that bad. By the way, do either of you know where his room is?"

Alia was about to say something more, but her stomach grumbled quite loudly. "Ah!"

ON, Fort Jarizas, Mazerin
Yetsava 16, 935
Female Enlisted Dorms
3:16, Commonwealth Standard Time




Malik, while walking to Anik and Khiyai's room, stops, thinking about them. "I wonder what's up with Khi. Ever since she hit her head, she's been acting weird." Shrugging it off as something he'll find out when he gets there, he walked on, and within a few minutes, he arrived outisde the two girl's room. Smiling, he put an ear to the door, to see if they were awake or not.

There appeared to be a heavy rustling and the sound of springs compressing and decompression, followed by aggressive groans by a female voice, but the sound was too muffled for him to know who. Suddenly, a dull series of pulses resounded through the door, almost as if a very loud vibrating device was being used. This time however, there were no groans, just slow, ragged breathing.

Malik's mind stopped, then started again. What the hell is going on in there!? He thought, just before he quickly opened the door, and reached for his faelraig. "Hey, Are you o-" Mal stood there, wide-eyed, staring into the room.

"Aaah? What are you doing in here, Malik?" Khiyai asked sat down at the edge of her bed, her feet contained in two large egg-shaped objects which seemed to be emitting a vibrating noise. The Mechanist was gently blushing, stripped down to her panties and a sleeveless exercise undershirt, and her expression immediately went sour. "Haven't you heard of knocking!?!"

"Relax, Khiyai. I told him he could drop by any time." Anik said, suddenly turning around, her assets seemingly well contained inside of her visible sports bra. Stripped down to just that and her uniform exercise shorts, and covered in a fine mist of sweat, she appeared to have been punching a small dummy on a spring. She grinned, almost waiting for him to embarrassed. "The Faelraig's kinda much though, dontcha think? Unless you came to spank Khiyai for making such a suspicious foot massager with base resources... but that might be something to do while I'm not around... or not! I'll just watch."

"Aaah! How could you say something like that when we have a guest, Anik?" Khiyai said, her face momentarily darkening.

Malik blushed, his cheeks turning a subdued red as he started to chuckle. "Oh. I just thought, that, you know, I heard noises, and I was worried about Khiyai!" Mal coughed, shutting off his faelraig and standing up.

"You weren't thinking of something perverted, were you? I mean, I'd totally try out those kinds of things..." Anik said, half laughing at Malik's expense, as she put a towel around her shoulders. The infantrywoman walked over to Khiyai's side and wrapped an arm around her neck, pulling her in. "...but this girl is pretty boring. Just my luck... getting a roommate that doesn't like chasing boredom with a friend and some intimacy."

"..." Khiyai smacked Anik on the head with a rolled magazine, and sighed. "Her frustration makes her a better soldier, so I consider this doing my civic duty."

Malik mumbled something about making hapless guys think dirty thoughts. "Uh, Khi, I wanted to come by to talk to you, actually, before, you know, that happened." Malik smiled nervously, trying to play off his embarresment.

"Aaah? What is it, Malik?" Khiyai asked, fidgeting under Anik's grasp. For all her flaws, the other woman was strong and getting out was like trying to dislodge a Mazerin Gualmyan's jaws from a Herdtitan bone. "You aren't actually taking this monster's words seriously, are you?"


"Jeez... and here I was hoping for angry makeup sex." Anik chuckled wholeheartedly, pulling Khiyai close enough that the Mechanist was almost being pressed to her bosom. "I kinda got a whiff of what happened from a friend who works late security in the hangars, and I damn expect some kinda reconciliation, y'hear! A student of Ghen can't focus on impressing a fine man of the Vigil with her mental discipline while there's bad romantic mojo in the air."

"Aaah, Anik! Let... GO!" Khiyai barked angrily, her cheeks quite red. Finally, after plenty of thrashing and the accompanying jiggling, she'd finally broken free. There was something genuine in her eyes for a few moments, but she quickly reverted to her angry self and hit her bunkmate across the forehead with the rolled up magazine again. Once again, the girl sighed. "As much as the monster likes to talk and do perverted things, she is right. It won't do either of us good to stay mad, and I'd rather that we could keep things friendly. At least... as long as I'm your mechanist."

Mal smiled, holding his hand out to Khi in a gesture of peace. "You're right. And I would'nt rather have anyone else as my mechanicst. I'm sorry for making you so angry."


"..." Khiyai seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, staring intently at the hand. "I..."

"..." Anik gaped for a moment, and pulled her bunk mate up by her shoulders quite suddenly. She wouldn't have it for another second, and figured... she might as well go one step further. The buxom infantrywoman grabbed both the hotheaded frame runner and spitfire mechanist and using her powerful upper body, brought them onto her in a rather rough group hug. She smiled. "Now then, we're hugging, were happy. Why don't you stay around for drinks, Malik?"

Malik blushes brightly, his cheeks almost as bright as Khi's eyes. Speaking of Khi's eyes, his deep violet ones briefly made contact with her red ones, causing him to look away and blush more. "Ahh, Anik. I need to talk to Khiyai. Alone."

With mixed emotions pounding in her chest, Khiyai began to blush furiously, and feel a kind of righteous fury on Anik welling up inside her. She almost felt like she could and should swear some kind of oath of vengeance, but remembering that her unabashed friend had been nothing if not considerate in all this... decided against it.

"Ah! Sure thing!" Anik replied as she left the two, slipping a sleeveless turtleneck top and a pair of workout slipper-socks on. "There's wine and brandy in the mini-fridge. Small cakes too, if you don't mind my tastes." She said with a wink, slipping out the door. "Just leave me some!"

"..." And suddenly, Khiyai was alone, with one thought on her mind. VENDETTA!

Mal blushed more, his hands shifting naturally to hold Khi close. "Ah, Khiyai. I really am sorry about being such an idiot. I didn't mean to make you so angry. I knew that you mechanists care many about the VANDRs, so I thought it would make you happy. Guess i'm an idiot for thinking like that, right?"

"I do like machines a lot..." Khiyai said, leaning into his embrace. She made a curt point to the half gear markings on her cheeks and allowed herself a thin smile. "...but what makes me really happy is knowing that my work is able to help someone else. I'd rather you came in with a crippled unit, safe, than in a pristine one, crippled. That is... uhm... you and anyone who sorties in a VANDR or VAHIN." She garbled, trying to avoid acknowledging what she had just said.

Mal's blush subsided, replaced with a warm smile. "Then I'll add something to my earlier promise. I promise that i'll come back to you alive, even if I have to walk barefoot through the Mazerinii tundra." Mal smiled wider now, "Us Cohronl's have to stick together, especially on this freezing iceball." Malik then laughed softly. "I really sound like a Cliche hero now, don't I?"

"Just come back alive." Khiyai replied, evading his question. "... So I can kill you if you do completely wreck one of the VANDR. I like having work to do, but wasting one of my charges is something unforgivable... okay?" She explained, with an almost uncharacteristically bright smile, glowing with a precise, but well masked promise to kill.

Malik smiled back at Khi, suddenly blushing. "Khi, you really look many better when you smile. I mean, not that you aren't pretty already! You've always been the best looking girl on the base. But, Ah, I don't like you just for your looks. I'll shut up now and just ask you if you want to spend some time with me at the nearest arcology the next time we both have leave." Mal's blush had grown, covering most of his face again.

"You don't have to say outrageous things to me if you really wanted a date, Malik." Khiyai said with a frown, reaching up gently to tap his forehead. "Just clear your gameplan with someone like Mu'Tasim, or Anik beforehand... just in case." She said, offering him a slightly more uneasy smile.

Malik sticks his tounge out at Khi, then laughs. "Most of what I said wasnt outrageous. I meant every word of it, though I could probaly have phrased it better. Mind if I ask what your favorite kind of flower is?"

My subconscious really does want me to fall in love with an idiot, doesn't it? Even if I told this man the earnest truth. That I was only half as beautiful as he made me out to be, that he's still very much a mouthy child... it wouldn't matter. He'd probably get mad at himself and try even harder. Khiyai thought to herself, sighing softly. She glanced up at him again and stuck her tongue out in reply. "Not telling. I won't be too mad if you get it wrong, so you'll just have to try."

"Then I'll just have to go for potluck, and buy every flower in the shop then." Malik smiles and looks down, realising a very important fact: Khiyai was still in her panties and a sleeveless exercise shirt. His face turned a bright shade of red, trying his damndest NOT to be a pervert. "That's not fair! How am I supposed to not look and gaze in awe!"

Moving away from Malik, Khiyai let out a small fake cough into the top of her fist and took a look at the time. "I'm sorry... but it's getting a bit late, and I pull one of the first shifts at daybreak. I'll need to get some sleep."

<MalikibnRashidan> Malik quickly got the hint, and remembered himself that he also had to be up in the morning. "I've been ordered to participate in Simulation training tomorrow morning. Marranr Nejem will kill me if i'm late." Malik lightly hugs Khi, then turns, opening the door out and leaving.



ON, Fort Jarizas, Mazerin
Yetsava 16, 935
Female Enlisted Dorms
3:30, Commonwealth Standard Time
 
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