< @WanderingJester > A message from Bannoi stated that all his requested parts were in the hangar, and although he had misgivings, it was not his place to question the Riders. It seems the relief fleet had brought most of the parts they did not have. "I... would you like to talk about what happened on the planet? I heard things went south..." Morain replied to Kelley's question.
Seeing the message, Kelley nodded and deleted it. There were a few special shipments he will need to stay off official channels, but Chief Mechanic Bannoi Hushion had saved him a lot of potential headaches. The rider reminded himself to thank the man later. He looked back to Morain at her question. "I... would you like to talk about what happened on the planet? I heard things went south..." He took a deep breath and answered. "The short version is this: Void Riptide failed me and Veronica, and in turn I failed my team and the team failed the taskforce, which led to the taskforce failing the UTC military and the military failing UTC as a whole. Are there any specific details you would like to know?"
< @WanderingJester > "NO!" Yelled Morain. "No. You didn't fail. We beat the Splinter back! They can rebuild." Tears were unknowingly in the corners of her eye. To hear Loran be such a defeatist... It hurt. "Everyone did their best, and though we didn't come out unscathed...the Splinter came out worse."
"NO! No. You didn't fail. We beat the Splinter back! They can rebuild. Everyone did their best, and though we didn't come out unscathed...the Splinter came out worse." Veronica was shocked to hear her sister be so expressive and forward with Mr. Kelley, but Kelley himself seemed to considered Morain's words. He looked back at her. "I will have to disagree with you there Miss Dereso. I know for a fact I was not at my personal best, and I believe that other riders may feel the same way as well. However, I am and will be taking steps to make up for my shortcomings this mission in regards to the future." He noticed that Morain had tears in her eyes, and his thoughtful expression soften to one of a mix of caring and uncomfort, he had not forgotten the episode in the elevator. "Is there something wrong Miss Dereso?"
< @WanderingJester > Morain couldn't hear anymore today. "No... no, I'm just tired. I need to go get some rest. Goodnight Loran, Veronica." ...Is what Morain said, but Veronica could not help but feel something more was on her mind, something she didn't say as she walked out the door.
OOC: Time skipping and taking some liberties to give Morain and Veronica a present. Let me know if you want me to change anything @BadDo9 "No... no, I'm just tired. I need to go get some rest. Goodnight Loran, Veronica." Kelley nodded, then replied, "Good night Miss Dereso." He then turned to Veronica, and added. "Veronica you have had a long day like the rest of us, why don't you shut down and rest your processors a bit as well." Veronica was startled, Mr. Kelley had not once in their years together asked her to shut down before. She began to protest. "But Mr. Kelley, what if you need me tonight? Not to mention if you want to do anything with Void-" She cut herself off with two hands over her mouth. The SOUL's eyes widened, as a child would when caught with her hands in a cookie jar. Kelley smiled at her sadly. "What happened with the Riptide is not your fault Veronica. It was on the decline and after the last mission, I've decided to replace it. Do not worry yourself about it, I will take care of the construction of a new FRAME myself. All I ask is that you attend to Miss Dereso's needs as you did with my needs. But right now, be a good girl and take a good rest. I have a feeling tomorrow will bring better tidings than today." Veronica, experiencing so many shocks in one day, was simply dumbfounded. She nodded and disappeared. When this happened, Kelley turned back to the computer, typed up another request, when a transmission came in. A middle aged man appeared on screen, he seemed to be in some sort of office. Behind him were certificates and awards to his work, though he was still relatively young some of the hair on his beard have started to turn grey. He smiled when he saw Kelley on his screen. "Loren! Didn't think you'll be awake at this hour, I've heard that a massive battle took place involving the Starrunner at Y'Coren." He eyed the bandages on Kelley, "Seems that the rumors were true. You alright son?" Kelley shrugged. "I am fine, thank you for your concern Mister Wellscraft. Have you received my message?" Wellscraft nodded. "Yes and that is why I'm calling my boy. That's a lot of Virmentium you want, the stuff doesn't exactly grow on trees, you know." Kelley agreed. "I understand Mister Wellscraft. I have saved up a bit during my time with the UTC military so I can pay for those myself, money won't be a problem, how long will it take for the shipment to arrive." Wellscraft waved off the rider. "Bah, I've said it before and I'll say it again now: Neither I nor anyone under me will not take any money from you. You've done more than anyone could ask of you for both me, my family and Wellscraft Industries last time you were in my sector of space. Hell kid, you're practically another son of mine! The stuff is rare, but you're in luck. I have a private stash for high class clients, you can have that. It will arrive in a day or so. And don't start refusing my gift, I won't take no for an answer." Kelley bowed his head in thanks and respect. "Well in that case you have my eternal gratitude Mister Wellscraft." "There is one thing I will ask of you though Loren." Kelley looked back up at Wellscraft. "Stop calling me 'Mister Wellscraft' I've told you time and time again, call me Kevin." Kelley smiled. "Very well Mist- Kevin. I hope you have a good night." Wellscraft nodded one more time. "Visit us whenever you're near by Loren." The transmission was cut, Kelley sighed, then opened a message from one of his former classmates in the academy: Dear Loren, Good to hear that you're doing well. Now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way, ARE YOU INSANE? You've read all of the stuff I sent you about that System, and what its predecessor did to people. The prototype was 30% less powerful than it and it still killed 10% of all the test subjects! Not to mention all test groups had experience with traumatic side effects. I implore you not as a leading mind in the Scientific and Engineering Research Field of the UTC but as your friend, burn and digitally shred all your blueprints of the system. A new up to date model FRAME will be just as good as what you have planned, at least exceeding the outdated designs of Void Riptide. Please Loren, no good will come from that rider system. With my best wishes, Martin. Kelley sighed, and typed out his reply. Martin's disapproval was unfortunate, but expected. He already had all the blueprints of the system's various parts, painstaking gathered by calling in nearly every favor the rider had in the research field, it was just a matter of constructing it at this point. Dear Martin, Thank you for your concern, my wounds were superficial at best. I understand your objection to the course of action I have taken with the subject at hand. Rest assure I was reduced by circumstance in that this was the only choice I had. I have tested myself with nearly every stock combat FRAME in existence, even the latest models, and they do not compared to the extent that Veronica and I have brought Void Riptide to date. She is one of the most powerful SOUL in existence and even her could not push the Riptide past a certain limit at which it matched my own abilities. Therefore a new FRAME must be built, and a new system must be utilized. I cannot ask you to change your mind, only that you will try and understand my point of view and not condemn me too much for the consequences of my actions. Hoping for the best for you, Loren Kelley. He also typed up and sent another message to Chief Mechanic Hushion and sent a copy to Captain Onyx as well. To Chief Hushion, I, Loren Kelley, am officially taking direct command of Holding Bay 03. No personnel with the exception of yourself, Captain Onyx and Lieutenant Dereso will be allowed to enter the holding bay without my expressed permission. All SOULs will also be locked out of the systems within with the exception of ORACLE and VERONICA. Please inform those that need to know of this so that there will not be any misunderstandings. Thank you. Respectfully, Loren Kelley. With that the rider shut off his computer, dressed himself and packed up his belongings into the baggage he had arrived on board the Starrunner not so long ago. He took his things out of the empty room and found himself a servant robot nearby. Sending a list of essentials he'll need, the robot and the rider both set off to holding bay 03. ____________________ Morain woke up to someone knocking repeatedly on her quarter's door. Dressed in pajamas, she opened it to see a rather energetic mechanic greeting her. "Requisition by Rider Kelley ma'am. We'll be in and out in a jiffy." Before Morain could respond in her sleepy state the mechanic as well as three other repair robots bum rushed her room and started taking things apart as well as doing something with her cloths. When her mind finally started registering and her mouth began to protest, the engineers had completed their work, saluted and left. Puzzled, Morain was even more so when a life sized Veronica appeared and physically hugged her in excitement. Veronica nearly yelled into Morain's ears. "Hardlight holographic projectors! Lined in your room and your clothes! Now I can hug you anytime!"
"Oh" said Kyras "that's what I had suspected". He blinked a couple times, before trying say something. "I'm, w-wel I guess we could, I mean if that's what you want w-we, maybe, um, I...." red faced and stammering by the end, the rider took a route neither of them were expecting. He seemingly chocked on his own words and fainted. Seryu hovered above him. Sadness clearly visable in her eyes. "Well, you've done it. You've stolen him from me. I hope you're happy." She sighed and poked his chest with a SCARAB claw "He probably reprocates, just isn't sure how to respond" She sat down, hugging her knees "perhaps this is for the best. I'm not even real. M-maybe he'll be happier with you"
< @Xanxas > Yalei, unable to move Kyras, sidled up to sit next to Seryu. "Hey... You're real. As real as I am. Just not physical. And, I need you. I won't always be there to protect him, So I need you to keep him alive for me." She smiled warmly. "Please." < @WanderingJester > "Uhhh... Veronica? What's... going on?" Morain asked, slowly returning the hug, her brain still not completely awake.
She sighed "I'm not sure how much I can do to protect him. I'm not the one who pilots the FRAME after all. But I'll try." She paused for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so mean to you. I think it's obvious by now how I feel about him, and honestly I was scared of losing him to you. Though now that it's happened it doesn't really matter anymore. I've known him for a year, and have never managed to work up the courage to do what took you a day. I'm jealous, admittedly, that you managed to say what we both say with such courage" she looked at the ground again "I'm jealous that the one confessing her love was you not me"
"Uhhh... Veronica? What's... going on?" Feeling her sister hug her back, Veronica release a bit of her tight grip and looked at Morain. "Mr. Kelley requested some hardlight projectors to be installed into your uniforms and room! Now I can physically hug you, just like real sisters!" She pulled Morain in again, obviously enjoying this new level of interactions with her close friend and psuedo-sibling. "We can have makeovers and slumber parties and pillow fights and do each other's hair..." The SOUL rambled on in excitement, not realizing that she was going off on a tangent while still holding the Lieutenant.
