[JetZero]

Once an agreement was reached between the Maverick Hunters and the Aquilo Project, it was decided that a launch and storage area for an Jettegra series unit was needed in the Maverick Hunter HQ to properly make use of the armor's abilities. Since the Jettegra 06 is a relatively small aerial machine, the Docking Bay seemed like a logical choice for a quick, effective installation. Here, a Air Frame could be launched hastily with the proper set up, and simultaneously with other Maverick Hunter units for support.

Thus, an open alcove was built. Along one of the interior walls of the Ride Chaser garage lies a 8'x8' recess, within it a recently re-vamped and heavily modified Ride Chaser service station. Dimly lit to reserve power, the station is occupied only by two notable features; one is a small 5x5 inch monitor planted directly into the left wall, and the other being the star attraction: a recharge pod made to accommodate the 7'5'', 800 pound Jettegra 06 Air Frame flight armor assigned specifically to this location. The pod is capable of disconnect and dispatch of the armor on mental command of the user (as long as the user is interfaced with the pod). The whole station is compact and it's accommodations kept on constant stand-by status in case of sudden need.

**********

The dark space of the Ride Chaser garage alcove hums with the low throbbing lull of a charge pod. Deathly silent otherwise, the only sign of life at all is a small lit monitor displaying a status message in a crude LCD font:

CHARGE IN PROGRESS....

Adjacent to the monitor is a tall shapely form, it's sleek features barely visible in the dim emerald glow of the overhead stream lights that streak across the top edges of the alcove. Even in the gloom, one can see the form is primed for combat; the sharp contours giving hints to weapons on both arms. Large propulsion outlets jet out from the back, and rudder-like protrusions on the massive boots suggest a body born for the skies. The head - or what can be assumed as the head, it's hard to tell in the lighting - seems to sport fins in the place of ears, and a dark sweeping visor in place of eyes, that tells nothing of any emotion this creature may carry.

Silent and still as a breeze-less night, the sentry stands, posed ready. The quiet could be cut with a knife. That is, until...

The monitor speakers suddenly beeps thrice, signaling an accomplishment of some sort. The message it had changes to something more progressive:

CHARGE COMPLETE. DISPATCH JETTEGRA 06 SERIAL ID AV-ASFU33? Y/N

Mysteriously, without any physical contact to the monitor or without any word spoken, the question was answered.

/N

Another question:

DISPATCH JETTEGRA 06 SERIAL ID AV-ASFU33 OPERATOR AVIAN? Y/N

Again, came an unspoken answer.

/Y

The monitor seemed to like this answer. With a long beep, the silence in the alcove was shattered. The tall form across from the screen responded with a loud whirring noise.

Suddenly, the form hissed hydraulically, as decompressed air vapor spewed in jets from joints and creases. The form then began to split in various places. The arms and legs opened wide at the seams, as the entire chest and head area lifted up and back to obscure the propulsion outlets. The internal workings of the metallic beast could be seen as clasps released and mechanical devices moved into their storage spaces. What was a gallant soldier of the skies a moment before was splayed open in almost ungainly configuration looking fit to swallow a being whole.

But instead, someone stepped out of the gaping black maw. A small figure only 5'2'', obviously feminine, with a sleek build but slightly masculine facial features. She emerged from her metal shell and stretched, which is an odd gesture really, seeing as she herself is a mechanical being and has no such need to so so. Nonetheless, she stretched her arms over her head, brought them back down and swung them side to side, as if to loosen herself up. After that, she tilted her head from side to side, getting a resounding 'crack' from her heck. It was apparent this "operator", as the monitor stated her to be, was locked inside her armor for quite a while.

She felt a little better after that, and started to get more relaxed. She looked behind her, back at the armor. She reached inside the open cockpit, pressed some button hidden from view in the upper panel of the chest plate, then drew her arm back quickly. The whole armored contraption started shifting again, this time in reverse. The open compartments closed, and in a moments' time the armor was in it's previous state; a sill, silent human-shaped statue, ready to act on command. Just the way the young aviator liked it.

Before leaving the alcove, she decided to give the armor one quick look-over. It's standard procedure, really; she needs to be sure no-one tampered with the thing while she was inoperative. She studied the exterior and found a little bit of chipped paint here and there, some slightly faded areas where the wind resistance met the leading edges of the armor. All normal for a flying machine. Satisfied with her inspection, she turned her attention to the monitor.

Walking over the short distance to the screen, she opened up a small compartment on her lower right arm gauntlet. A tiny, thread-thin wire ending in a small jack was uncoiled from the compartment, then the jack end was plugged into a small receptacle just below the monitor. With the wire connecting the operator and the monitor, the interface was established, and data began to be transmitted.

The monitor lit up with an Aquilo Project logo backdrop, and asked for a password. Mentally imputing the key, the operator gained access and checked for any software security patches, as she always does every time she activates. Finding a minor patch for her specific systems, she downloads it almost instantly and transfers the data to the still stored Air Frame (that should be noted is also connected to this interface), where it will be installed. With the download complete, she files her activation date, changes her password (another daily task for security reasons), and logs off the server. With that, she takes the jack out of the wall receptacle, coils up the wire back into her arm, and closes the compartment.

The monitor then goes back to its boring 'CHARGE IN PROGRESS...' loop. Nothing else to do here now.

Turning to leave, the Jettegra 06 pilot Avian gets ready to step into a brand new day. She's anxious to start her new career as a Maverick Hunter air support unit. She has no idea what lays in wait beyond her alcove, no idea who, or what, she may meet. All she knows is that she's going to do her best to be the best she can be to make her fellow Hunters, hell, her whole country proud.

Putting a smile on her face and holding her head up as high as a 5'2'' Reploid can, she steps out into the Ride Chaser garage, her arms metaphorically wide open to accept the challenges that await her.

[To Ride Chaser Garage]

[JetZero]

[Avian, in from the Ride Chaser Garage]


Avian walked into the dusky depths of the Alcove. Determined, sure-footed, and confident. This was going to be a defining moment, her chance to show the Hunters what the Aquilo Project is all about. A chance to shine. A opportunity to do her country, and her new found alliance with the Hunters, proud.

The running lights now shone a deep throbbing crimson, in stark contrast to the emerald glow that normally shines overhead. This was expected, as the power feed to the Alcove's lighting was cut off when the explosions rippled through the base, and that resulted in the tight little space running on emergency power like the rest of the complex. The only thing that prevented the armor from going up in flames was the fact that the Alcove had it's own stored recyclable energy source contained within the Jettegra armor pod (that cut in when the feed from the main lines went down), and the lucky coincidence that the huge slab of ceiling happened to fall in front of the entrance, sealing out the explosion.

The monitor on the wall was Avian's first priority at the moment. It contained within it's data algorithms the command prompt to open the armor, something she herself could not do by physical means. Her concern was the emergency power wasn't efficient enough to run the monitor, and if that was the case then she was screwed worse then the inmates at Alcatraz.

She approached the small screen with discretion. She uncoiled the fragile wire in her arm compartment and plugged the jack into the receptacle, and entered the mental command to start up the interface.

The screen stared back only static.

Avian tried again, an emergency code transmitted this time.

Still, the screen denied her.

"Damn it, give me access!" She slammed her left fist down hard on the wall, right above the monitor. The sound of metal against metal clamored like a hundred wind chimes in a tempest, and a hairline crack appeared on the monitor screen. The pilot saw this and grew even more enraged. "Ah shock it all to Hell! Don't you die on me now, you useless son of a-"

Suddenly, the monitor display beeped and came to life, showing the Aquilo Project logo and a password prompt. This was much more satisfactory. "There we go. All you need is a little love." It was a quiet murmur under her breath.

Avian entered the password mentally, then the monitor began asking questions in the LCD font. A fast line of code was entered and the questioning stopped, replaced by a long beep. Avian knew what to expect next, and turned her attention to the tall armored being resting across from her.

The metallic beast began it's twisted transformation. Sharp hisses erupted from hydraulics and plates unlocked, exposing the internal black skeleton of the monster. It was a loud, creepy thing to behold to anyone who has never seen a Jettegra armor suit up before, and the eerie lighting made it seem all the more out of something from a horror flick. A wide, sincere crocodile smile pierced Avian's facial features at the sight. She certainly likes the idea of her armor installing fear.

She was in a hurry to launch, but she took a moment to reflect on what she was about to do. The cord was pulled from the monitor and coiled up neatly back in it's compartment. At the same time, the monitor screen went back to static, almost like a screen saver mode. This almost make the aviator laugh at herself out loud; how did she manage to forget that feature? It must have been the onset of the thrill of the hunt that was starting to grip her like a cold vise on her steel bones.

It may not have seemed so, but Avian noticed that Bane had followed her into her sanctuary. There was nothing she could have done to protect her procedure in an emergency situation like this. Normally, it was supposed to be a guarded secret, something that average people shouldn't see for security reasons. But Bane...He wasn't average by any means. There was something different with him. Something special. He didn't seem like a threat. No, he seemed like a helping hand, someone to count on. Someone to befriend. Someone.... More.

Avian stood there, the lighting coating her features in crimson. Her blazing red hair stuck like a paste to her face and neck, as her body was damp from the humidity. Her eyes glistened like the full moon. She was facing Bane now, leaning casually with one arm against the wall, almost expecting this to be a final farewell.

"Well... I'm about to launch. If there is anything you need to say, you'd better say it now. Might not get a better chance to say it."

[Gaijin Zero]

[Bane from Ride Chaser Garage]

Bane slowly walked in, and took a look around... the Crimson lighting helping with things, but the darkness definitely making shapes hard to see... but most of all... he kept his eyes on Avian and where he was going, as he walked in at a brisker pace now, he caught the armor out of the corner of his eyes, but paid it no mind, when he heard what Avian said...

Well... now or never... his mind thought to him as he approached Avian, and placed his hand against her cheek, the touch of her skin was soft, like silk laced with velvet and rose... his deep red eyes met her silvery gaze, before closing as he slowly leaned in, placing his lips softly against hers in a passionate kiss one could only consider to be out of a fairy tale ending, a small crack from the blazes still being dealt with out in the chaser garage sounding like a miniature firework going off in the distance.

as his right hand rested on her cheek, his left hand found comfort within her right hand, and they had stayed like that for several minutes... before Bane retracted his Lips and Hands... and said "the only thing I have to say...is come back alive." a small gleam of Silver then appeared in his eyes for half a second... then disappeared.

Standing off to the Side, he then let Avian finish her preparations for getting rid of the threat in the skies, and gave a thumbs up to wish her the best of luck.

[JetZero]

Stunned silence shook the Alcove like a seismic tremor. Some time passed before even thought occurred to the aviator. She stood dumbfounded, standing there like a idiot. Verbal words were lost in the darkness that engulfed her.

Wow. That certainly wasn't standard procedure for a pre-flight briefing.

Another moment passed before she could gather herself to a sense of normality. She had to give her head a quick shake, that moment was like a dream, a temporal distortion of reality. It didn't want to register in the pilot's military mind, but the feelings, the emotions that it brought.... Those were as real as the fluid that ran in her veins. A red blush appeared on Avian's face in the wake of the passionate moment, but luckily for her, it was hardly noticeable in the lighting.

She took a step back and practically tripped over herself. The poor balance was corrected instantly, though, and she stood up to look at Bane in the face. She smiled contently at him, and a playful salute was a shadow to the expression. "Yes sir," was all that came out of the quivering female. The voice was toned suggestively, like she was hinting at something.

Splash One, said the pilot in her mind. If she plays her cards right, she may touch more then her armored boots on asphalt.

But that was all that was offered in terms of response to Bane's... optimism. Avian turned sharply in place and looked over the black maw of the opened Jettegra armor. The aviator's expression changed to a steely resolve as she approached the dark form and began to climb into it's foreboding jaws.

====================================
OOC: Just a little mood music

====================================

It took only a moment for Avian to climb into the beast, as it was a well rehearsed ritual. Once inside the cocoon, she reached up to some unseen internal compartment hidden from external view, and pulled a latch with a clack. Then, changes began to happen.

The servo motors got to work in the armor, collapsing the open space of the entry canopy with a loud whirring noise. Simultaneously, Avian stuck out her arms and legs into the open slots in the armor's appendages, which began to close up and seal tightly with a hiss. Inside the confinements of the armor, connecting terminals oozed slinky tubes and begun the interface sequence; the thin tubes connected with receptacles on Avian's thighs, waist, upper arms and the back of the neck. Several clicking noises were emitted as the cylindrical tube connectors slid into grooves made to prevent them from disconnecting. The armored creature was nearing the end of it's transformation as Avian got comfortable resting her hands in the armor's gloves and her feet on the rudder pedals in the legs. Final lockdown was initiated, and the last of the sealing was completed, revealing a humanoid-shaped figure.

Then came the total blackness. It was only for 1/8ths of a second, but to a pilot sealed tight, unable to move, into a confined suit of armor it can seem for an eternity. But the pilot was rewarded for her patience when the glowing bright screens of the real-time Heads Up Display came on in front of her face, followed immediately by many Multi-Function Displays, surrounding her field of vision. Just then, the User Interface booted up with a ping, and the internal lights lit up. Avian was given the computer-voiced prompt that she now has user control, and flexed her fingers. The suit responded without delay, moving it's fingers just as it's pilot.

With the boot up successful and the armor sealed, it was time for the pod release. Large levers and hydrolic arms whirred as the docking clamps released their prisoner. External running lights on the armor flashed on and began their pulsating glow, revealing adjacent details that were otherwise bathed in darkness. Now free and able to move, Avian commanded the armor to step forward. As the armor advanced off the pod platform, the whole pod retracted into a space built into the Alcove, allowing more room to maneuver.

Another grin plastered the operator's face. What was once a 5'2'', 120 pound unintimidating Reploid was now a 7'5'' half-ton war machine. The Jettegra 06 was ready for sortie.

Avian walked forth, the heavy boots of the armor making a mechanical 'ca-chunk' with every step. The head turned to face Bane, it's black visor glinting in the ruby glow of the room. "Ready for launch. Please stay clear." The voice that echoed from the external speakers made the pilot sound much more menacing. The voice synthesizer was built to make a good first impression.

The engines on the bottom of the armor's boots ignited with a progressively louder hum as they gained enough thrust to allow for lift off. The air in the room stirred and began to whip into a hot whirlwind, as Avian lifted off the ground by about a foot and hovered her way to the entrance of the Alcove with the grace of a butterfly. Once clear of the doorway, the larger engines on the back of the armor burst into action and launched her completely. Avian went from zero to 300 MPH in a drop of a hat, and was out of the Ride Chaser Garage and into the open blue of the Maverick Hunter Airspace in less time then it took to say "Blast off".

(Jettegra 06 to Maverick Hunter Airspace]

[Gaijin Zero]

Bane watched as Avian gave her now near classic Salute, which he returned with a two fingered salute back, before back flipping to get out of the way, his coat tailing giving off a distinct flow as he made his landing, away from everything that was happening.

as he watched her leave, he felt a good mixture of emotions within him, but kept it to himself as there was still a lot of work to be done....

"why don't I go help out at the Chaser Garage... it's the best way for me to get some work done as it is.." he said to himself, before walking out.

[Bane to Ride Chaser Garage]

[JetZero]

[Incoming Jettegra 06/Avian from Maverick Hunter HQ Airspace]


The whole Maverick Hunter Ride Chaser Garage, and then the secluded Alcove rang with the loud thunder of damaged plasma engines as Avian came in for a hard landing into her abode. It was far less graceful then her abrupt take off from the area; she came in loud and fast, wobbling from side to side in the tight confines of the space and scraping against the room's walls, causing sparks to fly and bounce around the floor for a short distance before fizzing out. The armor managed to slow down and stop -luckily upright- just 2 inches from the farthest wall from the entrance. Avian, thoroughly exhausted and sore form her injuries, managed to back up and land the torn up armor in it's extended receptacle platform on the Recharge Pod. With the same hydrolic hiss that released the metallic creature, the docking clamps reversed their launch procedure, and instead began to secure the armored being. Once locking was done, the landing platform retracted back into the Pod.

However, the landing was not ritual. The Pod sensed that there was something wrong with the armor and it's operator, and began some emergency protocol. The armor started a hurried state of a kind of ejection sequence; the machine opened up faster than normal and produced a horrible noise akin to the sound of a old car engine on it's last legs. The whole operation was even more ungainly then the initial pilot release earlier, with the levers and servos screeching in what seemed to be fast motion. The Pod was designed to do this, though, so despite the cringing sight of the transformation, there was no worry of the procedure causing any damage.

The Jettegra 06 was opened up in half the time it normally would take. The interior was hot, so hot that it caused a heat haze effect, and the heat rising from the open cockpit set off a few fire extinguisher sprinklers from the ceiling. They all activated simultaneously and sprayed a fine mist into the room composed especially to put out flames caused by the unique circumstances of an aircraft crash. The mist was designed to evaporate quickly, and it didn't take long for the air to clear and the temperature of the Airframe to drop to safer levels.

Then the room grew eerily quiet. The sprinklers shut off and retracted back into the ceiling, and the transformation was compete so there were no more mechanized noises. There was only the smell of the mist still in the air -it was scented like the spray from a waterfall- and the lingering point that the pilot hasn't emerged from the armor yet.

A few minutes ticked by before there was any signs of life. Avian eventually managed to haul her battered body out of the machine, but it was a slow, painstaking process. One hand emerged, followed by the other. Another full minute passed before her head and torso popped out. But that was all the aviator could muster. She let gravity take a hold of her for the second time that day and she fell to the Alcove floor with a thud.

She lied there for a moment, unmoving, looking up at her aircraft from a worm's eye view. She saw now the extensive damage the dogfight with Pele caused. The paint was burnt to a charcoal black on the leading edges, the left rudder was hanging only by a single fastening bolt while the other rudder was bent and distorted. There were niches and scratches all over the exterior, some deep enough to expose bare metal. The fins on the head were in a similar state the rudders. But the worst of the external damage was in the Multi-Launcher; it had holes in it where it was shot by the .50 caliber rounds, and the two fingers to that arm's glove were clearly missing, shot off right at the knuckle. The sorry sight of the once-splendid example of Canadian technology would have been enough to make Avian cry, if she even had the strength for it.

The pilot forced herself to her feet and took a few shaky steps to the monitor beside the Pod. She had to lean on the wall heavily, she didn't have the stamina left to stand for long. The chord came out of her arm again, and the connection was made to the monitor to close the armor digitally. A few command prompts began the whirring backwards configuration, and within a few moments the Airframe was back to being a sentry again. A few more prompts started up a soft repair program in the Pod. It couldn't repair the worst of the damage, like the rudders and the Multi-Launcher, but the internal cockpit damage and the minor external niches and burns could be grinded down and re-buffered.

That was all Avian had the endurance for. She pulled out the chord from the monitor, returning the screen to it's previous static, and collapsed once more to the floor in a heap. The chord was coiled back into it's compartment. With the last of her strength, she did a self diagnostic and the news wasn't good. The shard from the warped coupling was still firmly lodged into her lung, her fingers, although no longer bleeding, were still a crumpled mess, and her body was racked with burns, cuts, and even more disturbingly some of the connecting tubes that allowed her to interface with her armor was hanging off of their ports on her thighs, neck, and back. They were twisted and shredded where they were hastily disconnected. She looked as awful as she felt.

The world blackened around her as she closed her eyes and rested. Maybe... I'll just take a quick nap before I head off to the infirmary.... It was the last thought she had before unconsciousness sang it's lullaby.

[Gaijin Zero]

[Bane from Abel City rooftops]

Bane rushed into the alcove and noticed Avian lying on the floor, then immediately dashed to her side.

Checking everything around, he knew she had a rough day today, and he knelt down beside her, kissing her cheek before he inspected the wounds she received, lots of major burning and everything. "Better get her to the infirmary." he said to himself before he lifted her arms and fastened them around his neck, then lifted her body up, one hand supporting both her back and head, the other under her kneecaps, or what one would call kneecaps, and turned to walk out of the Alcove.

as he was walking, he looked at Avian's face and mouthed three simple words... "I love you..." before turning his attention back to where he was walking.

[JetZero]

Avian was jostled awake by the sensation of moving, and it felt strange knowing it wasn't under her own power. She had to check a few systems to confirm she wasn't delusional, and found that she was, indeed, being transported by an outside source. But by what.... or whom?

"Urrrrrrrrrgh" Avian groggily peered through her tired optics to see who would disturb her slumber. She was out of focus at first, but it soon came into view who was carrying her. Would it had been anyone other then Bane, her first reaction would have been to get defensive - had she not been half dead at the time.

The aviator looked up at Bane through slightly opened eyes and offered him a weak, but warm, smile. " Ugh.... Hey.. tough guy.... Coming to... my rescue again, are ya?" The words were mouse-speak. "Well.... thanks....I guess I owe you two rounds... at... the pub now..."

That was it. Lying limp in Bane's arms, she let herself return to her void knowing full well that she's going to be alright.

[Gaijin Zero]

Bane looked at Avian for a second and then noticed her slip back into unconsciousness... and said "Save your strength... I'm here for you, like I said I would be." there was no indication in his mind, but it suddenly surged to him, and he continued walking, his coat caressing the wind as it fluttered behind him.

[Bane and, respectively due to the situation, Avian to the Infirmary]

[JetZero]

[Avian arriving from Bane's Room (Dormitory) ]

A tempered pace got the Alcove's natural inhabitant into the tight-spaced room. Avian wasn't slowing down for much, she had come here to retrieve an important item from her Jettegra armor. It was her hope that it would be at least one thing that happened smoothly today.

The overhead running lights were still glowing crimson, a sign that the base isn't completely back to normal yet. It was also a sign that the Alcove was running on reserve emergency power, an observation backed by the still-static screen on the wall monitor. For a third time that day the pilot hooked up to the interface via the cable coiled in her forearm. It was a few moments before the damn thing booted up proper and gave her permission to input a command. Come on, work for me just a while longer. This place will be up and running smoothly again soon, just have a little faith... It was a hopeful thought to comfort her own uneasiness. All this business of stuff exploding around the base and the horrors it was wrecking was a hard load to swallow, and the dark, yet open space of the Alcove left Avian feeling vulnerable while she was interfacing with the console.

She had little reason to worry about vulnerability in this instance, however. She heard Bane's reply from behind her as she left his Dorm room and knew he was in pursuit, due to arrive any moment. It did give her the sense to breathe a bit easier.

A beep that sounded from the interface caught Avian's attention. A message appeared on the monitor: ATTENTION: JETTEGRA 06 UNIT HAS SUSTAINED DAMAGE. EXTERNAL REPAIRS REQUIRED TO RESTORE FULL FUNCTIONALITY. OPEN RECHARGE POD FOR DISPATCH ANYWAY? Y/N

The operator of said unit responded: Y.

The interface knew better then to ask more questions. The Pod emerged from it's repair sequence as the chord was pulled out from the monitor and coiled back into it's compartment. A lot of noises happened all at once; the monitor blipped off and returned to it's static screen, the repair modules stopped working and retracted back into their respective notches, and the Jettegra armor began to open up. For a few minutes, it sounded like a construction site with all the tings, bangs, whirs, and grinding noises. Had anyone been around in the Garage, it may have attracted some attention.

But it was short-lived. The big flight-armor was opened up fully now, not looking quite as shabby as the last time it's wearer saw it. The minor burns and scratches were all filled over with a metallic reisen that hardened into a substance akin to the exterior plating and buffed to a dull shine. The lights that were popped from the explosion in L.E.O. were replaced and now were in working order. And, while not immediately visible to an outside onlooker, the internal workings and cockpit was completely restored to full interface requirements. Avian may have to deal with a few darkened panels and the smell of charred plastics for a while, but that was tolerable.

The Canadian wasn't fully satisfied at the look with all the bits still torn and hanging off if it, but it would have to do until it was fully repaired and re-painted. Not thinking about it twice, she walked up to the maw of the open cockpit and climbed into it halfway, her top half shadowed and obscured by the overhanging "upper jaw" of the armor. She reached into the back of the armor and fiddled with some latches in the overhead compartments in the canopy, but they were tiny and bit into her metal fingers at every attempt to turn them. "Ah, shock! Don't you give me any lip, I'm not in the mood, dammit." She surely wasn't. This was not a fun part of being a Jettegra operator.

After about 4 minutes and a lot of cursing the Black Box was retrieved from it's compartment, a small device able to fit in the palm of a woman's hand. The instrument has come a long way from it's infancy in the late twentieth century. Back then they were larger, more delicate, and considerably difficult to remove, not to mention complicated to retrieve data from. With the advent of modern technological miracles, however, the Boxes were downsized, easier to access, can take a beating without fear of loosing valuable data, and can be digitally coded so the data is simpler to read. Of course, in this day and age, in the case of militant use it is normal procedure that only the operator of the aircraft and Top Brass officials can decode the Box and read the data. Avian, being the operator of this Jettegra unit, would have no problems opening it up for Signas should he request it.

Finally happy, Avian climbed out of her Airframe and took a look at her prize. The device was in good shape for what it's been through; it bore no scratches or scuff marks of any kind. Holding it in her hand, she walked over to the monitor. Once there she began the interface procedure to close up the armor. The Pod machines did as they were instructed and the armor returned to it's stand-by mode, noises aplenty during the procedure. Every time Avian saw the cringing transformation in it's normalcy, it brought a faint smile to her face. Something about it seemed to scream "power" to her.

With all that done and accounted for, there was nothing left but to wait for Bane, if he wasn't already there. She didn't exactly have her attention on him during the ordeal of retrieving the Black Box and closing the armor. Retrieving the coil from the monitor after shutting off the interface, she simply leaned against the nearest wall patiently.

[Gaijin Zero]

[From Bane's Room]

Bane walked in just as Avian was searching for what she needed, and just stayed somewhere closer to the entrance, until he heard her climbing down, with what he believed to be what she needed... and he walked over, Illuminating the room and mostly his surrounding area with Zhaleri Monor.

He walked up to Avian and stated "if you have what you need, we can go... or we can stay a bit... your call." as he leaned against the same wall she was, a red glow given off from the Energy Broadsword in his hand at his side.

Bane managed to let his guard down for several seconds, and almost made it apparent in case Avian had any thoughts for actions in her mind, but at the same time, he kept his guard up to protect the woman he loved in case someone barged in that wasn't... normal.

[JetZero]

The darkness shrouded Bane's entrance, but the red glow of his unsheathed blade and the tone of his voice made his presence known. The presentation was spooky in the dim, and it made Avian's eyes grow wide in surprise for the instant that she didn't recognize who it was. The startled feeling faded fast, though, and instead the girl smiled at the dark stealth soldier.

"Whoooooahhh, you almost scared me out of my skin there. Stop being so stealthy, you." Her head shook and her words were laced with laughter as she spoke. She knows she should know better by now.

Avian stood upright and placed the Black Box she carried into an empty slot in one of her arm compartments, then closed it up and faced her company. Looking at Bane, a thought darted across her mind like chain lightning... Perhaps now would be a good time, in them being alone, to drop another hint as to her emotional state towards him. It is her territory; she should feel free to voice her opinion here more then anywhere. Not finding a good excuse not to, she made the decision final. Go for it, said the little red devil on her shoulder.

She made a few steps towards him, but the way she walked was very telling. She made a visible effort to put stride into her motions, her hips swayed a little and her arms swung loosely. A smile, pure but full of intent, and her sparkling silver optics was decorating her facial features. She was up to something. Or perhaps, she was feeling something.

The Alcove was a small place, so it was only a few steps before said stride carried the woman beside her "target". Looking up and over her shoulder to gaze into Bane's crimson eyes, she lifted a index finger and traced it teasingly along his left shoulder, across his broad chest and up his neck to the contours of his chin, ending the gentle touch on his lips before retracting the hand back to her hip. " To retort," -her tone was very suggestive here- " I have what I need. How about we go right now?"

Of course, she meant go to the Command Center, but the way she said it sounded like she meant something completely different.

Her sight shifted to the large dangerous weapon glowing by his side. "Hhmmmm, that is a big sword you got there. Following your instruction, think I can learn to handle it some day?"

Another misleading statement. This was referring to the melee training Bane offered her earlier.

It was a bold thing to both do and say to a superior officer, but she felt Bane knew to keep these kinds of personal experiences to himself. Looking out towards the open space of the Ride Chaser Garage, the pilot straightened out and continued on out of the Alcove in a much more orderly fashion, not leaving any hint of a fling on her mind. Now it was only Bane occupying the Alcove, being left behind to mop up the splashes of flirt still moist in the atmosphere.

(Avian marching to the Hallways]

[Gaijin Zero]

Bane felt a very intricate sensation climb his body when Avian.... Dare he thought.... flirtatiously, and quite sexually, walked by him and touched him the way she did.... it enticed him, and in his head, all he could think was ehh heheheheheh.... wowwwww.....

He then ran after Avian and caught up with her, the area really clear from anyone else as he placed his arm over her shoulders, behind her neck.... and held her close as they walked, before he moved back a bit and lightly gave Avian a pecked kiss on her neck, marking an invisible 'B logo' on the area he kissed, he then moved back to walking with her with his arm over he shoulders.

He picked up how she felt for him with her sultry action, and it caused thoughts in his head that he figured best to keep to himself. He had wanted Avian, with her approval... and this was the first sign that she just might be giving him the green light that she may have just been his.

Bringing up the sword comment earlier, Bane said "get good enough, and any sword that I have on hand, you'll be able to wield." and a smirk came across his face, one of his canine teeth showing with the grin.... it wasn't evil... but it was definitely suggestive. he was meaning the Melee training of course, but he knew that he implied a dual meaning.

[Bane to the Hallways]

[JetZero]

- Enter Avian from the TIME SKIP-

Bzzzzzzccttttt

A brilliant light with the intensity of the noon day sun illuminated the dusk of the Alcove. Avian was finishing up a new addition to her adobe; a coat rack welded to the far east wall. The portable self-contained arc welder was drawn back from the fresh glowing bead, which was now securing a crude blunt hook hanging just over head height. Pulling up the dark visor on her welding mask to take a closer look at her handy work, she waited for the bead's heat to subside before taking a small hammer to the weld, chipping off the excess debris, which revealed a shiny silver line of melded metals.

Not a bad weld, if I do say so myself, thought the stout female. Welding wasn't one of her best skills, but she made point in her career to get the gist of it in case she needed to repair her Airframe. She's glad she did; the knowledge has come in handy several times within the last few days. This coat rack wasn't the only adjustment she's made around the HQ; in the week gone past she also got to work fixing various small things like frayed wiring and busted mechaniloids, and of course restoring her Alcove to full functionality. There wasn't much the aviator could do in the hectic time of rebuild, but it made her feel that much better knowing she did what she could to help.

Taking a step back, the flier looked over the small project. She nodded, satisfied that the work was good enough to for it's job. She switched off the welder in her hand, took off the metal clasp that was clinging onto the panel holding up the hook (this clasp was needed to complete the circuit to make the electricity-fed arc weld), and set aside the entire welding device for a minute. The welding mask was removed, and also placed with the rest of the welding gear. Her gloves (very important with welding when your hands are metal) followed suit. The small hammer that was used to chip away the bead debris was also placed out of the way. With the welding over and the gear put where it won't be in the way, it was time for the test.

Avian shuffled over a few feet to find a well hidden notch in the steel wall, at an intersecting set of panels just around chest level. A tiny switch was triggered with a curling of an index finger, and then a long drawer emerged out of the wall, simultaneously a mechanical hiss and compressed air shot out of slivers framing the drawer. In this hidden compartment was a set of neatly folded clothes; formal wear for important presentations. Beside it, a tucked away black coat, given to the aviator by Bane. It was stored here during the restoration of the base. Avian didn't want the cherished gift to get dirty when she was making those repairs.

The large garb was pulled gently out of the drawer and inspected visually. It was still pristine, with no marks or scuffs of any kind. Good, those air-tight chambers are still doing their job. That damn air raid didn't mess up that function, at least. Scooting back over to the coat hook with the clothing in hand, she looked over the hook one more time, trying to catch any deficiencies before trusting it. There were none, and thus it was deemed worthy.

The coat was placed on the hook, and immediately the Alcove looked a little more cozy. Avian smiled to herself, happy.

Now, there was the matter of returning the welding gear the mechanics in the Ride Chaser Garage. She took a step toward the gear, and noticed how absolutely filthy she looked after all that welding. It was apparent even in the green-hued dim! Black soot was blotched all over her body, only her face was spared. Knowing she shouldn't appear to her Hunter comrades in such disarray, she looked to her open drawer once more. There was a few cleaning rags and a cleansing solution packed in the back, prepared just in case her job required it.

[Gaijin Zero]

[Bane from Ride Chaser Garage]

Bane walked in and noted Avian hanging up the coat he gave her, and he smiled a bit, not noting that he had something on his face... oil markings from him tinkering with his Ride Chaser.

Walking up to Avian, he wrapped his arms around her waist gently... a sort of greeting gesture that he had used with Avian during the past week when they had the time alone, and it always garnered attention from her.

Looking at her scrubbing the soot from herself, Bane just said "We're being summoned to the Command Center for something... but after that... would you... like to go out somwhere?" slight embarrassment showing itself in his words... it was the first time he had asked someone out somewhere for some free time, to just hang out... and it was certainly the first time that he asked a female companion... it was a new experience for him, and his embarrassment showed it well.

[JetZero]

Avian didn't see Bane arrive into the Alcove, as she usually doesn't, and was quite startled when he gently initiated his greeting. For a fractionated second, the slender female almost bucked and kicked out at the crotch of the dark Hunter as a defensive measure, but the realization struck her even sooner that those tender hands were the ones of an angel, and she calmed instantly. She fought he urge to lean into the hold, and let his arms wrap around her; that just wouldn't do with her a mess as she was.

Instead, she replied to him verbally, some embarrassment in her voice as well at being caught in such a compromising position. She didn't look up from her scrubbing as she spoke. "Ah... sorry you caught me like this, Bane, I'm a mess... Been doing a lot of work around here..."

After scrubbing the last of the soot from her front, she finally looked up to Bane and noticed, faintly, the oil spot on his face. A creeping smile emerged. "You, uh... got something right here. Hold still." A ragged hand slowly reached up to wipe the offending spot away.

"Anyway," She started again, more clear and with much less waiver, "the Top Dog want's to see us? I hope it's not to give you another promotion. You'd be making the rest of us look bad, Mr. A Rank." That was her way of saying congratulations. "But yes, we'll head on over to the Command Center after I drop off these welding supplies to the grease monkeys at the Garage. I'll be real quick." A free hand pointed over to the welder and the safety gear huddled in the corner.

'Also, yes. I accept your invitation." Avian didn't add any more words to the statement, but she batted her eyes and offered a warm smile to suggest that she wanted this outing... Probably just as much as Bane did. And probably for the same non-spoken reasons.

But there was one last thing that needed looking after before they left the Alcove. "We'll be on our way in a nano, but before we go.." The female 'Ploid then turned 180 degrees, so her back was facing Bane. "... Do I have anything... Well, I'll be frank. Is there anything on my ass? I can't shake the feeling that I missed a spot."

She was clearly flirting with him.

[Gaijin Zero]

Bane noticed Avian wipe something away from his face... it wasn't until realization hit him that it was his own doing that got the Oil markings on his face, and he blushed.

Looking at Avian for any soot spots, he only saw one in the middle of her back, and he grabbed a rag to wipe it away, but he caught her flirting intention and replied "nope, nothing much on your behind... unless you want something to be there." a cheeky grin appearing on his face as he place his hand on the arch of her back, just above her lovely lower figure, before gently turning her to face him and placing his hand on her cheek to gently lean in and kiss her softly on her lips.

He was thankful that he was at least taught how to treat a woman with respect, and he did just that when courting her for the past couple of weeks... he took it slow so that nothing was missed, and everything was a sweet moment in time that was memorable... he loved her... she knew it, and there wasn't a harmful intention in the world that could change his feelings right now... she did something to him from the moment they met... the sweetness she showed him, be it courteous or otherwise.

Despite being with many colleagues, he felt like that no one really cared for one such as him like she did when they met... the tenderness in her words back when he was lying on that factory floor gave him the will to live... and opened his heart... she didn't know it... but she changed him... he wasn't a man out for revenge, though his scar was his reminder to continue hunting Kusanagi, he was now a protector of the future... his future... and his future, he felt, was to be with Avian, and to stick by her side through thick and thin.

Contemplating all of this during their kiss, he couldn't help but feel like crying due to joy, and his expression that sprang up while they parted his lips from hers showed he was happy enough to burst out crying, his smile moving from cheeky to soft and caring.

[JetZero]

This moment in the Alcove was magical, like a scene from a classic movie. Bane had a way that made all their time together seem like a scene from a fairy tale, but these passionate moments when they courted were something different altogether. It was impossible to pin down exactly how to describe it from a machine's perspective, but needless to say it certainly got Avian's servos running.

She was blushing now, but it wasn't terribly noticeable in the gloom. Her eyes met with Bane's, and his crimson gaze took her to another world. She looked into his red ocean for perhaps too long; it became difficult to peel her vision away from him. As difficult as it still was for the aviator to say, she longed for him by this point. The time still didn't feel quite right to say it yet, though.

Inner strength prevailed after the long pause, and Avian finally managed to get a hold of herself. "Damn. You're getting pretty good at taking a hint. I'd better be cautious not be an open book, and let you read between my lines. If you catch my drift." A playful wink was tossed at him as she took a step back.

Now much more presentable, the steel-hued female gathered up her cleaning rags and cleanser. She turned back to her cabinet drawer, which was still open, and quickly folded up her reusable rags to be placed in their own little spot at the back of the drawer. The supplies were placed inside the drawer and then sealed tight back within the wall with a flick of a finger.

With the Alcove in it's proper arrangement, it was time to return the welding gear to the Garage and get a move on to the Command Center. Walking the short distance to the gear, she picked it up as a bundle, her arms full, and waltzed towards the exit of the area. There was a pause just long enough to throw a look over her shoulder at Bane and to make a gesture to have him follow before she waltzed out and left the room.

[Avian to Ride Chaser Garage]

[Gaijin Zero]

Bane just laughed as he caught Avian in a hint, and he enjoyed it.

Watching her grab the tools, he then followed after her to the Ride Chaser Garage, making sure that nothing dropped out of her arms.

[Bane to Ride Chaser Garage]

[JetZero]

[Avian entering from the Ride Chaser Garage]

This was going to be a quick visit. She was convinced of it this time. With no one following to distract her, Avian could just grab what she needed and leave. No dallying.

The object of interest this time was the black coat Bane had given to her, still hanging on it's designated hanger across from the Air Frame Recharge Pod. There was a fast look at the armor, all bucked down and standing like a guard on duty. There would be time to admire Aaron's handiwork later, right now the aviator was eager to get back to Bane. It was "date" night, and this little flier didn't want to break her long-since earned punctual habit.

The large article of clothing was swiped off it's hook and promptly thrown over her shoulders. By the time Avian swung around to leave, it was fully donned, it's coattails were flowing like a air current behind her.

That was it. No need to linger on, it was now off to meet her man for the evening.

[Avian back to the Ride Chaser Garage]