Axis smiled.
“I would be more than glad to have you. After all, we can use all the help we can get. And it will never hurt having someone else from home among our crew.”
Niko picked up his phone and answered. He let out noticeably pained sigh at the junkion’s introduction.
“First, not a cat boy. Second, how did you get my number? As for Nova… she’s as alright as can be expected I think. She seems fine enough to leave Astrum. Though I don’t think she’ll be fit for combat for a long while.”
Maximus gave a half shrug.
“Fruitful would probably be a good word for it. It didn’t go as well as I would have liked, but we still got a decent amount out of it.”
“Apologies I am… not the best at small talk. Besides, i’m sure you are tired, lost plenty of fluids after all.” He said, trying not to make the situation any more awkward than possible. “You said you had a mech? What manufacturer?” Hoping to pick a topic she may enjoy more
Nova visibly perked up. “Grabmacher Systeme. They manufacture military machines for the Neo Germanic Aliance. Though in the last few years I’ve heard they’ve been supplying to other nations too.” She replied with noticeable interest. The good doctor had indeed manage to choose a subject Nova would be more than eager to talk about.
“Is it as over-designed as most Germanic weapons? I’ve been told they have a tendency to over-complicate their hardware.” He asked, racking his brain for what he remembers of earth Industrial and Military Hardware.
Nova frowned. “NGA weapons are not over-designed. Especially not our- their combat rigs. Least of all the Orion. It’s a reliable and adaptable piece of hardware that’s been in service for generations.”
The doctor caught the slip but didn’t press on it. “Perhaps, perhaps. You never know sometimes. Obviously, industrial base, local skill and manufacturing types and most of all, doctrine, can allow an over-designed system to persist. Then again, if it’s perfectly designed for the nation in question, is it really over-designed at all?..” He trails off, accidentally getting caught in the philosophical quandaries of Arms procurement and the industrial complex.
“Good to know we’re on the same page,” Leslie says as Kitai walks away. The human reporter then departs, looking for a nook or cranny that she might be able to crawl into for the voyage ahead.
“Nice seeing you guys again!” Salvage says to Aralysa and Stonefist. Catching sight of Roadgrind, he asks, “Who’s the new guy?”
Lunawing looks around the hangar before asking, “So, anyplace I should start, ma’am?”
As Hauler noted, military technology varied among the United Human Polities, depending upon the needs of nation in question. States such as the Sol Conservative and the Neo-Germanic Alliance preferred rugged, yet flexible weapon systems that could be reliably used and expanded upon over centuries of use, while more affluent powers like Avalon Prime could afford to give some attention to form as well as function. The semi-powered armor issued to infantrymen of the Avalon Prime Defense Corps, for example, was designed to exhibit a somewhat “regal” silhouette befitting the protectors of humanity’s heartland.
Axis thought for a moment before she spoke. “Well let’s see. Engineering or medical I’m sure would always appreciate an aditional set of servos. We’re well enough staffed on warriors, so you won’t need to worry about combat unless you really wanted to get involved. The bridge crew might do well with some added support. Honestly it really depends where you believe your skillset will be most useful.”
“I think you might be over-thinking this.” Nova noted, somewhat awkwardly. “Listen, would you be willing to keep this conversation going while we make our way back to the ship? After the day I’ve had, I’m exhausted. And I’d really like to lie down in my own bed as soon as I can.”
The Doctor looked around and realized he had stopped. “Apologies, I must have not noticed I had stopped.” He begins walking again so they can keep up the pace. “Anyhow, tell me more about this mech? Many of my more… living, clients have begun to favor alternative forms based human hardware, civilian and military. This seems like as good a place as any to begin learning about them.”
Nova brightened up again, though after a moment she seemed nervous.
“I’d love to tell you everything I could about my Gungnir, I really would. But could it wait till we get back to the ship? What that doctor said earlier. It, well…” Nova glanced at Niko, who also seemed nervous. He looked at his friend with worried uncertainty.
“I just think I should be careful about what I say while I’m still out in the open.” Nova concluded. The statement didn’t seem to ease Niko’s worries at all.
“Ah, yes… that…” the doctor’s face soured slightly before he quickly schooled his expression. “No matter. How’s the prosthetic holding up? need any adjustment.”
“Good, Good, that’s perfectly normal. You have to adjust to the weight and all that.” The doctor looked around, they were nearly at the port now. “Pardon my impatience, but how much longer do you estimate until we arrive at your craft? We’ve been walking for a good moment now.”
“I’ll start asking around,” Lunawing says, “Introduce myself and all that.”
As if on cue, a ground bridge portal opens in front of the three, its neon vortex spiraling out from thin air and forming a portal into Excalibur II’s hangar.
“Seems like the captain’s fixing to get underway,” Salvage says over Niko’s commlink. “Can’t say I disagree- best be moving on from this world.”
Nova let out a heavy sigh. “Finally. I can’t wait to get in my own bed again.”
“Yeah! It’ll be nice to finally move on and-” Niko’s ears instsntly flattned back and his pupils narrowed. “Hey WAIT A MINUTE! WHERE’S FERREX? Oh my stars I can’t believe I forgot about my mech! We gotta find it! I can’t leave without it!”
Nova was quickly alarmed. She had never seen Niko so stressed, or really stressed at all now that she thought about it. She was still largely unfamiliar with accepting emltional support. She had next to no idea how to give it.
“Uh… hey, buddy. It’s uh… it’s gonna be alright! I’m sure we’ll be able to find it.” She had no idea what she was doing, but she was still trying her best. She put a gentle hand on Niko’s shoulder, and was surprised to feel how tense it was.
“Oh for crying out-… does it have an autopilot or a recall button or something?” Salvage asks over the commlink. “We need to get rolling.”
Lunawing leaves to make herself useful while the crew of Excalibur II prepare to depart.
“All hands, prepare to embark,” Gravastar commands over the shipwide comms. “We’ll be making a stop at Primogenitum to turn our prisoners over to the Knights of Cybertron before following the coordinates in Sentinel Prime’s journal to Lacuna. There’s nothing on the planet in the books, so be ready for anything.”
“Oh this sounds fun,” Oreo commented. “Nothing like seeing some unspoiled land from the safety of a battle cruiser.”
He laughed quietly.
“This whole trip’s been great! Wish Razor would get out of her lab more, she’d enjoy meeting everyone.”
“It has an autonomous travel mode for preformances. But its legs got messed up in the fight earlier today. I don’t know if it’ll be able to walk all the way to where we are.”
@ProfSrlojohn
“I got an idea.” Nova interjected. She looked up to the good doctor. “Hey doc-bot, what kind of alt mode do you have? If it’s something that drives you could take us back to the hospital, then we find Ferrex, and Niko can call in a ground bridge to get us on to the ship.”