2011-01-15 - Beer And Intrigue

Beer and intrigue go hand in hand.

Capt-- make that Admiral Bright is sitting at a table with his back to the wall, his eyes sliding over a report in his hands. Beside him is a tall glass of local beer, a stout from its dark tint and creamy head.

A few flightjocks hang around Bright -- Karaba, from the looks of their black bomber jackets. They all seem to be mostly minding their drinks and keeping their eyes on anything suspicious. When you're running an anti-government resistance, you can never be too comfortable anywhere.

Macua Huitl had decent reason to be in town today, she had just got off another social lesson from Roger Smith. Who has been helping her to not Katz it up at social events which her duties as a Gundam fighter may require her to attend. So she hd head word some comrade where here so why not slip in. Her style of dress stands out a bit more as it's much brighter than the average greys and browns of this city's average clothing. The Brazilian girl now starts hunting for a table.

Then suddenly. The door to the shop opens, and a set of rather happy looking Arabs wander in, wearing red fezzes for god-knows what reason. A larger, bearded, man is the first to come through, and behind all of them follows a blonde and rather young looking chap who... really doesn't look like he fits in with that group. Looking well dressed, clean, and most-of-all: somewhat sophisticated. Quatre Raberba Winner.

The young man casually looks around the room, until he spots Admiral Bright, and approaches him with a casual gait - the bearded man, Rashid, following him like some kind of guard. The rest of the Arab group, easily about a dozen of them, settle down together at one of the larger tables - making it harder for Macua to find a table - and raise their hands and all together shout out; "BEEEEEER!"

Quatre ignores his fellow friends, and instead concentrates on the man before him. Now that he was closer, Bright might notice that the youngster was favoring his right leg at the moment - and there's some scratches on his cheek. Seems like he was healing from something. "Captain Bright?" The young man inquires. It seems a question was burning on his lips. Something important.

Bright Noa is already in mid-sip when Quatre swings around to get his attention. His eyes widen slightly. God damn it, not even beer is sacred. He takes an uncomfortably large swallow out of surprise before sliding his eyes to Quatre. More teenagers. "Yes, Mister Quatr-uhh.. Quatre?"

Quatre, Quattro, sometimes it's a little difficult to keep it all straight.

Bright's eyes switch over from Quatre to Macua, who is plenty easy to pick out of this crowd let me tell you. He raises his hand and gives her a c'mere motion of his hand.

Macua Huitl looks over and spots as some of Quatre's men show up to get some R&R she keeps looking around at least till Bright flags her down. She also now spots Q as well. she'll grab a chair and pull it up along side the others.

"Hey, I'd heard from Norman some people I knew might be here seems he's right."

The young arab nods his head. "Just Quatre will do. Quatre Raberba Winner. We've met before." He pauses for a moment, giving Bright time to take another sip of beer, before he continues to speak. "I heard a rumor. About a mission going..." He points up at the air. His channels of information can be inconvenient at times, she he doesn't know if this was a public thing or not. Thus, he tries to remain all secret-y. Unlike Macua, he remains standing, not having been offered a seat or something. The youth tends to have silly reasons for what he does.

Bright Noa stares at Quatre, his brow sloooowly inching up his forehead until it achieves the most perfect arch. "Can you be a little more specific?" The Admiral is a busy man with many thumbs in many pies. If pies were missions, that is.

With Macua approaching, Bright gives her a nod. "Hello, Lieutenant Macua. How're you feeling?"

Macua Huitl says, "Been clearing my head training mostly, came by to tend to some business with Mr. Roger Smith today." She now looks oer at Quatre. "Mission which mission, you should also sit down Quatre. Haven't heard much from you lately either. Of all things my father's getting on my case. Then again maybe he has a plint that my abilities have had me kidnapped twice..."

Quatre simply nods at the man. "I heard that there is a mission for sending some folk into Space. And I was wondering if there is any room left for another passenger." He states firmly, but soft enough for it still not to be heard to too many people. He then ends up settling down right next to Macua. And Rashid? Well, Bright gets a nice big manly man next to him. "As for me. I've been doing... decently." He lets out a relaxed sound when he does settle down though, and lays one hand to his leg - glad to have gotten off of it.

"Oh." Bright realizes. "Yes, we're arranging to launch additional supplies into space. We lost many pilots and mobile suits during the invasion, resulting in the fleet operating at less than half its previous fighting strength. Karaba is lending assistance."

Macua Huitl says, "I figured we'd need to with the losses we took." She pauses "Sir you ever considered finding other backers? Just to spread things out so not any one group has too much hold over us?" She looks back to the prince for a moment. "Humm I shouldn't take a slot my connections in Brazil give me fairly easy access to space really..."

"I see. Well, I will keep my request with you then. Is there more room for a Mobile Suit?" He grabs for his pocket and hands over a datapad to Bright. It shows some basic details on the Sandrock Gundam - like visual, dimensions, and weight. "It's somewhat important." He looks so... serious whilst he says this. And anyone who knows Quatre would know that when he says he is serious... it is /serious/. "I am quite willing to offer extra supplies and financial aid. After all, it sounds like you could need it. When I get up there, I'll have more access to my... reluctant provider." Quatre chuckles, looking giving a kind look. It wasn't like he was treating Bright like a fool, and he'd likely offer assistance either way. But he needed to get up there.

"Katharon has several sponsors, Macua," Bright explains. "Anaheim, Haran Conglomerate, and the Rosewater Group to name a few, not to mention several companies that fund the individual cells. Unfortunately, war is not exactly a pure game and each group exerts its own .. unique.. pressures on Katharon for specific results. That's why we have people like Captain Quattro and Princess Cagalli to determine the necessary middle-grounds so we can continue what we need to do."

Which is a great set-up as it leaves Bright to do what he does best: dealing with damn teenagers.

Passed a datapad, Bright squints his eyes and scrutinizes the information. He reacts as if he hasn't seen the Sandrock before, but he has and he just does this because many pilots get off on that kind of thing. His brow furrows, he becomes increasingly pensive. Will he say no?

"Alright, Quatre."

Not exactly.

"Just make sure it's boarded onto the shuttle before launch," Bright advises. "There'll be plenty of room for anyone who wants a trip back into space. With any luck, staging a launch from Paradigm's spaceport might not attract A-LAWS's attention."

Macua Huitl says, "I know Bright. I work with several doing tests. I'm currently mixed up with Haran and Morganrote over something I recovered." She doesn't say more about the Esh. "I owe Mina a lot actually." Refering to one of their backers like a friend that's kinda odd. "It might too, The States are on more of a strong watch for us, since Katz's little blood bath."

Quatre waits extremely patiently as Bright looks at the datapad. He knew that Bright had seen the data before, but he doesn't expect him to /remember/ it. And it would have been a useful reference if the man would have needed to cross refence it. And when Bright finally gives that accepting comment, he nods and claps his two hands together. "Excellent." Rashid nods behind Bright, giving the young master a knowing look. "I will make sure it will be ready at that time. In return, if there are any problems, I will have the Maganac troops commit to support during the launch. It is the least I can do for this opportunity." The young man nods his head, and then turns his head towards Macua for a moment, listening to her words. He recognized most of what she ways saying, aside from some of the names mentioned. He then raises a hand to his ear and gives a few quick signals through the radio. Always connected these days, to the Katharon network, as well as the Maganacs.

With Quatre's business dealt with, Bright goes back to drinking his beer. "Something you recovered? During the invasion?" his question is directed at Macua. This is what you get for saying too much, you Brazillian bombshell.

Macua Huitl gives Rashid a look over for a seconde but the Brazilian girl's likely just seeing how he's doing really. She looks to bright again for a moment. "Yes, something I recovered." She now gets a drink ordered and pauses looking over Bright for a moment. "You seem curious. Did you miss the report?"

Quatre too listens with interest as Bright asks, and Macua answers about the recovery in question. But when Macua mentions a report, he remembers. "She recovered an Ezekiel Esh unit. She gave it to the Morgenroete and Haran Corp she mentioned a little bit ago." He adds to this, reminding Bright in a casual manner. He uses his hands to lift his hurt leg back up and rests his back against the counter, then turns his head about and nods at the bartender. "Tea please?" He asks. "Anything will do." At which point Rashid comments that he too wishes for one.

"Oh, right." Bright realizes. No one ever appreciates that he is a busy man, comma, the only sane man left. Or maybe the most insane given how he has to work with such loony teenagers. "I remember now. How is your personal recovery going?"

Macua Huitl just had assumed given it's nature Bright might have glanced but she does realises how busy he can get. "I apologise sir and decentyly other than I'll start speaking or writing in Balmarian if I get too excited about something. It's rather confusing. It seems Ingram didn't do too much to me as compaired to others who were captured." She tilts her head a little bit. "But thank you for asking, it's appicated."

Quatre is handed his tea, as is Rashid, and he puts the warm cup to his lips. Of course, he blows in it, and patiently waits for it to cool down. In the background, the Maganac folk are starting to mingle with the Karaba members - trying to share stories and what-not. The young arab gives Macua another look, then suddenly comments. "I'm still quite glad you got out of that event as well as you did. I've heard that there are still some people missing." Of course, whether or not that source of information is proper, who knows? "By the way. Do any of you happen to have any connections within the Earth Federation Alliance?"

Bright Noa nods gently at Macua. "Then it sounds like you need another drink."

One of the Karaba aces, a man with a delicious blonde pompadour, disappears to the bar to fetch something girly and potent for Macua. He returns later and boy oh boy, does the drink look pink and inviting.

"Any reason you ask?" Bright gives Quatre a puzzled look.

Macua Huitl Says, "I guess I do." She does appciate the drink however, so long as it's strong right she'll take a moment to take a sip of it. "Yes some are I assume some are killed and it's not been confriemed its doubtful any constructed personality would last with Judecca destroyed and Atad dead. The chains were cut after all. I have a few in South America. I'm pretty sure they are not hounding me about my work with Katharon over the Feds screwing them."

Quatre turns his head down a bit, giving somewhat of a mysterious look. "A mission." He says. "Something that requires me to kind of... stay out of the public eye for a while, if you catch my drift?" He trusted Bright. He had little reason to, other than the man being a member of Katharon. And history having shown him to be trustworthy. And... okay, he had a decent reason. But not due to personal experience so much. He then turns towards Macua. He knew her - at least a bit more personally. "Well, it's actually a specific part of the EFA I am trying to get... in contact with." 'into', more likely.

"It might help if you told me just what it is you plan on doing, Quatre." Bright just gets right to the bottom of it. "You can't expect me to help you be clandestine without knowing just what it is you're intending on doing."

This is Katharon, pilots deciding they need to infiltrate the A-LAWS/DC/EFA/Trailers on a whim happen almost every other week. Of course, they neeeeeeeeever like to tell Bright what they're going to do until after they do it and he's left rescuing their asses. Such is life.

Macua Huitl says, "Humm what are you up to Quatre I sense you have some sort of plans but maybe it's best I don't dig." She frowns "Fraid I don't have contacts that deep in." She has one but she's not about to abuse her friendship with Meiya. She wonders though just how much stress riding herd on them Bright has to deal with and an bizzar thought comes to her. Likely as bad as Spectre having to deal with some of his people in the trailers.

Well, going solo kinda was the Gundam Wing crew's kinda thing. After all, they never really stuck together for a very long time. "Very well then." But Quatre is different. He has learned through his time with the Maganac that one cannot always count on one-self being able to do everything. And that backup plans are always good to have. "Information recently came to me that the Organization of the Zodiac... OZ..." He didn't think he really needed to give that short name for someone such as Bright, but he left it in anyway. "Recently completely construction of a pair of units making use of Gundanium Alloy, which you know only a few suits are made out of." He pauses, looking around. No, all of the people here were either Karaba or Maganac. And the bartender? He was standing far enough away. "I can't let them have that kind of an advantage." He then continues to add.

"I have more details here." He takes the datapad he'd handed Bright a bit ago again and sticks in a small chip, which quickly brings some basic schematics up. "They call them the Mercurius... and Vayeate. A shield and spear pair, if you will." He then nods at Macua. "That's alright. Do not worry about it. I'll find something somehow." For some reason, it appears that Quatre and Trowa have been out of touch. For the latter was currently in the EFA.

"If a spear was a giant beam cannon," Bright observes the specs. "Aren't two of your friends in the A-LAWS who could help you out? There's the tempermental one who is a bit of a pill, but then there's that otherwise fine boy with the bad haircut who likes toting around machineguns."

Quatre blinks a few times. "I am afraid me and my friends have been rather out of touch." He then mouths the word Wufei... followed by... "Trowa?" He seems confused. Almost like... he expected better from him. "I guess he must have his reasons." He then corrects his attitude on the matter and nods at Bright. "Yes. That might very well be the way to go about it. Thank you. The blonde nods his head in thanks. "And yes." He then chuckles. "You are right. If a spear was a giant beam cannon."

Sip. Bright finishes off his beer, taking a moment to eye the remnants of foam that cling to the bottom rim of the glass. "Most people aren't Newtypes, Quatre. Sometimes the best thing to do is just drop someone a line and reconnect."

"You are right. I should try to stay in touch with them more. I'm fairly sure they'd be upset with me if I disappeared for a long period of time again." The blonde claims ands nods at Bright, not particularly identifying with the 'NewType' archetype. He just... heard the Heart of Space. That's all. The young man sips his tea, which has now finally cooled off a bit, and gets the datapad back from Bright. "I just hope that this mission won't have my ending up fighting off my allies at some point in time."

"Just remember, Quatre," Bright advises. "Ineveitably, things go wrong."

The youngster just chuckles. "So they do. But for some reason, things tend to go well for me. Rashid would probably say something about Karma right now... but I hardly think that would be appropiate right now." And not to mention, rude. "But I will keep that in mind."

"While you're at it," Bright mentions as he stands. "..Make sure you get tested. These days, you can't be certain what kind of space germ someone is carrying on them." He leaves with his glass, having made some pithy comment on STDs based off Quatre being scratched up.

Quatre, being a bit too naive, doesn't catch what the man is really on about. "I think I've been inocculated for most standard diseases." He simply claims, giving the captain a very confused look. "Why do you say?"

But Bright has already disappeared into the crowd of people at the bar, looking to get a another beer and perhaps speculate on the on-going quest to discover the Terrible Secret of Space.

Macua Huitl is been sipping at her drink for the moment. "This something for the regular forces or something rotten Quastre?" She's honestly curious about that for a moment. Mac looks at Bright for a moment and nods. "Best way to keep in contact really." But there goes Bright however, she'll catch him another time.

"What do you mean?" Quatre doesn't exactly seem to follow what Macua is trying to say. "If you mean, OZ is rotten, then yes. Though plenty of their forces are regular troops, their leader seems to be set on starting a war with the colonies. Kind of trying to keep it on the low-down, but I'm trying to stop that. And taking away their weapons sure is one way to do so." But then, he'd never been able to stop them from creating the mobile dolls... now had he?

Macua Huitl says "Well such as groups like that. To be fair the colonies have already been waging a war with earth. Zeon has become the face of most spacenoids to those born on earth. But we don't need more problems do we." If they only knew Mac did sometimes use machinery akin to mobile dolls... armed with anti colony weapons. At least The Freedan keeps them under lock and key, right?

"No, we don't. And that's what I hope to do. For now." It was only one step towards a world of pacifism. Taking away their weapons. Through... terrorism. That's right, Gundam 00. The Wing boys did this way before you! And they didn't need no fancy darn magic! Instead, they used /hypocrisy/! "Anyhow. With those things settled." Quatre gets up. "I should get things prepared. Sandrock isn't really spaceworthy much, and needs to get a good tuneup." He suddenly grabs for the chair, as he is about to fall over, and Rashid soon stands before him, his arms supporting him. "Young master. You really should go easier on yourself."

Macua Huitl says, "I'm not sure if you know this but I was born on Earth and my family only moved to the ring in later. Well best of luck to you I think I'm going to finish up with my drink and head back to Smith's place afterwards."

Quatre nods at Macua as she speaks, though he doesn't really know what relevance it had to what he'd said. But no matter. No need to be rude to the ladies. "I'll see you again another day, miss Huitl." And he was fairly sure that day would be soon. Or at least, so he hoped. Because he really didn't care to just /jump/ right into the EFA like that. And thus... he leaves with Rashid. The Maganac folk remain for a while more, partying.