god, he called for rain

[shooteverything]

[ the shatterdome is too loud, smells of seawater and sweat, and half the time k-science won't even let him stay in the lab, one of the few quiet places in the entire base. but it's home, in some ways, because heine has lived here for more than half of his life.

and that reason is also the reason why he's doing the introductions for the new pilot arriving today. she's not new new, but new to this shatterdome. heine has read her file.

now he's in his fatigues, arms crossed as he waits on the tarmac for her to arrive. there's a lot to go through before her jaeger even arrives. ]

Comments

[shooteverything]

[ he grunts vaguely and keeps walking. it'll take them another few minutes to reach shore at their pace, and heine is more than ready to get out of the rig. once they dock and their jaegers are set up in the hangar, they're allowed to dock out and go off to decompress or do whatever they want.

heine slips off to take a shower and crash. he's got nothing better to do, but he'll be back in the training room the next day. ]

[antisheep]

[There's not much to say, and for Naoto, actions tend to speak far louder than words.

Which is why when she makes it to the training hall the next day, arms stretching above her head a bit lazily, she's startled to see Rammsteiner.

She gives him a respectful inclination of her head.]

I wanted to apologize about Aegaeon.

[Words might have more weight after yesterday.]

I was... overeager and overconfident. It won't happen again.

[shooteverything]

[ he's only been there for about half an hour, and gives her a quick nod of acknowledgement when she greets him. the fact that she seeks him out, or at least, doesn't avoid him, is sort of weird and discomfiting. ]

...it's fine. If it doesn't happen again—

[ sort of. something like that. he's trying to be reassuring. ]

—don't worry about it.

[antisheep]

[Naoto doesn't look too impressed or convinced, but she won't press the matter, instead inclining her head in acknowledgement. As far as she was concerned, there wouldn't be.

There were more important matters to discuss.]

Is it always this busy here?

[Her old base they had thought it strange to see more than one kaiju in a few months.]

[shooteverything]

No. [ he crosses his arms reflexively, trying to recall some information about the kaiju encounters. ]

K-Science says they've been coming out of the Breach more frequently. Something about them advancing.

[ he does visit the k-science occasionally, and hear from the marshal, so there's a bit more to understand, but that's the gist of the idea. ]

[antisheep]

Advancing?

[That doesn't sound too promising, and the thought makes Naoto furrow her brows, shifting from one foot to the other. The thought makes her anxious.]

Are you worried?

[Should we be worried? Is what she means to ask, but if they haven't made any announcement or called a meeting, perhaps so far the situation is stable.]

[shooteverything]

Coming faster, getting smarter.

[ stuff like that. heine doesn't know much more about it, and certainly not enough to really talk at length about it. ]

I have a job and that's it.

[ he doesn't have the leeway to worry. ]

[antisheep]

[That doesn't sound promising at all, and Naoto shifted, a bit restless. While it is daunting to think their enemy is getting smarter, Rammsteiner has a point. It almost makes her smile.]

That's all there is to it?

[She sounded almost amused. She's not usually one for small talk but:]

Have you thought what you would do if the rift was closed?

[shooteverything]

[ he shrugs in response. trying to explain what he feels about his job and his life—the life that he's devoted to the jaeger program—is a bit much for him to do. ]

The rift isn't closed yet. [ heine looks at her then, for a moment, looking slightly annoyed. ] There's no point in thinking about that now.

[antisheep]

[He's right of course, but the lack of an answer is just as telling as if he had said something with more substance.

She inclines her head briefly, before turning to find some space to practice. She has probably taken advantage of Rammsteiner's generosity enough for the moment, and the fact that they seem to be able to talk now is enough for her.]

That's true. I'll leave you to your work.

[shooteverything]

[ he mumbles something in response and turns away, ready to return to the mind-numbing routine of physical work. it isn't that heine doesn't want to talk about it—he just can't. ]