[color=6ecff6][h3][b]Eli[/b][/h3][/color]
Eli was plenty good at multitasking, and had no problems listening to the captain alongside shuffling through the dossiers. The overarching goal of the mission sunk in, but she payed special attention to the bits concerning herself and her comrades. The melee-focus of her own role didn't come as a surprise, it was what she had trained for. What did come as a surprise were the roles of the others, not out of distaste, but rather just the feel of what their team would be like. The two she wasn't sure of were "Percy" and "Verona". Jingo and Madison had introduced themselves so that didn't leave many options, and the remaining NC's she'd seen helped narrow it down. It sounded like Percy was more oriented towards direct combat if he was being paired with Madison to clear out potential hostiles. So his was likely the more standard looking NC, leaving the artillery-looking one, which must have been Verona's. Interesting name, though she couldn't quite place a nationality. 

Then of course there were the threats. The radiation didn't seem too much of an issue, and while the thought of going up against actual enemies didn't worry her --at least not in any way she'd admit-- she couldn't help wonder what it would be like. Were the factions sending greens like them as well, or would these be seasoned veterans? There was mention of possible melee-class NC's, Red-Stars at that, were they well-trained? A ninety-eight percent success rate was encouraging, but Eli couldn't help but feel it was inflated. With such potential for combat how could the odds ever be that skewed? 

Whatever of the case, Eli decided it best not to dwell on it for long. When they were dismissed she went directly to the hanger and took the lift up to Blur's cockpit. It was hard to remain straight-faced as she ascended, and were she of a lesser composure the sight of the pilot's seat would have made her giddy. But before she could be happy, there came the quiet yet incessant yapping in the back of her mind. It made her breaths, already shortened by the cold, thin air, even shorter, made her hands twitch into tight little balls. When the lift came to a stop she sped into the seat, and only when she was sealed inside did she remove her hood and loosen the scarf. 

[i][color=6ecff6]Breathe.[/color][/i] As the connection process began she knew that if she didn't calm herself it would only complicate things. [i][color=6ecff6]Breathe. In. Out.[/color][/i] The very idea of sharing her mind, her body, herself as a whole with a machine unnerved her. If the hull took damage would she feel it? Or would there simply be an absence, a numbness. [i][color=6ecff6]Stop.[/color][/i] Damage was inevitable in something this big. All of them were just massive walking targets, surely hitting one couldn't be that hard. What if she wasn't fast enough? [i][color=6ecff6]You know what will happen if you don't stop.[/color][/i] 

Eli exhaled, her whole body shook. When her lungs were empty her pulse slowed, and as they refilled the edging panic ebbed away. As the connection process continued on she regretted not contacting Vera beforehand. She had promised to tell her what the NC's were like, and there was a throb in the back of her mind. [i][color=9e0b0f]You may never get to.[/color][/i] [i][color=6ecff6]You aren't going to die.[/color][/i] She chose to listen to the latter, taking it to heart before trying to relax and starting the simulations as they had been instructed to. Four hours would be enough to prepare, and when it was time to move out she would be ready. She would have to be.