Soothing Check ups and meeting Legends
Could almost be thought of like the Wizard of Oz’s throne room, but cranked to 9000 and with working energy coils crackling as experiments run.
In the center, like a spider in the middle of a web, Freya rests on a rolling stool, bent over a small prototype, something that resembles one of her rail cannons, but even as a small prototype this thing will be orders of magnitude larger than the cannons DARPA is now trying to work on, or the even smaller mass drivers that might be man portable one day. For the day she appears to be dressed in a black and gray jumpsuit, covering her entire body, and stretched in just the right places, with a large black lab coat over that. If it weren’t for the fact she fights for the good guys she could be mistaken for the BBEG. She looks up at one point to look over some calculations on a white board right beside her, “How the…this made sense…oh…” And she turns the whole thing upside down, just physically lifting it and turning it, “I’m stupid…” The knock was not made as the shorter redhead walked on in, seeing the other redhead in her jumpsuit that towered at least a foot and a little bit more than her at work, just flipping a whiteboard like it was an accessory.
“Are you winning, Freya?” Skye asked, a smirk on her face, the navy-shirted, jeans-wearing Scot looking on at the endless rail cannon schematics, numbers being a suit Skye could handle, but not to Freya’s level. That was a mind and a half there, an old school physicist that if it wasn’t in the body of someone who alone had maxed out their initial points, would still be a little too overpowered.
Lucky Freya was on their side.
“Thought I’d check in after the operation. Given how heavy everything got. And I heard about Laura. I’m sorry, Freya….shit me.” Skye said, a tone of remorse in her voice, knowing she shifted gears, but even the shorter redhead needed to bridge that gap, walking across, bridging the distance some might have considered the personal bubble, but a giantess would have felt was more like an orbit.
“I’m still shocked, to be honest. I mean, she is crazy….but not that crazy. I went over the very brief mission log. If I know her, she’s not dead. So, somehow, she’s still on the board.” Skye commented, knowing just how bonkers had gotten on the rig afterward- and knew Freya may not have gone to say it, but Skye knew her team, and she knew their minds fairly well.
Freya looks up from her work, and smiles, “Skye, hey hun.” She chuckles, “Winning? No you don’t win science, or physics. You just hope to push the edge back abit to see if you can make an addition to what's there. Science isn’t about winning. Only aspect of science that wins is medical biology, when they create something that cures something else.” She chuckles, “How are you doing hun?”
She presses a diode into place carefully, tapping it carefully into place. For a moment she’s smiling, glad to hear Skye nearby.
And then there’s a moment she freezes. And the creek as her fist tightens around the plastic handle of the grasper she’s holding as she squeezes it so far she actually almost crushes the handle. With a shuddery breath she carefully sets it down along with the mini prototype, clearly so she won’t break it. She swallows hard, “Laura…Laura and I have a long history. First person who ever got past my barriers…if you get my drift.” She sets her hands in her lap, though as her fists ball up, it’s clear this is hard for her, “She’s been a confidant and a close friend for years. Worked with me on a lot of jobs in the field. She…uh…claimed some firsts. Taught me how to use a flamethrower like no other. Among other things. It hurt that she was there on the installation, and fighting against us.” The big girl let out an almost explosive breath, “It was a close thing I nearly killed her.”
She puts on a positive face and smiles, “I swear I’m okay.”Skye, and just about most people could tell in that moment that Freya was not, okay. Walking over as she put her hands into her lap, Skye wrapped her arms around Freya, nodding.
“It’s alright. It’s nothing anyone would ever want to do. But you did the right thing.” Skye started, looking into Freya’s deep eyes, giving a smile back.
“Just stay positive, and remember the good bits. But people change, and she must have given into something. As clever as Laura is, with all her tools and devices, she’s maybe not got the best judgment.” Skye consoled Freya, staying close, knowing full well what she meant about breaking down barriers. She had heard extremely vague bits about it, but, the two were once intimate, and close. And it wasn’t exactly like she didn’t know that feeling entirely herself, given Adam was here.
Freya erps and almost tips off the stool she’s on, her eyes going wide. Had she expected to get a hug then? Not quite. But she wraps first one big arm around Skye as skye speaks, then wraps another, holding Skye to her front gently.
For a moment she sits and just listens, nodding slowly, “I’m doing my best to stay positive. I’m working on some projects to keep from spiraling.” She takes a big heaving breath. And nods, “Thank you Skye, you’re the best kinda boss, the kind who cares.” He gives her a firm hug, and rubs Skye’s back. Swallowing heavily, “I’m sure not that Laura is in play, we’ll see her again. I just hope she doesn’t hurt anyone on the team before Athena, Jamie or I get there. We know how she works. We can fend her off. My Bo…errr Chuck might be able to keep her busy for a time too I think. Hell enough of you there you could at least keep her occupied.”
For a moment she broods on then then shakes her head, “Change of subject!” She unwraps her arms from around Skye, “Here, I don’t want to get all sad here. Check this out.” She again takes up the prototype she was working on, “We’re building a full test version of this at our France research compound. This is an orbital mass driver launcher. Designed to launch satellites and materials into orbit for building and the like. Space station capsules or even vehicles like the new space shuttles. The launcher should be ready for test launches within the month.” She holds up the mini prototype, “Built this little one to launch nerf darts at people here on base, and as a proof of concept.”Skye agreed with Freya on that one, knowing that much was true. A bad call from her, given that Laura had never let them down before- but then again, it would be hard to see Laura not going anywhere but a high security prison, with more tranquiliser guns and tasers focussed on her than a whole riot at any given time. Girl was a fucking weapon, when she wanted to be, a lot like Athena, a pure and simple rager. So it was good the topic changed, looking at what Freya was working on. Skye chuckled, hearing it could launch nerf darts.
“You outdid Xander? Jesus.” Skye kept her words down to make that point, as she smirked, looking at the mechanism being lifted, Skye nodding.
“This is pretty awesome. And, another earner for you….not bad at all. When are you hitting the Forbes 35 under 35? Actually, don’t do that, they’re all there on fraud alone….” Skye giggled, knowing the tongue in cheek reference that maybe was more Athena’s case, more likely she’d want the vanity of taking the entire cover. Or any other magazine.
“I don’t know how you do it. This railgun stuff is pretty sweet. It’s like having a fifty cal, instant in your hands when it charges…hits like one too.”
Freya blushes a little, “I’m not sure if I outdid anyone, but I think this is a platform for my work. Something to be remembered for. That silly carousel spinning launcher they came up with a few years back, will be a thing of the past. Not when my mass driver will be able to reach escape velocities with ease.” She smiles and sighs, nodding slowly, “It’ll make venturing into orbit easier, might even make space travel a lot easier too.”
Her smile then takes on a slightly devious turn, “Oh Forbes would never take me. I’m not their type. Want to know what might? Nat Geo and Popular Science, when something like this makes it out into the world.” She sets her launcher prototype down then reaches down under a cabinet.
The thing she produces is, well ugly, nothing like the elegant curved lines her things usually have. It’s wires and brutalist steel and bits of plastic and clasps. But this…
A portable, clearly working rail gun, small enough for someone like Athena or Jamie to use one handed, and for someone like Skye to use two handed. Freya sets it on the table beside them, “It’s ugly as the First Sin, heavy, a little awkward, but this thing could be carried into a fight by one person. It kicks like a workhorse but has a range of two kilometers, and can punch through armor up to four inches thick with ease. With lower effect up to ten and beyond. At about eighteen it drops off to nearly nil…yeah we’re working on that.” She sniffs and rubs her cheek, leaving a smudge of whatever lubricant is on the rail rifle, “I’m proud of this one. This is a culmination of my life's work. To get a man portable railgun into a soldier's hands. I may have taken that machine of yours and cranked it up to full. I couldn’t leave such an element without a touch or two.”Skye smiled, picking up the rifle, turning it over. It was her own M31, but with a little bit more modification, pulling back the round she’d chambered earlier, realizing. The ammunition had been a teeny bit different in spec.
“Aww, you shouldn’t have. This is fucking insane….” Skye’s look turned wild, as she turned it on her shoulder, modifying the new trigger mechanism, gleeful. It was heavy as all hell, it felt like at least 30 kg of weight, so completely impractical now without her exo, but, that was fine. That would work just wonders.
“So basically, you turned the prototype into an anti-everything rather than just a more punchy rifle?” Skye smirked, aiming it down, struggling to hold it given the balance felt very off, but at this point, was basically like carrying a .50 cal with a magazine on it, semi-auto only now due to the fire type, and requiring a little bit more charge before rounds down range. A tool for someone like Skye, who was often a jack of all trades, and now had a jackhammer to that effect.
“I genuinely don’t know how I can say thanks enough. Thank you, Freya.”
Freya smiled and patted the beast, “This thing can now punch a hole into an Abrams and core out something like a Russian T tank.” She smiles and nods, “It’s heavy, it’s awkward without some strength behind it, but if you really want you can use it to pulp someone.” She chuckles, “If you want to thank me, when you use it next, you record what it does in the middle of a fight, so I can use the recordings, and tweak it for the next generation. It’s unwieldy now, but think about the Mark two and beyond.” She pulls a glue gun out and wiggles it, “Who knows, Mark fifteen could be this small and could knock a plane out of the air.” She giggles, “Thank me that way Skye.” She gives the smaller woman a wink, “That’s all I need. And…maybe…if we encounter Laura again…you let me have the first shot. Maybe talk some sense into her.” She shrugs with a smile.Skye whistled, as if she was looking at an object of desire at this point. For someone who had eschewed upgrades, this was one hell of a punching weight to now have in her hands. And well, with her mobility, something like this might just work. Of course, heating and the general bulk meant it was going to have compromises, but well, she was looking forward to it. Skye nodded in response to her suggestions, aiming the sight, before looking back.
“I can record some findings. The optic needs a teeny bit of work to that end. But leave that to me.” Skye smiled, almost too natural with how she handled it, peeling the mag out and setting the safety, hearing her comment about Laura, and shrugging.
“Laura doesn’t really listen to me much. Never did rather….but, we’ll see. Did I ever tell you about the time she stowed away on an Artemis plane, jumped out of it without a parachute chasing a server loaded inside of an APC for us with Xan? She really was a wild girl. So I don’t get any of this. But hey. We’ll deal with it when we get there.” Skye moved off the topic, knowing not to settle, given everything.
“On another topic, how’s your mam and dad doing? Same as always with them?” Skye asked, the legends someone she’d never actually met in person, but heard all the stories of. Crazy enough to get together and make their three children, who followed right after them.
Freya hums and smiles, “You know that sounds exactly like something Laura would do.” She snorts a little at the thought, “She’s almost as bad as my sister. You know?” She smiles then grins.
“My mom and papa?” She sighs, “They were both here the night before I hear. Jamie called my Papa, told him about Chuck, he flew down here to grill Chuck over the coals about his intentions for me I guess? That’s my Papa for you. He’s got a soft spot for all his kids. He’s great, getting on, but I understand he’s still entering WSM and JamJam and he is still competing for the top spot every other year.” She giggles, “My papa is amazing.” Then she grins even wider, “Now Mom, you know I think they made the mold, cast her, then broke it and threw it away when my Mom was born. She’s just, we all get our fiery personality from her. And our strength from Papa. She was here too the other night. Really tore into my Papa over not being invited originally.”
For a moment Freya looks less like the giantess she is, and more like a happy young woman, in awe of her parents who still stand on pedestals in the military world.
Freya hums, “They’re doing fine, years more ahead of them. Want me to ask if they can come by? Maybe they can help with what comes next?”Skye shrugged, almost blank in thought, seeing the pictures from that event in fact, and well, they really seemed to keep close. That even in spite of how extraordinary they seemed, they were still somewhat human, just a lot more of it.
“You know, I never actually met them. I keep hearing all of it, you know. But, probably best they keep on station here. I don’t want an entire family at risk. I mean, much as you could single-handedly save the world on your own….” Skye giggled, placing the rifle down after weighing it up, thinking things over.
“If they’re about though, tell them to come by.” Skye commented, leaning on the wall, the sound of heavy boots in the corridor as if, timed possibly even worse.
And as if, almost a comedic tone on cue, there she was. The older blonde’s hair at this point was practically silver, but a Russian like her, she aged like a vodka on a shelf- timelessly, the black jumpsuit she wore, and red sweater over it still not entirely sure it could keep up with her curves, the kind that come with motherhood. It would make a Pixar Mom blush, and was almost certainly where Athena got her look from. Even in her mid fifties, Natalie Denisova Kantaario was still a frightening figure, and with a good skincare routine, her polished red nails and mother’s care, was like a bear. Skye would rather be in a fight with her than Freya, sure, considering the genetics on the latter’s side, but even the former had some frightening stories. Ex-FSB and VDV cleaning woman, not the one with a mop and broom, but the one who basically wrote the book on how to destabilize a region and live the legend that any merc would dream of. Her poster was on her wall in the flat, not Victor’s or anyone else’s. And her tone reflected her hardened experience, and directness.
“Skye Rosalind Lyons. So you are the woman that put my daughter at risk. I hear the stories all of the time. Many, many stories.” Natalia’s tone was colder than glacier water, as Skye veered up at the seven foot two Russian, knowing she could get the shit kicked out of her.
Freya smiles at Skye, about to say something when she stopped and her head perked to the side. Oh she knows that stride and the fall of those boots. She’s getting up but it’s fast enough to head off her own mother. Natalie Denisova Kanatariio, infamous and famous in the mercenary world. She had wrote the manual on so many concepts in their world. And with the help of Victor Kanatariio, wrote many more. She’s on her feet and holding up her hands, “Mom! Come on that’s…” But it’s clear they don’t hear her. This is between Skye and Natalie.But Skye could already tell how this would go down. It was a test. That was how the VDV worked. There was obedience, then there was pushing back.
“She signed up willingly of her own accord. And recovered. I am surprised we haven’t met yet, but if you heard the stories….yeah, they’re true, as much as I know the stories about you, and everything you did. A pleasure, Natalie. If you don’t mind me saying, you are everything I thought you’d be. Jesus, now I can see where your daughters get it from. You have the most incredible figure, how you keep yourself up, it’s like you’ve got an anti-aging machine.” Skye smirked, Natalie’s look unbreakable, icy, as she looked at the rifle, picking it into one hand. Skye was not hiding her appreciation for what she saw, and said it with the respect that she could.
“Freya, you seem to like her. So I’ll trust your judgment, because she is very, very brave to say those things. If I did not know her history and that she refuses to die, I would maybe remind her who she is speaking to….but she seems to understand..” Natalie teased, sizing up Skye, almost as if a lion looks at a gazelle, albeit one that was more honey badger.
“Yes, Miss Lyons. My daughter did decide she wanted to go through Raven’s programme. And she takes much from me. She has done rather well too. I work with Oracle….so I would know. And skincare? Mud baths. All of the time. In the cold. You do not stay beautiful by being comfortable.” Natalie added, crouching, only then getting on Skye’s level.
“So, tell me. What does it feel like? Being told you are a twin? Must be strange, no?” Natalie asked, as Skye shrugged, Natalie putting the rifle down, herself sitting back.
“Strange as hell. But, it is what it is. One more body left to go.” Skye replied, Natalie shrugging, looking to Freya, then back to Skye.
“Then I suppose you will sort this out. I don’t have the energy to fight anymore. But, I know how to keep things turning in the shadows.” Natalie seemed honest, looking to Freya, and the mock-up device she was working on. She then turned, leaning against Freya, holding close in embrace.
“My daughter, Skye, has always been like this. She is so inventive. So clever. And through not even much help of our own, has found her path. My son, Jamie, is a simple boy. Takes after his father, and he enjoys the wild, the outdoors, and the peace and quiet. And Athi-anna? She heard all of my stories and decided that she wanted to be even more wild.” Natalie commented, a smile cracking on her face, as Skye replied in turn.
Freya sat back and watched the pair, grabbing one of her projects and starting to work on it abit as they spoke. All she can do is listen and watch, and to keep from fidgeting she works on something while doing so. Though she can feel the genuine nature of what’s being said.“Athena definitely reminds me of you. The hair, the method she fights with and….well, you know.” Skye would have been turned into a kebab at this point if she was speaking to anyone else, but it was like Skye had a read on Natalie immediately.
“Yes, she takes after her mother, me. Freya and you are both red. I never did work out where that came from for her. But yes. They are all following in our footsteps, and I am glad they have been of service to you. Even if what happened, happened, I understand injury, hurt. Freya has yet to understand a time when armour like ours wasn’t so….protective..” Natalie replied, as Skye nodded.
Freya peers up at her mother, of course she’s read about the early days of Juggernauts. She’s seen her mother and fathers old suits. Without all the augmentations and modifications attached. It was layers of kevlar and ceramic plates, carbide discs and imaginative placement. She snorts, and whispers something about, “Good ol’ days being long in the past.” She sighs and smiles at her mother and Skye. This interaction is really quite wholesome when you look at it.
“More than that. I owe a debt. Freya saved my life in Chile. And no doubt a few other times too when we got laced.” Skye said, as Natalie gave a smirk.
“Then you are paying the debt by doing this. I want the best for my children, Skye. I want them to be free to make their own decisions, whatever that is, and I want them to be happy. I grew up with two parents who were spies, and lived in deception. Freya, Jamie, Athena, they are my world. My everything. So I don’t mind fighting any more. I appreciate your role, because it gives them that world.” Natalie said, turning to Freya.
“And you, my little red leaf, are doing good work too. I told you that you would be stronger coming back.” She smiled, the wavy-haired silver-blonde mum of three not having any favourite children, but Freya being the first certainly made the strings pull closest seeing what she had gone onto now do, and Athena would be certainly chasing after, and Jamie would be just enjoying himself too.
Freya grins, “No debts between friends missy.” She says and reaches way over and playfully boops Skye’s nose. Then nods along with her mother, then smiles up, yes up at her mother, she’s a hair or hundred taller then her after all, “You’re our world too Mom. You know that.”
She opens her arms to her mother, and the two towers of woman share an embrace, “I came here willingly, I do this work with my head held high. We take our lives in our hands, and the lives of others beside it.” She smiles, “Don’t worry my silver birch, I fell from your branches but I’m flourishing.” She holds the embrace for a moment then lets her mom go.Moments later another pair of boots comes thundering down the hall, another legendary voice calling, “I know she came this way, need to find her before she kills someone!” Yep, that's Victor. And he sounds panicked. Right until he runs to a stop at the door, and peers in, “Natalie…Freya, ah and Young Lyons, she hasn’t threatened you has she?”Would anyone be able to hold it against Freya that she has to spin around to face away from everyone to hide her very unladylike snort of laughter at her Father’s worry?Skye gave a chuckle, as she wondered if it was possible for someone to die of embarrassment. Plenty of rounds, shells and missiles had given it a good go with Freya, but well, her father was giving it a good go, laughing away at it, Natalie sighing.
“Look, if it’s about the story of that guy in Uzbekistan that made him scared, and yes, I do fucking hate Uzbekistan, yes, I know it was silly but you genuinely have….” Skye retorted, as Natalie shoved Freya gently, face in shock.
“Ah, Skye….you have turned her even more red like beetroot. I know the story. It’s not that.” Natalie giggled in the husking remainder of her Russian accent, turning to Freya, as if she wasn’t already laughing enough, giggling herself, smirking as she knew why Victor probably thought it was a bit scary.
“Victor Kaantario. The myth himself. You two are such a power couple. Power family I guess now?” Skye asked, as Natalie nodded, snuggling up against her other half, looking up at him.
“This totem pole of a man and I have spent the last twenty five years looking after our children, Skye, and it has been a pleasure….even when he worries too much. But yes, all the stories YOU heard, yes, they were true too. We had some fun back in the day, didn’t we?” Natalie smiled, with almost a cheshire like grin of just how crazy some of that just was. Skye had certainly heard, but well, never had them confirmed.
“Well, you both seem to be drinking the elixir of eternal life. Not sure how you do it either, Victor. But no, your wife hasn’t pulled my head from my spine. Yet. Looking up a lot though.” Skye smiled, giggling as she knew she was playing with fire, her neck actually having to crane a fair amount to look up to them.
“No, not yet, Miss Lyons. But you would be a scary foe if I had to do that. You, and your band of operatives. All of them are rather unique. How you manage it, I do not quite understand.” Natalie smiled, sitting down on a bench across, at least now at Skye’s standing height again.
“You could say that. I have four giants to manage who basically could eat a reindeer on their own, a master hacker who barely survived getting electrocuted, a West African merc who goes through Artemis like a railgun through margarine, and a swordsman who seems more cybernetic than human of late given how he works, and then some more. You just deal with it.” Skye replied simply, shrugging, knowing it wasn’t an easy gig to lead- but well, someone had to say it.
Freya giggles a little and sighs, getting up and going over to her father, almost melting into the fatherly hug he gives her. An interesting far cry from the independent woman she normally is, Victor being Freya’s favorite parent. And her idol in life, well both her parents are but she’s a Daddy’s girl. She hums, “Oh come on Skye.” She says playfully while leaning against her father, “You love the fact you have so much heavy muscle. We round out this team. And then all the others, are the meat to the sandwich. I also hear Ban is cooking tonight so if we want too we can head over there later. I’m sure he’s made plenty.” She looks up at her parents, “Emmm it’s always nice to see you two.” She gets a smile from her Mom and a squeeze from here Papa. Causing the normally solid and neutral woman to giggle like a school for a second. She looks at Skye, “We could use a break. Go and see what your swordsman is cooking up.” She stands up and smiles, offering Skye a hand and wrapping her free hand around her mother's waist, “Come on. Enough being serious, let’s relax abit.”Skye smiled, letting them get on with it.
“I’ll let you do your thing. Pleasure to meet you Natalie, Victor. Rare I say this, but I’m a bit of a fangirl for your work. So I’m glad to live up to expectation.” Skye smiled, looking back to Freya, giving an affirming nod.
“Catch you later after food at the fire. I can’t wait to see what Ban has in mind…” Skye added, knowing that just for that alone, it was good to have him back. Tahlia could cook up a storm, but Ban’s knifework, it put Chef Ramsay to shame. And on that note, Skye got moving, the smallest of the three out of the room, letting them get on.
Freya nods, and waves to Skye, “See you later then hun. And don’t stay out too long. Ban’s cooking is going to go fast.” The three giants wait abit, then as one, with their daughter sandwiched between the two parents, they all walk out too. At Least there were no lifes threatened today. Nobody caused too much of a scene. That’s always good. The three stop to watch Skye waltz outside. Then they also head for their destination. Ban and his cooking.
All in all, Raven is looking good.@LadyAmberBan bowed.
It's a respectful thing.
As the rice and noodles finished cooking and the meats sizzled to perfection the artist bowed. It's only right. The crew lined up ready to be served, there's plenty there for everyone. And he serves them heartily. As the base crew move off finding places to eat the culinary delights he smiles and bows.
Oh he knows who this is before she even introduces herself.
The bow is low almost ninety degrees. If Sam knows her culture, she'd know a bow that deep, is a sign of supreme respect. The depth and angle of a bow shows just how much respect a person has earned, a short shallow bow, or just a dip of the head, shows a sign that the person being addressed is yet to develop the respect of the bower, or they are beneath the bower in status. But a deep low bow nearly ninety degrees at the hip, is a show that the person doing the bowing holds the person they are bowing too in great esteem.
Ban smiles as he straightens up, "Dalton-sama,
Konnichiwa." He smiles, "Yosh! Fish and pork yes. Would you like that with noodles? Soba with some rice vinegar and pepper flakes, very tasty. Or Rice? Lightly friend, egg and some rice wine splashed in, I'm proud of it, perhaps both?" He smiles, and serves her both, with a mound of vegetables and her asked for serving of meat, "Come, sit." He says and pokes one of the chairs out at the kitchen counter, "You look beat. Sit sit, please. Rest, relax." He sets a glass of sake before her too, "The boys tracked down some exquisite sake down for me. I am quite enamoured of it."
For all dour he was when Skye and he arrived, he's positively bouncing now. Full of energy and gusto. He looks around then crows, "I shall cook more if anyone wants seconds." And he does just that but stays close to where Sam is sitting while he does, "Tell me Sam-chan, how are you feeling? I read the reports, you took a bad hit...they say you almost went to see the
Kami. We would have lost a good person if I understand everything correctly. Are you alright?" There's genuine concern in his voice as he cooks up more food.
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