Team Building: Recruitment [Highguard]

Takeshi had to admire the work that had been done in such a short time; Highguard Base was almost back to its former glory. All that was really missing was people, besides the teaming numbers of workmen of course. The walls had the smell of fresh paint, he made a point of opening several windows to avoid the high he’d almost certainly get off the paint fumes, and the team colours once more hung from a proud banner over the door, and the entryway was once more lined with the statues of past Captains. Takeshi stood at the feet of Blaze and Miyo with a slight smile curling up the corners of his lips, “I won’t let this place die, I promise you both.” He whispered as he stared up at the stone faces of the men who had taught him everything.

The work had cost Takeshi a sizable portion of his retirement fun, but the base was not small and skimping on anything would have resulted in more expensive repairs down the track, better to spend big now and not have to worry about maintenance every six months. The young pilot walked the halls, checking to ensure every room was ready for use. He’d already unpacked himself and taken possession of the old Captain’s quarters, it felt good to be home again, with his Liger and Lightning Saix now safely ensconced in the team hangar alongside his Hover Cargo, he felt quite at ease.

Eventually he had found his way to the Captain’s office, his name now freshly applied in gold leaf to the door. The office itself wasn’t anything special; a simple mahogany desk dominated most of the room, with a black couch along one wall and a large bookshelf along the other. The desk held several monitors that linked to security cameras, local news and television stations as well as the global netlink. There was also a phone that linked directly to the new ZBC, to communicate upcoming battles and necessary information.

Of course this was all useless ostentation if he couldn’t get some semblance of the team back together, and while there were a few leads he was chasing up to reunite some of the veterans of Highguard, the truth was simply that he needed to find  some new pilots to recruit, fresh rookies. The thought was terrifying, he’d never run interviews before given that his stint as Captain previously had just been with a hardened team of veteran pilots, this time had to be different. With a sigh he sat down in his chair and got to work on the netlink searching up records for the amateur circuits around the main continent. His eyes glazed over as he began to search through name after name of pilots who had won this tournament or that.

There were several that were promising but one in particular stood out; Aiyana Shuer, she piloted a Command Wolf. Takeshi whistled as he saw her record, she was doing very well amongst the amateur level, though there wasn’t a whole lot of information available on who she was or what she did beyond piloting. For now it didn’t matter, she was the most promising recruit the aspiring Captain had come across so far, and he quickly typed up an invitation and sent it to her listed contact address.

Greetings Miss Shuer,

My name is Takeshi Kimari, Captain of team Highguard. I’m writing to you because I’ve seen some of your battles, and I must say we here at Highguard are impressed. I’d like for you to come to Highguard Base and meet with me. I’d like to discuss with you the options of going pro in the ZBC circuit, with your talents as a Command Wolf pilot you could go far. I’ve attached the co-ordinates to this message.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Takeshi

Takeshi leaned back in his seat and looked at the monitor as a video recording of one of Aiyana’s battles began to play, her Command Wolf was running circles around a Molga. His eyes lit up as he watched the battle, it was clear that while her technique still needed some polish, she held the same fire as all the greats did, the young Captain smiled, the same fire for battle that he himself had. “Aiyana, I hope you’re what we’re looking for…”

So many of the amateur pilots seemed to use the Zoids that were seen as cannon fodder, in actual battles, even before she had been forced into stasis. Why would you want something meant for scouting, or for blitz attacks? It made no sense tactically to use a Molga in a one on one fight against a Command Wolf, a Zoid used for a large variety of purposes including large scale combat. Her fights had been decisive, her Command Wolf barely receiving a scratch, and had been slightly boring. Aiyana Shuer did not wish to partake in the battles, but they provided her the money to be able to do the research she was attempting and give herself access to the bare necessities of survival. The world was so much different now. The money was a different currency than the Zoidians had used in the past, and prices were much higher for basic commodities. It was clear that the Zoidians did not live in this area, but what had happened to them was something she had been able to gain access to just yet. Once she could get to a more secure facility she would do a search and find out exactly what had happened in the time between her being put into stasis until now. How long had it been? It had to at least be more than five hundred years, with how different everything was now.

The young woman, at least her body looked young due to the stasis sleep not letting her age, was nearly to the Highguard base that she had been invited to. Why would a team message her for a chance to join? She had been in a handful of fights, of which only a couple were televised with the Zoid's Battle Commission, and it was not like she was an expert warrior. The pointed eared girl was simply doing it for survival, though joining a team would make survival that much easier. The ground tremored slightly with each step the Command Wolf took as she allowed the creature to move on its own to the designated coordinates. Her Zoid was one from an age long past, one where they were seen as living beings rather than what most people saw as simple 'robots' that were completely under their control.

Once within close proximity of the base, Aiyana would activate the communications console inside the Zoid and speak clearly into the mic. "This is Aiyana Shuer, inside of the Command Wolf just south of the Highguard Base. I was invited by Takeshi, and was told he wishes to speak with me." The young woman would sit tight, waiting for permission to enter before she did anything more. It was how she had been raised, following protocols, and she had no intention of making someone anxious and getting herself or her Zoid hurt by being in a hurry.

The transmission lit up Takeshi’s screen, a smile ghosting over his features, he’d hoped his message had been received and it seemed it had. With the press of a green key on his keyboard he spoke into the microphone, “Permission to approach granted, you may enter the hangar, a pleasure to finally meet you Miss Aiyana.” Without another thought Takeshi rose from his desk and pulled on his jacket as he exited the office and made for the hangar, it’d probably be best if he were there so that Thunder didn’t react poorly to any unexpected Zoids in his hangar.

The tall pilot arrived in the hangar at an easy pace, walking to the centre of the room to await his visitor, “Alright Tak, time to do this right, a fresh start.”

It would not be long after that her transmission would receive a reply, one that seemed to be from Takeshi himself based on the phrasing of the warm welcome. The hangar would open up for them, and the Command Wolf would guide the duo into the large, open, space that was meant for the parking of large vehicles and the resting place of Zoids. Once they were in the spot they were guided towards the Command Wolf, which she really needed to get a name for, knelt down so that the head was close to the ground to allow the woman to exit the creature with a light hop to land on the floor. A pat on the side of the Command Wolf's armored head would cause it to close up the pilot's hatch and the Zoid to lay down in a resting position; her Zoid would go into sleep mode until needed or its own systems alerted it to something else.

It was clear that it was Takeshi in the center of the hangar, who else would be standing in the midst of a bay such as this with nothing directly by them? Walking swiftly Aiyana Shuer would get to within a couple meters of him before stopping and lifting up the printed version of the message she had received. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Takeshi, after a letter of praise such as this." The woman would look around slightly as she spoke, taking in her surroundings and noting that there were not too many Zoids inside of the hangar with them. "Is this building being worked on? Seems to be a lot of people moving about and so few Zoids in here."

Takeshi took in the new arrival at a glance, quickly noting her unusual facial features and ears, though he did his best to disguise this, it’d be poor form to appear rude on a first meeting with a pilot he wanted to hire. “The Praise is well deserved young lady,” He began as ne saw her hold up the printed copy of his invitation, “You remind me a lot of a pilot who used to be on this team, his name was Kellian Shrider, he was a wolf fan like yourself.” The older pilot looked over and the Command Wolf that lay across from him and let out a low whistle that was clearly impressed. “He’s a gorgeous Zoid, looks in good order to, you sure know how to look after one, which is a definite point in your favour, we don’t employ people to look after our Zoids for us here, it’s important a Pilot knows how to take care of his, or her, partner.”

The Highguardian gave a slight chuckle at her second question, and his face reddened, “I suppose I haven’t been entirely truthful. I’m investing a lot of money to get this place back up and running, the team went their separate ways after the fall of the Zoids Battle Commission, I’m trying to track down some of them but for now I’m also scouting new talent, which is why I contacted you, have you ever considered going pro before?” The Captain asked his tone hopeful. Truth was coming across Aiyana’s name had been a stroke of pure luck, back in the day they’d had talent scouts who’d roamed around to the various tournaments to scout for new pilots, now it was just Takeshi with a crappy net connection to see who was making waves. Sheer dumb luck.

It was odd hearing praise about her battle skills, being a scientist at her core, but it was nice to get recognition once in a while no matter the reasoning behind it. The name he threw at her, of the person she seemed to remind him of, was unknown to her. Any name someone would tell her would be new and unknown, how was she supposed to know anyone when she was from a time long past?

The compliments to her Zoid drew a smile across her face. That Command Wolf meant a lot to her. It was the only thing left of her time, a true relic, and she had taken a great deal of time in repairing the Zoid's systems and even had used most her winnings on renewing the base paint coats of it. "My Zoid is like family, so I make sure to keep them in the best condition possible, and I do not mind having to work on my own Zoid. I actually prefer doing my own work and repairs, I generally know more about the Command Wolf than the repair techs that go near it." Aiyana would respond to this and then listen to him admit the truth about Team Highguard. So they were coming back? The fall, and return, of the Zoids Battle Commission? She would have to look up more about the history of Zi during her forced slumber. There was clearly a lot for her to learn before she decided on what to do for the rest of her life.

The true reason for her being invited here was given shortly after; to go professional in Zoids battling on Team Highguard. With the way the letter had been written she had been curious as to whether that was the reason or not, and now her curiosity was sated. Being with a team would mean more safety, a place to sleep at night without having to pay to do so, and also meant free access to all commodities that the team provided her. It also meant access to computers and knowledge that a public domain might not have. A nod of her head would give away that she had an answer before she even opened her mouth to speak. "I had not considered it but I believe it is in my best interest to do so, especially when being asked by the captain of a team coming back to life." The young woman wondered what all this would lead to in the future. Would she be good enough to earn her keep on a professional team? If not she would have to prove herself in other areas. Her knowledge of Zoids and long history with the scientific side of the creatures would let her be of use when not piloting or battling, and if even that failed she could simply try to be the token Zoidian. Well, she would keep that secret to herself until she felt comfortable revealing such a thing. Would there be a grand tour? Or maybe he would ask for a show of her skills? The poor girl had no clue on what was to happen next, and she was simply going to have to wait for Takeshi to tell her what was to happen in her near future.

Takeshi gave an appreciative nod at the girl’s seemingly innate understanding that Zoids were more than simply machines built for combat, they were a living thing and almost a piece of the Pilot’s soul. “You’re one of the few people who understand that kid, every Zoid is a reflection of their pilot, they’re more an extension of us than people realise.” The Captain laughed a little as he looked up at the gargantuan forms of his Liger Thunder and the Lightning Saix Flash, “sometimes we’re gifted with forming multiple friendships in this way.” Turning his attention back to the young lady he motioned her to accompany him through the Hangar into the base proper.

Takeshi nodded at her answer to his question about going pro, “Excellent, in that case let me show you the base.” The elation was clear on the older pilot’s face, another worry and some of the fear melting away from the Highguardian as things slowly fell into place.

“So had you heard of Team Highguard before?” He asked conversationally as they walked. He raised his hand to slap the Team logo beside the door as they entered the hallways of the Base, throwing an apologetic look to his guest. “Apologies, old habit, some of us tend to be a little superstitious and do things like touch the team logo for luck, me more so than my compatriots.” Takeshi lead the way, navigating the rabbit warren like halls with the ease and familiarity born of years of occupation, his aim leading them straight towards the dormitory area that had been the first the workmen had finished. Stopping at a simple brown wooden door he threw it open to reveal a small room with comfortable furnishings. A single bed with clean white sheets took up one wall while a walk in wardrobe took up another, and a dark wood paneled desk leaned against the far end of the room with a rather cheap looking computer sitting atop it.

“Sorry about the computer, I had to cut back on some of the available tech, we’ll upgrade in time once we have some extra income flowing through the place. Still it’ll get you by, has access to the net and has all report writing functions available.” He looked around the room with a certain amount of proprietorial pride, “If you sign the contract I have waiting in my office for you then this will be your room, you’ll get room and board as part of your contract here, as well as a small wage weekly, with room for salary increase if you perform in the arena, add to that you’ll receive a bonus for every battle won.” He was aware he’d begun to babble but he felt it necessary to get the usual rigmarole out of the way as quickly as possible, “Oh and if you get approached for any sponsorship deals or modelling contracts of the like, all contracts must be screened by myself and a cut of the profits go to the team, I know that might seem a touch unfair but understand the team has to make its money to keep a place like this operational.”

One of the few to understand that? How was that possible? It was considered common knowledge from what she could remember. Was it possible there had been a loss of knowledge in the time she had been inside the stasis pod? It astounded her to hear those words, though her face remained in a light smile as she continued listening to him talk about multiple Zoids and then began to give her a tour of the base. Aiyana was always ready for tours and visiting new places and sights, though everything was pretty much a new sight to her at this point. Places that had been forests were now rubble and sand, and places that had just been sand were now great cities.

The man would ask her if she had ever heard of Team Highguard as they walked, the man patting the team's logo and apologizing for the superstitious reaction he had before she could answer. Should she tell the truth? She had never heard of them until she had been given the message. The Ancient Zoidian had had no reason to look up team names after all, not when she had simply been taking on the amateur arena for quick credits. "Uh...to be honest...I have never heard of Highguard before. I've never looked into team names, and I have never done a Zoid battle until the ones you can see me doing on the network now. Before that, I had no reason to look at a video of one. Since I've never watched an official battle I do not know any of the major teams, now or from before." It was an embarrassing thing to admit, especially when she had basically accepted an invitation to join them with her prior answer about going professional.

The room shown to her as what would be her place of residence was small, yet comfortable. It had everything basic she needed, and even a basic computer that she would have to upgrade in the future. It would not be enough for her usage, though that was not something to talk about right now. He would talk about the contract for signing up with the team, and give certain stipulations and explain the pay as well as taxes on certain things if she got into them. "All is fair in love and war. The team is funded by the team, so it makes sense to do such a thing if a member gets the limelight with something." The woman wondered what the contract would be like. Would it be a 'sign the bottom line' contract with a ton of tiny text? Or would it be a detailed one that allowed her to read and sign each page as she went? Only time would tell.

Takeshi was taken aback and his mind boggled at the idea that someone could grow up and not know about the pro Zoids Circuit, it just seemed unfathomable with the amount of advertisement and celebrity that pro-pilots enjoyed. “Did you grow up out in the sticks?” He asked casually in a not unkind manner. His mind raced, trying to work out how it was possible for someone to be as good as Aiyana was as a pilot and not know about the world of Zoid Battles. “Regardless we can start your education on the matter easy enough, there’s plenty of old footage from before the old ZBC collapsed, just search for the name Blaze Angelos, and you’ll see everything you ever need to.”

“Next on the agenda, meals are taken in the mess, we have a cook who looks after it all, if you have any dietary requirements let them know, all food served tends to be on the healthy side, we’re athletes after all and maintaining physical condition is a priority.” The Captain started listing off details in a sort of mad lib style as he remembered this or that, his feet began moving and he gestured for Aiyana to follow him. “Let me show you the training areas, we’ll see the gym first and then we’ll go to the lower levels and see the Highguard Arena, it was one of the first things I had repaired so it should look good.” He continued as they walked through the halls of the base, pointing out this and that, mentioning who had had what added to the base over the years, demonstrating his grasp of team history, “I apologise for the information overload, I was a fanboy long before I was a pilot.” He chuckled, his ears reddening in embarrassment.

He nodded his agreement, “The team lives and dies by the money we can bring in as a team, keeping a place like this running isn’t cheap, make no mistake though, if you do get sponsorship deals and the like you will be earning a LOT of money, the team takes a cut, but you’ll still be doing very well.” The tone in Takeshi’s voice had changed and become somewhat more placating, he knew some people didn’t like the idea of their wages being garnished, hence why so few pilots had agents. He made sure to watch Aiyana for any hints as to her mood and disposition on the subject. It had never been a problem for Takeshi, as he had said, he was a fanboy first, and for the most part he’d just been happy to be there, fond memories of his first modelling gig for Phoenix Apparel alongside Kellian flashed through his mind, leaving a light smile tugging up the corners of his lips.

They’d just arrived at the team gym, here Takeshi had clearly spared no expense, all the machines were state of the art and there was room for at least twenty people to be in active rotation throughout. Along with the machines there were brand new sets of free weights and chin up bars, and a twenty metre long track marked out for beep tests and wind sprints, Takeshi looked at it all with a sense of proprietorial pride. “This is where, if you’re like me, you’ll spend a lot of your time when you’re not busy with Piloting or outside work.” He gave a slight chuckle, “After all, as pilots we have to maintain peak physical fitness to stand up to the rigours of battle.

The announcement of another arrival sounded and broke Takeshi out of his revelry, without hesitation he drew a device from his pocket and spoke into it, “Hi Eric, let Alana in, have her Zoid settled in the hangar and bring her down to the practice arena, I’ll meet her there with Aiyana. Thank you.” He clicked off the device and dropped it into his pocket once more, “Well time to move on, let’s go have a look at the arena.”

Constantinus Lex was very confused.  It's not like he wasn't grateful that he'd received the message about the resurrection of Highguard, in fact he was estatic!  But more than that, he was confused about why anyone would bother looking for him in particular.  Sure, he'd been a member a while back and sure, he'd made sure that the bills were paid up until the building blew up.. but he'd also been the interim leader in the time of the team's greatest failure. When the world needed them the most, they'd vanished into the wind.. and yet there he was, sitting in the cockpit of a recently-refurbished Zaber Fang, charging back into the same mess he'd so readily left behind. He rode with determination, a need to prove himself, and a large manila envelope containing a solemn burden.. the secret shame that he'd carried for so many years.  

The messenger of Takeshi Kimari, the once and future Captain of Highguard, found Lex in a dingy cantina in the Unregulated Territories neck deep in self pity (and more than a few fruity cocktail drinks).  He was virtually indistinguishable from his old self, a bearded and ragged shell of his former.. well, he'd always been a wreck, but he wasn't trying nearly as hard at hiding it when there was no one around to impress.  Either way, he didn't need much encouragement (and the messenger wasn't providing much, as that wasn't his job) to pull himself from the squalor and stumble out into the life he'd assumed long gone and forgotten.  The ride had taken much of that night and the adjacent day, but Lex had a mission.  He reeked of cranberries and cheap liquor, was covered in sandy particulates, and looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.. but dang it it was official business and he'd be damned if he let his team down again.

He felt something in his chest tighten as he heard the familiar whirring of an open comm line, as he reconnected with a signal that he'd long believed cast into the wind. He thought about sending out a message, of addressing the missive that he'd been sent by directly communicating with the Captain.. but he couldn't bring himself to do it.  This was something that he had to do correctly.  He had to see Takeshi Kimari in person.. he had to right what had once gone so very, very wrong.  

There was some chatter as others entered the area, as they sent their replies and such back towards the Highguard base.  The Zaber's bounding, speeding gait brought Lex to the edge of the property quickly enough to see someone just nearing the hangar.. the doors opening before a felinoid of some kind.  So, I'm not the first to respond to the Captain's missive. I wonder if I'll recognize any familiar faces?  The idea was simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying to the pilot.  He'd been alone for a bit too long for his tastes, but the prospect of having to face those that he'd.. you know what?  Maybe I should radio ahead.

It had been a while since he'd touched his radio, let alone used proper etiquette to address anyone using it. In hindsight, he wasn't even sure if it still functioned after all of this time.  After all, it had been salvaged from the wreckage of his previous zoid.  He tried to steel himself before speaking, but there was a tightness in his chest as he began. "Zaber to base, this is Highguard Pilot *chkkksh* ex requesting permissi -wrrrrzzhhhhh- ammit all to Hell."  More buzzing and whirring was heard as he fiddled with the switches and knobs on the badly damaged radio system before he continued in a buzzing tone. "Repeat: This is Pilot Constantinus Lex, designation HG seven six four eight six requesting permission to enter the base. Over."

Ronin’s hair flew around in every direction as the pilot enjoyed the warm air of his hair dryer. Water dripped onto the bathroom floor after a half assed drying attempt. The pilots towel was loosely wrapped around his waist. The hair dryer reminded him of his phoenix and for a moment he was lost in memories of his past battles. It always felt so warm in her cockpit when during battles. Sure he flies in her all the time, but its been ages since he felt the almost unbearable heat given off by firing a liquid flame cannon. He so desperately missed it.

Since the government programs came back in place Ronin hasn’t had to worry about keeping his home town alive anymore. The raiders have stopped and the economy is being rehabilitated. So he’s been devoting all his time and energy to finding his old team. The fact that he was home long enough to get a shower was rare for him now.

His trance was broken by the sound of his mother’s voice, “Ronin! Someone’s at the door for you!” Ronin turned off his hair dryer, but he had held it in place for so long he now had a cowlick shooting up from the top of his head. He sighed, probably another journalist. The small town of Masami had gone through a lot over the last five years. With Ronin leading the defensive movement for so long his name had gotten around. Once the government reestablished contact interviewers have come from far and wide to get a word with the pilot. Rumor has it they are making a documentary. Some film about the struggles of the war.

Ronin was not thrilled to talk with them. They appeared in the name of recognition, trying to “honor” Ronin for his services. But Ronin saw right through it. All they want to do is monopolize on the pain and suffering of others to make some sort of profit. Ronin watched people starve to death. He saw lawless thugs murder children as they stole supplies. Buildings would burn down, families now without homes and no fire department to save them. No hour long special could explain the pain these people have felt.

“I’ll be down in a minute!” Ronin shouted down the stairs. Ronin groaned as he threw on his clothes. Half dry his black tank top became damp from the water that still cling to him. Ronin didn’t really care, he didn’t even bother with a belt as he put his blue jeans on. He went down the stairs to see his mother had invited the guest in for coffee. His mother had always been so kind, even when the city had limited rations she still opened her home up to guests. Ronin looked over to the women sitting on his couch. She had white short hair and orange eyes.

“It is you!” Her face lit up as she jumped off the couch. She was well dressed, she wore stylish business attire that was just a little more revealing than it had to be. It was a suit on top that came down to a skirt at the bottom. Ronin laughed under his breath at her eagerness. “I’ve been searching for you Ronin, its so nice to meet you.” She extended a hand.

Ronin shook the hand. Her grip was firm yet her skin was soft. From the way she was dressed Ronin assumed she was trying to impress him. But he would not be honey potted by this lady, no matter how hard she might try. “And you are?” Ronin said in a sarcastic manner already anticipating the response. He didn’t have any idea what she was about to say next.

“My name is Tracy, but I am only a messenger.  My assignment was to locate the High Guardian pilot Ronin Sanders and deliver this.” She pulled a piece of paper from a folder she had hidden who knows where. Ronin was confused, who would be sending a letter? He accepted the paper and began to read. His jaw dropped.

“Mom! It’s Tak! He’s alive! Mom Takeshi is alive!” Ronin nearly hopped up and down in excitement. His mother walked on over shocked by the good news. Ronin hadn’t looked this happy in months. She peered over Ronin’s shoulder trying to sneak a peak at the short but professional letter. It was quick and to the point. It gave a location of a newly formed base and an invitation to return to. Looked like Tak was in a hurry writing it. Ronin looked up at the white haired women, “Thank you!”

Ronin’s eyes were blinding by a flash of white light. “With a photo for conformation my work here is done. Have a nice day.” Ronin blinked a couple times from the camera flash as the women quickly made her way out the door. Ronin looked back, her dress suite was just as revealing in the back as it was the front. Ronin laughed realizing Takeshi hired the sluttiest agent he could find. Ronin would have expected nothing less to be honest.

Ronin rushed to gather his things. The new base was closer than the old one, if he left now he could probably arrive before sun down. He threw on a light jacket over top of his tank top and combed that mess of a mop head he was sporting before. Finally, he would see his lost team, he had so many questions to ask them. What happened during the war? Did you guys fight in it? Or just disappear? The news didn’t do a good job at reporting the front lines so Ronin has very little details of what happened. Soon his questions would be answered. Soon he would be a real pilot again. Ronin could hardly wait.

-----
Word Count: 965
Out Of Character: Hey so I'm going to stagger my arrival so that Tak can finish his interactions with the people who showed up before me. So just kinda go ahead and I'll jump back in when it seems appropriate.

"Did you grow up in the sticks?" Even though it had not been asked in an unkind manner, the words still stung. Her smile faltered for a moment, but she did not respond to the question as it seemed to be rhetoric through and through. She had most definitely grown up in the sticks. She had grown up an orphan in a large city before becoming a scientist. That was not something she wished to talk about right now. Until she knew exactly what had happened up until this day she had to keep as much as she could a secret. He did offer to help her learn of the team, by showing of old footage, so at least there was a way for her to learn about them once she got time to sit down and watch it.

The man guiding her around the building continued talking about the team and how everything was run. From food, to exercise, and showed her the gym that seemed to be the most well furnished of all the pilot-based areas of the entire base. The gym would be somewhere she knew was needed for her to stay fit, though finding the time to do so when she was intending on doing mostly research for a while was going to be a good challenge. "A gym is definitely something I need a little more often. My legs have been cramping pretty bad after battles, and I know it's cause I need a little more exercise." A little more exercise was really a lot more exercise with her, with untold years in stasis she felt like her legs and arms were like a toddlers at some points after battles. A workout was needed, and once she got the knowledge she needed the woman intended on getting back into shape.

They would be interrupted by a message of a new arrival, one Takeshi would respond to by telling another to have her settle her Zoid in before meeting them in the practice arena. The Team Captain would then tell Aiyana that that was where they were now heading. A team arena was a nice thing to have. It meant practicing in the safety of home, as well as allowed the group to strategize and learn about each other and their Zoids without a large crowd watching in on them. "An arena in the base. Is it fully customizable, or is it set to a certain theme at all times?" The question was one out of pure curiosity. Some of the battles in the amateur league she was in had been in some extremely odd places, and the pointy-eared girl was wondering if it was possible to replicate them here.

Takeshi offered an encouraging smile to the rookie pilot, “I spend a lot of time in the gym so if you need a hand with a set or advice on a good training circuit to build a specific thing just ask, once we get back to fighting form as a team we’ll be able to hire a nutritionist and personal trainer again like we used to.” The Captain trailed off again as he led them back through the base, descending stairs as they headed deep below the earth. The temperature of the room began to drop the lower they got, and the scent of freshly dug earth seemed to hang in the air, despite the walls obviously being painted stone.

Eventually they broke out onto a platform in what can only be described as a gargantuan grandstand. The arena was enormous, it had been designed to resemble a large sports stadium, though the resemblance stopped on the arena floor itself, in its inactive state it was just a gun metal grey floor, and Takeshi looked at it though as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world. He nodded as Aiyana spoke, “Very astute, the arena is controlled by a console in the Judges box across from us.” Takeshi raised his hand to point at a small screen of bullet and blast proof Perspex that sat directly opposite them in a position that allowed for the surveying of the full battlefield from on high, “It then has a solid hologram projected upon it for the battle that for all intents and purposes is as real as any battlefield you’ll fight on in an official battle.” He would have continued with his explanation if not for the new arrival of the next rookie on Takeshi’s list.

He nodded as the excitable newcomer spoke, “Yes, that would be me, I am Captain Takeshi Kimari of team Highguard, thank you for accepting my invitation,” The Captain turned to the chief of staff, “Thank you for escorting her down here Eric, I believe we’re expecting a couple more arrivals, just inform them we’re here, they’ll know the way.” He continued before turning back to the new arrival, “Now Miss Taylor I presume?” The pilot made sure to keep his voice as professional as possible, he needed to make a good impression here. “Welcome to Highguard base, as I was explaining to Miss Shuer here, this is our training arena, here we practice our skills against each other in a safe setting, it allows for our more experienced pilots to help tutor the rookies through skill at arms courses and of course sparring matches, if you at any point wish to use the arena it is open for use, just make sure you book it for the required time using our online booking program. For high profile training matches we will often sell tickets to the public to come and view the event with canapes and such, helps the team make some much needed funds.”

Rays of light broke through the mountain tops. The sunshine acted as a spotlight highlighting the newly built High Guard base. “There it is Brigid!” Ronin’s face lit up in excitement. It looked so nice and well put together. Ronin pondered how in the world of Zi did Tak have the money to build all of this. It all happened out of nowhere, one minute the world was broke and in ruins, the next it is almost like there was never a war at all. It all seemed so strange to Ronin, he could hardly believe it.

Ronin’s Zoid began circling around the High Guard base as the pilot flipped a few switches. Ronin opened his mouth to announce his presence and request permission to land. Before Ronin could get a word out another voice broke through. “Yes pilot we know, we’ll open the hanger and let you in.” A guy Ronin never met announced over his radio before Ronin even had a chance to speak. He sounded impatient and must’ve been ignorant of the protocol. Ronin wasn’t that bothered by this unprofessional approach though, he was just happy to be back.

Ronin landed his Zoid careful to find a safe spot not too close to the other pilots. The hanger was very impressive, and the Zoids resting inside were even more so. It seemed Ronin wasn’t the only pilot to arrive here today. Ronin exited his bird and gave her a pat on her beak before grabbing his bags. He had two bags filled with clothes and basic belongings slung around each shoulder. Ronin heard a familiar voice echoing from across the hanger. When he turned his head to look he saw the same women from that morning. How she made it back to base before his Burning Striker Ronin had no idea.

Her finger pointed at a man who was sitting on the ground. “How dare you talk to a pilot like that!” Her voice echoed, “Their wins pay your bills! You have to follow proper protocol. If he walks away from that contract you are fired!” The man was trembling on the ground, his headset half way off his head. “Do you understand!” Her voice pierced through the man as he nodded. The women’s ears perked up as Ronin took one step towards the two staff. She was instantly aware of his presence and her demeaner changed entirely. “Welcome Mr. Sanders!” She snapped her fingers and two well dressed men appeared from behind her, seemingly out of nowhere. Ronin was reminded of the folder she made appear from thin air earlier that morning. A very strange person this Tracy was.

The two men took Ronin’s bags from his shoulders. “Woah what is all this?” Ronin asked confused.
Tracy flipped her white hair “My staff are escorting your belongings to your room.” She smirked her orange eyes seemed almost sinister.
“Wow, what hospitality. Thank you.” Ronin gave out a chuckle. He doesn’t ever remember being treated this well at a High Guard base. He just remembers training, meetings, and getting up early. Then again a lot of that was Lex’s reign now wasn’t it.
“Well its only natural Ronin. I am a women with a very large set of skills, and thus a very large pay roll. Seeing as pilots are the biggest source of income for a ZBC sanctioned team it is only logical that I assure you are well taken care of. It’s called Job security.” Ronin raised an eye brow. This woman sure did have an interesting perspective on things that’s for sure. “If you do not mind Takeshi has requested I escort you to him at once.” She gestured forward and the pilot nodded.

The two walked and Ronin admired all the Zoids around him, honestly trying not to pay any mind to Tracy’s needlessly skimpy outfit. Seriously though, did she have to swing her hips like that? Ronin especially took note of the unusually colored liger in his presence. He looked fierce, he reminded Ronin of dark storm clouds. Mildly terrifying. Tracy broke his train of thought with very articulate words, “Before the end of the day we will need you to sign and consent to the new terms and agreements. As an old pilot, you are familiar with the process but please note that some of the conditions have changed. Due to Takeshi’s terrible budget plan he requires you to give up a portion of any and all revenue from any sponsors you may acquire. Any and all revenue acquired in this fashion must be reported within 3 business days. There is a waiver stating that the captain or any agents affiliated with him are not responsible for any harm or death on or off base.” She went on to list a multitude of other super legal sounding things and Ronin’s mind wondered from it.

He just couldn’t believe his eyes. He though his team was gone. He thought it was dead, but here it was in all its glory. He wondered what would be different? What kind of work would they be doing? He took a deep breath and took it all in. A vast ocean of feelings dwelled within him held back by a hardened wall of responsibilities. But now his city was safe. The war was over. His team was found. This was the moment for which he had been waiting for half a decade. A snap of Tracy’s fingers broke Ronin from this trance. “Uh yes mam?”

“I hope you were listening because we’re here.” A door opened and Takeshi stood behind it. “He’s with another applicant now, if you wait just a moment the captain will be with you.” Within the large room Takeshi was introducing himself to some new comer. Surrounding the captain was a multitude of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Ronin began to tremor. It would be rude to interrupt, and he was just told to be patient and wait. Ronin felt himself begin to choke, he had waited five years to long. It all came back and that old wall of responsibility burst under pressure. In the most dramatic fashion Ronin reverted to his old boyish ways. He ran in and grabbed ahold of Takeshi tears running down his face. Ronin had been holding in these tears for years. He had to look strong for the people who depended on him. Now he let it all go.

“I thought you were dead!” Ronin’s grip around Takeshi was tight. He could feel the warmth coming off his body. He felt a heartbeat. The details made him uncomfortable and quickly threw himself off the man. He would’ve felt embarrassed by his behavior if he had even the slightest bit of control over his actions. At this point though he was just happy to see the guy alive. He looked up at the captain and brushed his tears away with his forearm. They sparkled in an overdramatic fashion, like something out of a boys love comic. “And shit you got tattoos! Look at you go!” Ronin looked around at all the confused faces, “Uhh hello everyone, I’m Ronin. Nice to meet you.”

Tracy looked mildly uncomfortable and shook her head. Then with a pair of cold eyes she looked up at Tak, “Takeshi I have delivered the pilot Ronin Sanders to you on time. I trust you will follow through on the promised punctuality bonus we agreed upon. I expect to see it on my next pay check.” She looked around the room and examined everyone and gave out a sigh before speaking. “If there is anything I can do to help you with this hiring spree let me know. You’re going to need all of the pilots you can get.”

-------------
1295 words

The aging pilot sat alone in his Zaber for several minutes while he waited on a reply, mentally preparing his exact words for when he finally came into contact with his fellow Highguard pilots.  The comms exploded to life with the sound of an exuberant young man. "Constantinus Lex?  THE Constantinus Lex?" He sounded absolutely incredulous, as if Lex had said something incredible. He sounded impressed.. no, respectful!  My goodness, it was an aspect of the Highguard that Lex had never expected to see again, especially with Takeshi at the helm.. rigid military structure with a sense of deference for one's ranking officers. Now this was professionalism!  

"Why.. yes, I am.  I suppose you've heard of me then?" Lex tried to keep the pride out of his voice.  Well, 'tried' isn't the right word, because he more paid lip service to the idea of trying.  He barely concealed the fact that his ego had been inflated by three sizes this day. He liked the cut of this communications officer's jib.  "And who mi-"

"Nope, never heard of ya." The voice answered quickly and plainly, all pretense of deference falling from his voice.  So.. it had been sarcasm then. Lex's sense of self worth plummeted. He loathed sarcasm. "But people have been comin' and going all day, so I guess one more won't hurt. Sorry man, were you sayin' something?"  There was a loud screeching cry as an avian zoid crested the horizon, sweeping its blazing orange sillhoette right up the door. But Lex was focused.  He needed to set things straight.  The Fire Phoenix could wait its turn in the queue.

"Yes I was!  I was asking for y-"

"Hold on a minute, gotta buzz this guy in." There was a loud metallic buzzing noise and the doors open wide enough for the red-orange bird containing his associate to enter. Wait.. so they just let him in without identification?  Without speaking his identification code? So long Mr. Sanders, Lex had more important matters to settle. Clerical matters.

Lex sat there for many minutes, glaring at the bulkhead in silent rage and impotent frustration.  He composed his thoughts, having completely forgotten the urgency of his initial mission. Deep breaths, Lex.  Deep breaths.  Let's start this all over from the top. Exhaling slowly, the frustrated pilot spoke calmly and politely in measured tones. "Repeat, this is Cons-"

"Holy crap dude, are you still out there?  Why didn't you just come in with the other guy?"

"What? Are you a madman? Because I wasn't confirmed. According to protocol, I must be invited onto the premises and doing so without following proper procedure is what separates us from the mindless brigands.  Or worse.. freelancers."

"..are you a vampire or something? Wait, you said that you were here to see the Captain. Are you here to like, deliver a pizza or are you one of his-" The man on the radio was absolutely flabbergasted.

"I am not a vampire!  Nor am I here to deliver a pizza!" Lex sputtered. "In fact, I have very important documents for his immediate p-"

"Dang man, I was hoping you were the pizza guy.  Oh wait, documents?  Are you here to serve him court papers or are you just like, one of those satellite parents making door-to-door trips to hock your kid's crappy cookies?  Because boss told me to not let in any more Scouts and to just switch on the defenses if any of you Auditors showed back up.  Or was it the other way around?  I should probably-" There was a faint clicking noise from behind the screen of radio anonymity and some hushed murmurs. "So, my intern here says that there is a C. Lex AND a C. Lix on the roll here.  Though.. is that really how that's pronounced, Jerry?  Capital C, capital L, lowercase i, capital X?  Why is.. you know what, let's clear this up later.  Welcome to Highguard, Mr. Alexander."

Lex entered the hangar fuming. When he climbed out of his Zaber Fang, his face was a mask of anger and contempt, his jaw tight and teeth clenched. He had rounded the corner from frustrated to furious by the time he reached the ground, and he took it out on the nearest worker he could find. "Where is Captain Kimari?"  

"Well, he's giving a tour or something right now for some of the new pilots, but I'll go ahead and let him know that you're h-" The mechanic had turned jovially to address the pilot, clearly not privy to the situation at hand. Lex was barely a meter away, but his eyes were locked onto the speaker's face in an intense visage of barely contained fury.  His pupils were focused pinpoints of rage scouring deep holes into the poor mechanic's corneas.  He was stuck.  He was locked into this encounter and he just really, really hoped that the large man didn't take a swing at him.

"That's not what I asked, soldier. Where. Is. Takeshi. Kimari."

Thoughts flew through the minimum-wage earning maintenance man's head faster than he could speak.  Oh god, is this it? Is that a weapon? No, just a.. why is he holding a phone book? Oh god, he's balling up a phone book.

"Um, I believe that he's around the arena or the gym?  Go down the hallway to your left and take two-"

Lex walked off without a second thought, sheaf of papers gripped tightly in-hand. He'd find Takeshi by his voice if need be.  Sounds always tended to carry in the base and he was on the hunt, an irate Minotaur locked in a labyrinth of incompetence and unprofessionalism.

Larry the mechanic sighed in relief as the giant monster man walked away, glad that he'd no longer be the subject of the beast's ire. Though he should probably warn the Captain about the irate pilot he'd sent his way. "Um, Captain Kimari, there's a Mr. Clarence Alexander here and I sent him your way. I know you're busy, but he was very insistent on seeing you right away."

Takeshi offered to help her out in the gym once in a while, if both were in there at the same time. Wait...was he flirting? Or was he just being the average gym partner? She did not know this man, her future Team Captain if she agreed with the contract she would be seeing later, and thus had to take it with a grain of salt. Surely he would not be flirting so casually with a prospect for the team that had yet to even sign the paperwork, right? The scientist in her wanted to believe that professionalism was the object here, but the feminine side may have pushed her mind towards it being flirting. The woman would debate internally on it until they reached an area that smelled of recent excavation. It would soon be introduced as the arena, and the comments from Takeshi in response to her question would prove that the arena did indeed have a way to simulate multiple battleground types.

"Interesting, a solid hologram system must have been expensive to acquire, and the power supply attached must have been difficult for you to gain access to at first. Hard light can be quite the chaotic element if the system was to go haywire, do you have a knowledgeable technician on the systems to make sure all goes well?" The scientist in her was curious, probably too curious for her own good. All he knew was that she was an amateur Zoid pilot that showed promise in being more than that. The woman would close her mouth after that, instead listening to Takeshi and those that were now flooding in to meet as a group as well.

The first one would go by the name of Alana, a woman that seemed unsure of herself as she spoke. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance, my name is Aiyana." That would all she would say to her before another would enter with a rather emotional filled moment with Takeshi. It was childlike, but from what the person by the name of Ronin said it had been many years of thinking that the Team Captain was dead. It was a pain Aiyana could sympathize with, her parents had died at an early age. Though there was no getting to see them again, she knew how the loss felt, and to have that loss melt away into reassurance was surely something that could bring another to tears.

Aiyana Shuer wondered who else would show up today. Had Takeshi planned on this many to be here at the same time? The Command Wolf pilot was quite surprised, though it did not offend her. It was wise to invite many candidates when trying to reform something, that way you had a better chance of getting at least one to join up and stay.

Takeshi nodded along with Aiyana’s question, the words seeming to trip each other as they rushed to exit the girl’s lips, inwardly the pilot chuckled, it was nice to speak to someone so eager to learn, he held up his hands in a gesture that clearly meant slow down. “I’m no scientist, I’m just the wallet behind most of this, as to how it works I couldn’t tell you, I’m a good mechanic but a pretty sub-par engineer, I employ people to look after it for me, if you’d like I can arrange for you to meet the engineers and discuss it all?” The Captain offered with a smile, keen as he was to make sure these new pilots signed their contracts he would be very lenient to begin with.

The Highguardian turned to the other new recruit, the smile remaining in place, “I assure you Miss Taylor the pleasure is all mine, welcome to Highguard, what do you think of the place so far?” He asked, eager to gauge the impact the grand figure of the base cut. He could still remember what it had been like when he first walked through the doors of the old base, the then Captain, Miyozaki, had been the first to greet him. As busy as the Captain had been, he’d always made time for the young Takeshi, it was something the pilot had always been grateful for, even before the Captain had given his blessing for Takeshi to date Mei. He smiled at the memories, he knew nothing would bring them back, but he would cherish the memories forever, little treasures to be saved, for when the screams got too loud.

The reverie was broken at a yell of the Captain’s name, and a warm body was pressed against his own in a wild hug, as he felt the wet tears soaking through his shirt. Instinctively Takeshi wrapped his arms around the sobbing man that clutched at him, “Hi Ronin, I missed you too.” He said softly so that only the other Highguardian could hear. It wasn’t long before the embarrassed Ronin disentangled himself from the Captain and stood at some semblance of attention and addressed them all. Takeshi laughed, “Yes I got tattoos, I also grew up and got old.” He threw a hand to his white hair almost absently, “Look at you though, no longer a boy but a man stands before me.” He reached out a hand for the pilot’s shoulder, “Glad you came my friend.”

Takeshi turned to address the group, “If you’ll all follow me, we’ll go up to my office and show you your contracts, I assure you they are simple and easy to read…don’t believe everything the staff tell you,” He shot a nasty glare at Tracy’s retreating figure, “You’ll get paid as promised, I’ve never not paid you.” He turned back to the pilots, “Especially ignore that one, she’s mad.” He began to stride towards the door to lead the way when his radio buzzed to life. “Clarence is here?” He asked incredulously, Clarence had been one pilot he’d expected not to hear from. “Send him to my office, he’ll know the way.” Takeshi ordered into the handheld radio with a fresh grin plastered across his features, “You’re all in for a treat, CLiX is one of the greatest pilots to ever sit behind the controls of a Lightning Saix.” He walked happily into the elevator.

-- -- -- -- --

Lex was infuriated as he paced the halls of the Highguard base in search of his captain. He had been told that he was holding a meeting at the new arena, so naturally there was where the vexed pilot would go. He was a strange man in familiar halls, and through strange means found familiar walls once more.

The interior was just as it had been in its prime, identical to how had looked when he had first joined the team about half a decade ago. The walls still resembled polished aluminum, clean and pristine except for the occasional alcoves displaying images of captains and pilots long past. Recessed lighting within the walls and ceiling gave the entire place a feeling like it was a spaceship landed on Zi, something absolutely alien and yet familiar. It was industrial but still futuristic, inspiring and powerful but still at least inspired by the semi-militant roots that the team had been founded on.  But it was familiar, yet something very much new. Takeshi Kimari had done a fantastic job with the restoration and refurbishment, dragging the old base out of its recessed location deep within its plateau resting place and placing it on the surface. It was a shining beacon of the new era that they were working towards, a symbol of peace and prosperity in the barren wastes of the Unregulated Territories. He was the captain that had unearthed the guard, literally cracking open the earth and pulling its remains to the surface, only to breathe new life into the organization. But none of that registered to Lex. He saw familiar hallways as a symbol of stability, sure, but in this moment he was more rattled than anything.  

How could everything look so familiar, yet so different?  Lex cleared the aperture into the new arena facility minutes after everyone had left, but didn't quite take the time to marvel in the construction of such a grand facility. At first, the idea that the Highguard now had a designated arena space confused and surprised him.. he simply couldn't fathom how one could possibly have enough room to perform anything approximating an actual battle in an interior space. But then he saw the size of the arena.  It was gigantic, large enough for an aerial zoid to fly without hindrance and yet still had enough planar space as to not hinder ground maneuverability. Hell, Lex had seen battlefields with less square footage than this arena. It was truly a marvel of modern design and construction techniques, a perfect melding of technology and architecture. Any sane person would stand in wonder at the feats the builders had been able to perform in the few years they'd been given, but Lex at present wasn't among the sane.  He had a purpose. He had a mission. He grumbled under his breath as he scanned the area for any signs of life.

By the time that a winded intern had reached the Takeshi-seeking missile of a man, Lex had walked the whole span of the area twice. He'd checked every unlocked guest booth and closet once each and the announcer booth twice.  He was nothing if not persistent, after all. The messenger found Lex pacing the women's bathroom, checking under stalls for the Captain's presence, and still muttering to himself under his breath. ".. maybe the meeting finished early and he had to hm.. relieve himself.. but the men's room was inoperable so this could be-" Spinning around as he heard footsteps, Lex nearly smashed into the intensely confused (and already nervous) Larry once more.

"AHA!"

"AH!" The intern leapt backwards emitting a high-pitch squeal as fell back, clutching onto the bathroom sink for balance.

"Oh, it's just you again." Lex sighed in disappointment. "Would you happen to know whether team members have their own- wait, what are you doing in the women's restroom?"

"Why. Why did y-" The startled employee clutched his data pad to his chest, taking deep breaths to slow his heart rate. "Why did you do that?!"

"Well, obviously I assumed that you were Takeshi Kimari."

"In the WOMEN'S restroom?"

"Obviously. That's where we are."

"But WHY?"

"Well, my thought process was that mayb- Wait, you're not searching for him too.. so what are you doing in here?"

"I was looking for you!"

"In the women's restroom?"

"EXACTLY!"

There was an awkward silence as both men realized the predicament that they found themselves in. Lex was first to break the silence with a forced cough. "So.. you said that you were searching for me?"

"Oh. Yeah. Captain Kimari said that he was going to his office and that you should meet him there?" The poor intern was mortified, cheeks burning as he spoke. "He said that you'd know the way?"

Lex pondered for a moment, but yes, he knew the way. "Fantastic. Let us leave post-haste."

"Us? But sir, I'm not allowe-"

"Of course. You can't stand in the ladies room all alone, my boy. You'll look ridiculous." Lex stated matter-of-factly.

Larry saw this point of contention, but decided that maybe it was for the best not to push the matter. He was content to forget about this moment and never encounter this madman again. He'd already worked it out. He'd only take shifts in the hangar when the A-team was on away missions and- he was interrupted by the ding of an elevator door opening. He had been walking in-step with the big idiot without thinking. Lex had been talking about the women's room, an encounter that Larry would be all too happy to forget. "Did you notice that their mirrors were bigger than the ones in the men's room?" Lex spoke absentmindedly, as if to himself. He still gripped his folder in-hand, but much of the rage had apparently subsided in his search. Both men stepped into the lift, en-route to the office of Takeshi Kimari, Captain of the Highguard.

"And so much cleaner!"

-- -- -- -- --

Ronin heard a response to his own abrupt and informal introduction come from the crowd. A pretty girl stood before Ronin, dressed in blue. Covering a single eye was a black patch, but she managed to pull it off well. She spoke her name, it was Alana Taylor, and her voice sounded extra cheerful to Ronin. More cheerful then expected given her military attire. What really stood out to Ronin was how long her hair was though. It looked perfect as it reached all the way to her waste. How could she possibly keep it so well brushed? Just from seeing the way she carried herself Ronin had a feeling that they were going to get along very well.

Before Ronin could really reply to her ‘What’s up?’ Takeshi interrupted and announced the plans. With a sentence from the captain the whole group now moseyed on over to the elevators. Takeshi always had that leading quality to him that caused people to follow his lead without delay. Ronin wished he could conjure up that kind of charisma. It seemed back in the day Ronin had to make a fool of himself just to get noticed. To be fair Ronin had changed though, he was no longer the same goofy 17 year old who joined all those years ago.

Ronin walked over beside Alana and answered her long since asked question, “I’m doing great!” He laughed thinking it was so silly to answer her after so long. He just didn’t want her to feel left out. Ronin remembered when he was the new pilot years ago, just a boy amongst a fleet of accomplished pilots. Ronin remembered feeling so awkward and immature in comparison. Sure, there were a few other new faces but Ronin figured he might as well introduce himself to them each one at a time. “I know you asked a while ago but I didn’t want to leave you hangin’. In case you forgot I’m Ronin and I wanted to personally welcome you to the guard.”

The team, as a group, got into the elevator. It was surprisingly roomy despite how many people had pushed their way into the chamber. To be honest Ronin wasn’t quite sure where they were headed exactly but he figured as long as he stuck with the group he’d be fine. Ronin sure was glad he showed up when he did though. He’d hate to be lost in this base without knowing where he was going. How embarrassing it would be to wonder around aimlessly not knowing where to go, or who to talk to. Ronin shuttered as he thought about just how foolish that would look, especially on the first day of all days! While it held true that the base was built in a familiar style Ronin realized very quickly that the layout had drastically changed. It would take some time to get used to the new building but he was sure he would figure it out as the weeks passed.

Ronin turned to Alana and decided he might as well engage in more conversation. After all, she looked super interesting for a variety of reasons that Ronin had yet to dwell on. Besides, elevator rides are only awkward in silence, he would be doing everyone a service by starting up some dialogue. “So, Alana how’d you find your way to the Guard? Did you get an invite or did you have to beg like me when I first joined?” Ronin joked around trying to be friendly but not too overbearing. He shifted his eye contact around the group to open it up subtly so that others may hop into the chatter.


----------

Word Counter 612/

"An arrangement to speak to the engineers would be wonderful. I am sure they'd love to go over it all with me at a later date. Hard light is not an easy thing to use and manipulate, and I would love to get closer to the machine and learn more about it." The woman was excited at such a prospect, and it showed. Her face lit up more at the thought of it, though she would likely go unnoticed with it as the events grew a bit more dramatic with the others that had arrived now. It was full of tears, feelings, and meetings after the passage of time. It was something she longed for, though she did not know if it would be something possible. Were any more of the Zoidians left? All she could see were humans, none of them had the head markings that gave her kind away. Of course, her markings were hidden using the hat she wore. Her race would remain a secret until she got the information she needed and trusted those around her to keep it to themselves as well.

Takeshi would speak up and tell them all to follow him so that they could go to his office to see the contracts. The bunch would be lead to the elevator, the Highguard captain speaking about a man he called 'Clarence' and 'Clix' with high praise at the same time. Aiyana would walk into the elevator, refraining from picking conversation with anyone of her own volition. The woman would respond if someone spoke to her, of course, she just did not wish to be the one to start anything. Many of the people here already knew each other, and she would rather them talk to each other and allow her to listen and learn about them in the process.

Takeshi leaned comfortably against the back of the elevator, his eyes closed as he listened to the chatter of his newly forged team, well almost he thought to himself, they still had to sign the contracts in his office. He smiled inwardly, none of them had shown any signs of uncertainty, the Highguard would be reborn and he could begin his journey again. The captain rested his hands behind his head as he hummed a happy aimless tune, the day had been a good one and for the time being at least he could forget his problems.

The elevator gave a loud ding as they hit the appropriate floor for the Captain’s office, Takeshi leading the way out. “I’ll likely be spending a lot of time in the office, so should you need anything please don’t hesitate to come find me here.” He informed them all in a comforting tone, “I know for those of you not used to team life it can be a bit confronting sharing space with strangers, but I assure you before long you’ll come to think of the Guard as family.” The old pilot smiled as memories of his early days flashed through his mind, training with Blaze and Kellian, Miyo and CLiX, he glanced at the old team photo that hung beside the office door. It was a photo from a team beach party, Takeshi was in the centre with an arm each around Miyo and Blaze, with Mei hugging his neck from behind, Kellian looked as uncomfortable in the crowd as ever though he did wear a small smile. The Captain ran a hand over the photo, “You can look up to these pilots, and none braver or better ever held the controls of a Zoid, aim for such heights and you will join them as equals.” His voice faded a bit as memories of her washed over him, the Captain shook his head to break the reverie.

“Alright if you’ll all follow me inside we can get the boring business of contracts out of the way.” He pushed the door open and led them all inside the spacious office, the mahogany desk dominated the room and in front of it were four seats, extras had clearly been brought in for the occasion. On the desk were four nearly identical contracts, all laid out neatly with standard font that was easy to read. “Our contracts are fairly basic as pro teams go, it outlines your entitlements as a member of the team and resident at the base, it also outlines your base salary, for the rookies like Aiyana and Alana it’s a baseline one hundred thousand credits per year, for veterans like Ronin it’s one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand per year, this is obviously not set in stone as you will receive bonuses for winning battles and performing services for the team.” The Captain continued, “Also it outlines your responsibilities as a member of the team, you must participate in one official battle every three months at a minimum, of course you may fight more as you wish, but given it is our primary job here battles are a necessity to keep this place afloat.” He looked each in the eye ensuring that each had heard his words, “Next you are required to make one charitable appearance per month through one of our sponsored charities.” Takeshi paused to take a breath, inhaling slowly through his nose to calm his racing pulse, this was the dangerous part, this could be where they decide it’s not for them, and he knew he was asking a lot.

“I know this is a lot to take in, going pro in this industry is not something to do lightly, it’s a long and difficult path that requires discipline, strength and perseverance, I believe that all of you have what it takes to be great pilots, the best even, but the final choice is yours, once you sign this contract there’s no going back, so take your time, think it over and when you’re ready there’re pens on my desk and you may sign away.” He spoke evenly, trying to keep and sense of hope out of his voice, instead aiming for a more compassionate tone, one of understanding, these guys were young and this was a big decision. The Captain lowered himself into his leather armchair behind the desk, laying a large black pen next to each contract.