Apr 15 15:48:52 105 PA

From Chronicles

Wed Apr 15 15:48:52 105 PA (15.49C, 59.88F): The dense fog obstructs a view of nearly everything, permitting only objects at most a few meters away to be seen. The utter uniformity of view, pure white fog, only intensifies your dwelling on the cold.

The AIM seems to be fairly quiet today. Only a few of hte many work areas light up like christmas trees. One of the smaller ones that's light hold two figures. Well, one figure and a powered armor would be more precise. Raina is seated behind the SAMAS working on an exhaust port at the moment. Her tail wrapped around the legs of hte stool as if to keep her balance as she leans into a wrench to get a little extra ummph on the torq.

A tall woman walks into AIM from the oppressive fog outside, her blonde hair slightly matted from the moisture, though it is currently curled up in a tight bun. Wearing a form-fitting trench coat, currently hanging open, it can be seen that the woman is a walking arsenal. Her panty-hoed legs walk subtly inside a tight black leather skirt, and she wears a simple white sweater covering her ridiculously large bosom. Entering AIM, she looks around and spots the feline woman behind the SAMAS and angles toward her, calling in a low alto, "Excuse me, are you the mechanic?"

Raina glances up from her work, then swipes a hand across her forehead to wipe away a driblet od sweat form her fur. Leaving a streak of carbon behind as she chuckles. "Afraid not. I think Cali is off with her lover at the moment probably rocking the bed stead." She rises from her seat, letting her tail spin the stool off into it's slot under the workbench. "Would you like to leave a message for her?"

The tall woman eyes the feline woman with suspicion, narrowing her eyes slightly. She reaches into her coat and puts her hand on the grip of a C-18 laser pistol, leaving it in its holster for the time being. "I don't want to leave my weapon behind. I can usually fix this kind of thing myself, but this is giving me fits." She angles a chin toward the SAMAS armor and asks, "Do you know anything about E-Clips?"

Raina hmms softly at that. "E-clips? A small bit. Most of my repair work goes into vehicles or.." She reaches out and thumps the SAMAS on the shoulder, "PAs. If you'd like to leave the clip for Cali to look at, I'm certain it could get back to her."

"I take it that this 'Cali' is the owner of this establishment? Who are you?" the woman asks, one hand still on the pistol grip, though relaxed slightly. "Do you own that SAMAS? That's Coalition technology, you know." The woman's eyes remain narrowed, though she seems to have relaxed all over somewhat. She seems to have no compunction about asking questions of total strangers.

This SAMAS is most certainly NOT CS issue at all. Raina simply arches a brow at you. "I do own it, yes. And it came from a long ways outside of the Coalition States area of effect. I think those that gave it to me might truely object to the CS swearing they own the SAMAS designs. Her nose wrinkling playfully, "Most simply call me Raina. Used to be officer Raina among other names."

The woman pauses for another moment before gently releasing the grip of the C-18 and extending a dainty right hand toward the feline. "Lucy," she says briefly. "So you can't help me with my E-Clip issue? Does this 'Cali' have the skills to repair it, or does she just do.." she pauses to take in the environs before adding, "vehicles? Honestly now. If she can't fix it, I'll just continue to work on it myself."

Raina shrugs slightly, "I never know what she can do. She almost seems to speak to them to find out what's wrong with them. I'd say let her have a peek at it. She will return it to you if she can't fix it at no chanrge. You;re out perhaps a day or so."

Lucy looks suspicious again, but reaches down and pops the E-clip out of the C-18 riding her left calf, setting it on a nearby workbench and searching for something to write on and with. Eventually, she manages to locate a beaten up fragment of paper and an ancient, grease-stained pen. Taking out a hankerchief with which to grab the pen, she asks, "What language should I leave this in for her, Raina?"

Raina blinks at that. "I believe her native tongue is Americanese." She offers a stenographer's pad and a clean pen for you as she speaks. "You might want to use these as I think that pen was out of ink before the mech three stalls over threw it in frustration."

Lucy offers a brief smile at the joke, and accepts the pen and pad with a thank you. She writes in neat script, "E-Clip drains improperly; weapon fires at only half capacity. Lucy McDermott, Raleigh's Retreat, #4." She accidentally spills some cleavage out as she bends over to write, but seems not to notice, or care, depending on what the truth may be. Straightening up, she says, "Thank you for your assistance, Raina. Now, if I may ask, what manner of being are you? I've seen Coalition cats such as yourself before, but you seem different, though similar in looks."

Raina hmms softly at that as she shakes her head. "I am not a coalition cat at all. Not even from this planet. Though I couldn't tell you what planet I'm from." Her nose wrinkling as she shrugs. "I grew up in a merc berth after being sold into it." She waggles her brows. "Life gets interesting that way."

Lucy looks less than surprised, which is a little strange. "I've traveled this continent far and wide and never encountered one such as you. I assumed that something like that had taken place, though I feel bad for you that you do not know your roots." She frowns, then adds in a low growl, "Though sometimes, you may wish that you could change them." She brightens up, however, and says, "You have pretty fur. I just have this head of hair," she smirks.

Raina smirks back and offers a wicked grin. "It helps keep me warm, yes. But it has been an issue in hotter climates. Down near the far coast I thought I was going to fry."

"I can imagine. It looks so soft, though. It must be comfortable to sleep in. Which far coast are you referring to? I've only been to two," Lucy says, then adds, "listen to me going on about your fur. I apologize, it's none of my business."

Raina reaches out to offer a hand to you. "The one with the sucker problem. Was a real joy working wood rounds into the railgun there." Her lids partially lowering as she sways slightly.

Lucy accepts the woman's proffered hand and shakes it firmly for such delicate hands. "It it getting colder in here?" she asks no one in particular, wrapping her coat tightly around herself, though it doesn't quite cover her bosom. "I too know the bite of the.. suckers, as you put them. I killed one when I was twelve. I probably just got lucky, though." Lucy smiles and watches as Raina sways, her eyes on the cat's tail. "When I was on the southeastern Tolkeen front, though, we didn't have such problems, which was nice."

Raina lifts the hand slowly, giving Lucy plenty of time to pull away. If it's not pulled away, she nuzzles her cheek against it so that Lucy can feel just how soft it truely is. "Which side of the wall were you on?"

"Oh my, that /is/ soft!" Lucy exclaims. "But more to your point.. I was on the Coalition side. I fought with them for about five years before we split - well, I was ah, thrown out - due to.. ah.. ideological incompatibility. No, that's not right. How to explain.. we simply had incompatibility issues that I'd rather not go into at the moment."

Raina chuckles softly as she shakes her head. "There was an ivory SAMAS over the walls for a while. I remember then sending whole wings after us there."

"I take it you were on the Tolkeen side, Raina?" Lucy reaches out gently to touch the feline's shoulder, rubbing her hand along her fur. "I was born in a small clan southwest of Chi-Town. They were all.. killed.. and I was taken in by a Coalition family. They raised me for most of my life until I was kicked out. I bounced around the continent, hitting Canada, Mexico, and eventually wound up here. I've seen a lot of D-Bees in my time, that's for sure. But never anyone with such soft fur!" Lucy twitters into a delicate hand. "But listen to me, going on abound fur and my life's story. I apologize, Raina, for bending your ear."

Raina shrugs slightly as she doesn't really seem to mind the hands on her. "Few seem to notice my fur and want to touch it beyond the ages of childhood. Most the adults see me only as the pilot, armed enforcer or hired gun. I do work for NTI at the moment in their research department for the powered armors." A small smile curving her lips, "I was on Tolkeen's side, yes. And life stories are sometimes where the fun in knowing someone comes in. I'd love to know that some of those that I had to shoot down survived and thought better of their lives in the end."

Lucy quirks an eyebrow upwards and says, "I never said that I thought better of my life - just that I had been kicked out." She smiles, a curious half-smile. "I'm afraid that I don't have nearly as exciting a job as you, Raina. I work in the Dregs. I only carry these weapons to defend myself, unfortunately." She looks down at the ground and scuffs her feet slightly against the concrete floor.

Raina nods, "I ment the hate for those not human in the re-thinking portion. It is rather bothersom to be hated for simply being something else." Her tail lightly looping around your ankle as she speaks. "What sort of job do you do in the Dregs, if I can be nosey and ask?"

Lucy looks down at the tail wrapping around her ankle and smiles sheepishly. "I.. service. I have a small number of regular customers, and take in others as they come. It is not the best of professions, or the most noble, but it pays the bills." She looks down at Raina through lowered lashes.

Raina offers a small smile. "Body guarding services, hmm?" she inquires with a soft purr. Yeah, that's the ticket. Instead of the eldest profession around.

"Why yes, exactly," Lucy says with an apologetic smile. "Why else would I carry so many weapons?" she says with a toothy grin. She pulls her coat even tighter around her body, gently removing her ankle from the wrapped tail. "I should probably be going. I have thinks to do this evening. Work, of course." She blushes. "You will see that 'Cali' gets my message, yes?"

Raina nods to that. Then fishes out a card to offer over. It has a number for the Happy Days Inn on the back. "If you;d like to get in touch with me. Or want to borrow a shower that you don't have to booby trap to keep privacy in."

Lucy covers her mouth with a hand and laughs into it. "Thank you, Raina, you've been very kind." She bends down an plants an impromptu kiss on the cat's cheek with a smile. "I will keep in touch. Perhaps I will see you tomorrow when I return for my clip." She smiles at the woman and begins to walk out of AIM, her hips swaying softly as she moves.

Raina watches as it's kinda hard not to. She is after all admitted as being one who isn't all that interested in the gents that keep propositioning her. A hand lifting to rest over the cheek. Then a grin shows as she turns back to finish up replacing hte armored plate she had to hot swat earlier.