Mar 18 02:41:46 108 PA - Three People Know Warfare, One Doesn't

From Chronicles

Mar 18 02:41:46 108 PA.

PLAZA PARK

Two in the afternoon is a nice time to be out in the Plaza Park, and for Gabriel, who has taken on this last winter with a smile, it's an even nicer time. His snow gear has apparently been stowed, possibly for the year, as a giant middle finger to whatever Mother Nature might decide to throw at him in the future. The lake is still slightly iced, but mainly as tiny flows that will be gone in days or hours. He currently rests on a bench beneath a tree - the sunlit side - arms across the back, one leg crossed over the other, and whistling one of those little tunes that he seems to enjoy.

Erica is walking around the park dressed in her usual military fatigues. She seems to be enjoying the weather as she wonders about. A pocket digital music player is plugged into the base of her skull so she can listen to music while walking about. She hums along with the music while she walks about. After a bit she manages to spot Gabriel and her lips curve into a bit of a smile as she walks over to where he is sitting.

The massive form of Taz enters into the park, easily twice as tall as Erica and likely eight times her mass Taz tends to be noticed quite readily as people instinctively get out of his way and the like. Not many people to get out of the way in the park however in mid afternoon as people tend to be busy with work or simply life. A cigar is clamped between his teeth, helmet hitched at his belt on a quick release strap and he meanders with an almost uncanny grace for a being of his size. All in all, he's definitely not a 'normal' member of society in most places. Even here in Kingsdale with its diverse races and conglomeration of tech and magic Taz stands out. Smoke puffs from his teeth as he draws on the cigar to keep it lit, fortunately being so tall the smoke tends to go over everyone's head near him.

Oh look, yes, a giant hulking man coming through the Park. How odd. No. Wait. That's not odd anymore. That in itself, being not odd, is odd to Gabriel, and he can only shrug and observe. As Erica approaches, he stands, a knee-jerk reaction. "Hello, Erica! Winter's finally broken, huh? Or at least, I'm going to be out here to fight off the bitch if she comes back." The older man grins and gestures to the bench that he's just risen from. It's plenty long enough for two, and such is his gesture. "Please, sit." The giant thing gets another glance. Fellow keeps turning up these days, even if giant isn't so odd anymore.

Erica hits the pause button on her music player and then reaches behind her to take the jack out of the base of her skull. "Hey Gabriel. Yah I guess we have some fairly decent weather for once." She says while she stands in front of the bench. "Nah I am fine just standing." She turns her head to look at the big man walking through the park briefly before turning her attention back to Gabriel. "So what have you been up to?"

Taz doesn't seem to have any particular destination in mind, just out for a stroll trying to fend off boredom with a stogie in hand, or mouth as the case may be. Looking around at the sound of voices, one of which is vaguely familiar the giant of a man does his usual rather obvious appraisal and checking out of Erica, a low whistle escaping him and he rumbles to himself, "I needed ta get out of the dregs long 'afore this iff'n this is how the wimminz be out here... damn." He shakes his head with a deep rumbling chuckle and then puffs on his cigar some more, looking up towards the sky thoughtfully before he grins at something and then starts to walk over towards Erica and Gabriel. This, is probably not good for casual conversation.

Answering Erica, "Odd jobs, and a lot of meeting and greeting. Some nice folk, some folk I don't really care for. Some new, some old acquaintances that I'd like to shoot in the face if I thought I could get away with it," Gabriel says with a morbidly humorous smile. The huge man's statements get his attention, but he doesn't reply to him. Instead, to Erica with a roll of his eyes - but a smirk on his lips. "Don't get it into your head to feel all special and sexy, Erica, you're the third woman I've see and heard this guy whistle like that to in the past -" he glances at his watch "- almost exactly twelve hours." Wink.

Erica turns to look at the large man as he approaches. She regards him for a moment with a slightly skeptical look on her face. Turning back to Gabriel she chuckles softly as she shakes her head. "You really seem to get along well with everyone Gabriel." She says with obvious humor in her voice. "Yah I don't think getting randomly whistled at makes me feel anything like special."

"Don't be like that." Taz rumbles to Gabriel, "It is special. It's not my fault that there's so many amazingly beautiful women about these days." He offers a brilliant smile to Erica, "And for your knowledge, little lady," He rumbles in addendum, "Every whistle is a sign of appreciation for the beauty you offer to the world. Makes it right nice to be alive sometimes. Doesn't mean I am going to try and take a squishy like you to bed... it would be a tragedy to accidentally break what should be a treasure for all to appreciate." He rumbles seriously and then he looks to Gabriel and rumbles in a more quick manner, complete with his usual accent he was avoiding for talking to Erica, "At leas' I'm not tryin' ta bag me a little scrawny girl by prayin' on her needs, talkin' 'bout sleepin' wit' corpses an' alla 'at like it's some kinda kinky thing she'd be int'rested in."

Gabriel holds his hands out to his sides in a humorous gesture of surrender. "Oh, c'mon, I defy you to name someone who truly doesn't like me - and incidentally, Miss Valeriya doesn't count, either. We aren't particularly friends, but we did make up enough that at least I don't fell that there's any true animosity there." A gaze at the giant man with a smile is followed by, "True enough, if that's what was happening, sir. Of course, it was not, if you were coming in and commenting on my own conversations?" An eyebrow is then quirked. "If I were to step in on your conversation, I assume that she has a weapon that could easily kill me or at least stop me if I tried to do such a thing - a weapon that you gave her?" The older man's grammar and words are far more official than his normal speech, and his Kentucky accent is largely removed for the time being. Still, it should sound obvious to anyone that none of it is meant in any kind of anger or even annoyance, just a simple statement of fact, and a question. Finally, to be polite, "My name is Gabriel, my friend here is Erica, though I'm obviously speaking out of turn by speaking for her." A look is cast upon Erica as if, "Was that okay for me to do?" After all, in his time and place, it would *definitely* be the man's job to do that, no matter what the relationship.

Erica rolls her eyes while shaking her head. "Yah whistling just makes you look like a jackass. It doesn't make anyone feel special. Don't whistle at me in the future." She says while frowning slightly and crossing her arms in front of her. She looks over at Gabriel as he introduces her to the big man and she shrugs her shoulders quickly. "Yah it is fine. And as for you Gabriel. I am sure more people dislike me then you any hows. You just seem to complain about it more then me."

Taz can't help but laugh, a big booming sound at Erica's comment, "Ok little lady, I will try ta hold back." He rumbles amusedly, "Ya got fire at leas', 'at's somethin'." He puffs on his cigar and then looks at Gabriel, "Not what it sounded like, even Coat was confused. I think you just back peddle real good when ya hit a stumblin' block. I'm glad I have 'er that gun, least now she's got a fightin' chance." *puffpuff* Taz blows a smoke ring in the air, "Gotta do somethin' babe." He says to Erica, "Not like ya gonna be lookin' over without it, can take it like a compliment it be, or can be a bitch. No skin off my back." He rumbles good naturedly then introduces himself, "Taz." And that is apparently his name since he thumps his chest like the oversized gorilla he comes across as at the introduction.

"Hey, sitting on things that annoy you just means that the tea kettle is going to blow some day instead of letting off steam slowly," Gabriel offers to Erica. Other than that, he seems to be happy keeping his personality quirks to himself. No further explanation offered to Erica or Taz. For now. "Taz, huh? Is that short for something? Biblical name, or named after the cartoon character?" The man seems possibly genuinely interested.

Erica rolls her eyes again as Taz thumps his chest. She chuckles softly to herself while shakes her head. "Well Taz you sure know how to make a great first impression." She says with a little laugh still in her voice. "Oh well." She turns back to Gabriel and smiles at him. "So did you have any word on when we are supposed to head out to Iowa for that crap? I would like to be able to plan ahead a little bit."

"Dunno." Taz rumbles conversationally to Gabriel, "Just what I've always been called for as long as I ken remember." He puffs on his cigar and shoots a wink and a smile at Erica, "Thanks." He must think her compliment is really meant, or perhaps is just as sarcastic. Who knows. He does perk 'up' at the mention of Iowa, "Iowa? Isn't that near the shit goin' on with Tolkeen an' the Dead Boyz?"

No reason to be rude, so Gabriel just speaks to the common air between the three gathered at the bench. It's two in the afternoon, and winter is breaking into a cool spring air. "No, nothing about the job further than everyone get ready because something very bad has happened. Seems to me like that means another recon missions, but whaddya want to bet that no one else agrees with me?" Okay, that last part was directed at Erica. Then, "Yeah, the old state of Iowa is between here and Minnesota, which means between here and Tolkeen. There may or may not be something strange happening up there. Honestly, I don't know." Another nod to Erica and a shrug. "First recon was shit thanks to, well.. others." Yeah, she knew it. But Taz didn't.

"Well I guess I'll just keep waiting then. I really am not looking forward to that job, but on well." Erica shrugs her shoulders and looks over at Gabriel. "Just let me know when we are being sent of this mission so I can get ready to get my ass kicked for little pay." She chuckles again to herself as she looks up at Taz. "Yah it is near enough to the warzone to get hit with a lot of the blow back from the war."

Taz nods solemnly, actually looking thoughtful, "Scouting missions can be tough if people don't know how to move right, use the terrain, keep from being seen." He rumbles, no more accent or anything but business out of him when talking missions and wars it seems. He crouches down on the balls of his feet so he is more eye level with the pair. "I'm guessing someone either popped the cork to early and gave away the position, or didn't understand it was a scouting mission and got involved in a skirmish, maybe even attacked a Coalition patrol?" He looks back and forth between the pair then rolls his massive shoulders in a shrug, "Well, I may not look it, but I can be sneaky when I want to be. If you need another, and want some more firepower in case the shit hits the fan on a worst case scenario. Let me know. If it covers expenses at least I'm in."

Jason is taking a relaxed stroll through the park. Visible to one and all. With the warming, he leaves his coat open and the ragged hem flips lightly with his steps along the path leading past the populated bench. He comes from around some brush and such smoothly, his eyes settling on Taz first. As the largest amongst the three. But the others come in time and he muses them quietly as his steps draw him near.

Gabriel's face breaks in to a big smirk. "Oh sure, I complain about a few personalities I don't slide perfectly with, but every single time the Iowa job is brought up, you make it very clear that you don't want to come along. So seriously... you don't have to. Just because I asked as a friend and soldier doesn't mean that you have to say yes. This isn't a perfect parallel, but they do say that God answers every prayer - it's just that sometimes the answer is 'no.'" Taz is then politely addressed. "Don't think the reward is going to cover so much as the cost of a fart that I might lose. It's more of a 'good intentions' mission. And unless you know more than I do, it's not a scouting mission problem. Far as I know, we *are* the mission. Some kind of motherfucking magic thing probably went down." The older man seems none too pleased at the prospect, as those who know him would immediately recognize as his Kentucky accent comes back in full force. Jason, and his always rather creepy behavior is noted with a polite nod.

"Hey I told you I would come along. Cause for some reason you want me along. I'll just stay at altitude. I just don't like the company for the job or who we would be going against." Erica says with a little chuckle in her voice. "Sides I'll get to sit on the sidelines while the freaky magic people duke it out. I am sure that will be fun." Her lips curl into a grin as she looks over at Gabriel before turning her attention to Taz. "Well ask Gabriel who to ask if you want to come along. I think he has been talking to all the different parties."

Another rumbling chuckle escapes Taz at Gabriel's comment, "Never know, can find some interesting stuff, make it all worth while. Still, stay 'round here bored off m'ass, or go do somethin', I'll go do somethin' every time. Jus' let me know." He looks over at Erica and grins a broad smile, "Don't always get 'long with co-workers, but, job is job right? Do what ya gotta ta keep them creds flowin' in." He takes a puff off his cigar and straightens back up to his full 10+ foot height, exhaling smoke into the air before he looks over towards where Gabriel was nodding, "Hey Cool Cat." He rumbles in greeting.

Jason comes by the trio as Gabriel is speaking, though towards the end. Casual curiosity surfacing. He pauses and nods his head once to Gabriel in return and offers a relaxed, "Good afternoon," to all present. And after listening to the others, he says, "Sounds rather unpleasant. If you don't like the people you plan to go with, why go with them? Such a hostile air to an excursion could mean death for most.. if not all." His eyes rest on Erica and he adds, "Unless you are serious about merely watching them battle." More curious than concerned at the prospect. Taz receives a nod as well.

Gabriel smiles and winks at Erica's excuse... err, explanation. But an immediate explanation is needed. Politely and with a smile. "Jason, Erica, like me, has a lot of combat experience, and I know that she's not going along to fuck up the mission. 'Sitting back and watching' means aerial surveillance, which is just as important as any laser, bomb, or bullet." Then looking at Taz for a few seconds, "I honestly don't know if you can come. Not because I'm saying you just simply can't come, but... as I'm sure you're aware, you're huge. The rest of us normal-sized people have a one-hundred pound weight limit for weapons and equipment. You might break the bank all by yourself, Taz. Still," he shrugs, "if you give me a way to contact you, I can at least bring you in to hear about it. Assuming that the client is looking for more." Then a Kentucky grumble, "Assuming the asshole gets his dick out of his hands and things get moving before they continue to get worse."

Erica nods her head towards Taz in agreement. "Yah a job is a job lots of times. That is just the way it is." As Jason comes by to offer unasked for advice she turns to look at him. "I guess you wouldn't understand. Can't get along with everyone all the time. And if you can't understand a joke then you have bigger problems for sure." She chuckles softly to herself as she picks up a water bottle that is strapped to her hip. Taking a quick sip of water she turns her attention back to Gabriel. "Yah that weight limit stops me from bringing along a useful rail gun. But oh well got to work with the limitations. Have you heard anything back from said asshole?"

Taz wrinkles his nose at the weight limit, "My armor weighs in at over two hundred pounds alone, my gun, a hundred and fifty or so. Ammo, thirty five pounds each belt. I could just bring up close and personal toys, but if the shit hits the fan even I can't take more than a few energy blasts without my armor and I can't dodge them all." A realist juicer, it's a miracle! "Still, will come listen in if it's cool with whomever said asshole be." He looks at Jason, "You, are obviously not a real mercenary if you think liking someone has anything to do with it."

Jason considers Gabriel and Erica quietly for a moment before he says, "If it's a jest, good. I was not certain of your collective tone. Though it still sounds as though you are not a cohesive unit with the rest you travel with. If I am mistaken, then that is well and good." He looks to Taz then and says, "Perhaps my experience is not the same as all, but I once traveled with several companions. Had we not been a cohesive unit, we would not have lasted what we faced before I began my travels. Trust and a strong knowledge of what those with you can do can mean the difference between success and defeat. This is not the same amongst mercenaries here?"

In response to Erica's question, Gabriel smirks and reaches into one of his pockets, bringing out a simple piece of paper and unfolding it. Apparently the man is still fighting going digital. Jason receives a small, neutral glance. "Most people around here don't have half the sense in their head to think about forming cohesive units. They just fucking do things however they like, and the best you can do is the best you can do with the best of who you have." His eyes return to the paper, which he holds open, up-and-down with two hands like the ancient town crier. He makes a loud clearing sound with his throat, and then, obviously trying his best to remove his own drawl, "Says the said asshole. I quote from his own writings. 'Glad to see you're doing okay, didn't run out and get yourself shot or anything in my absence. Things have progressed in their own little disturbing way, and I thought you might be interested in following through on the information we were able to dig up. This isn't going to be a scouting expedition - we will expecting a hell of a fight - so if you're not up for it, that's fine. If you are, I think it would be nice if we could meet up.' The end." The older man takes a moment to re-fold and stow the paper before finishing. "Frankly, any asshole whole gets excited and actually uses the statement 'expecting a hell of a fight' clearly has no idea what real combat is about, where people get wounded, maimed, and die."

"Well thanks for the lecture there. I love it when people tell me how to do my job." Erica says to Jason with obvious humor in her voice. "You don't have to like someone to work with them. And forming a cohesive unit is about proper command." She turns to Gabriel as he reads from the paper. "Yah I got that same little note. I was hoping you had heard more then I had, but I guess not. Yah that note didn't really give an good info. I would like to know a lot more things before heading out back to Iowa. But I guess just have to go without good intel."

Taz raises an eyebrow, "Who in the hell says 'Hell of a fight' and then puts weight limits in that are so meager? What does he expect people ta use, harsh fuckin' language?" He looks towards Jason and shakes his head, "That's not a job, that's a bunch of friends goin' out an' gettin' their dick wet pretendin' ta be adventurer's or somethin'. A real merc company, yeah, you might get to know your crew, but when it's a rag tag group o' individuals you gotta trust in y'self and hope an' pray ta whatever ya pray ta that the squishies can hold up their end. Ya do what yer ordered ta do, ya do the job, doesn't matter what ya think o' the people yer with. Ya jus' do it. Cuz that's what ya get paid fer. Doesn't matter how much ya like someone if they can't follow orders or do the job. Likin' someone makes people do stupid shit, like goin' ta rescue their lover when they get clipped rather than holdin' the line an' makin' sure -everyone- don' get clipped." He rumbles seriously.

Jason listens to the letter and opines, "Or they simply enjoy the hale and fury of it. Some do. They do not see the dark of it, they only see the fire." Said without any emotional lean for or against. Erica he considers with an arched brow. "I was hardly telling you your job, as I don't know what role you take on the field of battle. Merely an expression of opinion and personal experience." He then asks Gabriel, "Why do you not just choose your own allies. If you wish to do this, nothing says you must do it how others dictate. Or does something force things to be this way?" Hen then shakes his head at Taz. "Your description sounds like an unruly mob gone to fumble. A proper company is one where you have professionals who know themselves, know their teammates and work together to present a strong front with a mix of forces. One must, of course, have confidence in themselves. But it helps to have confidence in those around you. Though you might note I didn't say anything about like in that. Liking who you work with is not necessary, but it helps."

The old soldier looks to Erica with a nod and a smile of chagrin. "We're going to have to stay flexible. Need alternate objectives, even tactically. Be able to threaten an attack in one place or shift and diverge to another, and be able to follow through with either one. Only real way to tune tactics to uncertain intelligence, y'know." Gabriel then laughs and waves a hand at the only woman present (apparently....). "Sorry, don't mean to tell ya what you already know." Taz's comments are visibly appreciated, and he does his best body-language attempt to make sure that the super-sized man knows it. The odd Jason receives further polite explanation. Not his fault, he doesn't know, even if he does sound like an Oxford philosophy lecturer with a three-foot broom handle up his ass. "The only proper company around here is the Militia. No one else on a small scale seems willing to get together to be cohesive. Maybe some of the small merc units around. Most people are in it for themselves, and for the cash. Not any ideal, and it's an ideal that makes you cohesive. You're in it for the money alone, good chance you're not going to be willing to listen to someone in a command structure give you orders."

"Do you ever stop lecturing and telling people how to do their jobs? Cause that is all that you seem to talk about. If you have all that experience start teaching classes or something." Erica laughs softly to herself while shaking her head. She turns to look at Gabriel. "There are a few companies about that are pretty professional. Most of them operate out of Merctown though. I think you would like Larson's Brigade, they get about quite a bit. Yah the money does cause problems. Specially when others don't listen to the good sense of a commander or someone with experience."

Taz grunts and takes a few puffs on his stogie, exhaling smoke into the air with a bit of a shrug, "This ain't the work o' a merc company, this sounds like someone just grabbin' people 'e knows an' sayin' 'lets go do dis thang' or some shit. Still..." He grins, "I'll take an unruly mob over nothin' at all. Otherwise I'd die o' boredom. Maybe there'll be a new merc company formin' up or somethin' that'd be sweet. Nothin' worse than some ass actin' like their's a totem pole an' discountin' peoples skills simply cuz they're new."

Jason looks to Gabriel and wonders, "Then why don't you form a proper group based on your own vision? I am honestly curious, since you seem to have a clear idea of what you desire in a group." He then smiles at Erica. "Again, I am merely offering opinions and discussion. If you wish to see it as lecturing, that is yours to do. I readily admit that I am not a greatly experienced soldier. I am sorry that my concern vexes the both of you so much." He then nods to Taz. "Sebastien, a rather odd man, seems to have the right idea. He plans to find suitable people and train with them to form bonds and experience. It seems a path to a stronger whole, should those individuals come together in the future. It doesn't sound as though he seeks a lasting group, however."

Gabriel's wrist suddenly begins to sizzle, and he shouts, "Shit!" After looking to all three, "Gotta run. I talk to you later, Erica, and Taz, I'll find you." Then, *poof* he's running and out of the park.

"Gabriel and I have been talking about forming a company. I think we will set it up after this latest job. Look for some people that can take commands and do a proper job." Erica says with a shrug of her shoulders. "As for Sebastien, he isn't able to make good bonds between people. Better at making people fight each other." She chuckles for a moment before taking another sip of water. "I guess Gabriel and I will just have to decide who will be in command." She says while offering Gabriel a wave good bye. "Sounds like a real team player." Taz rumbles dryly, sarcasm heavy in his voice, "This Sebastien person." He rolls his massive shoulders in a shrug and looks thoughtfully at Erica, "Well, it's a dog eat dog market." He rumbles, "Hear o' a lotta little merc groups gettin' eaten up alla time. Not jus' 'bout takin' orders, gotta make sure the people can do the job. Me," He grins toothily around his cigar after a few puffs to keep it lit, "So long as I'm gettin' paid, I'll follow orders real good.. up to the point them orders cost me more than I'm gettin' paid."

Jason watches Gabriel go, then nods his head to Erica. "Good to know, then. It will be a vision realized. Pardon if you thought I was speaking down to or attempting to tell you how things are. Though my experience is not broad, I know that what is rarely remains the same when the battlefield is considered. The less uncertainty the better. It has given me some pause when it comes to the potential that I might one day find myself amongst those who I do not know well and how I shall handle that situation. If nothing else, I have no trouble following a lead and I am used to supporting others via my talents. In some ways, I am well suited to such a role." He offers Taz a light smile and says, "I am allowing him to show me his worth. I hold no illusions one way or the other."

"Well a good commander inspires trust in those that follow them. That way those that follow them will know that the orders they take won't cost them everything." Erica says to Taz after a moment thinking. "The problem will be making sure that those under my command trust me, respect me, and will damn well follow my orders. A lot of mercs about think they know a better way. That can cause problems in a unit. So just have to hire the right people. Oh well see how it works out."

"Trust is a hard thing ta come by in dis 'ere world o' ours." Taz rumbles conversationally, "Gotta be... earned. Gotta be worthy o' it. Can' jus' go an' say 'Trust me' an' 'spect people ta jus' do so." He rumbles a chuckle after that. "Las' time I wuz out, that Johnson dude kept fuckin' wit' m'kills, made the whole thing borin' as fuck. Only time I got ta have any fun was when he was busy, then I could tangle the way I wanted." He rolls his shoulders in a shrug, "But, hell, he was tryin' ta not cost m'money, not that it woulda but..." He studies Erica looking thoughtfully at her, "Thing 'bout a true company, is ya gotta be able ta deal wit' each other at leas' 'nuff ta be professional. Dat ken be hard ta find to."

"Being friends helps," Jason notes. "Those who I traveled with I had known for a long time. A lot of trust. Something I miss." he pauses a moment, thoughtful. Then he shakes his head slightly and considers Taz and Erica. "Success is a thing that garners respect more often than not." He then offers Taz a broad smile. "Are you saying, should we find ourselves in a battle together, that I should not trouble your targets? I have a tendency to cause them to stop fighting when all is going well."

Erica nods her head at Taz. "Yep that is true. Trust can be hard to come by. Can be hard to win too. Just have to see how it works out. That and who we end up with." She shrugs her shoulders while taking another sip from her water. "Well I have been successful much more often then not. Fought in quite a few battles in my short time. See if that will help out with the new company."

Taz looks over to Jason, "Do I -look- like someone who needs his opponent to stop fighting?" He rumbles seriously, "My job, is to draw fire. Because I can take it -if- I don't avoid it to begin with. My job is to make everyone else's job easier by being the biggest and most dangerous target out there." He continues in that serious rumble. "If the things I am fighting suddenly -stop- then people will freak out and not attack me, move on to other targets, and that's dangerous for everyone." He puffs on his cigar and finishes it, putting it out on the palm of his hand with a bit of hot embers falling, thankfully he's wearing armor but that probably wouldn't have stopped him regardless. "I'm all for helping people out, but you help the people that -need- it, and let the people doing their job, do their job. I'm mobile artillery in a way. I don't need things not attacking me." He shakes his head a bit, "That's what being a unit is about, it's about understanding what everyone's role is, and trusting them to do the job given to them. Save the squishies, not the tanks who can take it." He pulls out a fresh cigar and tears the end off of it so he can light it up, puffing as he looks at Erica, "She gets it." He nods to her slightly, "You support the weakest link, make it stronger, then the whole is stronger. No need to support the parts which don't need it and let another part crumble."

Jason nods to Erica. "If you would allow.. for them to mean something, people have to know of them. See them. I don't know how public these successes were, but some manner of display would likely help. Just how you would make them known is yours to decide. But unwavering proof would likely help you establish yourself." He then looks to Taz thoughtfully. "You make good points, but consider this." A pause, then he adds, "My own abilities are quiet. Silent and offer no obvious sign of their point of origin. Now consider yourself in the heat of battle. Slaying foes and so forth. One of the ones near you simply collapses. Who is going to assume someone else did it and not you? In the heat of the moment, details are the first thing to be missed. It would simply be another casualty attributed to you. And it would spare your armor some punishment, that it can take more in the future, and allow you to focus on another target, rather than allowing that target to do whatever it might do without you attacking it. You are right, supporting the weaker is important. But so is reinforcing the strong. The two are not mutually exclusive. Or so I see it, anyway. In truth, I could compliment you well, I think. With all eyes on you, I could work well without distractions, making you all the more effective a juggernaut."

Taz shakes his head, "You're missing the point." He rumbles around his cigar saying seriously, "Support those who -need it- first."

Erica nods to Taz in agreement although she does roll her eyes slightly as he puts out the cigar on his palm. "Yes that is why a good commander is needed. To direct people to the areas where they are needed. That way you don't have a unit stepping on each other's toes. A lot of time those with powers assume that they know everything and can solve any problems. Often times they just make the lives of others more difficult." She chuckles a bit while shaking her head. "No I don't show off. That wouldn't accomplish anything. I have a fine reputation, and I don't need to go bragging about every little Op to make myself feel better. And going about and pissing off team mates like Taz here are a good way to destroy an effective unit. Better to follow a commander that knows where support is needed."

"Good commanders' gotta have peeps they ken trus' ta get the job done to." Taz rumbles simply, "But, hell, who knows what t'morrow'll bring." He shrugs, "Chances are whomever that assmunch is who put in weight restrictions ain't gonna let me go anyways, so will have ta find somethin' else ta do..." He wrinkles his nose and looks up towards the sky, "Hope somethin' else be goin' down sometime soon. Otherwise have ta go off an' look fer more dinosaurs ta kill..."

"As I said, the two are not mutually exclusive," Jason says once more to Taz. "I did not dismiss your idea. It is a proper one. So yes, I did hear you, quite clear. I merely offered an example. If an ally was under threat, I would of course aid them. To lose a man or woman is unacceptable." His eyes shift to Erica and he nods. "Of course, if I were under a leader I would follow the plan laid out. That is the way of things as far as I'm concerned. Of course, without a plan, one can only do what they think is best as no leader is leading them." he smiles and adds, "I did not say you should show off. You need only have the truth of your exploits told. I don't see that as bragging."

"Well there are always plenty of dinosaurs about." Erica says with a little laugh in her voice. "Just don't get eaten by a T-Rex." She finishes off her bottle of water before turning to Jason. "Well can always ask. I can't tell you everything I have done. Some clients have non-disclosure agreements as well. Anyways I need to get going. It was nice to meet you Taz." She gives a nod to both Taz and Jason. "I'm sure I'll see you both around."

Taz throws his large hands up in the air, "Fucks sake Cat, you just don't fuckin' get it! Good people don' need ta say -shit- other's -know-." He bellows out and then the big juicer is stalking off and away from Erica -and- Jason, apparently having had enough of listening to Jason's ideas on what should and shouldn't be done on the battle field. He makes sure to point out, "If, fer some fucked up reason' we're fightin' in the same battle Cat, you don't freeze shit I'm fightin' without an order, or iff'n I lose m'fuckin' mind sometime between now an' then an' -ask- ya to." He stalks off muttering to himself, some choice words like 'baby' and 'infant' and 'child' and 'protect' being overheard possibly. Stomp stomp stomp. Over half a ton of annoyed juicer heading out, yep, people clear the way. Whatever response Erica might have gotten is lost in his tirade.

Jason lifts his hand in a parting gesture. "I may, though that is really more for those who you are hiring. I have no reason to question your experience." He nods his head towards her, then considers Taz. He seems amused with the large man. "I know well, I used to have that rapport with those I left behind," he says. Not seeming concerned if anyone hears it. "But such things don't come at first meeting." He turns, casting his eyes off to look about the park, lingering quietly in place for the time being.