The shuttle was cold, and the lighting dim; it was stripped down for speed, and a lot of the life support power had been shunted to the cloaking device. The guerrilla soldiers that packed the shuttle's interior bore the cold and dark stoically; the Colonial forces didn't have enough resources to go around, so there was nothing to be gained by complaining. They huddled in their full combat gear, along the bare gray walls or together in groups for warmth and company, the low murmur of voices blending with the thrumming of the shuttle's engines to provide a soothing background hum.
Some men chose to be alone, sleeping or making adjustments to their battle gear, or any other task that could occupy their minds during the tedious journey. One man sat apart from the rest, tucked in a corner of the shuttle just behind the cockpit. He was easily distinguished from the rest not only by the makeshift rank tabs on his uniform jacket, but by the laptop computer in front of him, the only piece of loose electronic machinery allowed on the shuttle. It was on, and the screen was filled with text, but its owner was not paying attention. He only stared out the shuttle window, his vivid blue eyes fixed on the bright pinpricks of stars or the invisible foes that the blackness hid, or maybe on nothing at all.
"If he's not working on the damn thing, then why doesn't he turn it off?" Wufei muttered under his breath to his reticent companion. "He can brood just as easily without draining the ship's power any further."
"I'm fairly sure it runs on internal batteries," Trowa replied noncommittally. Wufei glared at him briefly, and Trowa gave a slight shrug. "It makes him feel useful," he allowed finally.
"Useful!" Wufei snorted in annoyance, then shook his head. “He’s a Gundam pilot, and half the Colonial forces look to him for guidance. If that doesn’t make him useful, then I don’t know what could.”
Trowa said nothing. There was no need to speak, something that Wufei knew just as well as the other Gundam pilot.
"All right, so it bothers me!" Wufei snapped finally. "I must confess I'm worried..."
Re: Break
Date: 2006-02-21 10:19 am (UTC)The shuttle was cold, and the lighting dim; it was stripped down for speed, and a lot of the life support power had been shunted to the cloaking device. The guerrilla soldiers that packed the shuttle's interior bore the cold and dark stoically; the Colonial forces didn't have enough resources to go around, so there was nothing to be gained by complaining. They huddled in their full combat gear, along the bare gray walls or together in groups for warmth and company, the low murmur of voices blending with the thrumming of the shuttle's engines to provide a soothing background hum.
Some men chose to be alone, sleeping or making adjustments to their battle gear, or any other task that could occupy their minds during the tedious journey. One man sat apart from the rest, tucked in a corner of the shuttle just behind the cockpit. He was easily distinguished from the rest not only by the makeshift rank tabs on his uniform jacket, but by the laptop computer in front of him, the only piece of loose electronic machinery allowed on the shuttle. It was on, and the screen was filled with text, but its owner was not paying attention. He only stared out the shuttle window, his vivid blue eyes fixed on the bright pinpricks of stars or the invisible foes that the blackness hid, or maybe on nothing at all.
"If he's not working on the damn thing, then why doesn't he turn it off?" Wufei muttered under his breath to his reticent companion. "He can brood just as easily without draining the ship's power any further."
"I'm fairly sure it runs on internal batteries," Trowa replied noncommittally. Wufei glared at him briefly, and Trowa gave a slight shrug. "It makes him feel useful," he allowed finally.
"Useful!" Wufei snorted in annoyance, then shook his head. “He’s a Gundam pilot, and half the Colonial forces look to him for guidance. If that doesn’t make him useful, then I don’t know what could.”
Trowa said nothing. There was no need to speak, something that Wufei knew just as well as the other Gundam pilot.
"All right, so it bothers me!" Wufei snapped finally. "I must confess I'm worried..."
"About him?" Trowa said quietly.