HOME | DD

Description
Chapter 02: reason

Maria walked down the corridors of the grey squall with the captain. Many people would have watched there home disappear from sight however for Maria there where much more pressing matters. "My name is Marcus Kirico" the captain began "I am the captain of this ship as well as the commander of squall company."
"I was told by professor Ridley that you were a old friend of him." Maria said, it was a surprising fact but it was the best explanation of why his ship and company were chosen. Captain Kirico nodded. "I knew him before I became a mercenary."
She was tempted to asked what he was before he chose his current occupation but decided to keep that question to her self.

"Do the rest of crew know about the details of the expedition?" She asked. "Apart from the communications officer no. So you have the unenviable task of briefing the crew what we are about to do. Don't worry about the exact search plan, we will discus it when we reach the location." Maria nodded. She wasn't a stranger to trying to convince people that a supposedly mythical machine existed. But she had only got her overseers acquiesce because of professor Ridley.

"I've assembled the crew in the hanger." The captain said as they walked down the steel corridor. "All you need to do is tell them what we are looking for"

**********

"Hey blondey."
Sarah held her face in her hand as a red headed crewman approached her perch on top of her deep frame's shoulder. "Eugene, how many times did I tell you? Stop calling me blondey!"
"Why? Your hair's a love-"
"Let me rephrase that question. How badly do you want me to throw you overboard?"

Eugene wisely decided to change the subject. "Do any of you what our latest job is?" Sarah looked up and shook her head. "No. Not yet." Sosuke stated, purposely not telling him about the librarian.

"It's strange. Usually the captain doesn't keep us in the dark." Eugene's jovial tone vanished
"Aye."
Sosuke turned to see a man with grey short hair approach the trio of deep frame pilots. "Graham. Do you know what the mission will be?" Sosuke asked. "Nope. All I know is that it's partly a favour for the captain's old friend." Graham stated in response.
"So nothing new?"
"I did discover that we are being accompanied by a librarian."
Sarah groaned. "Oh boy please don't tell me this is an escort job. The last guy was a complete and utter-"
"We all know and share your feelings on that mission Sargent Hathaway."
Graham interrupted.
"But Squall company has a reputation to uphold; therefore we tackle this one with same efficiency as usual. Even if it means guarding an arrogant idiot. Understood?"
"Yes sir." The other three replied.

"Now Sargent Walker." Graham turned to Eugene. "You need to complete maintenance on your frame."
"But I finished it!" Eugene protested.
"You finished yesterday's checks but you slacked off today. So your doing it now!"

As Graham dragged Eugene to his deep frame Sarah turned to Sosuke.
"You know anything about the librarian."
"I was still on deck when she got on."
"So what do you think of our passenger?"
Sosuke recalled the memory of how the librarian got on the grey squall. "She was seems to be a young women. But she maintained a confident posture. However it's not enough to make a accurate judgment."

The hanger door opened and the captain strode into the hanger followed by a young brown haired woman.
**********
Maria looked around the hanger. All around she could see men and women in the same grey jackets all around her. Chatting with each other; undoubtably about their assignment (though she could have sworn someone said something about 'not saying anything about the librarian being a woman').

Four Deep Frames knelt deactivated in a row in the middle of the large room. Each bore grey with square splurges of black and white. One machine boasted a red head. The mechs' armour on the limbs and the chest were angled to help them move around the water or was it for protection? Maria couldn't remember. Most of their weapons were held in stands in front of each of them. The exceptions being the second machine's cannon which was mounted on it's back with the barrel folded and facing the floor and the pile drivers which were attached to the left arm of each deep frame.

Kirico brought her in front of the machines. Most of the ships crew had gathered around the Deep Frames. The crowd parted for the captain and the young Liberian. Before they came to a stop. "Ladies and gentlemen." Kirico spoke with a loud and authoritative voice. The gathered mercenaries feel silent "This is Maria Cruz. I would like you to give her your undivided attention." He nodded to her. She took the cue and to a step forward. She cleared her throat before she began.
"Good day. Before we begin how much do you know about Machinas." There was a pause before a blond woman sitting on the shoulder of a Deep Frame answered. "They where some type of mech used before the cataclysm. At least that's what the stories say. No one has seen one since."
"Yes that is correct however I have discovered information. Information which I believe we will lead us to one."
"So your asking us to recover a myth?" This time it was a young man with black hair who had spoken. There was no contempt on his face and his tone wasn't mocking. Something she wasn't expecting.
"Yes. The goal is to obtain the Machina. If the documents are correct it should be located approximately 1000 miles west of Sphira." She took a step back. "Thank you for listening. I hope for all participants that this expedition is a success." After she finished the captain spoke. "This concludes the assignment briefing. I expect to see Sargent Major Graham Eins and the rest of the deep frame squadron for tactical briefing in 24 hours from now. Dismissed."

**********
That went better then I expected Maria thought to herself as she was lead down a utilitarian hall way lined with doors by the blond female mercenary. "Thanks for showing me where I'll be staying miss..." She trailed off when she realised she hadn't asked for the mercenary's name.
"Sargent." The soldier corrected.
"Sargent Sarah Hathaway."
Hathaway reached a door numbered 47. She slide the door open revealing the librarian's quarters which contained a bed, a sink and a shower.

"This is where you'll be staying. Meals will be in the mess hall at the times I told you. Ok?" Maria nodded to the Sargent in acknowledgment as she placed her belongings on the bed.

"Miss Cruz could I ask you a question?" She looked at the Sargent. She wasn't expecting Sarah to ask about anything. Still it wouldn't hurt to satisfy her curiosity. The Sargent had shown her around the ship after all.
"Go ahead. And you can just call me Maria" Maria answered.
"What do you hope to accomplish by finding this relic?"
Maria paused before she gave her answer. "We remember barely anything about any of the technology before the cataclysm. This could help advance technology by a century."
"You say it like it's a good thing Maria. But trust me technology is power, and I know how long it takes before some people abuse power."
Maria was, once again, surprised. This time by the Sargent's retort. Sarah spoke again.
"I'm not asking you to stop the expedition. I'm just saying to prepare for unforeseen consequences." Sarah was about to leave the librarian when she spoke.
"Not everyone will use it for evil."
"Only one person needs to use power for evil in order to inflict pain on a lot of people." With that Sarah closed the door. "Naive girl." She muttered to herself.