westerncontinent | Starfighter AU

Starfighter AU

[Space. A frontier of infinite possibility and resources, desired by Gaia's governments and businesses both. Shinra especially, lodged deep within several countries' energy and military production, was gung-ho about the possibilities of mining in space from the start, and with their money and sometimes expertise, the people of Gaia reached their moon, and beyond.

Space isn't just full of opportunities, however, as they soon found out. No one had actually thought aliens existed, but they did.

Attempts at communication didn't work, and initially, fighting seemed impossible too, the aliens capable of shape shifting and wreaking havoc on the human side. It was, however, slowly dealt with. Methods to find the aliens were found, so infiltration attempts could no longer be easily and even less successfully enacted.

It was then a matter of making sure their planet was safe, and create a buffer zone.

(You want to do what? This is---

It'll go in our ships you buffoon, not the soldiers, though that would undoubtedly be far more successful. Well?

... All right.)

Shinra's technology proved to be the most effective, and they were not sharing their secrets, assuring them great income from various governments and other businesses wanting to protect their assets (and the planet). Few noticed there might be something odd - it was only practical the ships had two crew, one pilot/navigator and one gunner. It was only great luck that sometimes, a pair here and there seemed capable of much greater destruction than those two-man fighters ought to be capable of.

It worked, what did anything else matter?

Cloud Strife has attempted to join West Continent Allied Defense as a gunner for years, ever since he was first allowed to enter the preparatory academy at fifteen (they did not allow you into ships until seventeen at the earliest). He knows he can do it, that he would be good at it.

It seems no one else agrees, because he's consistently put as a navigator in all assessments.

Cloud Strife is deeply, burningly frustrated over this, but he does have a plan. It hasn't gone very well so far - he's has two gunners in four months - but he just needs to prove he can be even better as a gunner than a navigator. He knows he can.]

Navigator Strife, meet your new gunner, Zack Fair. Gunner Fair, this is Cloud Strife. [Commander Lazard stares at them over his raised screen, and Cloud does not glare sullenly at him, just stares with detached annoyance at the wall behind and to the side of Lazard's head. He can feel the disapproving look.] I'm sure you'll get along. Assigned quarters are F376, Deck C. Dismissed.

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[It is, and a very large part of Cloud still wishes he could get to do that part of this. But he's been trying and trying and even when he had the best setup to actually get the results he needed, if it was possible for him at all, he just... couldn't.

So he'll have to satisfy himself with this, and do his job well, even if it always rather seems like it's the gunners who get most of the praise.]

Yeah. [Sighing, Cloud flicks a glance down to the map, frowning thoughtfully.] Looks like one of the side canyons on this thing has lots of pillars and stuff. Should give both of us plenty to do.

[Cloud doesn't wait for agreement, rather just decides that is where they are going next. At least Zack won't be immediately surprised, it'll take him a little bit to get to that particular part of the canyon, even at the speed he's cyrrently flying at.]

-Huh? Yeah. Sounds like a plan.

[ The belated answer is an answer none-the-less as he tries to focus again, having already gotten lost in thought, himself. But now that Cloud has a course in mind, it's not as hard to come up with a follow up plan. Not hard when there's barely any distractions to be had after that outside of occasionally firing open things. Picking and choosing targets. Hitting them with slowly gaining precision as they get closer to their destination.

It's... not so bad like this. At least a start even if he knows Cloud's taking his time. That he's not flying like he would in an actual battle. In fact... ] You can.. fly a little faster.

[He could choose to get defensive or annoyed at that. Cloud exhaled and nodded instead, though of course Zack couldn't see that.]

Okay. Better keep up and get anything that falls down on us, then!

[Doing as requested, Cloud sped up - which also meant his maneuvers increased in difficulty, to weave down the winding canyon and avoid the towering, slender spires of rock as much as possible. It was Zack's business to shoot at the stuff, and get anything that fell from the spires or cliffsides. Cloud would avoid those, too, as much as possible, but there was only so much he could do.]

Already on it.

[ At least this time... this time, those words fall with a little more confidence. A confidence that seems to follow when he shoots a few of those spires clear out of the way. Or sometimes causes a little bit of chaos before he removes the chaos he just made.

It's... admittedly not much. But it's something and that something is better than nothing and enough to make Zack hoot at the latest shot that just spares the ship. ] There! You see that one?

[Unsure whether to be annoyed or pleased Zack seems to be relaxing a little and, now, getting into it instead of hesitating, Cloud is maybe a little twitcher on keeping out of the way of any falling debris, but... It's pretty clear Zack does have this in hand.

Sure, it's just rocks, but whatever. It's a start.

And Cloud isn't immune to Zack's excitement, a soft, startled chuckle and a small smile slipping out at the hoot filling the pod.]

Right in front of my face, so a little hard not to. But we didn't get a scratch.

Not one!

[ He beams with a little more certainty than before. Though it won't guarantee that will continue. Still, it's enough reason for him to keep on going. Keep on firing from there. Try and keep up the momentum. Try and keep-

-and overshoot, he realizes too late with another loud- ] Oh, fuck!

[ Because here comes yet again a large dump of rock falling down towards them. ]

Edited 2020-03-03 00:49 (UTC)

[Zack's cheer widens Cloud's smile, to his surprise. It's just so... warm, even when he's only being subjected to it from Zack's voice alone. It doesn't last. The huge collection of rock the shooting spree has now loosened (for a second time) is a lot.

Cloud reacts reflexively. It's a pity a plane can't be immediately backed up, for that would solve their issues real easily. As it is, he turns the "plane" down in a sharp decline, racing the falling rock until he hopefully as enough space between them and the rock to just as sharply turn them level again, both to avoid the simulated floor of the canyon and to go under and past the falling boulders.

Hopefully it'll be enough, but Zack is also hopefully firing as well as he can also.]

[ He is trying at least. Trying so damn hard, but it's obvious from the sounds of pummeling rock on the ship that he bit off a little more than he could chew. The simulation shakes as debris slams and smacks off their craft and he's left cursing some more. Starting to miss and shout and- Focus, Fair, he tries to tell himself- but it's not easy to get back to that rhythm and it's showing. ]

[He's noticing, yes. But it's okay.

Sure, they take some damage, but they're quickly out of it as well, and Cloud eyes the readouts critically.]

Went pretty well, as long as we don't get into a similar situation again.

[Will this help or not? Who the hell knows. At least it's just rocks, and simulated such. At least Zack was hitting them consistently and near perfectly before, though he's getting sloppy now. It's... hope, isn't it?]

[ He's about ready to open his mouth, to agree with whatever it is he's sure Cloud's going to say. That that was pathetic. That even he could have shot better.

But it doesn't come. It never does. Instead, it's.. oddly almost praise? Certainly polar opposite enough to have Zack shutting his mouth a minute at least. Reorganizing his thoughts before slowly speaking. ]

...Well, I guess we didn't get thrashed at least, so that's something. But yeah, probably don't wanna have a repeat in person if we don't have to.

[ There's another long pause before he adds: ] One more quick run?

[ One more that... doesn't end up too bad in the end. Still not so glamorous as he'd like it to be, but when the simulation starts to whine down, at least he doesn't feel as foolish as he did the first time around.

Stands up to stretch his legs and arms and, well. Everything before looking over his shoulder. ] So... You still owe me squats.

[Not quite what he'd meant, since Cloud had only been talking about the ship's integrity during this particular simulation, but really, Zack's not wrong. So he just shrugs, silently agreeing. Pauses at the question, but agrees (out loud, this time). And it's not so bad, really, despite how the tail-end of the first went (or the second today).

Hops out of the simulation pod and freezes in the middle of his own stretching.]

I was hoping you'd forgotten about that [Cloud groans, but, now that Zack clearly hasn't, he's not going to back down. They've both certainly recovered from walking up and down that many stairs by now.] Fine. Not here, though.

[He's not doing something as ridiculous as this where other people can see, thanks. Since the point, after all, isn't just to win; it's to do the dumb squats synchronised as long as they can.]

Why not?

[ He asks as if he totally doesn't know why Cloud would want to do it elsewhere. But he doesn't push the envelope anymore than that. Instead heads off back the way they came before with at least mire certainty in his step this time.

Getting back to their room doesn't feel like it takes quite as forever. And it doesn't feel quite so heavy either. Hell, there is even a bit of eagerness to his step as they end up in front of their door, digging for his card to let them in. ]

You ready for this?

[At least Zack doesn't really demand an answer to his question, so Cloud resolutely ignores it with more stubbornness than grace. He's admittedly a little doubtful of Zack's choice in destination for their squatting when it becomes clear he's going back to their room.

Still... looking around, arms crossed, as they get inside, it seems like it'll be large enough. Had this been back at Odin, it wouldn't have been, but the Midgar base certainly has a lot more space to dispense and does so.]

Sure.

[Still doesn't mean Cloud doesn't pull a face before he chooses a clear spot, shifting over a little more to make sure Zack has space as well. This is going to be ridiculous. If it was just a matter of squatting for as many times as possible in order to win, he'd have less against it. But that isn't just the point here, so they're going to look ridiculous, trying to synch...

Though, right now this is probably the best way to do it, with sparring not a good idea. Suppressing a sigh, Cloud nods.]

[ Their room has plenty of room, indeed. At least according to Zack. And with it being all too obvious how uncomfortable Cloud is otherwise, it's a better place for them to be, isn't it?

He thinks so as he gets set. Forms up immediately in a far too practiced stance, feet apart shoulder to shoulder. It sparks a grin on his face, bigger than it's been before as he nudges at Cloud competitively anyway with a- ]

Better keep up!

[ Then drops his first squat. Quick and fluid. Like fucking water. And just keeps going from there! ]

[What Cloud ought to do is to point out to Zack that even if this is a competition in who came do the most squats, they should also be trying to match each other's speed.

He doesn't.

Because Cloud Strife is competitive as all hell, and would rather try to match Zack in both number of squats and the speed he's doing them at, rather than point anything out.

Which means he's gritting his teeth, eyes narrowed, and matching Zack squat for squat. To start with, anyway. The way Zack's going, even if he was in the same shape Zack is in when it comes to doing squats, Cloud will... definitely start to slow, after a while. Which just makes him all the more mulish to continue.]

Come on! Ya gotta keep up the pace now! It's just like breathing! And one!

[ Too bad Zack's far more interested in stubborn encouragement than slowing down. But then everything had been the polar opposite before. Doesn't stop Zack from barreling forward like a bat out of hell for another minute before he finally pauses with his hands on his hips, hardly out of breath. ]

You really don't do squats, do you.

[Zack is just going to get a glower for his... "encouragement". While he does hang in there as long as he can in stubbornness, Cloud finally has to give up, slumping to the ground. Shoots Zack another glare.]

I can do squats fine. [And he can, but not in the way Zack does it.] You realize half the point, would've been, for us to match?

[Grumpy, he throws an arm over his face and doesn't move.]

Even if I'd eventually lose.

[Because it's clear by now (amply so) that he would have lost, regardless of if Zack really had slowed down to try and find a better equilibrium in speed between them instead of just... going as hard and as fast as he could.]

Ah... Yeah. Guess it was. [ He admits that awkwardly now. Goes as far as rubbing the back of his neck in somewhat belated embarrassment. ]

Just so used to the faster pace. I mean Ang-...

[ Zack pauses suddenly. Sucks in a breath and looks away.
] I'll slow down some this time.

[As annoyed as he is, Cloud's snort is more softly exasperated than truly angry. Zack sounds awkward as hell, and a peek past his arm confirms it. What Zack says right after that adds additional context, and Cloud... can't exactly keep being annoyed.

Frustrated, sure, because he's not Angeal Hewley and he doesn't look like him in the least so shouldn't it be easier to remember they're very different?]

Gonna have to wait a little. [But Cloud's voice is just quiet, now.] Otherwise we're not gonna get anywhere at all during the second round.

[And that wouldn't help them in the least.]

What? Your... legs gonna fall off?

[ It's a weak tease at best. But he lnowz well enough to understand how much squats can take a toll. Especially on someone who doesn't regularly do them so much all the time. Or at least not so much in a row. ]

Maybe they will.

[Snorting, Cloud doesn't even try to move from the floor. He'll just... stay here for a couple minutes at least. He probably needs a little more than just a couple minutes, if they're going to make a solid attempt again. Hopefully this time with Zack not just trying to rush to the finish just because.]

And then where will you be?

[Flopping his arms out over the floor, Cloud arches an eyebrow as he glances up at Zack. Trying... to take the tease in the spirit it's clearly meant, since Zack hadn't sounded snide or mocking.]

With a legless pilot, of course.

[ If Zack sounds a bit like a pleased, preening chocobo.... that tone ain't far off at least. He's also doing a few more squats for good measure as he adds: ]

Guess your name would be really fitting then. After all, clouds float.

[ Zack, they're a mist. ]

[Why Zack sounds so pleased, Cloud really doesn't understand at first. Just frowns at him, uncertain whether he should be angry now or not. Then Zack continues, and Cloud ends up sputtering.]

What the--- Zack.

[It was so stupid, Cloud, even if he might have wanted to be sullenly defensive about it, was just left taken by surprised. Annoyed surprise, but mostly too flabbergasted to have much of any other feelings about it.]

That's not clever. [Grunting, he flailed with a leg, smacking Zack in the shin.] Stop showing off.

[ Zack yelps at that smack, but he doesn't stop. If anything, it just encourages him a bit. Just a little- to do a few more squats faster still. At least he takes a break after that, popping his arms and redistributing his weight from one foot to the other and back. His hands are on his hips now as he snorts. ]

Someone's got some green eyed envy. Just keep at it and you might end up with legs for days like me.

[Zack is ridiculous and dumb.]

Y'know, that's not what that phrase means. [He's going to just... ignore, most of the rest.] And even if it did, not interested.

[Well, kind of. He sure would like to be able to keep up with Zack, just to show him he can.]

You were still showing off.

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