Let's Try To Person [Assignment/Squad1]

[Bailey Oleander]

"You probably hit the mark pretty often, then." It sounded lame even to her, but whatever Bailey started to say was left behind with the sudden display of pride, the most emotion she'd ever seen from Blake, nevermind the most he'd spoke outside of training instructions. In that moment, she could all but see the territory lit up in the air above him. He didn't question what direction he was sent, he followed orders regardless of where it took him. It meant that he trusted his commander to the point of being blind. The idea horrified her. She stared, knowing it wasn't the first time she'd heard these kinds of words and wouldn't be the last.

Blake was, without question, a soldier. A leader? Maybe. Probably. And though she was coming to this understanding, he was also making her head hurt. Did he not wonder about things? Where did she even start with what he'd told her?

After a moment, she gave a slow nod, biting at the inside of her cheek as she almost literally chewed over her own thoughts.

"That makes sense," she decided after a pause. "Now, imagine having those same few resources, that same small territory, but even fewer people. A ship with half the crew. You're not even sure you have enough to keep things going at the rate that everything is happening. Imagine having to cover all of bases and fill in gaps as best you can, but there's just not enough people. You have to count on others to fill gaps you can't, and when that's not enough, you have to find other ways of making it work. Because that's where I come from - that's what I did. We don't have the manpower back home, so everyone and everything has to have a purpose, more than one, and if you can't fit that purpose, they find something else for you. There's not enough hours in the day to do everything you need and take up training if it means pulling others away from what they're doing and leaving you even more short-handed." Nevermind what you wanted to do.

[Blake Oleander]

"Sounds to me like training should be mandatory where you are from then. If you truly lack the people to fill all roles then it is your responsibility to make the time to learn to fill more roles."

To do otherwise was to be lazy. And defense was essential for every and all territories. Her lack of skill was her own fault, a failure of herself and her people to not prepare her.

[Bailey Oleander]

"And mine expanded to keeping people alive, not killing them." She bit harder on the inside of her cheek as her weight shifted again. The blunt observation rubbed her the wrong way for more than one reason. How many times had she thought about trying, or sought someone out, only to have it not work out. Or worse, be forgotten? She didn't even like having to deal with violence, but that didn't mean they didn't think of what-if's. It was like asking a machine to run with pieces missing, held together with wires and duct tape and determination. Sooner or later, something would fall.

She was worried what would happen if - when - it did, and wondered if she'd be there when it happened. Populations died. Machines could break, and they'd already lost their main doctor. Natural defenses discouraged the more frequent warfare Blake was used to, but even in her short time at Cabal, Bailey had to wonder just how much was actually her own failure.

It wasn't a pleasant thought.

[Blake Oleander]

"The two are not mutually exclusive."

Did she think him and his people went killing people as leisure time? It was a dog eat dog world and killing his enemies would save the lives of his people. It would give them security, food, and water. She was just being obtuse because of her own discomfort.

[Bailey Oleander]

"Maybe not, but my strengths and my roles lean more towards one part than the other." For once, she frowned, the tips of her teeth showing as her lips tucked down and her arms tightened across her chest. It wasn't the first time she'd wondered the full reason she was sent here.

[Blake Oleander]

He shrugged.

"If you say so."

He wasn't trying to start a fight. She is the one that brought all this talking stuff up.

[Bailey Oleander]

"I do." it wasn't that she couldn't see the point he'd brought up; removing enemies meant keeping your own people alive longer and keeping the obstacles to a minimum. It was bad enough without adding the fact that something as simple as what she'd thought would be small talk and getting to know her partner left Bailey looking back on her own home life with a questioning eye. And questions.

"I'm sorry." She sighed under her breath and brushed her bangs from her face. "This wasn't what I planned on, and I know you have other things to do. See you tomorrow morning?" Daily training; same time, same place.

[Blake Oleander]

"You know how to find me if you need my assistance."

He frowned, it was tempting to just leave it at that. But she was obviously unhappy with how things went, which might distract her and hinder her training and progression. He tried to think about home, and what he might say to someone from home in this situation.

"Don't worry about the things you can't control or for how dull your edge may be. The sword is not forged with a single stroke of the hammer. And even the finest of creations start as nothing more than a misshapen lump of steel."

[Bailey Oleander]

She nodded and had turned to leave, expecting him to go back to training. It was safe to say she could find him here if she needed to look for him. Her thoughts turned to the conversation when his voice broke the thin concentration she had. But rather than a straightforward observation, he was speaking in metaphors again. She turned to face him, a smile warming her face as the meaning sunk in.

"Thanks, Blake." The tension in her shoulders eased a little, the questions still present, but st aside for the moment of her partner actually being sweet.

[Blake Oleander]

He'd just nod and turn away from her.

"Go get some rest. Tomorrow we are running and I expect you to beat your previous time. I'll see you at dawn."

And with that, he'd start walking away. He had things he wanted to do, he wanted to resume his routine and return to his solitude.

/exit

[Bailey Oleander]

"See you then."

She stifled her groan at the reminder but accepted the dismissal. For better or worse, this really was her life for now. She just wished she could decide one way or another how she felt about it.

/end

[Zack Asiv]

Name: Squad Training
Requirements: Assigned a Squad
Job: It's time to get the squad together and hash out our problems. Be they in the field or with each other personally.
Bonus: Fight each other, discuss problems, and grow together or apart.
Payout: +5 exp, +$250

Bonus: Achieved

Payout: Squad 1 now has +1 to all stats when working together in a thread