Hold Nothing Back

Participants:

quinn5_icon.gif ygraine2_icon.gif

Scene Title Hold Nothing Back
Synopsis As two women prep to leave for Cambridge, one pledges to do whatever she has to, and the other expresses worry. Both try to stay positive.
Date November 6, 2011


It's early on the sixth. Earlier than Robyn Quinn is used to be up, even with her newfound and respectable line of work, for however long that had lasted. She's not even sure is the sun up, and yet here she is, strapping a holster to herself for her Smith and Wesson Model 39. It still felt weird, with her months of practice and training, to be strapping up like this, but here she was. This was her life now, for better or worse.

She examines the weapon carefully, picking up a few preassembled magazines. She's less practice in cleaning, clearing, and maintenance - most of her work's been in making sure she can shoot the thing in a straight line without hurting herself, which she's gotten pretty good at all things considered.

The thing that she's going to get the most dirty looks for sits on the table next to the last magazine - an old iPod, non-cellular and with no wifi. Just a clickwheel, and attached to it a single earbud. Something to help her keep focused, as weird as it was. But it keeps her from really noticing anyone around her, focused in this moment on getting it - and anything else she needs - set up.

Given her long years of training and competition, Ygraine still finds there to be something both calming and anticipatory about being up before dawn on a day when something big is due to start. Thus, the long-time associate of the 'Sailing Club' has already arrived at the assembly area for the Ark mission, and is striding farther in - her gait actually a little jaunty, though she's more than a touch distracted as she sets about unfastening her helmet and loosening her gloves. The leathers she now sports are evidently barely-worn: midnight-blue and black professional gear, with ridged reinforcements over the joints. Her identity might well only be revealed when the opaque-visored head protection is removed, revealing her pale features and dyed-red hair.

There's a grimace from Quinn as she looks down at herself. "Well, at least mum'll never have t' see me like this, yeah?" It's a bit reassuring at least, Quinn stretching as she turns to yawn- and there's a familiar looking redhead walking towards her. She blinks, head tilting to the side in confusion. "Ygraine?" she questions, as if she didn't know. She just stares for a moment, before a wide smile forms on her face. "Oh my god it is so good t' see another familiar face!" Granted, this place was full of them, but none of them are someone like Ygraine.

Ygraine starts, then double-takes… before managing a lop-sided smile and low laugh. A moment's hesitation, then she changes course to head straight for Quinn. "That… thank you," she manages, while her customary social inadequacies fire into over-drive upon finding herself having to deal with emotions and Robyn and surprise at the same time. "It's… weird seeing you with your natural colour," she notes - accompanying her words with another smile, rather than any hint of criticism.

"I had t' be respectable there for a bit," Quinn responds with a smirk. "Back when I still worked at Studio K." Past tense, an intentional notation as she turns back to her collected items. "I… I had no idea you were comin' along on this insanity, Ygraine. What made you have that lapse of judgement?" It's a fair question, but one that could easily be offered back at her as she picks up a magazine and looks at it warily. Her lips purse, and she sighs, slipping it into a bag.

"It was felt that I would be of more use here, where there's more expectation of having substantial numbers of people to evacuate, than at Mount Natazhat," Ygraine explains, moving to creak quietly into a perch, as only the gravity-cheat tends to - relaxing without a hint of wobble, arms draped atop her thighs, as she settles on an impossibly-angled support. "Different people were considered better-suited to gearing up in powered armour, and launching an assault on a small army. Sooo…." She gestures vaguely North-Eastwards. "You lot have yourselves an outrider, and someone who can turn most building plans on their sides." She pauses momentarily. "And you - respectable? Good grief."

Quinn mouths the name "Mount Narazhat", before that name comes fleeting back to her mind. “Oh. Oh!” She blinks. A small smirk forms on Quinn’s face. “So, we’re goin’ int’ a fight t’gether. Been a right long time since that happened, y’ know.” She glances down at her iPod, trying to find a pocket to slip it into that won’t cost her space for something more valuable. “I have a good feelin’ ‘bout this. As much a’ one as I can have at least. Institute’s been takin’ people I know for a while now. Time t’ get ‘em back an’ all that.”

"I… only really became aware of them in the Dome," Ygraine admits with a rather sheepish smile. "And at least some of the personnel I met there were doing good work. I was really surprised when I was specifically warned about one whom I'd, personally, only ever seen helping desperately in-need refugees. But… hah. Our last mission together left me fried and unconscious, as I recall. I'm kind of hoping that this one turns out to be a bit less painful."

"I'm pretty sure I had a broken rib, too," Quinn notes with a weak laugh. "It was a trip, eh?" In more was that one. Her expression takes a bit of a downwards turn, setting her iPod to the side. "T' be honest I wouldn't normally go on somethin' like this, even with the training I've been gettin' from some a' the folks in Special Activites, but…" The Irishwoman trails off, crossing her arms. "They've hurt a lot of people. Taken some a' them, from what I hear. People I care about. An' I'm not lettin' it be anymore. It's about time I took a real stand, instead a' just helpin' out on odds an' ends and errands an' the like." Her lips quick side to side. "I cashed out from Studio K. Or at least I'm tryin' t', dunno how that shook out. I've been here most a' the month. I really wanted that job, but…" She shakes her head.

"Travelling through time to try to save the world's not exactly letting the side down," Ygraine points out quietly… though she looks quite openly worried. "You cashed out? I'm… I really sorry that you're cutting ties with Studio K. Truly." And very probably not just because it seems as if her advice has been comprehensively rejected in the process. "I very much wanted that to work for you. But, ahh… yeah. I've heard a lot of bad things about the Institute. Some really bad ones, from the perspective of someone who got away… after a while." She winces slightly, shaking her head. "Not, I admit, that I can really claim to understand much of what's really going on. I used to think that there were 'just' the two time-wars going on. I rather have my doubts about that now."

Quinn blinks. "Keyboard?" It takes her a moment before recognition hits her. "Oh wow, I completely forgot I lend that to-" Elisabeth Harrison. That had been an interesting encounter, even if Quinn had largely embarrassed herself. "Well, I'm glad it's been gettin' a workout. I left it with her so it would." A smile creeps up on her face, withdrawing her arm back. "Sounds scary, but I mean…" She looks around the room. "I spend most a' the summer finishin' a full album an' training with Raith. And working." She lets out a sigh. "Like I told you, it was busy." A beat. "I'm sorry," she adds at the end, as if all her other ones didn't exist. "Anyway… I guess it's nice t' know we're both better prepped for all a' this."

"Yeah. Keyboard. Black and white. Bits of it go up and down when pressed." Ygraine's voice is dry, her expression deadpan… though she can't hold it for long. "My art's better than it was, after all this practice. I… I had Liz in tears, when I gave her a couple of portraits." She sounds awed, rather than boastful. "Even… even been asked for some, too." Though she's too much of a coward to bring up the name of the young woman who did so. "I… yeah." She looks away, unsubtly attempting to hide the brightening of her eyes, though her voice is husky when she continues. "I'm sorry too. But not that we're more competent than we were. Though I really, truly hope we don't need to be any better than we were on our last crazy mission together."

Quinn doesn't have a response to that. Of course she hopes they don't need to be better, but she knows they will. "They tried t' kill us for gettin' some kids out of the country," Quinn replies matter of factly. "Or well. The government did." Quinn wrinkles her nose. "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, that's the way it goes, yeah?" She grins, pulling up her iPod, beginning to make a playlist. "It's always darkest before the dawn. Whatever dumb saying you want t' use. Either way, I expect t' need t' use everythin' an' more. Hold nothin' back. But-" She looks back up at Ygraine, determination in her eyes. "I think everything's going to come up for us in the end." Tempting fate is what she was best after all. "I mean, I'll be there. You'll be there. Jolene an' Gillian are goin' I think. Lynette, Doyle, buncha other people. We got this."

Ygraine sighs heavily… then shoots her companion a look of open worry. "I've seen you over-tax yourself with your ability, Robyn," she admonishes - too instinctively concerned to register that she's fallen back into using what was once a name no one else on the continent employed for the woman. "Using 'everything and more' could do something truly horrible to you. I've seen some of what it can do to Colette, as well, in the past. Be careful, okay? And I'll promise to try not to get shot, myself." Then she realises that she's talking as if she has any right to admonish her companion… and as if her own well-being might be sufficient incentive for Quinn to do as she asks. Hastily looking away once more, she attempts to clear her throat. "But, ahh, yeah. This might be the operation with fewer soldiers on it, but it's got some pretty heavy hitters, for sure."

Quinn blinks at the worry, seemingly caught off guard. A soft smile follows, with a slow, shallow nod. "Thank you, Ygraine. I know. Jesus, do I know. I still remember that not-red fish," she remarks, smile spreading. "I'll be careful. Hopefully I won't need for anythin' more than makin' people invisible, you know? Maybe makin' some soldiers blind. The stuff I do real well!" She beams - metaphorically, in this case - for a moment. "I don't really have any plans on bein' shot. Gonna try t' 'void that as best as I can." When Ygraine looks away and clears her throat, Quinn reaches up and pokes her in the cheek. "They're probably gonna get us t' get loaded up soon. I stand what I said, everythin' and more. But like I said - plan for the worst, hope the best. That's how you make things turn in your favour."

Ygraine actually yelps - if only quietly - upon being poked. Evidently, she had not expected skin-to-skin contact. Blushing, she shrugs awkwardly, then musters a sheepish little smile. "I might well be outriding for this," she says. "So… take care of yourself, okay? I'm not sure how much we'll see of each other, till this is all over."

"Be safe,Ygraine!" Quinn replies with a smile and a small wave."Find me when we get back. We'll cheers t' a job well done, yeah? I brought some Guinness to the island with me. The kids are gone… so I think it'll be good t' have a celebration." She smirks, and Ygraine knows Quinn well enough to be able to tell from the look in her eyes, the weariness on her face, the crooked smile, the posture - Quinn is scared as hell of what's coming, for all her talk.

But all she can do, for now, is stay positive, like she always does.


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