faster than you think

[gevurah]

Date & Time: 10/10 – 10/13
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Characters: OZ, GILBERT and KATE
Summary: a pharmaceutical supply run courtesy of Gil's nicotine addiction.
Warnings: it's these three who knows.


[ Kate isn't one to allow herself to be pushed into anything she doesn't want to do, whether it's her father ordering her to take the night off after being poisoned and almost teetering death. Or a teenager pestering her into helping him and his friend out because said friend is having a situation up on the moon.

Despite not knowing what to make of Oz, Gil did comply without question last month when people were wandering out of the city's boundaries and being snatched up the UE for experimentation. Besides, what else is she to do up in the base when she's not training? She needs to make herself useful.

She might also be able to question Oz about Jack Vessalius privately, depending on whether or not Gil doesn't hover too much around his apparent master.

It doesn't take long; the Initiative sends them out via Transporter to Switzerland, a country she's vaguely familiar with having been to Geneva once as a child, back when her life was less blood-splattered and when her sister and mother had been alive and well. The location invokes memories, old and bittersweet as they set off. ]

Comments

TRAIN

[gevurah]

[ I'm on a train, motherfuckers.

Compared to most trains in her time and certainly Oz and Gil's, this train is runs smoothly down its tracks with very little noise, most of it isolated from the outside. Everything is sleeker, brighter and cleaner. Each seat in their compartment is filled, otherwise it's just as quiet in here. There's the occasionally screaming of a child and someone snores loudly or a child kicks the chair behind, but it's relatively enjoyable ride. ]

[velveteened]

( oz has got his face all but plastered to the window, fingers making imprints on it not long after they've departed from the station. it's fascinatingly futuristic and, more importantly, very much on earth — a living earth, green and blue and bright and with the sounds of people he won't yet have the heart to even consider complaining about. )

— Did you see that?

[gevurah]

... Hm?

[ Kate sits with her ankles crossed, gazing out the window to view all the scenery they pass as they won't see civilization and a thriving world like this once they've returned to the base.

Her own green eyes fall on Oz, peering through bangs that are in desperate need of a trim, waiting for him to explain. ]

[velveteened]

The mountains!

( he looks over his shoulder with a grin, gesturing at the indeed impossible to miss mountain skyline. it's exiting okay. )

And it looks like we'll be passing a lake soon.

[gevurah]

[ Oz had told her back on a previous mission he had never seen the ocean before, but does that mean despite being landlocked he's never seen a mountain? Her gaze drifts to the skyline, thinking about the people at the lodge at the top and enjoying hot cocoa and other hot drinks before heading out into the cold, fresh air and skiing downhill. ]

Switzerland's mountains are famous; they're called the Swiss Alps.

[ She looks back at Oz. ]

No mountains where you're from either?

[retraced]

[Gilbert isn't a part of this conversation. He's too busy nervously tapping his foot and staring out the window at nothing in particular. While it's great to be back on earth and breathe fresh air, he's also breathing fresh air. Which means that if he had tobacco, he could smoke it. But they've been in a hurry to get on the train and start this mission, and he's too mortified to bring it up in front of Kate. So instead he suffers silently. Well, silently minus the sound of his foot tapping, which is helpfully (mostly) drowned out by the conversations around them.

Still pretty annoying, though.]

[velveteened]

The Alps?

( he feels like he's heard collette perhaps mention them in passing but that's all the familiarity he has, and finds himself wondering at the etymology of the name. at her question, he cants his head slightly — it's less the point of having seen mountain ranges before and more seeing ones now when they certainly won't on return. not that exsilium was so mountainous, of course, but at least there was exposure to fresh air and at least it was earth. it's hard to say when he turns back around without quite answering that if it's out of avoidance or just being that easily distracted. )

And there's the lake! I wonder what it's called...maybe we'll be able to find a map somewhere.

[gevurah]

When we reach the station they'll probably have one.

[ She removes Oz from her gaze and looks to Gil; she's familiar with those going through withdrawal -- Renee had been quite the smoker in the past. ]

You okay, Gil?

[retraced]

--Huh?

[Hearing his name snaps him back into reality, halts his tapping and forces him to sit up straight. His eyes move quickly from Kate to Oz, and then finally back to the window.]

Sorry, what about the lake?

THE CITY

[gevurah]

[ Shops line the streets as far as the eye can see. People pour and disperse from every corner, walking in twos or threes or sometimes fives and sixes. Noise is largely concentrated on the streets and traffic. Locals trams can be spotted making their way through the city.

There's an abundance of tourists, too, stopping to shop in every building they come across. There's also a long line of people waiting to eat in a restaurant at furthest corner of the street.

While Kate herself is focused on the mission objective, it is tempting to steal a moment and take in all of this. The energy of the crowds, the noise, the smell of food mingling in the air. It's a peace she's longed for for nearly a year. ]

HOTEL

[gevurah]

[ Lucky them, they get to stay in one of the fancier hotels.

But they're roomed together with only two beds. Still, it's a quaint room. Catches good sunlight, there's a small balcony to step out onto and view the city's landscape. A large TV is positioned in the middle of one bedroom, along with a chair set up against the side.

The two bathrooms are just as lustrous and polished as everything else they've acquainted themselves with so far. The toilet automatically flushes and there's a lovely aroma in the room so it maintains its fresh smell. ]

just gonna start something here

[gevurah]

[ It's a refreshing feeling to be free to shower as long as she needs to and use as much soap and conditioner as she pleases. She's taken the bedroom closed off from Gil and Oz, her duffel bag, which now is tucked beneath the bed, never leaving her general vicinity. Gil might know about the uniform, but Oz doesn't.

The shower doesn't do much to cleanse away the guilt they've all been burdened with, but it makes her feel human again. She's going to miss such a mundane sentiment when they return to the base.

She steps away from the bathroom and leaves the door open to air out the humidity and steam, having slipped into what little clothes she managed to bring with her when they retreated to the base: a tank top and shorts.

Droplets cling to vibrant tufts of hair as she towels off. ]

I'm going to head out to find us something to wear so when we're gathering supplies we don't stick out like sore thumbs.

1/2

[retraced]

[Of course the two of them had no problem letting Kate use the washroom before them; ladies first and all that. Really, Gilbert is perfectly content to sit here on the other bed and watch the world out the window. And pull at his sleeve, twisting the fabric around his finger hard enough to cut off the bloodflow. That's good and distracting.

He turns to look at her as she walks in.]

Do you want me to come with y--

2/2

[retraced]

[Though actually seeing her, he forgets what he was asking in the first place. He also leans over to grab Oz's eyes and cover them, hopefully before he sees. Anything.]

SORRY!

[velveteened]

That sounds — 

( like a good idea, but he too gets distracted from what he was going to say, if because of gilbert. luckily the purity of his baby eyes is indeed preserved...for now. )

— Gil?

[gevurah]

[ The hand holding the towel to her head comes to a halt and she can't help but roll her eyes. ]

I'll be fine. You guys can stay here or you can take Oz to explore the city. It's a nice place so you should be fine.

I'll also need to do some recon in the night of the place we'll be stealing supplies from. Might need to change their inventory files and get a truck.

[retraced]

[Hands remain covering Oz's eyes as he answers her. His own eyes drift between the floor and her face, politely skipping over any skin. Propriety!!]

We didn't come here to explore. I'd rather back you up than ask you to do all of the work.

[velveteened]

( the only contribution oz has for this conversation at the moment is a huffy breath. fine he'll just be over here and let the adults talk. )

[gevurah]

[ In spite of knowing teamwork is key, she's still very used to doing most of the work on her own. ]

Do you know what sort of clothes to look for?

We also need a truck. I figure neither of you drive.

[retraced]

[Good......point................]

Um. Not really, but...

[He's a fast learner??]

MISSION

[gevurah]

[ This isn't a vacation you lazy assholes.

TBA. ]

[gevurah]

[ She holds back the part of herself that is surprised neither Oz nor Gil chose to wander about the city of Basel for too long despite the fact after tonight they would not be seeing civilization like this again for god knows how long. No proper air to breathe without the niggling worry at the back of their minds to remind them their supply is limited, fresh and healthy foods, hot water to use whenever they wanted to shower.

After her recon and pinpointing where the weakest of Rosel's security lies, she gets a decent night's sleep. The next day, when the sky begins to darken, they all move. She checks them out of the hotel, going around the emergency exit and back up to their room to lead them out.

She's managed to secure a truck. Kate drives, as the other two can't. It's a little crowded in the front and while it's not the largest truck, they can carry quite a bit of weight in the back. Besides, with limited time this is all they could get.

She eventually slows down the truck before they reach the gates of the warehouses, a lone security man at his post. She shuts the engine off for now and heads toward the back of the truck, getting out the clothes. ]

Security won't be a problem. He'll be out for a couple of hours and by then we'll be long done.

[ She feels a bit bad for the fact they'll have to leave him concussed, but others are depending on this.

She pulls out everyone's clothes from the duffel bag and hands them out before turning around so she can get off her own pants and slip into the black ones Gil got. ]

Let's move fast.

[velveteened]

( it's possible he's enjoying this a little too much.

it's just exciting, okay, not unlike how the mission he'd gone on with caesar and gamora and jericho had been on the simple principle of having to do with pirates. but as he accepts the clothes from kate, he starts to foresee a closed quarters sort of problem, that has him looking over at gil with some bemusement as she then moves to change. right there.

they haven't started yet, but this may be an early complication. )

[retraced]

And you're sure there's no chance of anyone else already inside?

[He's certain that she's done an excellent job in her recon, but it never hurts to be absolutely sure that there are no other potential issues along the line. And another person with a weapon on security detail is most definitely a potential issue. He takes his own clothes, and only has enough time to look down at Oz's odd expression before realizing why he's making that face.

Oh god. He refrains from covering the boy's eyes this time, but only because he's too mortified to do so. Maybe he can just put these clothes on over the ones he's already wearing while still averting his eyes...?!]

[gevurah]

I'll check the security feeds.

[ She dons the black clothes and ties up her hair to keep it from falling in her face before she heads out the back of the truck. Hopping onto the ground quietly, she moves toward the security outpost. ]

Stay put.

[ Her tone is a lot colder and professional, indicating she's a lot more familiar with the process than she's willing to admit. She sneaks up on the security guard, who is fetching a mug from his desk and turning toward the little espresso machine behind him.

She slips above the small post and tosses a rock she's collected against the ground so the noise alerts him. He takes the bait without a second thought and steps out for a moment with a flashlight to see what it is.

And Kate dives down onto him, grabbing his head between her legs and flipping him onto the ground. She rounds her fist and strikes him hard so the struggle ends quickly. ]