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Parents’ Concern Jan 08/01 (Times are in EST) |
[23:22]
<Nathan_Carver> <Once again, he finds himself in the Hunter ranch
house, waiting on the porch. Thumbing through a printout of the details taken
from both mobile suits, he mutters.>
[23:24]
<Nathan_Carver> <He restrains himself from pacing, but instead leans
on the rail. Almost glowering at the page, he reads it over a second, and then
a third time.>
[23:24]
<Sakura_Hunter> <walks up
behind nathan and places a hand on his shoulder> Is everything alright there nate?
[23:27]
<Nathan_Carver> No, it's not Sakura. <he sighs>
[23:28]
<Nathan_Carver> I'm concerned.... that's all. We should send more people.
I'd like you to consider telling a few of your senior students, though that
just makes the situation a bit....
[23:29]
<Sakura_Hunter> I wouldn't trust
any of my students with sensitive information, they're all a bunch of heero
worshipers who think that going into war is one step towards greatness.
[23:29]
<Sakura_Hunter> <hopes that
nathan doesn't recall her gundam pilot obsession 20 years ago>
[23:30]
<Nathan_Carver> <sighs> Twenty years ago, we saw one of the most
devestating wars ever witnessed. Ten years before that, I was sending kids off
in mobile suits to combat terrorists. God, Alita was 16 when she made officer's
status...
[23:30]
<Nathan_Carver> Now, I feel like I'm doing it all over again.
[23:31]
<Sakura_Hunter> <sigh> I
know. I know nathan. It pains me to think that I'm sending my
kids out knowingly into danger.
[23:31]
<Nathan_Carver> I should do it myself... I shouldn't push them.
[23:31]
<Sakura_Hunter> Should one of us
go?
[23:31]
<Sakura_Hunter> <laughs at the
obvious shared thought>
[23:32]
<Sakura_Hunter> They've
volunteered, I don't think there's any stopping them now. However, you could watch from afar...
[23:32]
<Nathan_Carver> <smiles> Now, who'd notice that? Either of us would
stand out in a crowd.
[23:32]
<Nathan_Carver> Or, I could have someone else do it. <shrugs>
[23:32]
<Sakura_Hunter> Perhaps.
[23:33]
<Sakura_Hunter> It's so hard to
find someone that you can trust.
[23:34]
<Nathan_Carver> True... very true.
[23:34]
<Nathan_Carver> We'll straighten something out.
[23:35]
<Nathan_Carver> In the meantime, I was wondering....
[23:35]
<Sakura_Hunter> Yes?
[23:35]
<Nathan_Carver> Sakura, be honest. Does Cliff still use a mobile suit?
[23:36]
<Sakura_Hunter> <moves to
rearrange the vase of flowers sitting on the window sill. She pauses at the question>
[23:37]
<Nathan_Carver> I see. Just wondering. I gave up the solider's trappings
a long time ago. Heck, my own children weren't even aware that I could use one
in combat...
[23:37]
<Nathan_Carver> If you don't want to talk about it, I understand.
[23:37]
<Sakura_Hunter> <looking
outside, hoping to avoid Nathan's stare she just nods, staring at the lone tree
in the back yard>
[23:37]
<Sakura_Hunter> <sigh> he
has dreams to pilot once again.
[23:37]
<Nathan_Carver> I made a promise. I can't really break it.
[23:38]
<Nathan_Carver> Irony... we pray for peace, but deep down...
[23:38]
<Sakura_Hunter> Being a professor
of mobile suit piloting doesn't give him much opportunity to miss it.
[23:38]
<Sakura_Hunter> <nods> I
haven't piloted a suit since well, before I handed over Aspirant to you.
[23:38]
<Nathan_Carver> <He shudders> I recall...
[23:39]
<Sakura_Hunter> <nods
knowingly> I know.
[23:41]
<Sakura_Hunter> But yes cliff
still does.
[23:41]
<Nathan_Carver> I see...
[23:41]
<Nathan_Carver> Am I wrong, then? Am I a coward?
[23:41]
<Sakura_Hunter> No.
[23:42]
<Nathan_Carver> There's something brewing, though we aren't admitting it.
This could get bad.
[23:42]
<Sakura_Hunter> You made a
promise
[23:42]
<Sakura_Hunter> You're not a
coward.
[23:42]
<Sakura_Hunter> You're being
noble.
[23:42]
<Sakura_Hunter> Cliff never made
such a promise.
[23:42]
<Sakura_Hunter> The Drei stands
in front of the Retrotech campus, reminding him daily of his haydays.
[23:43]
<Nathan_Carver> <grins> Well, I did. Kit didn't deserve to go
through all of that anymore. When it was over, I stopped everything, for her.
[23:43]
<Sakura_Hunter> There's even a
picture of all of us, just right under him.
[23:44]
<Sakura_Hunter> We have a lot of
students in the school wishing they were there.
[23:44]
<Nathan_Carver> That's the wrong mentality. To tell the truth, I never
liked the programs here... no offense.
[23:44]
<Sakura_Hunter> None taken.
[23:45]
<Sakura_Hunter> We've tried to
revamp them, but we keep on getting requests for changes in the curriculum..
[23:45]
<Sakura_Hunter> It's become a
business...I try to teach them different. But you know kids.
[23:46]
<Nathan_Carver> Dreams of glory, along with instant success. You can't
teach defeat to someone whose never even seen a real victory.
[23:46]
<Nathan_Carver> <frowns> How sad... we're breeding a whole new
sence of conflict, in trying to preserve history.
[23:47]
<Sakura_Hunter> They don't know
what it's like to have freedom taken away from you. There were times when being a prev was like being a prisoner, you
had to live day by day, not knowing who was going to stab your back ((or shoot
your knee caps, or shoot you in the stomach, blow up your base, or plant an evil
chip in you...you get the drift lol))
[23:50]
<Nathan_Carver> What'll he do, Sakura? Charge into battle the moment the
flag goes up? Will he lead kids into the fray? Or will he go it alone, on some
self-righteous crusade?
[23:50]
<Nathan_Carver> <sighs> Sorry. I should respect his choice... and
not bother.
[23:53]
<Sakura_Hunter> It's alright
[23:53]
<Sakura_Hunter> I wonder too how
this will turn out.
[23:53]
<Sakura_Hunter> I can only
support him. However, I have no
intention of letting this reach to warlike proportions.
[23:54]
<Sakura_Hunter> I'm crossing my
fingers.
[23:54]
<Nathan_Carver> If it goes beyond this... it'll be bad. But, even one
loss, no matter how minor, is terrible. <sighs> It's already worse then
anything we've seen. Over two hundred workers, gone...
[23:54]
<Sakura_Hunter> If I have to get
involved, I will.
[23:55]
<Sakura_Hunter> Nathan, how long
were you planning to stay on earth?
[23:55]
<Nathan_Carver> I'm not sure.
[23:55]
<Sakura_Hunter> We're planning to
have the reunion soon...will you be able to stay?
[23:55]
<Sakura_Hunter> Perhaps other
preventers can give us some ideas.
[23:55]
<Nathan_Carver> It shouldn't be a problem.
[23:55]
<Sakura_Hunter> I'm sure isobel
would be a great help.
[23:56]
<Nathan_Carver> <he turns> But, we can't exactly saddle up the
horses and save the day. <grins>
[23:58]
<Nathan_Carver> We're not young, and we're not exactly in high regard. As
heroic as they were, the Preventers went out with a wimper, in the end.
[23:59]
<Sakura_Hunter> Perhaps, but we
can't deny they may prove to offer some sort of inspiration
[00:00]
<Nathan_Carver> But then, it's uncertainty that makes it so interesting.
<grins>
[00:00]
<Sakura_Hunter> If anything, the
identity of the pilot.
[00:00]
<Nathan_Carver> You're right.
[00:01]
<Sakura_Hunter> Brilliant, you
and keith were my main concerns, I believe everyone else is on earth. With the route closures I was unsure if
you'd be able to make it back in time for it.
[00:02]
<Sakura_Hunter> I'll contact
keith in the morning. Hopefully he'll
have time to leave his beloved cooking show...he should also visit his wife.
She's in paris doing medical research.
[00:02]
<Nathan_Carver> <nods> Well, looks like it's going to get crowded.
[00:03]
<Nathan_Carver> Perhaps... perhaps this'll be easier then we thought.
[00:03]
<Sakura_Hunter> <sits herself
down on the sofa> hopefully, easier always appeals to an old woman.
[00:03]
<Nathan_Carver> Or, maybe not. C'est la vie. What will be, will be,
right?