[Voice, locked to residents] --EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--

[malnosso]

[At 2:15AM, the journals suddenly blare out an alarm, followed by this message.]

EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. This is an emergency.

The following occupants of the Luceti enclosure must report to the teleporters in twenty minutes. You are required as reinforcements in Region 13. Bring all necessary armaments with you. You will be teleported directly into combat.

Anyone who fails to comply will be forcibly escorted to the teleporters by droids.

This is not a drill. I repeat: this is not a drill. You have twenty minutes.

[The message repeats twice more, the alarm continuing until the twenty minutes has elapsed. No questions will be answered.]

Comments

[Action]

[voidseeing]

[The smile on his face fades, replaced by something tinged with regret and sorrow. She knows. She's seen him with his leader face on, as much as he'd prefer that he kept that side of him away from her.]

That's right. I have to be a soldier while I'm out there, for your sake and for the sake of everyone else on this draft.

[It's not the nicest side of him, but at least she knows what to expect by now.]

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

I know, you don't have to explain it to me, I know. [She smiles, trying to coax him back to smiling too. She steps closer to Gai and stretches up.]

One for the road, then?

[Action]

[voidseeing]

[It's hard not to smile with her smiling at him like that and moving closer for a kiss... so he does.]

Yeah.

[He leans down to press a kiss to her lips, lingering there for a long moment before pulling back just enough to murmur:]

And one for good luck.

[Before he dives right back in again.]

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

[One would have been enough to keep Elizabeth satisfied for the whole draft, but two is wonderful. She almost reaches into his hair, but that'll have them kissing until the droids forcibly separate them. ...not to mention she had no idea if Booker's eyes were on her back or not.]

[She pulls back, needing to take a breath to steady herself.] Alright then, soldier, should we go?

[Action]

[voidseeing]

[Booker could stare as much as he wanted. What was most important was reassuring Elizabeth, and if the other man knew her even half as well as Gai suspected he did, then he would understand that this particular action was necessary.

In other words, he doesn't really care.]

I'm ready if you are.

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

I don't think I am, but I don't have much choice do I? [She smirks wryly at the teleporters.] But the sooner we start, the sooner we can come home.

[Action]

[voidseeing]

Let's hope this one doesn't last as long as the last one.

[And doesn't involve zombies, either. Once was more than enough for him.]

Maybe we'll even luck out and get working showers.

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

Ooh, what luxury. I'm not going to hold my breath, if it's all the same to you.

[Action]

[voidseeing]

[He smirks.]

Neither am I, but it can't hurt to dream.

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

Dream away, I won't stop you. You look very handsome when you do it.

[They really should move to the teleporters but... the sooner they go, the sooner Elizabeth has to stop flirting.]

[Action]

[voidseeing]

Then when we get back, you can watch me dream as much as you want. Sound like a fair deal?

[Anything to keep her spirits up before they head off.]

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

Completely. [She takes his hand and squeezes it before taking a step towards the teleporters.]

Oh! Gai, just... just in case. [She reaches back to her neck and pulls up a chain to show Gai where her ring is.] I didn't want to leave it behind, but Rosalind insisted I keep my hands free. If something happens... make sure I don't lose it.

[Action]

[voidseeing]

[Upon seeing the ring on the chain, Gai nods, pleased.]

That's a good idea. The last thing you'd want is for it to come off in the middle of battle.

[He smiles gently and reaches out to rest his hand over hers for a moment.]

I'll make sure nothing happens to it.

[Action]

[tearmeanewone]

[She nods and puts her hand on top of Gai's too. It was a grim thought, but she didn't want to come back to Luceti and discover her precious ring was lost to the battlefield. That would stick, she would come back (probably).]

Then I have nothing left to worry about. [She tucks the chain back under her shirt and holds Gai's hand.] Let's go. The sooner we go, the sooner we get back.

[Action]

[voidseeing]

You got it.

[He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze, dropping their joined hands down to their side. It's been a while since he's been in battle, and unlike Elizabeth, he's geared up for it.

But he's wise enough to keep his excitement under wraps for now simply because he knows she doesn't feel the same way. For this fight, his first priority is keeping her safe, whatever that may take.]