Hovering to a stop in the hangar, Claire breathed a sigh as technicians swarmed her IS frame, relieved that she performed well enough out in the arena. A record of five minutes and forty seven seconds was up there with the big leagues, a fact which warmed the young heiress up inside with glee. While it's a shame to discover that her younger brother outskilled her by quite a lot, she also can't help but feel pride for him finding a way to pilot an IS frame. Goes to show how much he really, really wanted to fly in an IS that he'd literally overturn pre-established truths and hack into one of the infamous inventor Tabane's Cores.
"Claire!" The cry of her best friend had her turning to see Phoebe and Edith jogging over to her. Skidding to a stop her fellow blonde then flashed her a smile and a thumbs-up. "Nice flying! Really getting your name out there!"
"Good show." Edith was a lot more sedate, though the smaller girl sent a tiny smile her way. Her demeanour made Claire wonder again if her friend is suffering from something or she's just so normally quiet. But then she shook the thought away and smiled gratefully their way instead.
"Thank you both, really." One of the technicians by the monitors displaying her IS frame's status sent a thumbs up her way, and at the signal Claire dismissed her IS frame. She closed her eyes to avoid the bright flash of light that accompanies it and when her feet hit the ground she opened them again. This time on the same level as her friends who quickly went to her side. "Couldn't have done it without your help, you two."
"Aw pshhh!" Phoebe waved away her thanks, an easygoing tilt on her lips as she wrapped an arm around Claire's shoulders. "What are friends for? A few weeks of getting beat in the training field is so worth it to see the faces on those stuck-up BAE girls."
"They're only like that to us because you called them "BAE's babes" to their faces." Edith reminded, getting a huff from the taller girl.
"It was a compliment! People get offended so easily these days." Claire covered her mouth to hide her amusement as Phoebe got going. "I mean, you saw the lead girl from BAE right? A total knockout, with legs for days! And her hair, no offence Claire, but the way she styled her hair was gorgeous! It was all bouncy and curly..."
It wasn't the first time Phoebe ranted about fashion, and it was something Claire didn't mind listening to as her best friend generally has good knowledge on the topic. She and Edith (when she's in the mood) were not ashamed to exploit her expertise for special occasions, Phoebe always eager to help them in that anyways.
"Ahem." Then the voice of someone very familiar to the trio sounded out behind Claire, freezing the girls in place as a sense of dread creeped down their spines. "Hello girls."
With the other two standing to face the woman behind her, Clair turned around swiftly while maintaining her poise to come face to face with their teacher. A veteran in piloting IS having been doing flying since the first frames were produced, Sandra Wells stands before them exuding a quiet confidence that in herself that none of her students have yet to come close to. Black hair tied in a tight ponytail, the dark skinned woman coolly looked Claire over, brown eyes assessing her closely before relaxing, seemingly satisfied by something. "At ease."
The girls finally relaxed, Phoebe behind her letting out a low sigh of relief as Claire held a hand to her heart and steadied her breathing. She watched their teacher, still as formal as ever in her MISG uniform modified to be reminiscent of Sandra's old RAF uniform.
"You did good work today Claire." Their instructor smiled, a small one but full of satisfaction and no small amount of pride. A smile directed at the young heiress eliciting feelings of happiness in her. "Breaking into the group of five-minute record holders is no small accomplishment. "
"Thank you ma'am." She promptly replied, her mouth shifting into a small smile. "I couldn't have done it without your instruction and the help of others."
"Ah yes, your team." Sandra then nodded towards her friends behind her. "They share the credit in your success, and rightly so. You all improved greatly in the months before the exhibition. The higher ups are pleased with our performance, and rewards for your efforts are soon to follow. Congratulations."
The three girls could only beam with pride while receiving their teacher's praise. Such events were rare, considering how strict Sandra was with their training. Very strict actually, though not as much as the standard in the army. But for young girls who'd never experienced any such treatment, even watered down so much prior to their training, it might as well be like a teacher from Hell was hired by MISG.
"Also, there's a... special guest here for you Claire." Sandra's words brought the girls back from their collective reverie, curiosity going to the forefront of their minds. Their teacher meanwhile had a weird look on her face now, looking like a mix of hesitant and... begrudging respect? "They're at exit B. Go on now."
At her dismissal the three friends nodded respectfully at her and hurried away, eager to know who's looking for Claire at this time. As well as to go and celebrate the occasion in their special suite's bar with food and drink. Leaving Sandra behind watching them go, a look of pride on her face unseen by the trio in their haste.
Back to the girls, Claire hurriedly led the way towards the mentioned exit, the trio going unhindered by the other technicians in the hangar making way for them. Passing by, a handful of the men and some women's eyes lingered on Claire, quick glances landing on rather inappropriate places. This didn't go unnoticed by the girls or the less controlled culprits' co-workers, Phoebe sending out piercing glares and the offenders getting elbowed or roughly shoved by others nearby. All that happened discreetly of course.
"Must be fucking new guys..." Claire heard Phoebe grumbled under her breath, while to her other side Edith silently glowered. "Where'd you leave your coat Claire?"
"In the locker room." She muttered back, not letting what little discomfort she felt show. "And I'm alright, I've gotten used to it already."
Finally though they made it to exit B, behind which is a hallway where a short walk further lies the locker room. But before they could go there they'd have to pass by the "special guest" that called for Claire. The girl in question was thinking of delaying the meeting a bit so she can grab her coat, or preferably change into something more appropriate, like her MISG uniform.
A swipe of a card and the door swiftly opened, Claire with her mouth open ready to politely delay their meeting with the special guest... when she froze in place, her friends on either side similarly affected. Because there, leaning against the wall across the door was her little brother Arthur. He was wearing a white long coat with blue designs, the exact same as her own longcoat gifted by him which he was holding over his left arm, which he then lifted up to her.
"Hey sis." He greeted her with a smile, pushing off from the wall. "You did awesome out in the course. How does it feel to have made it into the five-minute group?"
"A-Arthur!" Claire finally spoke after a few seconds of shock, stuttering as she accepted her longcoat from him. And though embarrassed to be caught in her piloting suit by him, nonetheless smiled in delight at meeting after so long. "You flatter me, brother."
"Hello there!" Phoebe smiled cheerfully as she walked up to her brother and offered her hand. "Nice to finally meet ya' in person. I'm Phoebe."
"Charmed. Thank you for taking care of my sister for me, especially her wardrobe." Her brother easily accepted her best friend's hand and they shook, his words making Phoebe and her blush, before he turned to look at Edith. "And you must be Edith, the one whom Claire always credited in rightly calibrating her IS frame to her preferences?"
"Hello." The Scot girl nodded slightly his way, but for a change she spoke some more. "I want to talk to you a lot later."
"Sure thing, a friend of Claire is a friend of mine." Arthur didn't hesitate to accommodate her, and then he turned back towards Claire. "So, sister. Heading off to celebrate?"
"Yes we were." Glancing to her friends, she then looked back at him with slight uncertainty. "Unless you need me for something...?"
"No, no, don't worry about that." Arthur quickly assured them, waving off her worries before putting his hands in his pockets. "Just came over to congratulate you Claire. Don't let me stop you three."
"But later sis, after this exhibition is done." He continued with a more nostalgic smile. "Wanna hang out, like old times? It has been a while since we've been together."
"Of course brother." She didn't hesitate to agree, smiling softly now as she too wished to spend some time with him again. Because of the siblings' respective preparations in the months leading up to the exhibition. "I missed you too."
Claire then went forward and pulled Arthur into a hug, an action that surprised him by him going rigid for a second before he hugged her back. And while they were so close, Claire found her opportunity and whispered to him.
"Congratulations on your dream, Arthur." Her brother stiffened in her arms again before his arms held around her tightened. "You're gonna have to tell me how you did it later, please?"
"Haha..." His chest shook from his chuckles and they disengaged from the hug. Arthur had a beaming smile on his face directed at Claire as he nodded in assent. "You'll be hearing everything about it later certainly. Till' later then!"
He then left, the girls sending him off with a wave. The young heiress kept it up until he turned a corner, and she turned around to face her friends again. Phoebe looked happy for her, Edith had a very slight upward tilt to her lips, and Claire felt a gratefulness in her heart for them being with her.
"What are we waiting for?" Phoebe dipped her head down the hallway. "Come on girls!"
And so they went, Claire and the other two making their way to MISG's special suite where food and drinks await them.
Click.
A switch was flicked that lit up a once dark space. A lively hum sounded out throughout the room as the visitor skipped towards the centre. Past canvas covered projects and mechanical arms holding machine parts she went, robotic rabbit ears twitching with every turn of her head as she took in the sights.
"Hmhmm~. Mmmhmmm~!" She stopped to poke at a partially disassembled head piece reminiscent to that of Vanguard Valiant. But where the latter was all smooth curves sleek in design this one was bulkier, made of lesser quality materials and featured only a single optic. The young woman rated it... ugly. Losing interest, she then skipped off on her way again. "La la laaa~!"
There were more pieces on display on the tables and workbenches on her path, but passing glances was all she deemed them worthy of. No, her prize was the single large computer at the end of the room, the seat in front of which she sat herself on in no time.
"Hm hm!" Waving her fingers over the old style keyboard, she stared hungrily at the dark monitor eager to learn the upstart cheater's dirty little secrets. "Let's see, let's see! What are you hiding from me?"
Booting up the computer, Shinonono Tabana was immediately sent to a lock screen. There only a single prompt glaring out at her:
[PASSWORD?]
"Oh, phooey!" She pouted, considering she has no personal dossier on everything about this Arthur Bennett. Sure he was some sort of a "genius" in her Infinite Stratos technology, but compared to her? He was a nobody in her eyes. So even without prior information this simple fifteen-character password of his won't take long to puzzle out. But why do that when she can just... bypass it?
So she took out one of her favourite tools from her hammerspace, a little rabbit's paw with a connector on the end that can shift into whatever form is needed to slot into a machine. Considering this computer she's accessing has the standard USB slots, Tabane didn't need to change the form much so she quickly slotted it, smiling full of ease.
That's when everything went wrong.
[UNAUTHORISED ACCESS DETECTED]
[ASSAILANT OBJECTIVE: INFORMATION THEFT]
[RESPONSE PROTOCOL: GOMEDDION]
[SELF-DESTRUCT COMMENCING]
Sparks began flying from the computer, the monitor blue-screening before shutting down. At the appearance of the first spark however Tabane managed to swipe her bypassing tool off the machine, right in time before a small jet of flame shot out of the slot. Backing up away from the self-immolating computer Tabane grit her teeth as she found herself once again outmanoeuvred. The thorn named Arthur was quickly digging himself deeper into her side.
"Just you wait, Arthur Bennett." She turned and raised her fist up, shaking it at the partially disassembled head piece she'd inspected earlier. Because there, glaring back at her was its single optic glowing a dim red. "You may have your successes now, but sooner or later I, Shinonono Tabane will defeat you, pyon!"
No reply came from the headpiece, its single glowing eye only continuing to stare at her with no emotion. She had to admit though, she didn't expect that man to use an old piece of tech as a hidden camera that'll activate when she hacked into the security cameras here. So now he's got a good look at her, the one who he intends to struggle against.
But struggle is all he can do, because nobody in the world can defeat her. She is Shinonono Tabane, the unrivalled genius of Earth! Inventor of the most awesome Infinite Stratos that nobody can top. And one little cheater who got lucky hacking into one of her Cores can't possibly- "Hya?!"
Just as she was about to teleport out of the room a small popping hiss of air sounded out from the headpiece, followed by a small tranquilliser dart shooting towards her that she narrowly dodged by leaning to the side. Then in a flash of light, she was gone.
Camelot security personnel will shortly barge into the laboratory, locked doors letting the men and women through as they search for the intruder. But they will find nothing but a burning wreck of a computer and some errant sparkles nearby drifting and fading away.
