Interface

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 8 January 2019
Setting: Jaeger simulator control room, The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
[Pietr stuffs Another Chuck through the door to the sim control room, marches her—
"This looks like one of /Lucky's helmets," sneers Chuck. "You /steal it?"
Pietr sighs.
Another Chuck shifts, yanks the helmet and its trailing wires away from Chuck.
He bristles.
Pietr squeezes Another Chuck's shoulder, moves to where he can watch both Chucks.
Another Chuck sniffs, "I /requisitioned it."
"With your fingers."
Pietr looks for patience.
"Yea, on a /keyboard."
Pietr steps between them—
Chuck sulks around to his side.
—addresses Another Chuck, ::How does it—:: Frowns. ::I don't want you to be 'Another Chuck'. What do you want to be called?::
Another Chuck ponders. ::'Kirra'—:: Stutters, swallows. ::If you want. Or 'Char—:: Grimaces. "'Charlotte'."
Pietr beams. ::Thank you, Kirra.::
.::You're welcome.:: Kirra takes a deep breath. "This computer takes any audio feed, runs it through a translator, and projects text on the inside of the visor."
Pietr grins, flashes thumbs up.
Lightcap peers around Kirra, says, "Time for testing!"
[Pietr and Chuck sigh and trump into the sim.
Pietr steps into the boots, draws the gloves over his hands, flexes each finger.
Kirra appears.
Pietr smiles.
She hands him the helmet.
He pulls it on.
Kirra checks the wires, gives Pietr a thumbs up.
Pietr returns it, says, ::Thanks.::
Kirra bobs her head, leaves.
[A flicker] at the upper right corner of the visor.
=SO I JUST TALK AND HE SHOULD H
=EAR ME
=READ YOU DUCKY
=DONT CALL ME THAT
Pietr rolls his eyes.
=PETER IZIT WORKING
Grins, thumbs up.
=AWESOME GOOD JOB CHUCK
In the control room, Kirra ducks her head.
=RIGHT HERE WE GO
=THIRTY
=TWENTY
=TEN
=NEURAL HANDSHAKE INITIATING
Pietr holds his breath and closes his eyes.
/Blue, /push-pull, /together.
He blinks away merged memories and checks the corner of his vision.
=HOWS YOUR TUMMY
Thumbs up.
=AWESOME HOPEFULLY YOU WONT GET
= SICK THIS TIME
Pietr nods enthusiastically.
=YEAH THIS IS OUR LAST DAY SO W
=E NEED TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT
=GET GOING GUYS BASIC COMBAT FO
=RMS
Chuck and Pietr roll their eyes in sync, start the exercises.
Basic forms. Secondary forms. /Tertiary forms. Every form Pietr knows and a few he doesn't.
=OH KAY CADETS I THINK WE HAVE 
=EVERYTHING WE CAN GET FROM YO
=U FOR NOW 
=NEURAL HANDSHAKE TERMINATED
=CONGRATULATIONS ON HOLDING ON TO 
=YOUR BREAKFAST OFFICER
Pietr rolls his eyes—
=UNHOOK YOURSELVES AND COME ON 
=BACK
—lifts off the helmet, sets—deflates, scans the sim, shrugs, sets it on the floor, makes quick work of the gloves and boots. Trails Chuck to the control room, a chair, and a mug of /coffee.
"Well, yesterday's testing wasn't total junk," Lightcap announces, pulling over a chair. "Nice demonstration, guys; got some great data on nausea and piloting performance. By the last drop, your efficiency fell almost eleven percent compared to today."
Chuck nudges Pietr with his coffee mug. "Flu shots for us."
Pietr nods.
"We don't want you two dying because you're queasy, ay?" Kirra hands Lightcap a mug.
"We don't want you dying /at /all. Chuck, how're we doing for time?"
Pietr sets aside his cup, pokes Chuck, and raises an eyebrow. ::Not before she's done with us, at least.::
"Eighteen hours."
Chuck bursts out laughing.
Lightcap zeroes-in. "Are you two Ghosting? Do you understand signing while the hangover's in effect, but not otherwise?"
.::Yea, I do. Wears off after a while.::
.::Lasting longer each time, too.::
.::Can remember some of it, though.::
.::Makes teaching him easier. Pretty slow otherwise.::
.::Hey, asshole—:: Dodges Pietr's poke. ::—learning a language is rough!::
.::I know /four. And I'm not the genius you are, kid.::
.::I'm /not a kid!::
Pietr snorts. ::You're not even legal.::
.::What does /that have to do with /anything?!::
Chuck stills.
.::Means you're a kid.::
Lightcap grabs Pietr's hands.
He hisses-glares-yanks free.
"Thank /you. Pietr, it's time to see what you can do with a different partner. Oh, Chuck~!"
Kirra might respond.
"Prep the equipment, please."
Kirra's shoulders stiffen.
Lightcap smiles expectantly.
Kirra turns around.
Pietr glances between them.
Chuck studies his coffee.
"Not a chance."
"/Exactly. You'll be fine—"
"I'm /not Drifting."
"Look, Chuck—"
"No."
"You know the odds with close COROs—"
"No no no /no!"
"—two are four points—"
"I don't care—"
"You're practically Drift /soulmates!"
Kirra /and Chuck go funny-coloured.
"And with Pietr's HSP and KTSTR there's no /way he's pushing you out of alignment."
Pietr raises a polite hand, shows his mobile. 
- bigger gap = better test? -
Lightcap chews her lip. "You have a point." She taps a fingernail against the console. "Yeah. Yeah. Let's try that first. Chuck, set it up for Sergio."
On cue, Sergio shuffles through the door and glances about muzzily. "Why I am I here and why do I have chocolate cake?"
"You're going to Drift with Pietr." Lightcap's smile widens. "The cake's for Chuck."
"Brilliant."
"Not /you."
Go, Team DriftSci! arc: (Hypothetical) | Pons Made of Garbage | A Distinct Lack of Caffeine | Highest | Grooming | Plushie | Interface | Safe | Sync | Cake | Aye, Aye, AGNIS | Exclusion | Jockeying | Sleepytime | Go, Team DriftSci! | Go! | Up | Rubber and Glue | (Go Over) 
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