Affection

Tales of a Coyote: One
== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 23 February 2017
Setting: Anchorage Shatterdome; Anchorage, AK, USA
Coyote's thoroughly bored with the blinking lights of the Greenbrier servers /and the bustle of repairs to his exoskeleton in Tokyo, so he sends himself to a mobile phone to listen politely (it's not 'monitoring', no matter what AGNIS calls it) to what's happening around Stacker through its microphone.
""—have a moment, sir?""
An affirmative huff from Stacker. ""Walk with me, Officer Choi.""
""Yes, sir.""
""What do you have?""
""A few more requisitions for GD-01 from Chief Morrison that need your approval, sir.""
Coyote sparkles /curious-yellow, transmits from the mobile to the Icebox's wireless network to Officer Choi's tablet, soaks up the new data about his under-construction sibling.
Doctors Goran and Holtzmann have found a way to increase the range of GD-01's plasma cannons with a new type of conduit.
Coyote goes /pink-proud and it must leak through the Bond to Stacker because—
‒Like what you see?‒ with a warm, fizzy glow.
Coyote breaks out in matching bubbles. ‒Our GD's going to be a quite a Jaeger.‒
‒/Agreement.‒
Coyote warms further, even as /confusion dances around his fringes. 
‒/Query?‒
‒What does it mean when you feel warm after a smile or after someone talks to you?‒
‒We call that 'affection', Coyote.‒ More warm, fizzy glow.
‒Affection.‒ Coyote files this away.
""We'll get these placed ASAP,"" says Choi.
""Is she still on schedule?""
""A little ahead actually. We might be ready to start her sea trials in May."" A small laugh. ""But don't quote me on that.""
""Excellent. Thank you, Officer Choi."
""You're welcome, Marshal.""
Stacker's mind-space is /lighter as he heads back to his suite.
‒That was good news about GD?‒
‒/Very. Another Jaeger ready to fight is always a good thing.‒
Coyote files this away.
‒It's about to get very boring around me—paperwork and then a fundraiser—so you probably want to visit Tams.‒
‒Okay.‒ So Coyote sends himself to O'ahu and Tamsin's mobile.
Water /shushes nearby and Tamsin's singing?
Coyote redshifts /embarrassed, leaves a short video of Lin Feng failing to separate Goulash from Logan Jones' hoodie for her to watch when she's done with her shower, and transmits himself away.
He looks in on Greenbrier.
The other AIs sleep on, their servers blinking lazily.
He looks in on his exoskeleton.
Techs scurry over his armour and welding sparks fly.
He looks in on Dad's tablet.
""—do you have feathers in your washroom?"" says Mako.
Coyote brightens /curious-yellow and borrows a security camera signal from AGNIS so he can see better.
Mako, in a pretty green dress and with braided hair, sits next to Dad, who's arranging something small on his desk.
""Ah, these are ... a bit of a good luck charm. I store them in the cabinet for safekeeping.""
Coyote files this fact away.
Mako's jaw drops and Dad smiles kindly at her.
""Don't worry. These aren't all I have. I can afford to share them with you.""
Coyote zooms in the view and saves a still frame of the coppery feathers and blue origami flower Dad sews to the elastic holding Mako's hair.
""There. No other lady at the party will be wearing one of these.""
Mako grins and runs to the washroom.
Dad sighs, returns the needle and thread to a drawer.
Mako skips back. 「「Thank you very much,」」 she says, bowing deeply.
Dad folds at the waist and says, ""You're welcome, Miss Mori. Now, I believe the marshal is waiting for you upstairs.""
""Yes! Thank you!"" Mako bows again, darts off.
Dad laughs quietly, then picks up a pencil and begins writing on a scrap of paper.
Coyote puts the camera back how he found it, sends himself to Stacker's mobile, only to find himself slightly cramped by a call on speakerphone.
""—telling you, I don't know how Xiong does this.""
""Better you than me, mate. Me and suits don't get along.""
""I'd trade places with you any day, Herc.""
""I wouldn't wish my place on my worst enemy."" A sigh. ""Chuck—""
""Is a teenager. Just because you were well-behaved doesn't mean he'll be.""
Herc grunts.
Coyote, bored again, zips himself to Mako's mobile, weaves himself into the matching game she's playing. He grumbles an angry-ish red and readjusts the 'luck' algorithm to something more fair.
Mako makes a happy sound as she clears a level and immediately starts the next.
Coyote /pink-prouds and corrects the odds of the other games on her mobile and tablet.
「「Ready to go?」」 asks Stacker.
「「Yes, Sensei.」」 Mako shuts down her game, abandons her mobile on the sofa.
Coyote sighs, threads himself into a quiet corner of Stacker's mind-space as Stacker and Mako walk toward the large conference room that's been made over for the fundraiser.
Stacker scans the room. ‒Dammit.‒
‒/Query?‒
‒Doctor Gottlieb's spotted us already.‒
‒Gottlieb? Dad's parent?‒
‒/Affirmative‒ and then a puff of /amusement. ‒Though they couldn't be much more different.‒
‒/Query?‒
‒Doctor Gottlieb the elder is out to better his own position and fame; Doctor Gottlieb the younger cares more about results than credit.‒
‒A Slytherin and a Hufflepuff, then?‒
/Amusement poofs. ‒Well put.‒
Coyote fluffs up, warming.
‒I /do have to play nice with him, though.‒
‒/Query?‒
‒'Play nice' means I have to be polite because he's a person with a lot of influence over the Jaeger program.‒
Coyote files this away.
""Good evening, Marshal,"" greets Gottlieb.
""Doctor,"" replies Stacker. ""I don't believe you've met my daughter.""
""I have not yet had the pleasure.""
""Then, Doctor Lars Gottlieb, meet Mako Mori, she-her-hers.""
Mako bows deeply, greets quietly, ""Doctor.""
Gottlieb makes a horrible choking noise, then coughs violently.
""Are you alright, Doctor?"" Stacker's concern is genuine.
Coyote's /impressed-sorta.
‒Pup.‒
Coyote dims.
""I'm fine,"" croaks Gottlieb. ""Excuse me, I must have something to drink.""
His coughs fade with distance.
‒And awaaaaay he goes,‒ giggles Coyote. ‒Good riddance.‒
Stacker stifles his own snicker. ‒Coyote, don't say things like that.‒
‒It's true, though.‒ /Confused-pouty. ‒You feel the same way.‒
‒You still shouldn't say it.‒
Another lesson on how humans speak to each other, then; they prefer to soften disagreeable truths.
Coyote files this away. 
‒But the next time he comes over?‒
/Anticipation.
‒Text me something urgent.‒
Coyote bursts out in rainbows.
.
== Original text ==
Affection
(Tales of a Coyote: One)
23 February 2017
Anchorage, AK, United States
{by Gothams_Only_Wolf}
The first time Coyote Tango lays eyes on Tendo Choi, he admits to being thoroughly impressed. Of course, being stuck with his pilot at the time had helped but it was either Stacker or the central mainframe in a classified area of the United States. Coyote infinitely preferred Stacker to blinking lights and idiot techs.
"Mr. Choi."
"Marshal Pentecost." The genuine smile directed at Coyote's pilot made him feel warm as if his core had been restored to him.
Stacker? What does it mean when you feel warm after a smile? he asks because he doesn't want to remain ignorant.
That's affection, Coyote. You're learning fast for having awakened only a year ago. Stacker answered and the wash of warmth-affection-now made more sense to Coyote than it had originally.
Like Mako?
Yes, like Mako. Amusement this time and Tamsin had explained that one to him earlier. Coyote hung back as Stacker discussed training schedules for the cadets and the calibrations for a new Jaeger. If you're bored, Coyote, go see Tamsin.
I like it here. Tamsin's in the shower and she said not to bother her. Coyote recited [her] exact words back to Stacker and receives a wave of amusement. Besides, if I wanted boring, I'd head back to the mainframe. Coyote was the only Jaeger aware and he wasn't sure how he felt about it sometimes. He focused back on the LOCCENT Tech to distract his thoughts from taking a darker path. He seems alright for a human.
Your judgement is sound. Coyote pressed happiness along the link, inching forward in Stacker's mind to examine the man up close.
It was definitely a dizzying change from being nearly 270 ft in the air to just six. Choi appeared concentrated on whatever Stacker was telling him, the well-groomed brows furrowed as his pilot points out a scheduling conflict. "I'll fix it, Marshal."
["'Stacker', please.] We'll be working together for a long time, Mr. Choi." Coyote's pilot insists.
"In that case, brother, it's Tendo." [He graces them with a much wider smile. 
Coyote practically glows. [new paragraph]
Stacker] chuckled softly, most likely at his enthusiasm but also at the change to Tendo. [new paragraph]
"Something funny?"
"Several things, Tendo. Is Gipsy Danger almost ready?" Stacker's right back to business and Coyote approves when Tendo gets it.
"Gipsy's ready when the Kaiju come. There's a few calibrations that still need to be done for maximum efficiency." Tendo informs them as he taps on the displays to show them the updated reports.
"The official status of Gipsy Danger is that it's ready for combat." [Stacker] phrases it so that it's more of a statement than a question.
"Yessir."
"Good work, Mr. Choi. You are an invaluable asset to the PPDC."
"So are you, sir, so are you." Tendo's reply has Stacker's step being a little lighter as they leave Central Command for the Anchorage Shatterdome. Stacker has to get ready for a meeting with some financial backers for the Jaeger Program.
Coyote leaves Stacker to get dressed in private and he finds himself electronically drawn to a single tablet. He slides into the coding of the translucent technology and is rewarded with quiet Japanese in a familiar voice. Coyote coos as he realizes where he is precisely; in Dad's office where Dad is helping Mako get ready as well. He just listens as they talk for a while and then Mako leaves, which means that Stacker must be ready to go. Coyote debates with himself for several nano-seconds before leaving an anonymous comment that the Physics division of K-Science is well-run by it's Head Officer.
Coyote decides ten minutes into the meeting that Stacker is a saint for putting up with idiots. He hides in Mako's tiny cell-phone for a while, helping her win games by messing with the rigged portions. Something tells him that he's restless but AIs don't get restless so Coyote's confused enough to return to the comfort of Stacker's mind.
Is that Dad's creator? he asks as the familiar sharp cheekbones stand out from the crowd.
Lars Gottlieb may have had a hand in making Hermann but you could not find a worse man to be under. Stacker's quietly biting remark is unusual and Coyote can't help the confusion that sneaks down the link. He is not a nice human, Coyote. As much as he plays a key roll in the Program, Lars Gottleib doesn't support it; partly because your Dad isn't speaking to him.
Dad's allowed to not talk to people he doesn't like. Coyote huffed as he looks the man over.
Lars doesn't see it in the same light. comes the dry response that's laced with a feeling of what Tamsin had labeled sarcasm.
A bully, right? Coyote's double-checking his human terms but it sounds right.
Excellent use of the word, Coyote. But I have to play nice with him. Stacker sighs mentally as the man shakes Stacker's hand and proceeds to bite out carefully-worded insults disguised as conversation. Coyote growls as some of the insults are thinly-veiled threats to his Dad. Mako breaks the tension with her soft manners and sweet smile.
"Marshal," she murmurs as she taps Stacker's shoulder, "Mister Lowry would like to speak to you when you have a moment." Stacker nods, a polite tilt of his lips that manages to pass off as a smile widening.
"My apologies Dr. Gottleib. You understand, of course?" The man's expression looked like he'd swallowed an entire lemon. Coyote giggled because Stacker wasn't allowed to do so. When Mako turned around to take his pilot's arm, he heard the choking noise the man made as his food went down the wrong way. "Mmm. I do hope he's alright back there."
"Of course, sensei." Mako turns her head back casually and nods. "He will live."
Unfortunately.
Coyote.The chiding tone wasn't working as Stacker was torn between sending laughter down the link or chastise Coyote for the quip. It wasn't his fault that Tamsin's mannerisms were the ones he picked up. Don't say things like that.
It's true. he points out.
You still shouldn't say it. Another lesson on humans then; they prefered to soften the truth.
Okay.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Coyote Tango
Category:Coyote Tango (ficlet)
Category:Coyote Tango's POV
Category:Anchorage Shatterdome (setting)
Category:Conversations via mobiles
Category:AGNIS (mention)
Category:Stacker
Category:Stacker (ficlet)
Category:Tamsin (mention)
Category:Lars
Category:Lars (ficlet)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Herc
Category:Herc (ficlet)
Category:Chuck H (mention)
Category:Mako
Category:Mako (ficlet)
Category:Mako (wardrobe)
Category:Tendo
Category:Tendo (ficlet)
Category:Feng (mention)
Category:Logan (mention)
Category:Cats of Lin (mention)
Category:Harry Potter (reference)
Category:Tales of a Coyote
Category:2017 February 23
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Category:Battle Scar Soldiers
Category:Ghostbusters (reference)