<strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ef/Damian_Harper.jpg)</div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Damian was surprised to see Allia arriving before their commander. Not be cause he pegged her for being less than punctual, but because she had been doing more traveling and odd hours than he and Kari had. Companies and suppliers worked by business hours, which was rather useful for keeping a semblance of routine. Late hours had been pulled, most definitely, but they were always the same hours. For Allia? He could imagine setting up meetings and interviews that suited the schedules of dozens of very disparate people - some with egos to boot - was uncomfortably removed from the regularity normally associated to the life of a Mechwarrior. Still, there she was, awake and given the smile she gave him, even a little chipper. He only hoped that meant she had good news.<br/><br/>As always, he remained sour and gave her a nod to go along with the professional greeting. <strong>"Good morning, lieutenant Rowe,"</strong> he straightened himself a little, an oddly old-fashioned quirk in his upbringing and habits always seeming to reflexively have him adjust his attitude and posture whenever one or more ladies were present. He was not gentlemanly by any means, so it was certainly an odd gesture to be consistently present in his mannerisms. Unlike Allia, he did not have any food with him, and seemed to have exchanged a solid cup of coffee for a bottle of water. Caffeine wasn't his drug, and he tended to avoid it for as long, and much, as he could.<br/>He knew what the smile signified, though, even if he did not retaliate with something similar of his own. Business continued, keeping them fully preoccupied with a mix of travel and paperwork. Their initial bout of stress relief therapy had done wonders, to the point where Damian had not felt the need for another. But, there was the pleasurable factor to consider as well. It wouldn't the first time the young lieutenant in shorts and a sports bra entered into his mind - only for that projection to strip for his viewing pleasure.<br/><br/>Hormones were hormones, clanner or not. But, like the lieutenant, he had more than sufficient professionalism to keep those thoughts clearly separated from what held priority. If they ever decided to have another romp, there would be a time and place for it. If nothing else, the way they treated each other had not changed - as he had hoped. There were just some... benefits to consider now. Before a conversation could be picked up though, Kari entered the meeting room, which prompted Damian to rise up briefly and greet her in his usual manner, before taking his seat again and gathering up the documents that were most pressing. The rest could be regarded as per the ladies' own leisure since they were just massive amounts of numbers and bills that needed to be reported on; but more for completion's sake than for either of them to read through. Besides, given their low batteries, it was likely going to put them to sleep, anyway.<br/><br/>Damian listened to Allia issue her report, though wasted no time to supply some immediate input once she finished. Amber hues would settle upon Kari with hints of mild annoyance.<br/><strong>"Scratch the last three off the list. Better to be understaffed than to have to deal with glory hounds. Supplies that would have been spent on them can instead be used to bring the better recruits up to par,"</strong> the exiled clanner explained, leaning forward a little as his elbows came to rest on the rabletop.<br/><strong>"These vehicle pilots, how many operation hours do they have under their belt in the last three years?"</strong> he questioned strictly.</div>