Jessica's grin only grows, always pleased with herself whenever she's able to fluster Yan Sun. She leans a little heavier against her hand, bringing one boot up onto the edge of the table and resting her other arm atop her knee as she attempts to get more comfortable. "Am I?" she asks, Yan Sun's concession going ignored for the moment as that familiar mix of cockiness and playful condescension trickles into her tone.
#Traveler'sGorge – July 30, 2020
Yan Sun looks off to the side, hair falling in her face as she tries and fails to reign in the big grin plastered across her face. She shakes her head to herself and shoots a glance towards Jessica, a mix of warm affection and exasperated amusement in her eyes. "Mhm..." she confirms with all the confidence she can muster. "I don't let just anyone talk to me like that."
Jessica hums a dismissive "Mmm." of her own. For a moment she simply watches Yan Sun from across the small room, confident grin remaining etched into her features. The canvas tent doesn't do a perfect job of blocking out noise so the sounds of the lively outpost bleed in from outside. She wordlessly gestures her over with a lazy movement of her hand.
Yan Sun 's grin gives way to an exaggerated look of consideration, sucking in her lips and narrowing her eyes a little at Jessica as she shifts her weight a little from one hand to the other. She's on the verge of cracking up when she forces a resigned look into place, getting up with a sigh and hopping onto the table to Jessica's left. She plants her right hand against the surface behind her and studies her as the grin returns, eyebrows
Jessica watches Yan Sun as she crosses the room to join her. "Mmm." she hums in affirmation. Her left hand slips from atop her knee and she slides it across the table, seeking out Yan Sun's right. Her fingertips are still a little cold from the frigid weather outside as she runs them over the back of Yan Sun's hand. "I am thinking that you are the one who is lucky, kitty cat." she teases.
Yan Sun 's gaze falls to Jessica's hand, her own shifting to give her cold fingers a squeeze, having fared better thanks to her mittens. When her eyes meet Jessica's again, her teasing expression has turned soft. "Not gonna argue that..." she says quietly, studying her features. For a brief moment there's nothing but warm sincerity in her face before the sunglasses become too much and she cracks up, a muffled snort of laughter slipping out.
Her left hand reaches over to take them away before she leans in for a kiss, struggling to keep her grin away.
Jessica gives a small, unamused lift of her brow that peeks up from behind her sunglasses as Yan Sun bursts into laughter but, try as she might, she's unable to reel in her own smile to really sell it. "What you are laughing at?" she asks softly, her voice low and gravelly. But she doesn't seem too concerned about getting an answer considering she lowers her foot off of the edge of the table in order to get her leg out of the way and
allow Yan Sun the clearance to lean in. She's quick to meet her half-way, her right hand moving to rest against Yan Sun's upper thigh as her lips press against her partner's grin. There's a softness to it that's not often present in the way she kisses.
Yan Sun blindly places the sunglasses behind her on the table, the kiss lingering, soft and slow. Her left hand returns, seeking out Jessica's neck, thumb brushing across rough, uneven skin.
Jessica's hand shifts to interlock her fingers with Yan Sun's. She presses a bit heavier into the kiss, the tip of her tongue drawing slow, gentle shapes against Yan Sun's, a subtle smile felt on her lips.
The sudden arrival of a visitor is announced by the grating sound of the tent door's old, well-worn hinges.
Kirill is stood in the doorway, a stack of linens in his arms. He gives each of his boots a quick kick against the door frame before venturing to take a step inside. "Alright, these should-..." he manages to get out before spotting the pair atop the table, cutting his words short. His gaze shoots downward and he bolts backwards a step, jerking the door shut as he does as if someone just hit the rewind button on his arrival. After a brief
Yan Sun doesn't immediately register the sound of the door opening, but Kirill's voice causes her to suddenly pull back, hand falling onto her lap and head swiveling towards the door. Seeing it closed causes her to blink, and it's only when she hears the knocks that her brain catches up to what happened, cheeks flushing pink.
Jessica too, doesn't immediately register the sound. Or, more likely, she just doesn't care. It's only when Yan Sun pulls away that her eyes slip open once more and her gaze turns towards the door. An amused snort escapes. As expected, it doesn't seem to bother her at all, she simply gives Yan Sun's thigh a quick squeeze before bringing her hand back against the table to prop herself up. "Come in, we are only fucking!" she shouts,
Kirill nudges the door open once more, Jessica's crassness garnering a disapproving look from the large man. "I-... uhh-... managed to scrounge these up..." he says, lifting the bundle of linens a bit higher for emphasis as he steps inside. As promised it looks to be fresh bedsheets and towels that he moves to place atop the bed closest to the door.
Yan Sun visibly cringes at Jessica's shout, looking more than a little embarrassed when Kirill steps through the door. "T-... thank you!" she manages, flashing him an uncomfortable smile. As he drops the linens on the bed she digs an elbow into Jessica's side and tosses her a brief scowl.
Jessica gives an, "Mmm." in agreement with Yan Sun's appreciation. Her smug smile isn't deterred by the elbow prodding. As a matter of fact, it only serves to get a snicker out of her as she tries to lean away from the less-than-vicious attack.
Kirill shoves his hands into the pockets of his jacket. The same black winter jacket he wore to Freedom Falls. Thick and hardy with white fur lining the collar, it certainly seems suited to the season. As does the rest of his attire. Rugged, dark blue cargo pants that are tucked into the top of his scuffed up boots. Rather than bother with fully lacing his boots up, he has the frayed laces tied around the top of his boots to keep them firmly
in place and prevent any snow from getting in. Jessica's continued laughter doesn't do much to ease his discomfort, causing his gaze to bounce right off of her and settle onto Yan Sun. "Someone is gonna get to work on changin' out that power cell. Might be a while before they get around to it, but it should be good to go by the time you're ready to leave tomorrow." he explains, that familiar softness to his voice that flies in the
Yan Sun just sighs at Jessica's apparent amusement, turning back to Kirill and nodding as he speaks. "Thanks." she repeats, since she has no doubt Jessica isn't going to say it. Another small smile accompanies the word, most of her discomfort now faded. "Is someone tagging along to take the truck back?"
Jessica merely returns to her previous posture, leaning back against the palm of her hand. The smug grin remains plastered across her face as the pair speak.
Kirill draws in a breath as he considers the question, an eventual slow nod his response. "Suppose that might be for the best. But there's no point in worryin' about all that right now. We can figure it out tomorrow." he says, forcing that kind, restrained smile of his back into place.
Yan Sun nods in agreement, relaxing a little where she sits next to Jessica. She shoots the woman next to her a look, as if wondering whether she's going to say anything to Kirill. Aside from crude shouting, that is. She's the one with ties to this place, and these people, after all. The one that wanted to come here.
Jessica catches the look sent her way, causing her to tilt her head to meet Yan Sun's gaze. She gives a quizzical raise of her brow for a moment before seemingly realizing what she's trying to imply, causing her to turn her attention back towards the large, bearded man. "...You are just going to stand here or you are going to leave us alone so we can go and take our showers?" she asks. Okay, maybe not exactly what Yan Sun was trying to
Kirill allows a bit of that previous discomfort to slip back into his features and he reaches up, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Actually, before you go gettin' all comfortable I was kinda hoping you'd be able to lend me a hand with somethin'." he admits, passing the pair an apologetic tilt of his head.
Yan Sun groans quietly, rubbing her face in exasperation. Kirill's words prompt her to look up again. "Sure thing, what is it?" she asks, deliberately answering before Jessica has a chance to.
Jessica goes to speak but Yan Sun beats her to the punch, causing her to shoot her a glare. She lets out a long, drawn out sigh. "Mmm, what you are needing now?" she adds, a slight hint of annoyance in her voice.
Kirill opens his mouth to speak when Jessica chimes in, causing an inadvertent snort to escape him. He's had plenty of time to grow accustom to her unique brand of attitude so her annoyance doesn't seem to bother him much. "Oh, no. This is far too sensitive for me to let you near it." he says, finally dishing some playful digs of his own.
Jessica gives a roll of her eyes and leans a bit heavier against her palm so she can raise her other hand to flip Kirill off, though it does seem to coerce a grin back out of her.
Kirill seems to relax a bit as well, attention shifting back towards Yan Sun. "Kinda got the impression that you might know a thing or two about tech..." he says, conversations back at the club not forgotten. He hangs the statement out there, as if trying to leave her a way out if she doesn't feel comfortable with lending a hand.
Yan Sun 's curiosity seems piqued, and she straightens up a bit. "You could say that..." she confirms with a nod, a hint of a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth as her idle cybernetics light up in electric blue. There's an unusual confidence in her tone. Pride, even - she's good at what she does and she knows it.
Jessica scoffs. "Oh. Is nerd shit..." she mutters dismissively, as if it removes the sting of Kirill saying it's not the sort of task he'd want her help with.
Kirill merely shakes his head at Jessica's antics. The sudden light show seems to be enough of an indication to him that Yan Sun is at least interested, so he gives a nod towards the door. "Come on. I'll fill ya in on the way."
Yan Sun snickers at Jessica's muttering, leaning in to press a quick kiss against her cheek as consolation before looking back to Kirill and hopping off the table. "Lead the way." she says with a smile, seeming energized by the prospect of something that's in her wheelhouse after nearly two weeks of relying on Jessica's guidance for almost everything.
Jessica is jostled in place slightly by the peck on the cheek, but she doesn't give it much of a reaction, still feigning annoyance for Kirill's dig. But once Yan Sun hops off the table she's quick to reach out, digging her index finger into the waistline of the back of Yan Sun's pants to tug her back. "Go and do your nerd shit. And while you are doing this, I am going to be taking a nice, hot shower." she taunts as she slips an arm
around Yan Sun from behind, giving her a quick, annoying squeeze and a matching kiss against the back of her hair. Planting her hand against the back of Yan Sun's head, she gives her a playful shove in Kirill's direction to send her on her way.
Yan Sun lets out a quiet surprised noise as she's pulled back, the taunting that follows eliciting a snicker and a shake of her head. The shove prompts her to look back and stick out her tongue at Jessica before following after Kirill with a grin still on her face.
Kirill watches with a gentle, amused smile on his face. He gives the door a tug, holding it open for Yan Sun. Even though the heater hasn't had much time to warm up the room there's still an immediately noticeable change in temperature once the cold is let in. "If we need some cats blown up or stumble across some booze that needs drinkin', we'll be sure to come find you, Jess." he assures.
Jessica levels another smug grin Yan Sun's way. Kirill's addition gets another eye roll from her. "When did you get so funny?" she asks dryly.
Kirill ushers Yan Sun out of the tent before casting one last glance Jessica's way, almost as an afterthought. "Before you go takin' your shower you should shoot on over to the greenhouse. Take a bit of time to see the work we've done." he suggests. At first, it seems like he might leave it at that, already turning to exit the canvas building. But after a short hesitation he pauses at the door, glancing back at her once more. "And-...
uhh-... I'm sure Paige would appreciate the chance to catch up with you, too..." he says. His inflexion is a familiar one. The one your parents use when they're trying to tread softly but really think you should do what they're telling you.
Jessica shrinks a bit at the suggestion, her gaze tilting towards the floor. Rather than saying anything, she merely gives a hollow nod of her head.
Kirill doesn't press the issue. He knows well enough where pushing Jessica gets you. Instead, he simply gives a small bow of his head before closing the door behind him.
Yan Sun reflexively hugs herself as she steps back out into the winter, lingering just a little ways outside. Her gaze wanders briefly before being drawn back towards the door as she hears Kirill speak, eyebrows furrowing a little but waiting in silence.
Kirill tugs at the collar of his jacket to briefly adjust it before tucking his hands back into his pockets. He forces a small smile into place as he glances Yan Sun's way before leading the way down the road and away from the gate. "She seems to be in a better mood than usual." he comments, his breath turning to steam in the cold air.
Yan Sun falls in beside Kirill, burying her hands in her jacket pockets. His comment causes a small smile to cross her lips, and she looks down at the snowy ground in front of them as she struggles with how to respond to that.
Kirill doesn't press it. The 'why' of it doesn't particularly matter. It's just nice to see her smile. After everything she's been through, she certainly deserves a little happiness... "So-... uhh-..." he stammers, not wanting it to seem like he's trying to pry for information about how Jessica is doing, "...I know how it can get after a few days in that truck. Guessin' work was the last thing you were hoping for when you arrived." he
Yan Sun snickers a little. "Not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to that shower." she admits, but then she shrugs and casts a brief glance Kirill's way. "But I'm happy to help if I can. Really. It's the least I can do after you let us borrow the truck and everything." she assures, flashing a smile.
Kirill gives a small nod of his head. "Well, I appreciate it all the same." he says softly. Not particularly the sort to say more than what's necessary, a calm silence sets in as he leads the way, once more taking her past the tents.
Up ahead in the distance, beyond the prefabricated buildings, a statue stands in the middle of a small clearing. It's hard to make out what exactly it is from here, but its position and the way it looms over the outpost makes it seem important.
Kirill seems content to remain quiet until they're closer to their destination but a voice speaking out from amongst the tents changes that.
It's a man with a spectacularly silver beard. It looks as though the hair on his head matches, but most is covered by the tuque on his head. He offers a quick acknowledgement of, "Kirill." to the man at Yan Sun's side.
Kirill dips his head in greeting. "Afternoon, Hamilton." he says in turn. Just a casual exchange as he continues on his way. But once they're out of sight of the older man it seems to prompt Kirill to reconsider conversation, causing him to cast another brief glance Yan Sun's way. "Doctor Hamilton." he says, as if deciding the friendly exchange required some sort of explanation. Not that there's a person in this outpost that he doesn't
Yan Sun offers a slightly awkward but polite half-smile to the unfamiliar man as they pass, not wanting to ignore him entirely. Kirill's words cause her to nod slightly, expression turning a little thoughtful. "Guess it must be pretty valuable to have a doctor around when you live this far from... uh, everything?" she asks. It's not something she had considered before - healthcare was never far away in Hong Kong. Whether you could afford it,
Kirill gives a few small nods of his head. Out here it's less about who you know and more about what you know. "Can't exactly keep people safe if ya can't keep them healthy." he agrees. "And-..." he lets out a deep breath which turns to steam as soon as it leaves his mouth, "...we've certainly got plenty of people to worry about. Must be pushing close to-... I don't know, seventy? Maybe eighty people by now?" he continues. He could
probably name every person living in the Gorge if challenged, but logistics were never his thing. People. Not numbers. "Paige would be able to give you an exact tally." he adds, amusement slipping into his voice.
Yan Sun nods a few times, her gaze wandering the Gorge with the same curiosity as before. The name 'Paige' being mentioned again brings her gaze back to Kirill, and for a moment she's tempted to ask who this is, but she decides against it. "You guys getting a lot of new people out here?" she asks instead.
Kirill gives a small tilt of his head as if considering the question. "Here and there." he says. "They seem to come in waves. And usually when we're not ready." he continues with a snicker, though it doesn't sound like he minds it too much. "But we figure it out as best we can." he shrugs, "And-... truth be told? We could use the help. Most folks that wind up here end up givin' more back than they take." He shoots a quick glance Yan Sun's
Yan Sun gains a faint smile, nodding. It's not hard to tell that she approves of the sentiment. "I get that. The people I was with back home, we all looked out for each other. Did what we could. Nothing on this scale..." she admits with a slightly embarrassed snicker and a look around the Gorge. "...but yeah. Most of us were looking for somewhere to belong, I think. A chance to make a difference, and... people to trust." Her voice grows
heavier towards the end, as the present catches up to her, and the smile that she flashes is a sad one. She clears her throat in an attempt to rid it of the lump she feels, but just ends up making a grimace.
Kirill finds himself once again looking to Yan Sun. His attention remains fixed to her for a tad bit longer than intended, perhaps giving away that her subtle change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed. He might not be much of a talker, but he's practically got a PhD in listening. Armchair therapist sort of comes with the territory of running a place like this. He doesn't pry, though. That's just not his way. "Think deep down that's what we're all
lookin' for, ain't it?" he asks. "A place to belong?" The question causes him to turn his attention up ahead. A few people are loading up one of the trucks, preparing for a trip into the vast, empty wilderness that Yan Sun and Jessica just returned from.
Yan Sun 's gaze falls to the ground again, and after a brief silence she offers a quiet "Maybe..." before following Kirill's attention towards the truck being loaded. She seems to have inadvertedly brought down her own mood a bit, but she draws in a deep breath and straightens her back. "So, uh... what is it you think I can help with?" she asks in an attempt not to dwell. "I hope it's not one of the trucks, because honestly, swapping the
power cell stretched the limits of my expertise there. Computers are more my thing, and we don't really have vehicles like this back home to start with." she explains a little sheepishly.
Kirill passes another glance Yan Sun's way as she changes the subject, propping that kind smile of his back up in an attempt at offering some comfort. "Suppose that would probably be nice to know, huh?" he asks, snickering at having put it off for so long. He turns his attention up ahead.
Just past the area used for vehicle parking, the road they're on splits into three as it enters the canyon, like a three-pronged fork. The two outside roads are lined with small prefabricated structures near the canyon walls. Single room designs. Each of the same make with a single sliding door and a window. Some are even stacked on top of one another. They're probably not unlike prefabs seen on Earth. Although on Earth they'd almost certainly
be relegated to temporary usage. On-site housing on a remote constuction site perhaps or temporary storage. But here they appear to be a permanent fixture. But, despite the less-than-ideal living conditions, there's small personal touches. Many of the residents have made them their own. Some with lights strung up. Others with makeshift seating areas out front. A few even have large, intricate murals painted on them. Plenty are adorned by simple
windchimes that jangle everytime the wind passes through. It doesn't take much more than a glance to tell that a lot of love has gone into these simple shacks.
The center road is lined with six larger prefabs. The one closest to them on the left side of the road has a large metal sign hung over the door with the words 'Mess Hall' engraved on it. Across the road from it is a similarly sized building, though the front of it has large, rolling shutters that cover nearly the entire side of the structure. The other four prefabs are of an identical design to the mess hall from the outside, though the one
beside the mess hall has a large antennae mounted on the roof. Wires are strung from one structure to the next in a hodgepodge fashion to get power around the outpost.
Kirill indicates the antennae'd building with a nod of his head. The antennae- much like most of the Gorge- seems to be a custom job. Large girders welded to the top of plating that's been anchored to the top of the prefab in order to lift the antennae high enough to get a proper signal in the canyon. "We don't get a great signal out here under the best of circumstances, if ya can believe it." he begins, "But lately it's gotten worse. Few
weeks back it started droppin' completely every now and then. Just goin' in and out. One second it's fine, the next?" he gives a dip of his head, "Nothin'. Now-... uhh-... usually we've got someone around to handle this. Jeannie." he explains, shooting a glance Yan Sun's way. "She knows her way around this sort of stuff but, with the holidays comin' up, she was just about to head out to spend some time with her family up in Linissa
when the problems started. Said she thought it was probably just some loose connections. It wasn't all that big of a deal back then and I didn't wanna delay her trip, so I told her we'd handle it when she got back. Unfortunately... we've had a few rough storms these past few weeks and I don't know if it-... wiggled somethin' that was already loose or what-..." a snicker slips out as he gives a shake of his head at his own lack of
knowledge on the subject, letting Yan Sun know that he has no idea what he's talking about, "...but now we're lucky if we're able to keep a signal for three or four hours out of the day."
Yan Sun lets her gaze wander up the custom built antenna as she listens to Kirill, nodding a couple of times. "I haven't dealt a whole lot with long-range transmitters, but I can definitely take a look. Brushed up on it for a job right after leaving Earth, actually." she says, offering a small smile. She seems undaunted, and eager to have a look. "Guess things like this are a lot more important when you don't have two centuries of
infrastructure to fall back on." she adds, mostly thinking out loud. "You won't find a lot of places on Earth without extranet access these days."
Kirill joins Yan Sun in eyeing up the antennae for a moment as they continue towards the small village of prefabs, her enthusiasm helping to reinforce his smile. "Well, that thing is pretty much a lifeline for us. And plenty of other folks, too. A lot of people out this way are relying on us to answer the call if they need somethin'. Hard to do without a signal." he explains. "But I'm not expectin' any miracles. You just do what ya can."
Yan Sun nods again, attention lingering on the comms building for a moment before wandering across the stacks of personalized prefabs. "Yeah, of course." she replies while studying the miniscule living units and the decorations that adorn them.