Mech Pilot who takes an all-nighter in the shop to ensure their paint job is up to regiment standard.

Riz liked spending her nights in the hangar. Unless some urgent, major repair work was needed, there were very few people about. If she wanted a break, she could sit in the relative quiet, listening to the machinery of the ship rumble around her, and if she wanted to take up the floor space of four bays testing engine mods, no-one was going to have a hissy fit.

Hex certainly didn't mind, and her bay was the next one over. She was always here, spending every night working on Cat or just sitting hooked up to it; probably reprogramming it or something. Riz had asked a few times, during one of their late night chats, but Hex always gave some new nonsense answer, like "Teaching her Scavarian", "Brain backup", or "Flirting." Riz wasn't sure Hex even spoke Scavarian, and she really wasn't sure how you flirted with a mech.

Ever since the new girl joined though, she'd been down here too, working in the bay opposite Hex's. She'd come over to talk a couple times, and Riz had tried to make conversation, but, well... Look, it was hard talking to new people, especially women who— women like her. Gods, let there be a mission soon; she could show off in her mech, then ride that high that only came from going fast and breaking shit to properly chat her u— introduce herself.

That could be weeks off though. Maybe she could go help with her mech? She was easily the best mechanic in the squad. Hell, she was the best on the station; it wasn't her fault if sometimes people pushed their engines to the point of burnout after she'd worked on them. Yeah, that'd work. She could show off, and use the focus to keep her nerves in check.

Riz popped out of her cockpit, spanner in hand, and bounced over towards Quinn's bay. She got about half way before her stomach tightened and she slowed to a walk — being a master mechanic doesn't mean shit when it comes to painting. Quinn looked up from her work behind the mech and gave Riz a wave. Well, too late to turn back now.

"Hey Riz! How's it going?" called Quinn.

"Fuckin' rad," replied Riz, regretting not waiting until fucking day time, when other people were around, you absolute moron. "Just came to check if you needed a hand with anything," she said, bringing her spanner up as some sort of explanation, "but looks like you're goo—"

"Oh that'd be great!" said Quinn, interrupting her escape attempt. "I found the spraygun, but I still need to prep the surface." She gave Riz a smile and then, maybe sensing her reluctance, continued "I'd appreciate the help."

"Eh, sure thing. Why the paint though? This things looks fucking fresh outta the factory. You can still see paint over some of the joints."

"Yeah, that's kinda the problem. Steel supply's still low since we lost Ibberus, so it's a refurb. There's paint where there shouldn't be, and not-paint where there should."

"It's not like the new frames have a crisp as fuck paintjob either. It doesn't matter, one mission and the paint gets dicked right the fuck up. Shit, look at Charlotte. I look after her well and she's still scuffed as fuck compared to this."

Quinn glanced over to Riz's mech before looking down at her own feet. "Yeah, but, regulation says—"

"Oh fuck that noise!" said Riz. "Regulation can eat a dick. You think I follow regs? Nova? Hell, Hex is a walking breach of every rule this place has."

Quinn looked up, blushing a little and tugging on her sleeve.

"Look," continued Riz, "you're fresh, right? Just think of the regulations as some fucking General's wet dream. If anyone gives you any shit, Nova will handle it."

"Alright, I'll... thanks. I look forward to learning from you all." She looked up at Riz and gave her a timid smile.

Riz, with her opportunity to be the experienced mentor now over, felt her vulnerability return and her cheeks begin to redden.

"A-Anyway," she said, fumbling with the spraygun's air line, "I'll help you finish, since you're already doing it."

"Thanks," said Quinn, moving over to her side, "that would be a big help."

It didn't take long to touch up the missing spots, helping each other wrangle the hose, and trading the spraygun to get to areas the other couldn't easily reach. Quinn was rather slight, but her arms were long, and she had a good 20cm over Riz. Most people had 20cm over Riz.

"So," said Quinn, leaning over Riz's shoulder to watch as she sprayed the last patch, "what's the deal with Hex?"

Riz tried to focus on the spraygun, rather than the press of Quinn's chest against her back. "What, eh... what about her?"

"Just curious about my new squad," she said, pressing her face in closer to Riz's, apparently unaware or indifferent to the intimacy. "Lolly said you knew her best. Left a bit, you missed a spot."

"What? Oh, sorry." Riz gave one last pass then tried to step back, pressing harder into Quinn for a moment before she gave way. "All finished. What were you asking?"

"She's been in her mech all night. What's she do in there?"

"Fuck knows," said Riz. She started cleaning up the tools, keeping her back to Quinn until her face stopped glowing.

"You don't know either?"

"I dunno, it's just Hex stuff."

"So she's just a mystery to you all?"

"No, of course not!" snapped Riz, spinning to meet her eyes, "I spend every night here with her!"

"Sorry," stumbled Quinn, "I didn't mean—"

"Look," said Riz, averting her eyes, "She's just Hex, ok? She— Just wait until the next mission. You'll see what I mean."

"Ok," said Quinn, "...Sorry. I didn't realise you were close to her."

"I— She— Shit. Hex doesn't do close. Hex doesn't do people. But she needs people. I... I try to make her see that. I help her remember she's people."

"I see. Alright. I guess I'd struggle with human connection if I looked like th—"

"No, shut it! You judgemental fuck, I said wait. You don't know shit about her, so don't fucking think you do! What's the point of asking if you're just fucking gonna assume you already know the answer?" Riz had grabbed her spanner again and was waving it in Quinn's face.

"Ok, sorry! Sorry. I misunderstood," she said, hands held up at head height, "I'm sure I'll get what you mean soon."

"Good," said Riz, giving a mollified sniff. "If you're that fucking impatient, just go talk to her yourself."

"Alright," said Quinn, "that's probably a good idea."

"Later!" said Riz, "She's busy at the moment."

"...Doing Hex stuff," tried Quinn.

"Right."

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, neither of them sure how to get out of it. Eventually, Riz shifted a little, deciding to just leave.

"Your mech," rushed out Quinn, "you said her name was Charlotte?"

"Eh, yeah," said Riz, pausing her retreat.

"Could you show her to me?" asked Quinn, conciliatory smile on her face.

Riz paused for a moment, before sighing and giving a weak smile back.

"Sure."