Identity in progress

ace pilot: [raising her hand] okay so question

revolutionary leader: [sighing] what. what is your question

ace pilot: umm.. can i be leashed? i'm kinda missing my leash. whos my handler?

revolutionary leader: wh- you don't have a handler. you're a fucking mech pilot, you can be trusted to know the best course of action in battle, can't you? isnt this what they train you for?

ace pilot: [shaking her head] no i just do what they tell me to. i never got trained or anything they just inject me with the stuff and then tell me where to shoot. can i wear a muzzle

revolutionary leader: you never- what the fuck? THIS is what the best of the best of their army is like? you never even got trained?

revolutionary pilot: i told you working with her was a bad idea. lets just kill her. we don't need fascist scum in our ranks.

ace pilot: [whimpering a little] aahahaha.. can she be my handler? i like her

revolutionary leader: wh- what the fuck. you at least know how to pilot their mechs? right?

ace pilot: [grinning] if a scary lady is yelling at me, i can pilot anything in this galaxy

revolutionary pilot: we really dont need her. lets just shoot her

revolutionary leader: no no, wait.. anything? like all you need is a handler and you can pilot as well as any of their pilots

ace pilot: and a lot of drugs! but yep

revolutionary leader: . . . alright marsha you're her handler now

revolutuonary pilot: AW WHAT

ace pilot: um i have another question.

revolutionary leader: [head in her hands] what is it this time?

ace pilot: i know the royalty is bad, but what about the princess? shes literally nicies......

revolutionary leader: [exasperated] did you not hear me? she too grows fat on th-

...for all those hotshot pilots who need to learn how to speak a conversational Mechtech in a hurry:

"Running diagnostics": taking a five-minute break.

"Checking that repairs settle": taking a ten-minute break.

"Sent the new guy to the quartermaster for the parts we need": taking a half-hour break.

"In five minutes": in ten minutes.

"In ten minutes": in half an hour.

"In half an hour": tomorrow.

"In an hour": actually, in forty-five minutes.

"Severe damage": functionally meaningless, they will say this about anything. Ignore it. It is small talk.

"Extensive damage": actually light damage but on the parts that are hard to work with, so try running a little cooler from now on.

"Moderate damage": sure, you nearly died, but shot-out cockpit glass is pretty easy to replace, stop being dramatic.

"Apprentice work": the most important parts of your 'mech are being left in the charge of the least experienced worker in the entire hangar.

"Armored up on vulnerable segments": an extra layer of tinfoil has been applied over your armor and fastened in place with hot glue.

"Extra armor stripped to save weight": your 'mech is now protected by about two sheets of corrugated metal plundered from a local hardware and landscaping store.

"Lunch break": a block of time that begins at the exact moment you return to the hangar with an engine on fire and one arm missing and ends just when they have to hand the job off to the night teams.

"Lighten up on the handling": treat this 'mech like a dainty lady of court who faints onto couches if slightly stressed and must not strain herself by strolling in the manor gardens too long.

"Push it all you like": if you bring this 'mech back in with all its limbs attached or the engine not exploded, they will assume you are denigrating the quality of their work.