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Post by Logan on Apr 8, 2009 8:31:17 GMT -6
Whoever this guy is, at least he's a capable pilot. This was the thought running through Logan's mind as her Viper touched down on the deck of the landing bay.
Checking her instruments and powering down the engines per landing protocols, she glanced out her canopy and saw several Black Shirts taking up positions near the probe craft, which had nestled down on the deck between Skyler and Brik's Vipers. A quick scan showed the probe had powerd down all its systems, but the hatch remained closed per Sklyler's instructions just before landing. He wasn't taking any chances on this individual getting the jump on them.
Her canopy raised, she removed her helmet and rose out of her seat, climbing down the wing and jumping to the deck. Hush was already waiting for her several steps from the craft. Logan noted with wry amusement that even Brik, whose speed was generally underestimated due to his large size, was already out of his Viper, hand resting on his blaster, eyeing the new arrival warily.
Logan walked to Hush's side and they both joined Brik as Skyler was talking to the nearest Black Shirt.
The doors to the landing bay hissed open and Commander Sheba walked purposefully into the bay. She couldn't help the doubletake of the probe craft before she joined Major Skyler. "Report."
"I instructed the pilot, a Lt. Kalten, to remain in the craft until I gave him the word. His systems are down, no weapons signatures apparent. Overall, he has shown no hostile intent. So far." The last bit Logan understood to be the innate suspicious nature of most of the Warriors of the Fleet. Having grown up hearing the stories of the attack on the Colonies and having had their own dealings with the Cylons, none of them took things at face value.
"Alright then, " the Commander said and motioned for Skyler and his team to follow. "Let's see where our guest came from and where our pilots went."
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Post by Logan on Apr 8, 2009 8:50:08 GMT -6
Kalten wasn't in a position to do more than follow these people's instructions and try to swallow the rather large knot that had formed in his throat.
The sight of the battlestar had been one thing. Callisto? There wasn't a Battlestar Callisto.
But now sitting in the probe, watching as what appeared to be general security personnel surrounded the ship, he was having second thoughts on volunteering for the fact finding mission. His fears seemed to be heightened when he saw the pilots of the modified Vipers exiting their ships. The one he took to be the Major Skyler he had been communicating with over the comm looked the part of a full Colonial Warrior. Perfect uniform, regulation demeanor and body language. He looked as though the Academy had spit him out of a mold.
But these others...they were wearing civilian clothes with uniform jackets over them. The lanky blonde male moved with an assurance that spoke of someone comfortable with themselves. He carried himself as a Warrior, but his plain black pants and gray tunic would have been better suited garb for a smuggler.
Kalten had a shock as the Viper's canopy on his right lifted and a brute of a man emerged. He had to be the largest person Kalten had ever seen, ebony skin and bulk. This man was also in civvies and he exuded such a presence that Kalten couldn't help but wonder why the rest of the people in the bay weren't shrinking back from him.
From the last Viper to land , there came a woman who looked nothing like a Warrior. Her hair hung loose down her back, auburn tinted in the lights from the bay, and her uniform jacket didn't quite fit her right. But she was dressed similar to the other two. The tall woman met with her fellow imposters, for that was what Kalten believed them to be, and from across the bay came an older woman who carried an air of authority and as they all came closer, Kalten could see she wore Commander's rank on her uniform.
What in the name of the Lords is going on? Have I found some sort of parallel universe where common thieves have taken over the Fleet? It made sense to him since the Vipers looked basically the same, only well used and almost older than they should be. What have these heathens done to these ships? The battlestar itself looked almost right. But there were little things that just didn't fit in. Saying a quick prayer, Kalten waited for them to tell him to exit his craft. He wasn't usually easily intimidated, and would have laughed at a subordinate who had shown anything but stoicism in the face of danger, but right now, he was too concerned about being shot by one of these ruffians to care.
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Post by Ens. Ione on Apr 13, 2009 5:52:20 GMT -6
Ens. Ione looked around the bay at her new assignment. She knew she had to report in to the commanding officer. Since her recent graduation from the Academy, her life had gone through a massive change. Her half-sister and only remaining relative had died during a critical operation she had needed. Ione and Livia had lived in the fleet with a foster family after the deaths of their father and mother.
Ione was still feeling the pain of Livia's death. But she took comfort in knowing that her sister was with their parents and would always be watching her. She hefted her bag over her shoulder as she stopped the nearest person for help. "I'm new here and I'm so lost. Can you help me?"
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BRIK
Viper Pilot
Posts: 227
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Post by BRIK on Apr 13, 2009 18:23:21 GMT -6
***NOT speaking as Brik***
Walking down the corridor of the massive battlestar (which lost some of its impressive bulk after years of occupation...some but not remotely ALL), Specialist Santos noticed what appeared to be yet another new and lost ensign.
He smiled inwardly, as he always did, at seeing them. they were so young and vibrant and (in his own opinion, at least) a sign of the strength of his people. Here they were, so very far from home (old or new)...yet still there were young people that wished to volunteer to serve their People. Well, let's see where this one's going...to see the Commander, no doubt.
The older man walked toward her as she looked back and forth down the corridor, and extended his hand in greeting and introduction. "Good day, ensign! My name is Santos...how can I help you?"
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BRIK
Viper Pilot
Posts: 227
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Post by BRIK on Apr 13, 2009 18:26:47 GMT -6
Brik's professional side was not his friend at the moment because it really bothered him to not be in uniform.
He felt like some . . . some sort of...some sort of "HEATHEN SMUGGLER" or something equally distasteful!
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Post by persephone on Apr 13, 2009 23:20:33 GMT -6
Persephone stared at the monitor in the Ready Room. Triton seemed mesmerized by the images, as much as Persephone.
"Where in Hades did that relic of a ship come from?" she said out loud to Triton standing next to her.
The strange ship brought into the landing bay by Gold's urgently dispatched squadron was like looking at a historical picture in the archives. Triton and Persephone , together with lieutenant Baris, simply gazed in amazement. The Commander had now appreared on the monitor screen in the landing bay, and was now walking toward the warriors grouped now near the ancient craft.
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Post by Ens. Ione on Apr 14, 2009 5:11:06 GMT -6
Ione took the offered hand. "Hi Santos. Name's Ione, Ens. Ione. I'm trying to find the Commander to report in. I just graduated from the Academy a few days ago."
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Post by Logan on Apr 14, 2009 9:09:15 GMT -6
"Is his comm system still active?" Sheba asked the question and folded her arms, studying the craft.
"Should be. I instructed him to open all external frequencies upon landing," Skyler replied. His stance was rigid as he stood by the Commander's side. He was obviously ready to jump to defend her if anything unexpected should happen. Logan, Brik and Hush stood close by, all of them with similar expressions of curiousity, but caution on their faces and in their body language.
In fact, Logan noted with some inward sense of wry humor even in this situation, Brik looked ready to leap to the probe craft and rip the hatch off with his bare hands if Sheba gave the command.
Logan's hand was resting on her blaster and even though she knew Brik was probably chafing at being out of uniform, she was relaxed. It seemed strange to her that standing so close to a functional relic of a ship with an unknown, possibly hostile, pilot onboard of mysterious origins, that she should fell so calm. That wriggling sensation of anxiety she had experienced had abated as soon as she realized they weren't going to have to blow this ship out of the sky.
But there were still questions. Where were the other pilots? Where had this ship come from?
"Attention, pilot." Sheba's voice rang out in the bay. " I am Commander Sheba of the Battlestar Callisto. You will release your hatch and come out of your ship. Slowly and unarmed."
The Black Shirts flanking the ship had their eyes glued on the probe as the small hiss of the hatch releasing was heard. The pilot, who had identified himself as Lt. Kalten, slowly exited the craft, his hands above his head.
Logan heard an intake of breath and realized it had been her own. The man who the Black Shirts escorted over to stand in front of them was tall, with short black hair and an athletic build. There was nothing remarkable about his features, but he was wearing a Colonial Warrior's uniform. The style was similar to what she herself wore, but this specific design had been out of circulation for more than twenty yahren.
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Post by Logan on Apr 14, 2009 9:17:28 GMT -6
In Gold's Ready Room, Lt. Baris frowned.
The man who had emerged from the old ship was in a Warrior's uniform. Something didn't seem quite right about it though. He couldn't put his finger on it. The image on the display was too indistinct.
"Curious," he muttered to himself.
"Pardon?" Persephone's question brought him out of his reverie.
Without removing his eyes from the screen, he told the lieutenant, "I don't know who that man is, but something very wrong is going on here."
Baris studied the image onscreen as the pilot was brought to stand before the Commander. His movements were steady and slow and he gave the Black Shirts no reason to manhandle him. Baris often thought that the Black Shirts were disappointed when they weren't given an excuse to get physical with their suspects. Of course, he felt the same way about Captain Logan. Her manner was far too brusque and undisciplined for a Colonial Warrior.
Baris focused back on the screen as he saw the Commander begin speaking to the pilot.
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Post by Logan on Apr 14, 2009 9:34:27 GMT -6
Lt. Kalten was practicing deep breathing exercises as he marched over to stand before 'the Commander.' She looked the part, but Kalten was sure there was no such Battlestar as the Callisto. Even though he was a lieutenant, he would have heard about the commissioning of another Battlestar.
The Black Shirts that surrounded him were also very realistic. But the hodgepodge group standing so protectively around this Commander Sheba were far off the mark. He listened as the Commander reintroduced herself and those who stood around her. Why the intorductions? Wasn't it protocol on vessels of the Fleet to take hostiles immediately to the brig for interrogation? These people were only playing at being authentic.
The men introduced as Major Skyler and Captain Brik seemed to be of that notion. They kept glancing at Sheba as if awaiting permission to frogmarch him down to the lower levels. They both stood erect and military, but Kalten couldn't help think that Skyler's stance was too military. Even after flying a mission, his uniform was still creased to perfection.
And this Brik person was the largest human he had ever seen. And now that he was close, he could tell that the uniform jacket the big man wore was tight fitting and not of a make Kalten recognized. In fact, all the uniforms looked not quite right somehow.
The lanky blonde named Hush looked more suited to being a common cutpurse with his slow graceful movements than any Warrior Kalten had ever seen.
And the tall woman with the flowing red hair held herself casually, but there was an underlying dangerousness in her posture. This Captain Logan looked like a troublemaker.
They may not be marching me to the brig, but they're on alert. Things may have gone differently had I fired on them. Perhaps they don't view me as a threat. Kalten knew he was going to have to be very careful. These pirates or whatever they were had the upper hand, but his mission was to gather information and that was exactly what he intended to do.
He just hoped he'd be able to get back with that information.
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