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Post by Logan on Jul 10, 2009 18:40:10 GMT -6
As Logan walked past the lounge, the doors opened and an ensign rushed out into her path, forcing her to stop short. She recognized the man as the ensign she had saved from Gher's tongue-lashing earlier.
Noting his flustered appearance and red face, she stood her ground. "Ensign Gearbox, isn't it?"
"Yes, Captian," he replied automatically, not quite meeting her eyes.
She had no idea what his problem was, but with Black Squadron in such obvious disarray she didn't envy the new recruit. "At ease, " she replied, voice steady and firm. She stood straighter and looked him over critically. Even under the circumstances, Warriors were expected to act appropriately. It was all she could do not to smile at that thought. Since when had she been a stickler for appropriateness? But she had promised Skyler that with her promotion she'd try to set a better example.
"Ensign, have you reported to your CO for your orientation yet?"
After a beat of silence, she held up her hand to stop him from talking. "Never mind. I'll send a message to Major JustinB," she said as she pulled out her personal comm and tapped out a brief missive. She had a feeling that with Brie back, he might be a hard one to track down, even for someone who had been here a while, much less a rookie trying to find his way.
"You'll be accompanying me to the landing bay. I can give you the two cubit tour along the way. We have a briefing coming up, but I'm all yours until then."
The surprise in Gearbox's eyes was apparent. His brows raised as he asked, "Why?"
Yes it was odd, especially since they were in different squadrons and she was technically too busy to do it, but she remembered how it felt to feel out of place here, among Warriors who worked together as a team, almost without thought.
She started walking and it took him a couple of steps to catch up with her long stride. "Because, Ensign. The Callisto is a family. And we don't leave our family standing around not knowing what to do when they're new. It can be overwhelming, I know. But you'll find your place soon enough." She laughed, the musical note one that didn't surface often. "And if you don't, Major Skyler will find one for you."
He had no idea what that meant, but she knew he'd find out soon enough.
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Post by Brie on Jul 12, 2009 22:30:24 GMT -6
Jorlan stayed in the background as Brie went to check in. "I'm Major Brie, and I'm supposed to see a Lieutenant Buris," she said.
"That's Baris, Major, and we've been expecting you," she was told. "Please, have a seat. The lieutenant will be with you in a few centons."
Brie placed the carriers on the floor and took a seat. Major Jorlan approached her. "Is there anything you need, Brie?"
Brie grinned. "What a question. No, I'm fine."
"Okay, I'm going to get going. I'll see you later." Unexpectedly, Jorlan gave Brie a hug. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back." A centon after Jorlan left Petra started fussing again. Brie took her out of the carrier and rocked her gently. She noticed two blackshirts on the other side of the waiting area, purposely not looking at her. Putting the infant up to her shoulder, Brie stood and walked over to them. "You're not doing a very good job."
"Of what?" one of the men asked.
"Of pretending that you're not watching me," Brie replied. "I know I'm not supposed to realize that I'm under surveillance, but you're making it kind of obvious."
"You're being paranoid, Major Brie," the second man said.
"Now see, you just gave it away," Brie told him. She sat down next to him. "News of my return may have been rumored, but hasn't yet been officially confirmed. So the simple fact that you called me by name, even though we've never met, confirms that you're here to keep an eye on me. Let me give you a couple of pointers. First, instead of looking away when I looked in your direction, you should have just pretended that you were looking at my daughter. A 'cute kid' would have gone a long way. Second, once you realized that you were caught, you had two choices. Instead of denying that you've been ordered to guard me, you could have pretended that you didn't know that I'm alive. Or, better yet, you could have just told the truth, that you're under orders to keep an eye on me. Telling me I'm being paranoid…well…I've been at this for a long time. I know how the system works. So fess up. Who gave the order?"
"Commander Sheba," the first man said.
"All the way from the top."
"Major Brie," a voice called across the waiting area, "Lieutenant Baris will see you now."
"Do me a favor," Brie said to the two men. "Grab the other carriers. Be careful, my daughter is in one of them. I just don't want to put Petra down right now, she's a little bit fussy." Doing as they were told, each of the blackshirts grabbed a carrier and followed Brie into an examination room. "Thanks," Brie said. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you later." With Petra in one arm, Brie closed the door. She looked at the medical gown that was waiting for her. "Lovely," she said to her daughter. "Remind me again, why did we come back?" The infant burped loudly in response.
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Post by Brie on Jul 14, 2009 15:48:34 GMT -6
The exam was routine. Brie barely said a word to Lieutenant Baris, and he returned the favor. She couldn't help but wishing that she was with Doc Bkj. It would have been easier, Bkj was her friend and confidant as well as her doctor. "Everything seems to check out, Major," Baris said at last. "We'll have the test results back in the morning, but you seem perfectly healthy."
"I never thought otherwise," Brie replied.
"Now for the children," Baris said. "Which is which?"
"This is Palma," Brie said, taking her daughter out of the carrier. She didn't want to disturb Petra, who had finally fallen asleep.
Baris examined the baby, asking routine questions along the way. Finally he arrived at one that surprised Brie. "Who is their father?"
"It's in my medical records," Brie replied. "Doc Bkj made a note of their parentage when she confirmed I was pregnant."
"Is there something wrong?" Baris asked. "Some type of problem with the father?"
"No," Brie said. "It's just that…I don't really want to think that I was involved with a man who couldn't even wait until I was dead to go through my stuff. How's Palma?"
"Perfectly healthy," Baris replied, giving her back to Brie. "The second child. I'm assuming that they're identical. Are there any major differences that you've noticed?"
Brie returned Palma to a carrier and took Petra back out. The infant screamed. "Besides being a bit crankier, Petra has a birthmark. You'll notice it soon enough."
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artus
Viper Pilot
Posts: 140
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Post by artus on Jul 14, 2009 22:51:44 GMT -6
Suddenly the lights in his cell were turned on. Artus half-woke up, because he really wanted to continue the dream he was having. It was one of the better ones, about the red haired socialator from Picon. Good dreams were rare these days.
"Get up!" the blackshirt shouted at him from the doorway, wich was open.
Artus tried to shake it off, dreading another surprise inspection. He sometimes beleieved that he got the extra hard treatment because he was a pilot. And people are always harshest on their heroes when they have fallen.
He quickly got up and put his hands on the marked spaces on the wall.
"Prisoner Artus ready for inspection sir." he almost managed to leave the bitterness out of his voice.
The blackshirt looked him over.
"No, not that, you stinking piece of felgercarb. Step out of the cell. It seems that they need you for something."
Artus was quite surprised. Dreading that they might decide to 'shoot him while he was trying to escape' because they needed the cell space, he carefully asked the blackshirt: "What's going on? What do they need me for?"
Taking his baton from his belt, the blackshirt shouted at Artus: "What do I look like? A tour guide? Now get the frack out here or do I have to come in there and get you?"
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Post by persephone on Jul 14, 2009 23:09:11 GMT -6
Persephone realized her com was beeping, when it finally brought her out of her intense thoughts about the ancient ship she had been examining the outside of, for a few centons now. She wondered what Triton was able to dig up about her brother with his visit to the Computer Data room. She looked down at her com and saw that it was a message from Captain Logan instead. Something was happening. Logan wanted her to report asap.
Another briefing? she wondered...
But where in Hades did Triton get to? He hadn't sent her any message since they last spoke before he headed up to the next level. She shook her head, and made her tracks to the lift to report to her wingman, Logan.
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Post by gearbox on Jul 15, 2009 10:30:12 GMT -6
Gearbox breathed a sigh of relief and followed the Captain down the corridor. The battlestar was a buzz of activity and as they got closer to the landing bay the activity increased. Captain Logan was striding with a purpose and Gearbox had to almost trot to keep up with her. It was obvious that she knew the battlestar like the back of her hand and Gearbox was quickly becoming lost in the maze of corridors. "We'll take the the communications access passage, "Logan said over her shoulder. "It'll take forever to fight our way through this crowd." She turned and opened a smaller hatchway and ducked through. As Logan stepped into the dimly lit corridor he thought he glimpsed a dark, furry shape scurry behind a bank of comm cables. "Must be a rat," he thought. GearBox had seen his fair share of rats on the Garbage Scow, but was somewhat suprised to find they were on the battlestar as well. He followed Captain Logan, who was already hurrying down the passageway.
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artus
Viper Pilot
Posts: 140
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Post by artus on Jul 15, 2009 10:35:50 GMT -6
After Artus had been let out of his cell, he was led through several corridors, until he was put in a dimly lit room and told to wait there. In the room there was very little else but a table and two chairs.
Artus sat down and started thinking what the best way to sit was. Feet up on the table? Nah, too cocky, and would likely get him thrown back into his cell.
Feet next to each other, and arms down? Nope. Not that either. That way he would look defeated, and he wasn't sure that he was.
Arms crossed? Legs crossed? Turn the chair around and lean on the back rest?
Artus thought to himself that he really had nothing real to do for a long time. In the olden days, he wouldn't have wondered about how to sit. He wouldn't have cared. He would have just sat, and that would be all.
He sighed, and waited.
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Post by Brie on Jul 15, 2009 13:26:18 GMT -6
Brie smiled inwardly as Petra wailed. The infant obviously did NOT like the exam. Lieutenant Baris seemed to take it all in stride, although he handed the child back quickly the micron he was done. "Both infants are healthy," he said loudly. It had to be loud, to be heard over Petra's noise.
"Thanks." Brie took her daughter back and put her up to her shoulder. Petra stopped crying. "Any chance you know where we're going to be staying tonight?" Brie wasn't sure which cycle it was, but she was tired enough to sleep through several.
"I'll find out. Why don't you go ahead and get dressed, I'll be back in a centon."
Brie put the infant down as Petra protested. She got dressed and secured both carriers. "You'll both be able to sleep in a real crib tonight," she promised. "And I'll requisition a stroller. No more of this alien infant carrier felgercarb."
Baris returned and showed them a room down the hall. The two cribs made it a bit cramped. "You'll stay here tonight. Get some sleep, tomorrow you'll have your psychological examination, and then you'll be released."
"Psychological exam," Brie repeated with a sigh.
"It's procedure," Baris informed her.
"I know." Brie sighed again. "Ever wonder if there's a better way? Over thirty yahrens, searching for something that probably doesn't even exist, but we have to follow the same old ways and the same old antiquated procedures."
"Get some sleep," Baris repeated. He left the room without saying another word, and closed the door behind him.
Brie took Palma out of her carrier and placed her in one of the cribs. The child stirred, but didn't wake up. She then took Petra and held her. "There's got to be a better way."
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Post by Brie on Jul 16, 2009 15:57:51 GMT -6
Knowing what to expect, Brie poked her head outside of her door. She was right, the two blackshirts were standing guard nearby. "Um, Major, I don't think you're supposed to be going anywhere," the first one said.
"I'm not," Brie replied. "I was hoping that I could find someone to get me something to eat."
The blackshirts whispered back and forth for a micron. "I'll get you something," the second man said. "What would you like?"
"A veggie burger," Brie replied. "And fries, with lots of ketchup. Coffee too."
"I'll be back soon," the blackshirt said.
Brie returned to her room and closed the door. She wasn't really overly hungry, although it had been a long time since she had consumed one of her favorite meals. She had been more curious as to whether or not she was still being guarded. "Procedure or not," she said to herself, "it's still not right." She suddenly wondered if someone might be listening in, stranger things had happened to her over the yahrens. She looked up at the ceiling. "You hear that? It's just not right!"
A few centons later the blackshirt returned with her meal. Brie sat down on the bed, maybe she was hungry after all. "Thanks," she said.
"Listen, Major," the officer started slowly, "we're just following orders."
"I understand that."
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked.
Brie thought for a micron. "Yeah. If Major JustinB stops by, don't let him in. I don't want to see him."
"You have my word." The blackshirt left again.
"Not that he'd WANT to stop by," Brie mumbled to herself.
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bouriplwel
Viper Pilot
"Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All I Do"
Posts: 354
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Post by bouriplwel on Jul 16, 2009 17:25:05 GMT -6
Ensign Plwel and Baer were still standing on the bridge silently waiting for Major Skyler to address them after reporting in from the Rising Star...........
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