RP: Cirrus Station [Episode 2] Little Problems

[MoonMan]

Floating gently above Nepleslia Prime like a white, pristine gemstone, the Cirrus Research Station saw another day dawn on the planet below. Light caste from the core star, Prime, reflected against the luster of the spacious hull, and poured in from the clear durandium glass plates lining the outer walkways and connection bridges.

Despite having no set 'timezone', the Cirrus Station went along with standard Nepleslia charts, as most of the personnel on board were of Nepleslia descent. As a result many of them began to stir and rise, spurred on by their invisible internal clocks. The station awoke with them, lights flickering on, station mechanisms, clockwork and machinery stirring to life.

Head Administrator Cassefin Montreal had been awake long before then. Her waking schedule already attended to, the red-haired prodigy had taken her place at the Main Bridge of the Cirrus, sitting amongst the select few she allowed to run the research station at her leave. Cassefin adjusted her glasses, frocked her coat and tugged at her slacks as she chewed thoughtfully on a Legume Bar, readying herself for the upcoming day.

---

Kess and Mimi were also quite primed and ready as well. Both of Squad 35's Savtechs faded into view, their volumetric projections still as vivid as ever as it displayed their ever-so-opposite faces and utterly identical Cirrus Attendant uniforms. Both Mimi and Kess would appear beside each of Squad 35's members as they lay on their ratty little mattresses. What tier of the five-deck bed grooves didn't matter to them; if it wasn't high enough to stand to, they merely floated.

The two Savtechs alternated as best as they could. Mimi, her soft face beaming down as she gently aroused her members out of their slumber, as well as Kess, still not near as eager to smile as her peer, descended upon each security member in unison.

"It is time to wake, please!" Mimi cooed softly.

"Get up. Common. Up." Kess ordered harshly.



And thus started another wonderful day on the Cirrus Research Station.

 

[TBonDc]

"It is time to wake, please!" Mimi cooed softly at Ozzrik.

Always a light sleeper, Ozzrik opened up his eyes and shook the sleepiness from his face.

"Thanks for the gentle waking Mimi." Ozzrik responded.

Wasting no time, Ozzrik rose to his feet, grabbed his straight razor, shaving cream and towel from his bag and made for the bathroom. He lathered up his head and meticulously set to shaving his head. He's done this many times before and seemed almost ritualistic in his motion. He then hopped into the shower and actually took a pause to enjoy the hot water on his shoulders.

His mind drifted as it always does at this time and all he heard was his father's words, "Now remember Ozz.....good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better best."

He was an ol' coot but those words always stuck with him. Shaking his head, he stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around himself and went back to his bunk to get dressed.

Other in the squad were waking and in their process of getting up.

As he finished lacing his boot, he casually asked Mimi and Kess, "So....patrol time?"

 

[Kevyn]

Cyril's eyes snapped open as the two savtechs chided him awake more or less in unison. Eight years of sleeping in the same room as his younger brother had taught him to wake up at anything from a giggle up. To do otherwise usually meant that Nasir was free to write reversed messages on his forehead for him to find in the mirror come morning. He waved his good hand through the two savtechs, still groggy for his wide open eyes.

"S'd' 'ff..." He muttered. He spent a moment groping for his PDA as he brain began to start working again. Finding it, he flipped it open and held it at arms length, or at least as close to it as he could manage in the bunk. He squinted at it for a moment, noting that he had a message he'd have to look at later.

Well, it wasn't quite O'Dark Hundred, but it was still pretty bloody early. Cyril yawned and stretched before tugging his sheet aside and swinging his feet over the edge of the bunk. Setting the PDA aside, he began to run his arm through a series of start up checks, making sure all the servos still fired when they were suppose to. He didn't really bother with his tail. It had never really given him any problems, but his arm was an old model, the cheapest Hampton could get really, and it got glitchy if he didn't keep an eye on it. Satisfied that it was in working order, he dropped down from his bunk, narrowly missing the man below him.

Dragging on his trousers, he dipped an hand into his pocket for his morning smoke. He was a little surprised to only find the one, and half another besides, but whatever. A smoke was a smoke. Putting the half-cigarette between his lips, he was just about to light up when he remembered why he only had one and a half cigarettes. Looking down his nose at the cancer stick and the lighter, he could only curse. Those two would have to be saved for a special occasion. Or when he really, and he meant really needed a smoke. With another muttered curse, he stuck the precious cigarette back in his trousers and continued dressing.

 

[MissingNo]

Tweak had spent a good hour or two writing in her notebook, then taking a few more minutes to burn some of the more vital info (such as Dream and Keid becoming her new friends) as heavily coded microprint into one of the crystal tags she wore around her neck. When that was done, she had been led back to the barracks where the others had already gone to bed.

Picking a top (fifth-tier) bunk closest to the door, the weary neko quickly fell asleep, hugging her duffel and snuggling deep into her large coat.

-----

Day Two.

Mimi's coaxing was one of the better ways to wake up, except when the face accompanying the gentle prod into consciousness was completely unknown.

Tweak yawned and stretched, then looked at Mimi for a moment. Then her face wrinkled into a frown.

"Who're you?"

 

[Liam]

The wake-up call wasn't even needed. She had woken an hour earlier, so stated her PDA as she snuck a look at it, but had stayed in bed. Not to fall asleep, she wasn't even remotely tired, but just to avoid having to do anything. An anxiety thrilled through her body, one she hadn't felt for a while. It was the feeling of starting, truly starting, something new for her. A completely alien life.

She sat up as soon as the two Savtech's faded into being, completely ignoring everything that came out of their mouths as she got out of bed and quickly grabbed a towel. Most everyone else was still slowly recovering, so Keziah hurried into the women's shower to grab the cleanest stall.

Not that there'd be much competition. The women in the squad were hugely outnumbered. Not exactly a disadvantage, she mused, grinning, as she pulled off her clothes and stepped under the warm water.

 

[LorcanLycan]

Technically Lorcan had been up since midnight, but he'd had another few hours of sleep else where on the station, namely the storage room where he's re-arranged everything the other day, and got up early to prowl around for a little. He got there just as Keziah disappeared into the girls bathroom. Lorcan strode over to where he'd stuck his stuff and pulled out clean clothes, his razor and most importantly his shampoo and conditioner and a towel before disappearing into the bathroom for his own shave and shower.

After making himself all nice and clean and.... sexy... Lorcan dressed in nothing but his boxers and then strode out into the main room once again, getting his armor and security weapon from the delivery system storage. He hopped up on his bunk, which turned out was the very top, fifth tier bunk far right back corner, and slid into his suit and snugged into it till it was streched tight across his body, showing off his muscle and making him look like a long haired man from hell. He pulled the shoulder plates of silver steel from his duffel and slid into the vest and snapping the collar shut around his neck so the vest and steel plates staid on his shoulders, then he attached the rest of the plates to his shoulders, arms and the rest of him and once satisfied with his armor he slid off the bed and pulled on his belt, checked his magazines and his service pistol and then he slid his feet into his boots and made sure his knives were loose in their sheaths before he streched a bit and waited for everybody else.

 

[Davis]

As the station AI's woke him, Lucius groggily waved a hand at them, swiping it through their holo-field faces. He was used to savtechs in almost every way due to his military career.

Despite how tired he looked, Lucius had quite a nice nights sleep. He slid off his bed and went through a quick wake-up rhythm. He stretched, trotted in place and did a few push-ups. By the end he was wide awake and surveyed the room. A good amount of marines were up at this point. Lucius was satisfied and would let more sleepy slide this morning, for the most part.

"Come on marines, we ain't getting paid to sleep." Lucius said loudly, but not in a yell. He stretched a little more and spoke to the savtechs. "Do we have time for breakfast or do we gotta eat as we go?"

 

[MoonMan]

Mimi crooked her head to the side as Tweak asked her who she was, smiling in her uncertainty.

"I am Mimi! I am your Savtech guide to the Cirrus Research Station...and you, Miss Tweak, need to get ready."

While Mimi was working on Tweak, Kess turned and faced Lucius and nodded towards the machines in the back, no lines present this early in the morning for the healthy food and drink they would provide.

"You get breakfast from there. Cassefin tells me to suggest the banana chips for morning meals. I am going to tell you to eat whatever you want, because I don't know how they taste. Eat quickly, and use the Pneumatic Delivery System to put on your suit. If you need me or Mimi to show you how, just say so."

 

[Cora]

When Kess motioned to the machines, she would motion to two vending machines devoid of their front covers, only the stacks of food and drink inside would tell which was which. The doors were located on the floor, completely disassembled and sorted by piece, size and screw hole number, the screws and bolts themselves were also sorted and left in little dishes.

Off to the side of the Drink machine, was a huddled mass. Twas Serra, who apparently didn't need much sleep, since she was still sorting parts from the front doors. Glancing up she made a random sound of recognition then returned to her apparent task.

 

[Davis]

Lucius practically growled as he saw Serra with the vending machines disassembled. What are with the people? Is a few simple rules so hard to follow? I mean we are military for fuck's sake. We don't win wars by fighting brass at every turn. Well, the rules weren't 'few' or 'simple' but Lucius knew this. And rules were rules.

"Marine. Put that machine back together now. If it isn't back together and working normally by the time the squad is ready, everyone's going without breakfast." Lucius said is a very perturbed voice. "And nobody touch any of that food until the machine is back together. If you do, I'll have Mimi and Kess will charge your accounts double what you take."

He walked to the back of the room to the delivery system. He grunted softly, turning to the savtechs. "I watched Cassefin use this, but I haven't been assigned a number or anything. How do I get my suit and gun?"

 

[Cora]

Serra watched Lucius order the marine who disassembled the machines to put them together. But, it wasn't a marine who did it. It was the Civilian engineer/technician who did. So, since he didn't order the right person to do it, Serra decided that she'd just reassemble the doors, minus a thing or two.

It took some short cutting to reassemble the doors without the card reader, but she managed to make an adjustment that allowed the buttons to work sans- monetary lockout.

"Mr Lucius, I put the doors back on." Serra said while tightening the last bolt. "But, I must remind you, I am not a member of your military, so don't call me a marine."

 

[TBonDc]

Instead of waiting on a response from Mimi, he picked up on the other conversations and stepped to the delivery system. He watched yesterday and others this morning and managed to successfully get his CSS Suit and weapon. Again, always a quick learner, he slipped on his inner suit as others have done and then snapped the armor plates into place. Fit like a glove. After making sure his pack was on straight, securing his weapon and tucking his helmet under his arm he began to stroll towards the vending machines when he heard his Captain bark out orders.

At first, he had a few choice words about possibly not getting banana chips.....until he realized he was complaining about.....banana chips. Instead, he made his way to Serra and knelt down next to the machines.

Realizing Serra had most of what was needed done. He smiled at Serra and asked grinningly, "Great way to start the day, eh?"

 

[Liam]

Cleaner now, Keziah dried herself off, taking gentle care with her new legs. The doctors assured her, constantly, that they'd survive most battlefield conditions, including wading through a river, but she didn't trust them. Not completely. They weren't like her arm, something that had been built slowly over time with her learning exactly what, and why, the changes were happening. The arm had never failed in the years she had it.

But her arm was also covered by synthflesh.

Her metal calves gleamed in the light, as if freshly polished. They always looked like that, but it probably didn't help they never, really, got dirty. Keziah made a mental note to take a dip in some oil.

She pulled on a fresh tank top and panties she had bundled up with her towel, then stepped out into the barracks, just in time to hear the Elysian woman talk to their sergeant in so-very-not-military-terms. Keziah made a careful arc away from the two, towards her bunk to grab her money card.

"Might as well get something to eat," she muttered to herself, walking back to the machines.

 

[Davis]

Lucius' lip curled slightly as he looked at Serra. "That is Sergeant Lucius. And your name has been noted. However, you are a member of my security team. Marine is your name as is everyone else's name. It will remain as such unless I decide use your real name."

He glanced at the half-fixed machine. His instructions had definitely not been followed. His eyes were squinted slightly as he spoke in a clear and powerful tone of voice. "And I said working normally. In case you didn't understand that, I mean working as in working. As in exactly how it was before you decided to break station protocol and disassemble it. Now fix it, marine, and there better not be a single loose screw or jiggled wire."

 

[MissingNo]

Mimi crooked her head to the side as Tweak asked her who she was, smiling in her uncertainty.

"I am Mimi! I am your Savtech guide to the Cirrus Research Station...and you, Miss Tweak, need to get ready."

Tweak blinked rapidly. Something in her mind whispered that Mimi wasn't real...not a physical entity but an illusion. Tweak's eyes could even pick out the refresh rate of the Savtech's hologram if she took the time to notice them. And, being part of her programmed knowledge base, she knew that the hologram was controlled by a computer.

So maybe that was the source of the problem? She understood Mimi's introducing herself ("I am Mimi!") but...what did the lady mean by her missing a tweak? And the sentence made no sense...she ran a few permutations of the possible inflections trying to figure it out.

...and you miss-tweak need to get ready...and you missed a week need to get ready...and you missed weak need to get ready..."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're telling me...Is there something wrong with your verbal processors?" she finally asked. Sitting up as best she could in the bunk, the neko looked around. "Where am I?"

 

[Cora]

Serra straightened, so that she was eye to eye with Lucius. For a non-military person, Serra's eyes, as alien a color they were, showed little signs of being afraid of him. She ignored his correction of what she called him, as well and making a slight note about what he decided to call her. But, when he proclaimed that she broke protocol, that was where she got annoyed.

"All right, Sergeant Lucius." She said in a tone that matched the indignant look on her face, "tell me what protocol, or rule I violated when I took the door of the machines off?" His power play was not working on this woman, in fact, the very notion that she follow this muscle bound simian made Serra gag slightly internally. "I would really like to know what rule I am breaking, unless you're making this up as an attempt to assume a form of psudo-authority after the fiasco last night." She paused for a second. "oh, and so you know, the machines are working properly. I just removed an extra feature that logically should not be tacked on."

 

[Kevyn]

Cyril had just finished pulling on a tee shirt when Serra finished putting the doors back on the vending machines. He had to give her credit, she was a fast worker. Of course, in the grandest tradition of sergeants the galaxy over, it wasn't quite enough to get Lucius's approval.

Grabbing his wash kit and and idly spinning his beret with his tail, Cyril headed toward the showers. He was half dressed, true, but that was one of those unofficial lessons he'd picked up in basic. Granted, at least part of that was because, as mere worm-like recruits, they hadn't had such niceties as showers in their barracks, and marching around in his skivvies was a little nippy for a station boy like himself. But he had also learned that when you had that many men trying to use the same set of showers at the same time on a time limit, it paid to be half way dressed in case time ran out.

He made it past the Elysian and the Sergeant just as the winged woman was asking just which regulation she had broken. Now, maybe it was the lack of nicotine, or maybe it was just his inner imp acting up, but Cyril felt like being a bit of an ass.

"Figure 'e's likely talk'n 'bout the one 'bout breaking station machin'ry. Couldn't gi'you the number, tho'." He tossed to Serra over his shoulder as he passed into the showers.

 

[Liam]

Really, really not wanting to draw attention to herself, Keziah walked as quietly as her feet would allow her to, around the sergeant and Wings, up to the vending machine. Had it been disassembled? She didn't notice anything in her mad dash for the showers.

Not that it mattered, right? Just like everywhere else she had gotten junk food, just slide the card into the reader and--

The card wouldn't go into the reader. She tried a few more times, and then went to the other one, just to test, but both readers simply weren't responding.

"Equipment malfunction, sir," she said swiftly, cutting through Wings' and the sergeant's conversation. "Permission to inspect the machines?"

 

[Davis]

Lucius took a deep breath. He was near his boiling point. He did seem to be considerably more patient with Serra. Probably because she was an Elysian and he didn't know what sort of handling were best for them. But the patience was dwindling and looked like it may disappear any moment.

It seemed that Serra wouldn't take a general 'you are messing with people's property, that is wrong'. However, Lucius wasn't quite in the mood to handle the pompous 'angel' delicately. Her complete lack or respect for his authority was definitely getting at him and he wasn't going to let her be her own queen while he was around. If she wasn't going to listen to him then she was a threat and liability to the other marines when, or if, danger reared it head.

He glanced over to Keziah. "Noted, but there's no need."

Then looked back at Serra with narrowed eyes, but spoke to the whole room loudly. "Marines! Your breakfast has just been forfeited. Any further tampering with the vending machines will result in the loss of the next meal. I don't care who does it or why. Any other rules broken will result in similar lost privileges. Don't know the rules? Look 'em up. Now get your suits on and get ready for patrol. Mimi, Kess, lock down the vending machines, or something, if you can."

He then turned back to the pneumatic delivery tube, waiting for instructions from the Savtechs. After all, he had been shown how it was used, but didn't have any of the codes for retrieving his CSS suit and gun.

 

[MissingNo]

Tweak poked her head out from her bunk and looked down at Lucius as he announced the forfeit of the morning meal. Her eyes widened and she ducked back into her bunk, pressing up against the back wall and hugging her duffel.

"Where am I?!" she asked a little more forcefully, but in an urgent whisper, trying not to attract the angry man's attention and looking a little freaked out. "What's going on?"