RP: Cirrus Station [Episode 2] Little Problems

[Liam]

"Yes sir," she said swiftly, stepping back and away from the machine, and heading towards her bunk. All the while her head was running a litany. Shit, shit, shit.... No food before patrol. Before her first patrol. Thanks to Wings and her supreme knowledge of how to mess with the NCOs aboard the station.

What a great way to start.

She dropped her card back into her duffel, and sat and waited.

 

[MoonMan]

"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?"

"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?"

Mimi looks absolutely muddled, glancing around at the other occupants of the room in an innocent manner, as if asking them what she should do.

"I...uh...I'm....you're..."

Kess, who had been watching silently at the other end of the room, huffed a frustrated sigh and stormed over to Mimi and Tweak.

"Mimi, go attend to the others," Kess ordered flatly.
"Okay Kess..."
"And you," Kess turned back to Tweak, pointing a delicate finger in her direction. "I knew it. Read your journal. And do it quickly. I'll wait right here."

---

Mimi, freed from tending to the memory-impaired Neko, approached Lucius just as he was ordering the Savtechs to shut down the vending machines. Mimi smiled empathetically, hoping the situation would alleviate itself without her having to raise her voice. Noting also that Lucius wished to retrieve his CSS Suit and Variable Weapon, Mimi took the liberty of summoning them from their place in the lower recesses of the ship, amongst the Pneumatic Storage. After a short moment, Lucius' own personally-fitted gear appeared in the tube as the travel capsule popped open.

"I'm sorry, Captain Lucius...we can't control the snack machines remotely. They are a closed-circuit, not connected to the station in any way. We can't lock them...but if you get one of your talented engineers to fiddle with the doodads inside, I'm sure one of them can seal off its function..." Mimi moved to stand in front of the machine as she finished. "...but I must ask that you allow your security staff to eat. Their meals are important! Miss Cassefin's healthy and delicious foods and drinks will ensure that all of you will be in tip-top condition for today!"

Mimi could no longer contain her excitement, and squealed lightly and jumped up and down in place. The Savtech's enthusiasm was borderline insanity. "For today, Miss Cassefin has given you all a special assignment! She noticed that many of you are skilled in mechanical and technical work, and she specifically asked me to inform you all that she has a job that requires your abilities! Isn't this great?! The job is certain to be something of great importance!"

Mimi settled down a bit and pressed the virtual wrinkles out of her volumetric uniform. "But we must hurry and have you all suited up. I am to take you to the problem areas as soon as possible!"

 

[Cora]

Serra smiled. "If you want... I can lock it down for you." She said, such a smartass grin on her lips, it almost seemed like she was tempting Lucius.

 

[TBonDc]

"I guess polite conversation isn't in the cards for anyone this morning, "Ozzrik muttered to himself with a grin. Really hoping he might be able to avoid the stand down that happened last night and get onto duty, Ozzrik stepped within a respectable distance of his CO and stood in his best POA (Point of Attention).

In his best Marine voice he said, "Sir, may I offer a solution?"

 

[Davis]

As the suit arrived he quickly donned it. Slipping into it as Cassefin had described. He was a little slower with the plates, his mind divided between dressing and figuring out how to run this ragamuffin squad, half of which seemed intent on getting themselves court-marshaled. After all, how hard was it to do what you are told? Maybe it was because Lucius had been living his whole life as a soldier, which was perfectly fine with him.

He looked at Mimi with a serious look as he finished attaching the plates. "Noted. However, since some of the squad members have refused to take my commands seriously, and have tampered with the machines, they will not be used until they learn a little discipline. After all, you are supposed to look out for this station, this includes protecting the vending machines, right?"

He looked at Serra again. "Absolutely not. However, you take time after patrol or at your earliest break to fix them. And I do mean exactly to how they were before you took them apart."

He listened to Mimi's excited message about patrol. Just great... A way for the 'techs' to put on their high-breeches. Our little 'angel' is probably gonna get all haughty again.

He shouldered his Variable rifle and looked over to Ozzrik. He was at least presenting himself in a respectable fashion. Lucius turned to him and stood at a parade rest, a somewhat commanding pose. "Permission granted, but make it quick. We will not be late to our first patrol."

 

[MissingNo]

"And you," Kess turned back to Tweak, pointing a delicate finger in her direction. "I knew it. Read your journal. And do it quickly. I'll wait right here."

"Journal? What journal?"

Tweak looked down at the bag she was holding and then back to Kess. She put it on the bed and opened it...then noticed the book hanging by her leg. Undoing the straps that held it there, Tweak opened it and saw nothing but what looked like scribbles until her eyes zoomed in and showed the small marks to be microprint. She also discovered that she could read very quickly, so she scanned the page and tested her memory.

Yep, she could recall everything on it, even though she hadn't consciously read it. Neat!

With this discovery, the neko scanned each page. Then she held up the marked crystal tag to the light and scanned that, setting a part of her mind to decoding it while she 'read' the pages she had just scanned.

Clenching her eyes shut for a moment, Tweak put the book away and closed the bag again. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Kess, tilting her head a little to one side. "So...I work here?" Her hand wandered up to her head and checked to make sure the cloth was still covering her ears, which twitched a little as she heard Mimi's announcement about mechanical duties...

 

[MoonMan]

"Yes," Kess stated, not at all surprised by this sudden turn of events. "And what you need to do now is put on this uniform..." Kess waved a hand towards the Pneumatic Delivery Tube system, which immediately sprung up and opened its capsule, revealing Tweaks own personal CSS Suit and Variable Weapon. "...and follow the rest of us, and do your job. Think you can handle that?"

 

[TBonDc]

Ozzrik suggested in as quick and serious tone "Sir, if its a happy compromise for Ms. Montreal and her Savtechs, I'd be happy to forfeit my use of the machines so others can eat."

For Ozz, it wasn't about being some righteous soldier or some show off. For him it was logic. He didn't want to eat. Other might of. If he can bare the burden for his squad...fine. Nothing more, nothing less. Plus, perhaps a bit of starvation might create a fondness for these healthy snacks that are provided.

 

[MissingNo]

"What's my job?" Tweak asked Kess as she set her bag in the corner where her bed met the two walls at the end of the room, a place where no one would be able to see it from deck-level unless they were for some reason looking for it.

Suddenly the neko got a most uncomfortable look. Unknown to her, Tweak hadn't eaten in almost two days. "Is there something I can eat first?"

 

[Liam]

Slowly, Keziah made her way to the delivery tubes and summoned her own armor suit and rifle, picking up the gun and bundle and making her way back to her bunk to put it all on. She wriggled into the undersuit, and slid on the plates, until all that remained was her helmet. That she slung under her arm, then locked her rifle into place.

It felt good to be back in armor. It wasn't the refurbished AIR units she had used in training, obviously, but even so, the suit made her feel safe. Powerful. It was a warm feeling.

Now infused with a kind of confidence, she walked back to the sergeant, but kept a respectful distance, ready for their orders. Whatever they would be.

 

[Cora]

There was a small thump sound as a packet of Vitanana Flakes landed right on Tweak's lap. This act of kindness was done by none other then Serra, who after being "grilled" by Lucius, left him to his anger and was dispensing what looked like an armload of food and drinks to the security force.

"Here." She said with a smile, then turned to Lucius, "just so you don't get your boxers in a bind, I payed for all this before I decided to play with the machines. Ask the Savtechs to check my card data, it should be down by about fifty units." She muttered off hand as she walked to the others and offered a selection of the Non-Freespacer food and drinks.

 

[MissingNo]

Tweak looked down at the flakes. There was no way a packet could contain what she felt like she could eat. But, if that was all she was getting...all she could do was hope that it would sustain her.

"Thank you," she called down to Serra, then opened and began eating the packet's contents as she dropped down to the floor, still waiting for Kess' answer...then she found it herself as she reached yesterday's pages in her journal, which she was still mentally reading. Tweak's expression became slightly dour, but she went over to where the rest of the squad was clustered around the tubes and waited for her uniform. There were questions left only partly answered by her writings, like the origin of her memory loss, but apparently she belonged here, so she decided to go along with it.

The cloth over her head was becoming a bit irritating, however...

 

[Davis]

Lucius tilted an eyebrow at Ozzrik. Was he trying to play Lucius? Was he trying to act sacrificial to see if he would get a reward? No matter. "Interesting suggestion. But no. The machines have been vandalized and that is that."

He glanced approvingly over at Keziah as she donned her suit and rifle. He noted that she acted with respect as she came over and waited.

Don't get your boxers on a bind? There was definitely something wrong with this unruly girl.

"Marines! Drop those bags. Anyone who eats will get the pleasure of running a dozen laps around the station after patrol." He ignored the groans coming from some of the more military minded members of the squad.

He stepped in close to Serra. "Listen angel-cakes. If you think I'm upset about the money you are wrong, dead wrong. You are not following my orders and I AM your current captain. That means 'do as I say.' Now put those bags down and get your CSS suit and gun on or I will recommend you to Cassefin for punishment for defacing her machines. And you know how much she loves her machines."

He turned to the rest of the room. "Everyone who is suited up and ready, assemble in the hallway. Those who aren't ready, get ready."

 

[TBonDc]

Ozzrik can tell from his Lucius' eyes, he was trying to figure out why he would do that. Like an obedient Marine, Ozzrik nodded quietly in response to Lucius and then jogged out the door to the hallyway.

Lucius used his unique leadership style of combining barking, yelling and insults to solve the situation. I'm sure Serra will have something to say before too long as well. In the end, he didn't have to respect Lucius, he just had to listen to him and in his book....that was a world of difference. If he's so bent on his way, I wonder how that Freespace is going to work with him? With a chuckle, Ozzrik waited patiently in the hallway and strapped on his helmet.

 

[Liam]

"Sir." Was all that Keziah left in her wake as she turned on her heel and walked out, into the hall. Most of them hadn't finished suiting up, or hadn't gotten their armor, but there wasn't anything to be done about that. At least it was just the civilians--sans a few troublesome marines--that were causing the most trouble.

Not that it changed anything.

She got out into the hall and lined up against one wall, snapping her helmet into place, but keeping the visor retracted. Cyril wasn't out, as far as she could tell from a quick sweep of the assembled faces. So much for someone to talk to.

 

[TBonDc]

Ozzrik noticed as another one of his squad walked into the hallway. Lucius wasn't out yet, so he figured he'd try to strike up a bit of conversation. With helmet finally on tight, he slid over to the wall where Keziah stood.

With a nod, he ventured forward with the conversational words, "Hey there, I'm Ozz....ready for our first patrol?

 

[Cody]

James' eyes snapped open.

"OH CRAP!!!!!"

He knew he was late. It was pretty obvious. The fact that all the other bunks around him were empty, and sarge's loud voice, were a perfect testament to that fact. James had overslept.

For a marine, there is nothing more embarrassing. Marines are supposed to be the epitome of discipline and control, and James had just failed test number one. Luckily, it seemed like sarge hadn't noticed. James quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the air-flue mail system thingy and stared at it for a few seconds while he tried to figure out what to do next. Those few seconds were all the James needed. He had a moderate understanding of technoglogy, so he could grasp simple stuff like this relatively quickly. With a few precise punches of the grimy looking keyes, and a quick swipe of James ID card, the equipment zoomed through the massive pipe sytem and arrived neatly in front of James. He wasn't really concerned with how it got there, he just grabbed the suit, put it on as best he could, grabbed his carbine, and headed out the door with the other marines.

James looked to the left and right of the hallway to make sure nobody had noticed his near-lateness. The nhe promptly took up a spot along the wall with the other marines and did his best to blend in.

 

[Cora]

Serra stopped. Literally, she physically halted all motion in space/time for exactly one second, after she heard the one thing that should NEVER be spoken near a Patriarch....

Listen Angel-cakes.

Even for a moderate like herself, this one name, had marked the wingless, small brained monkey talking to her as an eternal enemy. Someone who will never, EVER, receive the blessing of her kindness, for the rest of his (short) life. After waiting for him to stop talking, she calmly returned to her bunk, calmly deposited her food and drinks. Then turned to the Savtechs with a pad raised in her hand.

"Kess." She stated calmly, as she continued to ignore Lucius for the moment, "you have access to the Cirrus bulletin board correct?" She didn't wait for a response. "I'm patching feed from said bulletin board, to be precise, the Rules and Regulations list she posted there, mainly the two headers about her machines."

With a quick series of finger movements, a volumetric display window popped into existence right in front of Lucius' face.

-Do not steal from Montreal Reservoir or BioNutri-Snack machines.
-Do not deface or vandalize Montreal Reservoir or BioNutri-Snack machines.

Turning brisking on her heel, she turned to glare at Lucius. "Listen right now you simian." She barked, taking the three strides it needed to get from her bunk to his face. "I will not stand to be called "Angel Cakes, or Marine. My name is Serra. I have not broken any of the regulations on this station," she made a point to grab Lucius' head with both her hands, the grip she exerted was unnaturally tight on his head, and she forcibly turned his gaze to said machines, which were not physically damaged, or drawn on/marked up. She then turned his face back to hers, "so, please do not tell me that I did when I know more then you."

She then shifted her grip from his head, to the front of his uniform, she then balled in her fists as she hoisted him right off the ground and then took another step before SLAMMING him right into a Bunk support post. "You will also refrain from yelling at me like I am some tick covered, flea infested, ground dwelling, rock smashing Neanderthal primate like you and your ilk again or I will make sure that you will not have a nice day." She lowered him back to eye level. "Am I making myself CLEAR, Mr. Lucius?" She asked, literally nose to nose with the marine.

 

[MissingNo]

Tweak shoved the rest of the flake bar into her mouth and almost swallowed it whole when Lucius expressed his displeasure with the distribution of the foodstuffs. She wouldn't be able to work today if she didn't get anything to eat, so that was a no-brainer as far as necessity-vs-orders went.

As for her still-unanswered question of what she was supposed to do...everyone else in the room was getting dressed in those goofy-looking jumpsuits. Everyone. So...maybe she was supposed to as well? Or she could slide back into her bunk and hope the angry guy didn't notice her...

 

[Liam]

Keziah shrugged at the big marine--Ozz--and a wry grin spread across her face. "First patrol for you. First patrol ever for me." She didn't quite whisper, but she was subtly embarrassed that, probably, she was the only one in the hallway who hadn't even been on a real military posting.

She grinned to hide the nervousness and anxiety that had been welling up inside her.