RP: Cirrus Station [Episode 4] A Pleasant Dinner

"Yeah, dog's got some moves!" Squad 35 would hear from a little ways down the hall.

Nearby, approaching quickly down the hall, were George and Lenny. George Resseti, the small, shifty-looking Nepleslian was dressed in a casual black and white suit, very akin to one that somebody would wear to an interview for a job they didn't particularly want. Lenny Binks, George's super-sized ID-SOL running mate was wearing a white tuxedo, complete with a perfect white bowtie. Together, they looked absolutely ridiculous, a jolly giant dressed for a Snow White wedding and a ratty ex-convict dressed for a night at a cheap bar. Leading the two was a young lady wearing the Cirrus Attendant uniform....a Savtech, as only Savtechs were used as official Cirrus Attendants. She was grinning ear to ear, her long red hair swaying softly as she outpaced to two and met up directly with Kess and Mimi.

"Well! Congrats Kess, Mimi," the Savtech said, all smiles as she pointed a thumb at George and Lenny nearing their position. "They're your problem now."

"Uh...t-thanks?" Mimi laughed cautiously, unsure of what exactly the other Savtech meant. Meanwhile, Kess immediately scowled, and gave no reply. The red-haired Savtech bowed and faded away.

"Wow, you guys looks real nice," George said, providing an encouraging thumbs-up to the diverse squad. "Looks like we've been reassigned to you're squad, and lucky us, right when you guys are getting a free meal!" Lenny smiled and nodded with his smaller counterpart. "Yeah, yeah, good tah see you's guys again."

Claire didn't have much to say to the rest of the things happening around her. (Well, she had things to say to Dream, but now probably wasn't the best place for that.) All the noise just sort of blurred together. Curious. She did manage to mutter another complaint about being called 'warmonger' though.

She did react however to seeing George and Lenny approaching the group in suits that made her embarrased to have ever been seen with them. She slinked back, trying to put as many people between her and the two. She was never fond of them at the station and seeing them now only produced more of a headache. 'Of course, if only they knew that.' She ought to tell them one day that she loathed them, but usually she was too busy getting a headache to mess with it.

What had started as nothing more than a joke, was quickly becoming a thunderstorm in the making. Even with Dream and one of the two other furless ones from Prilisa standing up for him, Deacon's temper was reaching a boiling point.

"And I thought talk of brainless gun jockeys only caring about the load they carry in their trousers was greatly exaggerated, but look at that, you managed to be the very poster child for it." The Kohanian retorted, reaching for the knife strapped around his right thigh.

"If you want to dance, big man, you just give me the time and the place and I will make sure to keep at least your face recognizable to send home to the ghetto whore that passes for your mother."

Rolling his shoulders, he again moved towards the barracks, and nearly right into Tweak as the 'Spacer leapt deftly from her bunk. The hyena gave her a curt nod, and walked back towards the men's showers, where he would sit until he cooled off.

Who does he think he is? Mascot? I will keep that in mind next time he finds himself on the wrong end of a gun barrel, or hanging off of a cliff somewhere needing my help.

Lorcan listened to threats, talk and then watched Deacon pass him on the way to The bathrooms. With a aggravated, low growl, Mr. Invisible slid off his bunk and bent, coming up to tuck one of his knives up into the sleeve of his trench coat. Lorcan of course refused to dress up, or even go to dinner. After all he'd never much moved once touching down on that god forsaken planet and it seemed nobody cared to notice him even when he hopped onto the shuttle at the last minute. Of course his seeming invisibility wouldn't stop him from putting this, obviously, rude ID-SOL in his place if it came to it.

Combat boots almost deathly silent on the metal floors Lorcan situated himself against the wall directly next to the barracks door, shifting so he looked a lot smaller than he was. From where he stood, arms carefully crossed over his chest he spoke. "Honestly I don't care who you are, but I thought ID-SOL's had better manners. You wana be a bully? Then take on someone your own size..." It wasn't exactly a threat but Lorcan wasn't about to let some new comer step all over people he'd lived with for a while. Lorcan may not have liked the situation, the place or more than a fourth of the people but most had won, in some manner, a little loyalty and respect from the half-breed.

Stovaa shrugged his soldiers and relaxed against the wall, ignorant of the danger Lorcan proved, or possibly just ignoring them. "Sorry, sorry, I was only joking. Must have gone too far..." he said, abruptly. He sounded sorry although not apologetic. "I've spent nearly 20 years being a solitary bully, it's hard to adjust to a team dynamic. I'll try to cool it off for next time."

He folded his arms and raised his view to stare down Lorcan. He'd not read anything about this soldier, though chances are the newscasts just missed him off, or didn't notice him. Spunky little bugger, though it was obvious he was leaning awkwardly. Stovaa had spent a long time playing the hard man, he knew when people were putting on a front.

"Give it a rest, I'll go apologise to him. And please, don't try to start fights with me, it'll always end badly for the people around us" he curtly snapped back, squinting slightly. He stood up and headed towards the showers to apologise, craning his head as he passed Lorcan to deliver a final comment.

"Plus I only have one suit, and I'd rather not see it ruined before the dinner."

Rolling her eyes, Keziah just barely suppressed a sigh as the three men--who all looked very eager to fight--barely decided not to. Discipline clearly had no place in any of their lives, or training. Let's all go roiling around in our instincts! That's a good time.

The very-nearly brawl almost made her miss the appearance of the two soldiers from Prilisa. She caught them, just barely, out of the corner of her eye. Or, more accurately, caught Claire catching them and trying very pointedly to get away. The woman's movement is what drew her eyes in that direction, and just beyond to the two men.

She could almost feel the drama starting to rise, and was very, very glad to be nowhere the middle of it. Even so, part of her wanted to be. Closer, at least, not so much an outsider.

Her body relaxed visibly, so quickly it almost looked like her chest had caved in on itself. She folded her arms in front of her, and leaned back against the wall, trying to catch Claire's eye, trying to be friendly.

Realizing that she wasn't going to be able to hide very well, she decided the next best thing to avoid dealing with them was to occupy herself with something. Claire glanced around and took the first opportunity she could find: Keziah. Which of whom appeared to actually be trying to gain her attention which was an added plus for a diversion. At least she wouldn't have to force her presence on anyone.

Claire quickly moved to the wall where Keziah was at and smiled apologetically at her. "Sorry, I just... don't get along with those two so well. I hope you don't mind me using you as an excuse to ignore them." The geshrin woman shifted until she could comfortably lean against the wall. "By the way, the name's Claire. Nice to meet you." At least she wasn't anti-social like SOME of the other crew members.

She still kept an eye on George in Lenny, hoping they'd just pass by without bothering her. The whole last mission was stress enough, and she could accept their presence simply because they offered other targets for the nekos. She didn't want them around while she was off-duty though.

"I'm Keziah." She smiled at her; a quick, warm thing. Her eyes flitted back to the two men, following Claire's gaze for just a moment before snapping back to her.

She couldn't blame her for wanting to avoid them. Not after seeing what those two were like through the Wolverines. Idiots she could handle, those were easy. But idiots who knew just enough to obey an officer, but nobody else, were far, far worse. And more dangerous.

"And there are far, far worse things to be used as than a shield." Another one of those quick smiles. She straightened up, turned her body slightly, so that the angle made it difficult to see Claire at all. "I could, after all, be used as a date for any one of those monkeys back there."

Her eyes quickly glancing to her shoulder made it clear she was talking about all the men behind them. And she grinned at Claire.

"Keziah, hm?" Claire paused a moment to make sure she was pronouncing it right. Watching the argument erupt over a newcomer who seemed a little full of himself and another crewmember before the latter stalked off in anger. She attributed it to the new guy being a bit naive. She hoped there wasn't this much racial tension between the rest of the squad.

Claire returned the smile, "There is worse, yes, but don't think that's all I see you as. I like having friends as well." Claire relaxed a little bit as Keziah moved to keep her hidden. "Thanks.." She noticed everyone's semi-formal to formal wear and she suddenly wished she had packed more clothing. She had changed out of her uniform already into something that didn't feel so tight. It would pass, sure, but still..

Listening to Keziah's second comment, Claire followed her eyes to the other men on board. She had to admit that 'monkeys' described a couple of them well enough. The rest didn't catch her eye much either. "Heh. Well I promise I won't try to make you do that. I don't think I would want to either."

"Ah, good!" Mimi swelled with joy as George and Lenny filed into the small crowd gathering in the hall. "We're all here. Now, if you'll just follow Kess and I..." before Mimi could finish, Kess' volumetric image faded away wordlessly. Mimi halted for a moment, a look of worry spreading across her face for but a second before being replaced with a calm smile. "...I mean, if you'll just follow me...I'll lead you all to Miss Cassefin's quarters!"

As Mimi finished, she quickly turned on her heel and began trotting merrily, turning her grinning face around every so often to make sure that her squad was following suit.

Keziah started walking with Claire, letting the two of them lag a bit behind the main group. She walked with one hand hooked into her belt, the other swinging freely, barely aware of the brace encasing most of her forearm. It didn't hurt at all--a wonderful combination of her cast and the painkillers running through her system--which probably wasn't a good thing.

"I really don't blame you," she grinned broadly at her, laughter in her eyes. Then, slowly, it faded, and she nodded gently to the group up ahead of them. "Why are you avoiding them, though?" A small, sympathetic smile. "Aside from the obvious facts."

Lorcan sighed, straightened and watched things happen and people move off. He just hoped to whatever gods were out there that dinner would be more than this 'healthy' stuff they were being forced to eat. He still had his 'uranium' bubble gum so he guessed he could live with it, but he didn't like it one bit, trailing behind Kez and Claire he was, he hoped, at the very end of the group. After a few minutes though, he came up behind the two women.

It was of innocent intent to listen to their chatter and conversation, trying to unravel the mysteries of a women's mind, especially when it came to them talking about men, He staid quiet, just watching. Idly playing with his knife as he walked, wanting to throw it at something. Anything to make up for the boredom he was suffering at the hands of this terrible Station Administrator. After a while he cleared his throat and without being prompted he spoke. Of course when Lorcan had last spoke it was because of a direct threat, this time his voice was softer.

"You know if they start bugging you, all you have to do is ask..." He wasn't exactly clear, but he was offering up removal of Lenny and his lumpy tumor, whatever his name was, for Claire's benefit. If none of the guys would talk to him Lorcan figured he'd at least try to be nice to the females. After a bit he softly added "I'm Lorcan by the way, I guess you can call me Mr. Invisible or chameleon if you want..." For obvious reasons.

Claire blinked a bit at their awkward guide that they were apparently supposed to follow. She had come to the conclusion that nothing in this station was remotely normal and she began to accept it now. In all honesty, things being strange or unusual was much prefereable to the dreary and dull post that she once had.

Walking along Keziah, Claire listened to her ask about her reasons for the hostility. She began to wonder what it was Kaz wanted. Most of the time when people were this nice to her they wanted something from her. She wouldn't pursue that line of thought though. Friends were nice things to have.

"Eh... It mostly has to do with them not understanding the meaning of the word 'no'." Claire sighed. Back planetside most people had understood enough to back off when she didn't appreciate their advances. These two seemed clueless however... She was beginning to find Keziah's description of them increasingly accurate. "I don't know if that's a reason to hate em as much as I do. It's just one of those subconcious things, you know?"

Claire flinched a bit when she heard Lorcan behind her, not thinking about someone listening in. She turned her head to look at him, "You know, it's not nice to eavesdrop, dear." She paused and sighed a little. "It's alright. It's something I'm going to have to get around to. I probably won't be able to put it off much longer now." She seemed to be implying something more than simply telling them to leave her alone. "But thanks anyway."

Keziah nodded, but kept quiet. What flashed in her mind was the slip she had done with Cyril, before the planet. She didn't need someone else knowing she had been a slave, especially after the debriefing became widely circulated. Sympathy and pity would inevitably follow, and then an unease, an inability to find anything to talk about because now they were talking to someone delicate and damaged.

And all that bullshit.

And she had no desire for that, so she kept quiet, even through Lorcan's quietly sinister offer.

Then, finally; "At least they had the decency to ask."

Having waited until the group had begun to walk off towards the dinner, Deacon kept his distance. He wanted nothing to do with the ignorant mass of people if they only thought of him as a mascot, not a member of the team. Sure, Lorcan had stuck up for him a little bit, as had the two new members of the team, but for someone to just come off a shuttle, and instantly try to pick a fight with someone they knew nothing about was just...ignorant.

The male Kohanian sighed and tried to refocus his mind, which for some strange reason was getting more and more difficult the more time he spent away from his homeplanet. Weird. He made sure to keep the rest of the squad within eyesight, but he would not be interacting with them until absolutely forced to by Cassefin, or some other member of the 'more important league'. He had saved the life of the administrator, and so far all he had gotten for it, was insulted.

Looking down, Deacon just stared at his paw like hands, as if they held some answer to the universe greatest mysteries. Blinking a few times, he would just get lost in whatever thoughts came, canting his head first one way, and then the other, finally just sighing again, looked up, and jogged up to rejoin his group. He wouldn't speak, he would just walk hunched over like always, looking rather uncomfortable doing so.

As the procession traipsed their way down the halls to the much-feared "dinner", Stovaa hung near the back, wondering where Deacon had gone off to before. Turning his head, he spotted the sullen soldier at the back, shoulders hunched and staring at his paws. The Id-Sol stopped and turned to face Deacon, standing in front of where he was bound to walk.

"uh, look, I'm sorry" Stovaa began, looking and feeling lost amidst the station. "I didn't mean what I said earlier, I was just joking."

He took a pause, breathed in and out before finishing.

"Anything I can do to make you forget about it and let's start afresh?"

The Kohanian shrugged his shoulders to Stovaas comment. It wasn't that he was being sullen, he was being contemplative. He was no longer sure that he fit in with this band of people. He had a style of doing things, and these people had a totally different one.

"Don't worry about it. I am the mascot. I can't do anything right anyway, and am just there as another meat shield to be sacrificed to make my superiors look good."

And with that, he quickened his pace, falling back into silence.

"Oh come on, don't pull this on me. I'm the clone grown in a tank with no family or dependants who can be replaced with someone just as good with no fuss, not you," he spat. His hand rested on Deacon's shoulder, trying in vain to get through to him.

"Besides, the mascot would have a better rack than you. One of the chicks up front of the group, maybe?" Stovaa near whispered the last line jokingly, making sure that this time, he was obviously kidding.

He kept up with the Kohanian's pace easily, the entire of the complex looking the same to him: a metal, square prison with no booze or women impressed by weightlifting feats.

What a perfect first day. How the hell could it get any worse...

Serra pipes up. "Aside from Claire, who was an active help..." Serra said, before turning to Lenny, George and Stovva. "Why are those three coming?" She asked ernestly.

"This guy," she said, pointing right at Stovaa's face, "wasn't even in our squad when the event happened, so regardless of his position, he shouldn't be coming anyway." She then turned to Lenny and George, "And these two cowards were with Montreal for the entire event. Which while saying something also means they were just as yellow as the Administrator."

Deacon's golden eyes narrowed slightly at the Elysian's words against the new guys.

"It's a damn good thing they were with the Administrator, Harpy, because I sure didn't see you running to her aid when we were being overwhelmed by those things down there. In fact, the last thing I remember you saying was pitiful whining about not letting them near your precious wings. If I had to choose between you, and them, I would take men who can follow orders, over an overfluffed egomaniac who feels she is more important than her squad. So do us all a favor and rather than asking for division, start supporting the squad."

The Kohanian's lip curled into a snarl as he pushed past the Elysian Patriarch and continued to follow Mimi.

"Because when the shit hits the fan, I would hope that you are wise enough to realize that next time it may be YOUR life in the hands of your squad, and I am sure you will want them to try and save you, rather than writing you off as just a casualty of war. Let's forget about that for now, however, and focus on putting up a unified front for our boss. Who, I need not remind you, would take the first opportunity to get rid of all of us, if we become inconvenient."

The last sentence was said as he looked back over his shoulder right at Serra, then to Lorcan, and finally just turned back to following the SavTech. Apparently, Deacon was getting a little frayed at the constant bickering.