RP Reactivated Intermission: Not so Rested, Not So Relaxed

[Commissar Farzi]

RP Date

YE 44.2.16

RP Location

Sandraker

Several Hours after Mission.

Morris sealed the airlock behind the squad and sighed, the mission had been a near disaster, but they'd pulled it off. It had only cost them the low low price of the possible death of one squadmate.

Cheapest deal yet he'd say, if it wasn't for the fact that the intel may amount to nothing but 'chasing nostalgia', and it was likely going to be the same of the tagged vehicle either.

They'd passed the intel off to the squire waiting for them, who had run off to the central gantry in a hurry, but not before telling them to get some rest. Poor bastard; as they underwent the standard decon procedures, he sighed. "Welp, haven't got any new orders yet," He commented as the last of the toxic dust was washed away in a slurry of decon spray, "And it looks like we've actually got some time off-best get some food and rest while you can." The air became almost unbearably hot for a moment as they were blasted to dry the fluid before the inner lock was unsealed for them to pass through. The big man walked forward, dropping his combat shield and impaler off with the supply smith, who immediately collected them for repair for the former and examination in the latter's case. Grandmaster had been awful insistent on getting more than a few of those lately.

Oh well, wasn't his business...and honestly he didn't give a shit at the moment; all he wanted was food, family, and bed-in that order...

 

[HarperMadi]

Michelle, followed through the airlock, unclipping the belt from her Brigandine to hand off her pistol and shotgun before unslinging her rifle to turn that over to the supply smith. For once, she had been glad for the decontamination bath washing the grit and grease and blood from her armor. Sure, she felt naked without her camouflage, using the grease to stick dust and grit to her armor to make her seem a part of the storm. But it wasn't without it's downsides. Everything stuck to her. And her especially.

"So I can go back to my night? I got some fresh veggies and fruit I want to get to Freya before I go visit Tacho. I know it's not her first rodeo getting shot down, but that crash was really bad."

 

[Charaa]

As Auli'i stood in the airlock, the faint hum of the machinery filled the small space. The door to the outside world, where the atmosphere was hostile and unforgiving, sealed shut with a metallic clang. The brief respite from the planet's toxic air was a relief, but the short fox knew what was coming next.

She braced herself as the decontamination process began. The spray hit her fur in a fine mist, and despite the protective suit she wore, the smell still managed to seep through. It was a sharp, chemical scent, something that always made her nose wrinkle. She glanced over at Morris and Mike, who seemed unfazed by the smell. They had long grown accustomed to it, but for Auli'i, it was a different story. Her heightened sense of smell made the experience far less pleasant.

As the spray continued, covering them in a slurry that was supposed to cleanse them of any contaminants, Auli'i couldn't help but think back to her earlier task. Cleaning the waste tanks had been particularly grueling, the stench lingering in her nostrils even after she had finished. It was one of the many chores she often found herself assigned to, thanks to her small stature and ability to squeeze into tight spaces.

The airlock grew unbearably hot as the drying phase began, the heat blasting away the remaining fluid on their suits. Auli'i endured it in silence, knowing it would be over soon. Finally, the inner lock opened, and they were free to step into the safety of their base.

Auli'i removed her mask, shaking her head as she pulled down her hood to reveal her fur-covered face. "Food sounds good," she said, her voice a mix of relief and exhaustion. "I'd love to treat my nose to a better smell, and my belly, and then I think I’ll visit Tacho."

Her thoughts had already shifted to what she might eat, eager to replace the lingering chemical scent with something far more pleasant.

Auli'i approached the supply smith, her footsteps echoing softly as she handed over her weapons. The familiar weight of the gear left her hands as she passed them to the smith. Her eyes drifted toward Mike, watching as her big sister unclipped the belt from her Brigandine armor. Mike moved with the practiced ease of someone who had done this a thousand times, smoothly handing over her pistol and shotgun before unslinging her rifle. Auli'i admired the confidence in Mike's actions, feeling a pang of self-doubt in comparison.

Turning her attention back to the path ahead, Auli'i moved forward, her thoughts spinning as she considered her next words. "Have fun on your date," she teased, trying to keep her tone light. There was a moment's hesitation before she continued, "And also later... would you be willing..." Her voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping in. "Never mind, you're probably busy," she finished, her words coming out in a rush as she stretched, trying to shake off the nervousness.

She made her way toward the mess hall, the thought of food a welcome distraction. But as she walked, her mind kept returning to the question she hadn't been able to ask. She had been thinking about requesting more weapons training from Morris and Mike. The idea had been on her mind for a while, but every time she thought about asking, she hesitated. After all, she was supposed to be a smith, not a fighter. Would they even be open to it?

Her uncertainty only grew as she considered another question she had been too scared to ask: their opinion on her conduct during the mission. Auli'i replayed the events in her mind, wondering if she had done well or if there were areas where she needed improvement. But the fear of hearing something negative held her back from seeking their feedback.

 

[HarperMadi]

"Never too busy for my battle-sister, Auli'i." Michelle was still shrugging off her armor to shove in a bag for her own maintenance and cleaning before she fell in step next to Auli'i. "You wanna talk about it helping out in the greenhouse later? I gotta do some work on some of the aeroponics stacks, could really use your help. Especially for one of the pumps giving me trouble. Another I gotta pull some spray nozzles to clean them. Fortunately it's not the oil fruit stacks, it's just the sweet fruits. Barley's doing well, though. We're gonna have a good crop if we can keep the pests out of it. And if someone would bring me a hive of honey producing pollenators, I can boost yields. Little sick of hand pollinating."

 

[Charaa]

As Michelle casually offered her assistance and shared details about the tasks awaiting her in the greenhouse, Auli'i's ears perked up with interest. The mention of working on the aeroponics stacks and cleaning the spray nozzles ignited a spark of curiosity in her. She had always been fascinated by the intricate systems that supported the base's food production, and the opportunity to learn more and lend a hand was something she couldn't pass up.

"Sure, I'd love to help out in the greenhouse," Auli'i replied with a bright smile, her earlier apprehension melting away as excitement took its place. The prospect of working alongside Michelle and getting a closer look at the aeroponics system was an enticing one.

Listening to Michelle's description of the different crops and the challenges faced in maintaining them, Auli'i's mind raced with possibilities. The idea of troubleshooting the faulty pump and cleaning the spray nozzles intrigued her, and she made a mental note to pay extra attention when assisting with those tasks.

As Michelle mentioned the need for honey-producing pollinators to boost yields, Auli'i couldn't help but feel a surge of determination. The thought of increasing crop production and finding solutions to improve efficiency resonated with her. "I can help with the pump and the spray nozzles, and I'll keep an eye out for potential solutions to bring in honey-producing pollinators. We'll get those crops thriving," she declared, her voice filled with determination.

Auli'i fell into step beside Michelle, their conversation shifting from the recent mission to the upcoming tasks in the greenhouse. The prospect of working alongside her battle-sister filled Auli'i with a sense of camaraderie and purpose. As they made their way to the mess hall, she felt a renewed sense of energy and eagerness to contribute to the base's food production efforts.

With a smile on her face and a spring in her step, Auli'i looked forward to the challenges and opportunities that awaited her in the greenhouse, knowing that with Michelle's guidance and support, they could make a real difference in ensuring the base's food security.

 

[Commissar Farzi]

"Chirugeons likely won't let you in Mike," Morris responded, shucking off his armor and sorely wishing for a change of clothes from the sweat-soaked undersuit, and changed into a pair of boots; normally he would've opted to change out of his armor in his family's quarters or the barracks, but he'd been feeling it after a while-gods above he was getting old, "Same way the last time they had to operate on her; spent 12 hours digging out bits of shrapnel while trying to figure out how to do it safely." That had been fun; Norians were always a treat for Chirugeons, trying not to kill them by giving the wrong meds. "And Freya will likely appreciate it." His wife always appreciated fresh foods.

As he fell in step with them, his armor placed within a large pack slung over his shoulder the big man listened to the two talk about the hydroponics bay, he called out to one of the yeomen as they approached. "Hey, what are they serving in the Mess tonight." The yeoman showed him the tin he was eating from, "C-Rations; word is that the one storage unit they were keeping the standard rations suffered a cave-in and they're still sifting through it." Morris wrinkled his nose in disgust; C-rations were just one step above B-rations; little more than tasteless loaves made with powdered thurok tallow and just enough healthy stuff to keep you from getting sick. "Not willing to risk any further possible contamination?" He guessed as the man shrugged, returning to his meal. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Alright, thanks." Whelp, that settled it; he was heading home for supper, looking back toward the two, "Guess I'm coming with you two then to Hydroponics; maybe the wife will feed all three of us." He said quietly as they moved further away from the gathered troopers.