| COntrol Sticks and Foam Parties |
| Summary: | Various conversations roll into one in the hanger. How to find a raptor, prep for the up coming missions, and the real reason Kelsey moved to the Air Wing. |
| Date: | 26/Sep/2013 |
| Related Logs: | None spcifically. |
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| Hangar Bay - Deck 3 - Battlestar Orion |
| Each hangar deck is divided into five one-hundred yard sections, each divided from the others by massive blast doors that close vertically from the floor and overhead. Each hangar section houses all of the Vipers, Raptors, and Predators that the wing operates as well as the vital work areas to support and maintain these fighting platforms. Each bay is large enough to accommodate one of these frames and still get heavy work done, though the fore- and aft-most sections are dedicated to overhauls and major work to be done. The bays along the center section are located across from launch tubes and elevators in order to provide scramble and Alert-Five capabilities. The second-to-aft bay provides major elevator and transport access to the starboard bay as well as the major manufacturing facility. Due to the nature of the work, the hangar decks are major hubs of activity at all hours of the day and all but four hours overnight. |
| AWD #263 |
The bay is, like many other areas of the ship, crazily busy at the moment. There's vipers to be repaired after their little excersion and there's raptors and preds being preped for their turn with the Marines on Picon. Busy, busy, busy, everyone has something to do and while it might look like chaos it's all being firmly controlled by the Master Chief and his section heads. Toby, for his sins, is working on the raptors, something interior for as he steps out onto the wing of Captain St. Clair's he has the istinct air of someone who's finished. Slipping a grease penceil from behind his ear he makes a small mark on the fusilage of the craft, then swings down onto the hanger floor, replacing the pencil once he's sure of his footing again. THen, well then it's onto the next rapto down the line.
Devlin is currently returning from a trip down on the landside of things and he looks a little worse for wear. His clothing has a distinct unkempt look about it, but at least his hair is combed properly. His upper lip is sporting a rather beautifully swollen purple spot and he walks in such a way that it is clear he is favouring his side. Still, the man smiles a lopsided smile as he moves through hangar area. Coming across the raptors gives the man pause and when he spies Toby, the man from the Mess, he lifts a hand in greeting. "Afternoon, I think."
Toby eyes the approaching lieutenant briefly, typical air wing, swanning about when everyone else is working hard. He gives a brief nod though and confirms "Yeah, afternoon. Good night was it?" He pauses at the next raptor, taking a moment to lean against the wing as he watches Devlin's progress, spottin gthe discolouration of his lip as he does so, "someone get offended by your banjo or whatever it was?"
A pair of Marines wander in, on patrol as is per the norm. It is all SOP - put in a presence to try and keep order while making sure no wrong doing is being made with. LCPL O'Connell peels off and heads towards the ship, looking around attentively.
"It was a night, started well, middle was definately rocky, but ended well, so in the end it seems like it was a win. As for not liking the banjo playing, you could say that, but it wouldn't be true, some people just have their opinions on things, no matter how wrong they are," Devlin replies to Toby's comment, he looks like he's about to say more when he notices the MP's and he falls silent for a moment, then changes the topic abruptly, "So, it looks like the Air Wing managed to make some more work for you, the lazy sods, I can see that no one has taught them about dodging, now, have they?" He asks with an amicable sort of grin, and turning enough to make it welcoming for the arriving MP.
"I don't believe dodging is taught to viper pilots," Toby states as if he's an authority on the subject, "something about it being cowardly, and only for weedy little girls or somesuch." He shrugs briefly, turning to give O'Connell a nod as he spots her approaching. He then hauls himself up onto the wing and ducks inside the back half of the raptor for a moment, although he continues to talk from within, "you lot get your turn soon enough I think though Lieutenant. Lets see if you can bring more back unscratched than they did." Whatever he's doing seems to be only quick checks for he's soon back out again, repeating the grease pencil mark (a circle with a dot in the middle) and hopping back down again. Then to the MP "you too from what I hear, reckon I might be one of the only ones left onboard if the scuttlebutt is true."
Brina waves with a smile. "Hey. Don't let me interrupt. Just doing my job. Will be out your hair in a moment." Even as she say that she is looking for signs of trouble, the. response to Toby not given until she is done. "Yup. Going to be putting feet to the ground. Should be fun." Brie sounds pretty calm and collected with only just a hint of nervousness to be heard in her voice. "How are you two?"
Devlin nods to Toby, then laughs, "Ah, the Viper pilots, yes, they were always a bit hot-headed and ones to show-off. What fun we had in the Academy with their… Lance Corporal, how good to see you again," Devlin replies to the MP while gingerly sucking his upper lip inwards a little to make it look less pronounced. "Doing well enough, it's sounding like I'll be in the air again soon, so that'll be fun. Of course, we'll have to see how the numbers are going, I may just play bear and let someone else get us shot at, but who knows, maybe they'll let me grab the stick for a bit."
Toby gives Brina a brief look when she says the word 'fun', then just shakes his head slightly. Marines. "Not the word I'd have chosen he states, remembering his two short months on the ground on Picon, "just make sure you get your arse back here afterwards though. There's a dog waiting for you on planet remember." An eyebrow is raised faintly as the ECO cuts off his story then he smiles in a faintly amused manner and states, "hey, I don't need to know what sticks you're grabbing, or aren't for that matter. Keep your air wing filth to yourself." Still smiling a little he then adds, as it occurs to him, "if you don't end up flying let me know. Could do with picking the brains of a couple of ECOs and it'll help kill the time while we wait for the others to get back."
Devlin's lip sucking gets noticed by Brina and she raises a brow, amused. "Are you alright, sir," is questioned, her tone giving away her reaction to what he just did. The MP pivots slightly after she asks that, her wry grin given to Toby. "I'll be back. I mean… you know. I'm tough. The only way anyone will be rid of me is if I get a nuked dropped on me." A nearby Raptor is eyed and she wrinkles her nose. "It looks like you guys got hammered. Glad you are alright despite that," the last said to the flyboy.
Devlin nods to Toby, "Fair enough, and well, I assure you, I mean the control stick, though I am sure if you wanted that could be taken for a euphamism as well, so I guess I can't win," the ECO shrugs and laughs anyways though there's a slight wince at the corner of his eyes from the motion. "What did you want to know about? I've got a little bit of time right now, the CAG is busy recovering from the last round of action, so I've got some time before I have to report, and anything to keep me on my feet is probably a good thing at this point." He gingerly crosses his arms over his chest and watches the two before replying to Brina, "Doing well, ensuring that those of us who remain behind don't miss out on the action, and such. As for getting hammered, it was the Viper Pilots.. Raptor pilots know how to avoid oncoming fire."
"Control stick," Toby replies with a definite smirk, "is that what they call it in Wing country these days." He leaves it at that though and gives Brina a nod instead. "Well," he starts, more soberly, "they haven't nuked Picon yet, likely have too much invested on the surface to start now." Unlike other planets, but he doesn't let himself dwell on that, moving on Devlin's question instead. "How to find a raptor that's been powered down for months and likely had all it's transponders and such disabled. There's maggy scans, but they don't have great coverage and could take months, or even years to search a planet, especially one who's mineral depsoits have't been mapped yet. I was just thinking you guys might know some tricks, CSAR techniques and such."
"Do you keep both hands on your stick, sir, or are you one of the brave ones who use only one hand?" Oh boy. Someone must've given Brina an extra cup of joe before she left the security hub to do her job. The dirty jokes stop there however upon realizing Toby and Devlin are getting down to business. "I will let you two talk. See you around, Shackleton. Sir." Brina starts to meander past them, mind back on her work.
Devlin nods to Toby's comments, shaking his head at the dry humour, but smiling anyways, "Yeah, there's ways, at least, different ways, though I can't say there was anything ever written down in a textbook, but that doesn't mean anything. There's a new girl, a nugget training to be one of us Bears, but she didn't start that way, got herself trained with a proper education, you know with computers and signal processing and the like. I think that she could probably help put together something that would allow us to do exactly what you're looking to do. Goes by Kate, I'll see if I can find her, I think she has a meeting with the CAG this afternoon." Devlin shrugs his shoulders, but seems hopeful enough. His eyebrows loft at Brina's comments and he shakes his head, "Oh dear, I assure you, that when I am in control, I make sure that there is a firm grip on everything, loose and sloppy technique is not my style," he tells Brina, while offering her a sideways smirk.
Toby smirks at Brina's comments to Devlin, then given the MP a nod as she moves on. Starting to move towards the next raptor he gesutes for Devlin to walk with him so he can keep working as they talk. "Hadn't heard of any trainees," he states wih a shrug, "but if she knows that kind of stuff then you want to get her to talk to Chief Rutlii too. She's got a project ongoing that could use that sort of expertise. Been kind of stuck for the lack of it actually." Boosting himself up and into the raptor he continues, "send her my way as well though. I started a quick look in some of the books and schematics, but that's going to take time, I figured you guys must know a couple of tricks that don't get written down."
Devlin nods to the parting MP and stands up a little straighter to see her off out of respect for the position, then he looks back to Toby, "Sounds good, I can do that. Was there a particular raptor that you were looking for, or was this merely an idea for 'just in case'?" Devlin asks the man as he moves with him to the next raptor and leans his head in to watch Toby at his task. He steps out and settles down near the back of the craft while already clearly pondering the possible ways to tackle the problem proposed.
Toby is just checking that the onboard fire extinguishers are present, full, mounted correctly, hence it generally being a quick job. Stepping back out he adds a circle and dot to the fusilage again then turns back to Devlin. "The one our sorely missed ex-DCAG took when he headed planetside to hide. Figure if we can find it, it'll give us an idea where he headed and help track him down. That and we can't replace raptors, so recovering a lost one will be a job well done in and of itself."
Devlin is silent for a few moments after Toby's words and then he speaks, in a relatively low sort of voice, "ex-DCAG? And hide? There sounds like there's a story behind this, and I am not sure that all of it is good. I hadn't heard of this at all, so perhaps I should start listening to a story you have to tell, or if you're too busy right now, we can meet later for a proper discussion and I'll see if I can scrounge up Kate as well?" Devlin asks as he pushes himself away from the raptor and straightens out his frumpled shirt, "Though you're right, we'll need as many raptors and birds as we can get ahold of, it's not like we've got factories producing them anymore…"
"Lt Col Sheperd," Toby states, seeming mildly surprised that Devlin's missed that given recent developments. "He basically spent several months sat on his arse doing sweet frak all and as such untold thousands of people who survived the toasters attack have since died of starvation and or radiation poisoning when we could have saved them." There's definite disaproval in his tone as he states that, perhaps unsurprisingly. "MP's have just been handed a warrent to go arrest him for it all. Only he fraked off to Pireas months ago, hasn't been seen or heard from since." The talk gives him long enough to reach the next raptor and he starts his checking process all over again.
Devlin shakes his head, "I'll no doubtably hear more about it these coming days since it sounds like a big deal. I've only just arrived, three days ago really." He pushes away from the raptor and follows along with Toby for a few before nodding his head, "Seems like desertion and stealing of military goods that could be used to stop the Cylons would be a pretty heft weight, especially in times of war. Especially now, I hope they plan to make an example of him. Such things have grave consequences not just for us, but for those that we look out for as well." Devlin actually seems a little concerned about this, beyond concerned really, almost righteously upset. His bruised and swollen lip pokes out as he breathes through his mouth and then turns away, "Alright, I'll see if I can find Kate and I'll come find you later, I'll see you around." Devlin gives the man a brief farewell with his hand, and then starts to head off towards the Main corridor.
"Last I heard from JAG it was dereliction of duty and malice aforethough," Toby replies with a nod, "but that was before they filed, so could have changed in the meantime." Desertion being on he figure would be featuring on there too. As the ECO makes to leave though he sticks his head out of the raptor and gives the man a no in acknowledgement. "Thanks. I'll likely be here if I'm anywhere. Not like we're short on work at the moment."
Kelsey appears around the side of the Raptor that has her name under the canopy glass. She's looking it over carefully, lightly dragging fingertips across the nose. Having worked Deck for so long, she has subtly different habits than some of the other pilots. But its rare to see her down here and looking over her bird in such detail. Hearing the voices, though, she looks up from her own thoughts and waggles fingers to Toby. "Hey, Tobes."
Devlin passes by Kelsey, sporting a swollen upper lip and walking with a wince and a step that seems to favour one side. He nods his head to her, "Our little girlfriend can be quite fiesty when she wants to be," he tells her quietly, then wanders past, smiling and slowly humming a tune as he moves out of earshot, apparently whistling is not possible at this time.
Toby finsihing off his check and marking the fusilage with a small circle and dot, Toby sticks his grease pencil behind his hear again and moves onto the next raptor. Kelsey's as luck would have it. "Hey Ensign," he offers as he approaches, then gestures inside the bird, "just checking you've got the extinguishers you should and that you haven't been discharging them over each other in any of your weird air wing rituals. Only take a minute I promise." It's always polite to explain when the aircrew is around after all. "You flying tomorrow?"
Kelsey nods, understanding. "We usually save those for sexual escapades, but I haven't had a chance since I was named under this one. I'll try harder. Apologies." She steps over to the winglet and looks down to the landing light on the side. "Yeah," she says quietly. "I'm tasked out to Caprica. I'll be flying electronic warfare support for the Baker Bay." She looks to the light more and then back up. "Anything wrong with her?" The Raptor, not some rando lady nearby.
Toby hops into the bird and gets started, continuing the conversation as he does so. "That why they bunk the wing away from the other officers then? So you don't disturn the hard working lads and lasses of the brass? Seriouly, I just had the Lieutenant talking about taking a firm grip of his control stick and now you're telling me it's foam parties? Man." It appears to only be a quick check, and that everything is in order for he's soon back out again and reaching for the grease pencil. "Caprica eh? I thought we were throwing everything at Picon, or is that something I don't have the clearance to know about?" Making the same circle and dot marking near the hatch he sticks the pencil behind his ear once more and looks bakc to the pilot. "She looks good to me, avionics and airframe would have pulled her if they'd found anything, so I reckon you're good to go."
"Foam parties with control sticks. A woman gets a hold of that stick, you know its being done properly. Its why we're better pilots," she muses lightly. "The cleanup is horrendous, but that's what we have Supply for." Looking up, Kelsey shrugs. "It won't matter in twenty-four hours. You're not leaving the ship. But yeah, some of us are flying to Cap. Just don't spread that around." She crosses her arms under her chest and watches him. "Thanks. Appreciate it." She watches him a moment after the marking and glances to it. "Deck Chief got the knuckledraggers signing the birds now or something?"
"Ahh," Toby replies with a slight grin, "it all comes out now doesn't it. The real reason for your defection upstairs." He shakes his head in mock disapointment for a few moments then nods once to her explaination. "Nope, doubt I could even swing a few hours on planet at this point, we are officially, snowed under. Tell me, you might know, do they broach the subject of the manouver known as 'dodging' to the viper lot at all? Ever? They seem to have got into the habit of just finding the biggest gun and flying straight at it." He too then glances back towards the marking again and shakes his head as he turns back. "Not exactly, well sort of, in a way." He's fully aware that that's a rubbish answer so he pauses, collects his thoughts, and tries again, from a slightly different angle this time. "Couple of reasons for it to tell you the truth. Firstly, it's a quick indication so I can see how far I've got in the checks. Some fraker nicked my clipboard earlier and I figure it ain't worth going to try and dig another out of whichever storage cupboard it is they breed in. Secondly," here he pauses again, face screwing up in thought briefly as he tries to find a way to explain that won't lead to further questions that he's not terribly keen on answering. "Secondly it's kind of like a good luck thing. I heard someone say that the preds you had when you were last on Caprica had the sign of Ares on 'em. Think of it as like that, only thats what we used where I'm from."
"Heck yeah. You think I joined the wing to fly? Its the endless supply of peen, Tobes. Why the hell else would anyone hang out with those people?" she asks, incredulous. "Vipers? No idea. They just teach the Raptor pilots to crash spectacularly. It might be their way." The explanation has her listen patiently for a bit but the last has her brows lift. She whispers when she speaks, "Tobes, are you blessing our birds?" Its asked evenly, but seriously.
"And enlisted peen not good enough eh?" Toby retorts in good humour, "still, I suppose it was before I signed up so you can be forgiven the mistake." Motioning to his head over to where the vipers are being worked on his says, "you know how many they brought back in one piece? One. Not a scratch on it. If I hadn't seen the log I'd have sworn it mustn't have actually be flown. The rest? Well, you can see for yourself, we'll be busy for a while and that's before you've even take off." It's only then that his tone becomes more serious, as Kelsey starts throwing serious words around, like 'blessing'. "I reckon you've got to be a priest to pull that sort of thing off," he states, sticking his hands in his pockets as he does so, "but I figure, you know, battles seem fairly chaotic, so any help to let," he glances up sharply. He hopes is a widly enough known gesture for 'them up there' as in deities that he can get round the whole singular/plural issue, "know who to watch out for, well, shouldn't be sniffed at right?"
"Hey, I'm not saying that I wouldn't drag an enlisted behind a barn. And I'm not saying I would. If I had, that'd be for me to know and you to ponder." Sagenod. Because sometimes that itch needs ot be scratched, damnit. The point about the Vipers gets a short laugh but little else. However his explanation has her look a little more personal. A little more serious, too. Her eyes lift back to the symbol and she looks at it absently. A memory, maybe? Caprica? …Picon, all those months ago? "Yeah. I don't know if you need to be a Priest, but its the same thing I guess." Her head lulls to the side as she looks back to him and gestures him closer for a hug. Who cares if anyone see's it. Kelsey appreciates it.
Toby is not, it must be said, much of one for touchy-feely-huggy type things He's more of a personal space at all times, well almost all times, kind of guy. There's a faintly awkward moment as he realises just what Kelsey wants from him but 'don't be a dick' wins out in his headspace battle and he moves closer, even digging his hands out of his pocket again so it's a recipricated gesture.
Kelsey gives him a big hug. "Thanks, Tobes. I won't tell anyone, but I appreciate the thought. That means a lot. Gods, please keep us all safe. Especially Toby." After that she steps back to return him to his natural state of personal space. "You're a good guy, hon. I won't ask if you're religious. I don't think it matters."
It's an awkward few moments, but Toby does at least manage that man-thing of manouvering an arm such as he can pat the pilot on the shoulder a couple of times. Thats how it works right? Once he's released he sticks his hands back in his pockets once more and gives Kelsey a vague sort of nod/shrug combination. "Don't reckon it matters particularly either," he states, glad at least that it doesn't appears going to be asked which god he's attempting to attract the attention of, "and you know, we all have to do what we can." Rallying a bit he offers a faint grin, "besides, I'm staying here are you said. By the sound sof it I'll be one of the few who are but don't worry, we won't drink all the beer while the rest of you are gone."
Kelsey watches him with a faint smile. Her arms cross again, head tilted while she looks at him. "You can keep the beer. I only drink it with food. But I run off the hard stuff." She lets off a long sigh. "Sure you're staying here?" Kelsey keeps her eyes on him. I know we've got some gunships going to Picon. They might be needing door gunners. Thought about volunteering?"
Toby shrugs again, hands still in his pockets, "Chief hasn't mentioned anyone asking for any," he states simply, giving a quick glance towards the deck office as he does so. "I guess the marines are covering it to start with, then it'll likely be down to how they do and how busy we are here. Too many variables to predict, I think thats the phrase. Still, currently, to the best of my knowledge, I'm staying here." He offers an amused grin for a moment, "I reckon the marines are just worried that fleet gunners would put 'em to shame so they're hogging it all for themselves instead."
Kels chuckles. "Marines, schmuhreens. We got this handled." She sticks a fist out to bump. "If you ever want a driver willing to give you some good targets, Tobes, you let me know. I'll happily drag you out. Or even if you want to go get some practice." She gives him a warmer smile and looks off. "Anyway, I need to get going. Thanks for the blessing. It does mean a lot. I'll see you out there and please, for the sake of my sanity, be careful. All of you. I may have left the Deck but it doesn't mean I've stopped worrying about you all." She dips her head after that and silently moves off.
The fist gets Kelsey and amused look, but he retrieves one hand and bumps, even if he does shake his head ever so slightly as he does so. Youth of today, what can you do with them. "I'll keep that in mind," he states with a single, purposeful nod, "might not be a bad plan to brush up a bit before I have to do it for real. Been a while now." There's yet another nod as she moves to go, then a glance back to the grease mark once she mentions it before he finally states, "we'll be careful, don't mind us. Just remember you;ve got to be too." As she moves off he watches for a moment or two, then starts towards the next raptor in the line. Busy, busy, busy.