| Off-Duty Fun and Games |
| Summary: | In which various crew members pass each other like ships in the Rec Room. Fun. Games. Songs. |
| Date: | 26/12/2012 (OOC Date) |
| Related Logs: | Nah |
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| Room Name |
| With several smaller rec rooms spread throughout the ship, this one is the largest by far and is the primary recretion location aboard the ship. Longer than it is wide, with several hatches in and out, the room is divided by load-bearing beams that section it off into even thirds. There are a dozen tables, couches, and coffee tables set up — though all of the tables and chairs are the drab metal of the rest of the fleet. The couches seem to have been purchased privately and moved in here at some point in the past, heavy use and careful patching evident. Magazines are strewn around randomly, as are racks of books, plus a couple flatscreen televisions set up. Along one wall are several billiards tables, along with a bar for coffee and snacks. |
| Wed Dec 26 (PWD #9) |
The Rec Rooms aren't known for their high level of morning activity. Most people working afternoons are up late and these are the locales for coffee. And also for individuals who are early risers and have a lot of energy. Individuals such as Kelsey. The young woman is sitting at a table near the back, by the coffee, with a single earbud in her ear and she's doing her best not to dance in her seat, which is a failing effort, while she studies some kind of rather large text book.
Among the early morning people, Madeline is already here as well. Lounging on one of the couches, she's removed her fatigue jacket, wearing the shirt underneath as she is nose deep in a book, feet propped up to her side, and looking just oh so relaxed. A cup of coffee rests nearby, steam rising from it. With Kelsey's music just loud enough to be picked up on the edge of her senses, she hums on occassion in time with the music.
Coffee sounds good right about now. The situation on the planet has, recently, grown more interesting. At least in scientific parlance. Some would call it more dangerous. Files clasped tightly under her arm, looking tired and a little frumpy from alternating working on the problem and falling asleep in her chair, Fionnula beelines right for the sweet, sweet joe.
From the hallway arrives Noble, pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it. As always, he takes a glance toward the video game system and the couch that he has unofficially claimed as his. He blinked at the sight of Madeline in it, and a broad grin crosses his lips. He moves past Kelsey's table, tapping on it twice to get her attention. "Hey, check this out." He mumbles and then sliiiiiides on the hard floor behind the back of the sofa, so that Madeline can see him clearly.
"Unh! It's o'five hundred, and you thuh one I'm lovin…" Noble sings poorly, showcasing his latent immaturity.
Wescott, in her offduty duds, looks up with a quick grin at Noble. "Hi!" she greets with a bright smile and a waggle of her fingers. But there's a quizzical look at what he intends to do. She 'awwwww's at the singing, though. "I love that song!" Yep, Kelsey is just all too energized this morning.
As she hears that voice, one beautifully manicured eyebrow arches behind that book. Madeline doesn't look up, a chagrined smile tugging at her features. However, she waits for Noble to start to oh so nice slide across the floor, and then she slips out one of those lovely long legs of hers and sticks it right in his path. It was an accidental stretch. Except not at all.
Like a deer being run over by a freight train, Noble's shine connect solidly with Madeline's feet and the tall marine goes down hard. With an oof, a little laugh escapes his lips, being a rather good sport about it. Groaning out a long owwwwww, he pushes himself up to his feet and gives Madeline an angry set of eyebrows, pointing his finger at her in a bit of severity…
…and starts up again.
There's a loud thwack of folders down on the counter near the coffee. If they get stained and wrinkled, Fionnula seems not to care. Filling her cup up to nearly-full, she leaves just enough room for a lot of sugar and a good amount of cream. While she mixes, she looks over all the folks in the room. She gasps when Noble gets tripped and looks at them all with raised eyebrows.
"OHHH boy you makin me sweat, and drill sergeant jus-wok-in…"
Kelsey stares.
Lowering the book, Madeline just looks so bemused as she massages her leg where she used it as a tripping obstacle. "You only wish you made me sweat." she winks up at Noble, and notices everyone else. "Oh, hey. Sorry, didn't notice everyone. It's a really good book, and all that. Morning~" is offered in a sing-song voice, but she turns and sticks her tongue out at Noble. She's used to the ribbing by now.
"Hey! I just enlisted.. And this is crazy!" Kelsey sing-songs, laughing finally at Noble. "But Sera'd be mad if you were.. My Boot Camp Baby!" Kelsey grins happily and dances a little in her seat. "I totally have that song on this thing. I love it. We made a jody out of it in boot. It was /awesome/." She looks over towards Madeline but the recognition doesn't really flash and she waves before looking up to Fionnula. "Hi, times three."
"Now we both salutin, Rapt attention, heart confusion…" Noble just…won't…stop. When Madeline looks away from him, he lightly kicks the sofa to get her attention back to him. While he dances playfully, he request into his pocket and pulls out a paper. "Hey doc!" He suddenly interrupts with a broad grin towards Fionnula. "Makin love not war is what we should be doin…" He unrolled the paper and lo and behold its a picture of Madeline at age nine from her commercial, sharing some snacky cakes with her adowwabul school friends. His grin? Shameless. He kicks the sofa once more and points to Kelsey. She knows what's up.
Fionnula looks at Kelsey and just blinks, wearily. "Three times…?" she wonders out loud. "I don't…why three times?" Another heavy blink. Seems she really needs that coffe. "Did I miss something? I don't even know." She gives a little shake of her head, and then takes a long draw of hot coffee.
Thaddeus has arrived.
Madeline's cheek tinge pink. Okay, that was low. And then.. et tu, Kelsey? She lets out a long-suffering sigh, and turns her attention back to Noble. And then she reaches up, snatches the picture from Noble and takes a pen out of her pocket.
Dear Corporal,
Frak you.
XOXOXO,
Madeline 'Snackcakes' Price
And then hands it back.
After that, she turns to Kelsey and Fionnula, trying to ignore Boot Camp Noble. "I'm sorry, the Corporal seems to think that a four year old song is cute. He's so mature, right? I'm Madeline. Lance Corporal Madeline Cervantes. I don't think I've had the pleasure.." A kick at Noble's shin she just abused from the couch. "…of meeting either of you yet."
Noble is standing next to Madeline, who is sitting on the couch, 'serenading' her terribly, as she kicks at him fuitlessly. Kelsey is at a table, singing along, and Fionnula is looking at files and probably wondering really about the type of security this looney bin really offers.
"So why won't you look my way, Simon?!" Kelsey pleads in her singing. She clutches at her tanktops over her heart, thump-thumpin twice. She laughs with his point, too, and looks at the picture and giggle furiously. "OHMIGAWD! Adoreable!" She gets out of her chair and sways with the song. "Hey! I just enlsited.. and this is crazy!" She swings her hips and claps her hands in a slide. Awwyeah. She waves to Madeline once when she sits up and is about to keep going with singing when she does a doubletake, trips in her own dance step and nearly tumbles backwards over the table. She ends up knocking it over, book and all, and backpeddling until she squeeks into a chair and stares at the lady on the couch. No. These things happen to /other/ people.
Fionnula watches all this with…sick curiosity. Are they really this crazy? Or is it the fact she's not had a full night's sleep in about three days? Though she wants to turn and run, it's a lot like watching a car accident, or a plane crash. So she just keeps sipping and staring over the top of her coffee cup.
"Hey, I just enlisted! And this is Crazy…" Noble just gets louder as he folds the picture and puts it back into his pocket. For a second there both her and Kelsey are in time, but then she falls over and the red headed Rifleman is forced to sing through his laughter. He dances in closer to Madeline despite the fact he's already been kicked at twice. He grabs a pillow and starts to swing it at her. "But wont you be my Boot-Camp-Baby getoffmyfrakkincouch…" Did he just tell her to get off of his couch? Yes. He did.
The rec room hatch swings open and in strides Thaddeus, head ducked in the process of lighting up a cigarette, bootsoles scuffing at the floor. The heavy footsteps slow at the sound of… singing? playful violence? laughter? …and he glances up through the first thick plume of smoke, eyebrows lifted from their usual frown in wary curiousity. He blows out a smoky snort a second later. Kids these days.
Flump! She's pelted with the pillow and Madeline grabs a pillow to retaliate, but then Kelsey goes all tumbling over. "Jerk." she murmurs at the rifleman and surrenders the couch as she rises up and lets him steal her warm spot as she worriedly makes her way to Kelsey. Leaning down and offering a hand to her, her dog tags and wedding band swing from her neck as she offers a smile. "You alright there?" she asks Kelsey finally.
Kelsey points an accusatory finger at Madeline, eyes wide. "Youuuuuuuu youyouyoyuyouIknowyou," she mumbles. Is she alright? Quite possibly not. Her brain just BSOD'd.
"Thank you." Noble says suddenly and quits singing. Its as if a light switch has been flipped. Flopping onto the couch without so much as another word, he reaches out to the coffee table and takes up a video game controller. He quickly lights his cigarette as the screen opens up to images of shotguns and zombies.
"Ded….HEAD Two…" a serious sounding spokesperson's voice BOOMS across the Rec Room. Noble quickly grabs the video screen's remote control and hushes down the volume.
With the room growing more crowded, a lot louder, and with her mission to obtain coffee completed, Fionnula gives one last look around. She picks up her files and heads out, not understanding a lick of who most of these people are and what the heck they're talking about.
"The frak you kids going on about?" mutters Thaddeus as he heads for the kitchenette at the back, a scratchy chuckle drifting along behind him with the smoke. "And they ride /my/ ass for bad music." Grumble, mumble. He set about fussing with the electric kettle and the herbal teas bought by the bushel, head turning slightly as a half-heard announcement comes over the speakers.
Assisting Kelsey to her feet, Madeline almost smiles apologetically. "It's okay. Yes, now I get to know you." She winks, but hears the new voice, and turns. Double frak me. "Good morning, Captain. It seems that the Corporal enjoyed my music alot when I was younger and just needed to serenade me. I guess he really like-likes me. Or just wants a fruit pie." A wink is cast towards the engrossed gamer.
"Hey, man. Redhead back there? She made that music. Gave me Boot-Crabs-Babeh." Noble sings to himself while his game opens up to the starting area. The elderly man on the screen steps out into the dimly lit street, fireaxe in hand.
Kelsey has never met anyone more famous than the school's quarterback. Or Major Duke. She's helped to her feet and barely manages to whisper out, "I'm Kelsey. Kelsey. Petty.. Officer. I'm Wescott. You're famous." Because 'famous' is now a name. She finally shouts at Noble, "You JERK!"
"What'D I do???" Noble blinks, replying to Kelsey with a look of confusion on his face. His words come out fast, bickering. "You're the one that tripped, not me! I'm not a jerk. Look at the sign up sheet. It's Noble time." He winks to the two ladies, nodding upwards in false arrogance to Madeline's teasing. He winks back.
"It's Madeline. Or Lance Corporal Cervantes. Or Charlie Tree-tree if you need my attention in the field." Madeline brushes off Kelsey's back right quick, and turns her attention back to the Captain, after one more poke out of her tongue at Noble before he gets sucked in by zombie high schoolers and cheerleaders.
"We're all famous. Top Secret Task Force ninjas." Thaddeus's attention is half upon the trio near the couch, at best, as he digs out a mug, rinses it, and chucks a tea bag in to await the hot water. Once there's nothing left to do but wait for the kettle, he slouches back against the counter, empty hand dug down into his pocket, the other stretched out to ash his cigarette… in the sink. (Hey, it's empty. And he'll probably rinse it out after. Probably.) Something Madeline says sharpens his attention up; he looks at her again, head canted just a touch, like a dog hearing some distant noise.
"Madeline." Kelsey says it like she's speaking for the first time. Try not to offend the redheaded starlet. "I had a poster of you in my room before I left for boot. Its still there." Ahem. Kelsey is a vv mature individual, right? "Holy cow," she breathes and looks backat Thaddeus. "Sir! I'm not famous. I'm just me. This- She- Madeline! Cambewbtaby!" Pause. "Boot Camp! ..Baby!" Then? Its on. Kelsey grapples Madeline into a hug and mumbles giggled bits of something that approaches language.
"The Captain's right, this is a special mission, so everyone's on equal.. oof!" Madeline is trying her best to defuse the Kelsey bomb before.. too late.. she goes off, and hugs against Madeline. The starlet hugs her back, proving she is real and human and all of that stuff. She stands there, glomped by the Kelsey, and just shoots Thaddeus a little smile of patience. Not the first time. Totally not the first time this has happened.
It's a hard life, having to watch two young girls giggle and hug eachother. Really. Thaddeus looks sorely set-upon in his slouch over yonder by the electric kettle. Honest. Pale blue eyes glimmer with amusement before he glances up, makes a point of scratching his cheek a couple or three times. Really, he doesn't see anything. Then, after another drag off his cigarette, he points the cancer-stick at Madeline and says, "Charlie Tree Tree. You're one of the new JTACs that came on at Seventh Fleet Anchorage." His teeny-tiny pilot's brain can't hold much, but keeping track of JTACs? That's one of the important bits.
Kelsey is getting hugged back. She dances in place a little and then finally releases the Marine. "Holy /COW/!" she blurts again. "Where did you come from? Why are you here? Are we getting a show? I didn't think that Command was letting anyone in or out. …Are you here for 18 months?! That'd be so rad." She looks over the woman. "..and why the heck are you wearing this boring stuff?" Wait, Thaddo is talking and Kelsey straightens, backing up a step from Madeline as she looks at the Captain. "What? She can't be one of them. She's.. /famous/!" Two beats. "Right?" Back at Madeline: "Right?" Confusion settles in as Kelsey's brain slowly bootscans the hard disk.
"Yes sir, came on board there, caught a case of acute appendicitis, just got back on my feet." Releasing Kelsey, Madeline nods. "I've been one of them for nearly three years. Married a Marine at that." She smiles a bit sadly. "But no, I don't really do shows anymore, but I do help with morale as a minor MOS?" she offers.
Bennett strolls into the rec room with a mug of what looks like tea, a pack of smokes and a thin, unmarked file folder with a few papers tucked into it. Her pilot reflexes kick in just in time to enable her to dodge the marine-deckie hug ball near the door, and she quirks a grin at the smaller of the pair once she recognises who it is. "Hey there, Wescott." A polite nod for Thaddeus as she heads over to one of the couches. "Afternoon, Captain."
"Appendicitis? Shit. Bet the CIDSR ladies have it pickled in a jar already, hammering out a report on Piraeus's atmosphere versus human organs." Smirk. Strange things pass for humour with the Raptor pilot. "Callsign's Dub, my cabin-boy's Peacock. I'll hear you on CAP sooner than later, I'm sure." He touches a finger to his temple before he turns back to his own tea preparations. It smells like grass clippings; must be chamomile. He doesn't turn at the sound of Bennett's voice, but a greeting is called out all the same: "Cap."
Kelsey is a little flabberghasted. Abuhhhhh. "You're a Marine?" The PO3 blinks twice. Kels has been out of the tiger beat loop for awhile. "So wait, you're stationed on this boat for eighteen months?" Poor Madeline. One can only pray Kelsey chills out. "Cooooooooool." She grins happily and doubletakes at Bennett. "Cap'n Sain' Clare! Have you met Madeline?" But she settles on Dub and watches him for a moment. Brain restarting. Something is clicking. "Oh hey, you fly with Theo, right sir?"
"It was hard to keep them from it, had to explain that I had it Virgoron." Madeline chuckles. "I'm looking forward to getting my boots muddied, sir." she admits and then nods to the entering Captain. "Sir. Morning."
Few people on this boat seem to be coffee drinkers. Must be something to do with the uncanny similarity between it and viper fuel. Someone really ought to change the pot out for a fresh one, occasionally. "Good morning," is offered back to Madeline. A laugh, brief but warm. "Or, afternoon. Whatever it is." Sipping her tea, she observes the JTAC thoughtfully for some moments longer; if there's recognition, it's slow to form.
"Theodotus Apostolos." The double handful of Gemenese syllables don't seem like much of a handful when Thaddeus pronounces them. (It's like he's Gemenese, too, or something.) There's a quiet slurp as he tests his tea, then chucks the teabag into the trash before turning around with it. "Short, dark hair, green eyes, aggravating as all frak? That's the one." Another smirk is half-hidden as he slurps again at his tea.
Kelsey slowly backs away from Madeline, sensing intrusion. Way to go. She looks awkward for a moment before turning to right the table she knocked over. Her music player is shut off, earbud tugged from her ear and pocketed. That textbook on the ground is hefted back to the table and plunked back, face-down. Spine reads the title and its one any pilot would know well, a text on colonial flight administration regulations. A real groaner. She glances back to Thaddeus and nods. "I like him. He wants to go camping sometime."
Madeline reaches over, and touches Kelsey's elbow in a 'it's okay' manner. She's just taking care of business. "Lance Corporal Madeline Cervantes, JTAC Charlie-Tree-Tree." she offers to Bennett finally in way of introduction.
Bennett stirs from her thoughts after a moment, and fishes out her tea bag. "No, actually, I don't think we've met." It's plunked into someone else's empty cup that nobody's bothered to clean up, and she eases into the couch with a soft, contented sigh. Her head turns, messy bun smooshed against the cushions as her blue eyes wander back to the JTAC, after a brief detour over the title of Kelsey's book. "Pleasure, Madeline. You can call me Butch, if you like." How a woman who wears eyeliner and pink nail polish in her off time got a callsign like that, is a story probably better suited to a few drinks. "How are you finding things on Orion so far?"
Another smoke-scratchy chuckle from Thaddeus as he watches Kelsey over the rim of his tea-mug. "Does he? Maybe he likes you." Amusement brightens his eyes as he flicks a quick wink toward the Petty Officer. After a third sip of tea, he sets the mug by his elbow to give his poor, neglected cigarette some attention.
Kelsey looks back at the tug and a relieved smile appears. "Sorry," she whispers. "I get excited easily." Still awkward. "I'll try to keep from doing that again." Ahem. She straightens the book on the table and sits down with it again, looking back up to the officers. Thaddeus gets a rather dubious look, though. "I doubt it, sir. I've seen him sweet on the menfolk. I think I'd have better luck with that swoon-worthy Viper slinger Cole. I'd like to enjoy him with a glass of milk before bed." Nodnod!
Madeline laughs, rubbing a hand over her mouth. "Hey now, don't go hogging them all for yourself." She teases, but she wears a wedding ring. "I felt like that the first time I saw Jacob, I was like 'oh my, he can cream my sponge cake anytime'." Did she just make that joke? Hells yeah, she did.
She turns her attention to Bennett. "Oh, it's nice, sir. Reminds me of Athena. But I was just on tour there. They let me sit in a Viper cockpit and saw the bridge, and took some bikini shots by the pool. It's nice to see the rest of the ship."
COUGH. It's a throat-tickle from the smoke, honest! Never you mind the stalling for time that a sip of tea provides Thaddeus. "He's got double-jointed hips," he says, mumbled a little around his cigarette filter. "S'what I heard, at least." His cigarette bobs with his grin as he picks up his tea-mug and starts for the door.
Bikini shots? A marine? Bennett's brows knit together as she tries to piece that one out. "Athena," she murmurs over the rim of her mug. "She's a Valkyrie class, I think, isn't she? I'm.. not too familiar with the battlestars." Or with television, either, judging by the fact that she still doesn't seem to have figured out who Madeline is. The wedding ring is noted, and she grins widely at the sponge cake comment. "Did the CAG give you some study material?" she enquires of Kelsey. "That looks like a thrilling read."
COUGH. It's a throat-tickle from the smoke, honest! Never you mind the stalling for time that a sip of tea provides Thaddeus. "He's got double-jointed hips," he says, mumbled a little around his cigarette filter. "S'what I heard, at least." His cigarette bobs with his grin as he picks up his tea-mug and starts for the door.
"…boot camp bebbeh." Noble murmurs with a cough, still smoking and playing video games.
Thaddeus has left.
Kelsey sighs. "I can't even hog him for a night, sadly. He wears pretty pretty looey pins. But the air wing is full of men I don't mind window shopping. Takes some of the drain out of working on the deck." There's a reassuring smile and she looks back to Thaddeus with wide eyes. "Theo or Cole?!" she nearly demands. She fixes your birds, Thad. Careful. But Bennett gets a doubletake and she looks confused for a moment. But the book is glanced to and she brightens. "Yessir! Major Duke took me up for a ride in the sims! I got to sit in the backeat and I sorta kinda didn't really but pretended to work a DRADIS and we got chased by Raiders and it was /AWE/some!" She lets out a wistful sigh. "In my next life I want to fly navy, sir. No other choices or considerations. I just hope I can get back into the sims. I want to actually learn rather than read this stuff. It puts me to sleep. …BUT I know I gotta read it. It just sucks."
Okay, Madeline let it slide and slide, and playfully retaliated. But as Noble goes again at the comment, Madeline smiles. Ferociously. "Pardon me." With that, she slips over in his direction. She doesn't get on the couch. Instead, she loosens her bun and lets down all of that red hair, and glances at the screen. Level 27? Excellent. She slips right between the screen and the gamer and curls a fistful of her shirt in her hand, lifting it to expose the translucent-like skin on her hip and leans in, and coos,
"Let's go to the stars, under your guidance
Going on an unstable route, you're a beautiful Marine
Everytime you say you love me~
We're in a love that seems like it's going to turn painful
Washing away the stained blood with tears,
If I step out of this room, the sunlight is dazzlin',
Our ship is a fragile heart of starlight and moondust…"
She deliberately turns and wiggles right in front of him and blocks the vidscreen completely.
Bennett finally opens up the file folder she toted in here, and spreads the contents out on her lap. Looks like some incident reports, equipment manifests, and other work-related boring crap. Ah, the life of a middle management officer. "Unfortunately, you're right." She's still sporting a dimpled smile for the technician's antics over the men of the Air Wing. Hey, she probably window shops on occasion, herself. Who wouldn't? "About the reading. If you want a study buddy, though, perhaps myself or one of the junior pilots might be willing to go over a few things with you? I am sure any of us could stand to refresh.. our…." And she simply trails off as Madeline struts up to Noble and.. oh, my. "Wow." What?
Just then, Noble has to decide between video game or bared midriff. At first, he notices. In fact, his eyes widen and he takes the eyeful she provides before she leans in to sing to him. For just a few seconds the man is trapped…
…and then his character starts screaming on the flatscreen monitor.
"Whoa whoa whoa hang on just a s" Noble starts to furiously button mash. On the screen, the cracky elderly character starts shooting shotgun shells everywhere to no avail. The zombies are swarming. He is screwed. Meanwhile, Noble brings a foot up and button mashes like mad while trying to lean away from Madeline. "Oh come on! What the frak is that all about I was on a roll you frakkin" BONK, he playfully headbutts her hip and plants his head there, trying to use his head as leverage to push her out of the way while fighting for his life.
"I'd love a study-buddy, sir. But I don't want to take more time from the wing, Cap. I mean, I'm sort of a mess and this is mostly just like a dream thing of mine, plus the experience. Duke is helping me. One day I want to find someone like me and give them a break. Teach them to fly." That mentoring idea, again. "I think Major Duke wants to start me with Raptors since that's where… I…." She watches Madeline and her voice trails off. Seeing the reaction from Noble, her head tilts. Interesting. "Scratch that, sir. I wanna be a pop star," she whispers. Daaaang.
The zombie swarm ain't the only thing Noble's fighting. It's like he tripped all of Madeline's buttons or something. She gets pushed away, but comes back stronger, shoving him back onto the couch, and pulls her shirt down to give him a peek at her cleavage, and the dog tags and wedding ring and even a peek at her frillies.
She actually climbs into his lap, and continues to coo at him,
"Shall we cast aside our heavy luggage?
Shall we sink with the things we can't cast aside?
If you do cast them aside, do it lightly
Because I can't cast them away, to the extent of my life
Let's fly through this big glaxay.
Take me up in your arms, on this interstellar flight…"
And then she starts to lean in to kiss him. Just to use a well-manicured fingernail to reach up and thump-flick him the middle of his forehead. "Dork." She responds, and pulls back quickly, as fast as she can.
Bennett seems to have entirely forgotten about her paperwork, study buddies, flying lessons, and even her mug of tea by this point. Who needs strip clubs and playgirl magazines when there's a gen-u-ine lap dance going on five feet away. Leaning back against her couch, Bennett crosses her legs, cradles her mug against her thigh, and sort of stares at the spectacle. How can she not?
Kelsey, like Bennett, just stares. She doesn't seem too terribly interested in regulations for the moment. Nope. Girl or not, that's hot.
"No! no no-n-n-n-n-n-n" Noble wraps his arms around Madeline so that he can get both hands on the controller again. With every passing second, the controller vibrates ans louder screams emit from the screen. Noble, an eyeful of cleavage and wedding ring (that makes it hot, right?) keeps sparing glances between Madeline and the screen. "no-no-n-n—"
"YOU HAVE PERISHED"
"Oh frakkin COME ON!!!!" Noble calls out, dropping his controller to the couch as Madeline starts to quickly retreat. She's dead. Oh, Noble has better not get his hands on her. Quickly, he plants his feet down and starta to chase after her. "No. You get your cant-break-the-top-fifty ass over here!"
ZOMBALITY.
LAP-DANCEALITY.
Madeline wins!
She's gone like a shot, racing around the couch and table. Then she even ducks behind Bennett and Kelsey. "Awww, did the widdle biddy zombies munch on you? Tough shit!" she calls back out, taunting him all the way as she retreats.
Payback, dear Noble, is a bitch. And her name is Madeline.
Bennett mock-winces as that booming voice on Noble's game announces he's failed. She probably has no idea why payback from Madeline was necessary, but presumably the marine's done something to deserve this. They usually have. Chuckling, she lifts up her feet quickly as the JTAC comes dashing past, and even manages not to spill her tea. Pilot reflexes, go! "Twenty cubits on Cervantes," she asides to Kelsey, grinning.
Kelsey tucks her legs up quickly to be hugged and she looks back to Bennett. "You think I'm going to put money on Simon? Sir, I want to learn to fly. It wouldn't do for me to demonstrate poor judgment so blatantly, Captain." She looks apologetic, ducking her head a bit as they two chase each other around the couch.
Noble races around the couch like a twelve year old with a cardboard tube and a hate-on for his sister. "I've been building that guy up for weeks, you mangy short skirted po—" Officer alert. Screech. Noble comes skidding to a stop in front of Kelsey and Bennett, whom Madeline is hiding behind. He nearly loses his balance. "Oh COME On!!! Hiding behind them? Thats low. You frakking chickenhawk." Noble laughs, pointing a finger at Madeline. That finger means I'm gonna git you, bitch.
Over his shoulder, a trio of new recruits stumble in, elated to see that DedHead is on the game machine. Like an invading army, they swarm the system. Noble throws up his hands and turns, strolling to the door, defeated. "This ain't over, Cervantes. Unlike your singing career, this shit is so not over."
"…meh butt camp bebbeh. Check your bunk." He mumbles, striding out into the hallway.
"Awww, hims can dish it out, but he can't take it?" Madeline mocks him as she giggles and watches him walk away. "Just remember!" she calls out after him, "You fired the first salvo, Zombie bait!"
Bennett looks like she had every intention of letting this slide.. up until a Major walked in, anyway. She's still grinning like a lunatic when Noble aborts and makes for the hatch, and leans across to murmur to Kelsey, "Smart girl." Then back to her paperwork with a zealotry that looks an awful lot like boredom. "What chapter are you on?" In the book. "Men can be notoriously poor with follow-through," she tells Madeline without looking up.
Kelsey takes the cue from the Captain and suddenly looks more serious. She takes up the book and opens it. She sighs. "I'm slogging through the Medical Facts, Chapter Eight." Which means she's already pushing through Nav, Airspace, Air Traffic Control, Emergency Proceedures… But nobody retains this stuff on one read. The book is fairly thick and extremely dry. The last from Bennett gets a roll of her eyes. "Seriously. Can't hack it, so they run away. Leave the women standing there holding the bag," she mutters. Gee, probably not a stretch to guess where her baby's daddy is. Or isn't.
Dropping into a seat with the other women, Madeline tugs her shirt back into place and starts to try to pull her hair back into its bun. She gives up and settles for a loose ponytail. "Or totally have their fun before you get into it." She sighs. "Not that I would have with him. He was just being a mocking asshole and deserved it." she smirks.
Kelsey watches Madeline adjust and fix herself and shrugs, looking up to Mad as she speaks. "That was still pretty hot, Madeline. Dang. I wish I had moves like that. Do you do lessons?" she asks with a mirthful smile. "So, like, you just enlisted or something? This baffles me. I remember you made some awesome music and then.. poof." She pulls out her digital music player. "I think I have every song you ever released, too." No wonder. Kelsey is a real fan.
"I know a little dance. I can try to show you some?" Madeline offers, and smiles like a Cheshire cat. "I enlisted so I could stay close to my husband." she confesses. "We married shortly after that record. You have a copy?" she giggles. "Hold onto it, I think it's like one of only three that sold. My record company dropped me after that.. well, that and I wanted to do something more serious."
Bennett remains silent for the time being, perhaps trying to suss out why it is that a girl looking like Madeline is serving with the marines on this boat, and has a record out. Clearly the captain's missed a memo here somewhere. She sips her tea, absently tries to go over her equipment manifest for the fourth time, and keeps more than half an ear on the conversation.
Seriously? "Oh dang I was kidding! ..Yeah! I'd love to know. Geez, he just turned stupid. I've never seen that before." Kelsey apparently missed out on some growing up. "That's pretty neat though, and yeah I have a copy. Shame they dropped you. I have that big poster of you in the flight suit with the legs cut off into shorts and the zipper way down. Very hot and awesome. My mom and dad got it for me on my 17th. I think they were trying to nudge my brain to think about the navy anyway so it was okay." She nods a few times. There's a glance to Bennett but she doesn't seem to want to interrupt, though she plainly wants to ask something.
"Oh, I remember that poster. Damn suit rode up in my crotch like noone's business." Madeline frowns at the memory. "Made it a size too small in the bust to 'accenuate' the girls." she shakes her head and takes her well-manicured fingers on the table. "Sure. Maybe we can see if we can start a dance class or something. Most of my dances are from my videos though. Well.. except for that last one. I learned that one for Cee-Eff: Cee-Cee to seduce Agent Briggs."
Bennett glances up briefly when her pilot sense starts to tingle, and meets Kelsey's gaze evenly. A brow ticks up fractionally as if in question. "Perhaps the Fleet should consider a new advertising campaign," she posits with a tiny quirk of her lips, blue eyes slanting sidelong to Madeline for a second. "I suspect that if you started lessons on board Orion, you'd likely have more men turn up than women." Grin hidden by her mug, she finishes off her tea, sets it aside, and starts to rummage for her smokes.
Kelsey chuckles. "It was a pretty hot suit, though. My friend went as you to a costume party that year wearing that outfit. It was /totally/ rad." She thumbs a couple pages through the textbook. "And yeah, I think the Captain is right. We'd probably have guys oggling. Not that, you know, that's a /bad/ thing. But I'm pretty sure it would get old, fast. ..The oggling, not the dancing." She sigh and looks back to Bennett. "Hey, uh, sir? I was wondering if maybe, possibly, way far out chance? Would it be okay if I played with an ECO system some day? I don't know if or when I'll get back into the sims and spending all my downtime reading? It sucks. I've got know way to really try and, well.." She tumbles her hands. "No way to really apply what I'm reading. I'm grasping concepts, but…" she fades.
"As long as they aren't there to dance." Madeline offers with a little smile. She starts with a question of her own to Bennett, "How'd you get your call…" and she trails off, letting Kelsey go first and listens.
The topic change doesn't seem to ruffle Bennett in the slightest. She may not be a rocket scientist in the smarts department, but she sure can turn upon a dime. "Well, I think that'd be up to the CAG, ultimately," she offers in return. "But like the rest of your extracurricular study, I'm sure something could be arranged in your off time with a consenting pilot. I understand what you mean, though. Some people learn by watching; the rest of us learn by doing." She tucks the cig between her lips, lights it, and sweeps a few stray hairs out of her eyes with her knuckles. "Beg your pardon?" politely to Madeline.
Zander has arrived.
Kelsey smirks, blushing a bit. "Nothing wrong with a little fan worship?" she offers daringly. Well, daringly for Kelsey. It would seem clandestine efforts with other people are hushhush, but her own are less of a concern. Back to Bennett, she nods finally and looks back to the book. "Yeah. Reading is something I don't mind, but I need to do things. My sophmore year of high school by dad took me to Perk-town-" Picon "-to walk downtown. He had me watch traffic and explain to him verbally how it all worked together with functions. He did it to help me study for my pre-calc final." She smirks at the book and looks back to Bennett. "If you know anyone who might be able to help, let me know? I think Theo offered but I haven't seen him around recently, sir. I'd like to really /wow/ Major Duke one day if possible." She finishes though and seems about done to let Madeline ask her question.
"I'm okay with a fan.. but I'd perfer friends." Madeline confesses, a little honestly. "This is my first post since I lost my husband, so I'd like to make some good friends." She admits with a shrug, and turns her attention to Bennett. "I was going to ask where you got your callsign. Butch.. it doesn't seem to match you, but I'm not very good at that callsign thing."
For Zander, the three girls are sitting at a table and chatting it up.
"Your dad sounds like a smart guy," Bennett muses, absently straightening the papers in her folder while Kelsey speaks. She's seated at one of the couches with the two enlisted, the pilot in her sweats and a N A V Y tshirt, apparently doing some paperwork in her off time. "You know, I'll ask around, Wescott. Have you talked to Milkshake? She backseats for me more often than not, and she's pretty solid." Then back to Madeline. With a warm laugh she answers easily, "Butch, as in Butch Cassidy. It's.. well, it's a slightly obscure reference to a very obscure book written by some Leonisian fellow…" She trails off, and elucidates: "Cassidy is my middle name. I guess some guy on my first cruise thought it was pretty funny." That and her proclivity for being a girly-girl, no doubt.
Zander Sava, in all of his off-duty glory, is just coming into the Rec Room through the hatch that is closest to the technology portion of this whole thing. That's right, he's memorized how to maximize his travels through the Battlestar to get where he wants to go. There's a very familiar pack slung over his shoulder as he comes in, only pausing briefly to look around and maybe toss a nod at anyone he's cool with and then he's getting right to work.
Zander's movements are very much practiced and rehearsed. He slides right up to one of the televisions, grabbing a chair and dragging it on his way. The chair gets spun around and the pack is set down into it with delicate care. And then he's off to the television with a couple of cables, switching this and unhooking that and pretty much getting down to business with the hooking up of his Scion II to the big ol' lovely flatscreen television.
Oh yeah. It's about to be Game Time.
Since Noble forgot to turn off the TV, there is still a game of DedHead 2 with some ombies surrounding some old dead level 27 guy. Poor player must have lost it in one of the easiest places on the map.
Kelsey blinks. The woman on her wall, the one that sang all those songs about the military? She's not just a Marine, but she lost a husband. Its like suddenly realizing that famous people are still real people. Bad shit happens to them, too. "Oh," she says quietly. "I'm sorry. Now I feel awful about that- the thing- earlier." She sighs. "I won't do that again. Its probably not easy trying to make friends when everyone wants to call you snackums or something. Most people call me Jailbait. A supervisor on Deck called me that but it seems kind of appropriate." To Bennett she nods. "Yeah, I like Milkshake. We've talked. She mentioned it but I was worried that if I just took her up on it, it might get her in trouble, sir." And as Butch knows by now, Kelsey isn't terribly interested in screwing up or getting people in trouble. Zander only gets a glance as she doesn't quite know who this guy is.
Again, another touch on Kelsey's arm to reassure her. "It's fine!" she offers, and even gives Kelsey, her f— new friend, a hug to make sure the message comes across. "Well, it's usually worse with gamers." she admits. "I voice-acted in a few games, so yeah." She shrugs. "It could have been worse than just him singing to me."
It should come back for Zander in a flash. A platforming game. A world in peril. A princess needing a Hero's help. The Hero ate Snackcakes to grow big and fought against the Healthy Veggie Empire to save the Sugar Kingdom in lands like 'Molasses Swamp', 'Lollipop Valley' and 'Moon Pie Moon'. And a thank you kiss from Princess Cherry, ruler of 'Snackcake Land'.
"Well, I was hoping it wasn't short for Butcher to spare you the obligatory meat jokes." she comments to Bennett with a small laugh. "I love your nail color!" she comments, reaching for her hands to study them. "What type of polish do you us?"
Bennett looks a little sobered, herself, when Madeline mentions the loss of her husband. But having seen the subject already waved off, she doesn't press. Perhaps she will later, in private; perhaps not. Instead she simply smiles, and allows her hand to be taken — the one not holding her cigarette, that is. "L'imoges," she answers, laughing at her inability to affect a posh Pican accent. "They're expensive, but I just love the colours." Pause. "I'm sorry, but.. were you a film actress or.. something? I grew up without television or radio or.." She smiles sheepishly. Zander is briefly spotted, but not hailed just yet.
"Ugh. Somebody sucks." is the random comment that comes from Zander as he spots what is on the screen. There is not much caring beyond that because Zander's all about using his own gear and finishes with the rehooking with relative ease. "Hope it was saved. I should really think about offering some lessons…" is uttered with a laugh, before he's snatching up the box for Pyramid2K4 and starts popping the disc out to load up.
Pause. That voice. It's just irritatingly familiar enough to have Z spinning the disc on his finger and turning to look over in the direction of the collection of girls nearby. "Princess?" is whispered slowly, as he slides around the chair and the booting up Scion II console and anything else in his way to stroll over with wireless controller in one hand and Pyramid2K4 disc in the other.
"Whoa." It takes Zander a moment to realize what is happening when he spots Madeline, where the voice is coming from. The character's design was, of course, based off the voice actress and then there's the fact that Zander just knows too much about his games for him not to know who this is. And while he's standing there awkwardly for a moment, the next moment he's kneeling as if he were a Hero Destined, near the Girlfecta and bows his head. "Your Highness."
Say What, Now?
Kelsey takes the hug sheepishly and lifts her hands to return it slightly. Guilt. Augh. She nods, though, looking at Madeline while she discusses the games. But as the talk of nails comes up, Kelsey slips her hands under the table and into the shadows and looks back to the points about Aeromedical in her book. She reads along quietly until Zander approaches and kneels. This is not fair.
"Oh, Picon. I was on vacation there once. I love the shopping there. I still have a couple of little black dresses I wear for special occassions." Madeline admits, holding Bennett's hands, and smiles. "We will totally have to take a spa day. We can make it work in the head. I know, my stylist was able to when we were on tour and I couldn't get pampered." She winks. Oh, she saw what you did there, Kelsey. "Come on, let's see them." she nearly demands. "I bet between me and the Captain, we can make you drop dead gorgeous…."
She trails off as she's bowed to and then Zander kneels. She draws in a little breath and with Zander not looking at her, rolls her eyes, before she puts on a brilliant smile. "I'm sorry, but your princess is on another Battlestar." she winks. "Hi. Nice to meet you…?" she questions, to let Zander introduce himself to the girls.
"She's already gorgeous," St. Clair opines gently, withdrawing her hand and easing back into the couch to enjoy the rest of her cig in comfort. Her eyes flick over to the heading of the chapter Kelsey's reading. Gas Expansion and Barotrauma. Ahh, that's a good one. "I've got a couple of textbooks just on aeromedical, Wescott, if you ever feel like that isn't enough." She might be teasing. About Kelsey needing more books; there's no doubt she has them, if those CSAR rumours are true. But then Zander's stopped to bow, and this has all just gotten a little too weird for her. "I.. should probably be going. Your Highness." She winks at Madeline. "It was nice to meet you, though." It isn't like she's getting any work done in here, anyway, so the papers are scooped up and tucked back into her folder.
"I am Zander Zava, humble servant and total fanboy. Your voice work on Super Snack Brothers is Beyond Infinity. Like, you don't even understand. Those cutscenes where you're giving Chowser a piece of your mind? Brilliant. Completely Brilliant." Zander is back up on his feet at this point and has decided to be more in classic fanboy mode than total obsessed gamer mode. Safer this way.
"This is epic. I didn't even know you were…" He motions to himself and the others. "… like us. High Score for the military!" And the controller is tossed to the disc carrying hand, so that he can hold out his hand for the tremendous high five that he's hoping Madeline will not leave him hanging on.
Back, behind him, the Scion II is all booted up and awaiting game. No really, that's what the screen says: Awaiting Game…, so Zander better hurry up with this fanboying foolishness.
Kelsey reluctantly lifts her hands to the table. Mom's are supposed to have soft hands, right? Riiiight. Kelsey's fingers are permanently colored grey and smudged in darker colors. Her nails are cracked and look like they haven't seen any serious care in probably years. Burns have calloused and scarred over and its plain the Deckie works without concern for what toll the job might take physically. Its not pretty and she knows it. There's a thankful smile given to Bennett and she hides her hands once more as she looks back to the book. "I think if I have to swallow more on flight regulations, sir, I'm going to barf. This is terrible," she mutters. But that she is actually reading it is a sign that its not for show. Kels has an interest and a goal. But they don't include videogames so she looks up to Bennett and nods. "Thanks for the words, sir."
"I'll see you later, Bennett!" Madeline says, and finally says, to cue her in. "If you see a box of Softie Snackcakes, look for my picture on the side of it, Captain." she giggles, and gives Zander is much wanted high-five. "Your game awaits you, kind sir Zava. You should get to it."
Then she pauses. "Oh the guy that was here before you? That screen you saw. That's Corporal Noble. He's a total button masher and glitch camper. You should totally pwn him." she offers to Zander, then turns her attention to Kelsey's hands, and she winces. "Oh.. oh sweetie. Do you not wear gloves?" she asks, looking over her hands. "These are.. wow.. we can save them still." Nodding with that thought. "But you will totally need to start wearing gloves." She surrenders the hands when Kelsey pills them away.
"Softie Snackcakes," Bennett repeats, blinking vapidly. It's probably the same look non-pilots get when she starts talking about chemical thermodynamics and entropy in isolated systems. "Okay, I'll keep an eye out for you." Folder tucked up under her arm, she offers Kelsey a smile in parting. "Don't study too hard. And I'll let you know what I hear." About the ECO console, presumably. The as-yet unintroduced Zander is skirted around on her way to the hatch, and then she's gone.
Bennett has left.
"Corporal Noble." is repeated as some sort of twisted committing to memory, just so he can make sure to pwn him as requested. He cracks a grin and is practically about to have a coniption of happiness, thanks to the fact that he just got a high-five from Princess Cherry.
Zander is actually turning to take a step away from the situation and conversation at hand but he pauses and turns his eyes to Kelsey. "Uh. Not to harsh in on your conversation. Or anything. But I get Player's Thumb issues all the time. But I got this stuff back in my bunk that I use that pretty much keeps my hands in tip-top working order. Goop, they call it. It's like lotion and cleanser and antibacterial awesomeness all rolled up into one stellar jar. I could let you have some if you wanna' try it." Pause. "Uh. Not that I was eavesdropping or anything. Because that would be awkard."
Kelsey shrugs. "We're supposed to. But honestly its impossible. If you follow every single safety reg, you can't do the job. So we do a lot of our wiring work, which thick gloves make impossible, without them. Dealing with that stuff is more finite and detailed. Its better when I get to deal with actual programming in the avionics suites, but its rare." To Bennett, she waves and watches the Captain depart. There's some visible hero worship in Kelsey's eyes. Zander, though, is looked back to and she has a sheepish look cross her. "Ah, no, thanks. I already have some stuff I use. Another Petty Officer turned me on to it and we have tubs of it in storage. Thanks, though."
Madeline nods. "I use it myself to keep my hands smoothe. That scented stuff from Picon has nothing on it." she admits as she smiles towards Zander. "So, what do you do on-board Orion?" she asks Zander, already picking up that Kelsey is Deck. And assuming that Zander can game and chat at the same time.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't try to hook you up! When that stuff you use doesn't work out, don't hesitate to come ask for Zander's Goop!" This is said just a bit too loud because he's over and tossing in the disc and letting the Pyramid game boot up. He's backwalking towards the girls again with ease, hands on the controller and everything.
"ECO all day, baby. Just having me in the backseat is at least a +50 Awesomeness boost to the Raptor." He's smiling and scrolling through the Team Select until he gets to the Caprica City Buccaneers. It's going DOWN!
Kelsey listens to the talk about hand care and seems all too interested to see that topic pass. She doesn't even offer more than a nod. Probably not something she wants to draw attention to. But another ECO? She blinks and watches Zander work at the controller. "I fix Raptors, sir," the younger woman says. "Mostly. Sometimes Vipers, but I generally deal with ECO systems."
"Ooh, so that's what you were asking the Captain about. Looking to be a backseater yourself?" Madeline asks, then pauses as she glances at the time. "Oh.. I need to get that letter done before mail closes down. If you will both pardon me?" she asks as she starts to rise.
Zander barely notices Madeline make with the exiting. Mostly because he's loading up his game and getting ready to whoop up the computer some more. Since there's no way in hades he could actually play Pyramid in real life. "Oh, yeah? Nice! So you're the one I gotta' thank every time my bird doesn't explode on lift off." Zander cracks a smile and sacrifices one hand off the controller to offer it to Kelsey for shaking purposes. "It's always good to meet the tech squad." Another grin. "You're on the right track, I can tell you that. Stay about that Raptor Life. Viper mods are so annoying. And some of them take forever…" He's got a little tech-know-how himself in his brain.
Kelsey shakes her head to Madeline. "No. That's not possible." She watches the other woman depart and leave her with the gamer. Eyes trail to the screen and then to the book on the table. Colonial flight regulations: The bane of every air crew member's existence and one of the most universally hated test books ever. She reaches over to shake the mans hand and returns her arm under the table. "I'm one of many, yes. But I like Raptors, yes, sir. I think Vipers are sexy, but Raptors seem like the gruntwork. I admire the frame more." She looks between him and the game he plays. "But I'm getting out in twenty-three months. No more Raptors for me after that."
Zander takes a second while the whistle is blowing on the screen to peek at the book and there's an immediate shudder that goes through his body. He hated the entire process and just the glimpse of such things has sent him down memory lane where he does not want to be. Quickly, his eyes are back on the screen. "Exactly. It's not all about the stylish sexiness. It's more about effectiveness, usefulness and overall badassery, if you ask me." His fingers work the buttons to have his team bopping around on the screen. But he's still managing to handle this conversation too. "No more Raptors blows hard. Guess that just means I'll have to break as many of them as I can for your final days. Give you something to do. Something to look forward to." Smile.
Kelsey looks at the book while he plays. "I guess. I just like the elegancy with which all the systems talk to each other. Its all networked into this beautiful little cage behind the ECO station. There's so much potential. Even the jamming pods you guys use? Everything talks to everything. Its such a fluid design." She sighs wistfully, staring at the book without really seeing it. "Please don't break the birds, sir. I don't need anymore work. I'm already working a team to try and get the Predators up and running. That's hard enough, sir. Not a lot of people use them during peacetime. Old parts need replacing. Its not like a Raptor or a Viper."
"Relax. I was kidding." Zander is already pausing his game to take a seat, though, so that he can give Kelsey a bit more attention. She's mentioned a couple things that he's already been thinking about. "We're on the same screen, though, about the system. It's awesome, it really is. Sometimes I just wanna' rip my ECO station open and start playing around with stuff. See what I can rig up or whatever. With everything speaking the same language, it just makes me want to expand on that, y'know? Take it a few steps further. Dive headfirst into the potential greatness that's bubbling just beneath the surface." Somebody's excited.
Kelsey looks up to smirk and there's a tired laugh. "Want to trade jobs, sir?" She smirk fades and she looks back at the book to idle turn the page. Its Flight Medical requirements. The kind of junk that nobody wants to read. The people that wrote it probably hate themselves. She sighs. "Well a lot of the systems are designed to work independently." Tilting her head, she looks back at him. "Military redundancy. See, if one system gets damaged, but it works as part of a network, its not a blind circuit where everything down the line daisy-chain shuts down. One system goes down, the rest recognize that and filter around it. There's some pretty neat potentials to how that can be used, too. But its just one of those things that people in Avionics deal with. Lovely design, sir. There's a lot of potential there, but there are also hard-coded and physical limitations. Shame, but not always bad."
"But there's ways to make it all work together anyway. I mean, with the right brain on it, I think it'd be pretty simple to make sure that if one thing goes down that it doesn't take the entire system down with it. In fact, that's what backing up and alternate routing is for. You link everything up and running the way it's supposed to, and you stay on top of it, you could easily have the squadrons networked together for optimum awesome. You just need to make sure your bases are covered and you're set up for systems to compensate and help each other out, as opposed to ditching and working around. It would make everything just so much smoother." Zander shrugs a bit, before just looking even more confused. "So if you ain't trying to work on my birds for the rest of your life, what you looking into? Please tell me it ain't got anything to being a doctor or something…" Another shudder. "So much less fun, that is."
Kelsey sits back in her chair, getting more comfortable with the conversation. "Yessir, but that applies to anything. Right brain, right topic. And alternate routing is an old theory, obviously. Especially in the military. But the systems designed to work together can still do more than most people realize even without the primary up and running. The problem, I suspect, is that when things break down out there, ECOs are too busy trying to get the system back up and running rather than exploit the capabilities they still retain." Kelsey doesn't use a lot of the same vernacular that most of the 'knuckledraggers' do. She taps her fingertips together, resting her hands on the table. "Its like if you had a car, sir, and a manual transmission. Well your battery dies. Can't start the car. A lot of people hit the roadblock there because they don't know how cars work. On a manual transmission? Just get it in gear, get it rolling, pop the clutch, and the car starts right up. Easy peasy, sir. Same idea." The last has her sigh like she's getting ready to say a lot, but something stops her. "No blood and bodies, sir. Eventually, sir, I'm looking to get my Masters in Network Theory and Security. Its illegal stuff now, but I want to be on the bleeding edge when it gets back. Possibly do Doctoral work." This girl doesn't even look old enough to drink. "One day, sir. It'll happen. I'm working on getting there."
"Whoa. School'd." Zander is not exactly an expert in this field by any means. He simply just knows what he knows and knows what he's practiced. So he's more than willing to actually listen to Kelsey's explanations and he's even smiling when she finished up all her words. He's really interested, that much shows on his face.ANd if there's a bigger indicator needed… he's not even gaming right now. He's just talking. To another human being. With ease. "Then you and I need to hang out more often. I'm somewhat of a tinkerer in the Network business myself.I've dibbled and dabbled, but I could never spend my days reading about it and trying to get a degree. I'm more of a hands-on type. I fiddle and faddle until something works or blows up." He grins just a little bit. "I, too, wanna' be ready when it comes back to light. Can you imagine what that's gonna' do for gaming? It's gonna' be incredible."
"Heh. I already spend more time than I probably should with officers, sir. I'm just a third class Petty Officer. But I sure won't argue." She sniffs once and leans a bit more on the table. "I don't mind reading. Do whatever it takes, right? If that means reading boring books, well, just do it. Nothing in life that we're handed for free is really worth much to us, right?" Kelsey shrugs. "And, uhm, not really. I don't play a lot of games. But I understand what you mean. There's a lot of really great possibilities out there. One Day." Those last two words are spoken as a promise to herself.
"Heh. Who knows. Maybe you'll be the one that makes One Day possible." Zander is all about helping out with the thinking of a promised land and promised day stuff. He snatches up the controller again and looks at it fondly. "The things we could do. The raw potential of such is already blowing my mind. And I'm not even book-smart in it like you are." Zander shrugs a bit. "And for the record, third class Petty Officer? First Class Pretty Officer? Admiral Major Captain of All Things? Who the frak cares. We're all human, first and foremost. And that gives you the right to hang with whatever officer you want! Just, y'know, not in a stalkery way. Cuz that's just weird and wrong." Oh Gamer Pep Speeches. WTF.
Into the rec room wanders Phin. He's got a pair of earbuds in his ears and a magazine tucked under one arm, so he is literally kind of wandering around in his own little world. This meandering takes him over to get a cup of coffee, which he fills in a ceramic mug with an 'Argentum Bay Silverstars' logo painted on it. He sniffs the coffee before drinking it, which makes him wrinkle his nose some. It doesn't keep him from drinking it, but he does put in some powdered cream and sugar before downing any.
Kelsey smirks. "Kind of you to say, sir. But I doubt it. All I want to do is just get there. What I do once I'm there? Well I'll find something. Even if I just get my education and go teach. That'd be a-okay with me. But the potential is there, yes. Like, you could game from the Orion and play against people on Cap. If, you know, we were anywhere within sane ranges. And, uhm." She glances around. "Actually frat? Says I can't really be friends with officers." It doesn't really say that. But Kelsey seems kinda nervous about breaking rules. HOWEVER, as soon as Phin walks in, Kelsey's attention locks on the man and she looks a little weak. OMG. Want.
"Frak frat. I do whatever I wanna' do and look at me. Not a care in the world! Just conversation of awesome, Pyramid2K4 and my snack bag!" Zander freezes in mid-happy-thoughts. "… My snack bag." As if remembering something totally important to his gamer nature, he's back on his feet and skip-stepping off towards his gear. "I gotta' head back to my bunk. I can't game without my snacks. It's just not the same. Uh…" He tosses his controller onto his bag and then turns to Kelsey once more. "Don't worry 'bout a thing. You're gonna' be stellar at it. And you're gonna' teach me everything you know one day. For free." He tosses a wink, completely oblivious to any staring going on between Phelsey and is already heading out of a hatch. Gummies Await!
Shortly after Phin arrives, Madeline slips back into rec room. "There." she smiles, feeling accomplished, just as Zander slips past her. "Sleep well, Zander." she offers in a friendly tone, then waves. "You're still studying, Kelsey?"
Phin is oblivious to any discussion of frat as well, at least while he preps his coffee. He does offer Zander a random wave as he exits, which turns into one to Madeline as she enters. He also takes a hasty step aside, so he's not blocking anyone's path in or out. This prompts him to pop his earbuds out, to give him a modicum of awareness about what's going on around him. He does notice Kelsey look his way then, and kind of freezes. Finally, he's able to offer her somewhat awkward, "Uh, hey Wescott. How's it going?"
Kelsey watches Zander zoom through his thought process and then bamf out the door. She looks after him with a blink and notes the arrival (again) of Madeline. "Oh, hey, welcome back. Yeaaahhhh." She sighs and looks to the book. Its the same chapter as before. "This stuff is dry like sandpaper and chafes just as much. I feel like someone is stabbing my brain with how bleeding /boring/ it is." She shakes her head and looks back to Phin and her expression is a bit sheepish. "Sorry," she mouthes at him. "Going good," is actually spoken. "Just doing some reading. How's things with- Vipers? And Everything?" Very smooth.
Madeline starts to say something, but she catches that look between Kelsey and Phin and the small awkward pauses. Going back to the couch she had before Noble chased her out of it, she curls back into it and pulls the shaw she had around her shoulders closer around her.
"Uh, cool," Phin says as he walks over to deposit his magazine back amongst the communal ones in the rec room. Kind of like he's sneaking it back in. "Things're good. Vipers are good. You know. They go up, fly around the planet and the ships, land again. Haven't crashed mine or anything so…can't complain. What're you reading?" A glance at Madeline turns into a double-take. Does he recognize her? He should recognize her… Blue eyes get all thoughtfully narrowed as he tries to place whatever about her it is he's trying to place.
Kelsey watches Madeline pass by and just watches her for a moment before looking back up to Phin. "Heh yeah, I guess. Its exciting to me, though. You guys get to go fly every day. I guess it can get routine." The book is one of the more hated publications new pilots ever have to read and test out of. Its the official compendium of Colonial flight regulations. The kind of thing that nobody sane, except flight students, ever read. Ever. Because nobody else hates themselves that much. "I'm, uh, studying. Just looking some things up. Major Duke is giving me some flight lessons. I know you guys all probably hate the sims, but I had the third best day of my life a couple days ago. He took me up in the sims and I got to sit backseat."
Madeline offers a wiggle of her fingers at Phin, but does not interupt the conversation. She knows exactly when to be quiet. And something in the way Kelsey is suddenly even more chatty and talking to Phin causes her to just to open her book and start to read some more. Just a trashy romance novel, pay her no mind.
Phin can't help but grin just a little. "Hasn't for me yet," he admits, about flying. "The actual flight part of it, at least. Plenty of it's training and PT and stuff, which can drag like anything else. I don't mind the sims. It's great that it's there. Lets you try new things without worrying you're actually going to frak up a real plane, and some things you can't practice for real until you've got it about nailed. It's just not the same. Best you can do out here if you're interested in it, though. If we were stationed at an anchorage or base or something, you could take civvie flying lessons. I got a civvie pilot's license while I was going to the Academy, before I applied for the military flight track." He keeps half-looking at Madeline as he talks and, finally, it seems to drive him nuts enough to ask. "Do we know each other? I mean, I swear I've seen you somewhere before." And he plainly cannot figure out where.
Kelsey listens to all this and doesn't seem to know where to go. She's trying hard to use her words. "I was on an anchorage once!" Ahem. "I mean, not once. Stationed there once. For awhile. Two years. ButI never had time for getting lessons because I've got- well, I have obligations and stuff. It's probably not exciting but there are reasons. But the sims were super fun. The DRADIS beeped and we got chased by Raiders then a Raptor came in and blew them up. It was pretty cool." She's trying /really/ hard to keep from getting as worked up about this as she normally does and its showing. Her knee bounces anxiously under the table and she looks to Madeline as Phin talk to her.
"Oh, I did a couple of shows and such." Madeline downplays who she is easily as she offers a smile to Phin. "But I think it's really neat that Kelsey is going after her dreams, don't you?" she asks Phin, turning the attention back to her.
"Oh gods. 'What 'bout my heart.'" Phin deadpans it with a mixture of shock and amusement. Some of it seems to be him laughing at himself, not that that makes his gawking any less rude. Which he seems to realize, and he flushes. "Umm. Sorry. My gir…" Pause. He clears his throat. "My ex-girlfriend had that song rigged to blast on her alarm clock. Not that it isn't totally awesome. If you like that kind of thing. I'm more of a blues guy but, y'know. Weird associations. Oh! Yeah. I think it's totally…neat." He tries hard to steer the subject back to Kelsey's dreams after that random digression. "So, uh, that what you want to do when you get out? Civilian aircraft stuff? This seems like it'd be really good experience for it."
Kelsey tries to downplay it. Kelsey? Have dreams? Nope. "No, they aren't really dreams," she says quietly, looking back to the regs book. Augh. She manages to get that lie out. She doesn't believe it. Its unlikely anyone else would either. She plays with her hands nervously under the table, knee still bouncing. Kelsey heard ex-girlfriend. "No, nothing with planes and stuff. I'll prolly, like.." The young woman coughs, trying to avoid sounding like a cheerleader. "I'm trying to get my degree in CompSci. I want to go for a Masters in Network Theory, too. But this a super long way off. Well, all of it is honestly. I'd never even seen a Viper or a Raptor until I joined the Navy. But, you know, things change." She coughs and looks towards the exit. It might be time to make a hasty break and run. Wescott closes the book in front of her and takes her backpack up from the floor. It looks like it weight 30 pounds.
"That's a big goal to have…" Madeline starts to smile, but it turns into a chagrined look. "Yes, that's me. Guilty as charged. You know, I did write that record as a Navy type thing." She lets out a little sigh, maybe this is why her record bombed.
Ygraine makes her way into the rec area. She's fresh from a shower - just finished a CAP, don't you know, and man do flight suits get yucky. Hair in her usual braids, she's got a magazine tucked under arm and her music player clipped to her waistband, the cords half dangling out of a pocket. "Kelsey, ohmygods, I have to tell you what happened in the rack the other day with Buttons - hi, Phinnie. Hi, redheaded marine I don't know."
"Oh, like ECO stuff," Phin says with a little nod to Kelsey. "That's cool. You could get a pilot's license anyway, even if you didn't do it professional. Lots of civvies do it, and you'd have way more practical experience than most of the guys who do it as a hobby." To Madeline, he offers a kind of sheepish shrug. "I liked parts of it? I mean, it definitely got me up on time whenever I'd crash at her place. So…thanks for keeping me punctual." He turns his head when he's 'hi'd', grinning when he spots Ygraine. "Hey, Yggs. How were the friendly Piraeus skies?"
OH THANK GOD! Kelsey looks at Milkshake like she is the Lord Zeus and her personal frakkin savior. "HI!" Kelsey perks easily. "Who the heck is Buttons?" Confusion crosses her and she looks back to Madeline and Phin. "Yeah? I dunno. It seems like its pretty standard. I should be working on my junior year right now but life happens. I'll get there eventually or, you know, implode while trying. And yeah, ECO stuff I guess. But its not sexy like Vipers so- Right. Yeah, the Major wants me to learn. So I'm doing my bookwork. Captain Sain' Claire also had a recc for me." She chucks a thumb towards Milkshake.
"Evening, sir." Madeline reponds, again just in case, and pulls her shaw a little tighter. She gets cold up here easily, blast her ginger qualities. "Well, you're quite welcome that I was able to keep you punctual." she offers a mischevious smile and reaches for a cup of cocoa on the table to take a sip.
"Buttons is an ECO and Raptors are sexy, you think doing it in a viper is going to end with anything but being screwed someplace very uncomfortable?" Ygraine chides playfully. "Oooh, is there more cocoa? Can somebody make me some because I'm lazy and I'll be your best friend for the next ten minutes? Also, you look very familiar." This last to Madeline.
"She's got a point," Phin says after Ygraine's bit about Vipers, wincing some. "Vipers are tiny, and trying for that kind of fun usually just turns out…really embarrassing." He might blush. He just might. He grins when she also recognizes the Marine. "C'mon, Yggy. Think about it." And then. He starts singing. Or tries to. The part is several octaves too high for him, so it's squeaky and kind of painful falsetto in places. "Point, I don't care. Cubits, they don't impress me. There, two become one, but if there's love, then do it! What 'bout my heart?" The 'heart' is drawn out and cracks. If this were karaoke, it'd be fail. But he does apparently remember the song.
"Buttons. Well I know quite a few ECOs. Sorta. Kinda. …I know you and Theo? Maybe a few others? Though I did just meet one named Zava or something. The man was pretty intent on the games." Kelsey nods a few times, continuing right along. "Well I think that you could totally make a Viper work for something like that. But, you know, being Deck? You hear a lot of stories about people workin swing shift and the things that get done in, on, and around the birds." But when Phin starts singing, Kelsey's eyes light up. Especially at seeing the heart. AWWWWWWW.
Setting down the cup, Madeline rises to go make that very same cocoa for Ygraine. And then Phin sings. She winces, a close of her eyes, as she glances aside. That was pretty terrible. She doesn't do the same thing she did to poor Noble though. She keeps her shaw around her shoulders and steps around Phin, her voice lowering to it's singing quality as she picks up, a hand lifting to touch the pilot under his chin and lifts it up.
"What 'bout my heaaart,
Darling come closer.. listen to my heart, do you hear?
Without you I have no heart, no, I'm serious!
I need your heart and I need your love…"
And with that, she twists his head to face towards Kelsey, and smiles crookiedly, "Oh yes, give her a sweet kiss!"
And she strolls off, half dancing to the coffee machine to fetch the cocoa. The wiggle probably rivals Milkshake's.
Ygraine blinks. It takes her a moment, because Phin is painful, and then Madeline starts to sing. She blinks again. And then she starts jumping up and down (Sorry, Phinnie!) "Ohmygods, ohmygods MADDY PRICE IS MAKING ME COCOA!!!"
Phin has to laugh, red as his face still kind of is. "Yeah…that's more what I was going for," he says as Madeline picks up the song. Better. Ygraine's reaction just makes him laugh harder. "Yeah. Kind of a trip, isn't it? I'd heard something about a singer or whatever being on board, but I didn't pay too much attention." He calls to the Marine, "It's cool. I mean, it's really cool that you joined up."
Kelsey looks like a deer in the headlights as Madeline aims Phin's face at her. She turns a bright shade of red and dips her head to hide behind her hand. "Oh Gods, I think I can die now. Yep. I'm good. Annnny second," she sighs, laughing to herself. Wow. But she doesn't say much else, just watching the reactions otherwise.
"Maybe I should have been a barrista instead." Madeline teases as she makes the cocoa. "I brought this aboard myself. Dark chocolate. It's orgasmically good." she promises as she brings the mug over to the bouncing Ygraine. There's probably guys on the ship that'd pay good cubits to have her bounce like that.
Ygraine has stopped bouncing by now, and accepts the cocoa with a, "Thanks, Bestie!" Madeline gets her for 10 minutes, as promised. "Oh, I'm used to Phinnie not noticing. I'm in the friend zone and he's seen my boobs a million times, but Kels, let me tell you 'bout Buttons, because he'd rather play a video game than check out a girl rockin' the bra and the boxers. Does that seem right to you?" She sips the cocoa and makes a happy noise.
Phin offers Kelsey a shrug and wave of one hand. "No worries," he says with another sheepish half-smile. For whatever. He shakes his head a little at Ygraine, but any temptation to mock her is stowed. It's not like he didn't just sacrifice all credibility. He does snort at what she says, though. "Oh come on, like I haven't been totally friend-zoned since we were plebes." For the room, "Yggy and me were in the same Academy class back on Leonis. Buttons?" The callsign is vaguely familiar, but only vaguely. He's still a newb to many Orion personnel.
Kelsey watches Ygraine get the delivery and smirks at the remarks. "Oh holy cow, I met that guy earlier. SERIOUSLY? He'd rather look at games than.. what? Sigh." The woman lets off a long breath. "I wrote him off that way because he was so intent on the games. Don't that just make it worse. Poor guy." A shake of her head and she looks back towards Phin. "Ah. Makes sense, sirs. Well plenty of people get stuck there. Sometimes its for the best." She then looks back to Milkshake. "Hey, by the by girl, Cap'n Sain' Claire? She suggested I talk to you about maybe actually possibly touching an ECO panel that's live and working it like its supposed to be used. Think you might be willing? I just know the theory and programming. The finer arts are kinda lacking. And by 'kinda' I mean 'really'."
"Oh gods. When I first arrived at the Nilhelm Valley with Jacob, I thought we'd have a night together before our duty shifts started. Instead, we had a combat drill that lasted almost 48 hours. By the time it was over, and I went to the shower, I forgot what I was wearing for undies." Madeline looks totally bemused as she recalls the story. "So I stroll into the head, strip down, and I'm wearing this braless corset, come frak me net stockings, and no panties. I think I made half a dozen jaws drop." she admits. "I could only blush and finish undressing."
She shakes her head after the story and settles back on the couch to sip at her cocoa. "Just tell him your Princess Cherry next time and you need him to save you." A knowing wink is cast at Kelsey. "Or ask him to climb your peaks for the 'come get some' achievement. You have to know how to tease gamers. All those nude mods, they can pull up boobs anytime they want. Or.." she laughs. "Wear the controllers and ask him to insert cubit to continue."
Ygraine looks confused. "Why would she need him to save her?" She then asks Phin seriously - well, sort of seriously, "Look, you'd at least tell me if my boobs were ugly or something, right? I mean, you wouldn't let me go around with awful boobs." Then to Kelsey, "Sure! We can sign up for some simulator time, and I'll lend you my basics manual. You'll have to put up with all of my margin notes and highlighting, though."
Phin kind of stares at Madeline while she tells his story. It's around the 'frak me net stockings' part that he gets a dazed look on his face that takes him a few seconds to clear. "Uh…" Blink. "Umm. Yeah. That must've been really…awful." He does then try to stop gawking. Though Ygraine asking him about her boobs doesn't make his face any less red. "Yggs, trust me, you've got nothing to worry about in the boob department. Not that I've ever seen a pair of boobs up close I didn't like…" He makes himself stop talking. Ahem. "Panels! Awesome. That sounds like an awesome idea."
Kelsey snerks, laughing at the story from Madeline. "Oh my Gods, that's awesome! Wow!" she leans forward, staring at the other woman. "I'd have paida lot of good money to see the looks on their faces! But don't blush! They're lookin for a good reason!" The rest, though, has Kelsey look horribly red once more. "I- well, me.. I don't know about that. I'm not sure I could get that creative. Or bold. I'm.." Quaint. "..subtle." Right. She takes a breath and looks back to Ygraine. "Faaaabulous! Thanks. Just let me know when. I'm sick to death of reading books and I'd like to apply some things rather than just go blind on stupid flight regs." But seeing the reaction from Phin has her grin, also. She seems to be alright as long as there are other people in support. "See? Phin understands. A videogame is not worth the time. Keep the womenfolk happy and you have nothing to worry about, sir."
"Sometimes, the men need to be smacked in the face with your rack to realize you want it." Madeline points out. She looks at Ygraine. "Oh, I bet they're wonderful. You're what? A healthy B? Light C?" she asks her, and then suddenly turns to Phin. "What do you look for in a pair of boobs? Perky and pert? Small and nimble? More than a handful? Pink nips? Darker ones? Blimp parkers?" she asks him, and shrugs her shoulders. "I'm perfectly happy with mine. One of my managers suggested I get them pumped up, but then again, he wanted me to do a nudie spread."
"Yeah, but then it depends on whether I want the guy. And I'm not entirely sure I'd want a guy who views the world like it's a video game, even if he does have the most gorgeous jawline ever to be granted by the Lords of Kobol." Yggy declares. "I got some sim slots signed up already Kelz, so we'll just use those.
"Umm…" Phin eyeshifts at the various women he's surrounded by at Madeline's question. There is no good way out of this. "Not fake? Those are kind of gross, especially if it's one of those cheapo, lopsided jobs. Otherwise…I'm not picky." An almost thoughtful look crosses his face, and it's not even the dazed thoughtfulness he was wearing earlier. Almost tentatively, he asks Madeline, "This is going to sound incredibly cheesy, but do you do autographs? Not for me. To send back with the mail."
Kelsey just stares at the conversation going on around her. "I've heard a lot of things on the deck, but this is a first," she mutters.
Oh. Right. She coughs demurely, as the subject gets changed and nods. "Of course I do. Do you have something you want me to sign in paticular?" Madeline asks, and then looks to Ygraine. "Yeah, but gamers can be great for pranks too." She sobers as she notices Kelsey. "Sorry." she says quietly, chagrined for the commenting as she settles back onto the couch in a more demure manner, wrapping her shawl around her shoulders.
"Kels Bells, where are you racked? I'll bring by my manual." Ygraine promises, and then reaches out and patpats Maddy's shoulder. Because she's a supportive Bestie!
Phin also does some coughing, running his fingers through his hair. Still blushing. Not that that's apparently difficult. "Uh, no, but there should be some paper around here somewhere." He goes to hunt that. It's not difficult to find a sheet of plain white stuff, along with a pen, which he brings back to Madeline. Leaning over to whisper to her before handing them over.
Kelsey lifts her hands in surrender. "No, sorry. I just- People talk about all sorts of- I-" Kelsey eventually sputters and dips her head. "Sorry to kill that line." She clears her throat and rises with her bag. "Iiiii suspect its time I leave." She looks to Milkshake and points out the hatch. "Enlisted. Section One, top, second from the end on the left. Thanks." She flickers a quick smile and makes for the exit.
Madeline looks bemused for a moment. "Well, we should do better than a sheet of paper, don't you think?" she asks Phin as he makes her request. Setting down her mug, she digs around in her bag and pulls out a copy of her CD. She keeps a couple.. juuuust in case. Opening it and taking out a paint pen, she makes the requested autograph and even makes sure to sign it Madeline Price instead of Cervantes. "It's okay, Kelsey." she says easily. "And stay around. We can find another thing to do. Truth or dare, or would you ever?" she suggests. She's feeling really kinda bad now and doesn't want to lose a new friend.
"Would you ever, or never have I ever?" asks Ygraine curiously. She finally goes and flops down on one of the couches.
"Have I never usually involves drinks." Madeline points out. "But we can do that sober, too."
"Or we can do 'Would you rather'?" Maddy quickly amends.
"Sorry if we…" Phin says quickly to departing Kelsey, though he doesn't quite manage to finish the pseudo-apology. He offers Madeline a quick, "Thanks" once she's done signing. Pocketing the CD. "That was real cool of you." With that, he stands. "I should actually bail, too. I need to hit my rack before I'm due in the hangar. Uh…maybe some other time."
Kelsey leaves, heading toward the Recreation Hall [RH].
As people bail, Ygraine shrugs, and turns her attention to Maddy. "So what made you sign up? I mean, you're a real celebrity and everything." Farmgirl from Leonis, don't ya know. "All glamorous and stuff."