| Passing it Along |
| Summary: | Toby finds someone willing and able to chase the Sheperd invesitgation. |
| Date: | 23/Sep/2013 |
| Related Logs: | The Case so Far |
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| Observation Deck - Deck 3 - Battlestar Orion |
| The Obs Deck is one of the more quiet areas on the Orion where people can come to get away from the hustle and bustle that goes with of the rest of duty on the ship. The front of the room is a very large armored glass window to allow a dominating view of whatever is out ahead of the battlestar. Seats rise up at even levels, plush chairs and couches provided for the crew to relax in. During Condition One an armored plate is lowered down to cover the view and prevent the room from becoming a hazard and seal tight. |
| AWD #260 |
So much to do, so little time. Brina seems to be living up to that saying as of late. First there's work and then there is PT for her legs and then there's reading up on how to train dogs for Marine police work, that being what she is doing now. Dressed in her off-duty clothing, the tank-top-and-fatigue-pants-bedecked MP is relaxing on one of the sofas, curled up with a couple books and a cup of something hot to drink close at hand.
Lleufer likewise is extra busy - 04:30 he reported for a physical and his own PT, which he passed just fine if you give him a little wiggle room on the pull ups because of his left arm. Otherwise the rest of it would have been no problem. Doctor said he had to be at least 80 percent to clear and Lleu should have made that just fine, 100 percent on everything else. That set him in a decently good mood to hurry to his OCS class and then duty shift. Things are a bit jumbled as everyone gears up and makes ready. Meetings, last minute gear checks, requisitions, inspections, and so forth make for a kiltered duty shift. Sergeant Ynyr arrives with his lunch tray as he brings it with him from the messhall. He takes a seat without paying the others much attention and at once brings up the maps and notes on Crandall AFB on his electronic tablet to continue studying what intel they have for making a plan of assault for the Marine teams.
Toby generally tries to spend a few moments each day watching the stars, more so on certain days of the year, but a little each day none the less. For now he's over by the armoured glass, leaning against it with one shoulder and just silently observing the view. The smell of food attracts his attention though and once it reaches him he glances over his shoulder to find the source. Lleufer and Brina thus spotted he turns back for one last look at space then stands up off the glass and moves towards the MPs. Brina gets a silent nod in acknowledgement and then he turns to Lleufer, "Sergeant, you got a minute?"
Brina looks up after putting a finger on the paragraph she's in the middle of reading, regarding Toby and Lleufer curiously. Seeing as how the Sergeant seems content to sit over there and Toby approaches him she leaves them be for now save giving them a quick, "Hey, guys. How are you two doing?" The reading resumes although she is a bit distracted now.
You paged Lleufer with 'it was great bar teh results form the adjudicators. We got very drunk sat night though and got over it'
He looks like a man who doesn't have a lot of time for everything he needs to do today. Lleufer's shoveling in a few mouthfulls of food while re-reading what he's read many times before. He glances up at Toby's voice and reaches for his tea. A drink of that to help clear his mouth first, "Aye? About a minute. What's on your mind, Shackleton?" Ynyr glances past the Crewman to Brina and gives her a nod, "Got a ride schedule for us to go down to Piraeus. Talk to you about it in a few, Lance Corporal." But, for the moment Lleu gives his attention back to Toby as he forks another bite of his lunch.
Toby replies first to Brina, since she asked first, although he's a bit distracted it would seem. "Me? I'm fine, just figured I take the chance to do as you said." Then back to Lleufer he eyes the man's work for a moment then sticks his hands in his pockets and starts. "I was wondering if you'd had anything through from teh JAG's office before Captain Llywarch left? She was working on the case against the former CAG and told me a week or two back that she was close to issuing a warrent. Just want to see what the progress is now that she's away and make sure it doesn't get buried under everything else that's going on right now."
Lleufer's attention is on Toby, though he does spare a glance to Brina over whatever it is she suggested the crewman do. "Ah, no. I haven't heard a thing on that investigation recently. I'm afraid I haven't been following it personally. Last I heard something like the man took off on Piraeus so I'm not sure we even know his whereabouts?"
There is a smile of approval from Brie but it goes unseen as Toby's turning to address Lleufer again and the Sergeant's responding. She goes back to her book and picks back up where she left off. It's all basics, really, but it's the logical place for her to begin since she never got the chance to have a dog when she was a child and she doesn't even have that kind of knowledge as a starting point.
"We don't," Toby confirms with a nod, "but the charges were going to be put anyway and I possibly even a man hunt. Desertion in time of war and all that. Find him or not though it was going to be on his record and not just swept under the carpet as he was gone. A warning to others if you like, or an acknowledgement that those dead deserved better and a note that we failed them. As I said though, she was close to filing officially and now no one seems to know who's taken over it in her absense." It would seem, that this is something the deckie is quite passionate about, for he's not particularly keeping his voice down as he explains the matter. "I was told the charges were to be dereliction of duty, and malice with fore thought. Although I guess desertion would be in there too?"
Brina tries to keep reading but is distracted. So the page gets marked and book closed so she can fully pay attention to what's being discussed. The charges against the former D-CAG is what she manages to catch, it all enough to get her to wince. "Wow."
Shackleton has Ynyr's full attention. He's stopped eating, "I can try to look into it, find out what's going on. Probably not going to find out before we depart for Picon but I'll put the word up and see what falls out. I doubt anyone's going to let the ball be dropped on that one." Lleufer frowns, "A man hunt at this late date would be next to impossible with an entire planet open to him. And odds are fairly high that flora or fawna on Piraes will have done him in already. Alas, I also can't see is sparing much manpower and time to search for him."
Toby had thought a full manhunt pretty unlikely too, and says as much with a nod at the appropriate point, although he does then add, "yeah, that was the impression I got from her though. Could be wrong mind, as she didn't say so specifically." A glance to Brina and he nods again, "that fraker is responsible for the deaths of thousands on Minos alone, and who know how many more elsewhere. Pallas for instance, we'd have got them out months sooner if it hadn't been for him." Then back to Lleufer, "keep me up to date with what you find? I spoke to Captain Gray as a start point but he didn't know and suggested you lot." MPs that is, not specifically the pair here right now.
It is unsettling to know that one person - just one - could be responsible for the loss of so many lives. Does othing to make Brina feel good about the whole thing. Her mug is snatched and held between both hands, the heat warming her palms and then the comfort turns into a slight pain that distracts her from the knot in her belly. "The Lords will repay him if the military can't."
Lleufer looks from Toby to Brina, then back again. There is clearly a flicker of /something/ at mention of Pallas in the Marine's eyes. A pause to digest that before he says low, "All right. I'll ask. Probably people in the JAG's office got it dropped on them and we are kind of busy with Picon just now, so it's not liable to be high priority. I'm not a lawyer either, and I'm only a Sergeant, but in so far as anyone might let me have a look at what's been collected and investigate it, I'd be willing. You know, assuming I'm not dead between now and then." Lleu rubs the back of his recently buzzed head. "Picon's going to be tough."
"Oh he's fraked, one way or another," Toby replies to Brina with quite some conviction, "I just want to be able to see the look on his face when he realises." Lleufer's flicker is spotted, and noted as he listens carefully. "As I said, she reckoned she had enough for the charges, so there's likely litter or no investigation needed, bar the finding of him, but thanks. Nailing him for it is one step closer to letting the dead rest, even he is dead himself now."
At this point Lleu must finish his meal if he's going to. He's running short on time to return to his shift. He closes the Crandall AFB files and opens a new window to make a few notations about Shackleton's request. "I'm sure a /whole/ lot of people would be very pleased if he could be found. More resources might be dedicated to it at a later time." Older the trail though… Lleufer saves the notes and turns off his tablet, "If you'll excuse me I need to finish eating and get back on duty. Unless there's anything else?" Ynyr pauses in case there might be.
Toby has nothing else to say and with Lleufer so obviously busy he just shakes his head once rather than wasing time with a verbal answer. He even takes a half step back to give the guy more room to stand and leave. "Good luck," he does offer though, although if it's for this, or Picon, or something else he doesn't say.
Brina merely nods albeit belatedly. She kind of went silent for awhile and she finds herself at a loss, not sure where the conversation went. That gets her to frown but she doesn't bother asking to be caught up.
Toby watches Lleufer as he leaves, hands still in his pockets, then turns back to Brina looking faintly relieved. "That seemed to go okay," he states after blowing air out through his cheeks, "fingers crossed eh?" Checking the time briefly he then slumps into a seat, apparently not need to be anywhere in a particular hurry.
Brina looks over at him and smiles, looking thoughtful. "I don't know the details but it sounds like you and the Sarge had a decent conversation. See? Told you." Sometimes it just takes a willingness to remove chips from shoulders. "So what are you up to?"
Toby leans back into the chair and nods slowly, "he agreed to look into things and see what stage of the process things are at. Hadn't heard anything though so I don't reckon charges are filed yet." He shrugs though, to show that it's only a guess, then answers her query, "killing time mostly, you?"
Brina holds up a few books from where she's seated, her mug shifted to be held by its handle by one hand as she does. "Reading up on the procedures involved in training a police dog. Lots involved." Her eyes lower and she glares at the cover of one, frowning. "I never had a dog before. Couldn't afford to feed the extra mouth, you know? I feel like I am behind the curve, here." Her shoulders lift in a shrug and the books are set back down.
Toby peers at the books a moment then nods. "I'm glad that came though," he replies, "I wasn't sure if people would go for it, or even if we had the dogs, but even if it does take months then it's something. Makes a change from all the other ideas that we've bounced up to the brass." Nodding to the comments about never having a dog he agrees, "same here, there were a couple of strays around from time to time but nothing beyond that."
Nothing like a shower and some time on the obs deck to let an over active mind unwind. Saint James steps past the entrance and into the rows of seating that make up the deck which is likely one of the calmer places on the Orion. A small towel still around her neck, tanks and sweats, she tubs at the drying hair - which has taken a while to grow back in, though the claw marks vertically marring the right side of her face are not hidden by the short length currently maintained. She glances to the two in current conversation and gives them a nod, silent greeting before she moves to plop down on a couch not far away, planting her feet shoulder width apart and leaning forward over her thighs as elbows take a perch while she continues to wick away at the dampness in her hair.
As is her usual, Jena Cruz is wearing fatigues. Her just-in-case wear she's become accustomed to for being on call most always. Her boots make little sound with each step as she enters through the hatch and when she discovers others in the immediate area, she offers a friendly smile. "Good afternoon." Though the somewhat familiar face of Afton captures her attention more fully, she gives a nod to the PJ. "It's good to see you again." Her smile comes easier as she walks over and has a seat.
Toby hasn't seen Afton around a lot of late, but he seems to recall having somewhat differing opinions on certain subjects, subjects he might have taken a swing at a couple of days prior. As such, he returns her nod with a cautious one of his own, not wanting to spark anything off or cause an issue that'd likely only add to Brina's workload. Fortunately, any potential awkwardness is postponed as Jena arrives and he offers her a welcoming nod. "Afternoon PO Whatsherface, no great emergencies yet today then?"
Looking up, Afton arches a brow and offers a faint smile to her fellow PJ, "Aye, good to see you too," she admits and then lowers the towel still gripped her hand away from her hair. Glancing over at Toby during his greeting, she looks between the two and smiles to herself, gazing out the windows of the obs deck. "Crewman Shackleton, it's been a while," Afton muses, glancing over at him before her eyes flicker to Brina who is offered a warmer smile.
The greeting from Toby makes her laugh. "Whatsherface. Sure thing, Crewman." It was a joke from the previous day and it amused Jena. Her posture is relaxed as she makes herself comfortable on the sofa at the opposite end as Afton. Looking back towards her, she can't help but keep wearing the smile. "Have you been keeping pretty busy?"
Brina shakes her head and stands up, trying to stretch out her back and legs a little. Must've been sitting for a good long while if she's having to do that. Afton is someone she has yet to meet and that's recified when she reaches out to offer her a hand. "Hey. Brina O'Connell. Nice to meet you." She then gives Jena a wave, hers a face she remembers as they just met last night. "Hope everyone's well."
Inclining his head briefly to Afton, Toby replies cautiously, "yeah, it has been a while hasn't it. Been busy?" It's a conversational question only, as he tries to establish exactly what level of disagreement still exists between the pair of them. He still manages to flash Jena an amused grin though as she remembers the reference. Mostly though his concentartion is fixed on Brina as he hears her introduce herself to Afton and desparately tries to burn her first name into his memory since it's so far managed to do a great job of falling straight back out again.
Reaching her hand out to take Brina's, Afton offers a bright smile, "A pleasure, PO Afton St. James, seems lots of new faces have cropped up since my time on Picon. May just have to make a round of Orion and stop everyone I do not know," which is probably more than a fair share. "Busy? Well been trying to get a few more exercises in, was going to see about putting together a class the firing range for those interested," the PJ offers and then lowers her hands to pull the towel with it, letting it drape over her leg. As to what level of anything between Afton and Toby, that is hard to tell as the PO just manages to rely on her social graces at present.
"Hey Brina, it's good to see you again. Small ship, hm?" The smile accompanying her words holds a warm friendliness that Jena transfers to Toby when she catches his amused grin. "Whenever you want that spar, just let me know, or another round of Pyramid. Maybe we could find a few other interested parties and make a couple of teams." And then Afton mentions the firing range training and she gives Toby a look of chagrin. "I've been looking for someone to train with, was just asking the Crewman about it yesterday actually. I'm very interested in it."
There's a pause in conversation when Brina finishes the tea in her cup, it then held in hand as if she is not sure what to do with it now that it is empty. "Pyramid. Never did get into that, myself," she eventually says as the mug is tossed up and down a couple times. "I surfed. Never really gave myself much time for anything else." Her tone is almost rueful at that. "I should get someone to teach me how to play, someday."
With the women all seemingly congregating and things apparently going well, Toby figures it's likely best for the whole friends making progress if he removes the potential tension between himself and Afton from teh mix. As such, he pushes himself to his feet again and nods over to Jena, "looks like you found someone alright. I should be heading though, need to grab a shower before hitting the bays. Have a good day all of you." That said he takes another quick glance out of teh viewport then turns to head back to the berthings to grab his towel.