| Should You Fall |
| Summary: | Fairfax visits the ruins. The Captain appears again. |
| Date: | 15/05/2016 (OOC Date) |
| Related Logs: | Walk in Their Wake. Chronologically right after He's Going to Download |
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| Hangar Bay - Deck 3 - Battlestar Orion |
| Each hangar deck is divided into five one-hundred yard sections, each divided from the others by massive blast doors that close vertically from the floor and overhead. Each hangar section houses all of the Vipers, Raptors, and Predators that the wing operates as well as the vital work areas to support and maintain these fighting platforms. Each bay is large enough to accommodate one of these frames and still get heavy work done, though the fore- and aft-most sections are dedicated to overhauls and major work to be done. The bays along the center section are located across from launch tubes and elevators in order to provide scramble and Alert-Five capabilities. The second-to-aft bay provides major elevator and transport access to the starboard bay as well as the major manufacturing facility. Due to the nature of the work, the hangar decks are major hubs of activity at all hours of the day and all but four hours overnight. |
| AWD #332 |
The hangar bay is the typical busy, but since there haven't been any major strikes in a week or two, things have been at a slower pace for some. Perry is already back in the hangar bay and waiting. Whatever she had to do at the Chapel, it clearly wasn't something that took more than a minute or so. Meanwhile Fairfax still had to gear up and get a rifle. The Staff Sergeant doesn't display any sort of impatience, nor does she look like she minds havign to wait. But wearing what all she is and that none of the Raptors are heading outbound to the Colonies, it isn't a tough guess where she is going. Her helmet is even back on with the set of NVG's attached and a GoPro on the side. But she's even wearing sunglasses on the Deck. Toby knows exactly where this Marine is going just by glancing at her.
Having passed the freak show that is the captured raider firmly over to Dio, Toby is back to his every day work. Today, that turns out to be following pilots around and taking their complete pre-flights off them. The joys of being the nearest thing deck has to the FNG. As such, yeah, he has a fair clue where Perry is headed to, and even overcomes his hard-learnt dislike of marines to snag the opportunity for a quick word. "Sergenant," he greets onc eit's clear she waiting for someone, "mind if I ask where you're headed on P? Was hoping to get word out to those exploring the new ruins."
Perry is new. Perry doesn't know about the dislike of Marines. She even smiles at Toby. "Yeah, I'm heading down to the dig site. Were you one of the original group? Seems things have picked up a bit. What's the word you're looking to pass?" She smirks. "Or are you just looking to bum a ride back down and have an excuse to experience it again?" The last is left more quiet. If he's been, he knows.
Toby even manages a faint smile as Perry indicated he's struck lucky. "They're still there then?" he asks first, "wasn't sure if they'd pronounced judgement and left or not." Yeah, he's seen them, "are they still talking? I wanted to ask them about Sheperd, they met him they said, but we lost his trail at the ruins. The faint of several thousand souls rests on if he's been punhsied for his inaction though, so I want to know what they know. Is he dead? Or is he still there for us to hunt down and bring to justice?"
Perry gives no hint of entertainment. "They're still in process. Seems all the others want to meet us to make their own choices. Nobody seems to want to abandon their posts." She says it seriously as if she were tlking about real Marines or crew. "They aren't talking anymore that I've seen. But I'm walking down Captain Fairfax. No idea how they will react to a Marine Captain. If you want to go, you better have a good excuse like delivering tools and then get some on board. Hurry up." She gestures a gloved hand at him and looks to the Raptor, then towards the hatch expectantly.
Toby shakes his head as if to decline, then catches himself, considers, then holds up a finger, "two minutes, I'll clear it with the Chief." Jogging off he does just that and is back with a rucksack full of who knows what in short order. "All set."
Timing is excellent, because Fairfax shows up just shortly after that. He's got all his gear, and he's got his rifle. The XO is ready to go, it would seem. "We ready to leave, Staff Sergeant?" He asks Perry as he walks up, presuming she's been arranging the actual details of the ride.
The enlisted Marine gestures with two fingers, pointing Toby up into the Raptor. Go. Go. She then looks back to Fairfax and nods to him. "Aye, Captain. Just getting a passenger in order. Needs to deliver some gear to the surface. Hope you're ready for this. Don't say I didn't warn you." The Staff smirks and gestures for him to follow her. Once they're all up in, the Raptor begins its whole sequence for take-off and flies them down. The crew is tight-lipped and nobody else aboard seems at all interested in doing more than landing at the site.
| Ruins on Piraeus |
| Use your imagination. |
| AWD #332 |
Touchdown goes smoothly and the three are directed to pile out. Once they do, the Raptor closes it's hatch and the crew disappears into the back, not wanting to look out the windows. For Toby, nothing has changed. The breeze over the grasslands, the sound of it rushing in the treetops nearby. The clouds overhead. The place seems to be in a perpetual state of gloom or twilight - almost like it was meant to be this way. The path is a little more obvious this time, leading up the side of a ridgeline. The woods on either side of the path are thick enough that seeing more than 20 or 30 yards is impossible. The canopy of branches overhead is so thick that it imposes near-nighttime levels of darkness within. It's a foreboding feeling, but Perry walks towards the path without much worry. The sunglasses are taken off and stowed while the NVG's go down. She gestures for Fairfax to do the same. Toby? He gets a spare single NVD monocule from the Staff. "Wear this. No flashlights. Do not look directly at them or they vanish. Just keep calm and mind your weapons, mm?" Easy instructions. Right? Riiiight.
Toby is quite on the trip down, but once they land he shoudlers the rucksack of gear and follows the marines. The path is known to him, but he's still happy to let someone with a gun go first, just in case. Still in his coveralls he's not exactly camoflaged, but thats the breaks sometimes. "Thanks," he mutters as he takes the night vision gear, then takes a moment to see if it'll attach to the deck issue helmet. "Have you been communicating with any of them since I was here last? They spoke to us then, but we didn't really get much chance to reply before they faded."
"Got it." Fairfax nods as his NVG's go down. He's letting Perry take the lead, since she knows what's up and has been here before. "No flashlights, no looking directly at them. Here we go." He's tense, but it's the anticipatory kind rather than nervousness.
The Staff Sergeant nods to Toby, then glances to fairfax, then back. "You could say that. Yo usaid they faded? They only do that now if you look right at them. They talked to us once. That's about it." She hikes them into the woods and visibility drops to a few feet in front of the face except with the night vision. They can see the20'-wide path ahead wind up and to the left as the ridge slopes down to their right. They've been on the path for about two minutes when Perry whispers over her shoulder, "Contact." But the rifle doesn't come up. Nor does she stop.
On the side of the path is a single entity, just to the right. The NVG's pick him out as they would any other person, but they can also make out shapes -through- his figure. The male is in his early twenties with a bandage around his neck. His military gear is foreign, as are the nametapes. The helmet is a similar dome shape, but the rifle is a completely unseen design. Something modular and very beat up. The entity seems to be just standing sentry duty. There's a nod to Perry as she passes and a low salute to Captain Fairfax. Of everything else that seems foreign, the salute is a gesture that is perfectly familiar and looks like it could have come from any enlisted. The details of his face could be made out, if only they could look right at him. It might be enough to promote some fear, even grow out paranoia, but it's just as PErry said in the office… there are no ominous feelings of walking into a trap. As they pass the Sentry, there's a calming serenity that descends. Like maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright. Something indescribable and nigh tangible, held just beside the heart.
It's hard for Toby not to stare at the sentry to the side of the path, but he manges to jsut let his gaze rake past the figure as he's pointed out. "They appeared, I asked one a question, it pointed to the one who seemed to be in charge, she spoke her piece, then they faded," he confirms, "all that after the sounds of a massive battle." As they keep walking he steps up to be just behind her and asks low, "will there be others at the site, or should I enquire of that one?"
Fairfax returns the salute, keeping his eyes away from looking straight at the entity. Toby's words draw his attention then, as the reason for their +1's presence becomes clearer. "What is it you're wanting to enquire?"
"There will be more. A lot more. There's an MG team right up here around the bend." Perry just walks easily up the path, not even holding her rifle at the low ready. It seems like she's walking through camp. "Things have changed, Crewman." And true enough, as they round the bend, there's a machinegun team set up to cover the corner. It's a lovely ambush spot and the team watches them pass, one of them even giving a wave before going back to chatting. Their words sound like nothing but a low rustle of the air - not a single sound understood even as language. They've barely passed when there are more entities visible. Some of them Toby had seen before, others not. Most of them stop what they are doing to look mostly at Fairfax. The other two are known. A few of them salute the Captain. Each time they pass one, though, Julia taps something on her belt - a clicker. Marker, perhaps. As they come near to the top, she looks over her shoulder to the XO, a smile there, "Starting to understand what I meant, sir?"
Toby turns his head slightly to eye Fairfax. Considering for a few moments he replies tersely, "if it's worth continuing the search that lead us here in the first place." He doens't seem to want to be more forth coming than that for now though as he attempts to ID the figures he's seen before, looking specifically for either the one he spoke to, or the one who spoke back to them. He leaves the marines to talk though, they have their reason for being here, he has his.
Fairfax returns those salutes he is given, nodding to Toby. He doesn't push for an elaboration. He's got a sense of how the man feels toward marines, at this point. "Yes, I am beginning to understand, Staff Sergeant" He replies with a touch of wonderment. "I could easily be walking through any patrol base."
Perry leads Toby and Fairfax up the path towards the flat-top area. When they get there, the flattish area has very few trees growing on it, but its about 50 meters on each side. Through the NVG's they can make out a wall on the far side, likely the ruins. There's a small camp set-up by the entrance with a firepit and a cooking area for the ground team. To the right is an area set up with tables and laptops and several crates of gear serving as tables. Likely most of the team is off working on a section of the site.
There are a few of the spirits still hanging around, though. Most seem to be paired off and talking or absorbing what is happening just as much as the living Marines are. They glance over and watch from time to time. But much like walking the path, there is no sense of imminent danger. The place seems to actually just spread a common feeling of satisfied calm, bring the visitors to grounds where they don't feel under threat. Brotherhood. Sisterhood. Family.
Once they reach the clearing Toby is happy enough to break out from behind Perry and make his own way over to the ruins. He's been her before, knows the lay of the land. Dumping the rucksack by the supply crates he stops to look around, trying to remember where the shell casings were found. Once he's fairly sure he has his bearings he walks in that direction, casting his eyes about carefully for a likely apparition to try and speak to.
"It does feel incredibly peaceful here." Fairfax muses to Perry, apparently beginning to agree with her assessment. "It's quite impressive, really. And very strange. I'm not at all sure what to make of it." There's a pause. "Their customs and courtesies are excellent, though." It's silly, but the only thing he can think to say.
In all honesty, there hasn't been much that Skyler can actively do. Certainly she's tried to hover about and observe any work or studies done on the ruins themselves, but when she's shoo'd away or her leg gives her fits (such as now), the woman returns to the campsite. She also hasn't been back to the Orion; the hike is a bit much, after all. Especially for someone so recently off crutch and cane, but still in a brace. The lack of duty blues is a rarity for the woman these days, but there she is, in fatigues, like most of the others. Currently seated on one crate with her leg propped up on another, leaning back against a stacked pair, Skyler has a clipboard in her lap and seems to be trying to sketch some of the apparitions. Not that it's easy, since they seem to disappear if you look to close.
It's without noticing the new (and re-)arrivals that she inquires of one standing not too far away: "I know we can understand one another. Can't you just chat for a moment or two?"
Toby doesn't have to look far. Perhaps someone seems to sense what he is here for. Or something. Toby walks past one and recognizes the outline of the female form. She gestures to him for Toby to follow but makes no sound as she moves, drifting through the wall of the ruins and heading for the arrival area.
Perry nods slowly to Fairfax. "None of us really know, sir. It's bizarre. They seem to understand who we are and why we are here, even though we know just about nothing about them. It's why I don't know if they are dead, sir. Sometimes I just don't think they are." She leads him on a few more feet and aims a hand to Skyler. "Lieutenant Almaeda, this is Captain Fairfax. I went up to let him know what he wouldn't be hearing about in the official record. He wanted to see it himself."
And from the ruins is one of the figures, probably with Toby trying to keep up, moving in their direction. Definitely female by her gait, but she walks casually towards the trio. The last time she approached them like this, Perry and Skyler had a moment feeling line they were communing with the Gods. There's a subtle energy in the air like it might just happen again. Is it religion? Is it science? With every bit of equipment set up nearby, if there is something to be measured - its damned well going to measure it.
"Well, hopefully with time we'll find out." Fairfax muses to the comment about whether or not they are dead. Almaeda is given a smile of greeting. "We know each other, Staff Sergeant." He tells Perry. "Thank you though. So…what happens now? We wait to see if they want to speak to us?"
Toby is almost past the figure before it's recognisable, which he chooses to put down to not being able to look directly at them. "You want me to follow?" he asks, although it's not really aimed at her as such. He does as bid, heading back towards the marines (and Skyler), but not before he lets his eyes cast about the general area.
"The Captain and I are acquainted." Skyler's no great sketch artist, but she's working more on trying to capture their patches, their weapons, then the people themselves. The woman, at least, knows she'd never do it justice. The inanimate objects are easier (and less embarrassing if one makes a poor execution). The intel officer doesn't stand, but she does offer a salute. The leg, in its brace, stretched out as it is, likely gives handy explanation to her reluctance to get to her feet.
The figure that approaches draws the woman's gaze and she sits up a bit straighter, drawing her clipboard in. "Captain al Yamoha.. Or would it be just Captain Yamoha?" While whatever affects this place allows them to understand one another, there are certain aspects of nomenclature that may not 'come across.'
"No idea. You wanted to see the site, sir. You wanted to experience it. This is it. No idea how long it will last. But we don't treat them like freaks and they don't bother us at all." Perry doesn't say much more as her gaze catches that woman at the edge approaching. She straightens a little also and does her best to look in the general direction but not at them.
The greeting from Skyler seems to be what does it, just as the Captain comes within fifteen yards. It isn't like it precedes her so much as just befalls the group. That overbearing feeling of somethign far greater than them. Something uncannily religious. A moment where they can feel the touch of the Gods to their shoulders, as if Apollo were there to rest a hand on their shoulders and Aphrodite were to dust a kiss to each cheek. The Captain seems to not notice it more than taking a smile - which is when the group realizes they can look right at her without a problem. She looks like a whole person, but for just a smidge transparent. Right down to the detail griptape on the rifle's foregrip. The stray hair out of place. "Captain al Yamoha, yes, this is accurate." Once again the words don't match her lips, except for her name. Each one of them hears the voice in their head rather than through their ears. Its an uncanny feeling. She then looks to Fairfax. "You are a combat officer, is that correct?"
As he rejoins the main group Toby notes the sketches and says quietly "PO Alexios has some too, should you wish to compare." As his ghostly guide is named he gives her a respectful nod, before jumping straight in with both feet ans ignoring the fact she has addressed Fairfax not him. "Captain," he starts, doing his best to keep his voice at what he guesses is respectful, "I was wondering if I could take a moment of your time on a matter? When you spoke to me before you mentioned a fugitive from justice who I have been searching for. Do you have any more information on his fate? I appreciate it might be a long shot, but the fate of thousands f souls could rest o it."
Fairfax says, "Indeed I am, Captain al Yamoha. Captain Alastor Fairfax, a pleasure to meet you." Fairfax says, when he's addressed. "Although at present I have the honor of being executive officer to Charlie Company, 3/8th Marines, a Military Police Company with combat attachments." He talks to her just as he would any living officer. "Major Rand, my Commanding Officer, is kept very busy with other business at present so I have primary responsibility for combat and military police operations.""
"The Petty Officer's sketches are likely much better than my own." She's no artist, really. She's just trying to be thorough in what information she collects. It's not the most comfortable of feeings for Skyler. The woman has not quite rejected religion, no, but she has quite distanced herself from it. Especially after the war began. After what happened to Virgon. But it's a feeling nonetheless, one that the jig tries to process. She falls quiet as both Toby and Fairfax begin speaking to the Captain. There's a slight shift as she turns back to the other figure nearby, trying to look closely enough to finish sketching out his patches without causing him to fade away to nothing.
Perry stands off to the side and spots one of the particular entities. A male, mid thirties, looks like an NCO. She walks his direction, hailing him, seeing if she can talk to him while the officers chitchat.
The more ghostly Captain looks to Perry with a low smile before her gaze comes back to Fairfax. She is about to say something when Toby speaks up. The question seems to surprise her but she looks him over a moment with a low nod. "Your heart is in the right place, Toby. But you assume that those souls are without rest. Perhaps it is a tome that tells you that it is so. Perhaps they are already at rest, but it is in fact your own soul that cannot rest." She looks at him with a low, knowing smile. "What you find of Zachary will not still your desires. There is more out there than your passion. You will find it." Her gaze then lifts and looks back to Fairfax, her movements just barely ethereal. What makes up her 'body' seems to trail just ever so slightly behind her movements. Right at the edge of perception. "Pleasure to meet you, Captain." She makes a fist over her heart and thumps once as if in a traditional greeting. "As I told the others in this group, some of those like myself will want to meet others like this. I explained that they will be coming from all over. They may have missed that we may be seen within the town you have built. We intend no harm. Let us be and we will leave you be. We intend no harm, especially for those souls who have become weary with war. We know them well. And it pleases us to see children play." The daycare and school in Sheridan? "We ask only that our people and this planet be respected. There is much for you all to learn." She glances to SKyler with her low smile, then back.
Fairfax echoes the greeting, since he can't exactly offer to shake hands. "Well, we certainly don't intend any harm either. We hope to learn much about your people, and this planet, so that we can properly respect you and it." A pause. "I think many souls are weary with war. Our war…well, I do not know when it will end." He can't help but ask "Forgive my curiosity…but why did you want to know if I was a combat officer, Captain?"
Toby is a touch weirded out when the ghostly captain knows his name, and he spends a moment trying to work out if it was said last time or not. It's something he'll have to think on later though as he returns his concentration to her further words. He looks like he might be about to pointedly disagree when she starts talking about what souls may or may not be at rest, but he manages to keep his mouth sbut somehow. Perhapa it's the calming influence of their surroundings. "It is true, finding him, and, on the off chance that he is still alive, bringing him to justoce will not be the end of this," he notes quietly, "but it will be a tangible victory. Just will be served, both fleet and .. otherwise. A case can be closed, a search ended. Others can find peace of mind, to mive on." And the dead can mve on too, but he's not starting that arguement now.
Something in that causes a tilt of Skyler's head and she looks over towards the Captain. No, not Fairfax. The ethereal one. "You have people in Sheridan?" There's a hint of surprise in her tone. There's been no reports of 'sightings' that she's aware of. The woman shifts, careful of her leg, to better conversationally face al Yamoha. "What was this place-" a gesture towards the ruins themselves with her pen. "And why are you guarding it? Was this place a settlement for your people, as well?" Another home-away-from-home perhaps.
The Other Captain nods slowly to Fairfax. "Yes, they are. Which is why we understand them. War consumes you all as it has many others. I asked if you were a combat officer because I wanted to see you while you confirmed it. We see more than you. Much more. One to another, you understand much by reading a reply to that question." Her coy smile is easy and calm, then looking to Toby. "Again you are making th judgment that they have not moved on. Do you know they cannot move on without your actions? Or will your heart not allow peace until you know for sure?" There's no mocking tone, but she seems to want to invite real introspection there. And finally she looks back to Skyler. "We have people everywhere. We choose not to be seen. Or if we do, we are dismissed." She takes a step back and looks over the ruins. Her eyes go much higher than the ragged top of the walls. "This place was holy to us. A sanctuary while war raged. It is why we have met you here. You treat our home as such while so much of your homes are under fire and strife. It is significant for both peoples. How you define that is up to your people, though."
"Ispeak of the living, not just the dead," Toby replies, perhaps a touch frustrated that his meaning wasn't clear, but he perseveres. "He is wanted by the fleet, he faces charges above the cost of his actions." Nope, still not willing to consider abandoning the cornerstone of his life's purpose on a few words said by a ghost. "He is saught, efforts are expended, survivors seek justice. If he is alive then bring him in will provide that justice, if he is dead then they can move on with their lives. I know for the living, and if doing so for them means a chance of doing ao for the dead as well, then what is there to lose in the effort?" Thats about as much of a concession as he can give her, and he hopes it is enough.
"Thank you for answering my question Captain." Fairfax inclines his head respectfully, before considering the Other Captain's latter words. "For many of us, now, this is the only home we have. My own planet is a nuclear wasteland, now. The Corps, and our ships, are our homes also. But a place we can lift dirt in our hands and see the sky? For those of us that have lost our worlds, it is here." The words are clearly well considered, and difficult.
There is a look to the ruins, as if attempting to trace the path the other Captain's eyes do. Trying to envision waht might have been seen. "I think many of us see it as a place of solace. For those who live in Sheridan, it is safety and home." Especially for the children. The intel officer finally looks back, lips pulling to the side a moment as she considers. "I have something else I wish to ask, but I can't do so openly."
Spooks gonna spook.
The Captain lofts a brow as Toby grows more insistant. Her gaze settles on him and she turns to look right at him. "I'm aware of his crimes. He confessed to me, on his knees. He did more than you are aware. I lain his negligence at his knees. If he is still alive then he is likely in poor shape in all ways. He departed here and we turned our backs to him." The implication is there that doing-so would deprive him of a lot. But what could they, or /she/ possibly do? "Look at your own leisure. He has been abandoned. It matters not if he draws breath, he is in purgatory and will remain there forever." It would seem that al Yamoha isn't interested in physical justice. Nor believing that the other souls have not moved on. But there is not explanation given further and she looks back to Fairfax. "We know. Many worlds burn, billions lament. Not only the living, but the dead. Yours will sadly not be the last. Unless something changes. We are not prone to repeating ourselves there, though. We've already told the prior party what must be done." Her gaze settles finally on Skyler and she shakes her head. "Then you choose to not ask. Secrets are why you all are here and not at your homes." Looking back between them, she nods slowly. "If there is nothing else, I will be going. Captain Fairfax, may the light be with you. And any you command. A stout soul will do you well in the coming darkness. Be well.." She nods once again and begins to step off.
"Then I thank you for your time, " Toby replies to the apparition, "when the search resumes" and he seems sure it will, "I am sure we will do what we can to avoid disturbing you and yours." He seems to have nothing more to say though, and so steps back a couple of paces before moving off back to where yhe raptor landed. He is, for now at least, done here.
"Then I will inquire with the prior party." Fairfax assures. "And with you also." he adds, in response to the light being with him. "Be well, Captain al Yamoha. I think you for your words, and you good wishes." He seems…very thoughtful, and obviously it's left quite an impression on the Captain.
There's a frown from Skyler and she looks skyward. Perhaps debating mentioning what she has. The woman ultimately decides against it before looking back down. There's a furrow of brow. "What must be done?" A look to Toby, then. He was present. "What were you told must be done?" She's seen the report, but perhaps it doesn't quite go into that sort of detail. A glance to the Captain stepping away, then. "Is this about fighting for the right reasons? Did your people do so? Or did they not and that's why you're here?" Almaeda cannot follow the Other Captain easily, but she has rotated away from her seated position, legs now dangling and boots just brushing the ground.
The ghostly soldier seems at peace with that the two men have to say. She steps off a moment and takes two steps before Skyler speaks up. She looks, turning halfway. Those eyes move between the three. "Divided, we fall. We always have. We always will. If your reasons guide you justly, then maybe you will not fall. Should you fall, your people will have a place with us if you wish. Some have already." There's a low, warm smile for them. "So far to travel but of no distane." She turns back and walks off. As she does, that oppressive feeling begins to lift from each. As it does, there's the spiritual feeling of touch drifting over them and lifting. Almost begging souls to come with them someplace warm. That indescribable feeling of something higher. OR is it a trick of a gas? Some kind of chemical? It feels almost laughingly bad to think it might be a gas, to deny something that seems so clear… yet painfully indescribable. al Yamoha fades into nothing once more as several of the other soldiers seem to break off to join her. The forest once more goes quiet.
Fairfax is very quiet, as he turns to head back toward the ship. Very quiet. The one thing he'll say, unless spoken to directly is, "I understand now, Staff Sergeant."
Perry watches the ghostly soldier she was talking at move and fade off. She turns back to look at Fairfax and sidles up next to him. "Hard to describe. Like I said, sir. I can't tell if they're living or dead. I'd feel bad for assuming one and the other being true. But this isn't gas and it isn't a rogue AI with a neat laser field." Of that she seems sure.
The intel officer watches the Other Captain go, frowning. Thinking, perhaps. At least processing. As Fairfax and Perry begin to speak, Skyler slides off the crate she was perched on and makes her way over to some of the equipment monitors. If any of it is similar enough to the survey equipment a Raptor can carry, maybe she can read it. Or at least look over the last few minutes to see if anything's spiked or changed.
"I think…both, Staff Sergeant." Fairfax admits. "She talked about us falling, and us joining them if we fell. And some already having done so. And she mentioned my soul. They're dead…yet they still live. Somewhere else, but close by. Somewhere warm. I felt it." Once he starts talking, he seems to have to fight to stop. This definitely left an impression.
Perry looks over at Fairfax and puts a hand on his arm and sort of urges him to stop in place. It's not the tug of an NCO, but a woman to a man. She stops him and takes a long breath. "Person to person, Captain, I've felt it too. It feels warm and peaceful. It feels like things might be okay. But keep yourself in check when you get back to the ship. We don't know what's happened to us. Or them." She wants to make that understood. "I'm still coming to terms with this. I don't know what to think. I just know that I feel like I've been touched by the Gods. Wht we do with this information… If we tell people right away, do we risk dividing the fleet?" It's an important question, one she doesn't bother keeping to a whisper. But at least she isn't panicked.
Let the two have their moment. Some accept Religious Experiences easier than others. For some it's a rejection that runs too deep. An emotional scar that takes more than a 'warm embrace' to begin healing. Skyler hits a few keys on one of the displays, looking things over. A few notes end up scribbled in amongst the sketches on her clipboard. One of the cameras, however, gets rolled back. The sound of the (known extant) team's voices might be heard, faintly, as she replays footage of the last few minutes
Fairfax seems suprised when Perry touches his arm that way. It's the jolting surprise of someone who has not been touched that way in a very, very long time. But at least it stops his ranting for a moment. "No, you're right. Division always loses. She said that." He says it as though it were an angelic pronouncement. This seems less the warm embrace of healing and more the burning fire of someone who sleptwalk through these issues by rote and has suddenly experienced a Vistation that he can'e explain or ignore. "We'll have to keep it quiet, for now. But we musn't just drop it, or let it sit. No dividing the fleet, though. You're right."
Perry nods slowly. Her hand falls away and she rests her hands back up on her rifle butt. "Like I said, we don't know what they did to us. I feel different. I know you do." She doesn't push it further. Obviously she knows what she just felt was transcendant. But she gives him a small smile and tilts her head towards Skyler. "Let's look at some science, sir," The SSGT steps back and gestures an upturned palm towards Skyler.
Time as a Raptor pilots means Skyler isn't half-bad at parsing some things. Especially in relation to specific scans. Analyzation of rock or plant life? No. But some of the sensors, definitely. The woman is frowning at the data, but rewinds and hits play on the camera; turning it towards Perry as the JTAC approaches. It plays things back and shows the Other Captain. Somewhat. One has to look close to see her, but she's there. Her voice, however, is not. The woman shifts back to looking at the other sensors and making notes in the programs running them to save and capture the 'event.'
Fairfax blinks, looking over to Skyler. Not initially sure what to make of the sudden change of focus. But he goes along with it, because all NCOs, Perry included, have some skill in officer wrangling. "Science. Certainly." He agrees, moving over to see what the LT is doing.
Perry nods slowly to Fairfax. "C'mon, Cap. Before you get too far into what you feel, let's see what the mesurements say. Making decisions without all the information results in poor decisions." Yep, Officer Wranglin. She steps closer with the Captain and tilts her head to stare at the readings. Particularly the infrared where they can barely make out a one-shade-lighter spot where the Other Captain had been. The way it moves. "No. Frakking. Way," she whispers. Julia has no idea what the science means, but she knows what she is seeing. Its real.
"Thermals and EM, too," Skyler notes, pointing at each in turn. The woman couldn't explain the why's and how's or even develop a hypothesis. She just knows what to look for. The woman glances up to Fairfax, giving him a brief nod and clearing aside a bit in case he wants to see things as well. She's made sure the data is highlighted for the actual science sorts to review later. "All I can say is it proves it's not a hallucination. No gas nor technology that I could conceive of would cause results like this."
"True enough. One has to have the proper intelligence." Fairfax may be secure in his convictions, but Perry knows how to say all the right things. He does indeed want to see, and there's a grateful nod as Skyler clears out the way. "I would like a copy of this please. Lieutenant."
Perry looks over the stuff but seems to know jack all about how to make heads or tails of it. "Proof is good. Too bad we don't have her voice. That would clench it. But- I mean, we weren't really hearing her. She was in our heads, right? Talking to us but not really? In my head she had a Virgon accent." But she spoke the native tongue of each person that has heard her. Perry ends up taking a long breath. "Yeah. Sir, this is why we don't put certain things in AAR's." The Sergeant looks over to Skyler knowingly. Perry isn't about to take flying leaps of faith. Just yet.
"Talk to Captain Tremaine," the Chief Engineer. "She can likely get print outs for you once we get everything back to the Orion." AKA: not Skyler's call nor her equipment. There is a glance to the two of them, lips pressed in a line. "Honestly, the less it's spread around just yet, the better. I think we'd prefer there aren't suddenly postings about the ship or mobs forming in the chapel to demand answers to questions we aren't ready for. Let the teams," the scientists, "go through it and provide more educated and official reports, I think." Nope, she's not going to be the one to start handing out the data. Especially being unable to fully parse it.
"She sounded Tauron to me." Fairfax muses, at Perry's comment. There's a nod then. "I understand, Staff Sergeant. I used to have to write a lot of them myself." There's a pause. "No, we don't want mobs. I agree with you about that."