AWD #628: Welcome Home
Welcome Home
Summary: Orion's Airwing starts returning from the fight over Caprica
Date: 11/03/2017
Related Logs: Log Not Yet Posted
Kelsey Toby 
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 #628

They're back. A lot of them look ashen. None of them are smiling. Most seem like they've been through the wringer and are still covered in sweat. But there are a few in the crowd that are holding their head high. One of them is Kelsey. The Predator took a lot of damage but it will certainly fly again, no question. It’s the /Raptors/ she tends to crash. She's carrying her camouflage helmet in her left hand and stepping down the ladder from the pit. There's no crying, nor jubilation, she just takes a deep breath of the air as if it were the first time she'd been aboard.

It's been interesting times while the wing have been away of Caprica. Cylons jumped in, in large numbers and had a pop at the fleet. Who would have thought? Major Grey is likely to be sad, but not as sad as the mates of those on CAP at the time. It's wasn't just the wing either, Orion too was hit, although not too badly, just enough in fact for one hangerbay to half closed due to damage. Well, the bays closed and a trio of crew dead from the resulting fires before damage control could get to them. But on the grand scheme of things, that's not a bad tally really, considering. Given he's dressed in a fire suit and still has a BA set strapped to his back it's clear enough what role Toby has been playing in the last hour or so. Looking tired, and very sweaty, he's making his way back to the BA control room when those brought back from Caprica start to arrive, and he diverts to see how bad the battle seems to have been there. Catching the eye of one of the aircraft handlers he asks quietly, "how many?" although once he spots Kelsey's Pred he doesn't stick around for an answer.

Kelsey trades some quiet words with a few of the pilots and crew before she spots Toby. The young woman stares at him for a long second and ends up walking away from the pilots. Still carrying her helmet, she just walks up and wraps her arms around him, holding on. There's no tears, just the comfort of someone else she actually trusts. He can be uncomfortable all he wants, she needs it for the moment.

Toby had been forming up to ask Kelsey the same question he asked the deckie, but as she wraps herself around him like that he doesn't. He can find out later, besides, he's got the part of the answer he was really after. Recognising the need in her he doesn't back off, or even break the contact, but does shift the face mask from where it's lying on his front, so that it doesn't end up crushed between them. Almost unwilling to break the quiet he eventually offers, "welcome back." It's simple, but anything else seems wasted at this point.

Kelsey manages a little smile into his neck at the welcome back. Anyone walking by could tell they are close, probably more. But nobody says anything or looks twice. The war has changed the ship and its crew in a lot of ways. "Toby, thank you for being who you are… and being who you have been to me." she lets off another long breath and kisses him once on the cheek before stepping back, but not more than a couple inches. She wants to be close to him right now. "We lost some really good people, Tobes. Really good. Friends." She stares at his chest, but looks distant for a moment. "We were all seconds away from death. We knew it was coming. We could see it. There was no way we were going to win that fight. …But we did. Arpay saved everyone who had survived to that point." Those eyes finally focus back and look back to his own.

"We lost three," Toby reports solemnly, "Bradbeer, Lachowicz, McBride. Couldn't get to them, got the rest of Falchini's team out though, so there's that." At her comment about facing down death he reaches his left hand up to tilt the air dial on his kit towards her so she can see just how far into his emergency reserve he was when he eventually came off air. "I think we need to get very drunk in the near future, drunk enough that some other poor fraker has to worry about getting us back to our racks. It's been one of those days." Staring over her shoulder a moment to eye the Pred she's just landed he asks, "so Picon and Caprica. Anywhere else?"

Kelsey looks sympathetic to him for the loss. He can tell she wants to give him another hug but has to actually stop herself. It’s clear she has that need for physical contact. Seeing his pressure gauge she looks solemn and nods. "Yes. Very drunk. In fact, all of what you said sounds like the best sermon I've ever heard." Kelsey is never one to turn down getting drunk. Particularly in this sort of case. "I know of those two, plus Aerilon. I don't know of anyplace else just yet. The Arpay showed up and blew away the basestars like nothin. The Raiders just quit and backed off. It was… surreal."

The blink of acknowledgement that kelsey gets as she names Aerlion will likely tell her that that's not the place he was most interested in hearing about, but if the fleet isn't jumping then he assumes no word has come from P that there's trouble. He frowns faintly as he wonders if the Arpay know where P is, to help if it is under attack, then he shakes his head as if to shake away even the thought of it. Noting her need, but also being acutely aware of both their surroundings and the fact that he stinks of a combination of smoke, sweat, and burnt material, he uses his already lifted left hand to rub his eyes a moment before making her an offer he hopes she won't refuse. "I need to log my set back in, and shower, but I'll be off in a couple of hours or so. If you're done with debrief and all that, I can get us some drink…"

Kelsey nods slowly, but seems intent on watching his movements. She worries about him. Their relationship isn't platonic, but she doesn't fuss. Its very obvious she cares deeply about him and the dangers and everything he's been through. The offer is met with a smile up at him and she nods slowly. "I'd like that a lot. I'll come find you. We can be drunk and tell stories." And likely more. She reaches for his hand between them and squeezes it once. "Be careful. no more risk taking today, okay?" she tells him before letting him go and get to it.

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