| Ferried to a Ferry by Fairies |
| Summary: | Kharon sends some folks to pick up the bodies of their fallen crew. |
| Date: | PH233 (07 Dec 2009) |
| Related Logs: | Silent Night & just before Close. |
| Players: |
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Battlestar Hestia, Deck 16, Hangar Bay A
IC Time: Post Holocaust Day #233
OOC Time: Mon Dec 07 19:02:28 2009
The hangar deck is where the Hestia's Viper and Raptor squadrons are stored, repaired and maintained between missions. Ships land on the flight deck, one level above, and are brought down via massive elevators. Tow vehicles move the ships around the deck, their shrill alert beeps causing an almost constant cacophony of noise. The floor itself is a light gray in color, but a lifetime of wear and tear has left marks and scratches everywhere. Numbered sections are marked off with paint to house the various spacecraft. The place is rather a mess, with tool chests, machine parts, diagnostic equipment, and even the occasional spare engine or chassis scattered all over the place. But despite the apparent disorder, everything has a place and the deck crew's foremost concern is safety.
[STC] "Spider" Kai says, "Hestia control, this is Foxbat seven requesting landing clearance."
The CAG paces onto the Hangar Deck from the Catwalk above. She's probably been watching from up there for some time. She thuds down the steps, boots heavy with her passing. For someone so small, she does make an entrance. She wears her flight suit, though her flight helmet and gloves are elsewhere. Not here to hop on CAP then.
Flowers is standing with a clipboard near the pile of parts and debris that was Foxbat-5, scribbling notes as she motions for people to do things. "Get that mess that was an engine off my deck and up to machine shop," she instructs a nearby group of crewmen. "Maybe the snipes can make something useful out of it."
A small procession comes up to the hangar bay. Parade day, albeit a rather morbid one. And no pretty streamers. Several medics are wheeling gurneys with what's undoubtedly cared-for bodies in sealed bags, all of them covered for dignity's sake. Capriel's come up along with them, along with Jericho, and as they wait for the elevator to lower with the visiting Raptor he folds his arms.
[Foxbat-7: Kai] The sound of a ship's engines can likely be heard from the flight deck, as a raptor touches down. Judging by the comms chatter preceding its arrival, it's one of Kharon's birds. After the elevator brings it down to the hangar deck, it's hooked up for a tow, and takes a little jaunt through Hestia country.
From inside of one of the Raptors a sound can be heard, a sound of joy, as an audible hoot comes out, "Take that FTL!" and with that Dane makes his way out of the Raptor and toward Flowers, "Hey Chief, I got the Raptor with the bum FTL working again." He then gives an utterly charming smile as he adds, "And they said it couldn't be done, I got it done and four hours earlier than I told the TACCO it could be done." He seems pleased with his work but then again Dane is a perfectionist. He turns his head as the new ship comes into view and he says, "Looks like we've got visitors." He is speaking to the Chief and no one else here since this is Knuckledraggerland.
Peeking out from under one of the Vipers is a set of booted feet. Ramses is underneath her bird, poking around at some inner workings. She isn't tampering with anything so much as using a flashlight to peer into a section of removed panel rather closely. Whatever she is looking for, she hasn't found it, because she finally calls in a singsong voice, "Youuuuuwhooo… leaky leak. Where are you? I wish to get you fixed and prevent my meaningless death by asphyxiaaaaaaaaaaaaationnn."
Sito strides across the Deck toward the meeting area where the Foxbat from the Kharon should be towed she stopped. She glances over toward the remains of the other Kharon ship, Fox-5, which was SAR towed yesterday. "Chief." She glances briefly over to the bodies, then back to the Deck's head honcho on duty. "I need a hardcopy of your final report on the downed bird." She doesn't have to get more specific. There's a bunch of bodies over yonder putting a period on that sentence.
It's obvious which contingent is which on the hangar floor. There's damaged birds and…well. There's a bunch of bodies. Capriel all but ignores singing pilots and the like, the tall Major waiting silently for the Kharon's visitors to unload themselves from the soon-to-be temporary hearse.
Flowers turns around just as her deck fills up, taking a peek over at that raptor. "Someone's bucking for promotion," is all the praise Dane gets, before Flowers' eyes land on the CAG. "I figured as much," she replies, tugging a sheet off the bottom of her clipboard and handing it over. "It was quite a series of coincidences, there. Judging from the hulk I tore apart last night, a blade let go in the starboard engine, and cracked the housing. Combine that with a cracked fuel line, and you have a perfect recipe for a tylium detonation. Of course, a Raptor's armored for that kind of frak-up."
Once the visiting raptor's been brought to an all halt and secured by deck personnel, the hatch is lowered and its pilots climb out. Marek's out first, and unsnaps the hardseals at his neck before sliding his helmet off. One thing about having a good quantity of curly hair, is that it doesn't like to be rubbed the wrong way. Does he care? Apparently not. His eyes skim over a few faces in the bustling hangar bay before spotting the blonde approaching them. He ticks off a salute with his free hand and heads off on an intercept course with the woman, leaving Legacy to do their postflight. It's good being CAG, sometimes.
When she spots the Raptor going by, Ramses looks up and notes the numbering on the craft. Huh. Scootscootscoot. Out from underneath the viper she comes, straightening up and wiping her palms on her thighs. She's got her flightsuit half undone, hanging around her waist. While she doesn't quite move from the side of her viper, she does in fact snoop on the new arrivals.
Right behind Kai is Legacy, slipping out of her own helmet as well. She steps off the bird and pulls into a salute to said blonde, body at attention. Her face is a touch pale, expression set, somber. Once Kai moves off, she turns to start post-flight without a word. The others about get a brief look, though she doesn't stop to chat.
Dane looks over at Flowers, "I'm looking to get our ships moving." He then looks over at Ramses with a worried look, "Chief do you want me to go help Stonewall before she makes an even bigger mistake that we will have to fix because I get nervous when I see pilots loking at our birds." He makes a slight clicking sound as he hears about all of the damage to the Raptor, "Wait, someone let a Raptor with those problems fly? What the hell?" He lowers his head, "I'd never let something with that many problems fly, FIFI is dangerous." He adds as he looks again over at Ramses nervously pilots working on birds, oi vey.
Jericho is quiet in the morbid procession into the Hangar Bay, her gloved hand on one of the rails of the gourney yet it's the Medics doing all the heavy lifting (or pushing in this case). Through the thick of the normal din of a work day, several bodies are being wheeled off to their home ship for memorial and eventual spacing. Through it all, Jericho seems to be murmuring words beneath her breath.
Late, late, late. That is the best way to describe why the Chaplain is hurriedly coming down the steps, and more or less spilling into the flight deck. Someone just missed the gurneys in Sickbay and so had to hurry himself down here. And believe him it is a slight jog-when you're not prepared for it. Though, once down his pace slows to a quick paced walk and Fiver does take time to smooth back his hair from his face. A quick breath, as he collects himself, before he is patting his pocket. Certain of what took so long to finish is secured on his person he calmly, and quietly seeks to meld in with the Medical crew.
Sito's eyes scan the report handed over. She folds it twice. "I trust you kept a copy for our records?" The question is mostly rhetorical, but Nini is thorough, and asks it anyway. "When you say coincidences, you mean mechanical failure or you mean too coincidental to be coincidental? Little more specificity saves us all a bunch of time and brain power." She watches the Chief for a beat. "If the raptor's armored for that kinda frak up, why the frak did the hull pop like — Hm." Whatever colorful simile she was about to throw is stalled by the CAG's salute, which she returns. She glances over at Dane. "Hush it up with the editorials, PO. I'm conversing with your boss." She gives the other Deckie a look, then her pale green gaze returns to Flowers. "Bottom line?" Her tone suggests it should be gotten to before the Kharon's CAG's boots cross the deck to their location.
Capriel gives a glance to his watch as the two CAGs start their reunion. There's an eye given to that Raptor, mainly the back part, and he looks back at Jericho and the medics. "Gurneys over to the Raptor. Let's see what kind of space we're going to have." His eyes flick to the jogging Chaplain as he draws up. "Fulk."
Flowers frowns at Dane, rather displeased with the babbling. "Go take a look at Stonewall's bird," she instructs, wanting to get the PO out of the way so she can finish her report. "There's no evidence of foul play," she replies. "Fox five took a hard landing or two recently, and there was a hairline buckle in the aft of the pressure hull. When it detonated a full tank of tylium, it tore a meter-and-a-half rip in the bird's aft." She gestures toward a partially patched tear in the hull. "Looks like someone tried to patch it, but a raptor doesn't carry enough quick patches for it." Turning around to face the CAG, she finishes, "Bottom line is, this bird was run hard, and was developing problems that were hard to see. Any one by itself would have been NBD, but with all of them coming together, it killed people. Honestly, I can't fault their deck chief. I had to take everything apart and mess with it for about eight hours to figure out what went wrong and why. They'd have had to strip the bird down to bare parts to see the problems it was developing. Raptors weren't meant to run that long without overhauls."
Ramses spares a glance back down at where she was working and sighs, getting down on her hands and knees to put the panel she removed back in place. Snick snap. A few adjustments and she comes back out and straightens up, looking back down the line of birds at the Kharon's CAG and his proximity to her own. Without realizing it, whilst she stares, her arms come up and she folds them across her chest.
Kai isn't, thankfully, in much of a rush to get there. Sprinting around in a flight suit just isn't practical, and he moves with an ever so slight limp to begin with. Deck personnel either move out of his way, or are shouldered past with brusque 'excuse me's; the smart ones check the pins on his collar before letting slip any colourful profanity at his (lack of) manners. "Captain," is intoned flatly as he reaches Sito. The back of a gloved hand is dragged across his nose a couple of times, tending to an itch that probably plagued him while he had his helmet on, and his blue eyes fix on the Deck Chief as he catches the last half or so of her report. Ramses and her folded arms are either not noticed at the moment, or simply written off as his charming personality at work. Probably the latter.
Jericho gives a subtle smile to the Chaplain as he joins them, then gives a faint nod to Capriel's orders, and directs the medic to push the load up over closer to the Kharon's bird. She peers inside the cavity of the Raptor, her expression looking pinched. "We're going to have to.." Jeri clears her breath and forces her stature a bit straighter. "Stack them."
Sito glances over toward the medical team as the bevvy of bodies is ferried toward the shuttle. "Load up 2203 as well, Major." She nods to Flowers then. "Thorough and to the point. Thank you, Chief." The blonde CAG glances over as the dark haired CAG from the Kharon approaches. "Excellent work." It doesn't cost the CAG much to offer a little verbal thanks where hard work has been done, but she is sparing with it. Could be the death toll weighing on her words here. Her eyes do not touch on the bodies again, as her attention appears to be on Marek. "Captain. Welcome to the Hestia." She doesn't butcher his name like usual, simply because she avoids using it.
Dane makes his way over to Ramses and while she is snooping he wordlessly begins looking at her bird. He doesn't even bother looking under the bird but instead he pulls out a drill and after a few moments he is torso deep in the nose cone. A series of, "Huhs" and "Hrms" follow as he scans the Viper as if to look for damage, how he has managed to fit in the nose cone is a miracle in and of itself though the light coming from his flashlight looks like he is having a dance party inside of Stone' walls Viper.
"Sorry, Major.." though it almost sounds as if Fiver says: Sorry Majzor.. The accent enough to give him away to those from his colony. "I tried to catch you in the sickbay, but you had already begun the descent." crisp there, not so much of that Gemenese burr to it. Eyes trail over towards the Raptor in question, before he's turning to watch the two unfamiliar pilots on the deck. "Which one is their CAG?" As if Capriel would know such things. He should ask Sito for that information, but well. There is no time, and she is preoccupied with the Chief. However at the mentioning of stacking the bodies, there's a look back to the bodies. "Maybe one of our birds could help, ja-err." a cough "Yes?"
Flowers and the Hestia CAG are in the center of about a six foot circle where knuckledraggers don't seem to like to tread unless they have to. The chief turns around and offers a salute to Kai as her report finishes. "Ah, Captain," she says. "I wanted to ask if you wanted this bird back or not. I can make her fly again, but it will take weeks of work. She needs a complete rebuild, everything except the interior."
"Nah, it's cool. I'm happy to help." Even without seeing him, those who know Sol "Smalls" Ambrose know that he's here. By this point, even a deaf person could recognize the man's animated voice. Those seeking to pinpoint that sound would find the small officer walking with an electrical technician, towards one of the Raptors. Quite possibly the one Flowers just referred to.
"Dane, if'n you'd be a gentleman and check the intake manifold for any itty bitty stress fractures, I'd be much appreciative. I was just doing a basic check, but I didn't find anything on my first sweep. Just bein' cautious, you understand. Given the givens." All of this pours from Ramses' mouth without her looking away from Sito and Kai. Or unfolding her arms, even.
Capriel looks -a hair- relieved as a second Raptor's spared. No corpses sitting on each other's laps. "They're using two, Fulk. As to their CAG, I assume it's that one." A nod towards Kai. He motions to Jericho and the others. "Major Cass, his grandson, and Dr. Beckett in this one. Lieutenants Waite and Thayer in 2203." Whether he's keeping the Raptor's crew together randomly or on purpose, who knows.
There's enough dizzying activity going on in here to drive even the most cool-headed person a little nuts. But to a pilot or a deckie, this is just another busy evening in the hangar bay of a military ship. Marek has enough situational awareness to pull aside as a few technicians roll by with a fuel pump, his eyes straying briefly to the medical staff and what appears to be a chaplain arriving out of breath, before turning back to Sito and Flowers again. "Va shoma, Captain," he murmurs, switching between his native Kashmiri and standard Colonial with ease. The Chief gets a glance, and a flicker of his eyes from nose to toes, then back again. "I doubt it's worth it, PO. Break it down for scrap, I'll have a word with our Chief." After an awkward pause, he switches his helmet to his left hand, and thrusts out his right. "Captain Karim Marek. I'm guessing you run this show."
Thea's quietly checking out the Guest Raptor, Foxbat-7. Post flight is one of those things that the Kharon air wing takes rather seriously, it would seem. If she's listening and watching, well, it's not readily apparent.
Dane calls out from the inside of the Viper, "Lieutenant, you know me, if I'm on the job then I finish the job. Still though there is work to be done in here before I even touch the intake manifold." He pulls out of the Viper and he looks at Ramses, "I can have her ready in about four hours. She doesn't need a lot of work but man oh man have you been shaking her loose. Have you been pulling loop de loops on CAP? Seriously, I mean, just from looking at the inside of her it looks like you've managed to shake up everything in the nose, sir." He reaches into his tool belt and he begins to pull out some tools, a wrench here and a screwdriver there and the PO is back in the nose working on the Viper. "If you didn't do this who did, space gremlins? Or would that be spagremlins?"
Sito's eyebrows raise very slightly at the intonation of Kashmiri. It's the tone rather than the words that earn a nod following. "Senior Chief PO Flowers, our Deck Chief. Major Benjamin Capriel is our CMO." She points, and then gestures to the other, "Fiver is a chaplain. It's best if I don't try his given name," she asides. "He's quite good with the ritual, particularly if your crew has varied beliefs. You might think about enlistin' his help for any services. I'm sure the Admiral would not object." Anyone else may be introduced if they pass closer to the area in which the CAG meeting takes place.
"Yes, sir." Jericho responds to the CMO, nodding for one of the bundles of black plastic to be unstrapped. She's slow and meticulous as she unclips one of the belts, folding it over with precious care as if the person laying there is still a living and breathing patient. She leans over the body, muttering something quietly along the lines of 'we're going to move you now' for those close enough to hear.
"If I'm shaking her up then whoever tightened the bolts last time didn't do their job right," Ramses teases back, tearing her gaze from the foreign CAG on the deck and letting her arms fall to her sides. Moving over to Dane, she makes eye contact, smile dancing on her lips and crouches by the man as he delves back into the bird. She says, "So, while you fix their mistake, why don't you show me how to do it too so I can make myself a little more useful outside my bird, hmmm? Or should I just carry a wrench to whack the spagremlins in their spagremnards?"
Whatever Ambrose is saying probably is background noise, what with how he just keeps talking. Not completely oblivious, however, he spots the CAG and assembly. "You know what that's about?" he asks the elec-tech. When getting a shake of the head as the answer, the ECO's attention starts to scan the immediate vicinity. "Let's go find out." Locking on a target, he starts to walk in that direction.
"Keep the Marines together.." Fulks speaks out of turn towards Jericho and the other medical personnel. "I am sure We will have enough room.." But, then he is trying to be intentional in the pairings or rather. A glance over to where the two CAG's are standing and talking, and the Chaplain is breaking his place amongst the body. He'll walk slower over to where they are, after all there is no need to dash along the deck now. "Excuse me sir.." said back to Capriel as an after thought, but he does have something to do, before things get underway. Those things, however, seem to be directed to Kai and Sito. Given the determined look that is applied to both, it seems that Fulk did not hear the introduction. "Excuse me, sirs." Yes this would be 'Fiver'. "I am Ensign Wolfram Fulk.." though that probably sounds like mush.."Captain-" this directed towards Sito "If I may have eh-The Captain's attention briefly?" He at least asks. The Chaplain is not so demanding.
Dane pulls out of the nose cone with a screwdriver in hand, "Alright, take a look inside of her and tell me what you see?" Well, this is a first, Dane will acctually help a pilot understand how their ship works, "Pay close attention to the intake system and to the wiring throughout the nose cone, sir." He places his tools into his tool belt and he looks over at all the people that are in the room. This might be one of those big moments where something goes down but Dane has a job to do so he could care less about all of the the hoopla. "Spagremlins, sir. Evil ones. They get in to your ship and they break things, lucky for you that I'm hear to fix what they do. Seriously, would you wants Smith working on your bird? I think not."
Capriel doesn't notice himself being pointed out, ignoring the pilot gathering for the time it takes to make sure the Kharon's crew is loaded properly into the two Raptors. Fulk's 'excuse me' gets a mild gesture of 'go ahead', and he joins Jericho in helping with the hands on. The Hestia's CMO isn't above the dirty work.
Kai's attention doesn't leave the Hestia's CAG and Deck Chief he's currently engaged in conversation with. He clearly trusts Legacy to take care of the post-flight without his presence, and he's also apparently immune to Ramses' death rays. His eyes skip from Flowers to Capriel as the tall doctor is mentioned by name, and the chaplain is considered somewhat more at length as he approaches the little gathering. By now, he's released Flowers' hand and switched his helmet back to his right arm. "Sure. Should be fine." He glances at Fiver again as the man interposes himself into the conversation, then looks back to Sito, clearly deferring to the woman.
Yet ANOTHER person makes their way onto the deck. A quiet 'thump, thump, thump' precedes a rather short woman in a flight suit, helmet under one arm. Booster, well, she doesn't look all that comfortable. She's got that restless energy usually seen in a caged cat who's about to tear her handler's throat out. Iggy makes her way toward the center of the deck, though pauses when her attention is caught by voices.
"Of course I wouldn't want Smith working on it," Ramses says in a warm soothing tone in Dane's direction. When Dane extricates himself from her bird, she shimmies inside herself and flicks on her flashlight. "The wiring doesn't look so great. Is it supposed to be green?" She kicks her legs once or twice where they dangle from the ship and she adds, "The pipes don't look so great from this angle. I think I see a crack. Also, I might be stuck."
Sito nods to Fiver. "Well, go on padre, get on with it." She gives the conversation to the priest, allowing Flowers to escape to her supervisory duties as she and the Kharon's CAG both direct attention to the priest with the mouthful of a name.
Seeing that the person he was hoping to get an explanation from has been eaten by her Viper, Smalls figures he can take the time to ask the next person he sees. This just so happens to be Iggy. "Booster!" he quietly exclaims in an animated way, heading her way. Amiably smiling, he inquires, "How are ya?" True, Ambrose has questions, but he also isn't one to cut out small talk and pleasantries.
Jericho moves the bodies with the others, maintaining a respectful expression on her face and a rather neutral look in her eyes. As each body is loaded onto the Raptor, she gives a quiet play by play to the deceased, as if they could understand what's going on.
Dane looks over at Ramses, "You're damn right you don't want Smith working on this he is great with engines but put him in the front of a Viper and you are screwed with a capital S. No, it isn't supposed to be green and yes that pipe is cracked. And wha?" He looks over at the Viper's nosecone, "Um, try adjusting your shoulder, sir, otherwise I'll have to get out the oil which would mean more clean up and this bird would still have more work to be done." He watches Ramses closely mostly to see if she can get out, "Also let all of the air out of your lungs beforre you pull out."
The Hestia's Nikos pauses to look over at Ambrose, the thumping over for the time being. "Restless," she tells him, lips pursing slightly. Eyes move past the other pilot toward the CAG gathering and the bodies. Her body straightens, stiffening a bit, coming to attention. "They're here to take their pilots home?"
Silent for a bit, as Fiver looks between Sito and Marek. Still when he is allowed, to talk there's a faint nod given back to Stio, before focus is entirely on Kai. "I thought I would let you know, that I have said words over them and given them their last rites." his speech is soft, and not as hurried as it was when he came in on his heels. A reach into his pocket for a small pouch. "These are for your Marines. I have their tags all together, the pilots are in this pouch.." Fished out as she speaks "With the Dentist." both extended out in his hand for Kai to take them. "And I have something, for you sir-if I may." And with that he pulls out the two wing imprinted coins, with his other hand, and extends them to the CAG. "For their wing compatriots, and you to remember.." licking his lips, Fulk waits to pass everything over, before giving a quick salute. "I am very sorry for your ship's losses. If your priest needs help, I can always ask command for permission to aid as I can."
Thea's work on post-flight has been done for a bit now, and she stands at the nose of her Raptor, watching the bodies being loaded. The deck is busy as hell, and yet it would seem nothing else exists right now except for the bodies, at least for the Raptor Captain.
Fancy that. From this angle, Ambrose can actually see some of what's going on. "Looks like it. Man, that was an unfortunate occurrence. I heard that one of them was a little kid. Poor guy. Well, poor all of them. And us. Too many people have been lost, y'know?" Switching tracks, though, the ECO inquires, "Restless, huh? That's not good. I get like that sometimes, too. Usually, I have some warm cocoa and dismantle something so I can put it back together. Otherwise, I fidget. Anyway, sorry to hear that. Anything you wanna talk about?"
"You put oil on any part of me, buster, you better be fixin' to put a ring on one of my fingers," comes a ringing retort for Dane, though it is muffled somewhat by the fact that Ramses is mostly inside the viper with her ass hanging out. She puffs out her breath and relaxes her shoulders and with some grace manages to slide out and onto her feet. There's a small matter of dirt and grease on her face and clothes, but she looks otherwise fine. "So what do we do about the pipe?"
One of the doctors loading bodies onto the raptor is watched for a few seconds by Kharon's CAG. He can't possibly hear what she's saying to them, from where he is, but maybe he's making a mental note to track her down later. Then the chaplain has his full attention again, and he reaches for the two pouches as they're handed over. His eyes drop to the cloth settled against his gloved palm, then lift again, and there's a hint of something at the scarred corner of his mouth. "Thank you." His fingers wrap around the pouches. They're tucked away in a secure pocket of his flight suit before he accepts the coins. One's held against his palm, the other turned between thumb and forefinger so it catches the light a couple of times. It's brought to his lips, held there a moment, and then it and its partner are tucked away too. "Our priest has a lot on his plate. I'm sure he'd be grateful for the help." And again, "Thank you." The salute is returned, and he looks back to Sito. "I'd like a hardcopy of the Chief's report, if you don't mind, Captain. For our records."
Iggy's eyes are on the procession and loading of bodies - until Ambrose says what he does. "Did you miss your daily Marine shitting on your head," she growls at the man, eyes narrowing. "Or did you miss the fact that there's a godsdamned funeral procession of -pilots- going on. RAPTORS? Did someone forget to teach you some frakking respect?" It's likely due to the fact that such a funeral profession IS going on that she's not shouting. "We'll talk when they're loaded, Smalls. Dead pilots outweigh small frakking talk."
Fiver nods once back towards the Captain. "I'll put in the requests." murmured softly as he is moving to disengage from the CAG's. Now turning to head back to stand with Jericho and Capriel, so as to help with the bodies and make sure everything is ready and taken care of. Last minute prayers to add, as is needed. Comforts for the dead.
Sito's gaze skims the deck briefly. Her eyes pause on Ramses' ass hanging out of the cone of the viper. She takes a slow breath, and averts her gaze before the urge to yell overcomes her. Whiplash's eyes return to Fiver. She's just going to ignore that there train wreck. Dane can earn his keep getting one of her pilots out of the plane before the Kharon's CAG notices. Or else. Her eyes find the coins Fiver passes over, and she straightens, just a slight shift in her shoulders. "Captain, if you would like a word, my Ready Room is empty. My people will oversee the bodies until such time are you're ready to depart."
Capriel belts in the last of the bodies, which happens to be the bag that's obviously got a much smaller body than the others. He stands up from kneeling at its side, looking down at it for what borders on a rather long time, and his hand sets down on where the child's forehead would be. Then it's withdrawn.
Thea breaks her stillness to move over to Capriel, coming to a stop at the Major's side. "Jeremiah," she asks him softly, only glancing briefly away from the small form to look at the CMO's face.
"Oh. Right. You're totally right," Smalls replies to Booster somewhat chagrined. It's not that he's a bad guy. It's just that he often has a faulty brain to mouth filter. For the time being, he shuts up and respectfully watches the proceedings.
Yeah, might be a little too late on the whole 'not spotting the pilot half wedged into a viper nosecone' thing. Marek's got pretty sharp eyes, and even in a place as busy as Hestia's 'bay, he picks out Ramses — or more accurately, her ass — and raises a brow slightly. You can bet their next conversation is going to begin along the lines of, "Sorry, I didn't recognise you from this end." He glances once more toward the last of the bodies being loaded up, then nods curtly to Sito. "I've got a few minutes, sure. Lead the way."
Dane gets an amused look on his face, "Sir, you and I both know that would be impossible since enlisted and offiers are a no-no." He looks over at the Viper, "Well, we have to pull that pipe and replace it. Then I will make an attempt to fix the pipe to see if we can use it later on another bird. As for the wiring but you know, I can take care of that quickly and then I can hit up the manifold for you. Which reminds me, how is the DRADIS working? Anything seem off?" He asks curiously, "I mean any flashes of the screen?"
Jericho slowly stands from her crouch by the last body she was responsible, suddenly looking as if this was the most weary portion of her job. She glances over to the CMO, a small smile touching the corners of her eyes and making them wrinkle before it's smoothed away. "Sir, would you like one of us to accompany the Raptor back to the Kharon?" Which is a veiled request to be dismissed if not.
Iggy glances over at Smalls for a moment, then to the bodies. Once they're loaded, she offers a quiet "I'll be right back." And then she's heading for her own CAG, steps purposeful.
The Hestia's CAG turns on her heel. "Padre." She nods to the others as she makes her way through, an eye on the CMO briefly. The CAG parade makes its way toward the Central Stairwell headed up to Deck 14. Iggy has just enough time to intercept. "Make it quick Booster. Walk with us." Walking and talking, a specialty. It's why she gets the shiny pins.
Capriel's dark green eyes turn to the unfamiliar woman that's come up. He looks over her face, assessing, then nods. "Yes." A slight gesture to the body right beside the child's. "Major Cass is here. Dr. Beckett." A motion to the other. "Waite and Thayer are in the other bird." The tall Major turns slightly to look at Jericho. "That won't be necessary, Lieutenant. Thank you, I'll see you back at the bay."
"Actually, the standing regulation says it's okay for enlisted and officers to be involved in a relationship of the intimate sort so long as they're married, sugarbritches," Ramses gently corrects the man, right before she claps him on the shoulder and says, "But seein' as how I don't find men with butt chins attractive, you're safe." At his question, she shakes her head and says, "Been workin' fine. No ghosts or echoes. The last engagement, everything was green across the board."
Thea's jaw works slightly as Capriel mentions Waite and Thayer. "Lifer and Grace were mine," she says softly, looking past him to where her pilots are. "I'd seen Jeremiah once or twice." Fingers reach down to brush the covering on the little Cass' body. "Thank you for taking care of them." Finally she focuses on the CMO's face again.
Ohshit. Iggy hesitates at the note in her CAG's voice then shakes her head. "Apologies, Sir. It can wait." No, really. That sound people are hearing? Booster backpedaling enough to leave a wake. She nods, respectfully, to Kai. "Sorry, Sirs."
"Yeah, sure. I'll be here," the ECO tells the Nikos. "Please relay my respects."
Kai strides along apace with Sito, not missing a beat as the woman turns to head out of the busy hangar bay. There's a quick glance to Legacy, some kind of silent communication passed between them, and then he's off. Iggy gets a long glance as she scoots in then begins to scoot back out again, and he goes so far as to halt before they even reach the stairwell, still watching her intently. "A moment, Captain."
Jericho gives a crisp nod and a, "Sirs." To both Capriel and Legacy as she then withdraws from the conversation. As she steps off the Raptor, her eyes drift over the people from the Kharon noting their faces and the apparent pecking order. Then she steps off the wing and mans one of the now empty gurneys to get it rolled back up to sickbay.
Sito pauses only after Marek does. She takes but two extra steps before she turns. "Spit it out, Booster." It's not an irritated command, just a 'you're not getting off the hook now' sort of deal. Her accent rounds off any sharp edges, though the eyes are intent on her pilot. She glances over to Marek to see what's given the man pause.
Fiver finds himself over by Jericho when the Doctor comes off the Raptor. A smile is forced up as a hand moves to her shoulder just briefly, before he is moving to head up on the wing and peer in to where the CMO and Legacy have themselves squared away. Clearing his throat the Ensign, looks between the two officers. "If you both do not mind, I would like to pray over the dead once more before you make your way back.." He will do the same for Thayer and Waite as well.
"You're welcome." Capriel's eyes look for pins, which only takes a split second. "Captain." Looking away from her at the sound of Fiver's voice, he motions the chaplain up. "I don't mind, should Captain…" Whatever her name is. "Should she not either. I think they have some time yet before they go."
Yep, another ohshit moment. Iggy pulls up to attention again, looking between the two CAGs. "Permission to fly escort duty and return to Hestia, Sir," she says as soon as her CAG tells her to spit it out.
Thea dips her head to Fiver after a moment, looking away from Capriel. "Althea Legacy," she tells the two quietly. "Raptor Squadron leader for Kharon." She keeps it short and sweet. "I think we have a bit of time before take-off, if you'd like to take your time."
Dane looks at Ramses, "Butt Chin my ass, I've got rugged and charming good looks. Don't start hating on me since I'm hot." He looks at the Viper, "As for your Viper, do you think you can get the pipe out? I can stick around and assist and then you can go and brag to all your flyboy buddies that you fixed a Viper." He doesn't let out the bit about how he will doublecheck all the work anyway.
Whatever had given Kharon's CAG pause, it seems to be nominally dismissed a few moments later. His brows smooth, and he gives a minute shake of his head to Sito's glance. After studying Iggy for a little while longer, he continues toward the stairwell to wait for Whiplash.
Sito nods as Iggy's request drops. She actually smiles then, just a slight curve of her lips. "Granted." She nods to Marek. "Captain Karim Marek," Kay-rim may-wreck. That's what it sounds like when it comes out of her mouth. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Abigail Nikos. Booster to us. Iggy if you're damn drunk." And then she's off toward the stairwell again. "She'll be escortin' you back to the Kharon. Full honors. Just don't say weapons hot in any context. She's excitable." That's all said once she's in easy speaking range of the CAG again. "You need a rest, you let me know, Captain." And then she's headed down.
As Sito passes by, Smalls straightens (as much as a short man can) and offers a crisp salute. "Sir."
Capriel leaves Fiver and Legacy to it, his pager summoning him back off to the depths of Sickbay.
Fiver nods once towards the Major, before he's bowing his head back to Legacy. "Thank you.." murmured before he is moving to come in the already full Raptor. Though for those within he will be invading personal space for a little bit. Eyes closed as he begins to softly murmur. Not about to speak too loudly- after all his words right now are for the souls of the Departed. Not the living.
Iggy dips her head to Sito, still at attention, then to Kharon's CAG. "Sir," she says quietly. "My bird will be ready when you are. I'm sorry about your people." It's very softly spoken, for Kai and Sito's ears only. Then she waits for the pair to disappear.
"I suppose you're attractive in a chiseled jaw sort of a way." With a roll of her eyes, Ramses brushes a streak of grease off her nose and goes reaching into the nose cone again. She grips, twists and then pulls and a length of piping comes out of the viper in her hands. "Mmmmmmhmmmmm. Tell you what, I'll let you do the braggin'. Me? I got time on my hands see and I'm choosing to use it to help ease the load on y'all. Now, give me some more shit about it, boy, and I'll shove this pipe so far up your ass the Lords themselves'd never be able to find it, or you can drop the us versus them crap… with me at least, and we can get some real work done. Maybe get some ogglin' of one another done too, while we're at it. Sound good?"
Yeah, it's a wreck all right. Kai smothers a grimace as Sito bludgeons his name to death yet again, but it's the invocation of the other pilot's name that has him cutting his eyes back to her again sharply. "Nikos," he repeats. There might be a hint of incredulity beneath the gruff tone of voice. He starts to speak again, stops, and simply nods to the younger woman. A man of many words, he is not. After another beat, he turns finally to follow Sito off.
Sito nods to Smalls. "As you were." She returns the little salute. Er the salute to the little man, and thumps down the stairwell. Saluting while walking and talking. Skillz. Shiny pins. It works out.
