| abstract
| - Rough hewn walls of iron and basalt, grooved by machinery used to carve this spaceport facility out of the glinting black and gray rock, rise on all sides and arches above of the broad pad that provides ample room for starships to rest during their stay on Ungstir. Bright sulfurous lights seem to cast the chamber in permanent daylight despite the gloomy darkness and stars that loom beyond the huge portals, protected by the hazy shimmer of the prot's atmospheric containment fields. Through the force screens, silhouetted by the glow of the distant star Perseverance, one can make out the rolling, drifting shapes of rocks and planetoids - remnants of the world to which this chunk once belonged. Squat, dark-haired technicians with pale skin and gruff demeanors move from ship to ship, checking fuel levels and mechanical fitness of the vessels. An archway leads out of the landing facility and into the city of Resilience, via the customs station. Several large bays are set aside for ship maintenance and repair, serving as a general purpose drydock facility. Katriel is perched on the roof of the Outcast, shuffling a deck of cards and watching the world go. Tresillian steps from the Teamhair's boarding lock, yawns and stretches - touseling his mop of hair as he does, then starts down the ramp. ~Hi,~ The Mystic sends a cheerful greeting as she catches sight of Tres exiting. Tresillian pauses a moment and looks around, though not actually up to see if someone may be ontop of one of the other ships. Closing his eyes he cants his head to one side, ~Katriel? Where are you?~ There's just a hint of sleepyness, or half awakedness to his thoughts but he manages to focus enough. The feeling of gentle laughter is returned, along with a picture of the Outcast, with a little circle and an arrow drawn in indicating her current position. She waves to him once her starts to turn in her direction, smiling broadly. Tresillian turns and looks in the indicated direction shaking his head slightly, most likely at himself, ~I should look up more often,~ he thinks though it's not clear if he's thinking that for himself or not. Katriel is perched on top of the Outcast, a pack of cards in one hand, while Tres looks up at her from the landing pad. "Yep, you should," she calls down. Mika steps out of the Eos's airlock and immediately rises to her tip-toes in a languid, full-body stretch. Yawning, she drops back down to the balls of her feet and relaxes, then trots down to the tarmac. "Interesting place to sit," Tres calls back as he moves a little closer to the Outcast, "maybe I should try it some time." Katriel nods, glancing over as the EOS hatch cycles open. "It's a good place to watch people from-- most folks don't look up either," she notes, grinning. Her hand is lifted again to wave at the captain as she calls down, "Hi Mika!" Innokentevna quietly enters from the customs station, hands sunk deep in her jacket pockets. Tresillian turns slightly to look towards the EOS when Katriel waves and offers the Hyperion's captain a wave as well. "Clearly." He calls up to Katriel again. Mika glances up at the sound of her name, gaze sliding toward Tres and then upward to the Mystic. She offers a lazy wave and a grin, then plods over toward them. "'lo, Kat, Grape," she greets. "S'th' 'aps?" Katriel grins and nods to Tres, and then focuses her attention on Mika for a moment. ~Dr Ranix and Katya went rock climbing together so they could talk in private, and~ there's a slight startled pause during which Mika may catch a glimpse of the Ungstiri's approach, and a sense of relief from the Mystic ~Oh-- there she is!~" Innokentevna quietly walks along the flight line, tracing a lazy path between the parked ships. Tresillian looks to Mika, shakes his head slightly and makes some comment or other in that obscure dialect he uses from time to time. Marlan follows Katya onto the pad quetly. Mika blinks at Kat in alarm, eyebrows raising, and turns slightly to regard the courier. "'lo, Katya," she calls, nodding slightly in greeting. "... 'lo, Cap'n Ranix." Katriel waves down to Katya, and then tilts her head to the side to regard Marlan curiously for a moment. SHe is perched on top of the Outcast with Tres and Mika clustered around below her. Tresillian turns to look towards Katya and Marlan as well then looks around, attention focusing on the other ships clearly checking which ones are in dock at the moment. Innokentevnalets her pace take her to the Outcast, after waiting for Marlan to catch up. She smiles up to Katriel with a gentle nod, "So, you like zee view up z'ere?" Katriel nods down to Katya. "Yep-- like I was sayin' most folks don't look up, which makes it a good spot to watch people from," she answers, smiling as her fingers rifle through a deck of cards. Innokentevna looks back to the mystic and laughs. "Except beink as short as me, I am alvays lookink up ... Mika shifts her weight to lean back against the Outcast's landing gear, arms crossed lightly across her chest. She chuckles faintly at the dialogue between the Mystic and Ungstiri, glancing between then with a lopsided grin, but doesn't comment. Tresillian grins slightly and chuckles, "The four of us," he indicates himself Mika, Katriel and Katya, "aren't exactly tall." He comments. Katriel grins. "I said most," she repeats, nodding to the courier. "Depends on who you compare us to," she points out to Tres with another quick grin. "I am a goddamned Amazon," Mika interjects. Tresillian snorts slightly then laughs, "I'm lucky I'm gay then, Mika." Katriel just laughs down at Mika and Tres, eyes merry. Innokentevna blinks quiety and just looks to Mika. "Gospadi ... to you come vuith a spear?" "Aw, c'mon," Mika pleads, batting her eyelashes at the Teamhair's captain and clasping her hands over her heart. "That pains me. Really. All m'fantasies... shattered." She sighs, bites her lip, and glances away from him with a melodramatic shake of her head. Looking to Katya, she just shrugs. "I left't at 'ome." Katriel continues to giggle down at the comedy act that's suddenly developed beneath her ship, her bare feet tapping against the roof lightly. Her shoes sit neatly next to her where she's laid them for the time being, her arms wound loosely around her bent knees. Tresillian takes a slight step back and looks up at Katriel a moment, a smirk curling his lips. "Sorta explains her crew doesn't it." Innokentevna looks up to Tressilian nd then smiles. She then turns to Mika and smiles sweetly. "An I am marry't." She holds up her ring. "see?" Mika just sticks her tongue out at Tres and bursts into laughter at Katya, nodding her head. "I dunno, Katya," she says, grinning ear-to-ear. "Melody's n'alright girl, but I think th' only reason'm 'fraid'a 'er s'cause I know what YOU'LL do t'me if'n I ain't." Katriel quiets a little, still watching with a grin on her face, edging forwards a bit more on the bright yellow surface to get a better view over the side of the ship, bare feet offering purchase against the gently curving slope. Tresillian pokes his tongue out at Mika in an almost childish responce - his is pierced - then he rolls his eyes slightly. "If you really want purple haired kids... I guess there's always the turkey baster method." He comments with a wink. Innokentevna crosses her arms and nods. "It'd park zee Gray Horse on you. Rite kvick." She then stretches, looking out across the dock and to the stars. "besites, you hafe your eyes on too many ozer guys fr me to be vorry't. Most ov z'em are actually elegeeble." "Whoa now, tiger," Mika throws her hands up in defense, "this relationship's only five minutes old, bollocks. Let's not rush inta th' kids thing. 'oneymoon a while." Katriel just blinks at Tres, looking a bit startled, and then cracks up again. "Don't use Kit's turkey baster," she advises. Innokentevna blinks. Stops and just flusters. "No one uses Kitt's kitchen tools ... but Kitt." Tresillian grins up at Katriel, "Well, everyone wants purple hair." He rumples his for effect then looks to Katya. "I'm sure there's a turkey baster on the Hyperion..." Then he frowns slightly. "Changing the subject... Heard anything more about the space elevator project?" He asks looking from Mika to Katya." Amusement builds up in Mika as she blinks at Kat, and then breaks out into giggles. Katya's flustered reply only makes everything worse. She buries her face in the palm of her hand and just laughs like a loon, locks swinging while she shakes her head fervently in response to Tres's question. Katriel nods back solemnly to Katya. "That's cuz Kit would have to get revenge on anyone who did," she notes. Innokentevna just stomps her foot, a quiet and almost imperious voicing of her flustering. "Just hov deet ve geet on z'eese subject." Mika looks up to Katya with an innocent, toothy grin. "Got me, bollocks," she replies, "but I know what I ain't 'avin' fer Thanksgivin' dinner ever 'gain. Y'jus' witnessed th' birth've a veg'tarian." Tresillian shrugs stightly looking to Katya. "Well, it could be my fault... but tradition states I blame... " He pauses a moment as if thinking then points at Mika, "Her." Katya's foot stamp undoes the Mystic's control again, and she bursts into another round of giggles, only encouraged by the further comments of Mika and Tres. The Hyperion's captain gasps in mock alarm, eyes widening at Tres. "Y'lie!" she breathes. "M'a good Christian girl!" She raises her shoulders and tosses her head, making a little 'hmf' sound. Innokentevna just casts a long look back up to the mystic and her bright laughter. She considers and just stage pouts. "You are laughink at me ... Tresillian pulls a few spherical lollypops from his pocket, noteably they are purple, "Lollypop anyone?" He offers. Katriel bobs her head up and down, still giggling. "Yep," she agrees, one hand covering her mouth as she tries to stifle her laughter. The sounds of the tarmac begin to become more and more deafening as the morning progresses on, almost drowning out the sound of the Eos' airlock hissing open. The familiar Hyperion pilot steps out, slapping the pad next to the airlock, closing it. His boots clang as he makes his way down the ramp, rubbing his hair, which happens to be, strangely for him, a bit messy. Innokentevnastands beneath the outcast, looking up to Katriel in frustration, her arms crossd. "bah .. only because I can nyi reach you z'ere." Tink. Tink. Tink. Clomp. Melody exits the Gray Horse and pauses to survey the landing pad for someone in particular. Carried limply at her side, in her hand, is her trusty technogadget with bright screen flickering. "Who needs lollipops?" Mika asks of the Teamhair's captain, glancing sidelong at the approaching Neith. "Sweetness's already 'eaded this way." She raises her voice, calling out to the Timonae. "'lo, flyboy!" Tresillian looks up at Katriel then for a ladder to climb up, but not before looking to Mika and then to Neith. "Bah! The lollipops are purple, everyone knows purple is the best." Katriel peers down at Katya, still giggling madly, and then the thing everyone frets about while the Mystic is up there happens: she slips, feet losing their purchase on the side of the Outcast, starting to drop over the edge. A startled yelp precedes her sudden slapping of her back and arms against the bright yellow surface, halting her descent, feet pressing back against the ship as well. And there she stays. Continuing to rub his head, face filled with a look only someone who had a rough sleep ontop of a tree could display, Neith continues down the ramp. He takes a second to run his fingers through his hair, in a vain attempt to get it under control. He takes a second at the bottom of the ramp to look around, noticing his captain and the rest of a motly crew, all hanging about the Outcast. As familiar footsteps echo across the docks, Innokentevna turns and smiles, a hand reaching out to seek a specialist's waist. She lets her mock scowl turn into a smile, offering a tender chaste kiss in greeting. For a moment she is distracted, until she hears the scrabble of feet upon metal. Her head tilts, snaps and she gasps, suddenly becoming stiff and still, holding onto Melody tight. All her attention i focused upon Katriel. Mika looks Tres over with a crooked grin. "Y'play fer th' other team," she reminds him, "so there's no way I'd bloody know, s'there?" She laughs, and opens her mouth to say something else, and is suddenly jarred by the plight of the Mystic, her head snapping up and eyes widening, frozen in fear -- as if her not moving would somehow keep Kat from falling. Melody's warm olive-toned face brightens into a subtle glow as she locates where her courier stands, and also the mention of lollipops. "Greetings. Oh, lollipops... can I have one?" She steps up beside Katya and the two of them exchange armlocks, rooting the each other firmly in place. The sudden sounds of Katriel's slip mars the upbeat greeting as her expression shifts to one of concern, jerking to see where the noise originated from. "Kat...!" Katriel stays very still, not moving at all, in fact, and a faintly worried voice asks, "Katya...?" There is no answer from the courier, as she looks up to the mystic, the concern in her eyes hidden behind her dark glasses. To melody she anchors, holding her Specialist dearly and tightly. he does whisper, however, a breath soft and quiet. "katriel ... climb back up .... da?" Neith in response to slow reaction time due to his grogginess, finally notices the plight of the Mystic. "Airenei ces'Edien Aroosae" he mutters to himself. He walks over to the Outcast, feet dragging somewhat against the floor. "Kat, can y'get back up?" Mika asks, watching the little engineer carefully. She takes a slow step forward, biting her lip. "If'n y'can't... jus' 'ang on, I'll bloody come up after ya." Like a true friend that knows little about what recourse of action to take that would be beneficial and helpful, Melody detangles from the Horse's captain and stiffly waddles closer to the ship with arms outstretches. "Uhm, I... I'll catch you Kat..." Ridiculous as it may seem in theory, it's innocent and true. Katriel inches her way back upwards towards the flatter, safer surface on top of the Outcast, seemingly finding support out of thin air to help her climb. "Ummm... I think... I'm gonna... be fine," she calls back down to Mika and Melody, in between careful shifting of feet. Tresillian hands Melody one of the purple lollipops even as he moves to stand under where Katriel was before she started to inch he way back up the ship. "You can land on me by the way. If you need to. I think I owe you a fall." Neith shakes his head, grumbling. "This is going to be the highlight of my day, and somehow I find it rather saddening. Instead of, you know, letting her fall... why doesn't someone help her up?" He looks about from where he stands, scanning the ship over. "How does she climb up this thing anyway?" Innokentevna just watches, breath caught, breathing slow. She doesn't relax until Katriel is safe ... and then she almost falls herself as she does. One step is a stumble, and then she slowly shakes her head and rubs her temples. A minuet, then two, then she joins melody beneath the Outcast. She looks up, teeth set upon her lower lip. "maybe you shoult try a controll't descent, Kisa?" Melody ohs as a purple lollipop is pressed into one of her stretched out hands, glancing aside to the data analyst. Katriel's peril momentarily forgotten, the specialist contents herself in unwrapping the sweet candy and sticking it in her mouth. Mm. Good. Oh, right. Friend. In. Peril. She quickly resumes her 'ready to catch a Mystic' stance. "She's Kat," Mika idly retorts to Neith, eyes never leaving Katriel, "who knows. These things jus' 'APPEN t'er." She looks over to the other three, who all stand ready to catch the Mystic. "Bollocks, y'goddamned loons, at least get a sheet'r somethin'. Neith, go get one'a th' tarps from th' dropship. An' step on 't." Katriel continues to inch her way back, until she is resting on top of the Outcast again. The Mystic simply lies there for a moment, quietly breathing, and then calls back down to Katya, "Yeah, I think that's a good idea..." She moves with unusual caution back over to where the maintenance rungs are, scooting along, and taking no chances this time. As she climbs down, she looks over at the courier. "You okay?" Tresillian looks to Mika, "Actually, this way is better. Melody and I sorta fell on Katriel once so..." He shrugs as he sticks one of the lollipops in his own mouth after unwrapping it. Innokentevna nods slowly, answering Katriel softly. "Da, I am fine .. you okay up There?" The courier then takes a half step back, to lean against the Specialist, seeking her hand to twine and hold, extra strong for the moment. Neith grumbles to himself " aden'nar Sarie'a aden'nar einu meJai elei Nyl' nahlieen elei einu Aroosae ces'Edien nahlieen nahlieen janeiU" He sets off into a quick run back toward the Eos, and clangs up the ramp. He slaps the airlock control amd dashes inside. Hoyte wakes up from where he was slumbering off to at the far side of the landing pad, in what some small child might concieve of as a mythical fort, the way the cargo crates mount into the cavern. He's two tiers up, in a corner of sorts, and quite secure from watching eyes. His eyes flip open alertly when he wakes, as if the slumber's riptide has no hold upon his consciousness. His first action of course, is to reach inside his jacket and withdraw his stereotypical matte black lighter, and the usual crumpled pack of cigarettes. With these in hand, he grunts, and hops down off his landing, dropping 8 fleet to the tarmac below with a light thud in a crouched position. Katriel nods to Katya, feet finally touching the ground, and leans against the side of the Outcast for a moment, resting her forehead against it. "Cuz yellow is the fastest color," she murmurs, before straightening, looking at Katya with concern. "Was that new?" she asks softly, studying the woman. Melody nods to both Tres and Katriel, agreeing that she has some debt to pay for falling on her and also relieved now that the Mystic has averted what could have been a tragic mess. Her arms drop back down to her sides, but never does her concerned gaze waiver from watching the woman descend. "Why was she up there...?" She asks to anyone around, the most likely it's to Katya. "She's Kat," Mika says again, this time to the Specialist, as if that were explanation enough. Windowless and cramped, this tight compartment provides a pair of in-line acceleration couches only for a diminuitive pilot and communications officer. Data from outside the craft is relayed to the cockpit occupants via a holographic heads-up display, providing both a view from the ship and supplemental graphic navigation, trajectory and tactical information overlays. The acceleration couches are mounted upon gyroscopic devices which allow them to twist and rotate with the ship during acceleration and maneuvering. "I think we should tell her... But, I don't know her very well," Katriel says, regarding Katya fretfully. Melody looks up from her diligent work on the customized 'padd, absorbed concentration softening as she catches sight of the courier's face. "No, no... I didn't mean it like that... not really. It's just... we're busy a lot, with stuff we have to do. I guess -- sometimes there's not enough time for us to talk." "Katya and I know her... Ace, I mean. She was on the Horse for several months." Melody informs the Mystic, as if it would be reassuring. Katriel shakes her head. "No, I meant Marlan-- Dr. Ranix," she replies to Melody. "Don't know how she'll react to the idea of Colonel Porter really being back," she clarifies. Melody ohs in understanding, drawing the sound out with some echoed concern. "I guess... I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I don't even know what I think about the Colonel being cognizant in Phyrrian form. It's nice to have him... it... but it's really weird too." Innokentevnachuckles softly, "I ton't knov eef eetees zee real Colonel Porter or not. For example ..." The courier's eyes close, and she then reaches out, she raches out to hold Melody's hand very tightly. "Vhen ... vhen I vas huntink Greem ... ve vere on a vorlt ov ghosts, da? Zey vere guartink a set ov stones ve vere neetink. Eet ... eet vas after, after greem kill't Colonel porter. Zee last ... zee last ghost ve met z'at horrible ty vas hees." Slowly she opens his yes. "maybe I shoult ask heem vhen ve last talk't. eef eets on z'at vorlt ... zen da ... he ees. Eef eets back on ungstir ... z'en ... he's .. rpobably a unikve Phyrrian." Katriel nods, watching the couple quietly. "He seemed like a nice enough person," she says after a moment. Innokentevna nods. "He certainly vas... an een some vays?" Innokentevna;s voce becomes very quiet. "I ope ... eet voult be nice, eef he vas hees ovn person, a truly unikve person, da? Colonel Porter ... he ... he teserfs respect ... an a beet ov peace." "The Colonel was always nice to me. I served under him on the Vangard's Minerva crew as a civilian researcher." Melody offers to the conversation, as well as to tell the Mystic more about her and her past. "He kept me safe... he wasn't ever really mean to me. Sometimes strict, but that's part of the chain of command when things are needed to get done. It happens here on the Horse too, in a way. It's normal... it's the job." Lying on the acceleration couch, the Mystic stares up at the ceiling above her as she listens to the pair. She doesn't seem to have anything to add at this point, examining the ship above her with deep contemplation. Innokentevnaturns her chair around, and as she does draws a specialist's hand into her lap. The hand is held, and gently squeezed. "I knov ... an .. an I really meese heem too Meloty. He vas a hoopin' goot leater. An a goot person. I vish i vas half zee kapitan z'at he vas ... he helt zee Minerfa togezer, an he helt zee Athena togezer ... an he alvays knev vhich vay to go." She then looks back to the quiet mystic. "Are you okay katriel? A ruble for your thoughts?" Katriel tilts her head back down to look at Katya. "It's interesting, the idea of him living on inside a machine. And there's Aisha... She doesn't necessarily have to die, either-- if she gets a new body to download her programming to..." she observes, voice sounding a bit detached and distant. Melody affectionately squeezes the other woman's hand, seeking the warmth that her lap offers. "Yeah... he was. He is... if that Phyrrian is really him in some way." She shrugs her shoulders slightly, amiss at what to think or say. "Aisha... we can try to do that. We have Kipling Biologic now... maybe it's possible. Safely." Innokentevna considers quietly. "Da ... but eets ... remember, Aisha ees a programm'tsystem overlait on a biologeec template ..." then she blinks, starting. "Hoop, you tvo are rite. Zee kvestshun ees zee transfer. Hov deet Porter dovnloat hees entire personaleety, da? Hov vas eet physically tone. to you realize vhat sort ov scienteefeec break throught zat must hafe been?" She then lets out a long breath. "I vunter vhere zee ekvip .. ment ees ... to do z'at ..." there's a slight pause. "I hope eets nyi Thul-eesh." Katriel nods, blinking across at Katya. "It makes me wonder, a little-- is the tech out there? Or, did he do it somehow using psionics? Or just what happened there." Apparently Melody took this for granted. "Oh... I just thought that was a given. The Colonel's download. I didn't really think to question it... There's so many odd things that happen, you know." She balances her PDA on her thigh with her free hand. "I thought... if there were ghosts on the planet then it could just... I don't know... possess an Artificial Intelligence bank chipset. But if there's technology that did it... it'd be really good to have." "Da ... zee probleem ees I knov fery fev folks vho hafe zat sort ov technology ... an none ov z'em bvere fery nice." Innokentevna frowns. "Thul ... or ... " She stops. "Maybe ... maybe Haskins." Katriel tilts her head. "Haskins?" she queries. Innokentevna nods, "Runs Abofe natre, da? use't tohafe offeces on Tomen Kora. use't to ... eef zee rumours are rite, vork for Cabrerra as a consultant or sometheenk. Eef you became a probleem, sometimes you ent't up hees expereement.' Melody sighs softly to herself, somewhat dejected and unsatisfied. "Yeah... Cabrerra's really scary... and any of its partnerships." She shifts in her seat and flicks off the PDA. Katriel makes a small oh with her mouth. "Not a nice person, I guess," she says softly. "Like that man, last night, Hoyte?" she says, shivering a bit. "He's... the stuff I saw in his mind-- he's a very tortured man." Innokentevnalooks to melody with a soft smile. "I theenk he hat mofe't off Tomeen Kora before zee colonel got zere. Z;at an eef he hat been eemprint'ton a spesaleest, da ... z'at voult hafe nbeen haskins. Zat he vas programm't eento ... a ... computer. Eento a hoopin' computer." Innokentevna just crosses her arms, at that. As katriel speaks, she just looks back, letting th e conversation drift in that direction. "Hoyte. Katriel ... Hoyte ees certeefiable. Hoyte has ent't up shootink folks on hees team, almot got kill't pickink fite een Rockhoppers, try't to keeel me on zee stashun Dva an has absolutely no care for Ungstiri. vhy he hangs out on our lantink fielt i can nyi feegure out." To the topic of Hoyte, all Melody can do is frown and look uncomfortable. "Yeah... I don't understand why he doesn't like people or Katya so much... I mean, what happened? Did we do something wrong to him? He seemed to want to help in the beginning, before the DVA wreck..." Katriel nods slowly, biting her lip. "He's broken Melody-- just plain broke. I don't think you can predict what he does-- I don't think he can either. There's too much blood and screaming going on in there," she says softly. Again the topic of people being invigorated by the pain and suffering they cause comes up. "I don't... understand. Why is he like that...?" Innokentevnashakes her head quietly. "Meloty ..." She lets out a long breath. "meloty ... he hat goot tays, he hat bat tays .... an I theenk zee bat tays nov out number zee goot tays. Eef z'ere are any goot tays anymore. Sometimes ... no ve deedn't to anytheenk vrong. Zee vorse part ees, eef anytheenk, ve may hafe been to kint to heem." Katriel also shakes her head at Melody. "It's... It isn't something he can do anything about, leastwise, not anymore, if he ever could," she responds. "Then... then what do we do for him? What should be done...?" Melody asks timidly with owlish hazel eyes behind those wire-rims. She keeps hold of Katya's hand, however. It's her lifeline. People were hard to understand. Katriel shakes her head at Melody again. "Don't think there's much anybody can do for him," she says, quietly. "Maybe a Vollistan could help him, or one of the Mystic counselors, but... Some wounds just don't heal," she says simply. Innokentevna gently squeezes Melody's hand. "Ve make sure he toesn't hurt us. Zat come feerst, Unterstant?" An anchor, sure and even, placing a certain specialists welfare absolutely first. "An he's got to vant to geet hemelsf fix't. he can nyi make z'at feerst step ... notheenk ve can do veel, een zee ent vork." And here Kit decides to plod in with a yawn - one for just barely waking up, rather than heading toward bed - on bare feet, wrinkled shirt and pants, and a cup of hot chocolate whose over-sweetness can be all but tasted in the few curls of steam wafting from its surface. "I would not suggest using the kitchen sink for the next two hours," she states before plopping into her usual seat, taking a calm sip while she struggles to prop her tablet against one knee and type at the same time. Katriel nods a little at Katya, and then beams as Kit walks in. "How come?" she asks, eyes tracking the coveted mug of hot chocolate. Melody seems satiated with the answers for the moment, nodding her agreement and lapsing into a lulled quiet. But with Kit's arrival it signals a prompted question from the youthful Specialist. "Was the turkey baster in with the dishes, Kit? I couldn't find it the other day..." She tilts her head to the side. Innokentevna looks to melody. her mouth opens. And her cheeks, very simply, go beet red. Her mouth shuts with a solid *clack* of teeth on teeth. "Some sites neglected to mention the reactive properties of certain ingredients if the excess and byproducts are poured down the drain within fifteen minutes of each other," Kit mumbles with what might be a hint of embarrassment, but which is expertly concealed behind another nursing sip at the mug before Melody's words register. And then she pauses, eyes shifting at first to the Specialist with puzzlement before they zero in on Innokentevna for the reaction - and then narrow suspiciously over the mug's ceramic rim. "Turkey baster? If I did not specifically inventory the item as being in the third drawer from the left of the galley, I would not even know we possessed one. I have not had cause to use the item yet - what did you wish to do with it?" Katriel looks from Melody to Kit and then to Katya, and her eyes grow a bit wider, as she suddenly recalls the conversation from yesterday. A stifled giggle escapes her, and she claps a hand over her mouth. Innokentevna just ... just opens her mouth and closes it again, and buries her head against melody's shoulder. Absolutely speechless. Melody's words stutter and stumble as she tries to locate the reason for the turkey baster, caught off-guard by being directly asked. "I... well... I was -- going to make a turkey! Yes. That's what I was going to do... you know, with a turkey and... it needs a baster for ... uhm, basting. Turkey basting. Yes, that's what it is." Kit looks from one guilty party to the next before straightening with something close to scandalized disbelief battling with exasperation over her expression. "Ariel, lock-down on the cockpit! When Katya blushes like that - what nefarious plans do you have for my turkey baster?" Always selected with meticulous forethought, nevertheless, it seems the particular words Kit chose this time are filled with a humor vastly different from her usual tongue-in-cheek - if any humor is intended at all. She certainly seems serious enough about tracking down the whereabouts of her turkey baster. Innokentevna just buries her head against Melody's shoulder and holds on with both arms. Tight. She does bark out a muffled protest. "I ton't hafe any plans concernik your turkey baster." She then swallows and whispers. " ... eet voult melt een an autoclave ..." Katriel can't help it, she bursts into peals of laughter as Kit orders the cockpit locked down. "Said, not yours," she gasps out between fits of giggles. From out of her pocket, Melody counters Kit's command with springing Ariel II to life. "Ariel, unlock the cockpit." She turns a shifty glance to the Mystic and then back to the cyberwitch, slightly flushed from the grip her courier has on her. Funny how roles reverse. Danger comes and Mel is behind Katya. Embarrassment comes and Katya is behind Mel. "I don't think Katya has it... if she did, I, uh, probably would know about it. Maybe it's under Katriel's bunk..." She can't help but break into a chuckle. Kit's brows snap down as she glares darkly at Melody for the countermanding order before she snaps with more than a little creator's jealousy, "Ariel, voice-lock override, mark: Alpha-003." She pauses only long enough to register what is a distinctly affirming 'ping' from the speakers before continuing, "Lock down the cockpit. Nobody is leaving until someone divulges what plans had been made with the turkey baster and what else might be missing from my kitchen." Innokentevna just raises an arm, straight, and the finger of her hand POINTS at Katriel. Katriel looks at Melody, and shakes her head back and forth with comical earnestness. "Nuh-uh," she denies, eyes wide. "Wasn't my idea," she protests as Katya points to her. "It's not me... I'm the one /looking/ for it..." Melody protests meekly with a stifled chuckle. She clears her throat 'properly.' "To... ahh, baste a turkey, I mean. Uhmm..." Kit gives everyone present a flat glare as she begins to fold her arms, remembers the mug still mostly full of hot chocolate at the last moment, and sets it aside before finally succeeding in crossing her arms before her with an imperious scowl. "I want the truth of it *now*, or shall I have Ariel start looping various embarrassing episodes involving each of you in some capacity or another?" "Okay ... eets Mika's fault, but she's asleep!" Innokentevna burbles. "And ... and .. and we'd never really use a turkey baster ..." An deciding she likes where she is, she remains burrowed against Melody's arm. Katriel frowns a bit at Kit, head tilting to the side. "I don't think I've done anything embarrassing over here," she comments. "But anyways, it's so not my fault-- and yeah, Mika started it," she agrees readily with Katya to place the blame on the absent captain. So much for friendship. "And Tres!" Poor Melody. She seems a little dumbfounded and innocent, like a deer caught in the headlights of a hovercar. "What...? Really, I just need to know so I can bake some turkey." Sadly, this is the truth. So much for ulterior movtives and teases. There's a bang on the door leading midbay. "What'n th' CHRIST's goin' on'n there?" a raspy voice demands from the other side. "I 'eard m'name!" Kit eyes Katriel speculatively before she states, "Fine. No more hot chocolates or raw cookie dough." Confident in her settling of the matter where at least the Mystic is concerned, she now turns a stern gaze upon Melody and Innokentevna. "Melody, I suggest you coordinate your story with your new wife before continuing any further. Katya, spit it out before I have your cargo hold filled with pillows. And Mika - " she raises her voice to be heard over the Hyperion's captain, " - if my review of the security recordings reveal that you have taken up the habit of eavesdropping, I will have Ariel route a low current through the next metal plate you touch." "Eet vas ... et vas ... eet vas Mika an' Tresillian ..." the courier mumbles, burrowing her head against Melody's arm, as red as the reddest beet in the reddest beet-world, and she just can't help blurt out. "Z'ey veer talkinkabout hafink cbabies!" Katriel sits up straight, looking at Kit in alarm. "But I didn't DO anything," she repeats. "Really-- all I did was tell them they'd better not use yours!" she insists, elaborating a bit on her earlier comment. Melody is seriously taken aback by this addition of 'BABIES' into the fray of conversation. "Babies? What does babies have to do with cooking a turkey...?" Seriously... what has the researcher gotten herself into here! "I just want to make dinner!" "What?" Mika hollers. Then there's a dull, unnatural *thump* of something smacking against the door, and an "ow" before she goes on. "Babies?! Who's cookin' babies?! What's that-- oh." A beat, and then hysterical laughter. "Melody! Make sure y'tell Katya t'eat th' oven up 'fore she sticks'n th' turkey!" "Babies? What do babies have to do with a turkey baster?" Kit asks blankly, in unintentional echo of the Specialist as she stares hard at Innokentevna. Snapped out of her bemusement by Katriel's protest, she frowns at the Mystic and asserts, "You may not be in direct fault, but you are clearly involved with an abettment charge where covering things up are concerned. In that respect, you are just as guilty." Peering skeptically toward the door when the laughing begins, she raises her voice to ensure that Mika can hear clearly through the sealed hatch, "Ariel, prepare ten volts across the corridor linking cockpit, airlock, and midbay. On my mark, apply it for point-five seconds." It's now Katriel's turn to bury her face, but she doesn't have a handy Specialist to use, so she makes do with her own hands, hiding from Kit. "So not my fault," is muffledly repeated. There's only one thing Innokentevna can do at this point. She yells. "MIKA! JUMP!" "I gotta 'nough alcohol'n m'system t'send this ship up'n a ragin' fireball, woman!" Mika warns. "No, wait! Don't blow us up!" Melody cautions with a hand shooting out to the control panel -- any control panel -- nearby. She's in a frenzied panic, as if taking these threats as complete reality. Exasperated, she exclaims, "All I wanted to know was where the turkey baster was for Thanksgiving!" As the chaos in - and out of - the cockpit grows exponentially, Kit is finally reduced to tangling a hand frustratedly in her hair and opining to the ceiling with the resigned air of a martyr, "How have we been reduced to these four particular conversations?" Innokentevna blinks, starts, and her eyes open wide like saucers, gazing up at Melody. "You ... you ... you vre talkink about Thanksgifink?" her courier just chokes ... chokes and looks to the back hallway. "Mika, you and Katriel an Tresillian are confusink my Meloty! Stop eet!" Katriel peers over at Kit from behind spread fingers. "It's been kinda a long month?" she offers as an answer, back to giggling at Katya's directive. Through tangles of highlighted hair overshadowing her face, disheveled and whispy from the frantic turn of events, Melody pauses to blink at Katya. "Yes...! Thanksgiving... that's all." Her tone is still edged with pangs of fret. Though slowly that turns into confusion and suspicion. "Why...? What did you guys mean?" A bawdy song comes from behind the door: "My lover's a line cook, a line cook, a line cook, A very fine line cook s'e, All day 'e bastes chickens'n turkeys'n geese fer th' eatin', An' then 'e comes 'ome'n bastes me!" Innokentevna just chokes. Three simple words tumble in a rough an awkward bark. "Vhat. She. Sait.' Apparently unimpressed by Mika's threat, Kit resolutely sits back in her seat, hands curled over the armrests as she gives everyone within the cockpit a brooding frown. "Very well. Ariel: include the cockpit in that last commandment. Now, if I do not obtain a straight and truthful answer as to what precisely is involved with the version of events including Mika Tachyon, Selyf Tresillian, and one turkey baster by the time I count down to one, I will give Ariel to apply the current and repeat the treatment as many times as I feel necessary. In the case of the argument that I occupy the cockpit along with you, I warn that I possess a very high pain threshold. Five...four..." As soon as the lyrics filter through the steel, she throws an almost mild glance toward the hatch before ordering, "Ariel, up the voltage in the corridor to fifteen volts. Four...three..." Innokentevna immediately meeps and tries to pull all of Melody into her lap, tugging up her feet into the acceleartion couch cuchions. Katriel does not seem to know quite what to do at this point, looking at Kit with wide eyes. "She wanted kids with purple hair!" she finally bursts out by way of answer, and then hides her face again. Come on. Melody isn't going to understand something that abstract. A lover and cooking and basting. It sounds like the Thanksgiving dinner that she wants to prepare. Unless, within, it has some sort of innuendo? Something physical maybe. So when the courier pulls her into her lap, it's a perfect time to put this curiosity at work. The girl can but weakly ask, "Are we 'basting' now?" And Mika explodes into side-splitting laughter, apparently falling against the door, judging by the hollow *whump* sound. "Oh sweet merciful Christ!" she shrieks, "go on'n juice me, Kit -- that is blinkin' WORTH'T. I can die 'appy now!" "Two..." Kit begins to mouth before she pauses at Katriel's outburst. Turning to stare at the Mystic, she echoes, "She wanted kids with purple hair..." A short length of silence, and then she begins to work out slowly with an unconscious frown, "Tresillian has purple hair. And yet a turkey baster is involved someh - " And then, suddenly, a sight truly to behold - is that a blush that suddenly traverses the Sivadian's cheeks? But it might be hard to tell, for she just as suddenly pales with a decidedly green tinge as she, perhaps, followed the speculation to its end as to what bastardized usage the cooking implement would be put to. "I think I would be doing the universe a favor by relieving it of you, Mika Tachyon. I cannot imagine what would happen if you were ever to reproduce...perhaps all of reality would implode upon itself." Katriel has curled herself into a protective little ball of Mystic, and when the expected shock does not arrive, she pokes her head up a bit to look at Kit. "Is't over?" she asks, torn between laughter and worry. Innokentevna just buries her head against Melody's shoulder, wrapping her arms around the pretty specialist. She leans up and whispers. "Nyi knov, meloty ... but maybe later." She then adds, a little louder, for someone else's benefit. "An certainly nyi een a crovt't cockpeet!" Cheeks grow shades upon shades darker, like wildfire does it spread across every inch of her face. "Umm... oh." That's all she can say. The basting thing has found new light in the researcher's mind and all she can think of is 'oh.' What can you do? What can you do? Beneath her own blush Innokentevna can't help but smile, for a thought, for the future ... and while laughter and turmoil ricochette through their home she rests her head upon Melody's shoulder and hugs her Specialist. "Oh, I bloody see 'ow't is!" Mika howls in between laughs, "s'fine, Kit! Jus' lemme use that baster'a yers one more time 'fore I keel over, alright?" Apparently she has taken off for the kitchen, as the pattapattapat of her footsteps grows more and more faint. Kit stands up with a somewhat more absent air than is even her usual wont, reaching down reflexively to retrieve the now lukewarm mug of chocolate - before staring down hard at the kitchenware, grimacing, and then setting it gingerly back onto the console, as if it carries some secret contamination that might splash over onto her fingertips if she isn't careful. "Mika...Tresillian...making babies..." she mumbles as she walks toward the hatch, standing expectantly before it for a moment before she finally remembers - remembers! - to call out, "Ariel, release lock." And, as the motion sensor finally allows the steel door to slide aside, to reveal the Hyperion's captain scampering down the corridor, Kit frowns and adds, "Ariel, apply voltage to corridor only - mark." And...*ZAP* Katriel uncurls all the way, the danger apparently over, and then meeps as Kit orders the corridor zapped. "Mika? You okay?" she calls to her friend. Melody ohs softly in slight surprise and disbelief as Kit actually enacts upon her threat of shocking the other captain. It's marginally unsettling... And not as if she can do much while captured by a snoozing Katya. Mika flies off her feet with a yelp and crashes to the ground in a heap, muscles jerking and twitching as the charge winds its way through her. And yet, somewhere in the midst of her whimpering -- she is giggling weakly. "I-I-I'm gonna spit'n yer marshmallow fluff, woman," she taunts, voice broken, failing limbs vainly trying to pull her to her feet. She grumbles. "Soon's I... bollocks... s-s-son's I can bloody get up..." Katriel scrambles off the couch, and over to her friend, looking both relieved and disturbed as the woman continues to giggle faintly. "Mika...?" she says, and then calls back to Kit, "She didn't mean that!" Kit stares at Mika with a sort of sick fascination before she begins to stride through the corridor with a decidedly dazed air. "Of course she did," she responds unconcernedly to Katriel's assertion, before muttering beneath her breath again, "Mika...Tresillian...babies..." Pausing in the hatchway leading into the mid bay, she ponders something and then instructs, "Ariel, if Mika Tachyon approaches the refrigerator or any of the items currently stored in the galley, apply the voltage difference to her again." And then she steps through. Mika snickers and tips her head back in insane laughter, then stage-whispers to the Mystic, "Kat, g-go open th' fridge fer me!" Katriel hides her face again, and calls out, "I'm not helping her!" to Kit. There is no answer but for the quiet whisper of the hatch sliding closed behind her again and Kit's continued mumblings, "Mika...Tresillian...babies..."
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