Kobol's Legacies

( Asking for a favor, and political support. )

From the terrace of the Sertorius’ suite, Jilleen in a dark red sweat jacket and gray shorts stretched for her morning exercises.  Her first meeting with her therapist was not scheduled until later in the day. She had arrived on the Shangri-la last night after the shuttle had made stops at the Pacifica, Ark Royal, and then Babylonia, which a majority of single men and some women had disembarked for a night of recreation.

Jilleen’s unexpected leave of duty left her no desire to remain aboard the Avalon, especially in the midst of preparations for the impending operation. Her written orders from Sinclair had made allowances for off ship sessions and were non-specific about the length of time. On the Shangri-la, Councilman Sertorius and his wife allowed her to stay with them and shared their luxurious residential suite, giving her a private room all to herself.  It afforded them the privilege to boast of hosting a daughter of a former Aerilan Governor among those of their social circle. In return, Jilleen enjoyed all the amenities of first class accommodations and membership.

( Morning Exercise )

Arriving back on Shangri-La had never brought her such a sense of relief and was thankfully uneventful. Managing to maintain a facade of calm she confirmed that Sting was now running on fumes and needed refuelling, regardless of what was happening with the condensers in the refuelling bay. "She ain't goin' nowhere till she gets juiced up," she called over her should, figuring hers and Bethany's trip to visit Seph on Babylonia would now be well and truly cancelled.

( When she reached her cabin she closed the hatch... )

"FRAK!!"

The shout echoed down the corridor, sound reverberating off the metal walls and bringing everyone to a halt. The dim light wasn't so much a factor, all of them having donned night-vision goggles at the beginning of the exercise. They were almost standard apparel now, the team well into their fourth day. So much of their time together before C-Day had been facing anything from rebel seperatists to Cylon centurions that the majority of them had slipped back into their places without even appearing to have lived through nearly three years since they'd last operated together, complete and ready to head into the jungles for a training mission.

The only two that concerned John were the two younger, newer guys. They'd only been with the unit for six months before C-Day, and therefore didn't have the experience, or personal familiarity with the others to slot back into place without some hiccups. He could tell who was with him just from their breathing, as most of them could. Each of them had their own way of recognising every other member of the team, whether it was how they breathed, or moved, or simply just 'knowing'. Spike was like that, could tell with a blindfold on which of them had pinched his smokes, or lifted his hand to try and nick his weapon for a test.

Silently he signalled to both Spike and Spider to continue, that he was going to see what was going on, whose arse he was going to kick as this mission had been designated 'comms black out', and there was nothing that should cause that silence to be broken. Avalanche and JD were under orders to remain 'unfindable' in the corridors and the team had to locate them in less than 12 minutes, and they were up to 8. Reaper slipped back past the two men and went searching for the source of the sound...

After watching Sting be towed to the lift up to the flight deck, Dani gave a small sigh and shook her head. The whole situation with Anika and Jill just sat wrong with her, it seemed out of character for Jill to attack another person without cause and for the life of her she couldn't think of what Anika could have done to deserve that.

Another head shake and Dani put the thoughts out of her mind for now. She had a long walk to get back to her quarters and she wasn't looking forward to it. The trip down here had taken a lot out of her, and if it hadn't been an emergency she wouldn't have left the quarters she shared with Rhys at all.

Thread open to primitive_soul, rhys_gaither

Alone in her semi-private cabin with light music playing, Jilleen typed the last sentence of her report on her lap top computer. Her report documented all that took place from her point of view in the hanger earlier and listed the names of witnesses she knew were present.  She expected she would take the full blame. She was a Colonial officer, she should have known better than let her personal feelings interfere with the performance of her duty. 

( Leave of duty )

While not very fast on her feet or graceful, Dani could lumber forward on her own power once she was on her feet. Still, she didn't mind the assistance from her friend as they made their way up the short steps into Sting.

( not doing that again )

Note: This continues from the events in Briefing Anika

45 minutes after the incident

“…she was belligerent.” said Captain Dennison, Avalon’s Senior Landing Signal Officer. “I was ready to run over there to end a fist fight, but it never came to that, too bad though, it might have been entertaining.
( Not worth the trouble )

Vagabond relaxed with an easy sigh as he looked out at the endless star line. Somehow, here, behind the stick of a Mark VII, it all made sense. The fighter moved like a dart of mercury through the whale-like capital ships of the fleet. Vagabond took a kind of arrogant joy in the fact that as long as he was in the cockpit he was in control. He could outrun, out fly, and and out perform any other ship in the fleet and he knew it. This wasn't the time to stand on his soap box, though. That would come when the details of the 'military action' that had the fleet on edge were revealed. For now this was just another day, another cubit - a standard BARCAP.

"Vagabond to Avalon, things seem fine among the heavies and the civilian ships. Permission to sweep the forward quadrant?" His voice carried a static-ridden sense of boredom across the wireless.

A dull, almost irritated, "Permission granted" came back.

He shifted his weight a bit, and made a few adjustments to his sensors before opening the throttle up ever so slightly. The agile Mark VII zipped ahead, reaching the forward point of the fleet in seconds.

"What do ya say, Cupcake? You got my six as we sweep a whole lot of nothin'?" It was almost possible to hear the grin on his face as he called sardonically called to his wingman across the wireless.

“Frak, what have I done?” she said as she looked at herself in the mirror above the sink in the empty uni-sex rest room.  Her little talk with Lt. Lancelot had accomplished no favor. The pilot was one of those who still believed in the honor code, like Jilleen once had before the start of the war.  Her view changed after the start of the war and her experiences on the ground back in the Colonies.

If honor was so important, she should have stayed behind on Leonis with the un-selected and let someone else do the dirty work. Instead, she did her duty, like the rest of those with her on the ground to follow orders and to move on to the next assignment. Be that assignment to gather supplies or round up survivors to be rescued. There was no honor in what they had to do, nothing noble about leaving the un-selected, those un-important people. It did not make up for the fact that they did indeed rescue a good deal of people. Jilleen chose to live with that disappoint of having to leave.

How could a viper pilot understand that, one who saw things from a cockpit way above the ground, they did not have to live in the dirt. Lt. Lancelot and others can live with their honor intact.

( Solace )

Bethany stood staring at the message on the flimsy paper in her hands. The ship's communications officer had brought it to her personally, finding her in the kitchen attached to the ballroom where the members of the Orchid Grower's Society would gather later for their annual function. Seeing that it was sent by Dani made her less worried, but no less concerned. She looked up at the young man and forced a small smile, thanking him for bringing it. "Is there any way I can send a message to Babylonia immediately?" she asked, relieved when the young man nodded. The young man held out a small pad and pen he was carrying. "I can write it down if you prefer?" he offered, noticing she was still holding the flimsy paper.

( "Yes, please, if you would," she told him and started to recite. )

To: Bethany Jereldsen, Shangri-La
From: Lt. Daniella Kypros BS-93 Avalon
Re: Anika onboard Avalon

Bethany,

Apparently Sting caught the eye of Major Sykes and he's requisitioned the ship for the next few days. I don't know all the details but knowing Anika she refused to let anyone fly her ship but her.

She's safely onboard Avalon and in no danger. I'll give what details I can once I know more about what's going on. If the brass give the OK I'll insist she bunk with Rhys and myself until this whole thing is over.

Hopefully she'll be able to contact you herself soon.

Regards,
Dani

The decks they were going to use for training hadn't been used recently John noted as he went around them again to give them a final once-over before heading up to greet his team as they arrived. Word had been sent through that they would start shipping in in a few hours and he was looking forward to seeing them.

One week. That's what he'd been told. One week to get the unit back operational and ready to roll out. It'd been three years since they'd worked together, but he knew most of them would be chomping at the bit to get back into their designated role. Especially his 2IC, Spider. Serben Webb, aka Spider, had hated being assigned to the job of 'peacekeeper', muttering to John on one ocassion they were having rec leave on Babylon together that if he'd wanted to be a cop he'd have '...joined the frakkin' MPs!!!'.

With a final look over the corridor that led to their 'goal' on the first training run John closed the hatch and locked it, the codes only known to him and very few others. They didn't want anyone wandering in there unwittingly as the training was going on. Whatever this mission was it was more secret than anything he'd been involved with since C-Day...

( Persephone thinks on fond memories. )

Jilleen had the double role of being the Avalon’s operations officer and the Strike Group’s operations officer, a position of great responsibility, one of which she had been performing for years now. She had her set ways, and for the most part understood her place in the scheme of things.  It was her job plain and simple.

After Commander Burk informed her of the Sting, and its possible role in the close reconnaissance mission, she saw the merit. What she did not understand was why they would agree to allow the civilian captain to pilot the ship, there were plenty of talented and skilled military pilots who could do the job. She could herself, at least she believed so. Any ways it had been part of the deal, they get to use the ship if Anika flew it.
( Unwelcomed )

Stowing the last of his incidentals into a foot locker, Cole turned and flopped into one of the metal chairs that surrounded the tiny metal table sitting amongst the collection of bunks, photos and gear that the Black Hydras called home. He glanced around the room for a second and with a sigh he came to the realization that this was his home too. After pondering that thought for a moment or two he wasn't sure whether the idea of this new home was exciting or depressing. Still, the silence and solitude was causing some melancholy to slip into his mood.

He stood once more and took off his flight suit for the first time since he'd come aboard the Avalon. Now in his loose black pants and black and gray combination of sleeveless shirts, he reached for his guitar. Taking the beaten black case into his hands gingerly, he slowly opened the clasps. They groaned from age and wear. It was comforting, familiar sound. No matter where he'd gone in his life, Cole had always had his guitar.

( Lifting the simple )

Dinner proved to be fun. Their journey from the bar to the casual, easy-going dining area had taken a little longer when Rosie had mistakenly taken them down a wrong corridor, a lucky meeting with a crew member finally setting them back on the right track again.

Always one with a good appetite John finished off his dessert with relish, shaking his head when asked if he'd like another. The conversation had been light and fun, tall tales told and silliness imbued. As they left the dining room John looked across at the directory that indictaed where some of the entertainment areas lay, and what was available.

"So, what would m'lady like to do now?" he asked, indicating the directory.

Anika lay on her stomach on the bed, the pages of Jake's most recent letter in front of her as she read it. The others he'd written all lay in a pile next to her, along with a small stack of blank pieces and a pen. She grinned as she read his description of Dani and how she was going, wondering just what he'd say if she showed it to Dani. She wouldn't, and it was probably one of the best descriptions she'd heard, even if it wasn't particularly complimentary just due to the situation. "Poor Dani," she murmured as she read it. She read through the letter again, as usual, before starting to write one in return. About two to three times a week they would communicate through letters, ship-to-ship communication for personal or private conversations more hassle than they were worth.

They'd spoken a couple of times since the tournament, on the air when he'd happened to be able to get airborne when she was, but otherwise it had all been through letters. Slowly they'd gotten to know each other a little better, their daily routines becoming a familiar thing, plus small snippets of life previous to the Exodus, which would creep in from time to time. She was still a little more cautious with what she wrote, the idea that her letters were going into the massive military maw of Avalon making her a little wary. Even though she usually delivered them on her run to the ship from time to time she didn't know what happened once they left the hands of the young clerk who collected the bag from her on hangar deck each time, exchanging it for one to go back to the central depot ship if she was going that way.


( As she came in to land that afternoon,... )

Cole put the last thoughts of Colonel MacKenzie out of his head as he made his way down the hall. He still couldn't quite get over how fast the Colonel had been able to get inside his head. He shivered, the uncomfortable parallels to his father flooding his mind's eye. The speeches, the rants, the discipline; it had been over a decade, but somehow just thinking about it always seemed to create a fresh wound.

He cleared his mind once and for all as he stood before the office door of Captain Tarix. He smiled to himself and straightened his hair. Jester had said she kept a tighter line than he did, but still - it never hurt to look your best when meeting a lady.

Clearing his throat, Colton West wrapped at the door

Dani shifted her position in bed, trying to find a comfortable position when her body was letting her be anything but comfortable. She moved a pillow underneath her hips and that seemed to help, and with a sigh she turned back to the book she was trying to read. "You'd better be worth it," she groused good naturedly to her greatly distended abdomen, and chuckled as she got a kick in response.

Since the visit with the doc she was now on limited bedrest, which meant she was supposed to stay in bed as much as possible but was allowed to get up from time to time. It had been a few days now and she was already getting the sense that it was going to feel like an eternity between now and when the babies actually arrived, assuming she made it to full term in less ten weeks.

She sighed again and turned the page.

[thread open to absolutelysheba]

The heavy echo of combat boots on the metallic flight deck carried across the hanger bay like the opening beats of some annoying song that gets stuck in the brain. A few working mechanics turned to see who was bothering to make all the noise.

He was lithe and lean and carried himself with the swagger of someone whose abilities were only outmatched by his ego. An athletic frame was wrapped in the gray-green flight suit of a viper jock. He was a short man, with an almost elfin sparkle in his dark brown eyes. The thin, well trimmed facial hair an loose cascade of brown hair only added to his mischievous aura. A duffel bag was held loosely in his right hand while an old fashioned guitar case was slung over his shoulder. Both were beaten and patched in several places.
( He nodded... )

( State of the Fleet Dilemma )

( 'Shore' Leave )

“Eva, do you ever get tired of this old routine?” Jilleen laid back in her bunk with a cigarette in her hand. “I mean, our line of work and living aboard this ship. I sometimes wish, I could just leave and start new career. Something outdoors.” She laughed as the smoke from her cigarette lingered above her.
( Roomies )

( Subject: Warning Order 080329-1 )