| Confronting Life |
| Summary: | Merrell physically confronts Marcion about Ren's death and the orders to leave him behind. |
| Date: | 08 Mar 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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Rando Hall in Engineering
Marcion grimaces a bit to himself as he walking into the Engineering deck, his hand bandaged but otherwise ok physically. Mentally is something else, he seems to look through bulkheads and pipes, and even his beloved FTL drive only garners a little attention.
Merrell is already moving around engineering. Her day started yesterday and she hasn't slept. She's already stopped by Medical to talk to Sofia and come back down here to work. She's with a small team working on a fire suppression pipeline when she glances up to the oncoming Lieutenant. Its a double-take and her jaw sets. With a few whispered words to the PO1 with her, she steps off towards the man and heads him off. "Lieutenant Marcion. You got a minute? I need to talk to you about something." The rest of the team stops and looks on towards the pair, words not carrying that far in the din of noise created by the powerplants.
Marcion's eyes come into focus and he looks at the chief blearily. "Suppose FTL calibration can wait a few minutes," he mumbles, then nods. "Very well, chief. What is on your mind?"
Merrell stuffs her hands into her pockets and she looks up to him, her head tilting to the side. "Lieutenant, I understand that we lost Elijah Ren yesterday. You, ah, were leading the Engineering element, if I understand correctly?" This is visibly hard for her. There's a lot of emotion in those clouded eyes. Her Tauran accent slides heavily past her lips, voice still quiet. "That-" She shifts her stance. She doesn't finish.
Marcion's eyes cloud over even more. He looks down at his hands for a moment, and then looks up to Merrell. "Yes, Chief. That is correct. Watched Ren die right in front of me. Watched Sofia nearly die. Under my command."
Merrell's jaw clenches, fists balling in her pockets while she grabs a fistful of nothing. Just thinking about it hurts. The expression on her face pained, twisting it almost out of recognition. "Lieutenant, do you know anything about religion or last rites? What it means to a soul to be given a proper burial?" Her voice is shaking, the woman on the verge of tears. "If they don't get their last rites.." She swallows hard, trying her hardest to maintain her compsure. "Then the Gods cast them aside to sit on the banks forever. They never reach Elysium. Elijah was just a -kid-."
Marcion's eyes widen at that. Whatever he expected, it wasn't this. "Enough souls on the banks of those killing fields tonight. Would have had plenty of company," Marcion closes his eyes for a moment. "Were ambushed by Cylons. Needed to get everyone out before more came, report to command. Body was brought back. Against my orders and the marine officers orders, as well." His eyes open again. "Was just a kid. Good kid. Smart kid. Didn't deserve that. Don't know whether what any of us deserves matters, anymore."
Merrell's face contorts into something horrible. "Plenty of company?!" she breathes, nearly gasping. "He deserved nothing less than happiness. He survived Picon only to die out there and you-" A tear dribbles down the side of her face as she swallows again. Her voice is getting louder. The maintnance crew stands up from their work and takes a step towards them, the PO1 keeping them at bay though. The Senior Chief is obviosuly upset from any angle. "Lieutenat, do you have any idea what it does to frakking morale to give orders like that? These men and women need to know that no matter what, we will bring them home. None of these people have anything left but each other and what comfort we can provide until they cross past this life." A hand comes out of her pocket and holds up Ren's dogtags in front of his face. "Tell Elijah he should be comfortable with that company on the banks. Forever. Tell him. Now." Yeah, Merrell is furious.
"Should also tell them that we will never prevent them from crossing a bridge to safety, even if a bridge must be closed to save entire ship." Marcion's eyes are sharp now. "Should also tell them that war is a huge mistake and Cylons are just going to go away now. Should also tell them that whole frakking mess is a huge nightmare and will wake up soon." He closes his eyes, trying to calm himself down. "Ren is in ship morgue. Will recieve service with full honors. But stand by my orders. Will care for the dead when I can. Will care for the still living when I must." His eyes open again, and he looks Merrell in the eyes. "Morale also depends on Chief maintaining composure in face of terrible odds. More so than funerals and dogtags."
"I was at that bridge, Lieutenant." She nearly spits the last word. He cheek twitches. "I will not lie to my men and women while someone with pins gives them bullshit. These people are not cylons. They are living, breathing people with hearts, souls and emotions. You can't just input a bunch of bullshit and expect a response, Marcion." The anger keeps building, her face turning red. "Your crew is your first priority, not some frakking engine or F-T-frakking-L. They are the lifeblood of this ship and more important than you and I. Or my damned composure, Lieutenant!" The crew behind her starts moving over, some of them looking a bit nervous. The dogtags are rolled up into her palm and her hand balls over them once more. "You- How dare you?!" She rocks back, her little five-foot-three frame twisting at the shoulders before throwing a punch at his face. The crew behind her is already running.
Marcion takes the hit and goes down relatively easily. A hand goes to his eye, but he doesn't react. Instead, he stands up slowly. "You will not lie to your people. But I should lie to them, and tell them I will risk the living to bring them back if they are dead." He looks at her, touching his eye as it swells. "Deserved that. Not used to confrontation. Probably obvious, given how away party turned out." He looks past her to where her people ran. "I ran into a doorway. Always have been clumsy. If crew has issue with that, send them to me. Or throw another punch, if need."
Merrell moves to stand over him but he's getting back up. The crew rolls up behind her and the Petty Officer moves to grab her shoulder, the Senior Chief violently shrugging out of it. "YOU shouldn't lie to them either. You should do the right thing and tell them to their face the truth. That you will treat every life with the frakking dignity it deserves." She's still raging mad. With the comment about the away party, Robin looks like she might explode. She's about to lunge at him when the much larger snipes grab her, while she kicks and swings, trying in vain to hit him again. "Fight me, motherfrakker!! Fight me!! GET OFF ME!" They eventually drag her back a few feet and shove her into a wall, pinning her there. Its a sight: Two Specialists and a Crewman pinning her to a wall and staring at Marcrion. The Petty Officer looks to him while Robin continues grappling. "Sir, probably best to avoid the Senior Chief for now. We didn't see anything, though." For either side. "We'll get her calmed, though, and keep her away, Lieutenant." The man lifts a salute to Marcion.
Marcion shakes his head, and waves them off. "Let her go," he says quietly. "Best get it out of her system now. Clear the hall. Unless someone can countermand my orders, no one in this section of engineering for less than systems cascade failure." He looks at them. "I will always do my best. Cannot promise that will be enough. Let her go."
The Petty Officer turns and points to the crewmen. "Belay that!" He then looks back to Marcion. "Sir, if I do that I might be culpable to an assault or Gods forbid, murder. So would those men behind me." He says it loud enough for the others to hear. Merrell's face is pressed against the bulkhead, facing him. Fire burns in her eyes, tears streaming down her face as her jaw shakes.
Marcion nods. "Very well. Will return to sickbay. Am sorry, chief. Ren deserved better, and certainly deserves the service he will recieve. Body was recovered, in case that note wasn't passed on." He then turns and walks to the door. "FTL will need calibration, but can be done by specialist Meyers. Have him contact me, if problem arises." He looks at his hand, sighs, and walks for the door.
Robin just stares at him, the same hurt showing plainly on her face. She doesn't reply but closes her eyes and seems to go slack. As the man turns to go, the Petty Officer turns and heads back to Merrell. There's no words exchanged. Just the sound of her crying before they let her collapse to the floor of the corridor.