| PHD #295: Death-Brand Cigarette |
| Summary: | Khloe sneaks into the berths to change for CAP. Has a quick talk with Wade. |
| Date: | 18 Dec 2041 AE; i.e. 26 Feb 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | You Win, Time Alone |
| Players: |
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| Pilot Berths - Naval Deck - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| The battlestar's pilots call this place home. Bunks line the walls with grey curtains to cover their sleeping areas. Lockers sit between each pair of bunks and a round metal table sits in the center, furnished with simple but comfortable steel chairs. A hatch at the rear of the room leads to a communal head. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #295 |
Wade has been spending some time at the library, and even more time at the sims. After all, he is always seeking to improve himself when it comes to Vipers. Right now, he is at the Berths, wearing his off-duty greens. The man sits on a chair right in front of the table, a book in front of him and a bottle of water right next to it. Wade flips to a new page when done with the last, idly taking sips from his drink as he pays attention to the information at hand.
When the hatch door gets opened, usually a person comes through. But instead, there's Khloe, peeking her head in and peering around, presumably looking for someone. Apparently seeing the coast as clear, she steps inside quickly, closing the door behind her. Her usual neat hair is in a bit of disarray, the leather braid holder she normally wears is on her left wrist. She's in her uniform, for sure - but only the pants. Her jacket is draped over her shoulder. On the other shoulder is the brown leather bag she left with the previous day. If Wade didn't know any better, and were the Captain the type, this would be the "walk of shame." She quickly passes by and heads straight for her locker, not making eye contact with anyone.
After the conversation Wade had with Andrea, it would be easy to define that Khloe might be trying to see if she is there or not. At least that is what he first thinks when he looks up and sees Khloe peering around. His attention moves back to he book in front of him and moves his right index finger to the pages, following what he is reading there. However, while he doesn't move his body and keeps facing the book, his eyes switch position and look at the woman for a brief second before going back to his reading "Captain" offers the Viper pilot to Khloe. After that, he just takes his bottle of water and takes a sip from it, leaning back against his chair and rubbing his eyes.
Khloe opens her mouth to reply quickly to Wade, but there's a squeak that comes out instead. Coughing and clearing her throat, Khloe tries again: "Drips." Her voice is dry and hoarse, sounding like she smoked a pack of cigarettes. In her case, it was just one, but it was enough. She immediately begins sorting through her satchel - apparently she didn't end up using her change of clean clothes at all. "Didn't end up someplace with a full head nearby," she squeaks, digging for her shower bag. She doesn't unpack the satchel otherwise, though, merely hanging it up, full. Apparently planning on making another getaway soon. "I feel like crap. Cidra lied, those couches are horrible." Probably meaning the couches in the observation lounge.
Wade turns his head and looks over his shoulder as Khloe coughs like that. His attention moves to his locker and he stands up, walking towards it. From inside, he retrieves another bottle of water, a new one of course and offers it to her "Water? Sounds like you might need it" Now, he looks at her satchel and nods "You know, I've been meaning to go get some supplies, maybe even score some civilian clothes…all my stuff was either destroyed in Chimaera or was severely damaged from Leonis." There is a faint smile there and he says "Maybe some jeans and a couple t shirts" Now, as for her last comment, the man tilts his head and runs the options of where actual couches can be found "You mean the ones in the observation deck? Couples enjoy snogging there, they don't seem to care" Now he takes a deep breath and asks "Why do you feel like crap?"
"Slept wrong, smoked one of the Major's death-brand cigarettes. Thank you," that last part said when Khloe accepts the water bottle. She uncaps it and takes a deep drink, then wipes her mouth with the back of her bare wrist. "Ugh." Coughcough. "Yeah, well, they just want some place dark and semi-private to fool around at. I doubt they're worried about comfort unless they're going horizontal… ugh, I slept on one of those couches. Damn." She snags a hair brush from her locker and begins the vain attempt of taming her hair without it being washed, first. Peering in the mirror while doing so, she groans. "Ugh, I look like a washed-up pole dancer from the 20s, or something." Likely referring to her frizzy hair and bags under her eyes.
Wade nods to Khloe "Welcome" and then he adds "Ah, yes…I'm not much of a smoker, or drinker actually. I guess I can smoke /or/ drink on a social type of event, like a party or something like that." Now, he can't help but to smile a little when she mentions that she slept on one of those couches "I'm pretty sure they clean them up and everything, wouldn't worry about that" He now tilts his head, takes a deep breath and nods "Indeed, you look quite tired…however, it's like you said, a product of sleeping like crap" Now, he moves back to his chair but adjusts it's position so he can face her "You know.." starts the man looking at her while she fixes her hair "I can see your hair looking pretty good when it's down like that, no braids or anything like that" He nods to this and takes another sip from his water.
Khloe pauses, turning slowly to face Wade, her arm still above her head as she's mid-brush. "Are you kidding me? Of all the times you're choosing to complement your superior officer, now's the time you choose?" She resumes brushing, shaking her head and turning back to her locker. "I already went over this with Hosedown. The braid keeps it out of the way and I don't look nearly as butch with it as if I cut it all off, like at Tau Garrison." Tug. Tugtug. More brushing.
Wade looks at Khloe and just shakes his head "No, not kidding. And, like I said, what I mean is that, with your hair down and, well, not frizzy looking" he smiles at this "It can look pretty damn good" To this, he shrugs. "Plus…I consider it a compliment to a woman, and not a suprior officer. You still are of course, but I am not complimenting the officer." Damn right. "Nooo, no no, don't butch it off, big mistake. I had a friend who did that." he shakes his head "Bad…"
"Well, it's probably best if you don't think of me as a woman, then, Drips," comes Khloe's final answer on that. "But thank you. I'll try not to take your compliments out of context during your next review. Frak!" She gives up, throwing the brush into her locker. "Frak it. It'll just have to wait for when I shower after CAP." And that's when she starts digging out her flight suit, starting to change. "Need to give myself extra time tomorrow if I'm going to do this again," she grumbles, kicking off her badly-laced boots in favor of her flight boots.
"Hm" that's the only thing that comes from Wade right at the beginning. "Alright" that's what follows and he just turns around, facing his book again. The man readjusts his chair once again and takes a deep breath as he starts reading again. The grumbling and kicking can be heard of course "What are you going to do again?" asks the man now, after those last words from him picked up his attention. He doesn't turn around this time, nor he looks over his shoulder. He looks over the table and extends his arm to get a small notebook and a pen, dragging them closer to him.
"Just taking a page out of the Major's book and decompressing a bit, that's all," is Khloe's response. Pants kicked off, flight suit pulled on. She's not her usual methodical, tight-lipped self this morning, that's for sure. "I just need a little bit of decompression time, and being in here lately has been a pressure-cooker. And I'd rather not do something I'll regret later." Vague Khloe is vague, but Wade can probably figure out what she means: Hosedown.
Wade starts to write a few things on the notebook, switching his gaze from the notebook itself, to the book and back. "Getting to your nerves, isn't she." says Wade, running his fingers through his hair as he looks at what he is writing. "What do you mean with, decompressing? If you don't mind me asking…I am of a curious nature after all"
Khloe sighs, halfway through tugging her flight jacket on. "If you must know," she says, "Just spending time out of the berths. I really don't want to go into it any more than I already have, Drips. I'm a private person. Please respect that." Arms get sleeved, and the suit is zipped up. "I'm almost late for CAP. Take it easy." And, after retrieving her helmet, and virtually shoving her boots and clothes into the bottom of her locker, she begins moving towards the hatch.
"Of course I respect that Captain, we all have things we don't wish to share after all" says Wade, looking at her over his shoulder and offering a nod. "You too Poppy, clear eyes and steady hands out there." He is scheduled to be on standby, with the Alert Vipers so it is more than likely that he'll get his suit on in a few moments. He doesn't say anything else to the woman, he just goes back to what he is doing.