| Good Books |
| Summary: | Commander Kepner browses, glad-hands and jaws about past and present with the Cerberus crew. |
| Date: | 15 Jan 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Ships Library - Deck 9 - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| Racks of books extend deep into this room, nearly darkening the overhead lights towards the back. The shelves are neatly labeled to each category with nearly everything represented here. Fiction, Sci-Fi, Romance, and everything down to comic books has been loaded up onto the shelves. A smaller research area at the back has a large table for maps to be opened-up. Nearer the door is a small library of movies that covers some of the most recent blockbusters and flows through some of the more campy movies from about two decades before. Next to the door, a Petty Officer can usually be found at a desk to help someone checkout their selections. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #323 |
The library is never exactly crowded, but most have reason or want to drift here at some point not infrequently. Its a place the crew can seek quiet introspection in a more agnostic zone than the chapel, or more sedate forms of entertainment than they might find in the Rec Room. There's nothing particularly unusual about the place today. Save, perhaps, one of those browsing in the stacks. The commander's pins on his collar mark him out, as does his unfamiliar face. Some might recognize him as Commander Rudy Kepner, CO of the Areion. Not frequently seen aboard the Cerberus. Why he's here today, casually flipping through the selection of loosely-categorized 'contemporary fiction,' isn't immediately clear. But there he is.
Not really the place for a party. But here's a Sofia! She seems to be in good spirits, relatively speaking. She seems thoughtful, perhaps trying to decide something. Her eyebrows furrow and oooh, comics. That might help inspi— whoa. Is that a CO. Her eyes go wide and she stares for a second like Kepner is naked and a pair of headlights. Eek. Then an owlish blink and a look down at the books. Ahem.
Looking around as he enters rather slowly, Malone looks around, blinking a bit as he sees the man by the 'contemptable fiction'. Shaking his head for a few moments, before he makes his way over towards another section of the library.
A laugh, a hearty-sounding barked chuckle, escapes Kepner when he spots Sofia staring, deer-in-headlights, at him. "Easy there, Specialist. I don't bite. No matter what the stories say about me." The grin he flashes her is toothy, but jovial and friendly enough. "I'll say this for Michael Abbot - whatever the hells he was - he knew how to stock a library. No room for luxuries like this on the Areion. Had to pack whatever I most wanted to read on the shelves in my quarters. You go through a personal collection pretty fast after the worlds end."
Ack! Commanders are NOT like manatees! They can see you even if you don't move! Sofia smiles after a moment, politely. "Oh no, sir, I was just surprised," She admits. She eases up a little. There's a sad look at the mention of Abbot. She takes a deep breath. "Yeah. That - that's quite true. I'm glad we have it. I'm still cranking along on reading everything," She smiles faintly, almost sadly. "I can imagine." Then a peer. Is that Malone? A nod in greeting. "Do you like it here so far sir?"
"Lots of things gets gone through a bit too quickly after the end of the worlds, sir," comes the quiet observation from Malone as he listens now. Looking over to offer a bit of a nod and a grin in Sofia's direction as well.
"Ain't that the truth, son. Ain't that the truth," Kepner agrees with Malone when the pilot speaks. "What do you figure you miss most, now that we don't have a direct courier line back to the colonies? Me? Good Aerilon apple wine. Not that imitation 'moonshine' they sell off-world and try to pass off as the real thing." He nods to Sofia. "I like it just fine, Specialist. I never thought I'd set foot on the new Mercury class. Read about it in all the military journals. Its development, construction, all the politicians debating whether or not it was a waste of cubits…ha!" He barks off a chuckle. "Turned out to be worth every bit, didn't it?"
Wade arrives from the Deck 9.
"Yeah," Sofia agrees with Malone. She smiles sadly. "Lots of stuff. Fresh food among them." And custom made bras. Alas. "Tell me about it." Grin. "And yeah? I think it did. Though it's my first station here," She admits. "I'm kinda glad it was," She considers. "I've met a lot of good people here." Beam. "And the library is hard to beat." She looks thoughtful. "I'm Cr— Specialist Sofia Wolfe by the way sir. 3M. Pleased to meet you. Sorry, I keep forgetting I got promoted a bit ago." She loooks abashed. She's standing near Kepner and Malone near contemporary fiction.
Malone chuckles a bit as he listens to the others. "What I miss most? Aside from the good food, like the Specialist here mentioned, it would be the wine, I guess. There was this little winery back on Libran. Not a big one at all, but they made some of the best wines I've ever tasted, you know."
"Libran, eh?" Kepner nods to that, as if making a mental note of that bit of information in regards to Malone. "Did my university work on Libran. BA in political science. I wasn't an Academy puke." He grins wryly. It's not said as a slight to those who are. "Played around with the idea of law school for awhile. Wasn't for me. Military seemed to be where the action was." That grin turns to Sofia. "Promoted, eh? Congratulations, girl! Three-M? That's maintenance materials management, yeah? Always struck me as a bitch to juggle, bureaucracy plus engineering. Figure you earned more stripes doing that."
The Library, such a magical place with books of all kinds. Wade steps inside the place, looking around for a moment. He is carrying a couple books himself, most of them about Vipers, the entire series of them. The man walks to the main desk and places the books there, speaking with the Librarian for a moment and then turning around. He starts walking around the place and soon, he finds Malone, Sofia and Kepner, chatting. The Viper pilot decides to make his way to where they are. He is currently wearing his flight suit, but the helmet is nowhere to be seen at the moment. "Evening" offers the man to them, wearing a soft smile. "Sofia…" says the man to the girl. "Splash…" is said to his Squadron mate. Now, he places his attention on Kepner and says "Commander Kepner, am I right?" Because it's not like he has seen the man in person before.
Sofia looks amused and smiles. "Yeah?" She tilts her head. "Thank you sir. And it is. It can be sometimes," She admits. "The old XO thought I should do OCS on account of my degree, but it's kinda scary…" She admits, eyes wide a bit. "I like to sort things, so it works for me." She smiles faintly. "But then again, I could watch over Shiner and make sure he stayed out of trouble…" It's a tough call really. She smiles, seeing Wade. "Hey there. It's good to see you again." Then a pause. When DID she last see Wade? Wasn't he a Midshipman? She peers over. "Oh wow. I'm sad I missed your ceremony." Sadface.
Malone chuckles, "What university, sir?" he asks, before he adds, "And law school isn't for everyone, only some of us," he remarks. Glancing over to Sofia at the mention of keeping Shiner out of trouble. "Isn't that about an impossible task as any?" he asks, a bit lightly. Wade gets a bit of a nod. "Drips. How are you today?"
Sofia looks amused and smiles. "Yeah?" She tilts her head. "Thank you sir. And it is. It can be sometimes," She admits. "The old XO thought I should do OCS on account of my degree, but it's kinda scary…" She admits, eyes wide a bit. "I like to sort things, so it works for me." She smiles faintly. "But then again, I could watch over Shiner and make sure he stayed out of trouble…" It's a tough call really. She smiles, seeing Wade. "Hey there. It's good to see you again." Then a pause. When DID she last see Wade?
"You're right at that," Kepner says, flashing one those toothy grins to Wade, extending his hand to the newly-arrived pilot. "Commander Rudy Kepner. CEX Areion. I've got some business to chew over with Andy while we're sitting over Parnassus. What was Parnassus, I guess I should say." An almost somber look comes to the man's features as he says that. To Malone he replies, "Libran State. Better pre-law program than Caprica, and it doesn't break your bank account so badly, either. Had some good days on Libran. And they did have some mighty fine wine."
Wade offers a soft smile to Sofia and a nod "Good to see you as well Sofia, I've heard about your promotion. Congratulations, you certainly deserve it" the smile doesn't fade as he nods once again and he looks at Splash now "Doing pretty good Splash, just finished setting up new sim runs for the Nuggets and got here to return a few books I was re-reading. How about you?" Now, he looks at Kepner and extends his hand for a firm handshake "Lieutenant Junior Grade Wade Duncan, Drips. It's nice to meet you Sir." The Knights patch is on his shoulder, so that gives extra info there. "Yes, it's a shame the Station is no longer with us."
Nataly arrives from the Deck 9.
Malone grins a little bit, "Oh, them…" The words are spoken a bit lightly, before he adds, "Went to Phoibe and Koios myself. So State was one of our big local rivals back in the days." Looking over to Wade, he offers a bit of a nod, "Not too bad, I think. Haven't paid too much attention to it, really."
Sofia is smiling quietly, though it fades as Parnassus is mentioned. Her face is pale a moment. But she smiles up at WAde. "Thanks. I dunno about the deserving part. I suspect it's mostly by virtue of sticking around," She looks amused. She's standing near Kepner, Malone and now Wade by a shelf of books. "I - majored in Electrical engineering. The law programs baffle me," She admits. A headshake. "Can't wrap my head around it to save my life. What did you like about it?"
"It wasn't quite my jug of wine, either," Kepner says with a wink to Sofia, as to the law. "But it's an honorable profession. Can't deny it. What drew me to it were the complexities. The intricacies of words and deeds that made up the skeleton of so much of our society. Couldn't stand the idea of spending my career with my nose stuck in a book, though. Not that I don't enjoy it for recreation now and then." To Wade he nods when Parnassus is mentioned. "Damned shame indeed, Lieutenant. Gods damned shame. You know much about the history of Parnassus? I heard you folks've set up shop here before, back before the Cylons blew it to hells."
Wade nods to Kepner and offers to him "I know it was originally designed to act as emergency supply station, but was later changed to act as Research and Development. Most of the stuff going on there was classified and we never really asked but…" He clears his throat and says "Well, I was stationed in the Battlestar Chimaera, Admiral Claudio Guiloff was the CO. The Chimaera docked there a few times, to resupply. We would stay there for a couple days and then leave. I understand Admiral Hauck and Admiral Guiloff would often meet to talk. Good man Guiloff, good man." Now, he takes a deep breath and shakes his head "I wasn't in the Cerberus at that time. When the bombs fell, I was on Leonis on shore leave. Chimaera was running defenses in Virgon" He is sad to know the faith of that noble noble ship.
Malone nods a little bit as he listens to what's being said now, while he turns to look through some of the books. Finding one of them, seemingly one about College Pyramid, he sighs a bit. "Got to go get rested. CAP in a few hours. Was nice meeting you, Commander. And of course, the rest of you too. Take care, everyone." And with that, he moves out of the library.
Sofia smiles at that. "Yeah?" She tilts her head. "That sounds fun for sure," She agrees. "And eh, study reading is different…" A headshake. She goes quiet to listen to talk of other ships though, tilting her hhead and watching with wide eyes. She waves at Malone in passing. "Be well, sir." She watches him go and looks back to the others. "Please don't mind me, I'm glad to hear about history."
"Good hunting out there, Lieutenant," Kepner offers in parting to Malone. There's a fierce resolve to the way he says it. Quiet as CAP is expected to be, and pleasant as his manner remains. About Guiloff, Kepner nods firmly. "Admiral Guiloff was one of the good guys. If Fleet command'd had more men like him, and Admiral Maddie Hauck, gods rest her soul, then the worlds might still be whole. He never took his eyes off the Cylons as a threat, even if they were biding their time on the other end of the Armistice Line. Just biding their time to rain all hells down on us, it turned out. Well. Hindsight is perfect vision, and we don't have the luxury of asking 'what if.' All we can do now is fight with what we've got left."
"That is what the Admiral use to say to all of us sir, fight until you can, and then keep fighting. He kept our Squadrons running sharp, never letting us fall into thinking that, what happened in the past could not happen again. And…like you mentioned, it did. They frakked with us…." he takes a deep breath and nods again "Fly and Fight and Die. Fly and Fight and Die" Yes, the CVW-14 has a pretty awesome motto. "What they did, will never be forgotten" He looks at Sofia now and smiles a little "History is something to keep close to the heart, Sofia." The man nods again after this and takes a deep breath. "But anyway, how do you like the Cerberus? I think she is a damn fine ship if you ask me. I have to be thankful, to the people that dragged my ass out of Leonis."
Sofia smiles a bit at that. She is quiet though and sighs softly. "What if is a game no one ever wins," She notes quietly. She shrugs at that and takes a deep breath. "It's sad though," She admits and nods. "I'm glad to hear the stories from people who were there," It really is important. And so she listens.
"Fly and fight and die?" Kepner grins. There's a grim quality to it, but it's a merry sort of grimness, if there can be such a thing. Like a man laughing in the face of darkness. "So say we all to that, son. So say we all. Never forget, and never stop fighting. Its only when you give up that you're truly defeated." Eyes angle to Sofia at her words. "A game no one ever wins, Specialist? What do you mean?"
Wade looks at Sofia and smiles a little "You would have liked the Horsemen, Sofia. My old Squadron…a good group, good men and women. Warriors through and through." Yep, he holds his old group in high esteem. Very. "And now I'm glad to be a part of the Black Knights, some damn good pilots there, that is a real truth." Now, he clears his throat as he listens to Kepner, nodding in acceptance "So say we all" he nods firmly. He looks from Sofia and back to Kepner, and waits for Sofia to explain.
Sofia blinks owlishly. "Huh? Oh, the what if game. Sorry. I got distracted a moment. I was looking for a book and totally forgot it while I listened." Sigh. She pouts a little. "Yeah. I like most of the pilots I've run into," She nods. "And they sound like a good group," She smiles. She's glad to just accept Wade's account as truth. "I like the Deck crew a lot here too. Though, I only got to see the Areion deck people once. They seemed cool." Nod. "I feel weird, this is my first station…"
Kepner grins crooked at Sofia. "Hell of a first, Specialist." His eyes go to the chronometer on the wall. "Gods willing, this ship and the Areion and the rest of our Fleet will be flying and fighting a hell of a lot longer than the toasters ever intended. Pleasure meeting you both. But it's time for me to see your CO about a few things."
Wade smiles to Sofia and nods. He has met a few from the Areion as well. "Pleasure to meet you as well, Sir. Clear eyes and steady hands." Yeah, that is something he says to everyone, even if it's used mostly for Air-Wing. He clears his throat at this and nods, looking at Sofia again "So what book are you looking for again?"
Sofia smiles. "Yeah. It is. But I'm glad. I hhope so too. Be well sir," She waves at Kepner. Sofia smiles at Wade. "Huh? Oh don't sweat it. It's a good excuse to hide out here," She nods. "How're you holding up?" She tilts her head. "And … I bet you're after a book too huh?"
"Good hunting," Kepner replies to Wade's 'Clear eyes and steady hands' bit. He prefers 'Good hunting.' And off he goes.