| Let's Run The Tape |
| Summary: | Sawyer picks up a new Assistant. |
| Date: | 16 October 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | Any regarding Sawyer's political foo. Too many to name. |
| Players: |
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| Hangar Deck - Starboard |
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| This Hangar Bay is filled with boxes, crates and other various supplies that are needed throughout the ship. Most have been moved to one end and lashed with tarps to keep them out of the way. The place has gone from extra ship storage on one end and the ability to house over 450 people on the other end. Whatever could be made into cots has been set up like a huge barracks. Some areas have been made more presentable with a few items that belong to the person holding onto their small area in this world. Marines guard this area 24/7 and food is brought in cafeteria style, feeding people out of vats and buckets as they line up with their plates. One area has been tarped off to the side, that holds canvas showers and sinks. As a small improvement in the standard of living, the Head, showers, and sinks have been hooked up to running water and sewage, meaning that they no longer stink or need to be cleaned daily. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #232 |
Since his 'rescue' on Sagittaron, Sly hasn't been doing much of anything, shy of sitting around and fiddling with the few pieces of personal effects that he seems to have left. Sitting on the edge of his cot, the man is currently banging his hand against the side of a small, portable camera and after a moment, he's offering, "Frak. Work damnit." Another couple of hits with his hand and he's finally offering a sigh of defeat. Rising, he begins to meander over towards the trash, no doubt to dispose of the item.
Astra arrives from the Dual Stairway.
Astra has arrived.
"You know, they work better if you don't beat the living day lights out of them." The voice belongs to Sawyer, who has found herself down in Civvie land on some matter of business or the other. She's fully be-suited today, dressed all the way down to her rather impressive set of clearances that hang around her neck on a lanyard. "No don't! Don't…don't throw it away." Sawyer reaches out a hand as if to stop the man, a cigarette still smoldering between her knuckles as the one vice she lets herself be seen with in public. "If there is film in there, I can salvage it." Heels click on the deck in a sharp staccato as she approaches him, the footwear almost absurd considering their locale.
A soft babble of children's voices that has been part of the background hum ends, and there are some sounds like chirps as nearly thirty of them stream from two makeshift rooms back to their cots. One woman comes towards the trash herself, carrying a small bag marked 'recycle' and an even smaller bag of trash. She is also laden with a sling that covers her chest, and it apparently carries at least one infant. She dumps both bags in their proper places, then nods to Sawyer and the man.
"Ya, well, it hasn't worked in awhile anyways," is Sly's immediate reply to Sawyer, but he doesn't stop his venture to the trash. It's not until she's expressing concern for the piece of equipment's disposal that he pauses in his actions, eyes flicking in her direction as a faint chuckle escapes his lips. "While, there's film in it, but I doubt it's going to be anything you wanna salvage. Just my last news report on the Sagittaron Archers." Astra's approach is noted and the woman is given a quick nod, followed by a smile, before he looks back to Sawyer. "You're welcome to have it, if you want, though." That said, the now defunct camera is extended in her direction.
Sawyer flicks her fingers into her palm in a 'gimme gimme' gesture, "Are you kidding? If they haven't been over-exposed, this is fantastic. Any little piece of life that was…." The cigarette gets tucked in her lips while she turns the device over in her hands like some sort of valued treasure. "More precious than any precious metal you could name." She mumbles around the shaft of her cigarette, eyes cast downward until she hears someone else in their proximity. Her brown eyes lift to find Astra, and that cigarette is immediately plucked from her mouth, dropped to the deck and ground beneath the toe of her patent leather shoe. Maybe out of respect for that tiny bundle gathered to the woman's chest. "Missus Koios. I trust all is well with the school?" Wait. Something else Sylvester said makes its way through Sawyer's over-laden brain. "Wait. You're a newsie? TV or rags?"
A boy's voice calls from the schoolrooms. "Mama, mama, you forgot your crutches!" A boy of about eleven comes running with the crutches, and he hands them to Astra, nods to the adults, and then dashes off. Astra's shuffling gait is not due to bags and babies alone. She leans on the crutches, and her lips twitch into a wry smile as Sawyer kills the cigarette. "I'd like to skatch whatever's on the film. Maybe paint it." She sighs softly. "The school's going well enough. I have a couple of volunteers. I'd like to be able to get the kids clearance to take library books out. Or that I could get them. But I still have to get escorted most everywhere. No clearance." She shrugs.
Eye's shift in the direction of Astra at the mention of sketching, even as he deposits the camera in Sawyer's hand, and Sly can't help but give a soft laugh, "Not much to sketch on it, ma'am. It's mainly me, talking, with a few shots of the Archers and a couple of interviews." Then, he's moving his gaze back to Sawyer, giving the other woman a nod of his head, "TV. Was a Sports Reporter for one of the stations off Caprica. Mainly covered Pyramid games, since I used to play." A lift of a hand a motion to the clearance tags is given, "Judging by those, I'm going to assume you were one, or are one, now?"
Sawyer makes a sound like an 'ooooh' that sounds vaguely as if Sylvester's answer was the wrong one. Of course, it's accompanied by a smirk to mark it mostly as a good natured rib. Mostly. There's an unspoken long-standing feud between TV and paper reporters, and it appears as if Sawyer and Sylvester are on opposite sides of the spectrum. "Sawyer Averies, Acropolis Monthly - formerly, of course. Currently ship historian, among other things." She thrust her hand out in his direction, and while waiting for him to take it, she addresses Astra again. "Well, you have support, but I'm afraid I'm not much for teaching. I'm doing all I can on my end for the time being. And above all, we have to remember, we're on a military vessel designed for protecting and fighting for humanity. Unfortunately, that means there is security to consider. And with all the troubles, you can hardly blame the heightened measures. This is why we're pushing for the civilian ship. Less duty areas to accidentally stumble in, less feet to get under. We're trying, Missus Koios, it'll just take time."
"Yes, I understand heightened measures," answers Astra. "I understand security. But I also know that the more innocent people are treated like criminals and prisoners, the more trouble there will be." She shakes her head. "If we even had a liason for individual appeals of our status, it would help." She sighs softly, shrugs. "And, quite honestly, I am not all that certain I want to be on a civilian ship with some of those troublemakers. Gods know what they'll do with less security. We should get a say in things, too." She looks between the pair of them. "By the way, I always thought that both forms of news media have pros and cons." The corners of her lips twitch.
Sawyer's hand is accepted even as a smirk dances upon Sly's lips, "Sylvester Jackson, Caprica One News and former draft pick for the Caprica Buccaneers. That's the only reason I went into Sports Reporting." A quick shake and he's releasing the woman's hand, eyes now drifting between Sawyer and Astra. For a brief moment, he's simply listening to the two, until finally chipping in with, "Wait, wha? Someone's looking at getting us a ship just for the civilians?"
"It's always the pretty ones who end up on TV." Sawyer says with a touch of amusement in her voice. "As to a liason, that's precisely what I'm attempting to do. Find a happy medium between both worlds that works for everyone. As for everyone having a say, that's why I am pushing for the return of democracy. And as far as security on the new ship, I'd like to see to it there is once more a civilian police force instilled. Tall orders all, which is why I need sound, level-headed people like you behind the endeavor, Missus Koios. You are the first school administrator of the new life, the life beyond the second Cylon War." Her attention moves smoothly back to Sly. "The first concern was initially having a larger scape for hydroponics. The concern for housing has expanded as our population of rescuees has practically doubled in the last two months. It'll be healtier for everyone concerned if we're given a little elbow room. So are you sufficiently rested from your furlough from the news, Mister Jackson? I may have a job for you if you're interested in getting back into the game, so to speak."
"It's a ship they found on Aerilon. They're re-fitting it now, as I understand." Astra tilts her head. "Before we can have a civilian police force, we'll want to make sure the applicants are screened, psychologically evaluated, and trained. And we'll need *some* military or paramilitary onboard. Otherwise, if Cylons were to board, we'd just be weapon-fodder for them until help can arrive. Not about to volunteer for that." Astra shakes her head. "I was the… well, I was the head, by consent, of a HAM-radio network of survivors on Aerilon. One man decided to lead a 'resistance' effort. I got to listen to the slaughter. Never again." Her eyes flash and she lifts her head.
Again, Sly simply listens to what's explained, his head bobbing slightly as he does so. Finally, there's a quiet chuckle as his shoulders lift into the slightest of shrugs, "Gotta say, it'd be a nice change from this .." A hand gestures around the wonderous nature that is the starboard hangar. Then, he's turning his attention back to Sawyer, lips curving into a smile as he tilts his head slightly to the side. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I was content to just sit around. In fact, I've been finding it hard to fend off boredom, so whatcha need, Ms. Averies?" A quick look back to Astra and he's giving a sympathetic nod, "Doesn't sound pleasant. Can see why you wouldn't."
"An assistant." Sawyer states plainly to the man, beating around any bush here. "As you can see, I have a lot on my plate, and while I'm not quite sure if I can meet every demand of the civilian population, well…I mean to give it a grand old college try. Let me see what I can do, as far as getting you through some background checks and at least getting you access to the news room on Deck Three, and we'll go from there." Sawyer lofts up the gifted defunct camera and waggles it at Sly as if she's just been given the key to some great mystery. But then to Astra, "I'm terribly sorry, I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you."
"Could you get *me* through some background checks?" asks Astra. "It'd be easier on me… and the MPs if I could go do my own research for curriculum and projects." Her eyes flicker, and she looks to the man. "By the way, I'm Mrs. Astra Koios. Schoolteacher and… ah… headmistress of the school, I guess." A shake of her head. "It was…. that day was a bad day. But it was a way, talking, to keep people going one more day." She bites at her lip. "I could use someone to give the kids a phys ed class a couple of days a week, too… If you like kids."
"Assistant, eh? Better then lounging around here, I suppose. I'm game," is Sly's immediate reply to Sawyer, the smile returning to his lips. "News room? Frak, I'd like to get in there, for sure. Would be a nice taste of .. home, in a way." Turning his attention back to Astra, Sly is giving the woman a friendly smile and another nod of his head, "Pleasure, Ms. Koios. Since Ms. Averies broached a job offer first, I'm afraid I'm going to go with that, so I won't be able to commit. But, I'd be happy to come by, when I can and when I'm not needed, to help out with some Phys Ed related things."
"So far, I've already called in a far share of favors on your behalf, Missus Koios." Sawyer's eyes shift towards the little makeshift 'school house' consisting of two rooms built out of crates and non-permanent clapboard walls. "One thing at a time. But as always, I'll see what I can do." The camera finally gets slipped into the pocket of her trousers. "It's not the top of the line, but we have all the bells and whistles up there. Even a dark room which'll help your poor abused camera. I'm sorry, will you both excuse me? I just added about ten more things to my to-do list."
Astra's eyes narrow. "Well, do me a favor, then. Don't do me any more favors. I can manage to get this school running on my own. I remember what you said, and I'll NOT be a political tool for you. Understood? And if I get any more 'assistance' from you without my specific request, I'll disband this school and start one on my own that doesn't have any political strings. Got it?" Astra's voice is low, and her eyes flash. "And the parents trust *me*. Not all of them are so sure about you. Don't press it." She turns to Sylvester. "I'll pass, I think. Thanks, though."
Eyes begin to shift between the two women, causing Sly's brow to arch upwards ever so slightly. "Whoa." Then, eyes settle on Astra and his shoulders lift into the slightest of shrugs, "Whatever, no loss on my part." He's looking back to Sawyer then, giving her a quick smile and a nod of his head, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Averies. Looking forward to talking to you later." Turning away, he simply begins to make his way back over towards his cot.
Sawyer looks mildly taken aback, as if she had just been physically struck by Astra. "I'm sorry, I think you mistake me. I never spoke of anyone being a tool. If you believe that helping facilitate a better life for everyone is some sort of…game? You asked me for my help, I'm only doing what I can. We spoke of a school once, when I first met your children and now…if you don't think that takes some sort of diplomacy and partnership with the military who we have to rely on for /everything/ right now, then I ask that you take a second at our situation. What exactly do you think a liason does, if not precisely that?" She takes a steadying breath, and a weak smile comes back to her lips. "It was a pleasure. Have a good evening, and I'll speak with you soon, Mister Jackson." She shakes her head, looking back to Astra. "This is only the second time I've spoken with you, and I…well, I just don't know what presumptions you're working off of, but it's doing both of us a disservice. Forgive me for apparently crossing some unclear line. I wish you and your children well." And with that, Sawyer is stepping away.