| newcomer to the Chapel |
| Summary: | Zione visits the chapel for the first time in a long time. |
| Date: | 16 Mar 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None. |
| Players: |
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| Chapel - Deck 9 - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| The hatchway opens into a dimly lit corridor, stark grey walls now and again painted with some mural appropriate to the religious season, stretching from floor to ceiling and then sloping down away from the ceiling in two triangular forms that bracket off the tiered seating areas to either side. Straight ahead, in the center of an open space, stands a simple rectangular altar, the emblems of the Lords thereupon arrayed to receive sacrifice in the tall room when the altar isn't decked for some more specific use. Hestia, who is not vouchsafed her own emblem on the altar, is etched in relief on one side of the altar itself, shown tending the hearth in her usual fashion. |
| In the wall behind the open area are three evenly spaced hatchways which can only be opened and closed from the inside. The small cubicles behind each hatchway are each furnished with a small altar against the back wall, upon which sometimes the dark shape of a sacred object can be discerned even from the tiered seating for visiting on the sacral days. The hatches can be closed to block out profane eyes from rites they were not meant to see. The walls between each little cubicle can be retracted to create a larger space for more well-attended mysteries. |
| Post Holocaust Day: #18 |
Bannik is seated in one of the lower seating areas, his head bowed in some sort of — if not prayer, then meditation. He's clutching in his hands a necklace with the holy symbol of Demeter on it, the goddess of crops and agriculture. He glances up occasionally towards the altar, his expression a mixture of hope and trepidation.
Zione frowns as she looks around the Chapel. She walks slowly, staring at the walls with unfamiliarity of such a place. Nonetheless, she is here with two necklaces in her hand, the chains of each drip and sway from her fingers. Her steps take her slowly towards the altat but as she nears it, she remains several feet from it.
Bannik turns his head up at the entrance of someone else into the chapel. He notices her come towards the altar and offers a small, wan smile. "New to the chapel, Doc?" he asks, more understanding than accusing.
Zione gives a little nervous laugh after she hears his words. Her head turns to the man, "Actually, yes. But I /needed/ to come here. The casualities of war have put a damper on the spirit of my work." Then she says no more. "Have I intruded on your time here?" seeming not at all to know the procedures of this chapel. "I've spent too much time as a doctor." She hopes that gives enough of an explanation as well as to assuage her own guilt.
Bannik shakes his head. "No, Doc. You're not intruding. I just figured — well. I came to pray a little bit." He gestures to the symbol of Demeter in his hands. "For home. For us. For a friend of mine. For everyone, really, I guess." He gestures to the spot next to him. "You want to join me?"
Zione dips her head once to him. "If you don't mind. I've not held prayer in years. I'd like to pray for two that I lost. And for a few others." She walks to him. "These are the two that I'd like to honor today." With movement of her hand, she lets the two necklaces dangle down. "Jennyfer and Tereisa." Then she sits down next to him.
Bannik glances down at the two necklaces, nodding his head in understanding. "Daughters?" he wonders, as if trying to place where the two necklaces — and the two people — are in the doctor's life. He gestures to her to come sit with him, scooting over a bit to make room.
Zione shakes her head very slightly, "No, I don't have time for marriage or children." She sounds more disappointed in herself. "Just two that I tried to save." She sighs loudly, "I hadn't thought of them for sometime." Her head turns to allow her to look at the altar. "Does the praying help?
"Only if you let it," replies Bannik. "I mean, I don't know if it helps those I'm praying for. The Lords grant prayers according to their will; you never know what they're going to do." It's one of those religious children's education mantras there. "But personally? Yeah. It helps to pass along your worries to someone else, even if its the Lords that don't talk back." He smiles faintly. "I haven't really ever led prayer before. At home, Mom did it and at training, the more vocal, older guys did. But." He shrugs. "First time for everything if you don't mind me trying." He holds out his hand to her, offering it to hold.
Zione curls up the necklaces into one hand before she takes him with the other. "Yes, please lead the prayer then. I wouldn't know the language appropriate for talking to the Lords. And I prefer not to be angry at them for what we must overcome in such this brutal manner." Logic is taking over her words to keep her emotions from spilling out. Her hand is rather cold when she takes his. With two long drawn breaths, she calms her breathing as she does before handling any medical emergency.
Bannik takes a deep breath, but he smiles. "The Sisters at religion school taught me there weren't any right words when you're talking to the Lords; just the words that express what you feel. I mean, in the end, the words don't matter. The Lords see your heart." But with that little preface, the young crewman begins. "Lords of Kobol, hear our prayer." That's the easy part. He sort of pauses as if trying to put his finger on the next right words. "So — many have passed into your loving embrace these past days. Too many. But we still." He pauses again. "We still remember the ones that mean the most to us in a special way. So please take Jennyfer and Tereisa into Your light and be with them always as they find their rest." He glances over at the doctor. "But most of all, help us carry our burdens and do our work in such a way as to remember all who have passed, especially Jennyfer and Tereisa, and to and do Your will always." A beat. He's out. "So say we all."
Zione grips his hand tightly when he mentions the two necklace owners. She whispers at the end, "So say we all." Her eyes glance at him, not speaking for a moment. "Thank you." Her brows furrow, "You're name. I'm Doctor Zione Jewel. If you want to call me doctor, you can. But Zione is fine too." Her head nods at him a few times, "Thank you so much though for the prayer. Do you know the status of your own friends and family?"
"I'm Tyr Bannik. I work down on the deck. I'm a crewman." The statement is a lot less formal, but, there it is. "But no. I don't know about Mom and Veronica. I mean — I'm from Aerilon. Why would they nuke Aerilon? There's nothing /on/ Aerilon." Bannik shakes his head. "And it wasn't mentioned in that memo that got leaked. So." He smiles tightly. "We'll see." He gives the doctor's hand one last squeeze and then releases. "I've got to get back to the Deck, but it was nice meeting you, Doc. Lords bless you, okay?"