| The Cavalry Arrives |
| Summary: | The Marine CO visits the CAG on Saggitaron and comes bearing gifts: 2 more squads of Marines and plenty of firearms goodness. |
| Date: | 03 Sep 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Tihar Penitentiary - Exercise Yard - Sagittaron |
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| The prison courtyard is paved with cracked concrete, the few stubborn weeds that managed to poke through the gaps long since killed by radiation. There is a large garage for the facility's vehicles near the main entrance. The newer, steel-and-concrete prison block looms nearby; beyond it, the bleak black walls of the original prison, narrow window-slits carved into the basalt. The area between the two prison blocks has been converted into an exercise-slash-recreation yard for the inmates, and is cordoned off by chainlink and razor-wire. A few concrete chessboards jut out along one wall, while basketball hoops and a Pyramid court in shambles are against another. On the opposite side of the courtyard stand three gallows, their massive palmwood timbers blackened with age. They face the exercise area, and would have provided the inmates a clear view of their most typical escape from the prison. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #189 |
It's later in the morning, fast approaching afternoon, and the sun sits high and hot over Tihar prison. Cidra is in the yard. Not far from the general landing area where the ships are being kept, though she's in fatigues and a cap to keep the sun off her eyes rather than flight gear at the moment. She's in conversation with a technician and occasionally looks up to scan the skies. As if waiting. Various personnel go about their duties within the yard and the place can generally be described as bustling.
Hard not to look to the skies when you're the CAG and expecting a scheduled run of the school buses. From high in the atmosphere, two of the big, bulky things come streaking down from space. The sonic booms might be heard on the ground, but by the time the boxy buggers are setting down in prison yard, they've slowed down and hovered themselves into position to set down nice and gentle, powering down to unload passengers and supplies. That's good for the Marines inside, about half of which look either green-at-the-gills, or just a little wary about Raptor transport. Their CO is included in the latter category, lips pressed together tight and thin as she waits for the hatch to pop open and let them be free!
Lunair is on the ships, likely coming with one of the groups of Marines. She seems quiet, attentive and dutiful. For now, she watches and listens. And then lo- they land! It's a box full of Marines, or a can full of portable whoop- er, well - they don't look so awe inspiring, some green at the gills and less than pleased. And then there's Lunair, who is like the flamingo of the Marine world. "Phew."
Cidra's neck remains craned as the Raptors come in, then twists around and over to watch them land. Faintest of smiles on her face as she watches the boxy craft settle back to earth. She does love her Raptors. Her long strides take her over to meet the new ships. The hatches open not too long after the craft are on the ground, freeing their poor passengers.
Space bad, ground good. Well, at least for some Marines. Those are the ones that come tumbling out with puffed-up cheeks, in full kit, with their rifles. Youngsters, by the look of it, maybe their first real ground action. Funny, when has Saggitaron been without active-duty Colonial Marines? Madilyn's expression stems from a slightly less nauseating experience, however she does rub her thigh a bit remembering her first hot LZ. "Raptor's down, Marines out! Assemble at the side of the yard!" Aren't secured LZ's sooooo much nicer?
Woo! Lunair seems to prefer the ground, though she doesn't tumble out. She instead helps herd the youngsters along, straightening kit there and here alongside the NCOs. "There you go, take a knee if you need to," She smiles. She's not unsympathetic. Then a nod as Madilyn begins giving orders. She goes along quietly, helping herd. Git along! Where's her cowboy hat? She smiles politely at Cidra.
Cidra's long strides take her over to meet Madilyn and Company. The CAG has actually developed something of a tan during her time down on planet. At least, her initial sunburn is turning from red to tan at this point. "Major Willows-Cavanaugh." Always both surnames. The faintest of smiles for the Marine CO. "Welcome to Tihar Penitentiary. We have taken over the old guard barracks as something of a bunk house, if your people would like to stow their gear. It is most serviceable."
"Ah Major Hahn," Madilyn replies to the CAG…after carefully hopping down from the winglet of the Raptor. She's not as nimble as those deckies and pilots make this seem, or maybe it's memory of a broken leg bothering her enough to warrant taking it slow. After all, there is no real rush here. "Thank you. I bring you presents, of a sort. Two additional full squads of Marines, by request. Some are green however, and this would appear to be an excellent learning experience in the field. We can't exactly duplicate these conditions aboard ship!" While she talks, she waves the discharging Marines toward the side of the yard and into the bunkhouses where other Marines are around.
"Sir," A polite smile and salute from Lunair and she moves along to help herd the more green Marines and help the NCOs out. She's more low on the officerial totem pole. A few nods at Madi's words. She smiles though, but her bearing is solid otherwise. Rather solemn and distant, almost as if she should be atop some high throne or something. She's fairly low to the ground though, so scooting along easily is no problem. Take /that/, height!
"Cannot indeed," Cidra says with a firm nod to Madilyn. "Though I hope their assistance will end up being more logistical than martial, if you take my meaning. More men on the ground mean more patrols we can get out. Not just in Aera Yazd but in the planet's other cities. Not that I entirely trust the SSLF's word that they shall not trouble us any further. But. I shall not trouble trouble until it…troubles me." An inclination of her head to the shorter Marine. "Lieutenant Lunair. I would say welcome back, but this place is not so welcoming."
"If nothing else, yes. More patrols, more frequently. Better-rested marines. A whole slew of additional benefits. Not the least of which is more fire-on-target should the SSLF decide to pick another fight. You now have six more squad automatic weapons and six more grenadiers." Long story short? That's one hell of a lot of additional firepower, and a pretty big security blanket.
Lunair herself is quiet, tending to the Marines. Then a polite smile and nod to Cidra. "Understandable, but I appreciate it the same," She's sincere and seems to understand. She says nothing more for now though, letting her CO do the talking. She seems pretty happy for it actually.
"More patrols, more feet able to be on the ground when we send Raptors out, more potential for finding whoever might remain on this planet," Cidra replies to Madilyn. "We shall not be taking aggressive aggressive action against the SSLF save in our own defense, of course. They claim they are willing to cease fire upon us, and I did not come here to kill human beings, for my part. The additional security does seem…prudent, however. And, more eyes, more boots. I did hear Command is finalizing its preparations to explore those Cylon facilities as well, yes?"
"Yes, that's correct. In fact, those plans are finalized. I have them with me, to be shared prior to making the trek tomorrow afternoon. I intend to be on the ground at least through the completion of that effort," Madilyn says with a nod, and shows off the sealed envelope in her hands. "I suppose it can't hurt to show all these baby Marines that I went through all of this. Maybe a long time ago, but that's a moot point." Madilyn then looks at Lunair. "And if anyone says more than 20 years, they're going to be cleaning the heads," she jokes.
Lunair listens quietly, then smiles. "Well, I had a few jokes but that's just mean. You don't look much more than … um, 30?" She considers Madi, squinting. She is a bad judge of age. A shrug. "I can never guess ages and it only gets you slapped," This she ponders. "But it would be a good thing for them to know," She agrees. Fresh Marines! A look to Cidra, and there's some relief that there's not to be aggressive action against TERRORIST SAGGIES. "If there's anything I can help with as that goes, please let me know sir."
Cidra shares a very faint, and rather rueful, grin with Madilyn. She's 'somewhere less than 20 but far too close to it' years in herself. A short nod to the rest of it. "Excellent. I admit, I most curious as to what lies within those gods-forsaken things. And why the Cylons have so apparently pulled off of this planet. We have seen no trace of them, in flesh or metal, since landing here." Which does little to ease her mind. If anything, the lack of Cylons is a puzzle piece that sits ominously with her.
"Confusing, yes. Worrysome, yes. But the less we have to see shiny metallic foot soldiers on this planet, the better. I have to think that being confused about the lack of Cylons is better than being stranded and surrounded by the damned things on Leonis. There's a firm evac plan in place in case of sudden Cylon arrival in-system, I imagine?" Madilyn asks Cidra, regarding planet evac and rendezvous jumps.
A few nods at that. Lunair tilts her head, listening. "Even stranger that they just cleaned it all up too, and -" Left the Saggies goes unsaid. She goes quiet for now.
"Certainly," Cidra says, to all counts of that. "With Cerberus in orbit we can pull our people out of here in short order. Back to ship and off we go. I shall not complain about the absence of Cylons. It just leads me to believe they are planning something we cannot fathom, which sits most ill with me." But she shrugs. She reflects on it not more for the moment. Does little good now. "Sergeant Constin has taken the security efforts around the facility well in hand. Once your men are settled in, Captain Nikephoros and myself will get you a schedule of our Raptor runs and patrols into Aera Yazd and the other cities on-planet, and we can get our boots on the ground. As it were. Is there anything additional you will need for your preparations to go into the Cylon facility?"
"A list of volunteer deck and engineer crew. We want to learn as much as we can about the purpose of these Cylon facilities. This may require a special trip back to Cerberus for some of these volunteers. The Marine teams are already assembled, at least on paper. Beyond that, it's an exploratory mission into a facility that recon has shown to be absent of enemy presence. So long as the volunteers are ready to help unravel the mysteries within but are prepared for anything, no additional preparation should be required." While she talks, Madilyn is looking around the yard at the bustle of activity going around in all the corners.
Lunair is for her part, a cat herder and quietly tending to the Marines. She does smile now and then as she listens.
"My bus drivers can gather whichever additional personnel you shall need, in the time it takes to fly, load and fuel," Cidra says to Madilyn. "I shall see that you have whatever support you need. And good hunting when you venture in, Major. If there is nothing further, I shall let you get settled in. I should get changed into my flight gear myself. I should do my own proper duty in a Raptor in not too long."
"Excellent, Major. I will do just that. Plans for the expedition will be discussed following the day's duty sessions in the bunkhouse or whatever it is that serves as an operations post here. I have to discover what exactly that is, of course." Madilyn nods at Cidra, and after an exchange of good-byes, is following not too far behind Lunair is herding Marines in and getting to learn the way around the prison.