PHD #020: The Unexpected Visitor
The Unexpected Visitor
Summary: Bannik and Zosime get an assignment from the Chief that they don't quite expect.
Date: 18 Mar 2041 AE
Related Logs: Tug of War.
Players:
Atreus Bannik Zosime 
Chief's Office - Hangar Deck
Post Holocaust Day: #20
The room is fairly small, to maximize the area of the deck itself. It contains a smallish metal desk with locking drawers, a computer terminal, a file cabinet against one wall and metal shelves filled with tools, spare parts, and manuals. There are two chairs facing the desk, clearly scavenged from somewhere else. One area of the shelving, nearest the desk, has been cleared and is clean. This holds a coffee maker that constantly seems to have some brew or other in it. Above the chair behind the desk, in a position of prominence, a framed picture has been hung. It is an embroidered image depicting Hephaestus with his two metal helpers. The work is beautiful and almost lovingly detailed. The god is laughing, one eye bright where a patch covers the other. He is held aloft by his helpers, one done in glittering gold, the other in silver.

Morning. Late morning, but morning all the same. Atreus has apparently arrived only moments before, for the coffee is not yet percolating. He has placed a folder on his desk and is crouched in front of a small safe kept on the lowest shelf almost behind his desk.

Bannik makes his way into the Chief's office, having gotten a little more familiar with the place than the average crewman might like. "Chief, you wanted to see me?" asks the Avionics tech, coming to a vague sort of 'at ease' position in front Atreus's desk.

Earlier, Zosime received a notice about some sort of special project. Right behind Bannik, the blonde deckhand grins when she realizes that they're headed in the same direction and pokes her head in merely moments after the younger Aerilon enters the office. "Hey, Chief. I'm pretty sure we're here for the same reason?" She glances toward Bannik before settling her gaze on Atreus.

Once the safe opens, Atreus takes out a soft, black zipper folder. Unzipping it, he takes out several portable drives. Putting the rest away, he closes and locks the safe. Rising and turning, he nods to the two crew who have entered. "Have a seat, please." Moving to his desk, he claims his own seat, then looks at each in the eyes, "Now, before I go over this, I need to impress upon you the need for absolute secrecy. It is really important that this stay quiet. Can you both give me your word that you will not discuss it where anyone else can hear you?"

Bannik glances over at Zosime and smiles at the fellow Aerilon, the shared bond of those from the same colony in the same department. And on the same project, apparently. But when the portable drives come out of the safe and they're read the Riot Act — well. That impresses the seriousness of things on the crewman. "Of course, Chief. Safe with me."

Settling into a seat when told, Zosime focuses her attention on Atreus. Whatever would need such absolute secrecy is beyond her, but she'll certainly give her word. "My word," she tells him seriously, promising. She's sure he'll continue after this, but it's hard not to ask the immediate question. "What are they?" Her eyes automatically shift to those drives.

Atreus lifts the flash drives, "These? Oh, no. These are copies of the old control code for the fighters. We have to scrub the CNP out of all systems. This isn't the project." Rising, he strides to the hatch and closes it firmly. He checks the hatch, then returns to the desk, "You can discuss this with myself, Damon, yourselves and Rat." Sitting once more, he continues, "During one of the away missions, the marines recovered a Centurion. Engineering has it under lockdown, but we need to examine it. Specifically, we need to look for weaknesses."

"Centurion?" echoes back Bannik, his eyes growing a bit behind his glasses. "Uh. Well. They don't teach you a lot about Cylon technology in A-School, but. Uh." He glances over at Zosime. "I'll do what I can to help." In that look to Zosime, he perhaps seems relieved that there is someone here ranked higher than him involved with the project.

Those aren't the project? But, they were in the safe and everything! What a decoy. Zosime has about a half-second to shift gears before she hears the word Centurion and the surprise isn't hard to identify in her face. Mostly because her mouth falls open slightly upon hearing what this project is. "Wait, seriously?" This has got to be a joke, doesn't it? They have "It isn't…it's not still — what's the word you use for Cylons? Alive? Functioning? — is it?"

Atreus's fingers begin turning one of the flash drives over and over and over as he listens. It is kept below the level of maddening because the motion is slow and smooth, rhythmic, "I am in deadly earnest, yes. As for it's condition…" He shrugs and catches the drive, "No idea. All I know is that it is aboard and the Marines are watching it for Engineering. Now, I've asked Captain Gabrieli and Lieutenant JG Parres for a shot at it. Not literally. But, we need to see what we're up against. I want to see if we can develop ordnance or something to use against 'em. It'll be a trick, though. So, I'm heading the team, but you both and Damon for sure, will be working with me. I do not need to tell you how bad it could be if the general troops got wind of this. Or, Lords forefend, the civvies."

"Wait. It's /active/?" Clearly, this possibility did not occur to Bannik. Clearly. He must have figured that it was — you know, shot up. But /active/? "I'm going to get shot by a giant toaster when it gets powered up?" Again, this possibility did not initially occur to him. "But. Well. Marines are there. So. They'll get shot first." That's what Marines are for. He sighs and stands up. "But, you got it, Chief. Just let us know what you need. We'll — be there." Then, softer. "Behind the Marines."

They have a Centurion aboard the ship? And it might still be active? Zosime's surprised expression turns into one of more gaping wonderment. "B-but, how did we get it here if it's still all…toasting?" That's a question for the marines, she guesses. Which she won't know who to ask in order to get it properly answered. Well, she did agree to do this. And in secrecy. But, that doesn't mean she isn't still scared to death of it. "We'll, yeah, we'll work on it, Chief." With a deep breath, she attempts to sound chipper when she adds, "I mean, the more we know about them, the easier it'll be to get rid of them." She doesn't exactly sound convinced, but she's trying.

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