| Trust and a Good Fire Extinguisher |
| Summary: | Karthasi bugs out leaving Merrell and Alexander to talk. |
| Date: | 16 Feb 2041 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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The Chapel
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.
<Alexander has just walked in on Karthasi and Merrell talking>
Alexander looks first at the Karthasi, "Ah, a Sister." There is a moment where the man lowers his head a in reverence, "Hello, sister. I'm Alexander Aurelia." He then looks at Merrell, "And I'm sorry for interupting. Perhaps, I could take a seat and center myself quietly unti you are both done? I have questions for, well, everyone really. This is my first time on a Battlestar and I must say I am not left disappointed." The man's voice is calm, practiced, and utterly smooth as is his demeanor which is completely calm and relaxed.
Karthasi did a lot of drugs in seminary. Most of them for class. And for a long moment she looks uncertain as to whether she's having one of those hallucinations they'd warned her might crop up years later. "A— beh— ghh-hh.." she kind of makes noises in her mouth without making words quite go. "Uh. I mean," she tries to bring herself back to reality, lifting the ice pack to her forehead and closing her eyes. "Yes; why don't you head into the back, there is some incense, there. Feel free to leave your devotions; I will sanctify them upon my return. And please," she tells the guy, who— well, of the weird things she's seen over the last couple of days, is, granted, not the weirdest, but is looking to be the straw that broke this camel's weird-o-meter, "Do stay. Make yourself at home. I will return shortly," she lifts herself from her seat, "Your pardon," she bows slightly to the two as she retreats, perhaps off to tend to some call of nature.
"Its a Battlestar. Privacy doesn't exist," Merrell says drily. Her eyes stay focused on the man, the name making zero impression on her. There's a glance to Greje as the woman fumbles and the SCPO's brow furrows. "Thank you for the time, Sister. I'll leave my offerings as instructed. Go with the Gods." She only nods further to the woman's departure. A thoughtful expression falls over her in the ensuing silence before she looks back to Alexander. "Why would you want to ask me questions? Are you part of that Quorum Delegation?"
Alexander again nods his head to the retreating Sister and he isn't sure if he should be amused or concerned. Instead of worrying about the Sister he turns and listens to Merrell whose word are turned into a mental note. "I am loosely a part of it yes, I am here as a Goodwill Ambassador and I am hear to do research for my next role. So, I am here to interview crew members to learn what it means to be a member of the Fleet." Alexander responds to Merrell and he looks pretty happy at the prospect of meeting someone who knows nothing about him since it is a rare occasion when something like this happens.
"A 'Goodwill Ambassador'," she repeats. The Senior Chief is pretty filthy and it becomes apparent when she emerges from the dark shadows on the side. Her face is smudged in grease and carbon and her coveralls don't look any better. "What do you mean? You're hear to learn about Battlestar crews? Why?" She seems suspicious of the guy, her arms folding across her chest.
Alexander makes a mental note of the grease and smudges as he takes a mental picture of the woman in front of him, this is part of his research. "A Goodwill Ambassador, believe it or not I'm a very famous actor and so I am here to improve morale for a while." The Caprican actor squats in order to get a better look at Merrell so that he can study her face a bit better and so that he is on eye level. He rests his arms on his knees, "As to why I am here?" He barely thinks about his response as it comes out clearly and effortlessly, "I am here to learn about Battlestar crews and life here because I will be in a movie about the Fleet and I refuse to take on a role until I have researched it thoroughly. I want to understand what it means to serve the fleet so I can express this on screen. Otherwise, I might misrepresent all of the hard working men and women of the fleet."
Merrell seems unimpressed even still. Potentially even disbelieving. "So you just want to figure us out and encapsulate us for the screen? I never saw it but I heard about someone else who did the same thing and it ended up being some sort of rip-apart movie that made the Fleet and Marines look like a bunch of murdering scumbags. I think it was set during the Kildare Quake. So, sorry if I don't exactly think everyone who is supposed to be here on a Goodwill Mission is exactly truthful. I haven't seen a movie in almost a decade because I saw too much trash out there and I sorta don't respect most movie stars. Especially the ones that like to claim to dedicate their lives to causes." She slowly rises from her seat and stuffs her hands into her pockets.
Alexander listens to the woman and he notes her dislike of movie stars and he simply officers to Merrell, "This movie is being made with full support of the Fleet. I can't say much other than this movie does not paint a negative picture of the fleet at all." There is a brief pause and after that a thoughtful, "Though I am sure these all sound like words to you since words like these mean nothing until the final product is revealed." The actor is reflective as he says this to Merrell though he leaves her to her own opinion. As Merrell stands so does Alexander and his body language is utterly neutral.
"Yeah. Exactly. I'm a Senior Chief that means I'm more or less used to hearing all sorts of things. Excuses, promises, sworn statements. The only thing that matters to me is the actions that people take. They define who we are. They also help me make decisions about who I can trust when I need someone to watch my back in dangerous situations." Merrell just stares up at him. "This movie may be made with the full support of the fleet, but they ain't perfect. Supposedly this delegation has the full support of the fleet. More like this delegation has the fleet by the.." The woman looks read to spit some rather acidic words when she catches herself. Eyes close and she casts a glance to the alter. Eyes close and she looks back to Alexander. "Apologies. This is a chapel, not a bar."
Alexander oddly understands the rank Senior Chief quiet well since he played an army sniper in a before that showed the army in the highest of lights and for that role he studied rank for every branch of Military Service. "I see, Chief." He says to Merrell, "I agree with you that it is our actions that are more important at the end of the day. I agree with everything you have said and you and I have just met so perhaps our actions toward each other will somehow bring us to trust each other or they will let us be indifferent toward each other. Though, I thank you for sharing your thought with me." Alexander gets that thoughtful look again, "I can't say much about the rest of QUODEL as I have not been formally introduced yet.' Then when Merrell makes an apology Aleander shakes his head, "Ah, you do not have to apoloize to me and possibly not the Lords as I suspect that they have heard worse in their time. The Lords know the true intentions of QUODEL I suspect and will deal with them either by lifting them up for good actions or knocking them down so that they may become humble for their misdeeds."
"Somehow I don't think I'm going to be trusting you that easily. It takes a lot. You want to prove you are worth of trust on a combat vessel like this, you learn what you can about your environment. There's twenty thousand ways to die in Engineering alone and I'm sure the Corps can provide another twenty grand. At the end of the day though, how you act in an emergency will dictate whether or not you're worthy." Merrell crosses her arms, dark eyes staring at him. "Learn firefighting skills. Nobody runs from a fire on a Battlestar. Ever. People have accidents but a fire can kill a whole ship." To his remarks about the Gods, she shakes her head. "The point is respect. They may have heard worse but it won't be from me."
More mental notes are made by the Caprican actor as he listens to Merrell, she might not trust him but she is giving him information from a new perspective and it is from someone who doesn't know who he is from Zeus himself. "Fair enough, like you said, trust is something to be earned and not simply given." Alexander also makes a note, "Firefighting skills. Ah, yes, fire burns oxygen which in turn needs more oxygen were a critical system to be hit the entire ship would be harmed." Alexander asks in all seriousness, "Where might I go about learning those skills and who should I talk to here about that?" It wold seem that Alexander means serious business as his question is asked in all humility, no job too big or too small. Alexander adds to Merrell, "Ah, respect for the Lords is a good thing."
"Its not so much that fire damages systems. That's a no-brainer." Merrell's voice hasn't lost that edge to it. "You can repair systems. The heat is the problem. Heat weakens structural supports and when you've got an air-tight ship like this that has to potentially take a beating in combat, the last thing you want to do is have to worry about structural collapse from a previous fire." To his question, she shrugs. "Should have asked before you came aboard. They probably would have sent you to basic for a some focused training. But on here? I would see the Deck Chief. If he can't help you, then I don't know. Find someone with free time - if that person exists."
Alexander listens to Merrell as he continues to make mental notes to himself about what is important about suppressing a fire and why. "The Deck Chief, huh?" He begins to think of ways to meet up with the Deck Chief or even finding the Deck Chief since he has just recently arrived on the Cerberus. "What is the Deck Chief's name?" Alexander asks Merrell, "So I can find him."
"I think his name is Atreus. You'll have to ask around, though. You people aren't allowed down on the Hangar Deck - which is probably where the man lives. Beyond that, I can't help you." Merrell's eyes stares at him a few more seconds longer before she moves to step around him. "Anyhow, good luck with..whatever you are making. I'm sure it will make you even more rich to buy some more of those snazy cowboy boots." She gives him a smiple wave and moves off for the hatch.
Alexander waves the mystery Chief off, "I hope to see you again." He says to Merrell, "And if you like the boots I can introduce you to the woman who made them. It is all done by hand." Alex tilts his head and then says in grateful honesty, "And thank you for sharing your insights with me."