Shui blinks a few times at Tylen's pronouncement.  Her head tilts slightly to the side, as if she has been struck by a new consideration.  Then she nods, her smile returning.  "Thank you, Mr. Orgesh.  For the reassurance." the Steward replies, snagging the nearly-full pot of coffee and pouring him a cup.  "You are correct, of course; Ms. Crow will most certainly ensure this is safe for all involved."

She sets the mug down next to his plate and pats him on the shoulder, absently brushing a hint of lint from his shirt.  "You are a good, kind man," Shui whispers, genuinely touched by his concern for her.  "I feel much better, now."

And she does, though not for the reasons one might think.

"Bah, you're welcome," Yas says with a grin and watches Sushi as she deals with Tylen and his missing cup.  Nothing show on her face except for the grin until he gets a pat on the shoulder.

"Of course no one's gonna get hurt, that'd defeat the purpose of this exercise," she adds in case someone still have doubt.

She leans up against the nearby bulkhead and stands there watching everyone, the grin changing into a slightly crooked and faint smile.

Not quite sure what he has done to warrant the extra attention, Tylen smiles as Shui brushes the lint from his shirt and whispers.  "You're welcome." he replies quietly.  Somewhat at a loss for anything else to say he reaches out for the new cup of coffee and takes a sip, almost burning his mouth in the process.  "Good." he says raising his cup in salute to the stewardess.

Ash watches the rest of the crew banter and talk easily with each other.  He purses his lips, only a slight tinge of envy present.  Otherwise, he sips his black coffee quietly after chewing on his last spoonful of cereal sprinkled with some sort of reconstituted fruit of some sort.  Even that meager fare was a step up from some of the prepack tubes that Ash had had the 'privilege' of having to use at various points in his space faring career.  Texture alone, sometimes made all the difference.

Ash rubs his knee thoughtfully as the rest of the crew discussed the upcoming self-defense class.  It probably wouldn't hurt to have some sort of organized training.  He isn't sure how much he can really absorb, but that would not Yasmine's fault at all, solely his own.  Ash quietly contemplates how high strung their Doctor and Steward was - her reaction surprises him a bit as she normally seemed in tight control.  But the thought of violence seemed to make her physically ill.  It was a different reaction from when flying the air-raft.  And it was definitely a departure for her normal demeanor.  Troubling in some ways, he thought, troubling as though there must be story.  Something from way back.

Ash sighs slightly again.  He knows quite well, that if Shui isn't going to tell Yasmine or Tylen or Saskia about whatever 'it' is.  There is no way she is going to open up to him - a complete stranger, by all accounts.  Another mystery to be unravelled at a future time.  He catalogued it and continues to sip his coffee quietly at the far side of the table.

Jago relaxes a little.  Yas had taken care of the queries, and deflected a lot of the attention away from his part in the planning of the proposed training regimen.

He smiles as he helps himself to more food and coffee (he should, after all, keep his strength up).  "So that's all settled then.  You'll thank me for this, next time you're involved in a dirtside brawl or have to restrain a troublesome passenger."

"I thought that Yas could explain the basic principle of each move, and then people could split into pairs and practice for a few minutes while Yas gives them pointers and tells them what they're doing wrong."

"How does that sound?"

"Yep. Sure." Tylen comments in-between bites of pancake and mouthfuls of coffee.  "Who will be your training partner, Jago?" the ex-scout asks laconically,  deliberately assuming that the captain wouldn't ask his crew to do anything that he wouldn't.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:51, Sat 15 Jan 2011.

"If nobody else minds," Saskia says, her voice carrying the merest hint of a totally uncharacteristic hard edge, "I'd like to partner Jago."

The engineer stretches, and cracks her knuckles, and the smile that she gives the captain is all sweetness and light.  Jago volunteered me for this, after all, so Jago is going to reap just what he sowed.

Tylen grins at the thought of Sakia's boots and the captain, then mock-doffs his hat towards Shui.  "Shall we?" he asks imitating the half awkward days of a teenager at a semi-formal dance.

Ash watches the others pick their partners, then realizes that he's the only one left without a partner.  That is, unless either Keryn or Corlan partake of the lessons.  Or unless he wants to get beaten up by Yasmine.  But since neither of the passengers is guaranteed to participate and Ms. Crow is a known quantity, he smiles slightly, even as his shoulders slump a little, and then notes to no one in particular, "It appears that I am to be our Security Chief's demonstration dummy."  He tugs at one of his slightly over-sized ears after emphasizing the word 'dummy'.

"Please, be gentle, Ms. Crow." Ash addresses Yasmine, "I do have a bad knee..."

Shui's eyebrows rise slightly.  "Mr. Orgesh, are you asking me to train?"  A real smile lights her features this time, and she gives him a small, formal-looking nod in return, head tilted to an angle just so.  "Of course I accept, without a doubt."

At least, she feels, when Yasmine starts the classes there won't be any fumbling through a search for a partner.  And she's fairly certain Mr. Orgresh - an experienced scout - won't fumble something in the actual practice, either.  Paired up with a complete neophyte to this sort of thing could be disastrous to Shui.  The other person might unknowingly attack in a wild fashion...which could prove to have poor results for both people involved.

Plus, she trusts Tylen.  Not that she mistrusts the other members of the crew, but...it's a matter of solidity, she decides.  Tylen has always struck her that way.  Not more trustworthy than the others, but extremely...protective.  That's the word, and a quality she admires.

"I expect you are capable enough in this dance not to step on my toes," she notes to the gunner, eyes bright with amusement.  "I shall do my best not to embarass you, myself."

Saskia appears well-pleased with her choice, but poor Ash seems somewhat worried by being the last one out, so to speak.  Shui frowns slightly.  "Mr. Tescali, we really must have that physical.  And soon, if you are to be partaking in this exercise."  She shoots a narrow-eyed glance at Jago, scarfing back the food, then raises an eyebrow at Saskia.  "Make him work," Shui mouths at the engineer before turning back to their pilot.  "If you are free after this, Mr. Tescali, perhaps we can get it out of the way, and I can stop harping on the subject?"

Ash should feel privilaged, though likely he cannot yet see that.  The safest place for him, the least likely place for injury, is with the instructor.

"How cosy!  Truth is, though, I was thinking it best to randomly draw partners each time.  After all, you rarely get to choose troublemaker for real, unless you're the one starting it, and that we don't want, right?" Yas chuckles as people starts to pick out a partner.

"But don't you worry, Ash, even if I'll jump in now and then to mix things up no one's gong to go very hard on anyone.  It's only a week, so we'll stick to the basics," she continues and scratches her cheek, as if trying to straighten out the crooked grin on her face.  "Besides, some of you may have some experience and therefore it wouldn't be fair to the others if you always stuck to the same partner, right?"

Jago has the look of a man reconsidering his command decision that he would take part in the training program.  Reluctantly, though, he is forced to conclude that if he backs out now, it would probably look really bad.  "Well, until Shui checks with our three passengers, we won't know exactly how many people we have interested in this." he says to his crew.  "So we don't know  whether we've got an even or odd number of... er... students.  Makes it difficult to decide the best way to divide them... us... divide us up.  Yes... us."

He gazes at the table for a moment, clearly pondering something of paramount importance.

"Does anybody else want that last rasher of bacon?"

Randomly drawing partners is more logical - it forces people to adapt to different circumstances, and doesn't allow them to fall into predicting how their partner will act and react.  That doesn't help Shui feel any better about it, and she gives Tylen a small, apologetic smile.  "Over the course of several days, I am certain we shall have an opportunity, Mr. Orgesh - luck and fate willing."

The smile fades at the Captain's plaintive question.  Stepping forward, Shui snakes the bacon off the communal plate and deposits it on the nearest, non-Lanzo dish - Ash's, as it turns out.  "Yes.  Mr. Tescali has a physical today, and I would like him to be well-fed." It makes no sense, but that isn't the point.  "Captain Lanza, you do have a dietary regime to follow.  While some deviation is sadly expected, this is the perfect opportunity to put you on the correct path."

Her eyes narrow into flat lines as she leans on the table, practically face to face with Jago.  "I can do nothing about what you hide in your office, but at the table?  I have been lax.  Unforgivably so, for it is your health under consideration - yours and this crew, not simply my own.  I blame myself; I have been too soft, killing with kindness."  Her head droops under the weight of guilt as she considers her failing, then rises again with eyes afire.  "Your idea holds great merit from a health perspective as well as that of self-defense.  It has inspired me to consider a regular series of group exercises - mandatory group exercises.  Better diet.  Better exercise.  This may not be the marines, but the health of the crew is my business.  My duty."

Her lips tighten and she leans a hint closer.  "Cheating on my instructions will only fuel my determination," the doctor whispers.

One finger edges Ash's plate a touch further out of Jago's reach, then Shui straightens, her sharp resolve softening.  "I should speak with the passengers, determine which will join us.  Excuse me."  With a nod to the table, she moves to where their guests are seated.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Tue 18 Jan 2011.

Tylen is about to comment, but sits back and takes a mouthful of his coffee instead.  Sometimes he knows when to be quiet.

Ash's brow furrows slightly as he listens to Shui's tirade against Jago.   He is about to push back from the table to give their Steward more room, when the last piece of bacon mysteriously appears on his plate.  Under Doctor's orders, apparently.  Unwilling to invoke Shui's newly discovered wrath, Ash begins to partake of the bacon - though he conspicuously avoids eye contact with Jago.

Once the evidence is gone, Ash slowly pushes back from the table and sits quietly listening to Shui talk.  He breaks that silence only once, when addressed directly, by offering a curt, "Yes, Ma'am." when Shui notes with some exasparation that Ash still has not approached her for his physical.

"You tell him!" Saskia cheers Shui on, "The less frelling padding he has, the fairer it will be for the person who has to spar with him.  Plus he needs to lose weight, because hauling him round is a strain on my poor engines."

The smile that forms on her lips then is tinged with cruelty, "Besides, if he doesn't have that bacon, he'll starve to death before lunch, and then the ship is ours."

She laughs.  A short burst of giggles which stops abruptly, as she realises she might have gone too far.  "Oops.  Did I say that out loud?"

Tylen's eyes flick from the steward to the engineer and a slight smile twitches at the corners of his mouth before he schools his face carefully.  A bunch of mad women he thinks as he considers his female crew members, good job they like me.

I hope

Jago folds his arms across his chest and glares at Saskia and Shui, "So.  It's mutiny, is it?"  He can't keep from smiling though, as he gets up from the table, "Luckily I'm not really in the right mood to space the pair of you today.  Maybe I'll enjoy the pleading and crying more tomorrow."

"I'm going to change my clothes for some... " and the lighting in the lounge dies, coming back a second or so later, as Jago's voice trails off, "... thing more athletic."

"Okay...  That's not good.  Saskia, find out what happened.  Shui, check on the passengers.  Everybody else to stations until we find out more."

"Just anticipating your wishes, Boss." Tylen grins as he stands up "Computer thought you were going to say something more comfortable" he grins over at Jago and then, just for a moment, he wonders if it really is a bit of programming left over from Jago's days as a swinging bachelor.

"So we starting now, or are we waiting for Saskia to run checks first?" he asks, finishing off his coffee and putting the mug on the side.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Sat 22 Jan 2011.

Ash doesn't wait for Jago to answer Tylen.  With the bridge not very far away, Ash is up fast and despite a slight hobble, makes it to station in seconds.  His dishes are dropped off unceremoniously (though quietly) in the sink.  He would rinse them, but that will have to wait for later.

As he sits in his seat, Ash buckles his harness.  The action is almost second nature, as he doesn't really think about it.  He is instead preoccupied with collecting and displaying information.  His fingers move over the dynamic console configuration as Ash starts pulling up internal diagnostic displays, checking alarms and trying to note anything unusual.  He may not know the system like Saskia, but he can try to collate as much information as possible.  Ash is fully aware that if the jump bubble bursts prematurely - they are all likely dead.  So, he also starts querying the computer core about the nature of the power outage as well as the state of the lanthanum grid and the hydrogen bubble surrounding the ship.

Even if he cannot make much of the data - Ash tries to be prepared.  If they have misjumped and by some miracle survive... then it will likely fall to him to figure out where they are and what they can do to get anywhere.  Ash purses his lips, hoping for the best, but fearing and preparing for the worst.

Saskia's support lightens Shui's spirits - currently aflame with determination - and she shakes her head at the engineer's concerns about crossing lines.  Jago's rebuttal receives a very un-Shui snort as she marches away to deal with the passengers -

- the lights die -

- Shui straightens out of her half-crouch, allowing her hands to drop as the illumination returns.  All traces of levity have vanished from her sharp features.  "Immediately, Captain Lanza," she returns, picking up her pace as she moves to the passengers' lounge.

"So sorry about the inconvenience," the Steward begins with a small bow.  "Nothing spilled?"  Her tone remains deliberately light and she avoids questions about injuries - likely there are none, and asking about topped coffees will put the passengers in a less concerned mood.  "Captain Lanza has a proposition for recreation while we travel," she continues, determined to focus their attention on something other than the current 'incident'.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Tue 25 Jan 2011.

Hurrying back to Engineering, Saskia drops into her chair and starts running diagnostics.

"Right, which one of you farbotz idiots decided it would be fun to interrupt my breakfast?" she mutters, "Come on.  Own up, and be frelling quick about it.  Or I'll stop treating you so nicely.

"Don't have time for this dren.  Need to go beat up Jago.  Yes, that Jago." she glances at the power plant's plasma constriction manifold, "Yes, I'll give him one for you, but first I need somebody to tell me what the yotz is going on here."

With a shrug Tylen casually follows the others out of the lounge and back to his station, playing idly with something between his fingers as he does so.  On some of the scout ships he had served on, the lights going down for a moment or two was nothing to worry about ....

Jago moves to his own position on the bridge, and starts checking things over.  Outside the ports, all he can see is a formless grey fog.  So that's good, Jump Space is supposed to look like that.  So far, it doesn't look like a misJump.  As far as he can tell.

The instruments all look to be confirming this.  Which means he has to wait for Saskia to confirm that the power drop was something trivial.

"You see anything out there, Ash?  Tylen, Yas?  Anything on anybody's sensors?"



"Nothing spilled." Corlan confirms.  He is sitting at a table with Eneris.  Keryn is nearby, sprawled on one of the much softer couches.  None of them seem unduly concerned by a momentary flicker of the lights.  All three of them, however, make some indication of interest in the idea of shipboard recreation, though each of them does qualify their interest somewhat.

Keryn is concerned about how hard it will be for her to do any physical exercise before she gets used to the gravity, and both Corlan and Eneris point out that they are no longer in their prime.

"Just the normal jump static." Tylen offers as he lounges in the doorway to his gunnery cubicle.