In reply to Mika Trake (msg #693):

Devon growled agreement at the treatment anyone ouside the Brotherhood of Engineers tended to give to their kit.  'Well, apart from the Navicomp, I cant see us having too much trouble getting her fixed up... The navicomp though?  that's toast.  Pilot did a number on it - wiped it then ripped out a bunch of wires, just to be sure.  Reckon we're going to need to bring Sheila in for this - she's our code slicer, might be able to get something out of it.'
With a sigh, Devon switched the flight computer off again.  Any tampering he did now would only make Sheila's job harder.  'But she's due for a bacta dunking about now, so I guess that will have to wait.

Climbing from the cockpit, Devon let himself slide down the side the fighter back to the deck.  He pulled out a datapad and began working on it, holding the pad so that Mika could easily look over his shoulder and see what he was doing.
'In the meantime, we can still learn things.  Fuel left in the tank, knowing how long she was in combat for and the fuel efficiency of an R-41 lets us work out how long her journey into the combat zone was.'  Devon entered the relevant figures, lips moving silently as he worked through the equations.  When he finished, he held the pad out for Mika so she could look over the numbers herself.
'No more than two hours in hyperspace when she jumped in, I think.  If we go over sensor data for the encounter and can work out what vector she jumped in on, that will narrow down the list of possible start points a lot.  Your idea about analysing the onboard air supply might let us narrow that list even further.'


'What's bugging me right now is the way the canopy blew out.  Climb up and have a look if you want.'
Once Mika had climbed up, Devon pointed at the scorching and cracks that had gotten his attention.  'Pilot was a dead on arrival, right?  Well, this scorching here and the damage to the canopy there make me think that the ejection system went off.  Mark said the pilot died during the hyperjump, I'm wondering if he didnt want to be taken alive... didn't have a weapon, so he sabotaged his ejection system and made it crack the canopy.' 

Devon shook his head slowly.  'Damn shame.' he said quietly.  'I offered that guy safe passage to a neutral port if he surrendered to us.  Meant it to.  This shouldnt have happened.'

"Ms Masters is in no condition to be put under further emotional duress and if neither of you have any further medical-related matters to attend to then kindly get out of the medbay.  You hold exactly zero authority over me, Mr Sloan, and as Ms Masters is quite badly injured - if you hadn't noticed - I actually do have some authority over her."  It turns around to face him.

"You may be an organic, whilst I am merely a piece of medical equipment, but I am a piece of medical equipment with some measure of command over the tone and content of this particular room.  So unless you would like me to summon Commander Sheppard to back up my authority, as you seem so tremendously incapable of bearing the idea of a droid 'ordering people about', I suggest you take your investigation - and your argument - elsewhere."

In reply to 2-1B-D3 (msg #698):

Sloan kept quiet, leaving the droid to argue however it wished. As far as he was concerned the droid and Sheila were making things worse by keeping the argument going. While Sloan had dismissed the incident with Flash minutes after it was done, Sheila had decided to start it up again. Hopefully, Sheila would get the closure she needed by confronting him, though Sloan had no intentions of speaking with her any further. He casually looked at his watch, then at Sheila and sat down on the nearest chair, making a point that not even in this med bay did the medical droid hold sway. If Masters wanted to chew him, she would, and he wouldn't stop her, nore was this droid.

It served a second purpose, that he respected her wishes to not be followed by staying put. He closed his eyes and waited for people to back down and move on, if they wished to.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:06, Thu 23 June 2011.

"I see."  2-1B-D3 seems decidedly unimpressed but not particularly surprised.  The droid activates its commlink.  "Commander Sheppard, there is a disturbance in the medbay and despite having no real business here Mister Sloan refuses to leave.  May I request some assistance in moving him along, please?"

Mika steps back while Devon climbs down, "I don't kniw, I might be able to fix the navicomputer.  Maybe not slice it, but get it up and running for Sheila."   But she lets the matter drop as Devon starts his calcs.  When he's done, she takes the datapad to look over his numbers.  "That's a real interesting take on it.  Hmmm.... Two hours from the where we were, and if we pull their vector from the sensor logs...  that cap ship have up to date astrogation tables?  I bet we could narrow it down quite a bit."

Mika turns her attentions to the ejection system and climbs up as suggested.  She didn't know much about them, cap ships usually had escape pods, not personal ejection systems.  "I don't know much about pirates, but I never heard of them being all that anxious to martyr themselves.  I'm thinking more like a malfunction or a remote, or maybe some sort of dead man switch.  Or maybe we're dealing with something more than a bunch of pirates."

Mika wasn't quite so empathetic as Devon about the pirates death.  "I don't know that a pirate deserves any better?"

Mark's voice comes over the internal comm on medbay.  "This is Sheppard.  What is going on down there?"

"As stated, Commander," the 2-1B says evenly.  "There is some form of emotional and/or logical conflict betwixt Mr Sloan and Ms Masters; it may or may not be romantic in nature.  The nature, duration and details of it are not my concern; only its current location.  Whilst I have your attention, though, sir," it adds, "Mr Sloan is asking about the bodies of dead pirates.  I have informed him there are none on board the Nightshrike and that he may submit a requisition order for one from Ms Jax, but I suspect that his intention is unlikely to be recreational.  I can hope, anyway."  A slight pause.  "Would you have additional information regarding the whereabouts of such, Commander?  Ms Masters is on her way to the bacta tanks in any case but basic psychology programming indicates that Mr Sloan might be more inclined to move on if he has somewhere to move to."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:11, Thu 23 June 2011.

Mark growled.  He'd been disturbed from his planning for a romantic interlude?

"Tell Mr Sloan that there was no pilot, the ejection seat fired during the hyperspace jump and the pilot was lost.  If he wants more information he can speak to the engineers.  Then tell him to get out of medbay unless he's dying.  If any of the crew scheduled for bacta tank shows up, have them escorted to the bacta tanks immediately.  We're paying by the hours for those."



OOC:  Since the wall com can be heard by all in medbay, Darvin will hear it even before 2-1B recites any of it.

In reply to Mark Sheppard (msg #704):

"Actually," said Darvin, "I had let Miss Masters and Master Nallis get to the front of the line, before I could actually finish my run at the medbay and was waiting for them to be done before tending to my next order of business, which is medical in nature. I thank you for the extra details, sir." His eyes had remained closed, and his hands were behind his head which was leaning against a bulkhead.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:11, Thu 23 June 2011.

The droid unhurriedly continues its assigned task - whatever that is - ignoring Sloan as he and the Commander speak.  The organic has clearly heard Commander Sheppard's order, so it elects to repeat it only if it becomes decidedly clear that Darvin is not moving on.

Exilim watched and noted the details of the exchange between Sheila and Darvin. Something had obviously happened after he had  left the debriefing. By Sheila's reaction, he was guessing it was not going to be something he could ignore, "mmm seems I've missed something. As much as I need to get the details, I have an appointment elsewhere. Be certain I will get the details." he said.

He leads Sheila out of the medbay and heads to where they need to go "Walk and talk" he says once they are on their way "expand on what just happened."

Leaving Rann to conclude his own business, Merreck left the conference hall. He heard a commotion around where he suspected the medical bay was, and since he wanted to get to know the ship anyway, he headed in that direction. Once arriving he finds Mr Sloan, this time in argument with a medical droid.

He takes a deep breath, then walks into view, hanging in through the door, looking for the customs officer. "Darvin, there you are. I wanted to ask you something. Are you busy?" He looks askance at the medical droid that is walking around, talking to the commander.

"Oh! Hi Merreck," Darvin said, opening his eyes, "I was actually waiting on the droid to finish with the others before I could ask it about getting... well, I'm sure you don't want to hear the details, it'll wait," he said as he got up with a grunt. "Droid, I'll be back later given Merreck needs my attention. Let's walk."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:48, Thu 23 June 2011.

"Oh, so you did have further business in the medbay," it responds in a tone that indicates it realises it's probably not being listened to.  "Delightful.  If I am not elsewhere when you return I'm sure we'll speak again.  Take care, Mr Sloan, Mr Toluga."  The droid hasn't paused in stepping around the room, peering at everything it sees.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:52, Thu 23 June 2011.

Darvin rolled his eyes, 'Droids,' he grumbled. "Thank you, for your help, 2-1-B."

"Not at all, Mr Sloan, I was directed by Mistress Lambar to maintain peace in the medbay and to see to people's ailments - amongst other things," it comments in a somewhat dry voice.

Aryan, after a long walk around, walks into the med bay, listening to teh droids, he leans on a table, arms crossed, waiting patiently

Merreck look at the medical droid with an odd look, without answering the machine. Outside where the droid can´t hear him, he talks to Sloan. "Hunh, weird. I prefer medical droids who treat more than they talk. So, I was wondering if you wanted to get a drink. I´d like to hear what you think, of the Talons and some other things."

"Ahh, Mr Jai," the droid says, turning around to face the Gungan.  "You are to report immediately to the Phindar Petroleum medbay bacta tanks for treatment.  The Commander informs that as he is 'paying for those tanks by the hour,' to paraphrase, he emphasises the 'immediately' portion of the statement."

In reply to Merreck Toluga (msg #714):

"You know what, Merreck? That would be a wonderful idea! Mind if I pay the first round?" Darvin seemed delighted at the prospect, and was ambling down the corridor with renewed energy. Sloan had had a long day, and talking over drinks might be just what the Doctor ordered, or perhaps this was only a natural extension of interacting with a medical droid. 'Maybe I should open  a cantina near a medical facilty and test that theory out,' he thought.

Once out of ear shot, "and I agree with you about droids in general. They tend to complicate matters with their chatter... That one included, and the galaxy knows that I don't need any assistance in getting into trouble..." he said with a laugh.

Merreck laugh good naturedly. "I´m your guest, shouldn´t I pay for the first one? Do you have any local brews I need to try."

Merreck lead the way out of the ship and the hangar. Most of the Talons seem to have retired, but the security droids are present as always. Without sparing more than a glance at them, they head into the spaceport. "You know, you´ve found a good crew to fly with, they are even better at getting into trouble. But enough of that, where´s a good spacer bar around here?"

She tried to remember when Zil had left."Well, you know he and flash had a disagreememt, flash didn't take criticism too well, which happens, and I'll give Sloan some of his points there.  BUt he took his thing about a leak a little far, and accused Flash of being the leak.  If he apologized to flash about it like he says, at least flash and I missed it, and besides, what he said next about going on a tour with the duros and having them tagged cause he didn't trust Flash proved he didn't mean it anyhow. Flash tried to remove himself from the situation, I suspect because he was pissed and pretty sure he would hurt someone and Sloan just kept coming and wouldn't leave him alone, even when the Devon and I steppped between them.  I told SLoan he needed to back off, and Devon tried to keep Flas calm, but Sloan just kept coming, actiing like he's never said anythig that Flash would find insulting.  It was stupid.  Zyra interfered before I did anything stupid, thank gods.  Now he's trying to make all friendly like to me, like he didn't do anything,  He can give it till after i've had a bacta swim and a nap, and if Flash is willing to put up with him, I will, since I wasn't the initial insultee.  I have to trust that Mark and Zyra know what they're doing, just like you guys had to trust when she hired me."

She sighed a little.  "Who in the hell is he to decide he dooesn't trust one of the team?  And If he really feels that way, why does he want to join in the first place?"

As Merreck and Darvin pass through the hangar there is a deep, malevolent snak noise that emanates from the taller, black battle droid's direction.  It sounds a little like someone raising a weapon and priming it to fire, and a little like someone removing a power pack from a rifle to check or replace it.

Should they look over they will see B2-CC9 doing exactly the latter, checking its powerful-looking blaster rifle before slapping the power pack back into place and assuming its watchful stance.  The gleaming red 'eyes' of the machine scan the nearby surroundings, resting briefly on the two humans before continuing its surveillance.

After seeing what the droid was doing, Merreck shakes his head and continue walking with Darvin.

The rest of the night passed quickly, with various people running off to complete various duties.  All knew however that at 0800 the next morning was when the action began again.