" The thing about traveling on a starship is it's a lot like basic...Hurry up and wait, run like heel to get nowhere then wait some more Balkiir talked as he walked back down to the cargo deck where he had stored the intel, digging gout the boxes and files he had buried under the grittiest most mangled scrap Conrad had discarded." 'least at home I could go do something when things got dull..bout the only thing I miss is not being able to go out an cut wood, or go hunting when it got slow around the ...houses...I guess."
   and it's quiet, never quiet at the house always somebody laughing or cussing or bouncing somebody off the walls. he stopped for a moment looking at the improvised holding cells with an angry frown. even when people were trying to kill him he never really felt pissed, that was just part of life, people fought people died, sometimes it was your turn to die, other days it was your turn to live.
    " This job is getting to be a pain in my ass, not that It;s that bad,. few thousand Q'sa..no contact with command, looks like everyone sent here but us is already dead... and we got an O'maeda playing with our heads, Might make a good vid...Only problem is us grunts don't usually make it to the finish in the vids.
    Balkiir sat down on the wreckage digging a cigarette out of his shirt pocket." where you from? before the marines."

"Well to be honest I have no problem with Poppy, however for you how about... "Milee, Perhaps Lesley, Rachal, Heather, or Angle? If none of those appeal I can come up with more. Or if you feel you need me to pick one Specificly I like Milee.  There was a old earth singer that had that name and I just like the sound of it." She smiles at Poppy then turns to Conrad speaking softly in a appreciative voice. "Thank you very much for taking the time to help Poppy Conrad." Or of course ha dPoppy chosen a new name already she would start to use that.

T'risa winked at Poppy as she sipped at the delicious smoothy. She was finding it hard to wake up, after all that noise, now she had a measure of peace.

"Conrad, if you can get the device from Poppy, please?" she looked at Conrad seeing he seemed to be under a lot of pressure "I know you are under a lot of pressure. Once you're finished here take some time to yourself. If Poppy or Tiny interrupt you, tell them I asked for them."

Sipping at her smoothie, she reaches out to touch Elsbeth's hand before she leaves with Balkiir. "Look into my eyes Elsbeth, it will only take a moment."

After a few seconds, T'risa smiled. "Now so long as you do not block me I can talk to you whenever. In combat, I can use my precognition to make you a more effective soldier. It's a little disconcerting. Once your are done with Balkiir, take a rifle and go somewhere to shoot at things moving and static. Let me know by comms when you're ready."

She looked around frowning. "Has anyone seen Maran?"

"Balkiir, you know I offered to box whenever you like right?  I won't use powered armor or kinetic spikes if you don't..." and his tone made it sound like he honestly considered the match at least relatively even... with the man arguably twice his size.

Leo sent his thoughts out for Maran for a moment, 'Smoothie for you here in the galley, er... kitchen.'

"T'Risa... that stare with Elsbeth was kinda hot..."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:11, Wed 01 Sept 2010.

Tiny watches Conrad working over his shoulder, but at a distance.

"Conrad, I dont think your doing it right.  Isnt that wire suppose to go over on the other side?  What about that coupler?  Wouldnt it just be easier to remove the nub of a leg and just put a whole new one in?  Conrad, are you listening to me?  Conrad... hey... Conrad..."

  " Okay Dr I'm ready. Poppy giggled as Conrad plugged into her." oh hey while your in there see if you can find that diolog filter and fix it...they wanted a months pay for a new one...guess maybe I should have bought t instead of the new lips but the...babbling... I know shutting up now

Conrad nods at T'risa as he plugs into Poppy's processor core and downloads the data while repairing any damage to Poppy's lower body.  Making things quick he takes out the nub of a leg while trying not to throw something at Tiny to get her to shut up.  "This shouldnt take too long Poppy, You'll be good to go in a few minutes."

Good lord... I'm hearing voices.  I must not be sleeping much... but at least its a hot voice.  A lot better then that damn drone who keeps questioning whatever in the hell I am doing.  I should disable the audio.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Wed 01 Sept 2010.

Conrad smirks a little as Poppy giggles, thinking that this bot has been used for something things that he doesnt want to ponder at the moment.  Data transfer only took a moment and the legs attached went rather smoothly.

"I'll take a quick look at your dialog filter, might as well since I am here.  Shouldnt take nothing more than a moment to fix."

Conrad does his best to fix the dialog box and wrapped things up here and now can return his attention to Tiny.

As he turns around, Conrad grabs a wire cutter and walks towards Tiny

"Alright ya yapping drone, come here... Conrad gots a present you for!"

Conrad takes off after Tiny and chases Tiny to another part of the ship.

OOC:
Conrad rolled 33 using 1d20+19. repair dialog filter.

T'risa raised an eyebrow at Tiny's comment. "Tiny, Conrad is doing his job. It is much easier without distractions. Go help Balkiir and Elsbeth, once you're done, talk a walk inside the perimeter of the town and suggest possible defensive upgrades."

T'risa hoped that it would give Conrad enough time to do his job. Seeing Maran in the kitchen her face lit with a smile. "If you can excuse me for a moment, I need to see Maran for a moment....and I heard that."

Walking into the kitchen with her smoothie, T'risa rested with her back against the wall watching Maran and Leo together. She smiled at a moment of normalcy amongst so much madness. Moving closer to Maran, she raised a hand to greet her. "Maran...there are some things we need to talk about. Serious things. Ummm....Leo, can you please stay and be her advisor in this. Maran, your parents...well, it might be possible they are alive, but it's only a very slim possibility having gone over the reconnaisance data of the site. That means you are without parents. This is a difficult situation to be in." T'risa eyes showed deep sympathy for Maran close to tears herself. "This means at a minimum because you are below the age of majority you become a ward of the state. Since I am the only representative of the state here, it makes you my ward. The problem with this is that this place is effectively a warzone. There is nowhere here I can put you somewhere safe. So, you have a choice, to stay with us on this ship and accept the dangers, or to stay in this area. I imagine we won't be gone too long for any stretch of time, but I can't guarantee it and we may not even come back. The choice is one that you need to make for yourself. Leo and Bright Star will advise you."

T'risa licked her lips, smiling at Bright Star cradled in Marans arms. "That's not the only choice you have to make. Maran, I've only been with you for a very short time, but it's been enough for me to learn that you are a rarity in the Tae worlds. You are a human telepath. Your talent is very untrained and chaotic. If you like, I could train you....but it would be much easier for me personally were you to join the K'mahda household. So, this need not be answered immediately like my other question. If you would like to join it, it would be as my daughter." T'risa nodded to the others "I will teach you in any case, your survival may depend on it. I will also ask everyone on board to teach you some of the more practical things you need to know while we are here, but inevitably once things here are done, I must leave and you cannot go where I go without that legal protection. Once more, feel free to ask advice from any around you. If you have any questions please let me know."

T'risa finished the last of her smoothie "That was excellent Leo. Would it be possible to have another?" T'risa moved to head back to where she was working in the galley. "Maran when you have time, I need to read you for a short while...it's not invasive, I just need to learn you so I can talk to you no matter where you are."

T'risa moved back to her computer just in time to pick up the datachip from Conrad. "Thank you Conrad. Go get some rest" "I'll wake you if we need you" She sat down at her computer and plugged the chip in.

Elsbeth accepted T'risa's touch without flinching - luckily, she chose the side that the Marines are trained to react to.  As she looked into the Marshal's eyes, Elsbeth found the sensation was strangely comforting, as well as slightly disconcerting.  Deep down, Elsbeth feared that her rather unorthodox upbringing would laid out bare for the Marshal to see.  Still, if that were grounds for dismissal, Elsbeth could do nothing about it.  She could be nothing more than what she was.  And then it was done, "Thank you, Ma'am." was all that she could think of to say in response.

And then she intoned, "Yes, Ma'am." to T'risa's order to practice shooting with her in her head.  As Elsbeth turned to go, she added as an afterthought, "Should I invite, Friend Balkiir to accompany me when doing so?"

Once in the cargo hold, Elsbeth helped Balkiir to shuffle things around, though she strongly suspected that the large blue man could have handled all of the things on his own.  She realized that he liked to talk; so, she tried to listen - and she was surprised when he stated that he was dissatisfied with the job.  She looked at him quizzically, her confusion quite obvious, "I am surprised, Friend Balkiir.  I know that you do not fear death - for I have seen you fight.  So, why would your role here make you feel unfulfilled?"

She added with deadpan seriousness, "Marshal K'mahda seems quite unwilling to let us die, in any case.  I believe that we would have to work hard to have that happen.  Not that I would try, personally."

Elsbeth seemed taken aback for a moment when Balkiir asked about her past.  She tilted her head to the side for a moment, as if reviewing a litany in her head, then stated quietly, "My clutch was incubated on Enchoa Rhi."  Elsbeth held out her forearm, displaying her wrist and the underside.  It was covered with three sets of markings: a 2-D barcode, an intricate set of colored tattooes that ran around and up her arm, and a numerous scars of varying lengths sizes and ages.  She pointed to one spot on the barcode, "I was the twelfth embryo in my clutch.  Hence, Berth L - or 'L-Berth'."  She swallowed hard and gave Balkiir a rather crooked smile, "My name is not very imaginative."  And then she pointed to another spot, "Sponsored by the Sinclair Genetics Corporation.  Dr. Acton Ibril Smythe was the lead technician and scientist for my batch."

Elsbeth ran her fingers over yet another section of the barcode, "I was designed and trained to guard other genetically engineered humans - those with enhanced intelligence and some psi capabilities.  I was made to be a human shield of sorts.  Our designation was that we were Praetorians."  She looked down for a moment, a dark shadow crossing her face, "I... I guess I was not a very good shield."  Elsbeth left out the part where she lost her left arm, and where the circumstance that left her near death was actually the fall from low orbit in a hard suit that had been environmentally compromised.  She was sure that she didn't need to go there right now.

Still looking at the floor, Elsbeth continued, "After my charge died ...  I ... I was 'found' by some scavengers and nursed back to health."  She glanced back at Balkiir, "Nursed back to health so that I could be their pit fighter - a chained animal, supposedly consigned to die for their pleasure in the gladiatorial games between the warring petty fiefdoms or warlords or corporate politics or whatever."  She shrugged, "I wasn't very good at that either... though, I guess one could say that since I survived and escaped, I was not bad either."

"Once I made it off-planet." she noted, "I was granted asylum by the Colonial Authority - a ward of the state, so to speak.  Since, I was only officially fifteen at the time.  Though my adolescence and accelerated maturation cycle brought some of that into question... "  Elsbeth glanced back down at the rubberized, corrugated metal floor, finding it very interesting all of a sudden.  "After the committee review and the endless inquiries, I was left emancipated.  But... I-I didn't know what to do with myself.  The Marines offered me a way out - a... a family, of sorts, I guess."  She glanced back at Balkiir again, making eye contact once more, a slight, lopsided smile playing on her face, "A pretty stupid reason to join, eh?  Did I mention that the Praetorian template was not known for their intelligence?"

Leo looked at T'Risa and through his face mask, or more despite it, she could probably feel him smiling, "I may be wrong... but I think you need to remember she's a child.  No legal jargon and I'd suggest just telling her..." Then he turned to Maran rather than speaking over her, "T'Risa can teach you to better contact other people's minds.  I already offered to teach you how to use your own mind better.  As frustrating as my family was, it was excellent opportunity for me to hone my self hypnosis."

He began getting some more of the fruit out and glanced over his shoulder to T'Risa, "I can fix you up another... I'm thinking that it should be a staple of rations... smoothies can be vac-sealed and they are hard to screw up."

"Being adopted into the K'mahda house would let you get excellent telepath training..." he said returning his attention to Maran, "they might give you some flack about starting so old, but they should have more tact than that.  Were there other major points?  Not a bad deal, all in all"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:59, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

  Not really unfulfilled, I'm Valkiir, Thats enough for me. Just going a little batty with the way things went with that woman we nabbed, she got into my head. Makes my scalp itch. Screws up my nice simple, kill it an move on game plan. "
     Balkiir Listened as Elspeth talked, setting on the wreckage he raised an eyebrow when she revealed she had been engineered. and actually laughed good naturedly when she explained her name" Balkiir.. short for B'Na S'maha N'vai Kovul Valkiir, rough translation Our boy a man of the blood of Kovul of the Valkiir... Mom wasn't much for names either.

  When she began to look nervous and looked down at the floor Balkiir spoke up he didn't know why it bothered her. not like she was much different than him. Don' worry bout being Praetorian, All Valkiir are genetically engineered. O'sahdii work, happened a while back, back when humans were fighting with swords and axes. so we got used to it.
     It's just one of those things. we're the heavy hitters for humans, only meant to fight and die for our kin, so That makes you the Tae version of us. which is a damn fine thing."

    Balkiir stood up grabbed his load of boxes and headed back up. " I left home to see something new. And to try and find myself somewhere to fit in. cant dance, cant sing,got no head for business,got tired of the girls my moms and sisters brought around to fix me up with. so it was either sign up. see new and exciting places, meet new and interesting people...and blow the hell out of both."

By now M'kira likely had her smoothie as well. She sips at it enjoying it at a leisurely pace. Valkir might have big appatites however she had already had a substantial meal. Looking over at T'risa M'kira shakes her head. "I haven't."

To Rhictor M'kira giggles for a moment a twinkle in her eye as she shakes her head slightly. "I will keep that in mind. Nothing bigger then a pistol for weapons. Unless she's in a area where we can let her enjoy herself to the fullest blowing up everything in sight. I will keep that in mind regarding conversations Rhic. So have you had to put your hand over her mouth often? Does she bite?" She teases Rhictor lightly. M'kira figures he's had a lot worse tossed his way on a regular basis!

"OK Grym." If someone doesn't pull the Local Topographical map and local weather for the next week for Grym M'kira spends a few minutes downloading then transmitting the data to Grym. "That's what I could get from the local's plus the Crow's sensor readings. I hope it's what you need."

Laughing M'kira shakes her head when poppy swears never to shoot a Main power bus for a star base again. Or whatever sort of base she was on. "Heh I am glad it was only your hair that got the Frizz treatment. Actually to be honest Conrad's probably a little bit of an artist. I bet Aziza can synthesize Materials as needed. Maybe we can do some custimazation later when things cool down a bit."

She turns her attention to Leoulin wondering what a boxing match with Balkir would be like. He had the Valkir natural battle sense. It was kind of hard to fight someone who knew what was going to happen a few seconds before it did. Then she blinks actually blushing slightly as he Teases T'risa about a hot stare with Elsbeth. Course the Marine likely had a think skin so it probably wouldn't phase her as all. Most Marines tossed around sexual banter that would give a seasoned navy sailor a run for his or her money any day of the week.

M'kira's eyes go to T'risa for a moment then switch to Tiny as she harasses Conrad. She tries not to laugh knowing that Tiny meant well. Then does Giggle at Poppy's words. "He's a fine Doctor Poppy. Don't worry he will fix you right up." She giggles again when Conrad decides to chase Tiny out of the area. It would be interesting to see how Coperative Tiny would be on that.

After chasing Tiny for awhile, Conrad gives up and heads for his bunk to take a snooze.  After the snooze, Conrad gathers his tools and heads over to the destroyed mecha and starts working on the new mecha body for tiny.  This process was going to take a long time because Conrad had to strip all the useless scrap off of the destroyed mecha all the way down to its superstructure then do any repairs from there when needed.

The next step would involve planning where everything was going to go and start working on any support that needed to be welded in.  Conrad spends a lot of time either welding, grinding, thinking, drawing or looking at schematics his finds.  Though Conrad already has some blue prints already made, they are not exact and most of the mecha will be made on the fly, like the other mecha.

Conrad takes breaks long enough to eat something quickly, take a quick nap and to gather resources that he needs at the moment.  It isnt hard to see the bags under Conrads eyes as he works almost around the clock on the mecha.

Tiny hides for a little while, trying her best to stay out of Conrad's way while he worked on her new body.  Though she appears to help when she is needed, other than that, she keeps a wide birth of the now coffee junkie Conrad.  Feeling a little lonely, Tiny goes looking for Poppy to at least have someone to talk with.

"Hey Poppy.  How are you?  Whatcha up to?  Did you see that cranky Conrad chase me?" 

"yeah, saw that, he;s got to back off on the coffee.. Poppy was trying on clothes from the storage rack. her new body a little less shapely and more athletic than her old sex kitten frame. " Just like a man, get what he want's , and runs off chasing another woman." Poppy spoke into the intercom putting her finger to her lips and giggling as she spoke.
Your not as spooky as the other warhounds I've met...well they were like fifteen feet tall and had missiles pointed at me though. "

He sat down with his data pad and reviewed the material without really looking at it. His mind was still assimilating what he had learned with the Marshal. He stopped reading and stared off into the distance. So close to being reunited with his wife and daughter. He felt the hot tear fall upon his cheek, once again he buried the pain inside covering with his icy calm and detachment. He picked up his rifle sighting down barrel, his only peace now.

Elsbeth glanced at Balkiir when he mentioned that he may be suffering some lingering effects from the prisoner's attempt to influence him, her voice was filled with more than a touch of concern, "Friend Balkiir, are you all right?  Should I alert the medical facilities or the Marshal that you are in need of assistance?  I would not want you to become violent or incapacitated due to contact with the prisoner."

She tilted her head slightly and then looked up at Balkiir when he explained his name, "It is a fine name, Friend Balkiir.  And much more descriptive than mine."  She gave the big man a crooked smile, her words were without jealousy, but held a touch of wistfulness, "... And, at least, you had a mother to give you it."

Elsbeth looked around idly first at the floor, then the ceiling, "Friend Balkiir," she asked as the big blue ex-Marine was finishing his cigarette, "the Marshal has asked that I go to the range to practice with her 'in my head.'  Would you like to join me for some target practice?"  Elsbeth knew that giving the large man a ranged weapon while potentially under the influence of the enemy might not be the best thing.  But she also knew that sometimes getting back to basics and focussing on the tasks that were routine could help a person regain an old equilibrium - so, she figured the offer would stand.  And as Balkiir stood, she fell in line with him.

"I had seventeen 'sisters' and twenty-six 'brothers'." Elsbeth noted as she took her share of the boxes and walked along side Balkiir, "Our creator ran out of ideas quickly.  My youngest clutch-brothers were 'Bert-Y' and 'Bert-Z'"  Elsbeth took her time walking along side Balkiir, though she tried not look as if she were going slow intentionally, and asked out of more than just idle curiosity, "What was wrong with the women that your sisters and mother introduced to you, Friend Balkiir?  It seems that all of Valkiir women are quite staturesque and very physically adept."  Her brow furrowed and the she added quickly, "... at handling themselves and others.  I-I mean, at killing things.  You know."

  " It's not a big problem, " Balkiir assured Elspeth" she cant control me, it's just when it comes toher it ain't as simple as I like it.

    Be glad you weren't first in line...you'd been Berth-A" Balkiir teased as he paused his own progress slower than his usual pace. " Nothing wrong with them, smart, from good families, aa couple had their own businesses...good base for the family." Balkiir staopped scratched his head and actually looked slightly sheepish. Okay Valkiir one-oh-one... There are maybe seven women per man back home..been that waay for a couple of thousand years or so. so we have wives...four five six... nobody gets greedy about it. I have four moms, a dad.. two brothers and eight sisters... small family."

    " Problem was none of them clicked, none of them felt right. We can tell when someones a good match, even if we don't like each other." Balkiir shrugged." All those looks, the bodies, their all sometimes you just look at someone or watch them for a minute or two and some little voice pops in your head and goes thats one for you...."

     Target practice...sounds good to me." Balkiir spoke up after a minute glad to have something to switch topics to." Yeah valkiir women can handle about anything, and you;d have to be blind or stupid not to take a look once in a while."
        Thing is with a Valkiir man the woman has to let him know she's interested. prove she's more than just good looks and a body. You want him to know something you tell him, you want something from him you ask him. You want to go grab a beer and a burger after target practice and get some fresh air later you let him know ya don't have to be smooth, or sexy, or even that clever just tell him..

Tiny chuckles at Poppy's comments then starts to sound a little down.  "I'm not a hell hound.  I'm not that cool.  I couldnt even save a close friend of mine.  I'm not really that impressive in the end i guess."

  " Let me introduce you to the greatest invention of all time Poppy gave Tiny a hug." I lost my whole team, they were the best guys i ever met. Nothing I can do, but find the SOBs that did it and make them wish they had finished the job on me."
    Humans cant survive like we can, you cant pull them out and slap them in a new body, and they're stuck with what ever body they get born with... how dull... Guess it makes up for being able to do really great things like paint a picture or make a joke, or song, or make us.

If Tiny could smile, she would be right now.  Feeling a little better, Tiny felt connected again.

"I guess we both have lost ones we grew attached to.  Though I wish it wasnt like this, but we both have a new  family now.  At least its something to help ease the pain.  What are you going to do from here on out?"

Conrad works diligently on the mecha, though tiring it was.  Conrad was hoping he could get some help with this project so he sets out to go find Aziza and see if she can assist him with her robots.  On approaching Aziza, Conrad kept thinking of different ideas for the mecha, but wanted to keep it simple and within the parts that were around the Crow or around the base.

"Hey Aziza, I was wondering if I could get your and/or your robots help in building the mecha.  It would mean a great deal to have an extra set of eyes to catch any mistakes.  I'd also like to have your input as well.  So whatcha say?"

Conrad was curious to what Aziza's answer was going to be, hopefully she didnt have anything else going on.

" Don't know...don't care."Poppy smiled wickedly" find Rhic and try out this new body, or maybe that cutesy with the wire cutters... find something that fits..maybe find the guys who killed my crew and show them what a pissed off Promethean can do to something that feels pain....or go find a nice butt to go with my new legs....never think too far ahead, attention span too short...universe too big, chaos all to common.

In reply to T'risa K'mahda (msg #989):

 She got tears in her eyes as the lady said her parents might be alive, because for one brief second she wanted...no, allowed herself to believe it. But no, she knew they were gone. She knew from the empty space in her heart and in her mind where they had always been until they weren't there anymore, as suddenly as if a candle flame had been snuffed out. There was really no other way to describe the feeling. She just knew there was a sucking void where once there had been warmth and love and laughter and so many other things she couldn't name, may never put a name to. It was what had made them who they were, every nuance, every essence, every thought and gesture. She wiped a tear away and nodded to the pretty lady but couldn't focus upon what she was saying, not really.
 "Ok Ma'am. I guess we'd better stay on the ship. It's no more dangerous than that thing that ate people, or that lizard bug thing that hated everything and everyone."