Tori
Player
Posts: 1,110
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Post by Tori on Feb 17, 2011 2:34:46 GMT -5
Tori looked at the child. Mutant was no big thing to her. She was considered a "mutant" herself, even if she was genetically engineered under tightly defined parameters.
She gave the sprog a wave and nodded her head that the kid escaped a Shagcat team.
Being from Lone Star, Tori knew Psi-X as chain-smokers, potheads, and Psi-Cola drinkers. She took some joy to see them living away from the traps of civilization and making their own lives away from addiction in the swamp. They were having kids, and having lives. She envied them. Cats should be so lucky.
"Come on, let's let them live. Socrates? Capt'n Sam wants us all back. Let's RTB..."
If he stays or goes, Tori heads back to the main hut, determined to let the marlins, human, animal or what she perceives to be a D-Bee in the Psi-X to live in peace.
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Post by Renekin Skywalker on Feb 17, 2011 9:01:44 GMT -5
Socrates took note that some Psi-X had been able to survive away from the Lone Star, but thought little else of it. Though, as the child's head moved, he mimic the action, to show that he wasn't out to hurt him.
"Just wanting to make sure." He said, quietly, as he turned and headed away. The move was more an obvious gesture, and he made sure to make noise so they could hear him walk away.
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Post by Mierin on Feb 17, 2011 10:43:35 GMT -5
Sam nods at Dell and says, "I understand. Like I said, we have no quarrel with you or anyone in your tribe. If you will excuse me for a moment, please."
Sam then gestures to Shep and moves a little ways so they can talk in private and says, "Sorry about that. What did you want to talk to me about?"
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Post by Janxi on Feb 17, 2011 13:51:58 GMT -5
Without a word, Janxi follows Tori. One thing remained on her mind. Autumn said she saw Psi-X in a lab at Lone Star. Was Bradford experimenting on D-bees? Was he responsible for creating Psi-X? The more she thought about it, the more disturbed she became. Desmond Bradford was a creepy bastard, but just how creepy was he?
She resolved to never find out.
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Post by dakota on Feb 18, 2011 2:16:43 GMT -5
The squad returned back to find that several of the Marlins were milling around the air boat the team had used. One of them, a tall male with huge hands looked at them, " You came on that? You're braver than you look."
Once in private, Shep hung his head a bit. " First off, I'm sorry I overreacted. I wasn't prepared for what I ran into and didn't know how to accept it. Luckily, Socrates helped me out a bit. Anyways, I never told you this before because Tim made me promise to keep my mouth shut. Me being your XO was planned from the day you transferred into CSOG. My sister's kid had been recruited a week before you and because I was worried about him, I convinced Tim to pull some strings and have him assigned to his squad since I knew they were a good unit. Your brother agreed with one condition, which I'm sure you can figure out."
Shep took a deep breath," Nelson was the third soldier Tim buried here. I think Soc knows what happened to him, but I don't want to find out. but I figured I owe you an explanation and a warning that things between me and your brother might be a little awkward at start."
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Tori
Player
Posts: 1,110
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Post by Tori on Feb 18, 2011 9:36:17 GMT -5
Tori walked up to the man with the big hands and made eye contact. It was how a cat challenged another cat. "That's our Eve of Destruction. Yeah, she's pulled off the scrap heap, and Richardson regularly performs miracles on 'er, but she's mah first boat. We gott'er from a chief up north fer savin' his daughter, so I'm right proud of 'er!"
She grabbed the cat milk she abandoned to hunt for the Psi-X and took a long sip. A hunt would have been more fun, but she didn't hunt cubs. She looked again at the humans knocking Eve and gave a very low pitched and feline growl only Janxi could hear, and maybe Socrates. Like a house cat who had enough horseplay from her owner.
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Post by Renekin Skywalker on Feb 18, 2011 9:43:57 GMT -5
Socrates glanced over at Janxi, hearing the growl, getting a sense for what Tori's back was up about. "Brave?" he asked. "We don't need to be brave. We have marines." He said, calmly.
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Post by Janxi on Feb 18, 2011 11:08:20 GMT -5
Socrates for once was spot on. "Oooh-rah, Soc. If ya got a marine aboard, ya ain't got nuttin' to be skeerd about."
The big cat put her arms around her tiny partner in a loving embrace, knowing Tori had been insulted. She purred like a kitten and gave Tori a nuzzle to calm her down. She wanted to show support for her friend, but also restrain her without a big show in case she decided to give the mouthy human a swipe for his ignorance. Instead, she decided to play along with another movie quote. Why the deadboys wore white armor in the movie, and the cyber-knights needed hilts for their psi-swords, she had no clue.
"She'll make point five beyond the speed of light. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've added some special modifications myself."
The jaglion purred as she snuggled her pal. Nothing like a warm, furry cat-hug to calm frayed nerves. "'Sides, how many 4-year-old kittens do ya know that are Navy SEALS and coxswains her own boat? I recon T here is 'bout it. She done got rights to be proud of her boat."
A bodybuilder, Janxi made sure the burly human could see just how big her CSMC biceps were as she held Tori. It was a flex, but she made sure she put no pressure on the little cat. Her purr eclipsed Tori's growl.
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Post by Mierin on Feb 19, 2011 0:32:55 GMT -5
Sam listens quietly and smiles at Shep sympathetically as she says, "Thank you for telling me. I can keep it quiet if you would prefer." She smirked a little, "I always wondered if there was more to it than you were telling me." Sam quickly squeezes Shep's hand and lets it go, saying softly. "and I'm sorry about your nephew."
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Tori
Player
Posts: 1,110
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Post by Tori on Feb 19, 2011 0:34:38 GMT -5
Tori's moaned growl became a purr with her sister's warm hug. Her flattened ears stood up again and swiveled, while her swishing tail slowed to a contented swash. It only makes sense to a cat.
Eve was the closest thing she had to a personal possession other than her bow. Her clothes were issued, her weapons, armour and even food. The air boat ostensibly belonged to the team, but as far as she knew, she was the only one who could pilot it. She was the only one to navigate on open water. Richardson could fix it, so he had a stake, but she believed her friendship with Nala cemented the gifting of the boat. It wasn't a Barracuda PBR, but it was unique like she was. It was not nice to knock it. Janxi did right to hold her back, and her joke was funny. Her hug was warm.
But insulting her first boat command was unkind. She would let it slide.
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Post by Renekin Skywalker on Feb 19, 2011 10:18:18 GMT -5
Socrates stood apart from the cats, pleased that he had found the right key to diffusing the situation. Janxi had calmed Tori down.
"Now, unless you are offering to stand watch over the boat in our absence." He said to the human, in the same voice as a cop at a crime scene - one of the few chances a dog boy has to exert authority over humans - and looking much like a soldier, "stand clear of the vehicle."
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Post by dakota on Feb 20, 2011 6:37:59 GMT -5
It will do what?" The big handed human asked, looking back at the boat. Then he realized what was going on. He waved those big hands," No, you got it all wrong. Kell saw the big crack in your hull and we were looking to see if it could be fixed before you get waterlogged and sink. We can seal it. You saved my brother's bacon in that fight, so least I can do."
Shep nodded to Sam. " In the beginning I worried about you, but now, I'd follow your lead any day, Cap. And thanks, but Nelson knew what he was getting into when he signed on, it just came as a bit of a shock. We've got another internal problem, but I want to hold off dealing with that until we're clear."
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Tori
Player
Posts: 1,110
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Post by Tori on Feb 20, 2011 11:57:58 GMT -5
"A crack huh?" She looked over at Socrates, recalling the grenade he lobbed at the lizard men.
She gave the slow blink showing she was not looking for another confrontation, but hoped he would listen next time, then turned back to the man with the hands. "Oh well. Glad ya found it and it didn't come to nuffin bad. No real harm no foul. I thought ya was sayin' something bad about Eve. Thank ya fer fixin' her. I reckon ya'd helped us too if we was pinned fightin' monsters, so we're right glad 'bout helpin regular folks fightin freaks."
She moved around Janxi, and gave the man a nuzzle in gratitude. Her tail went from an uncertain posture to a grateful swish.
"Y'all want some help? Janxi can mebbe pull it out tha water or I could drive it up a ramp and on a trailer if y'all got one. Mebbe the repair yard or a boat lift?"
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Post by Mierin on Feb 20, 2011 23:44:27 GMT -5
Sam smiles at Shep's first comment, feeling flattered. "Thank you." she says softly. The smile fades as she asks "Internal problem? What now?"
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Post by Renekin Skywalker on Feb 21, 2011 10:35:52 GMT -5
Socrates said nothing. Boats were not his expertise, and never would be. Neither would the physical properties of fluid dynamics as they apply to large rigid and semi-rigid bodies.
Being rushed from rivers in an ambush while on land, however, made for easy solutions like the one he had applied.
"I suspect a grande could have done that." He said, voicing Tori's concern. "It take it these boats were not intended for warfare."
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