Irreconcilable Differences

Crew Facilities

The bunks stacked in two rows, two-high, can sleep as many as 50 crew members. They appear to be designed primarily with humanoids in mind, but several appear to be reinforced and extended for larger, bulkier races.

The crew bunk area also includes four unisex comfort cubicles, four showers, an exercise square featuring an oval running track, training gear and weightlifting equipment, and a holovid pit with a viewer and a few couches and chairs.

The ship's commander and executive officer have their own cubicles that contain beds, computer terminals, and dressers for the display of personal effects.

Volaya is curled up on her bunk, muffled in covers, her drum perched beside her. The glow of her aura is very dim, and she breathes evenly.

Jatix stands at the foot of his bed, glasses and bright Hawaiian shirt absent. He appears to be studying his bunk, which is made with perfect hospital corners.

Volaya groans something in her sleep, muttering and flailing one hand behind her until it knocks at the drum. A surprised sound comes from under the pillow that covers her head, and she sits up, blinking.

Jatix turns his attention away from his bunk to peer at the bed, eyebrows quirking. He runs a hand back through his hair, and touches his necklace briefly, then tugs on his white undershirt and smoothes out a small wrinkle his sheets.

Volidana is about to pick up her knapsack to go out when she hears noises from Volaya's part of the room "you ok in there?"

Volaya looks at the pillow in her lap, the drum beside her, the lights on the ceiling, and then warily at Jatix and Volidana. With a yawn that shivers her light to waking strength through a whirl of rainbows and then solidifies it in shielding green, she demands, "Whatime'zit?" Finishing up her yawn, she clarifies, "What time is it?"

Volidana glances at a chrono "2030. didn't mean to wake you"

Jatix glances up at the nearby wall chrono, then takes a few steps towards the newly awakened Vollistan's bunk. "2030. Sleep well?"

Volidana hms "either of you guys have any idea when this climb is going on?"

Volaya scowls at both of the others, setting her drum carefully aside and then shoving herself out of her covers and swinging over the edge of the bed easily - only to land with a weak-kneed thump that takes her down on her rump with a thud. This doesn't seem to help her mood any, and she hisses to herself. She says in Naliese, "Fucking softskin doctors. Can't even fix a bump on the head."

Jatix blinks once, then rapidly crosses the distance to the girl's bunk. He extends a hand toward's Volaya, and asks, "Are you alright?" He shakes his head at Volidana.

Volidana stays where she is with a look of polite concern seeing that jatix has already moved to help

Volaya scowls at the human and his offered hand alike, her aura shifting after a moment of thought to a low boiling reddish-orange. She mutters, "They already left," and hauls herself up onto whichever bunk is convenient, heedless of how she messes the neatly-tucked covers. One she's a little closer to eye level, she informs Jatix, "Yeah. Fine."

Volidana nods "thanks. hope i can catch up" She says as she starts for the door at a brisk pace

Jatix snorts softly, dropping his hand. "Thas good. Ya'd tell somebody if ya wasn't, wouldn'tcha?" He runs a hand back through his messy hair.

"Yeah, sure," Volaya says combatively, voice dripping with sarcasm, "The doctor told me to go mountain climbing like this. YEah, I'll tell her."

Jatix blinks, and quirks an eyebrow, scratching at the back of his neck. "She did? That... Doesn't sound like a good idea. Doesn't sound like a good idea at all..."

Just in case the bloodshot livid orange clouds roiling around her don't get the point across, Volaya mutters her next words with distinct venom that may be capable of withering small houseplants. "Are you sure? Are you a doctor? I'd send /all/ my concussion patients climbing on ledges if they had dizzy spells."

Jatix appears for the most part unphased by the words, and he quirks a small smile. "Nothin' more then Basic Field Aid, and I know that. Mebbe ya should tell the Colonel?"

"Yeah, well, why don't you, if it bothers you so much?" Volaya mutters, voice lowering to sullenness.

Jatix shrugs a bit. "Cause I ain't the one that was told ta go climbin' with a concussion. An besides, I ain't on to good a terms with the Command staff."

"Yeah, well..." Volaya mutters, "Who asked you, anyways?"

Jatix shrugs. "Nope. Jus tryin' ta be helpful.."

Volaya glares at Jatix for a suitable amount of time, then carefully shifts her weight back to her feet. She seems ot be standing fine, holding onto the bunk with what looks like negligence... two steps and she lets go, heading quickly if a little unsteadily towards the back. "Aren't you supposed to be working or something?"

Jatix walks beside and just slightly behind the girl, hand held ready to catch her should she fall. "I haven't been added to the Vanguard yet, so I ain't got much ta do. I could tend bar, but nobody seems interested tonight, fer some reason."

Volaya shows absolutely no desire to fall, and even less to be caught, and still less to have the human hovering over her. Her steps quicken. "Yeah, well, you get a day off. Good for you."

Porter steps out of his cubicle, datapad in hand, and glances around.

Volaya is heading quickly towards the back, mussed with sleep and livid wiith oranges and reads. She moves a trifle unsteadily.

Jatix is walking along side the Vollistan girl, apparently ready to catch her should she fall. His glasses are absent from his face, and he appears to be almost jogging to keep step. "Yes."

Porter sees Jatix and raises a hand. "Recruit," he calls.

Staunton emerges from her cubicle. For once, she is out of her uniform jacket, sleeves rolled to the elbows.

Volaya stops abruptly at Porter's voice, her aura wheeling up into a solid emotionless green shield again. She turns to nod at Porter, then smirk at the human.

Porter nods to Volaya, then his attention goes back to the other man.

Jatix freezes midstep, Vollistan girl forgotten. He whirls around and sprints back up the deck, snapping to instant attention in front of Porter, his facial expressions dissolving to impassiveness. "Yessuh?"

Volaya giggles, stifling it almost completely.

Porter smiles tightly, nodding. He holds up his datapad. "I've received a rather...disturbing report. Although you don't seem to have any glaring medical problems, your background has enough gaps to fly a battleship through. Martian intelligence? Nothing about your performance in that role?" He lowers the datapad, but arches an eyebrow. "A more suspicious person might suspect you're a plant."

Jatix snorts, a small smile crossing his face. "Martian Intelligence, yessuh. The Maja' didn't report what my primary assignment was, suh? I told 'er..."

The giggles stop rather fast, and Volaya's eyebrows slant down together. She glances from Porter to Jatix, lips twitching, and then frowns at nothing in particular, fading a little bit into the background.

Porter raises a hand. "I'm not particularly concerned about what you told her. It's what you probably *didn't* tell her that bothers me." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry, but considering the current state of affairs - I think it's best that we let you go on your way."

Staunton straightens her rolled-up shirtsleeves and favors Jatix with an aloof gaze.

For whatever reason, Volaya steps forward again and says flatly, "You keep a medical officer that tells me to go mountain climbing with a concussion, Sir, and not this guy?"

Jatix nods slowly. "Yessuh. But perhaps I could clear things up, fer ya? Whatcha still need ta know? I spied on the Guardian Fleet. When Earth blew, I'd filled my obligation and didn't have a point, so I left." He shrugs a bit, his eyes flicking towards Volaya.

Porter lifts the other eyebrow and turns toward Volaya. "When I want a civilian opinion, I'll ask for it." Then he turns back to Jatix. "Major, show him off."

Volaya looks at Porter for a moment, her blue eyes glassily opaque, then qhirls into one of the toilet cubicles and slams the door.

"I'll wait for you to gather your things," Staunton says in an almost chipper voice.

Jatix nods at Porter. "Sure thing. Though, since I'm fired anyway... Ya've got one Hell of a ship 'ere, Colonel. Yer Senior NCO don't got a clue what the job entails, and neitha do many of the other Non-Comms I've met." He then turns and slouches over to his bunk slowly tapping the combination into his locker.

Porter smiles slightly. "Yet we manage just fine without your expertise. Good day."

The sound of angry thumping comes from the cubicle, and then silence.

Porter is standing outside his cubicle, datapad in hand, watching as Jatix packs his things.

Marlan enters with Genive, an irritated expression on her face.

Genive strides into the room with and angry look on her face. She searches out Volidanna and Mnelhm, " She asks each in turn " Are you guys all right?"

Mnelmn practically zooms in, stopping suddenly as it arrives in the Crew Facilities. It salutes Porter respectfully and remains floating in the air.

Marlan spots Genive talking to the two and passes without comment, she doesn't even acknowledge Porter as she heads for her bunk.

Staunton folds her arms as she waits, a pleasant look on her face.

Jatix nods. "Yessuh, ya do. Though I'd call it luck. Watcha need is some discipline an order. Don't the Vanguard have somebody that can do that?" He pulls the locker open and grabs an already packed napsack off the hook, then grabs his glasses off the shelf and snaps the door shut. He starts for the exit.

Porter nods to Mnelmn. "Evening." He notices Marlan's passage and arches an eyebrow before looking back to the Centauran. "Something I need to know about?"

Volidana enters the crew facilities nervous and agitated and nods as the doctor adresses her "fine ma'm

Staunton moves to follow the civilian.

Marlan takes the backpack off her back and tosses it up onto her rack before climbing the two steps up quickly. Once seated on her bunk she proceeds to open her back and begin removing various pieces of clothing. In this case a pair of loose fitting pants and a tank top.

The door to Volaya's toilet cubicle slams open, the timing rather suspicious, and she makes for the door with quick, vaguely unsteady steps, her face absolutely neutral and her aura even more so. She keeps her eyes on the floor five feet in front of her, nowhere else.

Genive's face relaxes somewhat and she smiles at Volidana, " Good sorry you walked in on all that."

Jatix appears to be ignoring Staunton, for the most part, as he steps out into the corridor.

Corridor

Navy blue impact cushioning covers the deckplates in this 20-foot-wide, 15-foot-high corridor that stretches about 60 feet from the command hull to the cargo and engineering facilities.

Overhead light strips alternate amber and white - the amber capable of serving as emergency auxiliary lights in case of general power failures.

Hatches that can be sealed in case of crises such as hull breaches or biohazard releases lead to crew quarters, the medical/science center, the cargo hold and shuttle bay, a crew briefing room, and the vessel's command center.

Staunton gestures to the cargo hold. "Shall we?"

Volaya just continues down the corridor towards the cargo hold, her quick steps slightly arrhythmic as she passes the two, hand brushing the side of the corridor.

Jatix continues on his slow, ambling way, nodding and smiling at a few of the crew members he passes. "Jus so ya know, yer makin' a mistake..." He continues on into the Hold.

Cargo Hold

Cargo shuttling robots handle a lot of the heavy lifting in this 100-foot-square, 40-foot-high hold, which is capable of carrying several months worth of food and supplies for the ship's crew with plenty of space left over for commercial and scientific payloads.

A quartermaster oversees the arrivals and departures of cargos, checking manifests to make sure that what's on the list matches what's in the crate.

A wide archway, accessible by the cargo bots, leads to the ship's shuttle bay.

Volaya hurries on ahead, back tight beneath her wrinkled shirt, and vanishes into the shuttle bay.

Jatix keeps up his even pace, smiling and nodding at the Quartermaster as he passes him by. He readjusts his pack, and continues not looking at the Major.

Staunton follows, also not hurrying.

Shuttle Bay

This large chamber serves as a shuttle hangar and a cargo staging area. Warning stripes have been painted along the floor, marking out shuttle landing pads, cargo pallets and variable gravity areas. Two massive doors guard the threshold leading out of the ship. There is also a personnel airlock to the port side of the hangar doors.

Volaya crosses the shuttle bay as quickly as anything else, boots hammmering an uneven tattoo on the decking. She slaps the airlock controls open with the flat of her hand, scowling until it opens and allows her to pass through.

Jatix continues slowly on towards the airlock, finally glancing over his shoulder. "Ah think I can find my way from here, Maja'."

"It would be rude of me not to see you all the way out," Staunton says, head tilted slightly. "I can wait if you two have something you need to," she eyes Volaya, "work out."

Volaya's back gleams with a serelely immobile green shield, and without turning she steps silently out.

Staunton glances around at Genive enters, a pleasant look still on her face.

Mars Landing Pad

Clouds like shredded white gauze drift across the azure sky, carried by a light breeze. Transplanted species of Earth birds - gulls and herons among them - ride the thermals overhead. The roiling green surf of the Glacial Sea pounds the distant crimson cliffs that support the metropolitan center known as Hesperia.

The landing platform is a broad expanse of black tarmac adjacent to a spaceport composed of several concentric cylindrical gleaming gold spires that climax with a nubbed point. Rising above the city to the west is a colossal statue of a human clad in armor with a helmet, shield and sword.

Rive is standing next to Dyson and Thomans, near the boarding ramp of the Minerva.

Thomas grins. 'And why wouldn't they?"

Dyson is standing at the base of the ramp, flanked by Rive and Thomas. His expression remains blank at the appearance of the Vollistan.

Rive mutters to Thomas, "... isn't fond... them..."

Genive walks quickly down the ramp. She slows as she walks past the legionaires but says nothing. She turns away from them and heads towards th spaceport.

Volaya emerges from the ship, boots clanging in vaguely unrhythmic fashion on the metal, and then silencing as she steps onto the landing pad proper Her light is a very even green, and her face is utterly expressionless.

Thomas fires a sarcastic glance across Rive's face, like a warning shot, as he turns to stare at the vannies.

Rive shrugs and shakes his head. He starts to follow the Vannies.

Dyson lets his eyes follow the Vannies as they pass him. "Oh, don't worry. We don't like greetings here on Mars." He flashes a glance at Rive. "Stay, legionary."

Genive strides past Volaya and into the spaceport.

Dyson is standing at the base of the ramp, flanked by Rive and Thomas.

Volaya isn't much to follow, since she gets several steps off the ramp and then stops to shoot a rather poisonous glare at Dyson. Her aura is rather amazingly unchanging in colour.

Dyson ignores Volaya, eyes following the departing form of Genive. He shrugs, turning back to face the airlock of the Minerva.

Jatix strolls down the ramp, a pack flungover his shoulder. He nods at the Legionares, but doesn't appear to take much notice of them, otherwise.

Thomas stands near the Legionarres, box in his arms. He is, more or less, gaping.

Volaya turns her glare on Jatix, then, adding a quick roil of red for emphasis, and stomps out towards the spaceport.

Rive awaits Dyson's order.

Dyson glances briefly toward the departing Vollistan, muttering to Thomas.

Jatix picks up his step, following after Volaya towards the spaceport.

Dyson mutters to Thomas, "Self-control,..."

Thomas leans closer, to recieve his words. He whispers back, then leans away.

Volaya pauses only once, to send a kick after a fallen glass bottle that sends it skittering loudly across the tarmac to shatter against the hull of a ship. With a flicker of pink she continues on, and disappears.

Avocet Spaceport

The cavernous interior of this building is composed of tiered golden rings that grow smaller and smaller the higher they go. A computerized female voice announces flight delays, arrivals and departures.

Passengers and employees alike move through the bustling chamber, followed by automated hoverluggage, supervised by drifting blue orb-like policebots. The bots bristle with stunners and other non-lethal weapons, as well as glowing red sensor reticles that sweep arriving and departing passengers for weapons and genetic makeup.

In the center of the spaceport stands a spectacular gunmetal gray steel sculpture composed of spikes, all edges and points. The highest point reaches its apex about thirty feet above the mosaic sunburst on the broad polished floor. Dozens of benches are arrayed around the sculpture for waiting passengers.

Along the outer walls are flickering blue compterms and evenly spaced holographic emitters displaying the latest news from the worlds of the Martian Republic.

Rive walks in from the landing pad, checking something with his datapad.

Volaya keeps walking, firmly, irregularly, pausing at one point to glance very quickly back over her shoulder. She scowls at Jatix, straightens up a bit, and keeps going.

Rive walks out, still checking something on his datapad.

Genive walks quickly in from the street. She passes Volaya and gives her a questioning look. but doesn't stop. She nods to thw legionaires as she walks by.

Jatix is following behind Volaya, yawning broadly. He quickens his pace to catch up with Volaya.

Avocet Boulevard

A broad bi-leveled thoroughfare, consisting of a pedestrian mall on the lowest level with a hovercar circuit above, accessible by electromagnetic lifts that carry passengers to the cab platforms.

The pedestrian mall runs east and west from here, with the General Charles Avocet Spaceport to the south and a series of commercial enterprises to the north. Up the middle of the mall is a median of transplanted Earth elms and oaks, broken here and there by small cut-throughs.

At the very center of the pedestrian mall rises a fountain, with sparkling blue water gushing from the mouth of a giant green sea turtle moving through a simulated forest of red kelp. To the west stands a colossal statue of a human in full archaic battle dress, complete with helmet, sword and shield.

Rive stands waiting patiently for the Vannies and the Legionarries.

Volaya bursts out of the spaceport, scowling firmly, her steps quickening to near running before they slow abruptly and gain in unsteadiness with a flicker of light. She works her face into expressionlessness again, and keeps walking, albeit slower and with some evident difficulty.

Rive eyes the Vollistan as she passes by, and continues to stand strait.

Jatix slows down to match Volaya's pace, appearing ready to jump into action at a moments notice.

Volaya doens't bother to acknowledge Jatix with a look, let alone a flicker of her aura, walking carefully with her face firmly turned away from him. "Yeah, well, why are you following me? They fired you," she says, voice incisive, "Or are you hoping if you suck up they'll let you back?"

Rive looks suprised at these coments, and quietly observes the "argument" if that is what it can be called at a safe distance, walking to keep up with the people.

Jatix shrugs lightly, a small grin crossing his face. "Yep. They fired me. Which was a damn stupid thing for them to do, but, oh well." His grin broadens. "If I was planning on sucking up to someone, I woulda done it /before/ they kicked me off the ship."

Volaya does glance over her shoulder at the sound of Rive's boots following as well, though, her scowl directed towards him momentarily and then back to Jatix. "Stupid to fire a spy? Yeah," she says disbelievingly, "Right. And I have a Martian honour guard now? Are you just waiting for a dark alley or something?"

Rive is tailing Volaya and Jatix at a safe distance, listening to their conversation.

Thomas enters, he seems to be looking for someone.

Thomas scans the crowd, eyes lilting from face to face rapidly. They finally settle on Rive, and pull the rest of the body into action toward him.

Jatix snorts, shaking his head. "I told you, I'm not a spy anymore. And I'm following you to make sure you don't collapse and get me accused of murder, or kidnapping, or some other stupid charge." His accent appears to have dissolved, mostly.

Rive sees Thomas, and waves him over, motioning so that he makes it clear that he's evesdropping on the two people in front of him.

"Yeah," Volaya says, voice dripping with scorn, "You're nto a spy because they /fired/ you from the ship you're supposed to spy on. So you're just a loser now, even if you think you're a babysitter."

Thomas understands, manuvers into a position where he can follow Rive, at a safe distance. The effect to a casual onlooker would be a man sho is simply going the same way as those in front of him.

Thomas gradually comes closer to Rive, whispers in his ear.

Jatix nods, slowly. "Yeah, well, I ain't a spy. Just a retired spy. Not having a job won't effect that much." He glances over his shoulder, then says, "Excuse me for a moment...." He then turns around and shouts, at Rive, "Who the Fuck do you think you are, Legionaire? If I had a gun I'd fry your ass."

Rive arches an eyebrow, and nods. "Thanks for telling me." He pats Thomas on the back, and heads back towards the spaceport.

Rive doesn't respond, just keeps walking.

Volaya turns around too, and lifts an eyebrow at Jatix. "I could, if you want?"

Thomas follows Rive, casting a mildly nasty look at Jatix over his shoulder.

Jatix completely ignores Thomas, turning around to smile at Volaya. "I don't think that'll be necessary. They're leaving already."

Volaya sighs, her eyes following them rather too impassively in through the door. "Yeah. Figures," she says, and then scowls at Jatix again and starts walking away in a random direction.

Jatix nods slowly. "Well, if yer ever on Mars and need somethin, look me up." He then starts in the opposite direction.

Volaya stops again, as soon as the human's boots start moving off in the other direction, and very carefully doesn't move.

Jatix doesn't even glance over his shoulder, step picking up slightly. A small smile crosses his face.

As soon as Jatix attains enough distance not to notice the seven-foot-tall green-lit alien wheel and run back to the ship (yeah, right) that's just what Volaya does.

Jatix snorts, watching the reflection in a store window as he passes.

Mars Landing Pad

Clouds like shredded white gauze drift across the azure sky, carried by a light breeze. Transplanted species of Earth birds - gulls and herons among them - ride the thermals overhead. The roiling green surf of the Glacial Sea pounds the distant crimson cliffs that support the metropolitan center known as Hesperia.

The landing platform is a broad expanse of black tarmac adjacent to a spaceport composed of several concentric cylindrical gleaming gold spires that climax with a nubbed point. Rising above the city to the west is a colossal statue of a human clad in armor with a helmet, shield and sword.

Rive is standing near Dyson, talking to him in sort of a frightened manner,

Volaya ever-so-casually jogs in through the spaceport, steps unsteady, her face neutral and her aura steady green, and straight towards the Minerva.

Marlan steps off the Minerva, she has changed her clothes, now dressed in baggy pants and a tank top. Sunglasses no longer hang around her neck and blue eyes dart through the spaceport as if in search of someone.

Dyson, Genive and Rive standing at the base of the boarding ramp. A hamper-like container lies by the young Centurion's feet.

Genive looks at the hamper blanky she breathes out as well and sighs, " I'm guessing that events surrounding you are part of it but not all." She shakes her head, " I'll be honest with you, perhaps there has been misunderstanding on both parts, " She pauses and glances at Rive and then back at Dyson and says quietly, " Would it be possible to speak without rank and such getting in the way?"

Thomas stands near the rest of the group, not participating in any discussions. He looks around, half on guard and half bored.

Volaya almost collides with Marlan, jogging up the ramp in green light thaat's steadier than her steps. She says, "Sorry," and keeps going.

Dyson shrugs, muttering. "As if that's stopped you before." He takes a deep breath. "Sorry. Go on."

Marlan quickly spots the collected group, despire Volaya's height she nearly runs into the woman, her hands reach out in an attempt to steady Volaya, "Wo, you ok there sis?"

Rive breathes heavily.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Volaya says quickly, and jogs up the ramp to stab at the keypad on the side of the ship.

Marlan glances back towards Volaya but then sets off for the others once more.