Buns of Steel
Buns of Steel
Summary: Pilot chatter in the mess hall. Eddie and her buns get a new callsign.
Date: MD043
Related Logs: None.
Players:
Eddie..Legacy..Roubani..Kai..Drarelle..

Mess Hall

There's better food to be had on the station they're docked at, but some people are too tired, too busy, or just hoarding their shore leave hours. Roubani is here at the quietest table he could find, in his blues with the jacket neatly unbuttoned. A plate of military fare is in front of him along with a book, and he divides his attention between the two. His face is gradually looking less like ground beef and more just ugly, the swelling far down today and just leaving that purple-black bruising.

CAP over, Eddie comes in almost fresh off the flight deck. In fact, she's still peeling off her flight suit, shrugging out of it to tie the arms around her waist. It's all the fashion, all the cool kids are doing it. She doesn't bother with the line, merely skips over all the folks with their trays and merely reaches through the press of bodies to snag an apple.

And Thea is right behind Eddie, peeling out of HER flight suit as well. Looks like they came from a similar place. Thea, though, looks exhausted, as if she's been doing too much with too little, despite the shore leave. Into line she goes, suit slung over her arm carefully. It's as though she's on autopilot. A dish of this, a bowl of that, a glass of this is grabbed as she makes her way down behind some Marines. Then she's looking around for a seat. Roubani catches her attention, and her brows go up at the sight of his face. Looks like she found her victim.

Roubani turns a page in his book, reaching for a mug of something on his tray that's steaming hot. He cups it in both hands, gently blowing on the surface as he reads. His plate is mostly empty, though one can easily tell from the sauce stains that he separated every item out into its own area based on colour.

It seems Eddie and Legacy have a similiar frame of mind, but as Eddie has skipped the whole conformity of the line thing, she's got a head start to Roubani's table. Her teeth sink into the flesh of the fruit loudly as she pulls out a chair next to him with her customary, "Whatcah dooooin'?" Seems the wingmates have a bit of familiarity with each other, commonly known as comradary.

And right behind Eddie comes Legacy's "I hope you blew the hell out of whatever did that to your face, Rubik." Of course, it's still a good few seconds behind Morales. Eddie sits down next to, Thea opts for across from.

Roubani's dark eyes come up at the sound of two voices and apple crunching. His hand jumps to his collar, giving it a gentle tug that slides it up over a darkening hand-shaped bruise low on his throat. "Sir." Simple enough greeting. "Not taking leave time?" He sips from the mug and pushes his book out of Eddie's way, not closing it. "Just reading. CAP okay?"

Eddie gives a little bob of her head, the bite of apple too big so it needs to be shoved into her cheek like a chipmunk storing up nuts. "Didn't suck." She says around chewing, having forgotten to read the chapter for her Miss Courtesy book regarding table manners. "Sir." She greets the Raptor leader. Of course, she's not above sneaking a peak to the title of Roubani's book as he slides it away.

Thea glances over at Eddie and offers a small smile. "Morales," she says quietly. But her eyes go back to Roubani fairly quickly, lips pursing a bit. She doesn't ask, though it's clear she wants to know, and isn't quite happy at seeing him injured. "CAP was fairly good. Hot dog here," she gestures to Eddie, "Is a fair hand at the stick. Fun to follow, too."

The book's something predictably dense about astrophysics and time. Roubani waits until Eddie's appropriately distracted by the title before plucking the apple straight out of her hand and setting it on his plate. Thunk. He picks up his knife, setting it to the middle and starting to slice neatly. "That's good. Is that a new callsign? Hotdog?" He's so softly serious about it that it's hard to tell if he's joking or not.

If Eddie notices the bruise that Roubani's trying to hide, she doesn't mention it. Not now, at least. "Hey!" Comes the protest as Eddie's meal is snagged away, brows pinched tightly together as she glares at Roubani. And Roubani is…cutting her apple, so she calms down a hint and continues devouring the bite in mouth. "Gods, I hope not. The jokes about sliding into a hot bun will never cease." Though she bobs her head in acknowledgement of the compliment? from Legacy. Silent thanks. She's not good at the real verbal deal.

"Buns," Thea says, dipping her head, once. "I'll run it by the Captain when I see him next." Is she -serious-? The Captain doesn't follow up on it, she simply settles in to eat, letting Eddie handle any further follow-up on the questions.

"Buns works," Roubani replies, matter-of-factly. Apple cut down the middle he continues on, cutting each half into fourths. "Morales was clearly 'bread' to be a pilot."

Eddie finally swallows that pesky bit of fruit, sucking at her teeth at a piece of skin that got stuck between them. "You guys are both going to find your bunks filled with relish and mustard." She warns, risking her fingers to reach out and snag a piece of apple as its snicked off.

Thea quirks a brow and smiles sweetly. "Get stuffed, Morales," she murmurs. "Yes," she says, looking up at Roubani. "I think Buns is perfect. So many permutations of it, too. Especially when it gets a rise out of her. The other option? Get her some bunny ears."

Roubani lightly whacks Eddie's knuckles with the flat of the butter knife. Whether or not it deters her from messing up his careful cutting, he returns to it and cuts each fourth into eighths before sliding his plate over. Now she can eat it in piece, apparently. He just smiles a little bit as he picks up a napkin, cleaning the apple bits off the dull blade.

Eddie withdraws her fingers, shaking them ruefully after she's smacked. Kobol forbid that she mess up his perfect little sections, even thought there's already a bite mark in one of them. "This is what I get for being nice." Ow. She's pouting by the time the fruit is actually offered. "Buns." She snorts. The relish fairy is going to leave little presents under pillows alright.

"You have to admit, Morales, it fits. Hot Dog is way too mundane for you." Thea smiles as she watches the pair, a brow quirking ever so slightly. The food on her plate disappears at a high rate of speed - yep, she's military.

Knife cleaned, Roubani sets it back down next to his fork on his empty plate. He picks his mug of tea back up and takes a sip, the rim hiding his expression. Granted, the slight crinkles at the corners of his eyes kind of give it away. "How was the rest of your evening last night?" He asks Eddie.

Eddie gives the apple piece a little flick of her fingers so it twirls on the apex of its convex curve. Her eyes are focused on that instead of Legacy or Roubani for the moment. "How does 'buns' fit? You've never even seen my buns, sir." She says dryly, but is no longer putting much venom into the fight of her call sign. It'll only make it worse. "Do you actually want to know, Rubix, or can you just blush now, and save me the trouble of embarassing myself in front of the Captain?" A pause. "You get back on board okay?" She asks, deflecting a question with another question.

Kai arrives from the Hallway - Deck 2, Midships.
Kai has arrived.

Thea glances between the pair, even more, brow arching upward. "Last night, dare I ask? Did you two go out and get into trouble on shore leave?" Her eyes drop to Roubani's throat. "Or did you two have a little more fun than is militarily allowed?"

Roubani's ears turn red on cue, and he clears his throat. "Oh. Well. No, that's…alright." He answers Eddie and takes a slow sip of his tea. "Yes, got back fine." His eyes come back up and look at Thea, taken aback by her implication. "No, sir, no trouble. Major Vendas and Captain Marek and some others were just talking about their callsigns. Telling some stories, is all."

And who should waltz in, but Captain Marek in the flesh. Not that one could accurately term it a waltz, mind, not with that slight limp of his. Hands in the pockets of his duty blues, Kai weaves toward the food queue with an uncanny knack for not getting jostled on the way.

Eddie plucks the spinning piece of apple off of Roubani's tray, biting off a third of it with a clean pass of her teeth. At least the bites are more manageable now that Roubani has sliced it up for her nibbing pleasure. Probably to save himself from the chomping and lipsmacking of the classless Ensign. "I was good." Leaving a very loose definition of 'good' on the table. The three sit at a table, Eddie next to Roubani and Legacy across from them.

Legacy is seated at the table across from Roubani and Morales, head tilted slightly to the side as she studies them, her plate empty in front of her. "Good," she says, rolling that over on her tongue. "Whose definition are you using, Buns? Are you using Rubix' definition, or mine?"

Roubani's brows slowly lift. He looks down at his mug, sipping with purpose.

Kai spots, after a moment, the table housing the three pilots. Two of his and one.. well. He fetches a plate and slides it atop a tray, then shuffles closer to see what's in the offing today, food wise.

Eddie's eyes lift to spy the Viper-Miester join the queue. Great. Buns is going to stick at this rate. Haha. Sticky buns. The puns will never end. "Actually, I was using Guido's definition." Eddie responds blandly. She certainly didn't spend the night with some guy named Guido, did she?

Thea glances over her shoulder, smile broadening, then looks back to Eddie and Roubani. "Rubix, which definition is she using," she asks, lips twitching.

Deer, headlights. Roubani clears his throat gently, folding his hands around the mug. "I'm sure I wouldn't know, sir."

Kai rummages through a pan of mashed potatoes, and then one of broccoli. Which he makes sure not to go easy on, since it's actual fresh broccoli, straight from the colonies. Once he's got a few slices of meat on his plate and a cup of apple juice, he starts over toward the pilots' table. "Mind another?" is his way of imposing without imposing, voice flat.

Legacy didn't ask for clarification from her, so Eddie keeps on giving that plain jane smile while she eats her apple. Light dinner, it seems. At the question from Kai, she nudges out a chair beneath the table with her foot.

Legacy just shakes her head and looks up at Kai. "Evening, Captain," she says with a smile. "So what do you think of Buns for Morales? It seems to fit her, in so many ways."

Roubani's face is still slightly red, but it's fading now. Having dodged bullets appropriately, he looks up as Kai joins them. At Thea's questioning the other Captain, his face gets unusually expressive for a second as he bites the intact corner of his lip, trying not to smile. It fails.

"Buns?" Marek repeats with an arch of his brow. It's deadpanned, with the 'n' drawn out slightly as if to convey how much this bemuses him. Not that he's smiling, of course. "You seem like you've got an opinion to share, Roubani. Let's have it." A forkful of mashed potatoes vanishes into his mouth.

Eddie points at Kai with her slice of apple. "Relish fairy. That's all I'm saying." Of course its not even close to a threat, she's not that stupid. Besides, a conversation about her call sign seems ten times more pleasant then one about what she did last night. Which may or may not have to do with a man named Guido.

"Buns," Thea says quietly, nodding. "Because she's a damned good pilot with the heart of a hot dog. She doesn't -have- to hot dog, so she doesn't, but she's got the skill. And given her general 'get stuffed' attitude, Buns just fits her." She leans back in her chair, pleased with herself. "And I'm still wondering why her handprints are around Rubix' neck."

Roubani has his mug firmly in front of his face. Whatever Legacy's referring to around his neck is hidden by his collar. He's just gotten a sip of tea when Kai and Althea speak, and his dark eyes flicker up to his squad leader's face. His primly serious expression abruptly shatters into laughter that ends up with him having a good snort of tea both up his nose and on his tray. He coughs for a breath as he grabs for a napkin. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Kai stares at Althea like she's grown a third appendage of some kind, right in the middle of her forehead. Even his food is forgotten about for a moment, and Roubani's sudden sputtering laughter is not helping. "What in the name of the gods is so funny, Ensign?" To Legacy, "She's an adequate pilot." He sips his apple juice, and goes for another forkful of potatoes. "Who could be a good pilot, if she learned to tone down the hot and heavy flying."

Eddie looks like she's about to smack Roubani on the back, before that impulse is quashed and her hand merely falls to drape on the back of his chair. "And hot and heavy doesn't typically include erotically asphyixiating my squad mates." Which rules out that those are /her/ hand prints. She'd be looking a little defensive if weren't for the first time she's actually heard Roubani laugh.

"Mmmm," Thea says to Kai, being a good Captain and not correcting her other counterpart about his own pilot. "Buns still fits. Sticky buns, getting a rise out of her, getting stuffed, Bun Bun…So many options truly." She grins at Roubani, eyes lighting up as he laughs. She looks utterly and completely charmed. "So, if it wasn't Buns choking you, Rubix, who was it?"

"I'm sorry, sir…" Roubani stammers the words at Kai as he wipes his mouth, careful of the healing split lip. "I'm so sorry." He blinks at Eddie at that last, staring. "Er-…" He can't even begin to repeat those kinds of words, his face starting to turn red again. Eyes shifting to Thea his mouth opens and just stays that way, as if she'd just told the table that he'd stabbed her dog. "Nothing. It was an accident." He folds the napkin over and sets it atop a few stray drops of tea.

Kai cuts his eyes toward Roubani for a few steady moments, then lowers them again to resume eating. Hard to say whether he's irritated, since — as usual — his expression betrays nothing save perhaps a vague disinterest in things. "Bunbun?" His mouth might have twitched, or it might not.

Eddie does bristle a bit, but the defensiveness isn't for herself, but rather for Roubani. Apparently, she'd rather be brigged then have Roubani's personal life be drug out into daylight in the messhall. Thinking quickly, she's on her feet, hands quickly undoing the arms of her flightsuit around her waist. A foot up on the chair, a foot up on the table, she's quickly mounting it amidst trays and glasses and she's…dropping trou. "Buns of steel." Waggle waggle. If she's going to have a callsign, she's going to damn well earn it.

Since Thea's clearly not going to get a straight answer, she simply sighs quietly and just shakes her head. "Frakking like bunnies," she murmurs, reaching for her cup of coffee. Now that the smile has faded, she just looks tired again. And then she catches on that she's seeing what she really, really, REALLY doesn't want to see. "Oh, Christ. Full moon."

Roubani frowns at the murmur, looking back at Thea as he folds his napkin. "Sir, it isn't always about…that, you know," he speaks firmly but doesn't recycle her expletive. Whatever else he might have said, though, is lost when Eddie climbs up on the table and - whoa. "Morales!"

Oh, gods. Why, why does Kai end up with all the good ones? After shooting Althea a quizzical glance, he sighs, puts his fork down, and even takes the time to dab at his mouth with his napkin before addressing Eddie. "Ensign Morales, put your clothes on and sit your ass back down." His voice is clipped, but he's not quite barking at her. He might even be mildly amused, not that he's going to admit to it.

Eddie does a jiggle, but its less for entertainment value this time, and more about getting her shorts pulled back up and her flight suit secured around her waist once more. With a casual air, she walks off the edge of the table, knees bending when she hits deck again. No MP's are rushing forward to cart her off, so all is well. Flopping back into a chair, she takes another slice of apple with wry grin turning up the corners of her lips.

Legacy just blinks at Eddie and then looks to Kai, utterly helpless. It's as though she can't quite figure out what to say or what to do. So her mouth just hangs open.

Roubani doesn't look surprised when Legacy doesn't answer. He just looks away, back at Kai and Eddie, and a cautious smile sparks back on his face. "I suppose that makes it official."

"I suppose it does. Mooner." Kai's answering Roubani, but looking directly at Eddie. Oh, it's official all right. First rule of getting a new callsign: it will probably be something you hate.

Legacy just shakes her head and heaves a sigh. "When you're a pilot, Rubix, it generally is. You're the exception to the rule, not the rule."

Eddie seems distinctly okay with the course of things, even as buns changes to Mooner. For some reason, it looks like she can live with Mooner. A bit smuggly, she starts chewing on her apple loudly again and singing beneath her breath, "Blue moooon…you saw me standin' alone…" Okay, so she's more of crooning off tune.

"Perhaps, sir." Roubani picks up his tea mug, swirling it gently. He doesn't quite seem to know what to make of Eddie and her crooning, whether to be totally bewildered or amused. "This is going to make CAP very…um. Acoustic."

Kai sneds another glance Legacy's way, then tucks his napkin away again so he can continue eating. He's said his piece, and seems to withdraw slightly into his thoughts while the others converse.

Eddie gives Roubani a glance with a slightly raised brow, that seems to be a silent question of 'you okay here?' But seems to think the heat is off her fellow Ensign and his bruises. "I'm gonna go hit the rack. Or the bar. Or some combination there of." One more piece of apple is selected for the road. "Don't wait up for me." Though, of course not taking proper leave time, there's a curfew. So. You know. She'll be back at the appointed bell.

Legacy just gives Kai a wide-eyed look, then shakes her head. "I think I missed something when I didn't take my shore leave. Maybe *I* need to go down there." Which would, definitely, be a very, very bad thing.

Roubani tilts his head at Kai and Legacy, looking between them. His eyes then lift as Eddie gets up. His smile is very slight, as it usually is, but there's a flash of warmth in it. "Goodnight, Morales."

Kai has his mouth full when Eddie takes her leave, so all she gets is a nod in farewell while he cleans his teeth with his tongue. "I'd make it an order, if I was your CO, Thea," he tells the raptor Captain, shadowing her a smile. "But I'm sure the Major can be convinced to make an edict. Unless you'll agree to go voluntarily." He tosses back a little apple juice. "There's a nice garden." Because 'nice' is the best word Kai could come up with.

Eddie merely flashes Roubani a wink and the others get a, "Sirs." Before Mooner is slipping off to whatever she does to pass the time.

Legacy simply sticks her tongue out at Kai, laughing quietly. "Only if you go with me, Spider," she says quietly.

Eddie heads through the exit labeled <H> Hallway.
Eddie has left.

Roubani returns his attention to what's left of his tea, back to taking measured and slurpless sips. His book is still open on the table beside him, but it's been long since abandoned.

Kai has finished off most of his food by now, and elects to start in on his bowl of jello. Nobody eats jello with such gusto as Karim, the freak. "Deal," he murmurs before popping in a spoonful of it. Blue eyes meet bluer, like he's just daring her to back down.

Legacy laughs quietly and shakes her head, looking over at Roubani. "Some days, I wonder why I even try." Then it's back to Kai, her brow arched upward delicately. A challenge?

Roubani looks back at Legacy. Then at Kai, his attention distracted by the Captain. Or the jello. Or some combination thereof. "I suppose, sir, that life might be terribly dull otherwise."

Kai lifts his spoon, which has a small mound of wobbling pink precariously perched atop it, and points it at Legacy. "If it takes a sacrifice of a few hours' worth of my precious shore leave, to get you to take a time out, Althea, then just call me altruistic." Into his mouth goes the jello, and a wink's sent to Roubani.

"Maybe," Thea tells Roubani quietly. "Though it would make it quieter." She watches Kai, though, smile soft. Very soft. Scary soft. "We'll see how you feel about that…after," she murmurs, voice low an quiet. "You remember what happened LAST time you took me into a bar."

Roubani's reaction to the wink is weirdly shy, a fleeting smile and eyes immediately back down to his mug. He picks at some imperfection in the ceramic rim, just listening.

Kai can't possibly be so oblivious, so as not to notice Roubani doing his best impersonation of a wilting violet over there. His expression's quizzical, but he's not cruel enough to draw overt attention to it. "I reserve the right to cut you off at three drinks," he deadpans to Legacy, trying not to smile, "and to revoke your dancing license at two."

Thea simply watches Kai for a moment, then turns a lovely shade of red. It's a shade that even Roubani might envy. She doesn't just go red, she damn near goes red PLAID. Suddenly her coffee cup is mighty interesting. "I got us back on base after curfew, didn't I," she mutters at Kai, trying not to smile.

Roubani can't not be eavesdropping, given everyone's sat at his table, but he seems well practiced in being polite about it. He keeps his eyes down on his cup, finding little things to do to it to occupy his hands. Stirring or swirling.

Drarelle arrives from the Hallway - Deck 2, Midships.
Drarelle has arrived.

Poor Roubani. Poor Legacy. Kai just keeps right on eating his jello like he isn't knocking 'em down like dominoes tonight. "Yes," he murmurs with a glimmer of a dimple in his cheek, in between spoonfuls. "Yes, you did." And he doesn't even mention how she put Eddie's spectacle atop her chair not half an hour ago, to shame.

Legacy glances over at Roubani, blushing furiously still and pretending she's not. "So, Rubix, did you enjoy your shore leave? Anything down there I should see other than the garden?"

Roubani keeps the red plastic stirrer between his fingers, drawing repetitive circles around the puddle of tea in his mug. "I suppose the best views are outside the station rather than in, sir. There's a bar they seemed to like. It's a touch…garish."

Drarelle casually walks around a gaggle of Marines standing in front of the coffee machines, selecting a brown murky pot and filling up a small ceramic mug.

Kai drops his spoon into his empty bowl, and eases back in his chair to sip at his juice while the pair converse. Yes, juice. They were out of decaf today, or simply decided it was too wussy to be served to Colonial navy. The three pilots are seated at one of the tables near the entrance, apparently just finishing off dinner.

"Mmmmm," she murmurs. "I could always circle the station on CAP rather than going down…" She trails off, giving Kai A Look when she says that. But then she catches sight of the Marine. The poor cat in the middle of the dog show.

"I'm certain you could still enjoy the neon from out there, sir," Roubani says, drily. Seated with Legacy and Kai, his dinner is finished but for the bit of tea he's bothering in his cup. A large book is open on the table by his tray.

Kai scoffs quietly. Very quietly. Into a sip of his apple juice. "There's a very nice view of the Cephissus cluster, from the top floor of the bar. Or so I'm told. And burlesque dancers." He quirks another dimpled smile to Legacy.

Drarelle takes another sip from the black mug, nodding in satifaction. An improvement from the watered down mess he's used to.

Legacy just groans quietly at Kai and Roubani, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. I'll go. I love the colors of neon. It's been…forever."

Roubani reaches for a page in the book beside him, turning it over with a soft rustle. It's doubtful he's actually reading it, but it's more polite than staring at two pilots making a date.

Drarelle grabs a nearby paper hurriedly, failing to notice one left on the coffee counter as he makes his way around a gaggle of men by the entrance. His mug in one hand and a broken wristwatch in the other.

Drarelle heads through the exit labeled <H> Hallway.
Drarelle has left.

Date? One should hope not, with the ring Kai's sporting on his left hand there. He speaks to Legacy while watching Roubani flip through his book, "I'll see if the Major is interested in joining us. Though I'm afraid I can only spare a few hours."

Thea offers Kai a softer smile, head tilting to the side. "When's the big day," she asks softly. "Six weeks, I think it was?" Her voice is quietly gentle. Eyes track the Marine as he leaves, head cocking to the side.

Roubani keeps his eyes down, especially as the references turn to something he can't place. Another page turns.

"The big day?" Karim repeats, empty cup set back down on the table between them. His arms fold around his midsection, neatly hiding the nonexistant flab that PT's been thus far successful in keeping at bay. But it's oooonly a matter of time.

Thea cocks her head slightly as she blinks over at Kai, lips pursing slightly. One hand slides down over her stomach, patting it lightly - though no words are spoken. Apparently she's not willing to go deep into detail.

Roubani glances up in time to see hand signals starting. That's when one's officially a third wheel. He closes his book after sliding a marker into the pages, setting his teacup on his tray. "Sirs. If you'll excuse me."

Kai doesn't actually respond immediately, and maybe it's just as well that Roubani gets the 'hint' as it were, and takes it upon himself to leave. "Good evening, Ensign," he murmurs, faintly apologetic.

Thea looks up as well and dips her head. "Night, Rubix," she says softly, voice quiet.

Roubani takes his tray and book, sliding past his chair and heading out. Oh look, someone's briefing on the floor.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License