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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 8:58:58 GMT -5
Caleigh looks around self-consciously in the giant cafeteria and rubs the grease off her arm, then frowns and peers in at the food. She makes a face and gets a bagel and cream cheese and orange juice, then heads for a table waaaaaay in the back, sitting down to read a service manual for the Semi-cron 10383 and wait for Roberta.
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 9:02:52 GMT -5
Rob rushed into the cafeteria. She grabed a pot of tea, a rasher of bacon, and a cheese danish. Looking around she spotted Caleigh and waved. Moving smoothly, she headed to the back of the room.
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 9:07:24 GMT -5
Caleigh looks up from her manual for a sip of juice and blinks, suprised. "Rob," She says, "Hi, you actually showed up, look at that!"
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 9:13:16 GMT -5
Sorry I was a little late, they were awake at the gate, and checking credentials, there was a lot of blood in the area, has come thing happen4d?
I would never forget breakfast with you. I hope we can go shopping some tine soon, I head the last ship brought in s9m fascinating new merchandise.
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 9:20:21 GMT -5
"Blood?" Caleigh says, sitting up and pushing her book aside. "I hadn't heard anything about that. I usually don't stop to chatter with people..." She picked at her bagel, not really wanting to eat it. Hungry, but not hungry. Nervous about eating with company and the noisiness of the crowded cafeteria at breakfast.
A few tables away, Sergeant Wallburgh nudges the soldier next to him and points out their table.
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 9:24:18 GMT -5
"Don't pay attention to the roaches." Rob says following her gaze. "Would you rather take breakfast to my room. It is quieter there."
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 9:32:59 GMT -5
"I usually don't eat here at all," Caleigh says, dismissing the Sergeant's table with a rude wave. "But I'm not going to let them run me off like I'm not welcome. I worked a hard shift and I deserve a chance to sit down."
The soldiers at Wallburgh's table snark at each other for a while, looking over occasionally.
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 9:37:19 GMT -5
"Mn will be boys, It is unpleasant in here. Funny I usually get a different type of roach, but roaches never the less. Yes lets, finish our breakfast and ignore them. If they get too bad, I bet we can take them down. I have a brown belt, most of them stop at white.
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 10:06:20 GMT -5
Caleigh snickers. "Well, I usually stop short of hurting the idiots I deal with," She says. "Men or women, there's no shortage of cretins on base... how long did it take you to get a brown belt?"
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 10:11:06 GMT -5
Several years, but I had to go part time, a few nights a week while I was studying office management. They guys all start out gung ho, but either have to be able to go full time, or they loose interest and drop out.
It has extintuised the interest of more than one roach. Rob took another bitr of her bacon, and a sip of her tea. She wiped her hands daintily on a napkin, blotting her lips.
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 10:18:37 GMT -5
"I haven't really had time for people, myself." Caleigh says, finally taking a bite of her bagel.
Not exactly true. She had plenty of time on her hands... she just spent it alone. So why was she sitting here with Roberta?
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 10:23:33 GMT -5
You need people, people you can trust just no roaches. We could bond together and cover each others backs. I had a partner on my home planet, but she went to another field of work, and I got stuck here.
I have been rather lonely since then and am looking for another girl to do things with. Do you think you might need someone too?
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 10:42:28 GMT -5
Caleigh swallowed her bagel. That was a suprisingly straight-forward way to make a connection. She wasn't sure how to respond to it. "Eh? Buh, shopping-"
"Shopping?" Sergeant Wallburgh says as he walks up, taking the empty seat at their table. "Is that what you ladies are talking about? Typical."
"Excuse me, when did we ask you to join us?!" Caleigh says, exasperated.
"You girls hear about the attacks?" Wallburgh goes on, ignoring the irritation in her voice.
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Post by Atira on Aug 15, 2006 10:49:01 GMT -5
"Attacks" Rob asked. "Did someone finally recognize you for the pest you are and attack you? Or is there something important happening?
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Post by C&J on Aug 15, 2006 11:57:45 GMT -5
"Important? I'd say so," Wallburgh says, smiling and making himself comfortable in his seat. "Seems there are monsters on this planet after all! Something ambushed a patrol in the ruins, and since then it's been attacking young women in the dead of night... mutilating them. And it's certainly not human."
"Baloney." Caleigh says. "The military scoured the ruins thoroughly before building the base, if anything was out there, it would have been discovered."
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