After informing the colonial Crokett of the mistake in the field and finishing his meal, he goes collects his PDA from his room. Jaron thinks about the events that are unfolding as he walks to the observation deck. He sighs heavily, pitching the arc of nose followed by rubbing one of his temples. After a moment of self preparation, he stares out into space. He does this for a minute or two but he writes his own AAR on his PDA along with a personal entry. Both are harsh on himself, team and mission as a whole. Luckily, he has enough alone time to finish the entry before anyone comes.
Jaron leans back in the chair, bracing himself with his elbow slightly as rests chin with his knuckles. A feeling of being alone sets in. He thinks about past people he has met and are now gone. Lurana, John, Ryu, Max even the honorable Centurion Tanis. His eyes water some. He closes his eyes to press the water away.
Jaron soon gets up, gathering his datapad. He looks out at the stars one more time as he wishes for simpler times. He starts to exits the observation deck.
Jaron walks the corridor of the Valley Mistress, he nods and smiles slightly to anyone he passes. He walks for awhile then decides to check the ship's personnel of colonials and UEEF. He looks for recent additions and some he wishes to hand pick for missions. Jaron looks for individuals that are odd for one and others who might be more aligned to his thinking.
Define "His thinking."
I have a general idea, but…specifics on outlook would help.
Jaron's thinking. More cautious and open minded to alternatives other than blasting.
Most of the folks here are, 'odd' in some way, that's what makes everyone their own unique snowflake, however, the colonial mindset is one of frontier hardiness, rugged individualism, and the determination not to suffer fools. All are professionals with more years in than most, as colonial equipment is scare, and expensive (to the colonials) so rank amateurs are not trusted with such valuable assets. Also, as the Aquila colony is a militocracy, career military service is praised and respected and those joining only long enough to punch their ticket are seen as halfhearted. But, they understand that the UEEF mindset is different and they try to be polite about it.
Respect for outsiders is slim until those folks have proven themselves as hard and dedicated as they see themselves. Thus far Nobel Squads reputation has, for good and ill, preceded them. The reputation Nobel Squad has aboard ship is one of a lucky group that succeeds in spite of themselves, is spoiled and soft, has little unit cohesion nor communication, and up till now has had a veritable blank check in terms of equipment and command leniency.
GM: A harsh assessment, but one that I think is fair.
Jaron still searches the personnel for fillers. He spends an hour or two doing this before lines starts to run together.
Notes a few that peaked his interest.
Rod Callo, Ali Prazma, Alceed Huyler, Brant Splinter and Josephine Claw.
He marks their position and eventually plans to visit them to chat. Jaron feels a little skeptical but has a gut feeling that things need to change.
Jaron decides to see one before heading to the gym; hoping a workout will help clear his mind. He makes his way to Rod first.
Jaron had a conversion with Rod but the old vet was hard to read. Maybe he just need time to reflect on Rod's words or maybe they were just on different wave lengths. Still in some thought Jaron heads to his room to change to workout attire before the gym.
Sarah just sighs and stretches, once back on the ship. After going to visit Suki for a good while after the mission for a personal 'debriefing', she looks in the mirror at the weight lost during the mess at the mountain before. She hmms a little at the slimming down, and considers how Suki looks now, settling herself into her seat and looking up for a better program, wondering if she might be able to tone and put a little more meat on the bones rather than return to being the slim but rather squishy little girl she has been. Once she finds one that looks promising, she sticks her head out of the room, and heads herself down to the gym, to start trying to work on it, hefting some not too out of reach weights for the moment.
Always the gym hound, Ishida notices Sarah enter amidst a series of one armed chin ups. Finishing up she releases her grip and drops deftly to the deck. Wearing a pair of work out shorts and sports bra topped off with a sweat band, ankle and wrist weights she grabs up her sweat rag and dabs her forehead dry as she makes her way over to the Chief.
She smiles as she takes a swig from her water bottle. "It is nice to see you in here chief, we were beginning to think we'd never see you in a gym." She remarks, much happier on the inside that Sarah is thinking on partaking in one of her hobbies. On the outside of course is approval, subdued in protocol.
Sarah smiles brightly as she sees Suki, watching her girlfriend interestedly as she does the chin ups, though her eyes stray downward of course to the other lines. She doesn't stop working on what she was doing either, though, she peeks down at the pad once in a while for quick reference, hefting the weights repeatedly, trying to follow what was said. "Well, I figured I should try doing a bit more on this end of things, I've been a little soft to this point and it's worked, but… I figure since I lost a little weight in that cave, I should probably get it back more in tone, than being slim and soft again. Especially with you so well toned to be seeing." She winks a little and smiles. "Besides, more time to be with you.
She doesn't even have a water bottle herself, or much else, just her shorts and her own sport bra.
Ishida nods and shares her water.
"Have you a routine selected?" She asks as she leans in to check the weights and Sarah's stance. Once near her ear she whispers. "If you want to tone up, I would work on the weights here, we can always handle the 'cardio' together." She says with a wink.
Standing back up she taps Sarah's arms. "Arms in. Hold them at a ninety degree…" She instructs as she assists and spots for the Chief.
Sarah blushes softly, taking a small sip. "Thanks. She hmms then, looking at her pad. Basic toning routine for now, I figure I can advance from that when I'm trying to work on specific areas. She smiles a bit more then, and blushes more about handling the cardio together, though her smile widens a good deal, and she whispers back, "I like the sound of that idea."
She stands back up as well when Suki does, adjusting her arms and nodding, listening intently as she tries to get the lifting right. "Let me know when I should be trying more weight. I'm not exactly weak, but I figured I should start slightly on the lighter side of things, at least, to work into being used to it more."
Jaron enters the gym in some shorts and t-shirt with a bottle in hand. He stresses some before he gets onto a stationary bike. Jaron starts out slow for now; it more of a leisure than workout from the looks of it.
"Try these and see how you feel…" Suki says, handing Sarah some 10 pound dumbbells as she notices Jeron enter the gym from the reflection on one of the wall mounted mirrors. "…we can always adjust later." She continues as a deep seeded negative wave of emotion washes over her.
Suki guides Sarah through a few routines, correcting Sarah's form or stance as needed and saying little beyond coaching 'higher…a few more reps…hold it…good…lower it slowly…'
Jaron stays at a steady pace, closing his eyes from time to time or staring down at the readout. Something breaks his thought and glances up. He spots Sarah and Suki but lets them be. He pushes the speed up some but the pace is still steady.
Sarah nods at the 10 pounders, taking them and trying to work them quickly, adjusting to the weight. She nearly fumbles one in the 'down' arc, and her eyes widen as she senses the negativity from Suki, and she glances over to her worriedly, but nods just a little bit, giving Jaron a quick, sharp glance. She lets herself get guided through the routines, trying to make sure hse stays loose, and does it properly per Suki's coaching. Feeling good enough. She nods at higher and more. You okay?" She glances back at Jaron then, and back to Suki.
Suki purses her lips with a slight scowl. "Hai." She says tersely, not willing to discuss the issue further, and certainly not in a public place.
She continues her coaching, pushing the negativity aside, replacing it with the positive fulfillment of helping Sarah with her routine.
Grumbling to herself slightly but taking a breath, Suki does her due diligence and fulfills an earlier promise. She turns to face Lt. Fairman.
"Lieutenant."
Once she is sure she has his undivided attention she continues.
"Lieutenant. When you are done here, I would like it if you would get together with Lt. Crockett and square him away on air ops. Also, make sure you complete your sim's on the Gamma, I would like to slot you in for a check ride no later then…" She checks her chrono. "…0700 on the 5th." (GM: A full week from now) She pauses then adds. "If you are tied up, see if Lt. Madresa can work with Lt. Corckett instead."
Jaron stops as Suki calls to him; he breathing a little heavily as he nods for her to continue. He listens to her intently. He nods "Yes Captain. Will do."