Battlestar Valkyrie: Operation Bifrost - Episode 1 - En Garde

[Callsign Bedrock]

"I'll get the report to you soon as I am able. I'm going to go down to the flight deck and see if I'm cleared to launch back to the ship."

Bedrock does this.

[Celestial Centurion]

Originally Posted By: CIC BS: Valkyrie

"We'll get to the ground of this ASAP, Major."

"I appreciate it commander." Terrance replaced the phone even as he heard the nurse on duty gasp.

Originally Posted By: Agrippina Solas

"Hi, doc. I don't suppose you have a patient here - one still alive, I should clarify - named Lorenzo? As I was accused of murdering him earlier today, you can understand I'd like to clear a few things up."

Hamal spun and looked at the woman up and down, his eye settled on the very large hammer in her hands. "Now you listen here miss," Terry kept his voice level despite a heavy undercurrent of panic that he felt. "This is a medical bay not a mechanics garage, and I don't much take kindly to threats in my med bay. I suggest, rather strongly I should add, that you walk right back outta here and think about what you want to do. You're in enough trouble as it is for attacking that boy if he lives, killing him now will only get you into deeper shit and make me frakking mad that I wasted all that effort saving his life!" The doctor drew himself up to his full height and despite the round and flabby paunch in his middle he struck an imposing figure.

[z-Agrippina Solas]

"Man, it'd be really nice once in a while if people didn't assume I was a murderer," Agrippina mumbled. "The hammer isn't important to our conversation. Ignore the hammer. Look, I just want to know if Lorenzo... wait, you just said if he lives? That's what I needed to know. Thanks, Doc - you're super."

Turning, the Chief shouldered her hammer and walked back out the door, her face set in grim lines.

[SalmonMax]

On seeing Aggripina start to leave, Callisto hurries forward.

"Chief, hang on a second. I need to talk to you."

She notices the hammer then and pauses. "Bad time?"

[Celestial Centurion]

The Doc watches as Solas leave the med bay then turns to the nurse on duty, "What the frak was that?" The woman shrugs silently and Terry shakes his head. "OK, I'm going to check Lorenzo while I'm here. What time is it anyways?" He grabs his white coat and quickly slips into it before heading toward the room where Lorenzo was hopefully recuperating.

[z-Agrippina Solas]

"Sure, I have a moment," Agrippina said, pausing and lowering her hammer. She put it head-down on the floor, her palms resting one over the other on the haft.

"What's up?"

[SalmonMax]

"I wanted to talk to you about Lt Everette," Callisto replies. "I was going to ask if you'd heard anything about him...anything about unusual activities. Your people go all over the ship, hear all kinds of things."

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Callsign Bedrock

"I'll get the report to you soon as I am able. I'm going to go down to the flight deck and see if I'm cleared to launch back to the ship."

Bedrock does this.

Battlestar Valkyrie, Launch bay Bedrock’s Raptor

Getting a clearance was not much of a fuss after a few names were dropped. It seemed that the CAG had some kind of carte blanche for her investigation.

Wade was checking the systems while Bedrock had to sign the special request to take off. The Gemenon Prophet was still under Quarantine and kept closely to the Valkyrie in tow. From the report Bedrock got there were currently one Squad of Marines on board the Prophet and 2 Teams of Deckhands and engineers checking the ships system. After the incident with the Colonial Heavy security has been tightened and everyone was on his nerves – No one wanted another explosion, especially so close to the Valkyrie.

Gemenon Prophet, Armistice line

The flight was without any interruptions and docking went smoothly. After the Marines on board made sure that Bedrock and Wade were supposed to be there they guided the two pilots to the bridge.

“We’ve kept the area secured and locked. No one is allowed to access the bridge except on direct command by the Admiral… or you guys.”, the Corporal informed them raising an eyebrow at his last comment. The young Marine seemed somewhat confused that two pilots were allowed to access the bridge. He was probably expecting someone else.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

"What are the Lt's duties? It would help if we knew what he was meant to be upto if we are going to try to catch him at something he isn't meant to be doing. I'll contact the Marine Commander and get some people to 'assist the survivors with orientation on the fleet vessels', that might pass without arousing too many suspicions."

Battlestar Valkyrie, Marine Commander's office

“What the Frak?”, the Marine Commander had just hung up his phone to issue the order to get him 4 men down to Med Bay when his phone rang again.

“What?”, he blarted into the speaker fully aware that he should have answered the phone by stating his name and Rank. He was in a foul mood and whomever bothered him would have to bear with his vitriol even if it was the Admiral.

[Rorx]

Thanatos had heard that sort of roar before, it generally came from a marine officier who's comman was being missed around with either by REMF's or the enemy.

"Lt Davies here Commander, you sound like you have a problem, anything an old Marine Sergeant might be able to help you with?"

[z-Agrippina Solas]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

"I wanted to talk to you about Lt Everette," Callisto replies. "I was going to ask if you'd heard anything about him...anything about unusual activities. Your people go all over the ship, hear all kinds of things."

"Unusual activities? Then fallow me, Captain! I was just going to talk to Everette, and I'm sure you can get all kinds of fun stuff from our talk." Spinning, she started down the corridor, heading for the officer's quarters.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

Thanatos had heard that sort of roar before, it generally came from a marine officier who's comman was being missed around with either by REMF's or the enemy.

"Lt Davies here Commander, you sound like you have a problem, anything an old Marine Sergeant might be able to help you with?"

"Don't worry about it Lt. I'm getting used to this soon enough. I'm kinda in a hurry here, unless your request has top priority or comes directly from the Admiral you'll have to wait till I'm back. What's your call?"

[Rorx]

"Well you help me out with mine when you can and I'll help you out with yours now? There is some concern about the people that we rescued from the ships that are on fleet ships in two ways, one in that they don't know their way around or the procedures they may need to follow, and secondly in that someone amongst them is responsible for shooting all the bridge crew of one ship and rigging the explosives on the Heavy that blew when we tried to rescue it. It was hoped by those of us assigned to investigate by the Admiral that you might be able to find some marines to 'escort' the 'passengers' to help them with the first and to keep an eye on them for the anything unusual for the second."

With a slight pause Scarface continues, "On another matter for the Admiral I was wondering if you knew anything about Lt Everette or his activities?"

[SalmonMax]

Callisto quickly trotted after the irate Chief.

"Harris told me a little about Lorenzo, but I want to make sure I have my facts straight. Mind telling me what's going on here?"

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

"Well you help me out with mine when you can and I'll help you out with yours now? There is some concern about the people that we rescued from the ships that are on fleet ships in two ways, one in that they don't know their way around or the procedures they may need to follow, and secondly in that someone amongst them is responsible for shooting all the bridge crew of one ship and rigging the explosives on the Heavy that blew when we tried to rescue it. It was hoped by those of us assigned to investigate by the Admiral that you might be able to find some marines to 'escort' the 'passengers' to help them with the first and to keep an eye on them for the anything unusual for the second."

With a slight pause Scarface continues, "On another matter for the Admiral I was wondering if you knew anything about Lt Everette or his activities?"

„Lt. Everette? What the Frak is going on here? Since when did he turn into a frakking Virgon Celebrity?”, the Commander’s mood was significantly dropping. “I ain’t got time for this, Lt. Davies. I’ll be at the Med Bay ETA 15 minutes. If you want a piece of me, be there.”

The Commander hung up the phone barking around his office like a mad man. Then he stormed out and took the first 4 Marines he saw and gave them 3 minutes to be ready for action. Then he headed to the Med Bay with an serious attitude.

[Rorx]

Scarface looked down at the phone with the Commander's comment still ringing in his ears. Sounds like Lt Everette has appeared on the Commanders radar, and not in a good way. 15 minutes was easily enough time for him to make his way down to the Medbay and spot the two marines already on one of the doors. He turned to the duty nurse.

"May I ask who assigned those men and who the patient is."

[z-Agrippina Solas]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Callisto quickly trotted after the irate Chief.

"Harris told me a little about Lorenzo, but I want to make sure I have my facts straight. Mind telling me what's going on here?"

"Sure, I... you know what? You should hear it from Everette, since you suspect him already. Just consider me helping you gain information via interrogation," Agrippina said. She paused at an intersection and turned left, working toward Everette's quarters.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Battlestar Valkyrie, Med Bay Deckhand Lorenzo's Room

Just when Doc Hamal arrived at the scene he saw one of the pilots talking to a nurse obviously asking around about Lorenzo. The two Marines eyes the visitors suspiciously.

Originally Posted By: Rorx

He turned to the duty nurse.

"May I ask who assigned those men and who the patient is."

"You may not, sir. I have to ask you to speak to Doctor Hamal or the Admiral about this matter.", the nurse crossed her arms defensively infront her chest.

Before Lt. Davies could answer heavy footsteps came closer. Down the hallway was the Marine Commander followed by several Marines.

"Now what the frak is wrong about this Lt. Everette? Anyone inclined to share his knowledge with me and shed some light on this situation?", while he spoke his eyes met coldly with the two assigne Marines at Lorenzo's door. With a quick jerk of his hand pointing his thumb down the way he came he ordered them wordlessly off. Then he turned to the others expecting answers.

[Celestial Centurion]

The Doc grabs Lorenzo's chart and bulls his way between the two marines, "Why don't you two get the hell out of my way?" He opens the door and stick his head in checking the readings on the diagnostic machinery.

Originally Posted By: Rorx

"May I ask who assigned those men and who the patient is."

Terry pulled his head out of the room and looked over at "Scarface". The nurse, bless her heart, stonewalled and told the man that he'd have to put any requests past Hamal himself. Terry beamed, it was rare to get a crew of nurses and secondary docs who were willing to tell off officers.

Originally Posted By: CIC BS: Valkyrie

Down the hallway was the Marine Commander followed by several Marines. "Now what the frak is wrong about this Lt. Everette? Anyone inclined to share his knowledge with me and shed some light on this situation?", while he spoke his eyes met coldly with the two assigne Marines at Lorenzo's door. With a quick jerk of his hand pointing his thumb down the way he came he ordered them wordlessly off. Then he turned to the others expecting answers.

The two marines stumped off and the Doc closed the door to Lorenzo's room as they did. He strode over to the Commander and the others. "Commander Jonsten, thank you for coming personally. I'm not sure what Everette is playing at but I want to make sure than any Marines assigned to watch my patients are men you assigned here and trust. Especially given the assault that happened yesterday down on the flight deck."

[Rorx]

The former Sgt wasn't phased by the Marine Commanders anger.

"I hope you know who those two are Commander because I'll want to speak to them very soon about their presence here."

He turns to the doctor, "Could we all step into your office briefly? Or better yet perhaps we should step into that patients room and talk while you check him over Doctor?"

[Celestial Centurion]

"I think not. My patient, all of my patients, need rest so that they can recover. I'll not let you or Everette or anybody else bother any of them until I see fit. If you have a problem I suggest you have the Admiral talk to me because on this ship, he's the only one I'll pay any heed to when it comes to MY sickbay!" Were it not for Hamal's rather unimpressive physique he'd have struck quite the imposing figure, as it was however he transmitted clearly that he would broker no disruption of his sickbay.

[Rorx]

Looking down at the doctor Scarface takes no offence at the doctors attitude.

"Thank you doctor, that was the information I was looking for, and I commend your digilence."

Glancing between the two others for their reaction to what he says he continues.

"Lt Everette has been interfering in this patients care, and since you sent those marines away Commander I'm guessing that you didn't post them there? As for myself, I'm part of the Special Investigation Team that the Admiral has assigned to look into anything possibly connected to the arrival of the ships here, both before and afterwards. A question has been raised over some of the Lt's activities, hence my interest in anything either of you can tell me about him or what he has been up to."

[Callsign Bedrock]

"Then let's get to work."

Bedrock stations himself at the bridge, and opens a rig bag full of electronic equipment. He starts plugging it into the computer systems, preparing for deep diagnosis.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Gemenon Prophet, Bridge

Since the most important part was missing Bedrock had to interface with the system over a jury-rigged solution. Fortunately he had the proper equipment with him. Wade kept chatting with the Corporal just outside the bridge theorising about how the Python Panthers would take this seasons Cup home.

The diagnostics provided him with a general overview and he hoped to get some data out of hidden buffers and cache files that the system used to back up parts of the recorded data on the black box. It would take him a while before he could make progress and the data he’d retrieved would need a lot of afterwork on a computer on board the Valkyrie to reconstruct backwards what has happened on board the Gemenon Prophet. Bedrock was looking at about 4 hours of work right there and another 12 to 24 hours on board the Valkyrie. He hoped his assumptions were wrong and the Cylons were not involved.

[Celestial Centurion]

Originally Posted By: Rorx

"Thank you doctor, that was the information I was looking for, and I commend your digilence.

"A question has been raised over some of the Lt's activities, hence my interest in anything either of you can tell me about him or what he has been up to."

Hamal listened as Thanatos explained the situation to Commander Jonsten. "Everette seemed most interested in Lorenzo's condition late yesterday. It was he that placed those two other marines in my sickbay, and I overheard him earlier this morning talking to somebody in the galley. He seemed concerned as to whether or not the young specialist would survive." Terry adjusted the facts slightly but what he spoke was the truth, just filtered to avoid making him sound like a paranoid.

[SalmonMax]

Callisto fell into step alongside Aggripina and for a few minutes the clank of their boots down the corridors was the only conversation between them. Then the CAG asked, "Do you have any idea why he'd try to get you to think you were a suspect in an official investigation? What his angle is on this?"

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Doc Hamal

Hamal listened as Thanatos explained the situation to Commander Jonsten. "Everette seemed most interested in Lorenzo's condition late yesterday. It was he that placed those two other marines in my sickbay, and I overheard him earlier this morning talking to somebody in the galley. He seemed concerned as to whether or not the young specialist would survive." Terry adjusted the facts slightly but what he spoke was the truth, just filtered to avoid making him sound like a paranoid.

„Let me get that straight – Lt. Everette pulled two of my Marines to guard that assailed Deckhand Lorenzo? Am I missing something aside the fact that I was not informed about this?”, Commander Jonsten was trying to keep calm in the face of the situation. “Nurse, get me the CIC on line, I want to speak to the Admiral.”

Commander Jonsten waited and looked at Scarface and Doc Hamal expecting answers.

[Celestial Centurion]

Terry nodded, "Yes, which is why I called and asked if you were aware. I may be paranoid but I wanted to make damn sure that that poor boy's guards were on the up and up. Lorenzo was damn near murdered, hell he may still not pull through despite my best effort, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let whoever it was that attacked him in the first place finish the job."

[Rorx]

"Belay that Nurse. Yes Commander perhaps you should talk to the Admiral about this, but he is not going to appreciate you calling him about it in the middle of CIC. The Admiral personally briefed the CAG of his doubts about Lt Everette and made it part of our investigation into what happend to these ships. He believes the Lt may be part of a political factions wish to see our mission fail. At the moment we don't know who attacked the deckhand, but I find it to be bad practise at the very least for the Lt to pull the Chief in for questioning about it in the middle of flight operations, if not downright suspicious."

Turning to the Doc Scarface continued, "You overheard him being concerned about the Deckhand surviving, can you tell us exactly what he said? And then I think you better check your patient."

[Celestial Centurion]

The Doc nodded, "I was trying to do just that when some other knuckle-dragger came in here with a sledge the size of my head, then you and the Commander showed up ... I swear, I need to start locking the frakking doors." He shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, been a rough couple of days. Umm, I woke up and went to the galley, I only overheard the tail end of the conversation and didn't see either of them. I think it was Everette but I cannot be certain. Either way they said something like, 'Just make sure he doesn't make it. I don't care how.' After Everette's visit yesterday I just assumed the worst and made a beeline here. When the nurse informed me that there were already men at outside his room I called for confirmation from you Commander."

[z-Agrippina Solas]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Callisto fell into step alongside Aggripina and for a few minutes the clank of their boots down the corridors was the only conversation between them. Then the CAG asked, "Do you have any idea why he'd try to get you to think you were a suspect in an official investigation? What his angle is on this?"

"Well, Scarface seemed to think it was so that I couldn't be on the flightdeck. And that might be true. But I was convicted of murder once," Agrippina said, feeling her stomach tense just like it always did when she talked about this. "Once a murderer, always a murderer." She hadn't slowed, nor had her face softened.

[SalmonMax]

Callisto kept pace, thinking. "So you think he's not after you personally, he's just setting you up because he thinks it'll stick to you better. Which would mean that the real target of all this was Lorenzo. But then why would he want Lorenzo dead...?"

As they come up to the Lieutenant's door, Callisto eyes the Chief and says, "You know I don't have enough yet to arrest him...but I will. If you're bent on going in there, I won't stand in your way, but you should think about how things could get out of hand and bounce back to hurt you. If you want to get him, I'll put you on the investigation. We'll take him down, arrest him, and you can interrogate him with the law on your side."

[z-Agrippina Solas]

For the first time, the Chief stopped and looked at Callisto. "You say this isn't personal, and you're dead wrong. I don't know why he choose me, but he did. He may not have meant to frak with me, but he did," she said, her voice angry. Callisto could see a long-buried anger and pain that was flashing in her eyes. "And if he choose me because it'd 'stick to me' that's about as personal as it gets. He's used something that wasn't my fault to FRAK me again!"

She forced some calm. "You want me on the investigation. I want to take his head off, at least figuratively. Convince me. Get me to do it your way."

[SalmonMax]

Callisto spreads her hands, as if to show she's unarmed. "Chief, you've gotta calm down here. I'm on your side, okay? I was asking if it was personal, if Everette had something against you in particular...I don't -know- though."

"But as for why you should do it my way, I'd think that's obvious. If you go in there, without any real evidence, and take action against him -especially- physical action, the only person you'll be hurting is you. You'll be helping him build suspicion against you, too. Frak, for all we know this is -exactly what he wants-. You won't be doing yourself any good if you wind up in the brig."

She reaches out to put a hand on Aggripina's shoulder. "But if you can help me get this mess straightened out, and show that he's up to something and -prove- it. Then you get to watch HIM get thrown in the brig."

"I know you're pissed off. I would be too...hell, I AM. But make that anger work for you, not against you."

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Originally Posted By: Doc Hamal

The Doc nodded, "I was trying to do just that when some other knuckle-dragger came in here with a sledge the size of my head, then you and the Commander showed up ... I swear, I need to start locking the frakking doors." He shook his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry, been a rough couple of days. Umm, I woke up and went to the galley, I only overheard the tail end of the conversation and didn't see either of them. I think it was Everette but I cannot be certain. Either way they said something like, 'Just make sure he doesn't make it. I don't care how.' After Everette's visit yesterday I just assumed the worst and made a beeline here. When the nurse informed me that there were already men at outside his room I called for confirmation from you Commander."

Commander Jonsten nodded slowly and waved the nurse off. “Too much assumptions to little evidence. What I need is proof and the only thing I can right now without rousing too much suspicion is to interrogate those two Marines assigned by Lt. Everette. Lt. Davies – you are investigating the case, you come with me I want to be present when you ask your questions.”
Commander Jonsten voice carried the confidence of a man that was used to give orders. Turning to the Doc his voice only changed slightly friendlier which seemed to be his etiquette mode.

“Do you want me to put the Chief under arrest? I can call the Sergeant of the MP and have it done. I suppose there are enough witnesses that could put to protocol that she stormed right in here probably wanting to hurt somebody.”

[Celestial Centurion]

The Doc hesitated, "I'm not sure. I don't know that it was her intention. I'd recommend a psych eval before I'd say you should arrest her." He shook his head, "No, it'll be fine. Just find out the frak is going on. I'd rather not have my fine work saving Lorenzo's life be wasted."

[Rorx]

"Well Doc, get in there and check your patient, we'll wait out here until you're done. I'd hate to think that he's in there dying while we natter out here."

[Celestial Centurion]

"Hrmf." Terry made a face, something between "I know my job" and "I'd already have been in there if all of this hadn't happened". With but a curt nod however he spun and ambled over to Lorenzo's room grabbing the boy's chart and a few diagnostic implements as he went. The door clicked shut behind him quietly and yet still managed to convey the Doc's irritation at his sickbay being invaded.

[CIC BS: Valkyrie]

Battlestar Valkyrie - Brig 16 hours later

The Corporal left to get some water. Interrogation hat reached a depressing low. Lt. Everette insisted on establishing communication with Caprica which would mean aborting the mission and jumping back to a relay point for direct communication. Something Admiral Kerrington ruled out from the beginning.

The last hour Lt. Everette refused answering questions and resorted to threatening the present 'inquisitors' to end their careers once he has returned to Caprica.

Captain Callisto and her assisstants retreated for a short break, trying to assess the situation and maybe change tactics. They had brought in the Chief and Doc Hamal as witnesses and during the whole process several nurses and deckhands had been invited to testify and leave again. Technically this was no trial but the Admiral said nothing about the procedure. He didn't seem to care as long as the job was done. It was clear that he had a zero tolerance policy in that matter.

The Corporal came back with fresh water and glasses and set them on the table waiting for his superiors to resume the interrogation.

Click to reveal..

You've spent the last 3 hours interrogating Lt. Everette. He refused to disclose any of his actions claiming that he was working for the CFOSI and that he'd would report only to the Admiral which at this point he had no desire to do so. The last hour his patience seemed to wear down and he threatened all present "interrogators" to suffer his wrath once he has returned to Caprica to file his report. It looks like much is dependent on Deckhand Lorenzos recovery.

(ooc: This is how Lt. Everette looks like)

Click to reveal..

[Callsign Bedrock]

The Raptor barely has time to dock before Bedrock bursts out the door, ripping off his helmet and running pell mell towards the brig. He pauses briefly at a phone... but no, it was bad luck to give important news over the phone. Anyone could be listening.

He ducks and barges past people in the corridors and finally bursts into the brig. "I need to speak to the Captain please," he says between breaths. "I've got important news."