Aberrant: Stargate Universe - The Once Wild Ones [Complete]

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

It was one of those days. She’d lost her freakin’ laptop somewhere between breakfast and lunch, and she left her team eating while she tracked it back to the gym, where she’d left it. It was the government-issued laptop, not her personal one, which meant that no one had messed with it, as it had her name on it. Still, it was annoying.

And then there was that strand of hair – that ornery, contrary segment of dead protein links that had refused to bow to the will of the bit of product she’d used today. Little wisps of hair might look sexy, but it’d been in her face all through practice, and she’d been distracted to the point of looking like a rank amateur by it. Declan had remained patient with her, somehow, though Olivia could tell it’d been a struggle. She’d been waiting for him to suggest cutting it off, but he hadn’t. The man had nigh-inexhaustible patience, as far as she could tell.

Sighing, she swiped it out of her face yet again, trying not to just rip it out. It’d hurt too much though, and she vainly tried to get it to lie against the curve of her head again. She entered the gym, grumpy and distracted, and was halfway across the room before realizing that she wasn’t alone. She glanced at the occupant on the mats – and did a double take.

The form was rolling and tumbling through a series of intricate falls and twists that was beautiful to watch. But that wasn’t what stopped her and made her stare in disbelief. She knew this woman.

When the form came to a stop, Olivia stepped forward, a hesitant smile on her face. “Aradia? Is that you, girl?”

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia was dressed in PT-issue shorts and a t-shirt, though she had tied it securely under her breasts so that it wouldn't come up and expose her as she practiced. She hadn't had a chance to tumble or really let loose the entire time that she'd been cooped up in examinations, so now that she finally had some free time, the gym had been her first stop. She hadn't done more than some stretches and a few tumbles before she heard someone in the gym. She was set to ignore the distraction, until the figure that she hadn't been paying attention to spoke.

She turned at the sound, a startled look on her face. She hadn't been called anything except "McConnell" in months now, and she almost didn't recognize her first name. But there was no mistaking the woman who'd spoken it - she'd recognize that face anywhere, no matter how many years it had been since she'd seen it. It was too unique, and exotic.

"Holy fuckin' hell, no way. Livy?! I can't believe it - holy shit, girl!"

The last statement was more of an excited shriek, and she crossed the space between them in a quick dash before throwing her arms around the girl. After a moment, and a tight hug, she pulled back and stared at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

At this rate, Bill was going to walk through the damned door next. Or maybe Hatchins. Her eyes flickered toward the door, as if she expected to see him walking in right now. When he thankfully didn't materialize, she turned back with a smile to her long-missing friend.

"I work here," Olivia grinned, staring down at the younger woman. "Are..." Her smile of pure exuberance dimmed a bit as she began to consider what Adi's presence here meant. "Are you with the StarGate program?"

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia nodded a bit sheepishly, and shrugged, biting her lower lip.

"Yeah.. yeah, I am. I'm the newest member of SG-22, actually. Just met my new team earlier today. What about you - you work here too, that means you are too, right? Talk about a small fuckin' world after all."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Twenty-two? Wright's team?" Olivia couldn't keep the dismay off her face or out of her voice. "I'm sorry."

At Aradia's questioning expression, Olivia waved her hand. "Sorry, it's personal between him and I, and I'm not going to bias you against your CO. That's just wrong."

Suddenly her eyes widened. "Wait, you're a Specialist too?" She grinned. "Can you fly? Please tell me you can fly! Flying is so cool!"

[Aradia McConnell]

She pushed her desire to know to the back of her mind for now. Whatever was between Livy and her new CO, the girl obviously didn't want to talk about it right now, and Ari was honestly too happy to meet a friendly face to be concerned with it at the moment.

"Yeah, well.. I guess I could, if I turn into a bird. Or an eagle, one of those flying dinosaurs or something. Or maybe an airplane, but that seems pretty damned complicated, even for me. Too many working parts. Maybe I could manage a hang-glider, if they ever let us out of here long enough to take you for a lift..."

She grinned at the other girl, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"That is cool," Olivia grinned, then jumped up and down a little, looking years younger just from glee. It also let Aradia assess her friend physically for the first time; Olivia was as healthy as she'd ever been. "Shapeshifting! I'm jealous. I got a perfect memory and the ability to hear dog whistles."

Aradia gave her a 'what girl!?' look, but Olivia just laughed it off. "Nevermind. I'll explain in a bit. So how the heck did you end up here?" She glanced at her watch. "Oh, can you walk and talk? I need to get my laptop and get back to lunch. Want to meet my team? We're twenty-one. They're all awesome guys."

[Aradia McConnell]

Her eyes narrowed at that, and all of a sudden, she looked pissed off and embarassed and upset, all at the same time.

"Some assholes came and claimed they were sent by the Marines. Said my fuckin' father had been hurt in the field - I knew he'd been sent to Afghanistan - and they offered to take me to Washington, to be with him at the hospital. I was freaking out - I haven't had that much time with my Dad, you know? I thought I was gonna lose him already. So I was stupid, I believed 'em. They looked like a bunch of military high-ups, how the hell was I suppose to know they were a bunch of lying bastards?"

She sighed, and pulled her hair out of the ponytail she had put it up in to keep it out of the way at practice. She figured she still wouldn't make a very good impression in her PT gear, but at least it was something. She undid the knot in the t-shirt, but realized how wrinkled the shirt was already, and retied it reluctantly a little lower down, so she wasn't showing off so quite so much skin. She couldn't get it all the way down to her waist though without the really bad wrinkles showing though, so she left it about halfway between. She sat down as she continued to speak, only long enough to pull socks and shoes back on. Then she hopped up and followed Livy, letting the other woman lead the way.

"Anyway, once I told the rest of the carnies what was going on, I didn't even pack or anything, just hopped in the car with him. Last thing I remember really, they must have knocked me out with somethin'. Then I woke up, and they made me touch this freaky lookin' thing with all kinds of markings all over it, and.. I don't remember much after that either, to tell you the truth. Until SGU rescued me, dragged my ass back here, and forced me to practice my new powers for.. oh hell, I don't even know how long."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia frowned. "It's been six weeks since I was changed, and I was one of the last, because I was at Area 51," she said. Her dark eyes were concerned as she looked at Ari. "You mean to tell me that you've been coped up here for a month and a half? Oh, girl... well, I want to fix that, but I'm grounded to base for another week or so."

"Been wild again?" Aradia asked, a bit of hope in her voice. She remembered how Olivia had been when they'd first met, and she missed that reckless girl.

"Kinda," Olivia said, her face darkening a bit in a blush. "My team and a couple of other people got in a bar fight on the last day of leave. I didn't start it, but I took my lumps with my team." She debated for a second, then figured that Ari would hear this through the base gossip eventually. "They say your CO started it, then got promoted for it." She managed a grin, but it wasn't pretty or happy. "So if you hear someone call him Captain Teflon, that's why."

[Aradia McConnell]

"Captain Teflon, huh? I'll have to keep that in mind for when he pisses me off. He seems the type where it won't take too long. But bar fights.. that sounds a bit like the old Livy.. you remember that time you came to see me in Yuma? Me an' you and a couple of your friends and some of the carnies all went down for drinks down by the river? It was the last night of the show, and there were a bunch of locals that showed up, and started shit cause we were all still in our carnie outfits? Bet that was the first time they got beat up by a bunch of people in sequins.."

She grinned playfully at Olivia, trying to lighten the girl's mood a bit, and slipped an arm around her shoulder again in a bit of a hug.

"I'm glad to see you here, I have to admit.. it's weird, I'm not used to being around all these people I don't know, without my family nearby, you know what I mean?"

Olivia knew that by "her family" she meant the regular carnival crew - Livy had met Ari's mom on that trip and the woman was a Class-A bitch. She didn't even know the woman and it wasn't hard to spot. And though in the last few years they'd been talking it sounded like she'd gotten close to her Dad, in Ari's mind, the circus was family. She could hear an edge of lonliness in Aradia's voice.. she had always been such a people person. Olivia couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the girl, being locked up an examined for six weeks straight or more with only strangers to talk to.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia stopped and gave the younger woman a real hug. "Before coming here, I was at Area 51. You remember how I was with my family? Moving to Nevada and not being close enough to see them anytime was so hard," she confessed. "I kinda get how you feel. Now that they've... released you, you might be able to catch up with your family." Olivia smiled and brushed some of Ari's hair back from her cheek, an old gesture of comfort. "How's your dad? I didn't hear from you after his transplant."

She didn't touch on the bar fight. Yeah, that sounded like the old Livy, the girl who mouthed off when she should have been quiet, who didn't know what it was to be powerless. But she wouldn't talk about that right now.

[Aradia McConnell]

"I hope so.. I'm sure they're worried, and Dad too.. I was calling him every couple of weeks, just to catch up, and he hasn't heard from me in a couple months now. I mean, I guess he wasn't hurt or anything, he should be back from his deployment by now. I've probably got a bunch of messages, not that I have my cell phone or anything anymore. He did okay.. the transplant took, and he was back in active duty and back to his normal self. What about your family.. they doin' okay?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, Mom's work is going well, and Dad's on the verge of retirement. And Wakiki is... Wakiki. He's stopped going to visit his mother though, so I'm not sure what that means. I know it's hard for him to go there and listen to her complain about my mom stealing her husband, so he have just reached his limit. Mom's been a good mom to him, and I know it bothers him to hear his mom trash her and Dad."

Olivia gave her friend a sly, teasing glance as she added, "He's still a roaming tom cat, and single. When I was home on leave, he apparently hooked my teammates up with girl every night. Someone needs to settle that boy down." Her teasing grin implied Ari should volunteer. Plus, Olivia hoped this light-hearted teasing would keep her friend's cheer up.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia laughed with good-natured amusement, although Olivia saw a bit of a blush creep across those pale cheeks of hers. She'd always had the biggest crush on Livy's cute Asian brother.

"I dunno, I don't know if he could handle me. I've gotten better, you know.. most men don't know what to do with a girl who's limber enough to wrap themselves around them twice, but could break their neck with her thighs if she wanted. They're too busy drooling over themselves to make a very good impression anyway - I doubt Wakiki's any different."

She grinned wickedly at her.

"We acrobats - we're a hard act to handle, you know."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Oh, I'm sure, but he needs someone to keep him in line," Olivia giggled as they walked into the cafeteria. She waved to her teammates in a 'just a minute' gesture as she got in line with Aradia. "A female specialist might be the only one up to the job."

That made Aradia laugh as she finished her food selection. Olivia guided her over to the table where her own tray of food waited, abandoned when Olivia had realized she'd forgotten her computer. "Hey, guys, this is Aradia, an old friend of mine who landed on the SG program. Aradia, this is Major Caine, Sgt. Perrault and Specialist Jones. Everyone, this is Specialist McConnell." That last was for Caine and Declan, so that they can use the formal titles or not as they felt the need.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia grinned at them all. She was quite a sight.. not many people on the base walked around with their PT gear tied up to show off a good three inches of stomach, or with thick blond streaks in their dark hair. No one quite had the guts to defy military traditions that much, even if they were a specialist. Most of them at least had their normal hair color, even if their clothes weren't all camo-colored. And it was definitely the first girl they'd seen wandering around with three earrings in one ear, and four earrings in the other. In her defense, she'd switched them out with small silver studs, instead of the small hoops or linked cuffs she usually wore. She saluted at the Major and at the Sergeant.

"Hello, Major Caine, Sergent Perrault, Specialist Jones.. nice to meet you guys. You can call me Ari, or Aradia though, unless we're on duty or you've got a stick shoved up your ass.. and then I suppose Specialist McConnell will do just fine."

She offered them all another playful smile, and sat down with her tray. She felt a bit less nervous meeting this group than she had her own, considering she wouldn't be working with them all the time. Livy could tell, the girl seemed to be acting like her old self. Aradia had always fit in a little better with the boys than she had the girls, though, and it showed. Something in the back of her mind told her she probably should have been more respectful to a Major and a Sargent, but having Livy around had gotten her back into something resembling her old personality - or any personality, really - and she was loathe to give it up just yet.

[Adrian Moss]

Caine looked up, his soulful eyes going from Aradia to Olivia and back again. He swallowed his food so slowly it seemed that her eyes couldn't quite break away from his too perfect chest. For a moment her eyes roamed down his body right to were the table ...

"Ahem, Aradia, you can call me Damien her in the Mess. Any friend of Olivia's is a fried of mine as well. Welcome to the SGC."

He stands up and his lower half of his body doesn't disappoint, even dressed in his BDU's. His movements aren't graceful, they are sensuous and full of forbidden promise. Again, Aradia finds her eyes just eating him up. When they wander back to his face, she can see a look that almost makes her laugh. She's seen it from glances of herself in enough bars. Its the "My eyes are up here" look, though the Major is more confused/embarrassed than anything else.

Aradia realizes that his hand is extended and she shakes it. His grip is firm and his hand has the smooth, leathery texture of a man who works for a living.

"So you are the new figure on '-22'. Good to finally meet you. There are some good people on your team. If you need any group training, don't hesitate to come calling. Your new CO ... is going to have his hands full the first few weeks getting up on everyone's reports. He should come around though. Don't be a stranger though."

"Want to join us for a bite to eat? How have you been dealing with our voracious appetites?"

Damien gets up around table and walks over to Aradia and Olivia. He seems intent on escorting them the last few feet to their seats, like a gentleman.

"Last question for now, I promise: what did you do before you wound up here?"

[The Red Man]

Sgt. Perault looked up at the newcomer, giving Livy a smile of greeting before regarding Aradia from behind his Raybans. The sergeant was shaggier than the usual military man. His thick brown hair was nearing shoulder length and a short beard adorned features that would be fairly described as 'ruggedly handsome', especially in comparison with his CO's model-quality looks. His body wasn't bad, either. Broad shoulders and deep chest were rounded off with powerful arms. A Ranger tattoo with some sort of lightning-flash overlay was visible on his right arm beneath the arm of the clean white t-shirt, and his demeanour was contained, even quiet as he nodded once to her, giving her a faint smile. The sunglasses were an odd note, though, making Aradia wonder if base rumor was true about Sgt. Perault's eyes.

"Hey. Just call me Dec. The salutin's good, though. You can keep doin' that if you like." A small flash of white teeth betrayed his quick grin and he shuffled over to allow her room to sit. "My condolences on bein' on Wright's team." His voice was quiet as well, a mellow, deep tone.

"So what kinda embarassin' stories can you tell us about Livy, then? I understand that she may have to kill us afterwards, but that's a risk I'm willin' to take." He deadpanned calmly.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Not the mule story," Olivia snapped, glancing sharply at Aradia. "Or else I tell them about the boy in Yuma." She cocked an eyebrow at Aradia, her expression daring her to start the dreaded mule story.

The change in their teammate around the other woman was amazing. Olivia was happy and animated, more like the way she had been just after the team had formed. The problems of the last few weeks were diminished in the presence of Aradia, and each of the men were suddenly grateful to this stranger who had brought this change with her.

"Not the mule story," she repeated vehemently. "And remember - tit for tat. If you tell tales, I can tell them too. Kyria and I talk all the time."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia let herself be escorted back to the table, apparently unashamed about the Captain's embarrassment. She flashed him a mischeivous grin as she shook his hand, and then sat down next to the seat "Dec" had offered her. Livy was the first one she responded too though - she had to reassure her best friend after all.. for whether the exotic looking woman knew it or not, Livy was certainly the best "friend" Aradia had ever had. She held up her hands sheepishly.

"Not the mule story, I made a solemn vow. I'm sure I can think of plenty of other stories, but I never tell on friends to strangers - you boys'll have to get to know me first. And thanks for the condolences, it sounds like I'm gonna need em, from what I hear."

She smiled playfully, and popped open a can of soda.

God I haven't had a Coke in weeks..

"Anyway, as for your question, Damien, I used to be in the circus." She paused for a minute as the three other men stared at her, waiting for her real response. Then she rolled her eyes. "What - I'm not kidding! I was raised by a bunch of circus performers. I'm an acrobat and a bareback rider - or at least I was, before I got hijacked and turned into a shape-shifting weirdo, anyway. Tell em, Livy - I don't think they believe me!"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Hand to God," Olivia solemnly swore, one hand held high. "In fact, I dragged some of my friends down to Yuma one weekend in my sophomore year to play at being carnies." She began to peel an orange, chuckling as she spoke. "Oh, we drove Markie insane - four yuppie college kids, running around his tents... the trust fund girl, mixed-bag proto-hippy," Olivia pointed to herself with a grin, "the gay Venezuelan and..." Her voice caught a bit, but she kept up the smile as she finished, "And Bill."

She laughed. "Remember how Ashley almost got eaten by the tiger? 'Oh, I am one with animals! He won't hurt me!' The tiger-tamer... what was his name?"

"Rufio."

"Right," Olivia chuckled as she slipped a slice of the bright fruit between her lips. "He almost let the tiger, too. If I hadn't convinced Markie that her folks were wealthy enough to press a lawsuit into eternity and beyond, she's be tiger poop." Olivia paused, then asked, "You keep in touch with her, by chance? We stopped talking after Bill and I got back together."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia shook her head, chuckling a little.

"No.. I never did talk to her again after that tiger incident. She spent the rest of her time hanging out with the clowns and the rest of the acrobats and stuff, she didn't seem to want much to do with the animals, or me, for that matter. I guess I was laughing too damned hard at the whole thing. I think your gay Venezuelan boy - what was his name? Javier? I think he had a pretty good time though.. Rufio thought he was pretty hot shit. I wish I'd been a fly on the wall of his trailer that night."

She grinned at Livy, and proceeded to take a long drink of her soda before she dived into her meal with relish.

[Adrian Moss]

"Hmmm ... now this sounds like a place to visit once we get off detention," Caine muses.

In mock anger the turns to Olivia,

"I'm appalled. We do such a good job of keeping each others secrets. I'm surprised you are keeping anything from us."

As he sits back down, he laughs,

"The real big rule in being on a Team, Aradia, is trusting your team mates. I feel that's paramount. I hope you get that way with your new team. I really do."

"Besides, now we know what to pester Olivia about next time we all attempt to get drunk. I thank you for that. Really."

He winks at Livy, seemingly more relaxed now than she's seen him in some time.

"Your family is circus people as well? I hear they form tight bonds that last through life. Is that how it is for you?"

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia nodded firmly at Caine, and she smiled a little wistfully.

"Yeah.. absolutely. I know my Dad, and we're tight and all. My Mom's in the circus, but she's a class-A bitch. The rest of the carnies are the ones who raised me, especially Markie, and they're absolutely my family. I just hope it can be like that here too, you know?"

Her face got a little soft at that, and she sighed.

"I don't know what I'm gonna tell 'em, or Dad either. He's military too, Marine Corp. None of 'em probably know what happened to me, and I don't know how to lie about it. I've never really had to lie, you know? I wasn't one of those kids with a curfew to stay out past or a bedroom window I had to climb out of. I did what I wanted, and I guess when there aren't a lot of rules to break, you don't find yourself needing to do a bunch of stupid shit, just to prove yourself."

[Adrian Moss]

Caine snorts exquisitely.

"I'm still proving stuff to me Dad ... and my Mom walked out of my life at fourteen and never looked back. Declan here is an orphan, Gwen is living in Exile for Crimes Unimaginable, and Olivia ... Olivia's lost ever GOOD job the government has ever given her, so she ended up on my lap."

"We think soft and cushy are just two words she can't abide, right up there were High Paying and Promotion. Has she always been so ... adventuresome?"

[Aradia McConnell]

"Well, I dunno about that.. she'd probably be alright with high-paying, though she'd fork most of it over to charity. And yeah, I'd say "adventuresome" was a pretty good word for her.. at least back in the day. She calmed down a little in the last few years though... I could probably take some lessons, huh Liv?"

She smiled a little softly at the other woman, but Olivia could see a well-hidden touch of concern in her friend's face. Even though Aradia had never gotten what happened out of her, she'd never stopped worrying about what it might have been.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"I was once pretty wild," Olivia admitted. A shrug rippled through her shoulders, more a hint of the movement than an actual shrug. "I grew up," she added softly, grinning tightly at Ari. "No, I think I'll let you be the wild one. My lessons were dull and boring." Those were lies. The lessons life had taught her had been neither dull nor boring; they'd been painful and crushing.

Her orange rested on the table, clasped loosely in limp fingers. After a moment, she picked up the fruit again, adding, "Sherman. My gay friend is Sherman."

[Adrian Moss]

"Javier is Sherman, or are they different people?" Damien added in a softer tone, looking toward Olivia.

He seemed more serious when he turned to Aradia,

"Do you like barbeque? More to the point, do you like Olivia's family's secret recipe BBQ?"

"Tell me you tasted it and that it was the shizz-ow! because that's what she's going to baste your CO's hide in when she beats him in the first annual SG Teams Cookout. I hope you don't mind us taking glee at his soon to be demise and utter humiliation - but," he winks, "we are."

[Aradia McConnell]

"Sorry, my bad - Javier was that guy we had doing Ringmaster for awhile when Markie got sick for awhile. He and Rufio had a thing, too.."

She shook her head a little, and picked up on Damien's distraction technique. She grinned wickedly at him, and popped a couple grapes into her mouth.

"I don't know my team well enough to bullshit you about it. Unless God gave this guy his own barbeque recipe, he's screwed. I went down to visit Livy's family a few times, and that stuff is the shit. I begged her Momma for it, but she said I only get it if I marry Livy or Wakiki. It stays in the family. I was almost tempted."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia laughed, a real outburst of glee that actually had her lowering her forehead to the table. "Like you'd object to marryin' Wakiki," she snorted, then cowered when Aradia playfully swiped at her arm.

She sobered a bit when she looked at Caine. "Sir, about the cookout... I don't know if we're doing that anymore," Olivia said honestly. "I'm not exactly talking to Lt. Wright right now, and that was something of a friendly bet between us. Besides, if he were somehow to win, I really don't want to pay up. A date with that jerk is the last thing on earth I want. I'd almost rather date Ba'al."

She sighed and glanced apologetically at Aradia. "I'm sorry about that. I'll try not to diss him in front of you. It isn't fair to you, at all."

[Adrian Moss]

Yeah, that look spoke volumes. It said we need to talk about this and not just becauses he cared about it. If there was bad blood, he needed to know.

"That's a pity, but I understand. I sure wouldn't want to date him and I've know him longer. Or," he furrows his brow, "its because I've known him longer."

"Enough harrassing Aradia's CO. I'm sure you've seen enough pre-fabbed quarters and carved stone passageways. What do you plan to do when you get out of here? Visit your Dad maybe? I'm career military myself and I have a contact in the Pentagon. Maybe I could arrange you two to catch up. Would that be too much interference?"

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia shrugged a little, and smiled playfully at her friend, trying to keep the levity.

"I dunno - I told your Mom you were hotter than Wakiki, and she'd better watch which kids she was offering up cause I might take the one she didn't expect. Don't worry about Wright - I'll make my own judgements on how good of a CO he'll be. But if he did something to piss off my best friend that bad, then he can't be that hot of a guy, and that's all I really need to know. Besides, if you ain't noticed, girl, you're not the only one spoutin' off about him. The whole place is talkin' about him like that.. must mean you're not too far off.."

She glanced at Damien and shrugged a little self-consciously.

"That would be cool and all, but what am I gonna tell him? He knows me well enough to know I wouldn't just hop up and join the military.. I'm a fuckin' carnie, you know? Last I heard they had him stationed in Afghanistan..."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Wright will be a good CO," Olivia said, "hard, but good." She spoke with a bizarre touch of personal conviction. "It's his actual worth as a human being that I'm currently questioning.

"As for your dad... You gotta contact him," Olivia said softly. "He's probably worried sick, hon. I'm sure that we can think of some way to explain you being here, or that Major Caine is involved in reuniting you. We're all really smart - I'm sure we can come up with something. Right Major?"

[Adrian Moss]

"Oh ... a good CO is the master of spin, especially around Specialists - we have to be. We have to make it look like you are appreciative of the chain of command when you really don't care a flying frakk who's who and what's what. Then it is how to answer the bizarre," he looks at Livy, "and down right disturbing," more staring at Livy, "requests you get from those under your command."

Looking back to Aradia.

"Specialists get the job done. We do it better, faster, smarter and with less of a risk to life. You will learn this about yourself and you will find your position in your team. It's organic."

"Also, take advantage of this place. Not only do we train you to do what special talent, or talents, you do, but you also can create your own training. Add on to that, there is a huge capacity here to learn. The smarter you are, the better you can do what you do, so everyone here is happy to help you learn more about ... well, everything."

"And we have your cover story. You are working on a educational project for the military, training speicialist better how to use their bodies and minds to create the ideal soldier. It is a top secret project for the time being, but some day soon, you hope, this project will roll out to otehr bases across the nation for the benefit of the frontline warrior."

"It's basically true. One day the Specialst project will be revealed. We are all about training the mind and body to be better, and our deployment to various theaters will help the military directly and indirectly."

"After all, they can't keep you non-military types here indefinitely. This really is still America."

He says that with utter conviction. Of course, he says his spin with utter conviction as well. Still, the desire to believe in him is almost hypnotic. Something about the man screams reassurance and trust.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia nodded slightly. She wasn't personally sure her Dad would buy that - and she knew damned well her family wouldn't, although she was pretty sure she was gonna come up with a different story for them. She shrugged it off for now though, and nodded, looking at Damien and grinning.

"So who's a girl got to do to get some decent gym equipment around here? I don't plan on letting myself go - if this specialist thing doesn't work I wanna be able to hop right back up there on that trapeze. So we need a balance beam, or a horse, or some parallel bars or something. Kapeesh?"

At least she didn't seem like the type to be too offended by Wright's crudeness - though somehow coming from her it seemed more like spunk and less like trash.

[The Red Man]

"I've been doin' my workouts out in the woods around the base." Dec said quietly without looking up from his food. Then he started as he realised what he'd said and shot Caine a guilty look. "I know I'm supposed to be confined to base, Major, but I had to get out and run 'n' jump, you know? I'd go crazy otherwise." That crazy hung in the air for a second. "Don't worry, sir. No-one knows I've been comin' and going." He gave an almost shy smile. "I'm pretty good at that ninja shit." He gave a nervous little cough and went on.

"Anyway... There's plenty of trees, rocks, and other stuff to maneuver over and around. Been workin' some gymnastics stuff into my routine, enjoyin' my enhanced coordination and reflexes... And I think I better leave it there." He ducked his head again and focused on his bacon and eggs.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia nodded, but looked a little hesitant. It wasn't that she was a sissy - far from it. But the feel of a bar under your hands wasn't the same as the feel from a tree branch. Sure, she could stay fit, but she couldn't practice her routines. And she missed them, more than she was comfortable admitting. She shrugged a little, and smiled at Dec.

"Thanks for the suggestion. Don't know if that'll help me much with what I'm looking to do, but maybe it's a start. If I go out and start stripping the barks off of trees and polishing them down to a shine, Livy over here might kill me. Although she was always more of a "people-hippie" than a tree-hugger."

She grinned playfully at Liv, and plucked a piece of peeled orange from the other woman's tray, popping it into her mouth.

"Then again if I get too desperate, I'll just have to drag one of those old dead tree limbs in here, strip it down, and polish it myself. Hanging it from a couple pieces of rope in the gym, and see who dares to say anything about it. This is a military base.. surely we've got some fuckin' rope around here, right?"

[Adrian Moss]

"I can see about getting you some specialized equipment. I don't think it would hurt any of us to get up on a pommel horse, uneven bars, or a balance beam. I bet if we agree to move it in and out of the main padded area in the gym, we should get permission for it. You will need someone's help to move it out ... unless you have some of that super-strength like the Sergeant here, or you can just get him to help. He seems to have all kinds of extra energy."

He eyes Declan with the look of 'oh now what have you gotten me into now' gaze.

"Sergeant, officially you are to seek permission before any such external explorations of base security. Is that clear?"

He didn't want to rag on Declan, but he had brought this up around an outsider. A veil of respect for command had to be maintained.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia's expression as she looked at Declan while he mentioned sneaking out was one of pure envy. She hated being confined here; had always hated being grounded or barred from anywhere. The thought that he could sneak out and she had to stay here was bitter news, and with the recollection of exactly who and what Vinny had been to her was already making her unhappy with the male species. Why couldn't she have something like that?

"I'm sure we can find some rope," she said softly to Aradia. "Or really whatever you need. Before you start assaulting trees, you might try requesting the equipment. Just a thought." She finished with a little smile.

[Aradia McConnell]

She smiled back at her, and then at Declan a little apologetically for getting him in trouble, however indirectly.

"Well, that's what I originally asked about, but no one's given me an answer yet. Who should I put in the request to? I have no problems with the stuff in the gym - gives me a chance to work out and show off, and that's like a double bonus."