| Of Water, Trees, and Buttered Pilots |
| Summary: | A few of the Majestic's crew lounge and chat by the pool |
| Date: | 2658.163 |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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Woo! Pool! Bonsais can dig it. And the treadmills too. Although Raine is here, looking torn between the pool and the treadmill. She has a tree with her. Probably well known by now. At this point in time, there's plenty of crew about in the fitness center. Marines trying to dent one another in the martial arts area. A pair even go at it in the boxing ring. Donk! Sideways goes a Corporal. Raine looks thoughtful, almost as if maybe watching is an exercise too. Hrrrrm. "Choices…" This is tough. A jogger goes past, heading up to the track. "No running, that's for sure." Not unless she had a candy bar on a string or a disgruntled Kilrathi fitness instructor.
And what comes wandering along in shortly after, but a certain bomber pilot… turning a curious look on Raine for a moment. "Well, hello there" Cole greens her cheerfully. "Good to see you under circumstances that don't involve my bleeding ass on a table" he jokes.
Bomber pilots! Oh no! Raine turns and hears the greeting. She smiles back warmly. Seems to be less afraid of /most/ things these days. "Hello to you too. And it is nice. Rectal bleeding is hard to explain, especially when it comes from a head injury huh?" Oh dear. She tilts her head, "But no. I'm happiest when our pilots are free. They're like birds. They'll chew their way out if they have to." She seems somewhat amused if worried by this tendency. "How have you been?"
"Oh, you know me" Cole replies with a little grin. "Getting myself neck-deep in trouble at every opportunity. But, where would the fun in life be otherwise?" he asks teasingly, before giving a little shake of his head. "And how are you, doctor?"
Raine keeps her smile. "I see. Well, as long as you're happy with it." She has her tree in hand. "I am positively sedate by comparison but I think I have to be careful since we tend to lose CMOs around here." Her nose wrinkles. "If I vanish, remember me fondly. And I am alright. Still not sure about this whole thing. Worried about Pip and them. … debating trying the pool or something." She goes quiet, needing to balance out the burst of speech. A little shrug.
"Sure we'll get 'em back quick enough" Cole replies. "Just a matter of finding out exactly where they're at, and setting the marines loose I imagine. Failing that, I can always park a broadsword outside and smile at 'em. Amazing how much leverage you get with a couple nukes" he explains. "And if you'd like some company in the pool, I'll join ya"
Raine nods, "I hope so." She smiles. "And that's true. Shaking a box of Marines and dropping it on them would do it," She looks thoughtful. "Not really my job to worry about that anyway. Have to watch over those here," She notes quietly. "And er- well, okay." She nods. "I'll put my tree somewhere safe then, probably on top of a locker. I didn't know you liked to swim though," She admits, peering over. She seems quietly content at least.
"Oh, every now and again" Cole replies with a little shrug. "Good to have a chance of pace from time to time" he explains, accompanied with a little bit of a grin. "And I suppose we'll just have to see which way they decide to play it. That sort of call is above my pay grade"
Raine nods, "Yeah. It is." She smiles. "Have to stay in shape to spear patients." Grin. "And I suppose it is way above mine too. I just put people back together and herd metaphorical cats. I'll meet you there in a moment then?"
"Sounds like a plan" Cole agrees with a little nod, moving to make his own way along towards the men's locker room. After all, he's certainly not about to go swimming in his uniform!
Raine smiles, then turns to go into the lady's locker, to deposit her tree. She isn't going to swim in a doctor's coat - probably sink like a rock or at least look like a paper mache swamp thing. Neither of which is happy. She returns, in a very modest swimsuit and at least two towels wrapped around. Must. Not. Be. Exposed. Prematurely. She's near the pool now though, looking around for someone while her bonsai guards her uniform.
Cole makes his own way out a moment later, weaing his swim trunks… wandering right along over towards the pool, and dropping himself down into it with a splash. No testing the water for this one it seems, just jump straight in.
It is not a universal rule, but in general fighter pilots do not belong in places named "fitness centre". Particularly not Captain Maximilian Barta, who even by the impressive standards of a fighter pilot is a rather pale, doughy sort, with a physique recalling excellent cheese and a fitness deficit made worse by the fact that he's a middle-aged man whose entire job is sitting in a chair jerking a stick around and worrying himself sick. So when he makes a rare appearance in the fitness centre everything about him - from the slightly-too-large white t-shirt to the seemingly brand-new swimming trunks to his awkward step and attitude - makes him look like he could not possibly less belong there.
Eventually, Raine sets her towels on a little spott. She cautiously tiptoes over to the water. A foot gets stuck into the water. Toes. Ok. Doing okay with the toes. Iiiiiiiiinch in on the ladder. Then a pause, Raine notices Max and smiles. She offers a little wave to the Captain. And fiiiiiiiinally after the dinosaurs go extinct, the sun implodes and Oprah is still putting out her magazine, she iiiinches into the water. Phew. Not sinking. "Okay. This isn't too bad." And no one is pointing and laughing!
Cole points and laughs. Ok, maybe not. But he does at least give a little amused smile along over the doctor's way. "Come on, just jump in" Cole urges her. "Trust me, you just make it worse on yourself going slowly like that." Well, there's the Cole theory of life in the span of a sentance or two
Kanani walks into the fitness center, carrying a duffel bag over her shoulder. She glances around at the people in the facility as she makes her way over to the changing room, at a casual pace.
There are -people- here. People. In here. Maximilian frowns, glancing around even as he heads towards a jogging machine, somewhat tepidly as if there were an invisible chain around his neck and some invisible, ruthless autocrat determined to improve his aerobic fitness. But attention seems to be elsewhere, for the most part, with people struggling with water and other people arriving, and the captain takes his chances on humiliation, dialing his required settings into the machine.
"What the hell do I need to run for? I'm a pilot. If I crash it will be very hard and I will die and will not need to run anywhere." For a man trying to fly under the radar, Maximilian says that perhaps a bit too loudly.
Raine makes her way fully into the water eventually, just sliding in neatly. "Yeek." A bit fast for her liking and she winces. Well. That's that. She smiles, seeing people go buy and no one seems to be throwing things. Good times. She blinks, "Did you hear-" She looks to Cole. Did he hear Max too? Is she hearing things? It MUST be bad if she hears pilots. They're everywhere.
"Did I hear what?" Cole asks with a little chuckle at Raine's question. "Someone bitching about needing to be down here? I think I hear that when half the pilots walk in" he jokes.
Kanani continues on to the locker rooms, and disappears for a few minutes while she gets changed. When sheonce again emerges she's in a one piece swimsuit, and she heads over towards the pool. Once she gets there, she chuckles a bit, and greets a couple of the other swimmers, with a "Hi guys." before she dives in. Obviously she's not afraid of water like Raine is.
Raine pauses and her head tilts. "Hmmm. Kinda?" She considers. "Sounded like someone found a fitness machine," She looks thoughtful. Hard tleling. Either way, she smiles seeing Kanani. "Hey there." And Bonsais have to be careful around moisture. Soggy roots! Or something. She's in the pool fully at any rate and seems to be bobbing along merrily, watching the others. Not … too scary. She seems pleased enough. "
Maximilian stares at his treadmill, drearily. He stares and frowns and generally looks desultory. His finger caresses the start button, and he watches it attentively as if expecting it to do something. Then he glances up at the pool. Then back down at the treadmill. He closes his eyes, warring for a moment over what seems less appealing.
"Hell," he murmurs to himself, walking away from the treadmill and towards the pool. He takes his shirt off, his swimming trunks serving to keep him covered. It is not a good look for him.
And well, Cole couldn't entirely let Kanani's arrival pass uncommented. In fact, the bomber pilot greets her arrival with a playful wolf-whistle, before giving her a little grin. "Sorry, just had to be done" he explains to her simply, before looking towards the approaching Maximilian. "Decided to join the party, Captain?"
Kanani smirks slightly at Cole's whistle and explaination. "Yeah, yeah. I'm pretty sure that's what they all claim, sir." She replies with a snicker, before her attention turns to the approaching fighter pilot that doesn't seem to enthusiastic about exercise. She grins some, and then looks over towards Raine as she's trying to get used to the water. "How's it going, Doc?"
Poor Max. Raine loses focus and watches the two pilots nearby. She seems pleased they are chatting and smiles. "Oh my." And Max will get a wave too. She glances to Kanani, "It goes. Still not really sure how or why it all happened like that, but there you go." She just sort of boggles, but accepts it as she bobs along. "Even though I am embarrassed to wear a swimsuit out - I'm glad to see you. How are you?"
Maximilian looks at Cole with a largely enigmatic and yet distinctly bitter look. "If this is a party, sir," he says, voice impeccably polite in that way which manages to sound like he's barely holding onto some primordial German bile, "we have very different impressions." He sits down on the side of the pool and drops himself in from a seated position, like a child getting in for a swimming lesson. He's not a bad swimmer as such, treading water quite easily, but that in no way helps him look at all comfortable.
"I wish they'd replace this whole room with a billiards hall or something -useful-," Maximilian murmurs resentfully.
Cole can't help but give Kanani a wide smile. "Well, I figure you're the one person onboard I'm allowed to do that to without having to do some explaining later?" Cole offers her way, before looking back along at Max. "And not exactly my definition. But, closest I'm likely to get while I'm playing acting WinCo."
"Don't they already have pool tables in the FAL? Why would they need to put more in here?" Kanani asks with a grin. She gives a nod towards Rain, and replies. "Oh, I'm doing pretty good myself. Still alive, which is always a plus in my book." She states with a nod, before she peers over at Cole. "What? They're letting a bomber pilot play the WinCo part right now? What have we come to?" She states shaking her head and chuckling a bit.
"I am glad to hear that," Raine nods at Kanani and smiles, "They do I thought?" She considers. "And I'm a bit surprised but glad to see people are well." She seems content to bask in the atmosphere and listen to the group talk. She smiles at Maximilian. "It's good to see you sir. Don't feel bad, I really didn't jump in either," She admits to the Captain. "But it's pretty nice." Nod. She watches from time to time, "I wouldn't know how they pick who does what," She admits.
"A billiards hall," Maximilian says, treading water in the pool and more swirling about than actually getting any laps in. He has a chance to procrastinate and is seizing it hard with both hands. "Not merely some pool tables. Someplace tastefully lit with nice felt surfaces where you can't take your drink to the table with you and one can simply enjoy competition." A few swimming strokes to move further into the pool, and Maximilian seems to count himself content. "We had a decent billiards room on the Ardent. One of the things I miss from there."
Moving to the side of the pool, Maximilian throws an arm up onto the ledge and rests from his formidable exertions for a time. "If you could inform your ilk that fighter pilots do not need brilliant aerobic conditioning, doctor," Maximilian replies to Raine with a long-suffering expression, "I would be immensely obliged."
"I know, terribly tough to believe isn't it?" Cole replies to Kanani with a little bit of a grin. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get Colonel Jenthson back soon, and everything will be back to its proper order of things. I certainly don't want to keep a job with that much paperwork involved" Cole jokes.
Phillip steps into the room. He is wearing navy shorts, tennis shoes, white socks and a tan t-shirt with the TCS Majestic spelled across it in big black lettering. He walks over to the trendmills with a bottle of water and moist rag. He steps up onto one of the machines, turns it on and begins a liesurely walk steadly increasing the speed up to slight run over the course of about a minute.
"And if the paperwork is bad, I'd bet that trying to keep control of all the fighter pilots on board, is even worse." Kanani replies to Cole with a snicker. A glance over towards Maximilian as he gives his reply, and she just shakes her head some. "Doesn't sound all that fun to me, sir. And I'd have to disagree with you on pilots not needing to be in shape too. Get into a long dogfight and all the making big fast turns and all, and it's nice to not feel like you've just ran a marathon afterwards." She states with a chuckle.
Raine listens to poor Max, looking amused. "I can't. It would be a great disservice to all of you. You'd end up hurt more often," She notes, "And stuck in medbay. Not to mention fatalities from tired pilots trying to land," And they need not remember what happens when a landing goes bad. "Besides, I am sure there is some sort of exercise you like? There's walking, martial arts, aerobics, swimming…" She goes on quietly. She's not judging, just offering. Then a smile at Cole. "Tell me about it," She notes quietly. She peers. Is that Phillip? Hard telling. "Though I couldn't imagine herding pilots."
"I find squadron command more than enough responsibility for me," Maximilian observes to Cole. He is quite serious. He pushes off from the ledge of the pool and starts swimming a lap, somewhat awkwardly if more-or-less effectively. The flabby captain is in lousy shape but he's in shape enough for that, managing a passable turn at the other end of the pool and swimming with just enough grace that he's not splashing all over everyone else in the pool.
And that is enough of that. Maximilian surfaces, water pouring down his quite miserable expression. "You are missing out, lieutenant," he replies to Kanami. "It is a superb way to unwind after killing cats or pirates or other forms of space detritus. And exhausted though I sometimes am getting out of the cockpit, it is far more from things no amount of exercise could cure."
Looking back towards Raine, the captain gives her just an utterly flat expression. "Do I look like somebody who enjoys his exercise? Beyond flying, which as the lieutenant pointed out can be quite an exertion?"
"Believe me, if there's one thing I've learned…" Cole tells Kanani. "It's that trying to /control/ fighter pilots is a bit of a lost cause. The best I can really hope to do is deflect you all in productive directions" he comments jokingly, before giving a little bit of a look towards Max. "Afraid I'd have to agree with them on the exercise as well. Not like it's going to hurt you in the cockpit. Take any advantage you can get"
Phillip pulls the speed up to an all out run, maintaining this pace for several…really long minutes, at least to Phillip's perspective.
Apparently it's 'gang up on the Germans' day on the Majestic. At least so far as the subject of exercise goes. Kanani chuckles some at Maximilian, and shakes her head, before she replies to Cole. "What? Now you're expecting us to be productive, too? Pretty high expectations you've got there, hmm, Major?" She states with a grin
Raine goes wide-eyed at the Captain. "Oh no. I am NOT answering that. THAT is a trap. That's like asking if something makes your butt look big. Nuh uh." The bonsais are wilier than that. And poor Germans? Hmmm. Raine ponders this. She doesn't say much for the moment, having gladly stepped aside from the near death inducing question on Max's physical shape. "But I am sure you could throw pencils much better too thanks to exercise." Beam.
"From my experience, sir," Maximilian says in his Polite Voice to Cole, "there is much more advantage in studying flight recordings, analyzing one's own piloting for tendencies, and generally preparing for battle, than there is in preparing to run a triathlon." His Polite Voice is very polite, which is has to be considering the look of venom he gives Cole and the others and, for that matter, everything in this room as though the very concept of exercise were prejudicing him against everything in the ship.
"Doctor," Maximilian adds to Raine, "as a physician surely you are in the position to give your patients honest feedback. If those pants making one's butt look big is affecting one's health than surely you would say so."
"Only so much you can tell from looking over a screen, though. You hit a point, and you're just looking for changes in patterns rather than trying to establish everything all over again" Cole points out to Max. "I'd say that making sure you're in good physical condition is part of the 'generally preparing for battle'" he explains, before looking along to Kanani again. "What can I say, Tsunami? I've never been a big fan of settling"
Phillip rolls down the speed to a brisk walk. Phillip is breathing hard. He wipes his face with the rag and drinks some before. After a minute, he catches most of his breathe and then kicks the speed back up.
Kanani grins slightly at Raine's response to the Captain's question, and she comments quietly, "Good answer, Doc." She chuckles a bit as she listens to the conversation going on between Cole and Maximilian and their differences of opinions on the subject of exercise. At Cole's response to her, she just smirks and shrugs a bit, shaking her head.
Raine just smiles at Kanani's response. Then a deep breath and a look to Maximilian. "I do. Believe me. In a clinical setting and not one where you can reach out and dunk me. I am sure your butt is very nice, but /I/ am not looking or commenting until you come in for a check up. If you want, we can find an exercise suited for you. You might like something slower and more contemplative. I don't know," She admits with a shrug. Then a smile at Cole too. Yup.
Maximilian can only glower a bit at Raine, a properly incisive reply not coming to his sharp tongue and leaving him to instead cling to the edge of the pool for a little bit longer, enjoying a little more relaxation to go with his brief spurts of exercise.
A glance back at Cole. "I agree that if I can't fit into the cockpit, that's a problem," he says. "But I'm a fighter pilot, I'm not here to take my shirt off and play beach volleyball."
"Believe me that I'm entirely sincere when I say: Thank you" is all that the Australian bomber pilot has to offer Maximlian in response. That one comment made, he looks along over towards Raine. "Careful, Doctor, I'd almost take that for an /excuse/ to dunk you"
After another minute or so, Iceblade slows down his pace and begins a minute long warmdown cycle to a liesurely walk. Once he finishes, he wipes his face with the rag and meanders into the pool room. He leans on the doorframe and starts to unscrew the cap on his water bottle.
Kanani chuckles some more at the ongoing conversation about exercise and all that stuff, as she floats around the pool. "It's probably not that hard to get to the point when someone wouldn't fit into a Stiletto, though. They tend to be pretty cramped as it is." She comments with a grin.
Raine blinks at being glowered at. Sadface. She just smiles at him, "That's ok. If you don't fit, we have lots of butter." Grin. "I kid. I'm always happy to work with people, ok?" She offers. Then a smile at the group. "But I should probably get back to my things. It was good to see you all." She will climb out and start off on her journey to paperland.
Maximilian tries very hard not to snigger at Raine's butter joke. He almost manages it, although his granite expression does curl upward into the most fleeting, briefest of smiles.
"Not fitting is just as much a peril with muscle as fat, lieutenant," the captain adds to Kanani. "If a pilot were to be a rock-hard pile of muscle he would probably stiffen up in the tight confines of the cockpit and wind up a less effective pilot." It's an old canard in certain squadrons by lazy pilots looking to justify their attitude and Maximilian quotes it quite seriously. "I would rather be mentally prepared. My head can always fit into my kite."
"It's the body's ability to execute what's in the mind that's the issue" Cole replies with a little shake of his head. "But, I suppose at the end of the day… it's your ass you're putting on the line when you go out. We all prepare how we feel is best"
Phillip looks around at the people in the pool as his takes a long drink from the bottle. Anybody observing him can clearly see some bandaging is still around over his head. He pulls the water bottle down by his side, "So been having fun in the.." he looks up at the ceiling, "artifical light," he finishes with a grin.
Kanani chuckles a bit as Raine exits the pool, and then heads towards the edge of the pool herself, before commenting. "Well, I think I should probably run on and get myself some sleep. You guys take care, and don't work out to much." She grins slightly, before climing out of the pool.
"I know that I'm prepared," Maximilian says to Cole, politely enough. "Even if I can't run a marathon to prove it." And he climbs out of the water with only the slightest difficulty, heading out of the fitness centre, apparently quite content with his single lap.
Cole looks back towards Kanani and gives her a wide smile. "I'll see you later, Kanani" Cole offers her way with a wide smile, before turning his attention towards Phillip. "Looks like you're showing up just in time for everyone to leave, Lieutenant"
Phillip just nods at the passage of each of the individuals. Looking at Cole, "Story of my life it seems…always late to the party." He gives a brief chuckle.
"Well, I suppose it could be worse" Cole replies with a little laugh. "Could never make the party at all, I suppose…" he adds. "Or worse yet, arrive when the booze has run out"
Phillip nods. "Yeah. Actually I've been rather out of it the past few days." Phillip touches his head to indicate the wounds. "Missed your welcome home party and probably celebration at the death of certain higher up." Iceblade looks at Cole with a bit of knowing look. "Wouldn't suppose you guys had anything to do with it, while in the kitty's playground."
"Occupational hazard, that" Cole replies with a little grin. "As for Kilrathi admirals, well… we're really not at liberty to discuss the liberties of our operation, unfortunately. But let's say I wouldn't pass up a target like that given the chance, hmm?"
Phillip gives a wink. "Well can you at least tell me if you knocked out anything big and juicy?"
"Let's just say that I left more torpedoes than I returned with" Cole replies, as he moves to climb his way out of the pool. "And I'm not prone to missing very often." he adds with a grin. "On that note, I've gotta get back to pretending to be respectable and… acting Winco-like. Have a good evening"
Phillip nods at Cole, "Well good night." Iceblade then heads to one of the weight-lifting machines.
