"Just enough to keep the thing from breaking in two, but that's it. Order didn't seem to put too much effort in patching it up, from the looks, engineering log and Hemlocks testimony. Personally I'd like to begin an actual repair job to get it back up to par with the rest of our Archer classes. Doubt the Admiral will go for that, though. Seems the Order didn't want to trouble themselves much with Hemlock and his crew." She relaxed, flagging down an operative for coffee, sending him off with the errand.
"Understandable.. He's.. well, I guess I'd say he's a thorn in their side.. Only logical they'd want to do a patchy job, get it done and over with.. Shame about the ship, though.."
He looked around, taking a slow, casual stroll around the bridge, eyeing the panels and control surfaces. "I'll see if I can't talk to Sader about repairing the ship while the investigation is going on.. Make your life easier without the groaning and random burn marks.."
"Have at it, but I highly doubt Sader would let Hemlock captain the ship again, with how it's been between those two. I don't know what it is, he's nicer, if only more tolerant, of me doing my investigation, and instantly gets angry whenever Sader's around, shooting him didn't help that, we'll see when he wakes up." Her operative returned with the coffee, and went about his business. She took a small drink.
"It'll be hard enough to get this thing back to active service, let alone trying to get the same crew. You seem to know Hemlock, what's you're ties to him?"
"He's a 'by the book' guy.. Odds are, Sader's been doing things rashly, otherwise he wouldn't be on the wrong end of a gun.."
He looked out the front of the bridge into the nebula outside, then turned back to her, hands stuffed in his pockets. "I used to be his CO before he asked for a transfer to Harmony. A little thankful he didn't actually make it that far.."
"Sader doing things rashly is an understatement. I've been trying to do things a bit more, peacefully, trying to get the mans trust, but Sader's thrown that out the airlock.." She couldn't seem to get comfortable, moving from sitting up to leaning back. "Then we got Reyes stabbing the man, Hemlocks been quite abused today.. I feel bad about it, but there's nothing I can do about it either."
She took another drink. "A good thing he never got into Harmony's hands, I do believe he's a good, competent man, but it'll be hell trying to get him back into this chair for active service."
"Hmm.. maybe I'll have to talk to John about a lot more than just the repairs then.. Matthew's a good man, but he's.. arrogant at times.. A bit of a counter balance for someone like Sader.."
He pulled his hand from his pocket, pulling out a small keycard and handing it to her. "Here.. this is pretty much all the data I still have on him. It's not much, just his military career, but maybe it'll give you clarification.."
He took very slight steps towards the door, not walking out yet, but still making his way towards it. "Meantime.. maybe I can get him back under my command... He hasn't punched anyone, has he?"
Nova takes the keycard. "Nothing like that, just getting loud is all he's done, nothing to physically interfere with the investigation or put his hands on anyone, though I'm sure he'd love to knock Sader down.." She relaxed, beginning to comb over Hemlocks service records. "If there's anything I can do to help you out, let me or one of my men know."
"Noted, Lieutenant. Likewise, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Hemlock's one of my best, and I'd really like to have him back."
He turned and started for the door. "Have a good one." With that, he finally left, the marine outside following him.
The report from engineering would be a little disconcerting, if at least somewhat unfortunate. The Bay's main drive core had been long since burned out, the ship running on a backup installed near the aft end near the nanobot storage. The markings on the backup, as with the hull outside, bore the markings of the Order, which would've come as no surprise. Their job was to get the ship mobile. They never did it for efficiency.
"Back into service or not, that's gotta be replaced.." She continued to do her work, not daring to come off the ship to check on Hemlock until she had made sure Sader wouldn't be around him. She did what little more she could, continuing through Hemlocks service records.
Back in the medical wing, the operatives lifted Hemlock onto a bed for medical care while the man was unconscious, letting the doctors do their work, one assisting the doctors, the other looking on at Murray and Sader.
Sader was standing at the window staring at the nebula and asteroid field surrounding Juneau thinking. Thinking about the last few hours. Mainly Hemlock's actions. Did Hemlock really act like this because he was influenced by that nomad artifact? And if it did, then will Hemlock's personality recover and become normal again, or the effects will remain forever?" But at the end it did not matter since he still had to solve the incident in the medical room.
He turned arround to grab a cigarette when he heard someone knocking on the door.