As soon as the Captain started to swallowed the first bite, a Primary Fleet recruit came up to salute him. He almost choke at the sudden salute of the man. " *coughs*-Ah, Mr. Ripper, nice to finally meet you.... in person*grins* It's me Captain Remus Sius."
He rendered the man's salute. " I'm only a Captain in the Secondary Fleet; although, Admiral Anderson recently accepted my application to the Primary. *gestures at his Adjutant's side* Take a seat and get whatever you want. It's on me.*smiles*"
The Adjutant look at the Recruit and said in a low-shy manner, "Pl..e..a..se to meet you, Mr Ripper."
Offers a handshake as his hand is shaking as if he's seen a ghost.
The Captain assuring the Recruit said, "Oh do forgive my Lieutenant, he usually is shy beside strangers."
Sips his wine and points his pinky at those Primaries "Oh, those pilots. They are just having a drinking contest. I must say one of em' might be drunk already *chuckles*"
"Congratulations Sir, it's always good to have someone else on board." The Recruit remembered the Battlecruiser docked outside. "Daresay you'll be giving basic training a miss."
He pulled out a chair at Sius' table, lowering himself gently, lest the table scuff his parade shoes.
"Ah, yes, I remember you. Always seem to meet after a sojourn in an escape pod. I'll pass on the food thanks; I ate on the way in. How's the Douglas treating you?"
Despite the numerous warnings to the contrary delivered at West Point, Ripper couldn't contain his laughter. The young officer just about doubled over at the sight of the sprinting Lieutenant, his nose dangerously close to ending up in one of the numerous beverages on the table.
The Lieutenant looking at his datapad suddenly remembered,
"Sir! I forgot to submit your trial hours and newly acquired Liberty Navy Guard ID and IFF to the Admiral. I must quickly depart."
In less than a second, the Lieutenant sprints off almost bumping a young man with a shot haircut. The Captain looked nervous without his subordinate but calmly fixed himself accordingly. He asked the waiter to take the Adjutant's plate off the table. He then smiled at Ens Ripper.
"The Douglas you say? Lets see..... I still remember the moment I commandeered the Douglas. She was just a little gunboat when I first stepped inside her. A reliable ship, she was easy to maneuver unlike now but I still have utmost great respect for her. Many times she's been damaged but the technicians seem able to patch her up easily. Look at her now.... such a beautiful ship. From a little Gunboat, she'd become a huge LABC. With time, I think she would become a Dreadnought. Although that has yet to be, for now she will stay a LABC."
At this moment, the young man with a shot haircut the Lieutenant bumped came to their table. Almost at once Remus recognized his voice.
"Jacob! I finally see your face for the first time."
He reaches out to shake Jacob's hand.
"Ensign Ripper, this is Ensign Jacob Beumont. My good friend, this is Ensign Ripper."
"Pleasure to meet ya Ensign Ripper. So Remus, you still captain the Douglas, hmm? I had to give my cruiser over to a TF7 guy. Carl Anders is his name, I believe. All I got right now is my ol' Guardian, along with an Upholder being pieced together at Norfolk."
He once again rubs his right leg
"If your wondering, I got shot in a scuffle the other day. Medics patched me up alright, but it still hurts like a b-
He clears his throat, knowing he shouldn't talk like that.
Matt finishes off his patrol and park's his fighter up in the bay. Getting rid of his flexiarmour in his room, he notices a comm msg. It quickly skim reads it and deletes it quickly. He walks into the bar again, and looks a little lost
"Water please barm'n"
There's a look of shock on the barman's face
"Gi' us a water oor I'll smash ye face in!"
Matt is clearly agitated
"Where tha' hells John... God I told him tae meet me here now"
Matt takes a seat and tries to calm down
"Hmm, haven't seen Angel in a while.. Hope she's about tonight...
"A pleasure." He eyed the man's wound. "Pretty nasty scuffle if the guns came out."
It'd been a few months since the Ensign lost some fingers in an ejection incident; and though his left hand now functioned well enough, complete with surgically attached appendages, it itched as though a herd of rhinoceros were attempting to barge their way out.
The freshly promoted trooper noted Smith's less then subtle entry, the barman still reeling at such a manner of address.
"If you'll excuse me lads."
David, resisting the temptation to march, made his way to the Lieutenants table. In a rare breach of formality the young man pulled up a seat next to his superior officer.
"Water Sir?" Ripper eyed the man's non-alcoholic beverage with no small surprise. "You alright there?"
Matt looks at the young ensign, and gives him a glare of disgust as he pulls up a seat
"Whit ye want Ensign?! I've had a frecking hard time these last coupl'a days n'those bloody medics on D deck fill me up wi'crap n'bio nanobot freckish thangs. They even tell meh tae cut oot tha' drink fer a week! A WEEK!"
Matt looks at the new pip on his shoulder, a mark of promotion and higher responsibility
"Now look whit High Command 'ave gone n'done aye? I'm nae like ye anymore Ensign - I cannae get drunk oot ma skill and laugh in tha' face o'pirates. I have tae keep lackys like you outta tha' firing line eh?!"
Matt's getting pretty exasperated, he reaches out to the glass of water in front of him - without thinking he grips it too tight and it smashes and it cuts his hand
"Crap. Didnae expect.... woah..."
The bio-nanobots have kicked in and are repairing the damage before his eyes
"Holy... barm'n ye sure this was frecking water?! Whit have those docs done tae me... argh!?!?"
Matt stares at the Ensign
"Ye didnae see me here, ye didnae see that - buzz off!"
Ripper watched the departing Lieutenant and gave a shrug. Seemed there was a reason he wasn't in the diplomatic corps. The pressure got to people sometimes.
The Ensign turned and followed him; heading down to his own Avenger.
He jokingly threw Sius a salute as he marched past. "Take care. See you both in space."
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