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FROM: vasneema.talizorah@cdc.org
Thanks, Shepard.
FROM: vasneema.talizorah@cdc.org
I'm still... I don't want to do this. I don't want to lose the fleet.
But
Thanks, Shepard.
FROM: vasneema.talizorah@cdc.org
I'm still... I don't want to do this. I don't want to lose the fleet.
But
[The point is that he, blackmailed as he was, still knew exactly what he was getting into. The CDC hadn't lied to him about their purpose, just the fact that the corporation itself is a backwards, disorganized, incompetent mess.]
Centuries of cannon fodder, even.
[That still boggles him a little, but mostly the part where the CDC could be around for hundreds and hundreds of years and still run things backward.]
Centuries of cannon fodder, even.
[That still boggles him a little, but mostly the part where the CDC could be around for hundreds and hundreds of years and still run things backward.]
Universes of it, even.
[If Crichton's theories and the doublemint twins Parker and Parker were anything to go by. It's not really heartening to think about, but there's no sense in putting it aside either. Roll with the punches. Or something.]
It could just be this crew. I'm assuming you know all the crap about the Neheda being bottom of the barrel.
[For all she knows the rest of the CDC's fleet and officers were reasonably more straightforward, reasonably less arbitrary and ridiculous.]
[If Crichton's theories and the doublemint twins Parker and Parker were anything to go by. It's not really heartening to think about, but there's no sense in putting it aside either. Roll with the punches. Or something.]
It could just be this crew. I'm assuming you know all the crap about the Neheda being bottom of the barrel.
[For all she knows the rest of the CDC's fleet and officers were reasonably more straightforward, reasonably less arbitrary and ridiculous.]
[That gets his attention, as it's sort of news to him. He doesn't exactly like not being up on the gossip, but then again, he tries to stay away from the instructors unless he has an important question. Falcon leans in, suddenly interested.]
What, us or the officers?
[Here he is, thinking that the entire operation is stupid and incompetent. Maybe it is--it wouldn't surprise him, but if the instructors are bottom of the barrel, it might explain a few things.
Might explain a few things about some of the recruits, too.]
What, us or the officers?
[Here he is, thinking that the entire operation is stupid and incompetent. Maybe it is--it wouldn't surprise him, but if the instructors are bottom of the barrel, it might explain a few things.
Might explain a few things about some of the recruits, too.]
Us. Both. Supposedly we're doing a statistically crappy job, but everyone's just been following mission parameters laid out by the officers.
[And for someone fundamentally used to success on some degree, who in general thinks they've done well given the odds - ninety percent of the crew is untrained period or completely unfamiliar with the kind of weaponry and tactics necessary on the ground -, there's something grating and sour about that assessment. Not that she should really be giving much of a shit about job performance, right? Not in this context and not when she's earned herself a ticket to easy street on Grey. Still, it's a bur in her side; what the hell do they expect? Might go a whole lot better if there was a little more clarity there.]
But our Captain's got some enemies and less than savory associates by HQ's standards apparently. Scuttlebutt is she's been assigned to a bunch of vessels since she earned rank and I get the sense this one's a demotion. --And our new friend on security doesn't think much of the post.
[But that could just be Honey being a bratty kid. She still isn't sure what to make of Crichton's suspicions regarding the girl's presence on the crew.]
[And for someone fundamentally used to success on some degree, who in general thinks they've done well given the odds - ninety percent of the crew is untrained period or completely unfamiliar with the kind of weaponry and tactics necessary on the ground -, there's something grating and sour about that assessment. Not that she should really be giving much of a shit about job performance, right? Not in this context and not when she's earned herself a ticket to easy street on Grey. Still, it's a bur in her side; what the hell do they expect? Might go a whole lot better if there was a little more clarity there.]
But our Captain's got some enemies and less than savory associates by HQ's standards apparently. Scuttlebutt is she's been assigned to a bunch of vessels since she earned rank and I get the sense this one's a demotion. --And our new friend on security doesn't think much of the post.
[But that could just be Honey being a bratty kid. She still isn't sure what to make of Crichton's suspicions regarding the girl's presence on the crew.]
Could be why nobody's interested in feedback. Probably hope the dead weight'll just die and they'll get a better trained group next time around.
[Said, of course, with the sentiment that he is not among those that are dead weight. He knows that he's expendable, as far as the instructors and the CDC are concerned, but he also knows that he can keep himself around just by doing what he does best--succeeding. Maybe that's the best way to stick it to these assholes, in the end. Refusing to die.
He levels Shepard with a bit of an exasperated look.]
Our friend on security is twelve years old.
[Okay, maybe not twelve, but she's obviously a child, obviously here thanks to nepotism, and obviously incompetent, at least as far as leadership is concerned. He knows she can listen to this, but he doesn't exactly care, because she's twelve, and what's she going to do, talk him to death?]
Talent is not a substitute for experience.
[Not that he thinks Gliese is someone to defend, or even competent--if what Shepard says is true, then the Captain is the common denominator in all the reassignments, which means there's something sketchy about her performance, at the very least. Anyone who talks and acts like like Honey does, however, clearly has no practical know-how. It's only a matter of time before she's in over her head.]
[Said, of course, with the sentiment that he is not among those that are dead weight. He knows that he's expendable, as far as the instructors and the CDC are concerned, but he also knows that he can keep himself around just by doing what he does best--succeeding. Maybe that's the best way to stick it to these assholes, in the end. Refusing to die.
He levels Shepard with a bit of an exasperated look.]
Our friend on security is twelve years old.
[Okay, maybe not twelve, but she's obviously a child, obviously here thanks to nepotism, and obviously incompetent, at least as far as leadership is concerned. He knows she can listen to this, but he doesn't exactly care, because she's twelve, and what's she going to do, talk him to death?]
Talent is not a substitute for experience.
[Not that he thinks Gliese is someone to defend, or even competent--if what Shepard says is true, then the Captain is the common denominator in all the reassignments, which means there's something sketchy about her performance, at the very least. Anyone who talks and acts like like Honey does, however, clearly has no practical know-how. It's only a matter of time before she's in over her head.]
Twelve years old and that much more likely to be saying something she's heard her agent parents or someone else say.
[Because children don't have their own opinions, obviously - just ones other people have impressed on them. If Honey's opinion of the Neheda is so low, Shepard can't imagine there isn't some basis for that idea - some generalized sentiment floating around the Fleet, anyway, and Honey was just loud mouthed enough to say it out loud where everyone could hear her being a snot nosed brat about it.
Which, strictly, isn't a defense of much of anyone on the officer or security roster. As far as she's concerned, they're all pretty damn culpable whatever the reasoning. If playing the cards close was a strategy instead of just incompetence, it felt like cutting off the nose to spite their own faces.]
That first part wouldn't surprise me though. Gliese's last ship had a high casualty rating. [And she clearly wants something.]
[Because children don't have their own opinions, obviously - just ones other people have impressed on them. If Honey's opinion of the Neheda is so low, Shepard can't imagine there isn't some basis for that idea - some generalized sentiment floating around the Fleet, anyway, and Honey was just loud mouthed enough to say it out loud where everyone could hear her being a snot nosed brat about it.
Which, strictly, isn't a defense of much of anyone on the officer or security roster. As far as she's concerned, they're all pretty damn culpable whatever the reasoning. If playing the cards close was a strategy instead of just incompetence, it felt like cutting off the nose to spite their own faces.]
That first part wouldn't surprise me though. Gliese's last ship had a high casualty rating. [And she clearly wants something.]
[oh.]
[he isn't sure how to respond to that-- relief wells under the continued embarrassment of making her come out here (except she'd chosen to, hadn't she? didn't know), and he tramps down both in an effort not to appear too one way or another. it puts an awkward, uncertainly happy look on his face, which he is by no means conscious of.]
[part of her crew. a... nice feeling. more than a bit intimidating. something he wanted to return to the best of his ability---]
[- she shifted away; he snapped to attention out of habit, arms ramrod straight at his sides.]
Yeah! [ech, too loud, too obviously nervous. toning down with a wince:] Er, yeah. I mean...
[wait no he didn't mean anything this was not the time for a counterpoint too late.]
... It's not always bad, having expectations. [missions gave focus. missions gave goals. better than the baseline keep surviving, which seemed about all there ever was to strive toward. that must've been why he was so tired all the time: there was no real reward in just surviving. -- anyway.] Take care, Miss Shepard. I'll see you again soon.
[it didn't have a direct acceptance, but whatever, there wasn't any energy to be nervous about yet another thing.]
[he isn't sure how to respond to that-- relief wells under the continued embarrassment of making her come out here (except she'd chosen to, hadn't she? didn't know), and he tramps down both in an effort not to appear too one way or another. it puts an awkward, uncertainly happy look on his face, which he is by no means conscious of.]
[part of her crew. a... nice feeling. more than a bit intimidating. something he wanted to return to the best of his ability---]
[- she shifted away; he snapped to attention out of habit, arms ramrod straight at his sides.]
Yeah! [ech, too loud, too obviously nervous. toning down with a wince:] Er, yeah. I mean...
[wait no he didn't mean anything this was not the time for a counterpoint too late.]
... It's not always bad, having expectations. [missions gave focus. missions gave goals. better than the baseline keep surviving, which seemed about all there ever was to strive toward. that must've been why he was so tired all the time: there was no real reward in just surviving. -- anyway.] Take care, Miss Shepard. I'll see you again soon.
[it didn't have a direct acceptance, but whatever, there wasn't any energy to be nervous about yet another thing.]
Makes you wonder what the common denominator is.
[And if they'll end up the same way as the last crew. Falcon isn't under the illusion that the instructors care about them--and along those lines, he isn't sure Gliese cares about the instructors. You do something like this for centuries, he imagines one might become entirely self-motivated. It's stupid to pretend otherwise.]
[And if they'll end up the same way as the last crew. Falcon isn't under the illusion that the instructors care about them--and along those lines, he isn't sure Gliese cares about the instructors. You do something like this for centuries, he imagines one might become entirely self-motivated. It's stupid to pretend otherwise.]
FROM: vasneema.talizorah@cdc.org
Yeah. That doesn't stop me feeling like it right now.
I'll get over it, honest. I'll just need a while.
Yeah. That doesn't stop me feeling like it right now.
I'll get over it, honest. I'll just need a while.
[Limitations to everything, she thinks - a sentiment that in the end has very little to do with Hinata but sinks low in her gut like a stone anyway. Turned by a degree even as she is, she fixes him with a brief, assessing look. And then nods, crisp enough and sharp enough to count as a dismissal.]
If you have any problems, let me know.
[And that's that: she moves off with her shoulders leading back up the way she'd come down.]
If you have any problems, let me know.
[And that's that: she moves off with her shoulders leading back up the way she'd come down.]
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