2017-04-20: A Promising Start
- Log: A Promising Start
- Cast: Elhaym van Houten, Loren Voss
- Where: Bledavik - Noble Quarter
- Date: April 20th 2017
- Summary: Loren arrives on site, with Elly as the welcoming commitee. Things go well.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
The sun is in the process of setting and it is the most miserable time of day in Bledavik. It is however an excellent time for vessels to arrive and depart, given that the sun itself provides a useful and hazed backdrop. About once a day something arrives or departs on the various missions of Gebler, but such matters are above the pay grade of Elhaym van Houten.
There is a receiving area, such as it is, for new intake, especially when that intake isn't moving in a unit. The open space was made with a tile floor and a lot of shade, because in nicer times it is a space for a good ol' fashioned Aveh bazaar. Right now, furniture has been set out for people waiting to board or debark, along with large tubs of water, kept cold with big bobbing chunks of ice and the occasional sliced up piece of local fruit, carefully sterilized.
Elly herself is part of the receiving group - in fact, the only recieving group member present for this transport, as it was not expected to have a lot of people on it. She was voluntold to do this because she came back to Bledavik for Gear tuning and a meeting and the next discreet transport into the Adelhyde zone isn't going for a couple more days, and she has not wanted to press for a liberty pass after, you know, that whole thing where she vanished for a while and nearly got eaten by a dinosaur, or that other thing where her intel arrest got busted out by ridiculous sand pirates.
In deference to the heat and the lack of portable aircon modules out here, Elly is in the sleeveless piloting top, with an opaque but light gray shawl over her shoulders. She has also pressed a wet cloth to her forehead, but that's not regulation issue. (Elly has also secretly used Ether to produce the ten kilograms of ice which have been chunked up into the water stations, but that, honestly, was the easy part.)
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
There really aren't a lot of people incoming today. As far as Loren had been concerned, that suited him just fine -- there wasn't much in the way of distractions or any of the vague social needling that he's come to expect as natural part and parcel in life from any of the other passengers on board. Besides, he was able to catch up on some of the reporting from the base at Bledavik, which was probably also a good idea.
He'll probably have to wait until he's on-base and received his assignment before he can do much more. Like getting acquainted with the base medical records which, he might even dare to hope will keep him busy for a little while. And away from the other officers until he can get a handle on how things work down here.
Obviously, the desert is hot. Obviously. He knew what to expect the moment he signed up. However, there's a difference between knowledge and experience, and it's one that the young medic is about to learn first-hand.
Loren isn't the sort of person to emote much, if ever. Still, the moment he heads off the transport and steps out into the makeshift receiving area definitely has an impact, if that look in his eyes can be believed. If ever someone's gaze spoke volumes, this one does, and it's probably along the lines of 'oh dear god in heaven'.
Still, he makes his way over to the receiving group of... one. Well, that figures.
...Wait, isn't she...
"Van Houten?" Well, it isn't as if there were too many red-heads in his graduating class.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
At least it's a dry heat!
That will help a little once he starts sweating. In this moment, though, Loren is greeted by the straightening-up form of Elly van Houten, who of course stands out like a buffalo-sauce-spun chicken strip on a bed of blonde blanched-and-fried potatoes.
Rising up, she looks towards -
"Voss!" Elly says, eyes widening in surprise.
Stepping forwards, she clasps her hands together. "... Ah! Welcome to Bledavik..." She seems at least temporarily on the back foot, but gestures towards the water station. "You should have a drink before we get started with your intake work. It's very easy to get dehydrated in this climate."
Elly then attempts a smile, possibly while looking for signs that Loren hates or fears her. Inwardly, she curses her fate. Of COURSE it would be someone there - Kelvena of course is on her own detached duty - why why WHY -
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
It's true, it could be high-humidity out here too. Won't that be a fun shock, somewhere down the line. In the meantime, he's just going to have to personally regret Gebler's choice of uniform.
And perhaps more urgently in the meantime, there's Van Houten.
He remembers suddenly with startling clarity a particular incident, probably about a year ago now -- largely because he had been 'volunteered' by his medical instructor to assist in the treatment of the survivors. It hadn't been a pretty sight, to put it mildly.
So when Elly steps towards him, she's going to find herself on the receiving end of a long, unblinking stare.
Figures. His first assignment and he's on base with the one member of his graduating class who technically committed a murder.
"...If you can call this a welcome," he mutters aloud, breaking off the stare to glance around the plaza. Yes, it really is just her and him...
Wiping a gloved hand across his forehead, he at least nods when she suggests he have a drink. Ugh. "That just might be a good idea," he says, as dry as ever. "How much paperwork is there?"
He'll break off around then to do just that, especially since he can just about taste the heat at this point, but only after casting a furtive glance her way. This is going to be a great assignment. He can tell already.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
Elly looks at Loren, with hope.
Hope that slowly but surely withers as she gets that gaze. Her eyes fall downwards, and the cheer on her face drips out as sure and as certain as the condensation on the water station. Her lips press together.
The gaze around the plaza reveals a couple of locals pushing a cart of crates. The crates no doubt contain vital supplies. They are far enough away that Loren could shout and they might not hear him. Elly could totally murder him right now and have hardly any witnesses.
Elly folds her arms and clears her throat. "Ah... Well, we weren't anticipating many arrivals on this transport, and you know that flexibility is important." Taking a deep breath and letting it out, she says, "I'll take care of the routing papers if you have the folder with you." Of course the folder may mostly be to conceal a chip from the prying eyes of stray -Lambs-, but be that as it may.
The water is /amazing/. Deep well. Ice cold. There's a little tang of lime juice but it's subtle.
"Was the journey alright?" Elly then asks, because small talk is exactly what this moment needs.
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
If he notices the immediate withering effect his lengthy stare has had on her, he certainly doesn't show it.
Not just on base, no. Make that alone (or close enough, the locals don't really count for anything) in an empty receiving plaza with a girl capable of, at the very least, grievous bodily harm. If he were lucky (now there's a thought) he might be able to deflect an attack or two, but...
In short, Loren's not even sure why he expected things to go any better than their current trajectory.
"It certainly seems that way," he says, holding back hard on the urge to sigh or rub at the bridge of his nose. It's probably... better not to make too many sudden moves. At least not right now. "I suppose there's something to be said for flexibility. Speaking of, everything command needs should be here," he says, handing the 'folder' he's been carrying over. "I suppose orientation will take place later?"
He can say without a doubt that this is by far, probably, the best water he's had in his life to this point. Whether that's influenced by the heat or potential immediate mortal peril, he can't say.
He sets down the cup he's been drinking out of. "...It was quiet. Why do you ask?" Why /is/ she asking? Small talk may not be Loren's forte.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
Elly accepts the folder, not quite looking at Loren. It makes it easier, at least a little. "... That's correct; operational demands are pretty high at present. In the mean time, orders are to give you a brief tour of the key facilities; they've already prepared quarters, though it's temporary."
Looking up, with effort, Elly says, "Oh, I..."
Her face colors. But before she can enter that full high dudgeon with mild facial swelling that often foretells the release of pent-up antipathy through the Drive, she turns halfway away from Loren, the folder held in both hands. "I thought it might put you at your ease."
"Do you want the full tour, or are you just interested in laying down?" Elly asks over her shoulder.
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
"Based on what I've read in base reports so far, I can believe that," he says, punctuated with a brief shake of his head. He glances, again, over at the workers. Better not say anything else here, though, even if they are just animals. "Temporary is fine. I expect I'll be working in the medical facilities, so hopefully that will be included in the tour."
Someone else might have held their breath, just then. Loren doesn't even have the luxury of having a breath to hold at the moment.
It's almost anticlimatic.
"At... my ease?" One blond eyebrow lifts, slightly. He may not entirely follow. "...That's nothing you need to worry about." It's far too late for /that/.
As tempting as it is at this exact second to potentially escape Van Houten and just figure it out on his own, it'll be worse down the line for him if he doesn't know where anything is. He might as well accept his fate. "I'll take the tour. It might be a while before orientation and it would be good use of my time." Amazingly, this is probably the least sardonic comment from him the entire time to date.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
"Alright," Elly says. "I believe you're at liberty until then... there's a local festival and we have access privileges, if you're interested."
And then begins a montage of specific and important locations.
"This is the quartermaster's... you can draw your pay here, of course, and also any issued equipment, as well as purchasing incidentals and other items and equipment," Elly says. The quartermaster doesn't look up from the book he's reading. "If you want my advice, you'll get some kind of eye protection as soon as you can."
"You'd asked about the infirmary? This building; it's a converted private residence, so it's a little cramped, but most of the facilities are imported," Elly explains, gesturing with a pen. "And there's the... dispensary in that building." A smaller and much more defensible one.
"Here's the refectory - they serve the late meal after it gets to full dark, since it's difficult to want to eat in this heat. I suggest the eggplant if you're concerned about -Lamb- dishes," Elly explains next, unaware of the rich, dark vein of subtext in this remark.
"The armory - though I suppose you won't have much cause to go there - and -"
"Here's the junior officer quarters," Elly says, coming up to several other townhomes. "These were confiscated from rebel nobility, so they're rather comfortable, even with the cubicle dividers. There's even running water; apparently it's even naturally supplemented."
Now Elly looks to Loren. "You're in the one with the blue door, I think on the first floor...?" She pauses to fish out a notepad from her pocket. "Let me check..."
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
"A local festival?" He shakes his head. "I think I'll pass. I would hate to see what Lambs consider a festival..." Of course that begs the question of exactly what he /will/ do with his time until receiving assignment, but...
In the meantime, it's time for a whirlwind tour of base of operations.
Loren briefly casts a glance at the pre-occupied quartermaster. "Eye protection -- right, because of the sand. I read that the sandstorms are unpleasant, to say the least." His glasses won't help much there.
"Cramped. Wonderful," he comments with a brief sigh, before looking in the direction of the dispensary. It doesn't take a genius to determine what the priorities were here. Not that he can really disapprove, considering.
"Understood." They can't all be sarcastic remarks. Besides, the food is perhaps the one thing he /isn't/ worried about right now.
On the armory: "I suppose we'll see."
Well, that's actually a little more impressive than he'd expected. As far as officer quarters went, that is. "So the locals even managed to have something like running water," Loren remarks, briefly folding his arms over his chest. He manages one sidelong glance at Elly, before turning his attention towards the door she mentioned. "...So all of the junior officers are quartered here?" Including her?
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
"The sun's what will get you," Elly says, about the glasses.
Then she nods: "If you aren't quartered on one of the ships or a forward base - They've subdivided the rooms, so it's more crowded than you'd think." She smiles faintly. Indicating, she says, "Both of the blue doors are men's; the green and yellow ones have been assigned to women. I'm in the green door, at least until the next transport to Adelhyde."
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
"And that too." Said as if he had even been thinking about the sun. His glasses will be of zero help with the glare.
Well, that's some relief.
It's mitigated by news that the rooms are subdivided, which therefore also means no personal space. "...Wonderful," Loren comments at some distance. "I suppose I should see who I'll be sharing space with for the next however-long. Which door did you say it was?"
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
"Oh! Yes, that's right, they're both blue," Elly says, checking her notes. She points at the one that seems to be slightly darker, and more to the point, is a specific location he can remember. "You're in that one... I actually don't think you'll be rooming with anyone. Though," she continues, looking up, "that's because it's the transient bunk. You'll likely get a new roommate when the next transport arrives."
Maybe he's not that upset with me after all, Elly thinks. He's just tired. Long travel is always tiring.
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Loren watches her in silence as she reports back off the notes she has. So he'll be alone? That... suits him fine, really. Even if it's just temporary. It's long enough to get a lay of the landscape, so to speak, and find out who /else/ from their class might be lurking around.
Odds are, it's going to be someone else he doesn't get on with.
"This is good enough," he says, finally, still watching Elly. Everything's still relatively empty here, too... "Was there a key, or something I needed? Otherwise, I'll stop here."
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
"No; just check in with the MP in the living room," Elly says.
You can see him in the window. He's wearing a helmet. He raises a hand to wave a little. He probably recognizes Elhaym "Carrot-Top" van Houten.
"Then, I'll... Be seeing you around, Voss," she concludes, faltering as she tucks the notepad away and raising a hand to give a salute, obviously out of a complete lack of any other good way to conclude a conversation. Probably the same social awkwardness that /led to bloodshed/
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Well, or reasonably close to alone. He can live with that. "Understood," Loren responds, glancing through the window at the MP inside.
He glances, sidelong, at Elly. There is a suitably awkward stretch of silence. "...I suppose you will."
With that -- and no further response save to mirror her salute as simply as possible without being in violation of code -- he turns to head inside.
How rude.