Project Second Terra, It's the end of the world.

[Atomic Salsa]

The thin, nerdy, scientist liked to listen to other people talk more than he liked to talk, himself. He would rather watch the others throw around witty banter than join in. He didn't care if people didn't listen to him about the plants; certainly he wasn't the only one that knew about plants on this new world. There had to be others that cared about botany... certainly not the more... brute fellows they had brought along...

Arcturus seemed to be one of the people interested in it, but he was obviously not an expert. He didn't spend his whole youth reading everything he could about the life cycle and cellular makeup of plants. Loris... was a shut-in by nature.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm sure that they won't be killed. There are signs up of the deadly plants I have found. There's only one I've seen... and it's about a mile away from here. The plants are all clustered together... The pollen inside them is poisonous. When it becomes airborne, the oxygen dulls the poison and just makes people sick. Honestly, the only way someone could die from it is if they were to start eating it." Loris loved to tell people about the plants. That was the only time he got vocal. His speech usually came in monologues for the simple fact that he wanted to give his listeners as much information without having to pause--he wanted to be done speaking faster.

"If we all want to--" he saw the woman approach and almost say hi to Leta, but leave right after. He hoped that Leta didn't see it and go after her...she had to come see the plants... Loris shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "We can go to my station now, if you'd all like to." His eyes squinted as he smiled and stood up, bringing his files and the electronic device to hold all the information--as well as his tray--back to the dish pile. He made it all the way there without dropping anything, which was a miracle in itself... then waited for the others.

---

Shaun was disappointed that he couldn't go in to see Benett, of course, but he could find something else to do. Shaun had a million things he could attend to, but he didn't really know which to begin with. He was sure there was some kind of work that he could be doing--building shelters or somesuch.

Then, he was jerked out of earshot of the guards and talked to like he was a child. Shaun, being much more muscular than Schedar, pulled himself free of the man's grasp. "Hey! Watch it." he managed before the man went on his rant about how they can get Benett out. Shaun's eyes narrowed.

He was skeptical by nature, and superstitious, as well. Something told him that this man was telling the truth, though. "I'm Shaun. Err... Just call me Pierce." he said, simply. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Benett's a friend, just wanted to make sure they weren't torturin' him or nothin'." Shaun shrugged his shoulders. "Friends are scarce around here, so I thought I'd come check on mine.

"How exactly are we going to get him out of there?" he asked, becoming increasingly curious as to what the hell Schedar had up his sleeve.

[Spotty]

Leta Ramsay, civilian

To Loris' hasty agreement to show her what he had discovered, Leta rewarded him with a bright smile, nodding agreeably as well. It all...seemed to be decided within a few moments that they would make an expedition out of it and the girl couldn't have been more thrilled. With the unanticipated day to rest -- caused by the ravings of a lunatic, but needed all the same -- Leta was finally able to see something of Second Terra. And that thought alone was exhilarating.

Fun. Finally something fun would happen within this oftentimes awkward and... too serious colony.

"If you don't mind," Leta replied to Arcturus with another smile. Though she was no scientist, physician, or botanist, she didn't feel out of place among the three of them, and was grateful that the sentiment seemed to be returned. "I have been practicing; hiking around here, you know." She admitted candidly, flashing Loris a conspiratorial grin, "I hope you men are able to keep up."

The woman laughed as she swept to her feet, pushing in her chair, and heading for the exit with that. She pretended not to notice her father and Addison wandering off... to the ship or some other business, she was sure. How they managed to tolerate each other, she hadn't the slightest, but she certainly didn't envy either.

A collision from her peripherals caused the woman to glance in Vitali's direction and she frowned, watching the other woman with concern. Should she intervene? She did consider inviting her... unconventional friend along for the expedition, but... she had the decided opinion that Vitali would refuse. She paused in her walking, indecisive as to whether or not she should approach the supposed Miss Roth.

The women on this planet should stick together, right?

Lieutenant General Matthias Ramsay, captain

Ramsay quirked an eyebrow in response to the narrowing of her eyes, but even the captain wasn't so foolish as to tread any deeper with the woman. He chuckled when she corrected herself, but the mirth was dashed by her address to the man within the cafeteria. He understood her order and merely shook his head when she turned to offer an explanation to him.

Though he might have been of the opinion that the only thing James Bennet needed was a good smack to the back of the head and several days in solitary confinement, he supposed it was cruel to let the man starve. Even if his claims were causing more headache than the minimal and poor work the laborman provided. It seemed, however, that the colony had accepted his speech -- he had been truthful, after all -- and he was grateful. Paranoia and panic were the last things they needed at this moment. A second shipment of supplies might have been nice, especially considering all that was lost upon Carmen Two's unfortunate demise.

A look of approval crossed his face when she selected something to eat for herself and he led her from the cafeteria with that. Walk and talk was convenient when persuading someone to take the rest of the afternoon off, to rest, something she clearly needed. And, if Reed offered much of a protest, he was likely to make it an order.

"How are you feeling?" The question was genuine enough, but seemed foreign, coming from the man. He was not one for being fatherly, but... he needed major-general Reed, she was a good soldier, and important to the success of this operation they hoped to continue on Second Terra.

It wasn't difficult to discern that the path he selected for them would lead towards the barracks that she resided within. He was prepared for debate, so he waited patiently for her to reply. Details of the interrogation could wait.

ooc;;
Spotty used Short and Crappy Post on PST!
It was super effective!

[Chiasma]

Addison Reed
Major-General

Reed strolled alongside Ramsay, unwrapping her sandwich. His reaction to her ordering food to the prisoner would have been a license for her to go back and beat Bennett’s skull open any other day, but today she couldn’t give a tiny rat’s ass about having the opportunity to kick a civilian around. The flu was indeed draining her of her usual blood lust induced insanity. There was something comforting about being with Ramsay and just walking mundanely, preparing to listen to his administrative ramblings, to which she should have an opinion on. But as she bit down on her sandwich the comfortably floaty state of relaxation evaporated. There was mayo in the sandwich. A deep frown crept onto her face but she still chewed down the bite she had taken. She was determined to eat that sandwich despite the not so pleasant taste.

“How are you feeling?”

She immediately shot him a strange glance. Had he just asked how she was feeling with a genuinely caring tone? Why? Was he hitting on her? Did he know about the Rush? Was there something wrong with him? Was he starting to form an opinion on her cigarette addiction? Wait, he wanted something, didn’t he? Was he hinting she wasn’t doing a good job? Her glance was glued onto Ramsay as she tried to figure the meaning of his question out with the speed of light. Reed almost ran into a support pillar but she managed to reconfigure her path just in time. Now she felt like she was walking uncomfortably close to the captain. Yes, the relaxation was gone now. This conversation had gone into the uncharted territory of discussions between them. It had been years and years since he had asked anything similar and even then the tone had not been that…caring. This was not something she was used to, this was not the usual administrative ramble, not usual anything ramble for that matter as far as she could recall.

Reed realized she had not replied to his question. She cleared her throat. “I’m…fine. I have the flu. But you know that. I‘m fine.” She replied slowly. “What do you want?” She kept her glance fixated on him. She realized that she had suddenly dropped the ‘Sir’s out of her responses. “Sir!“ She added quickly but it was still obvious she had initially forgotten it. Yes, she was now cruising the uncharted waters. And she could still taste the mayo.

[Daemon]

Something akin to relief showed on Johan's features as the rest of his lunch companions agreed wholeheartedly to go on a little botany excursion. It would definitely take their minds off the toils and struggles of Second Terra... help them forget about the back-breaking, mind-breaking work, and hopefully distract them from their sickness and tiredness.

At the very least, Johan was interested in what Loris had found, and he would have gone along with Loris and Arcturus to take a look at it - since it seemed the three of them could work well enough together. Don't get too optimistic, Johan, he reminded himself sternly. Everything on this planet is not set in stone. It is unknown. It only needs to be discovered and analysed scientifically...

With all the attentiveness of a doctor, Johan did not miss the brief change in demeanour Arcturus expressed. Hm... Maybe just a temporary dizzy spell? Maybe he was just tired; overworked? "I'm fine to go on the trip now, Arcturus. Ready when you are, and you can be ready when I am, yes?"

Thinking it best to mention nothing about what he'd thought the man just exhibited - at least, not until further symptoms persisted, Johan switched his gaze to the woman who had just greeted Leta. Just as attentively, he analysed her with his gaze. Unable to recall what her name was, though he was sure it was on the tip of his tongue, he rolled his eyes as the female cussed and made a general scene upon bumping into someone. Sure, everyone here was highly-strung, but in a situation where she had just been greeting Leta Ramsay, there must have been something else which made her panic... "You know, if you're ever feeling unwell, Miss.....? you feel free to come and see me for a check-up, okay?" Well, that was that. Not much more he could say to the lady, except tell her to watch where she stepped.

It was a delight, though, that Miss Ramsay would come along, too. Johan stood up, tucked his clipboard under his arm and, mirroring the actions of Arcturus and Loris, deposited his food tray and dusted off his hands (and resisted the natural, ingrained urge to wash them with plentiful soap and water, for now, since they would all probably be jumping straight into a near-untouched, green Second Terran ecosystem in a few minutes, anyway).

And finally, he laughed lightly and genuinely at what Leta said. "Ah, I'm sure, Miss Ramsay, that the hiking skills of us men will be puny and dim in comparison to yours. But there's only one way to find out!

"Oh... to your station first, Loris? Just lead the way. And then we can explore a bit further, yes?" He strode right out of the cafeteria and headed in the general direction of where he knew they would be going, quickly speeding up his steps for a few seconds as he sneezed ungracefully. This flu could go fuck itself. (Preferably not while the virus was still duplicating in his system.)

Johan wouldn't like it so much if they ended up being locked in a cramped laboratory being showed samples or recorded analyses. Of course, Loris' work was admirable, but for some reason, Johan was suddenly giddy at the idea of just scouting out a bit further; picking past foliage and greenery, not only for plants and the like, but maybe for something else... So much of this blasted planet - so much - had yet gone unexplored. Not that such discoveries were relevant to the physician... but it was all in the name of science, yes? And he was on the scientists' side. Keeping in mind that Leta, as the daughter of Captain Ramsay, was from the 'opposing side' of Project Second Terra... but she definitely appeared pleasant enough, at least, in persona.

[LadyCrazy]

Though it certainly took him a little bit out of his normal comfort zone, Qismat spoke to the individuals who were in charge of distributing building supplies to the workers. They were surprised at first that he was even bothering to ask for supplies, as this was a day many of the people were intending on taking off. The workers also grumbled about how they had to search for the supplies for Qismat on their day off, pitching quite the magnificent fit about the whole situation. By the time they had lined up the items for Qismat, he was more or less done with humanity for the day. He understood that no one wanted to work today...but could looking for well marked items even count as work?

No matter, he wasn't about to argue with their grumpy behavior. Aside from asking them to watch over what items he was leaving behind, he left them alone. He had even loaded up the wheelbarrow without pestering them to help, if just to give them no more reason to pout. He would have to take at least one more trip to get all of the items to the site that Driscoll had specified, but that was better than having to take three or four trips.

As he approached the site, Qismat nodded slightly in greeting towards the working Driscoll. He waited until he had moved the wheelbarrow closer to the man to set it down. Qismat glanced over at Driscoll, and then at the items that were piled in the wheelbarrow. "Did you want these to be put in any specific place, or should we just empty the wheelbarrow now and worry about organizing it later?"

It should go without saying that he needed to go get another load before he would be done. But until the wheelbarrow was empty, he'd be staying here. He only hoped that the individuals who were in charge of the supplies wouldn't walk out on the job. That might be more than a little annoying.