[D1, EN, mess, closed] First Sergeants Club

[Dorgan Bruun]

Bruun was tired. Nothing but drama all evening, and a smarter, more responsible person would have gone to bed. Even Snorri had.

But Bruun was also anxious, which made sleep a challenge. Giving up on it for now, he pulled enough clothes on to not be offensive, took his bottle of ouzo, and slipped out the door without waking his bunkmate.

With the door closed quietly behind him, Bruun noticed Maja just down the hall. Maybe he was projecting, but she seemed as calm and relaxed as he felt, so he waved for her to follow and headed for the mess hall. It was closer than the mech bays where he'd thought about going, and probably quieter.

As he quietly opens the door to the mess and turns on a light inside, he finally greets the woman following him. "Welcome, my friend, to the First Sergeants Club. It sucks," he says with a tired smile, "but you'll learn to love it."

[Maja Eklund]

Bruun was tired. Nothing but drama all evening, and a smarter, more responsible person would have gone to bed. Even Snorri had.

But Bruun was also anxious, which made sleep a challenge. Giving up on it for now, he pulled enough clothes on to not be offensive, took his bottle of ouzo, and slipped out the door without waking his bunkmate.

With the door closed quietly behind him, Bruun noticed Maja just down the hall. Maybe he was projecting, but she seemed as calm and relaxed as he felt, so he waved for her to follow and headed for the mess hall. It was closer than the mech bays where he'd thought about going, and probably quieter.

As he quietly opens the door to the mess and turns on a light inside, he finally greets the woman following him. "Welcome, my friend, to the First Sergeants Club. It sucks," he says with a tired smile, "but you'll learn to love it."

Maja looks around for a moment before remembering how exclusive the Club was.

“Ach, have you also been striking your head into a wall?”
Maja looks throughly exhausted as she jumps up on a table and pulls her knees up.

“My lance, I feel as though I have no idea what to say that will be right. They are all so different and many older than me. Why would they listen to a small girl like I am?”

[Dorgan Bruun]

Bruun had hesitated for a moment before answering her first question, and he was glad he did. Oh, she wins. I hadn't thought about what she's facing.

The "old man" grabs two cups from the supply set out for tomorrow's breakfast and then slides into the booth where Maja's perched. He's probably uncomfortably close for a moment but he pushes all the way past so his back is in the corner. Still close, but that's how everything is in the ship.

"Well, the first thing you're gonna do is stop feeling sorry for yourself," he says confidently. "What makes you think there's someone better?" he asks as he pours ouzo into the two cups. Hers has only about a shot of the liquor, while Bruun nearly fills the other small cup for himself.

[Maja Eklund]

Bruun had hesitated for a moment before answering her first question, and he was glad he did. Oh, she wins. I hadn't thought about what she's facing.

The "old man" grabs two cups from the supply set out for tomorrow's breakfast and then slides into the booth where Maja's perched. He's probably uncomfortably close for a moment but he pushes all the way past so his back is in the corner. Still close, but that's how everything is in the ship.

"Well, the first thing you're gonna do is stop feeling sorry for yourself," he says confidently. "What makes you think there's someone better?" he asks as he pours ouzo into the two cups. Hers has only about a shot of the liquor, while Bruun nearly fills the other small cup for himself.

Feeling very sorry for herself
“I’m not feeling sorry for myself!”
She takes the cup with a nod and nocks back the shot.

“Surely they would all be having more talent than I. Most of them are older or more experienced or older and more experienced. I am barely a pilot, most of them have I think seen combat. I can see they have yet to respect me, except maybe Marik but he is very strange.”

[Dorgan Bruun]

Without being asked, he refills the cup with another shot. Well, shot and a half. Even a lightweight can handle a few shots of ouzo.

He thoughtfully takes a good drink from his cup.

"Look, I'm no expert about being a leader," he admits, skipping past the swagger he shows when he's more awake. "But I reckon a big part of being a leader is just standing there and staying cool when others aren't still and aren't cool. Creed saw you do that in the sim."

"And cool has nothing to do with age. Snorri's got hot blood and he's old enough to know better. Felicity, Gillian Chow... They'll be alright, but they need to cool down. Andrea's..." He pauses to take another drink, though it's not that big.

"Well, maybe I don't entirely know what her deal is. But the point is, I saw you being cool in that simulation. You and me, I guess. That's why I was hoping we'd stay in the same lance. Sad that we didn't." He looks at her with the slightly sad, tired smile that he couldn't shake after the last several hours.

[Maja Eklund]

Without being asked, he refills the cup with another shot. Well, shot and a half. Even a lightweight can handle a few shots of ouzo.

He thoughtfully takes a good drink from his cup.

"Look, I'm no expert about being a leader," he admits, skipping past the swagger he shows when he's more awake. "But I reckon a big part of being a leader is just standing there and staying cool when others aren't still and aren't cool. Creed saw you do that in the sim."

"And cool has nothing to do with age. Snorri's got hot blood and he's old enough to know better. Felicity, Gillian Chow... They'll be alright, but they need to cool down. Andrea's..." He pauses to take another drink, though it's not that big.

"Well, maybe I don't entirely know what her deal is. But the point is, I saw you being cool in that simulation. You and me, I guess. That's why I was hoping we'd stay in the same lance. Sad that we didn't." He looks at her with the slightly sad, tired smile that he couldn't shake after the last several hours.

“Being cool... ah. I think I see. If a leader is cool then others can be hot in the head or risky because they know the person in charge is still thinking well. So even if I do not know the answer I just....”
She straightens her shoulders slightly

“Act like everything is well and the answer is there and if we stay calm we will win? I can try that, I will not let them see if I am worried.”
Which Maja preferred anyway.

“It would have been nice to be in your lance Bruun, you know much and seem to be a better man than most I have known. I will try to lead my lance like you have said.”

[Dorgan Bruun]

"That sounds good. Just one other bit, which ain't easy: When the others are being hot headed and risky, ya gotta tell them to knock it off. If they don't listen, tell Creed. You just do the best you can, and don't let someone being reckless get anyone else hurt."

He takes another drink, and visibly winces this time.

[Maja Eklund]

"That sounds good. Just one other bit, which ain't easy: When the others are being hot headed and risky, ya gotta tell them to knock it off. If they don't listen, tell Creed. You just do the best you can, and don't let someone being reckless get anyone else hurt."

He takes another drink, and visibly winces this time.

“I will tell them not to do anything I would not. Or anything I would. Something inbetween is probably ideal.”
There’s a deep frown at the wince

“Ach, are you carrying the injuries under there? What have you been up on?.... should you be with the doctors?”

[Dorgan Bruun]

“I will tell them not to do anything I would not. Or anything I would. Something inbetween is probably ideal.”
There’s a deep frown at the wince

“Ach, are you carrying the injuries under there? What have you been up on?.... should you be with the doctors?”

Before he can clarify his advice, Bruun gets caught up in her concern.

"No, no, I'm fine," he says, waving his shooting hand while he keeps anything on the other side of his body still. There was just a commotion around the perimeter a bit ago, some shots got fired..." Bruun realizes the next point in his report would be the casualties and decides to dodge that for now. "Er, I'm sure the major will brief everyone tomorrow about everything." Then in a flash of cunning, he knows how he can redirect the conversation. He does feel guilty about it, though, at least a little.

"How are you and Felicity doing on the tail issue?"

[Maja Eklund]

Before he can clarify his advice, Bruun gets caught up in her concern.

"No, no, I'm fine," he says, waving his shooting hand while he keeps anything on the other side of his body still. There was just a commotion around the perimeter a bit ago, some shots got fired..." Bruun realizes the next point in his report would be the casualties and decides to dodge that for now. "Er, I'm sure the major will brief everyone tomorrow about everything." Then in a flash of cunning, he knows how he can redirect the conversation. He does feel guilty about it, though, at least a little.

"How are you and Felicity doing on the tail issue?"

"The tail? It is a most fraught issue, I think she is unhappy that I can see it. I tried to say 'Your tail is lucky, this is good' but I do not think she liked that either. I will have to find some way to speak that she will hear...but I am not sure what. She reminds me of me but how you say..."
Miming with her hands
"Inflated? Like every part of me was full of water, like a balloon?"