The other man sitting down put down his magazine. It was an old favorite of Koos', "Firearms Monthly". Since he was a boy on his childhood estate, Koos had an interest in weaponry. The elegance of the utilitarian function of firearms, humanity's weapon of choice since time immemorial, had always fascinated him. He remembered the long nights he spend pouring over the specs, pictures and descriptions of these ancient weapons. He marveled at the thousands of hours entire teams of men must have spent crafting such perfect instruments, despite the crude technology of the time. Not a single unnecessary part was included. Everything served a purpose. The tiniest component fit perfectly in the greater scheme of the device in such organization that it functioned flawlessly. Truely this was the clearest evidence that religion, the opiate of the masses was just that, a drug pushed on people to blind them to their enslavement under property.
The man lurched up and glanced at the woman. So engrossed in her reading, she didn't even seem to notice that he had moved. Seemingly under the same impression as Koos, the man scribbled a note to her and left it on the table next to her. What could it say, Koos wondered. Was it about him? Was the burning hot plasma just the beginning of his trials?
The man walked over to the coffee machine which had gone unnoticed by Koos until now. He fiddled with the dial. He turned to Koos and asked if he was a "drinker" This caught Koos off guard. Struggling through the pain of the burns on his mouth he croaked "If you mean coffee, my good man, then yes."
So true is it that unnatural generally means only uncustomary, and that everything which is usual appears natural.
"Yes, I do mean coffee. If you want creamer, though, you are out of luck. I have already looked everywhere." Yuri picked up a cup and started pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I think its done now" Yuri put the pot back down on the burner and sat back down in his seat. He looked at the door to the office and thought, "I wonder what is taking so long in there? They must still be talking, because I have not heard a gunshot yet."
[font=Arial narrow][color=#FFFF66]Between the songs, Faina noticed the two men talking to each other but she didn't see the newcomer because the other one was blocking her view. She felt a flavor of hot coffee and she noticed the small note on the table. She took it and read it and she smiled subtly after reading.
Going to the coffee maker, she says "Thank you". She pours in a disposable cup of coffee and starts walking on the station's corridors, looking after something interesting.
[color=#FFFF99]"This will take some time and I'm starting to be nervous if I just wait there... Let's see what I can find on this station..."
She wasn't going to go too far. She wanted to remain close to the recruitment office in case she's invited in.
"Yes yes, but have you read the Katz Manifesto? Can you actually tell me something interesting about the Coalition?"
He began toying with his pistol, listening to the chatter in the reception... rolling his eyes and wondering how long until he was allowed to shoot the jibber-jabberers...
He reached out and flipped a switch flooding the reception with music:
Watching the near silent response of the candidate, Mendel shrugged.
"Right then... go... library... read... and I expect you to give me an informed answer... What is the Coalition..." He pointed to the door... Picking up his pistol as he followed the candidate out, looking over the four people in the room.
He lifted his pistol, humming the chorus to sweet Caroline as he looked over the rejects and second raters that had come thinking they actually stood a chance.
"You..." he said pointing to one at random... "Bust a move."
"Commissar?" the recruit mouthed in surprise.
"I am horrifically bored, and unless you start dancing, I am going to have to start shooting... starting with Hamburger over there... and probably hitting you two shots later..." He shrugged. "So dance!"
With Shasta he actually made an attempt to follow docking protocol, cursory that it was.
It took only minutes to get from the docking bay to Commissar Mendel's office, but when he did... Dead body, man with plasma burns, and why the hell is that guy dancing to a Neil Diamond song? Bugger it, doesn't matter.
Ian came to attention in the door. "Commissar Mendel, I regret to inform you that I have failed to recruit any former Seven members. At least, any worthy ones."
gone four years, first day back: Zoners still getting shot in Theta :|
"He's trying....but clearly never had lessons. Or much experience in a nightclub. Or a party."
Ian shrugged. "And why is he dancing alone when there are two beautiful young ladies here?"
He gave a smile to Alicia and the applicant before turning back to the Commissar. "A sub-par performance, for sure."
gone four years, first day back: Zoners still getting shot in Theta :|
[font=Arial narrow][color=#FFFF66]Rather amused than scared by the events, Faina giggles in one of the corners of the room. When the other applicant talks about her with the commissar she freezes and no emotion can be read on her face
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