SYNOPSYS:

Starbuck has just finished a sim session and as he exits the module he finds Boomer also just finishing up.  Mark arrives and the three think back on other times…Not better…Just different.

Simulator Room -- Lounge <Galactica>

This small waiting area is known as the Hot Seat. Here pilots lounge on couches or pace back and forth awaiting their turn at the simulators.

Two short flights of stairs lead up to the raised platform that contains the flight simulators. A tactical board mounted into one of the walls, allows the Patrol Leader to mock up formations and confer with, or instruct, his patrol members on how they should react to the given scenario. You notice TWO MONITOR SCREENS hanging from the ceiling.

Contents:

Ankh  Boomer

Starbuck hops down out of his sim module tossing the helmet back into the unit before jumping down the short flight of stairs into the sim lounge, "Hey there..." He smiles and starts patting down his jacket looking for something, "Hey Boomer...How'd your sim session go?"

Boomer shrugs "Well enough..Didn't get killed..."

Starbuck grins, "That's the trick now isn't it...Got tagged by an alliance destroyer myself. Personally I thin Wilker and his boys take a bit to much enjoyment in making that" He hikes his thumb back at the sim unit, "Thing a bit to realistic..." He goes back to searching his jacket.

Boomer grins and nods "Yeah, well least ya don't die fer real in there....." he arches an eyebrow "What'cha lookin for ?"

Starbuck frowns, "I know I tucked a fumarillo in here earlier..."

Ankh stretches a bit and relaxes.

Boomer nods a little "It'll turn up..." he grins a little "Cassie probably took the 'smolderin weed' out when ya weren't lookin" he winks.

Boomer nods "Need to get myself some more of em.."

Starbuck grins as he finds the fumarillo way down deep inside his pocket, "Well...she might have gotten the other one but.." A look of panic strikes as he begins patting again, "My lighter....."

Mark walks in and nods, "Heya Starbuck.. Boomer"

Starbuck nods as he continues patting down his pockets looking for his lighter, "She wouldn't have...."

Mark pulls out a lighter, "Here.."

Mark tosses the lighter towards Starbuck, "I'll want it back though."

Starbuck pulls out his own lighter just as he catches Marks...

Mark shakes his head, "Well, I figured you'd have one in there somewhere."

Starbuck smiles broadly at his discovery and tosses Marks lighter back to him, "Thanks...But I found it."

Boomer grins "Would have thought you would have had a few spares Starbuck..."

Mark catches the lighter and grins, "So, how are the rookies doing in the sims?"

Starbuck lights the fumarillo and take two long satisfying drags from it, letting the thick smoke drift lazily from his lips...

Starbuck plops down in the nearby couch crossing his legs at the ankle out in front of him and puffing contentedly on his fumarillo. Starbuck shrugs, "A couple show some promise," Returning to Marks earlier question, "although a few must have just slipped through the academy..."

Boomer nods a little "Yeah....Well, can't blame the rookies....They are after all, only rookies"

Starbuck nods, "Yeah..." He stretches out on the couch and looks to the other pilots, "Were we ever that green?"

Boomer grins "Dunno....Do you remember that far back ?"

Mark grins, "I heard some stories about you, Starbuck.. but you we never that bad in the stories"

Boomer nods a little to Mark

Starbuck raises his eyebrows, clenchine the fumarillo in his teeth as he clasps his hand behind his head and eyes Mark, "Stories?"

Mark nods, "Back on the Columbia, we had a few stories come our way when Lt Galin contacted me to say hi. Lt Galin and Lt Nerrick were originally under my command."

Starbuck frowns slightly as a memory surfaces that he hadn't thought of in some time, "You knew Lt. Nerrick?"

Boomer arches an eyebrow and listens, sitting down.

Mark nods, "He started on the Columbia in Hyperion squadron."

Starbuck nods, "Yeah...I suppose I remember him mentioning something about that...Been a long time..." His words trail off as he chews on the end of the fumarillo, but the usual enjoyment isn't reflected in his eyes...

Mark frowns slightly, "I was at his memorial service but... by then he was a Galactica member"

Starbuck nods absently once again removing the fumarillo from his mouth allowing his hands to drop rather limply at his sides, "Good pilot..."

He looks up at Mark seemingly at a loss for words, "I uh...." He trails off...

Mark nods, "It's ok Starbuck. I reviewed the flight recorder logs. There wasn't anything you could do."

Starbuck purses his lips, "There's always something that could have been done..." He shakes his head, "I was just to far out of position...couldn't close fast enough..."

Boomer nods a little "Starbuck, it wasn't your fault...There really wasn't anything you could do..."

Starbuck nods shrugs and slips the fumarillo back into his mouth trying to affect his trademark grin but only half succeeding, "That seems like almost a lifetime ago..."

Mark grins, "It was back when I outranked you, Starbuck. so it was a lifetime ago."

Starbuck's grin becomes a bit more heartfelt, "You've done pretty good for yourself since then eh?"

Boomer nods a little.

Mark chuckles, "Well, I didn't think I'd get another command after my courtmartial, but frak. with the number of experienced pilots dropping per sector, they decided to give me another shot with command."

Starbuck grin returns in full force, "Better you than me..."

Boomer chuckles

Mark motions back towards his uniform, then shakes his head, "it's not that bad once you get used to it. Getting back into military life was tough tho. It took me a few sectons."

Kendrick walks in and sits down. He starts to look over his datapad, showing no interest in the conversation.

Mark glances towards his chrono, "well, I've got about 15 centons before my patrol rotation. Anyone wanna join me?"

Starbuck shakes his head, "I'm on furlon...One secton of uninterrupted relaxation..."

Mark smirks, "You have all the luck. "

Starbuck grins as he leans back in the couch, once again, contentedly puffing on the fumarillo with his hands clasped behind his head, "Someone has to...Might as well be me."

Mark chuckles, "yea.. I guess I found that out the hard way, last time I'll ever play pyramids with you"

Starbuck raises an eyebrow, "But ya never know when Lady luck will smile on ya...Maybe you'd like to give Pyramid another chance..."

Mark shakes his head, "I'm not makin half the cubits I was back then."

Starbuck grins, "I can make sure ya don't even make half." The tip of the fumarillo bobs up and down gently with his slight chuckle, as a smug look crosses his face...

Bojay enters from the north.

Mark grins and shakes his head, "No thanks, Starbuck. I'll keep my meager cubits to spend trying to impress the ladies."

Mark mutters to himself, "that never works either"

Kendrick sets his datapad down and looks around.

Boomer glances to Mark "When ya goin on patrol ?"

Starbuck shrugs, still completely satisfied with himself, "Suit yourself...I think I have a game going with the engineers tonight...If they finish the repairs on the vipers in time..."

Kendrick glances to Bojay, "Evening, Captain."

Mark checks his chrono, "Oh.. about 5 centons now. Just about to head up to pre-flight to detail out other flight patterns from my squadron." He glances over his shoulder, "Evening, Captain Bojay."

Boomer nods to Bojay "Evening Captain" then nods to Mark "Mind if I join ya ?"

Mark shakes his head, "Not at all, Boomer. anyone else want to go with Gold Spar on a routine patrol?"

Kendrick nods, "I'll go."

Mark nods to Kendrick.

Kendrick stands up, "Let me grab my helmet." He starts to move toward the door, "Where's preflight?"

Mark says, "Alpha Deck, Ken."

Kendrick nods.

Kendrick walks out the door.

Mark turns towards the door also, "Cya around, gentlemen."

Boomer nods and follows Mark

Boomer says, "See ya around Starbuck..."

Starbuck tips his hand to his head in salute as the trio make their way out of the sim lounge and adds, "Good flying boys, I'll keep the girls company while you're away…"

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This page last edited:  07/31/04