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Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Stardate 57561.72
MARCH 12 2381
1430 hrs

[ Lt Cmdr Thomas Ravon | Arboretum Terrace & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]

The ceremony of Captain Jien Ives had ended about an hour ago, there were still quite some people lingering about the terrace though as Thomas walked up to the the makeshift stage that had been created for the ceremony. Although most fallen crewmen had been commemorated during the official ceremony, the pack leader decided to hold a smaller ceremony aimed towards his pack. The losses they had suffered over the past few days had been substantial and if anything else, the wolves were a tight knit group.

A quick head count of the unique wolf uniforms made it quite evident to Ravon that everyone was at the terrace and he spoke up "My fellow crewmen. I'm sorry for taking the stand like this... I've not prepared anything nor am I man of a lot of words... Though, this ship and my squadron specifically. They've conquered a place in my heart that is not easily earned." he paused as he looked at each one of his wolf companions "Although I sincerely hope that most of us will live to see an end to our mission, reality teaches me that this won't be possible. None of us were built to last forever and with the odds stacked against us, each person that we lose feels like a tragedy.

While it seemed like he drew the attention of more bystanders than just his wolves, the pilot continued "Even though I've only served with a couple of you for a short time, I wish that our fallen friends will find peace and serenity. That they may continue on a different journey fueled by the warmth of our hearts and thoughts that we will cherish for them forever in their absence. Farewell my fallen friends." he concluded his speech as he looked over his shoulder to the names of the fallen.

With that the pilot quickly departed from the stage as fast as he had risen up to it, he sought out the company of his fellow pilots and looked up to the stage in case anybody else would find the courage or will to speak.

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #1 –
[ Ens. Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan @Vox @Nolan
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Isel stood quietly with the rest of the wolves, hands folded behind her back as she listened to Commander Ravon. The Leader of the Lone Wolves gave a touching speech in honour of those the pack had lost. Isel didn’t know how many they had lost since the Theurgy had fled, having just come aboard, but she knew that each one would have been a blow to close-knit group of pilots.

Ravon’s speech had followed one made earlier by the Captain, commemorating those crew who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of Theurgy’s mission. It had been a solemn day, one of reflection and remembrance. The speeches had been touching, though Isel had known none of those aboard Theurgy who had perished. Still she stood in respectful silence, knowing many of those around her would be mourning one of the many fallen.

Isel heard a cough off to her left, and cast a quick glance in the direction. Leaning forward slightly to see past Donna, she caught sight of a familiar face, recognizing another defector of the recent battle. Confused, Isel leaned over and nudged Donna with her elbow. As Donna directed her eyes down at Isel, the Vulpinian gestured discreetly with her chin in the man’s direction.

”Donna…” Isel whispered, not wanting to interrupt the ceremony being conducted, ”That’s Wraith, isn’t it?” Isel directed a puzzled glance up at Donna. ”I thought he was dead...”

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #2 –
[ Lieutenant JG Evelyn Rawley, callsign "Ghost" | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
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For the occasion, despite how she normally didn't give a shite about such stuff, Evelyn Rawley had donned her white-collar Starfleet uniform when she came to the Arboretum. It was uncomfortable, but she made the effort since she knew how pissed off people could be when she wouldn't stand on ceremony.

So, she stood there among the new wolf pack, which despite it's old name Lone Wolves was actually a pack of strays from different ships. They might as well have donned the new squad name Stray Wolves. This was about remembrance too, in how she was among the original wolves in the pack. Isley was there too, just as Goldie, Hardtop, Razor... and Iron Fox. Too few, but all were to remember the fallen.

Personally, Rawley had a lot of lost wolves to remember, not looking at the others present. At least not right away. She had her hands folded behind her back, shoulders squared. Or as she tended to call it, 'tits out'. Oh, how she longed to get out of the uniform. She heard whispers among those in the pack, but she refrained joining in or commenting as well. It was easily done.

Miles Renard was present, so she felt like a cocked gun in his company. He made no effort to speak with him, even though he wasn't too far off. She had to see a counselor, she knew, since shit just kept piling on. Fuck how I need a scotch after this...

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #3 –
Miles Renard  | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy @Auctor Lucan @Nolan  @Fife  

Miles had made his way to the memorial itself.... specifically, he had made his way to the location of one name.  While he knew there were many wolves lost this one felt personal. For one the man had been a close friend for many years now and was the only familiar face that had been assigned to the Theurgy at the time when he was given his new squadron's name and his number in it.

The deck-boss had been a close friend but there was something else.  A regret that was unspoken.  The man had died mere moments before Miles had arrived in the bay.  A minute earlier and instead of finding his friend dead he may have instead found himself fighting by his side to fend off the Borg incursion. Perhaps it would have been his name here instead, perhaps it would have been them both, or perhaps the old bear would be pouring shots of his favorite drink to the memory of all the others that were lost.

Either way the truth was there were more than pilots  and crew lost that day for miles the closest thing to a human that he considered family had died. His time alone in space had made him think of his homeworld Made him worried for their fate in this battle with an unseen enemy, but he had felt something pulling him back to the Theurgy.  He felt like it was a home as well that he had a new family that he fought to protect here. 

But with that figure gone Miles had felt something he had never felt on this ship.  He felt like a stranger somewhere he didn't belong.  Hell one of his squadron hated him, and a good portion of the squadron had never met him and yet he was supposedly the person who used to be doing what Ravon was now doing.  Just by numbers as much of the quad probably knew Ravon as the only Wolf leader and Miles was just this guy who used to have the job till he disappeared on them.  To top it all off the closest thing he had to a brother was dead and now there was another of his own species in a uniform like his and yet she was as much a stranger as every other member of the crew who had joined after they had been labeled traitors.  He wondered if someone did a census of the crew how many of the original crew was even left.  Just how many of the original 'traitors' had already been given their death sentence.

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #4 –
[ Tessa May Lance | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]

Standing behind Miles was Tessa. 

"Wow, just think sir, less than a week ago, your name might have been added to that wall," she blurted out thoughtlessly.  "Although I guess the same could be said for any of us, now that I say it out loud," she continued carelessly, childishly not realizing that she was interrupting the silent contemplation that was part of mourning and remembering the fallen.  Or was this simply her way of putting it off until she could deal with it?  "We really thought you were a goner there, for a while.  I sure hope Rini will find her way back.  They brought Honey Badger out of stasis after we left Starbase 84.  She went missing on a mission in the Ithacae System when we encountered the Klingons and a giant…" her voice trailed off when she noticed that she was the only one speaking.  As if only realizing her puerile faux pas just now, Tessa’s pale face reddened significantly.  "I’ll um, tell you about it later sir," she gulped softly before darting away and leaving Miles to his solitude.
   
The problem with leaving her squadmate to his solitude was that it left Tessa Lance alone too.  The problem with that was when her mouth wasn’t moving she was actually thinking, and that was the last thing she wanted to do right now, despite the sliver of hope that had been offered by the Klingons and the surprisingly easy to convince Aldeans.  The last thing she wanted was for the loss of her friends and shipmates to get through to her enough to start her crying like a toddler again.  The humiliation from bawling like a baby upon discovering that Sten “Poppa Bear” Covington had been killed was still stinging and was almost as painful as the loss of Poppa Bear himself.  It wouldn’t be good for morale if started weeping out loud again and her inadvertent botheration of Miles Renard wasn’t doing anything for discipline.  It was pretty shameful and dishonorable if one wanted to be honest about it.

Taking a deep breath, Tessa stood at attention while facing the wall and did her best to shut her pie hole.

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #5 –
Lt. Jg Devyrie Okhala | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall  | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
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It was a good think that her and Vinnie had decided to stick around after Captain Ives had finished his speech and spend time with the other Wolves as Commander Ravon their CO had decided to step up onto the stage and give his own speech solely for them. His wasn't as long as Ives' speech was but was still a good one, especially for a man of few words by his own admission.

She had spotted Alessia and exchanged a few words but nothing remotely close to the conversation they would need to have at some point, not that she was particularly in the right frame of mind to think or make any decisions based on what had happened between them at the moment, nor was it the time. This was about commemorating their lost pack mates.

Looking around there were many pilots she didn't recognise, herself being relatively new as part of the White Wolves from the Orcus, one of many who had joined the Theurgy's original Wolves squadron lately. She wasn't entirely sure but it was entirely possible that the newer pilots now had more numbers than the originals at this point, not that it mattered, they were all Wolves and part of the same pack. It was hard to explain to anybody outside of the Squadron but there was a bond between them all that was certainly unique.  Her RIO Vinnie had informed her that they had lost a few packmates during her absence and couldn't help but wonder how things might have gone had the Savi not abducted as many of them as they had, plucked out of the battle as they were.

Vinnie for example was an okay pilot and while he knew how to fly their Valravn he, much like most of the RIOs were no where near as skilled as she and the other pilots were. Still like most things, there was little she could do or say about it now, what was done was done, all they could do was keeping moving forward as her father would say and carry the memory of their fallen brothers and sisters with them.

With Alessia in conversation with some of the others and Vinnie mingling with a few of the other RIO's, Dev found herself alone which would have gotten her thinking about things she didn't particularly want to at this moment in time. Luckily her attention was drawn to a fellow Wolf with a shaved head standing a few paces in front of her who looked about as uncomfortable as she could be in the regulation uniform based on how she was moving and shuffling, it actually brought a small smile to her face.

Taking a few steps to close the distance between them, she came to a casual stop beside her fellow Wolf. "You know I don't think I've ever seen someone look as uncomfortable in the regulation uniform as you do. You okay in there? Looks like you're in a dogfight with it." she whispered with a smile.

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #6 –
[ Lieutenant JG Evelyn Rawley, callsign "Ghost" | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
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Listening when Goldeneye began to speak, Rawley turned her head a little and looked in the woman's direction. She remembered comforting Tessa after hearing about Sten, and he'd already heard about Honey Badger as well. She and Rini had enjoyed a brief tryst back on Earth, before the whole madness with Starfleet Command started, and she'd entered the relationship with Soo Young Seung. It was clear that Tessa realised that she had been talking quite loudly, interrupting the silent contemplation of those mourning, so she fell silent soon enough. Rawley looked back at the names of old Lone Wolves who'd she'd not launch from the fighter bay with again, and took a deep breath.

Counselor Ejek had recommended her to focus on the loss of Soo, since that had been the most keenly felt. Even more so than loosing her half brother to Captain Vasser and his mad Vulcan First Officer. Therefore, in the interim between Ives speaking and Ravon taking a few moments on the podium, Rawley had summoned the holographic image of Soo at one of the projection platforms in the corner of the terrace, and as she looked at the image of Oracle - which had been her callsign - she had tried to not shy away from the... profound regret that grew inside her. So much had been unsaid, and the things said between them before she was killed had been warped by her fears. Rejecting Soo because she had felt vulnerable was something that she'd have to live with, and it certainly didn't make grieving any easier.

She heard the approaching footsteps and rolled her shoulders, not liking how the cut of the uniform made her feel, and whoever approached soon spoke up... actually catching on to how much she wanted to be back in a regular tank top or a hoodie. She smiled in a lopsided way and turned her head, seeing one of the new Wolves. She'd caught the name on the Squad Chart, the callsign being Dragon, but since the woman had been abducted before Rawley was thawed from stasis, she'd not been able to speak with her. Evidently, this Devyrie Okhala had flown the Reaver back from the Versant, if reports were to be believed, which was no small feat based on what she'd heard about those Savi bastards.

"Yeah," she admitted and and cleared her throat. She shifted her stance a little and folded her arms underneath her chest, looking back towards the wall of names. "I consider it an occupational hazard, having to wear it now and again. I'd rather wear the exosuit, actually, if I can't just have my hoodie or flight jacket and some top. Nothing beats sweat pants, though... or just lounging in one's knickers when off duty, right?"

She looked back at the woman's profile, brown eyes following the length of the woman's white curls. They wore it like that in some parts of Alpha Centauri, she recalled. "You're Dragon right?" she asked, thinking that it was quite a badass callsign if she ever heard one. "I'm Ghost. Mostly because I should be one by now. They think I'm a bit of a daredevil, apparently."

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #7 –
[ Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Arboretum Terrace Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Fife
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Donna had been scanning the wall, searching for any names that she might recognise either from her current career as a pilot or her former one as an intelligence asset. So far, she hadn’t found any, which given the size of Starfleet, was almost to be expected. But she also couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before a name she did recognise would be up on this wall; especially given that she was now aboard the ship apparently leading the fight. She couldn’t avoid getting to know those she was now bunking, eating, living and fighting beside so it was really only a matter of time before a name she knew was up on the wall, or, given her role as a combat pilot with the Lone Wolves, her own was up there.

A nudge at her side and Donna looked down at Isel to see her leaning forward to look past her. At a gesture from the Vulpinian, Donna turned to look in the direction she indicated even as Isel spoke, asking her if that was Wraith that she was looking at. Looking at the man, Donna had to agree that it did look like the pilot.

“I think you might be right, Isel,” Donna commented. “Though I thought that he was in stasis.”

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #8 –
Lt. Jg Devyrie Okhala | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall  | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
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Dev found herself nodding in agreement at Rawley's statement, while she didn't hate the standard uniform as much as her fellow Wolf did, she did prefer the hoodie or flight jacket over the uniform if given the option. However in cases like this, the Uniform was the far more suitable outfit. "I much prefer the hoodie too personally, although I don't mind wearing the uniform for situations like this, something a little more freeing and loose though is where it's at." she replied.

Dev watched as the woman looked back at her, studying her profile as it were and nodded at the mention of her callsign "That's me, earned it due to my "fiery temper and attitude" apparently, it was meant as an insult I think but I embraced...plus it does sound great." she replied and chuckled when Rawley said they thought of her as a daredevil.

"Well yeah, being a daredevil is kind of a job requirement for being a Wolf, that shouldn't surprise anyone. As for the whole dying thing, again that comes with being a Wolf it's not like we became fighter pilots because it was safe right?" she added.

Taking a moment to look around the room, others were talking or hugging each other as they remembered the lost. "Look on it this way, given everything we've been through there's a good chance we'll all be Ghosts by the end of it, even more so us Wolves, at least you got dibs on the most fitting callsign when that situation ever rolls around for us all." she smiled.
 

Re: Day 02 [1430 hrs.] Losing One Of Our Own

Reply #9 –
[ Lieutenant JG Evelyn Rawley, callsign "Ghost" | Arboretum Terrance & Memorial Wall | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ]
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Hearing Devyrie say how apt Rawley's callsign might be for them all eventually, she chuckled. "Like a bloody foregone conclusion," she said and shook her head. "Aye, I suppose it's quite apt. Fiery temper, you say? Then your callsign might as well be my own too, though I guess I may have mellowed quite a bit since I was thawed. All these responsibilities getting to me, I guess. Mission being so damn serious and all."

Feeling like she'd had quite enough of all the grieving, since the memorial ceremony had been preceded by a counselling session with that 'dassian Ejek, Rawley turned towards the Luna Base and Orcus pilot that had got aboard with a lopsided smile.

"You know, I've never had the chance to be in the cockpit of one of those Valravn fighters. Care to let me RIO with you some day? I'd love to get to know my new wolf sisters. After all, seems like this enemy isn't one to go away overnight, so we'll likely be flying together for quite some time." There were also ulterior motives, in which she wanted to avoid talking to Miles Renard - who's presence was like a thorn in her eye. Sure she'd promised to sort things out with Iron-Fox, but between the ceremony, the counselling and seeing Soo's holo-projection, she felt like she'd tortured herself enough already. Time for some levity, but more importantly, to get to know the new Lone Wolves.

"That is, like you said, unless either of us earn my callsign for real," she added with a chuckle, and began to saunter towards the exit.

- FIN
 
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