ORP: Calm before the storm

[Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard]

2001 Hours
Wine Bar
Washington DC

It had been far too long since Ayden had crossed paths with Troy, and she was glad that she had decided to call him this morning and set up a dinner. It was good to be with someone who had experienced some of the same events that she had, even if said events had happened years in the past. It was hard walking around all day and not running into someone who she had served with. The bonds you form on an expedition such as theirs were hard to find in another setting.

"Still have an adventurous side, I see. Not many in your position would brave the subway around here. I even hear some locals who avoid it at all costs," she replied, chuckling softly before she placed her order. The waiter came back with a White Russian for her and she lifted her glass, meeting Troy's in a toast and she nodded, her gaze dropping for a brief moment in memory of the friends they had lost during their time in the Delian Galaxy.

She took a sip of her drink before returning it to the table. Her legs crossed at the ankles and she looked up at her old friend and former colleague. "A promotion of sorts, actually," she explained. "I had to come and deal with some bureaucratic red tape, and you know as well as I do how exciting that is." The one thing that came with age and experience was a lot more paperwork and less exciting things that she much rather have the pleasure of enjoying; like climbing into the cockpit once again.

< Tag: Troy Loveridge >

[Troy Loveridge]

2002 hours
Wine bar
Washington, DC

Troy sipped his drink as he listened to Ayden talk. It was good to see her. In DC, 'friends' came and went in the blink of an eye, there for you if you had something they needed, and no where to be found it you were no longer useful to them. It was a real dog-eat-dog world in the District. From his time in the military Troy had become used to unquestionable reliability and selflessness from those he worked with. He'd been burned a few times during his first months here, and was slowly learning how it all worked. To have a real friend in town to spent time with was a nice change.

"That's why they pay us the big bucks," he replied. "Someone has to keep the paper flowing so the young ones can stay in the fight." From the sounds of it, Ayden was having the same trouble adjusting to working in the bureaucracy that he'd initially had. It took a while to accept that you could no longer experience the thrill and the rush of being in the field.

"So will this see you being posted here in DC?" he asked, someone hopefully. In addition to having an old friend in town, it would be great to have someone he could trust in the NID. While they'd cleaned house and were on the straight and narrow it was always good to have something you knew calling the shots.

< Tag Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard >

[Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard]

2003 Hours
Wine Bar
Washington DC

Ayden missed being in the fight more than anyone. Being in the cockpit was second nature to her, her other home, and since her accident she had only flown a handful of times. Of course these had been small civilian aircrafts, nothing quite like the fighter jets she used to fly, but it was something. Not nearly enough to help her urge to fly again though. How she longed to be back inside an F-302 or another jet of any sort. At this rate she would take anything, but she was finally starting to learn how to let go and focus on the next part of her career.

"It is the least exciting job on the planet," she remarked, a soft chuckle leaving her lips as she placed her glass down in front of her. "I know there are some born for the job of 'paper pusher' but I don't think either one of us are those people." Unfortunately they weren't given much choice if they chose to stay in their line of work, so Ayden couldn't complain much. She would do what she had to to be sure the job they had all started would be completed, with the least amount of casualties. 

"Yes, actually. After my earlier meetings I spent a good deal of time trying to find a place. I was looking both here in DC and Alexandria." Ayden had fallen in love with Alexandria, especially the downtown portion. It was only eight miles from her new office in DC so it was feasible, but at first she was starting to wonder if it was better to get a job right in the city. After looking at a few places she was now leaning more towards Alexandria. "So it looks like we might have to schedule more of these dinners, General. You'll be my only true friend here."

< Tag: Troy Loveridge >

[Troy Loveridge]

2004 hours
Wine bar
Washington, DC

"It's not that when you boil it all down," he explained. "Sure I don't get to see it in action, but my office writes a lot of policy and long-term strategy that helps shape how we use the Stargate now and into the future." At least, that was the most interesting way of explaining what he did all day. "Though for once, just once, it would be good to go through the old 'Gate and see what sort of difference my team makes."

"Property market around here is savage," he said in agreement as Ayden explained the challenges she was facing finding a place. "Managed to land a nice apartment on Sixth Avenue, down by the waterfront. Cost a pretty penny mind you - all that combat pay really added up after a while." Troy and the other members of the expedition had been paid very high rates for their three year expedition, and windfall made all the more better by the fact there hadn't been any shops to spend it it.

His wife's life insurance payout had helped, especially since his estranged daughter had refused to take any, but that was hardly polite dinner conversation.

"And I agree, it would be great to get our two departments talking again," he replied. "Of course it could be social, doesn't have to always be work related," he hastily added.

< Tag Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard >

[Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard]

2005 Hours
Wine Bar
Washington DC

Perhaps her former Commanding Officer was right. It wasn't all paper pushing. She knew her department did a lot of good now that the bad eggs were taken out of it. The complete swipe of all corrupt agents had taken a long time, and when she got moved up to her newest position one of her long-term goals were to keep it that way. She rather have people she trusted, individuals who she or people she trusted served with in the program, those who knew the importance of what they did. So far, they had done a good job of weeding most of those who were only in it for their personal gain out, but she knew that there was always trouble - they just had to find it. 

"I haven't even put a dent in the combat pay I earned. I was able to start a fund up for little Isaac with his father's pay for when he's older, and mine has been sitting in a few investment accounts. I figure it's about time I start to use it. Between the different assignments I've had since this program started it has all added up," she replied with a shake of her head. Her late husband had left behind a substantial amount of money but Ayden didn't feel right using it, instead she thought the better use would be towards their son; she knew it was what Alavair would have wanted.

She smiled at his next set of words and nodded as she leaned back in her seat. "Does that mean we don't have to constantly be focusing on work? That seems how most of my life has been lately. I think it's time for a change," she laughed softly as she crossed her legs at the ankles. "So let's try it - how are you doing, Troy? Outside of work?"

< Tag: Troy Loveridge >

[Troy Loveridge]

2007 hours
Wine bar
Washington, DC

The conversation shifted from work to life in general, a topic on which he suspected he didn’t have much to discuss. He could chat here all day about official business and going ons within the Pentagon, but opening up about his personal life was something he hadn’t done in a while. Around here it paid to play your cards close to your chest.

Troy often wondered if he had much of a life outside of his office. With his son in the Air Force, his daughter not speaking to him, and no wife or partner on the scene, he didn’t find much time or need to socialise. He had some friends and colleagues that he spent time with in DC, but almost all of those discussion were work related in one way or another. His Monday to Friday routine was to be at the Pentagon by 0730 and back home between 1800 and 2000 hours depending on the work load. The occasional early finish to attend a work function or meet an international colleague for dinner, again to talk work. Weekends seemed to be spent caught up on reading reports, with one or two Saturdays a month spent at work dealing with a crisis. On reflection, there wasn’t much he could actually talk about.

Ayden mentioned her son Issac, who Troy was pretty sure he’d never met. He really should have by now - another important event in a friends life that he’d been too busy to attend. He wondered for a moment if the boy took after his mother or his father. There was a slight pang of guilt as he thought of his own daughter, who’d cut off all ties with him shortly after he’d returned to Earth after he'd missed his wife's funeral to conduct the invasion of Olympia. Again, a decision that should have gone the other way. Duty first was a noble cause, but often a lonely one.

“I’ve been good,” he said, lying. “Just, you know, keeping busy.” He took a sip of his drink as his mind raced, trying to think of something non-work related that he’d done recently. “There’s… there’s just so much to do in DC, it’s hard to know where to start.” Tried as he might, he suspected Ayden was seeing straight through him. He took another sip of his drink. This wasn’t going as well as he had hoped.

“Early start tomorrow or could you stick around for another drink?” he asked as he consumed the final contents of his glass. He had definitely knocked that drink back faster than he should have.

< Tag Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard >

[Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard]

2010 Hours
Wine Bar
Washington DC

Ayden didn't need a degree in psychology to see that Troy was lying through his teeth about his personal life. She knew he had it rough awhile back with losing his wife, but they had never spoken about it, just as Ayden never spoke about the loss of her husband. It was almost taboo territory to bring up. She liked to think the two of them could talk about most things, so why he was lying about his life was beyond her, but was it within her realm to question him despite not having had seen him in so long? She wasn't sure yet. Ayden followed his lead and finished her drink off before placing the empty glass down and she slid it toward the center of the table. She watched him carefully for a few long moments, studying him, before she lifted a hand to flag their waiter down when she caught him out of the corner of her eye. 

"How about we go for something a bit stronger, eh? I think we both deserve it."

When the waiter came over Ayden placed them another order of drinks, a few shots each this time, in hopes that it would get both of them to loosen up and talk more freely. She knew what it was like to have her job consume her, it was part of the reason her son had chosen to stay with her brother instead of her. Put her in a cockpit or give her something to solve and she could do it in a heartbeat, but this whole motherhood thing took a toll on her. She wasn't even sure where to begin with that issue, and with her son getting older it was only going to get harder and she knew that. When the shots were delivered, Ayden slid one over to Troy before picking one up for herself. 

"Let's get a couple of these in your system then we'll try that last question again, hm? No holding back - for either of us."

< Tag: Troy Loveridge >

[Troy Loveridge]

2249 hours
Wine bar
Washington, DC

Having a ‘couple’ more drinks hadn’t gone so well for them.

Troy squinted as he stepped out of the wine bar, the street lamps seeming brighter than they should. His ears were slightly ringing from jazz band that had turned up the volume during the last hour of drinks service. The General paid a little extra attention to where he was stepping, making sure one foot was in front of the other.

“…so in sum… so in summation, Trent is on deployment and I barely hear from him, Brooklyn STILL isn’t speaking to me, and I haven’t heard from Blackwell in months,” he ranted to Ayden, having just finished telling her how his brother-in-law was single-handedly driving his late father’s construction business into the ground. “All in all I’d say it beens a few pretty great years.”

It had been a cathartic experience to let it all out after bottling up his issues for so long. He knew that there was exactly zero Ayden could do to fix his family life, but just having someone listen was help enough.

“Early start tomorrow?” he asked, looking around for a cab. It was only starting to dawn on him what the time was, and how few hours there was between now and his daily pick-up for work tomorrow.

< Tag Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard >

[Justin Anderson]

1034-1037 Hours
Stargate Command
Level 25 Corridors and Labs

When the alarm had first gone off ten minutes ago, it had been quite a surprise to find out what had managed to slip past the scientist that was studying it, it was almost like an alien dog, but it also had wings, something that had made it's current apprehension more difficult than it would other wise be, and luckily other than a nasty bite the animal had nothing else other than mainly it's ability to fly, for brief periods and its quick agility to it's advantage.

Chasing the obviously frightened and disoriented animal through the SGC would hardly qualify as normal, it did however qualify as very interesting even to someone who'd already spent a little over nine months in total off world, mostly as bases but a few times as a fill in or extra for a team, most injuries weren't due to hostile alien forces anymore, mostly it was falling or down unstable ground or scientists touching or pressing the wrong things, of course the shooting and the shooting back still happened the galaxy was far from safe for the ardent explorer.

Chasing the flying dog down a hallway two other airmen were in it seemed like it would be in their grasp only for it to make an awkward looking but very useful flight assisted jump past the two. "This counts as dangerous duty right.." He said as he ran past them continuing the chase.

Rounding another corner it seemed to have made it's way into a dead end. Eyeing the strange creature off from a good ten to twelve feet away he could hear backup running up behind him. 'Can't shoot it... maybe I can hit it... A little?' He thought as he reached slowly for his extendable baton at his waist. The creature flapping it's wings in an attempt to look threatening. "Come on, come here alien buddy... I wont hurt you if you come nicely, might even find you a treat..." It then made a hissed kind of squad and charged and flapped it wings as it got closer.

"Ooooh... sh..." The animal hit him with full force the baton dropped from his hands as the air in his lungs was forced out. landing on his back with a weak wince Justin reached for the animal as it started to run off him. Finding himself dragged a little behind it he tried to reach out with his other hand only to find his berat now firmly in its back paw/not so sharp clay. "what the!!!!!" The animal gave all it's force and dragged the hapless airman behind it around the corner, his backup probably could have stopped it but seeing their comrade being dragged behind it stopped them. "You going to help?" He said as he went by unwilling to let go of the flying dogs hind leg. 

Coming around another corner he managed to latch on and use his weight to eventually stop the animal, just in time too. After exhaling a well earned breath the young airman looked up to see none other than Lieutenant Colonel Graham Simmons staring down at him. "I see you've apprehended the escapee." He didn't seem too pleased the flying down was almost fer certain relieving itself on the officers shoes. "Yes... sir..." He said very slowly. 

1042 Hours
Stargate Command
Lab C - level 25

Returning the 'dog' to it's confinement area in the lab he turned to to clearly both worried for specimen and more than likely worried for job scientist who had let it escape. "Now Doctor... I believe you owe Lieutenant Colonel Simmons a new pair of shoes." Turning to leave he looked over his shoulder at the scientist. "Oh and don't let it escape again..." He was sure he'd have to report to the infirmary for all sorts of tests and needle jabbing for the next long while, sometimes working with strange alien things was fun other times it was humiliating, this time it was the later.

two of his fellow SFs now stood at the doorway, they both have him a little bit of a laugh as he walked out. "Have fun with the doctors..." one of them said. "I sure.... will..." Anderson let out as he made his way towards the elevator and ultimately the infirmary.

[Ayden "Ghost" Sheppard]

2250 hours
Wine bar
Washington, DC

Ayden honestly couldn't remember the last time she had drank so much in such a short period of time. It had been her idea to loosen up, have a few drinks, and relax, but she had underestimated just how much the two of them needed that relaxing bit. She had lost track of time awhile ago and was following Troy's lead at this time and stepped outside of the wine bar a few short steps behind him. She tightened her jacket around her and reached one slender hand out to hook around his elbow; whether it was to keep herself upright or him she wasn't too sure at this point, but it would appear that they both needed it after all.

"Give Brooklyn some time, she'll come around I'm sure," she spoke up, her grip on his arm tightening a bit when she nearly tripped over her own two feet. "And Trent ... well he is your son and the Loveridge name seems to have stubbornness attached." While her own son wasn't causing her problems like Troy's family had been, she knew what it was like to be so disconnected from them. Things always seemed to go wrong in threes, and she was hoping that all of their bad luck was soon to dissipate, even if it was just for the evening.

With their attempts to hail a taxi were going unsolved, Ayden's blue eyes scanned the street before she gently tugged on the General's arm, "hotel--" she motioned, taking a step off the curb. "I'm right across the street. Forget the taxi," this would be much, much easier. They could go back to her room, she could take the blasted heels off she just had to wear, and they could talk some more. Minus the nightcap, perhaps. Her fingertips slid down his arm before she gently took his hand and after taking one look both ways led him across the street.

< Tag: Troy Loveridge >