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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 5248305" data-attributes="member: 143">Interlude: Base Priorities (October 7-13, 2008)* * * Author’s Note: Needless to say, the “Drake incident” spawned a lot of forum posts. I put the following together from the player posts that followed the October 6 session.The strains of Bach went on for a while longer.&nbsp; The hitting of the piano keys seemed to grow harder and harder, as the melody progressed, and after a few minutes Catalina just slammed the lid down and stood up. &quot;I don't understand you, I just don't understand you at all.&quot;&nbsp; Catalina's voice was shaking with anger as she railed on those left in the room.&nbsp; &quot;People just sat and passed the time of day while Vas stood there stunned.&nbsp; Now you’re just going to let her get away with it.&quot;&nbsp; She gestured in Jane's direction.&nbsp; “At least Jane backed me up over the need to so something about this, but you just ignore it!&quot; &quot;This is a member of your team, for Christ's sake.&nbsp; Who knows what could have happened. At that range the thing could have done permanent damage.&quot; Her fist slammed down on the top of the piano, as Catalina raged.&nbsp; &quot;That woman has been nothing but a pain in the arse since we got here and now this?&nbsp; An unprovoked attack on a member of your team, someone who has stood in the line of fire with you and done what they could to save your skin.&nbsp; Somebody maybe you owe your life to.&nbsp; Doesn't that mean anything?&quot;An irritated sigh from Vasily finally fills the long silence.&nbsp; &quot;Okay, I deal with Drake.&nbsp; Okay?&nbsp; I big boy now.&nbsp; Is not big deal... not like I not been shot with one of those things before,&quot; he adds, possibly to try and save some face after such a potentially humiliating episode. &quot;Still.&quot;&nbsp; And here, the Russian's brow creases in consternation.&nbsp; &quot;Not a word from anyone else... it surprise me, you know.&nbsp; So I want to say this.&quot; &quot;Maybe I not like you.&nbsp; Is fine.&nbsp; We all pretty different, huh?&nbsp; If we had meet outside of war, on street, in cafe... maybe we not have much to say.&nbsp; In years to come, if we survive, I not see us meeting up much to have a drink and talk about the old days.&quot; &quot;But you know what?&quot; Vasily raises his eyebrows, and shrugs dismissively.&nbsp; &quot;That mean nothing.&nbsp; This is hard job, the hardest.&nbsp; Let make no bone about it, we go into Hell, and we go there to fight monsters.&nbsp; Our bodies, our minds, all beaten and bruised.&nbsp; This job already killed some, broken others.&nbsp; Hard professionals, too.&quot; He folds his arms, rests against the doorjamb.&nbsp; &quot;But, we all still alive.&nbsp; When I first see Alpha Team, I not think we ready, but we all still here, and you new people, you got with the program fast.&nbsp; We all still on the level, up here,&quot;&nbsp; He taps his forehead, for emphasis, &quot;And that say none of you weak.&nbsp; I may not like you, sure.&nbsp; Maybe you care about that, maybe you don't.&nbsp; But you all have my respect, no question.&quot; Vasily finishes, and looks around at the Team.&nbsp; &quot;What you say to that?&quot;James looked up as Vasily, anger now clouding his face as well.&nbsp; &quot;What are you talking about, Vas?&nbsp; Did I miss something?&nbsp; Yeah, I heard about it, old battle-irons wasted you with a stunner when you weren't looking.&nbsp; I wasn’t there, and I didn’t say anything because you said you’d deal with it.&nbsp; So next time you want some backup, just let me know, cause I got your back a lot more than I've got hers.&nbsp; I've risked my life to patch you up before, and expect I will again.&quot; Jim's expression softens, and he takes on a more philosophical look.&nbsp; &quot;As for the rest of it… truth.&nbsp; All these interpersonal squabbles, annoying as they are, they pale in comparison to what we are fighting.&nbsp; An alien invasion, inimical to humanity.&nbsp; We need to hang together if we are gonna make it.&nbsp; Cause scary as it is, I'm starting to think we—yep, alpha team—are humanity’s last, best hope.&quot; Jane nodded, but didn’t say anything.&nbsp; She’d already pulled Vasily aside privately, to offer her support.&nbsp; “Please know that you have my full support, and I’m sure you have the full support of the entire team,” she’d told him.&nbsp; “She humilitated us as much as you that night.”Catalina's anger had drained somewhat as she watched the exchange between Vasily and James.&nbsp; She turned to the Russian.&nbsp; &quot;If it had been the other way around?&nbsp; Would you have stepped in to help out?&quot;&nbsp; She raised her arms and let them fall helplessly.&nbsp; &quot;I'd kind of like to think someone would, you know?&nbsp; The bitch could as easily have gone for me as for you, in fact I'm surprised she didn't, except for one factor.&quot; &quot;Supposing you did step in, would that have been insulting my own abilities in any way?&nbsp; You weren't in any position to help yourself when I went after her.&quot;&nbsp; Catalina flopped back down on the piano stool.&nbsp; &quot;Yeah, you're a big boy, but isn't that what we're supposed to do?&nbsp; Help one another when we can't help ourselves?&quot; &quot;You forget one thing she didn't.&nbsp; She's female and, notably, you're a man.&nbsp; You hit her and what does it look like?&nbsp; If I were to do it then there's an even playing field.&quot;&nbsp; She gave a hollow laugh.&nbsp; &quot;Some of you would probably enjoy watching a cat fight.&nbsp; So she's crafty and aims for the one who couldn't punch her in the face if the gun failed.&quot; &quot;Maybe I have higher expectations, think I owe enough to you all to want to jump in against all comers.&nbsp; Hope that fighting alongside one another like this would make us friends?&quot;&nbsp; Catalina shook her head and raising the lid on the piano turned back to the keys.&nbsp; &quot;Me I would like to get together for a few bevvies once in a while, assuming we survive this.&nbsp; If we don't win I'd have hoped you'd join me in a resistance cell, perhaps, and continue the fight.&quot; &quot;I thought what we'd gone through, what we've achieved, would have got us past the differences in our personalities by now, would have brought us closer.&quot;&nbsp; She shrugged and started to play Bach once more.&nbsp; &quot;Business as usual I suppose, on with saving the world, but if Drake shows her face again I reserve the right to punch it.&quot;Vasily stepped forward, and gently lowered the lid back over the keys, interrupting her playing.&nbsp; &quot;You got some funny ideas about not being able to hit people,&quot; he began, &quot;not to mention about the man who has stood in the front line and taken all that could be thrown at him day in, day out.&nbsp; You think I would do any less, now?&nbsp; Should X-COM die and yet we somehow live, I do not think any of us quit the fight.&quot; &quot;But then... maybe the fact that none of us really come together is good, in a way.&nbsp; I know there must be some reason we all survive this long, head as well as body.&nbsp; Maybe having hard heart is what has kept us going.&quot;&nbsp; He manages to look a little sad, even regretful.&nbsp; &quot;Maybe is just one of those things.&quot; With that, he turned and left the room.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 5248305, member: 143"] [b]Interlude: Base Priorities (October 7-13, 2008)[/b] * * * [i]Author’s Note: Needless to say, the “Drake incident” spawned a lot of forum posts. I put the following together from the player posts that followed the October 6 session.[/i] The strains of Bach went on for a while longer. The hitting of the piano keys seemed to grow harder and harder, as the melody progressed, and after a few minutes Catalina just slammed the lid down and stood up. "I don't understand you, I just don't understand you at all." Catalina's voice was shaking with anger as she railed on those left in the room. "People just sat and passed the time of day while Vas stood there stunned. Now you’re just going to let her get away with it." She gestured in Jane's direction. “At least Jane backed me up over the need to so something about this, but you just ignore it!" "This is a member of your team, for Christ's sake. Who knows what could have happened. At that range the thing could have done permanent damage." Her fist slammed down on the top of the piano, as Catalina raged. "That woman has been nothing but a pain in the arse since we got here and now this? An unprovoked attack on a member of your team, someone who has stood in the line of fire with you and done what they could to save your skin. Somebody maybe you owe your life to. Doesn't that mean anything?" An irritated sigh from Vasily finally fills the long silence. "Okay, I deal with Drake. Okay? I big boy now. Is not big deal... not like I not been shot with one of those things before," he adds, possibly to try and save some face after such a potentially humiliating episode. "Still." And here, the Russian's brow creases in consternation. "Not a word from anyone else... it surprise me, you know. So I want to say this." "Maybe I not like you. Is fine. We all pretty different, huh? If we had meet outside of war, on street, in cafe... maybe we not have much to say. In years to come, if we survive, I not see us meeting up much to have a drink and talk about the old days." "But you know what?" Vasily raises his eyebrows, and shrugs dismissively. "That mean nothing. This is hard job, the hardest. Let make no bone about it, we go into Hell, and we go there to fight monsters. Our bodies, our minds, all beaten and bruised. This job already killed some, broken others. Hard professionals, too." He folds his arms, rests against the doorjamb. "But, we all still alive. When I first see Alpha Team, I not think we ready, but we all still here, and you new people, you got with the program fast. We all still on the level, up here," He taps his forehead, for emphasis, "And that say none of you weak. I may not like you, sure. Maybe you care about that, maybe you don't. But you all have my respect, no question." Vasily finishes, and looks around at the Team. "What you say to that?" James looked up as Vasily, anger now clouding his face as well. "What are you talking about, Vas? Did I miss something? Yeah, I heard about it, old battle-irons wasted you with a stunner when you weren't looking. I wasn’t there, and I didn’t say anything because you said you’d deal with it. So next time you want some backup, just let me know, cause I got your back a lot more than I've got hers. I've risked my life to patch you up before, and expect I will again." Jim's expression softens, and he takes on a more philosophical look. "As for the rest of it… truth. All these interpersonal squabbles, annoying as they are, they pale in comparison to what we are fighting. An alien invasion, inimical to humanity. We need to hang together if we are gonna make it. Cause scary as it is, I'm starting to think we—yep, alpha team—are humanity’s last, best hope." Jane nodded, but didn’t say anything. She’d already pulled Vasily aside privately, to offer her support. “Please know that you have my full support, and I’m sure you have the full support of the entire team,” she’d told him. “She humilitated us as much as you that night.” Catalina's anger had drained somewhat as she watched the exchange between Vasily and James. She turned to the Russian. "If it had been the other way around? Would you have stepped in to help out?" She raised her arms and let them fall helplessly. "I'd kind of like to think someone would, you know? The bitch could as easily have gone for me as for you, in fact I'm surprised she didn't, except for one factor." "Supposing you did step in, would that have been insulting my own abilities in any way? You weren't in any position to help yourself when I went after her." Catalina flopped back down on the piano stool. "Yeah, you're a big boy, but isn't that what we're supposed to do? Help one another when we can't help ourselves?" "You forget one thing she didn't. She's female and, notably, you're a man. You hit her and what does it look like? If I were to do it then there's an even playing field." She gave a hollow laugh. "Some of you would probably enjoy watching a cat fight. So she's crafty and aims for the one who couldn't punch her in the face if the gun failed." "Maybe I have higher expectations, think I owe enough to you all to want to jump in against all comers. Hope that fighting alongside one another like this would make us friends?" Catalina shook her head and raising the lid on the piano turned back to the keys. "Me I would like to get together for a few bevvies once in a while, assuming we survive this. If we don't win I'd have hoped you'd join me in a resistance cell, perhaps, and continue the fight." "I thought what we'd gone through, what we've achieved, would have got us past the differences in our personalities by now, would have brought us closer." She shrugged and started to play Bach once more. "Business as usual I suppose, on with saving the world, but if Drake shows her face again I reserve the right to punch it." Vasily stepped forward, and gently lowered the lid back over the keys, interrupting her playing. "You got some funny ideas about not being able to hit people," he began, "not to mention about the man who has stood in the front line and taken all that could be thrown at him day in, day out. You think I would do any less, now? Should X-COM die and yet we somehow live, I do not think any of us quit the fight." "But then... maybe the fact that none of us really come together is good, in a way. I know there must be some reason we all survive this long, head as well as body. Maybe having hard heart is what has kept us going." He manages to look a little sad, even regretful. "Maybe is just one of those things." With that, he turned and left the room. [/QUOTE]

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