...'neath the vault of the heavens, 'ere we depart....

[Ebiris]

Score! Albert thinks, carefully putting the card in his breast pocket.

Tuning out everyone else, now, and focusing exclusively on Sally, he goes on. "I must say, as much as I'm looking forward to bravely seeking out the unknown to better mankind, it will be a sacrifice to depart for so long away from home, and companionship..."

[Brian]

"I believe so," the man says, smiling brightly.  He doesn't seem half the mindless brute Demeterians are supposed to be.  "I myself am of less use aboard a ship than some of the crew, I confess," he adds, eliciting a derisive snort from Sally.  Unpreturbed, he continues, "but I have been trained to use and repair hydraulics.  Primarily, I admit, I am a geologist."  He nods to himself at this.  "But I have no doubt that I'll have plenty to study on this mission."

"It must be trying," Sally says, turning to Albert.  "I imagine it takes great strength of will to commit to something so dangerous -- and long term."

[Bjorn]

"Hydraulics?" Finn perks up.  "I'm the EVA engineer, y'know -- or one of 'em, I suppose.  Yer main job the pipes, or you aboard for the science fings first?"

[Ebiris]

"Well, strength of will is what it takes," Albert nods fawningly, "They don't pick the faint of heart for such... dangerous... and exciting, missions. And I'll have my memories of home to preserve me through the long term. Indeed, there's still time to make more memories..." he finishes with a calculated tone of wistfulness.

[Brian]

Eric blinks pointedly, and shoots Albert a highly skeptical glance, but says nothing.  Sally seems completely taken with the speech, though, and giggles like a schoolgirl.  Coughing, and trying to cover the look, Eric fumbles for his glass of water and takes a sip before explaining to Finn, "Science primarily.  I learned about hydraulics when we were mining on Demeter -- standard 1G equipment wasn't holding up very well, and the replacement costs were so high.  This, of course--"  He cuts himself off realizing he's babbling, and coughs quietly.  "Ah, that is, yes, I am a geologist primarily."

[Ebiris]

"Of course, I'm no stranger to danger," Albert continues boastfully at Sally's interest. "Why, I should tell you about the time when I served aboard the Blue Pygmy through Diamat's Eyelid..."

With that, he launches into a highly embellished tale of danger and derring do, whereupon he singlehandedly saved the ship from both a radiation leak and a blown out engine that brought them perilously close to being dashed upon the merciless rocks surrounding Diamat.

[Bjorn]

"Shi--" Finn cuts off, looking around the room as she remembers where she is, and then coughs and starts again.  "Ya might as well talk about yer time on Demeter."  She grins widely, and shoots a sidelong glance at Albert.  "Bet you five to one that it's more in'erestin' than half the fings ovvers are yappin' about."

[Brian]

Eric chuckles wryly.  "Perhaps so," he admits, glancing at Albert and Sally briefly.  "But I was introduced to hydraulics when the machinery Demeter imported for minery couldn't withstand the gravity well enough."  He hesitates, and then says, "Rocks, while more interesting than ... some subjects ... aren't as fascinating to me as life in deep space.  I take it that you are a Spacer?" he inquires.

Sally is enraptured by the story Albert weaves ... until a somewhat elderly Congressional man wearing a suit with a medal pinned over one breast pocket suddenly turns from his table and starts staring at Albert fixedly.

[Dracos]

Kelly, meanwhile, listened with vague disinterest after he recognized what was being talked about.  Flexing his hands a bit nervously, he kept generally from joining in on any of the conversations while waiting for both his meal to arrive and, far more importantly, this accursed public spectacle to end.

Dracos

[Ebiris]

Noting the unfriendly scrutiny, Albert's delivery becomes more and more stunted as his focus is disrupted.

"And then... well... what I mean to say, is, things were pretty dicey there, for a while, but the whole crew really pulled through... I mean, everyone did his part..." he coughs, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "I couldn't take full credit, of course. But that was just one adventure among many..."

Phew, is it hot in here?

[Bjorn]

"Born'n'raised."  Finn nods.  "Be in space most o' my life -- and for all o' the good fings."  She shrugs.  "Rather be up there then down here, an' dat ain't tellin' a lie."

[Brian]

With a numb, growing horror, Albert recognizes the man as the captain of the Blue Pygmy.  That man is none other than ... Kissenger Thorne.  Apparently now Attorney Thorne.

"Do go on," Eric presses, though it takes a moment for it to filter in that he's adressing Finn, and not Albert.  "I've only been in space a few times myself ... only briefly in zero gravity.  In-systems flights are so fast these days."  He shakes his head and shrugs.

[Bjorn]

"Ain't nothin' to say, really," Finn says.  Just for a second, the cheerful expression fades off her face, to be replaced by a wistful one.  "No way to describe being in zero -- it's not like flyin', or floatin', it just is, and ain't nuffin' else to say about it.  Right?  An' the bubble..."  She shakes her head slowly.  "The bubble ain't part o' real space, so th' doctor-types say, an it ain't nothing but transcedental, no two ways 'bout it."

[Ebiris]

Albert pales hugely as he finally recognises the man - not like he saw the captain very much, as a third class technician aboard said ship...

"Guh..." he tugs at his collar. How'd old Thorne get so high up? Why didn't I recognise the name! I'm going to die!

"Let me tell you another story!" he begins quickly, desperately seeking to salvage his situation. "It was just after I started serving on the Blue Pygmy, actually..."

With that, he launches into a new tale, extolling the wondrous merits of the cunning and skilled captain of said ship, although carefully never mentioning him by name - that way he can act surprised if it comes up that he's Sally's father. Or something.

Where's a hole in the ground when you need one? he thinks, shooting a brief glance at the floor beneath Attorney Thorne.

[Brian]

"Yes," Eric agrees nodding slowly.  "It was certainly ... enlightening."

Conversation breaks off breifly as the waiters return, setting a plate before everyone and topping off water glasses before they inobtrusively fade into the background.

The portions are good sized, but Eric looks at his in confusion for a long minute; the vegetable dish is apparently mixed with pasta and a white sauce.  The fish comes with lemon, and the chicken looks to be simply roasted.  Eric sighs, and mumbles something under his breath before speaking in a normal tone again.  "I learned something of the math behind that effect while I was in school, but admit, much of that is entirely beyond me.  Give me a home among the rocks, and I am happy.  But I still wish to brave the ocean of stars on this journey."  He nods and sips from his water, not touching his food.

Sally, meanwhile, seems put off by Albert.  "No, no, tell me more about the time you saved the entire crew," she insists loudly.