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((Starbase 118, Docking ring, Security Check Point))
::The Deschamps were queuing among other crewmembers from the Astrolabe. The process seemed long and tortuous to the young couple and they sighed several times, looking at each other with a touch of annoyance. Ahead of them, several crewmembers had tried to enter the station with all sort of illegal items, and of course security would have none of that. So more security procedures took place, keeping everyone waiting. As time passed, it didn't go too well with the crowd, and some people began to shout expletives in their native languages.::
Romain: What is blue, with antennas and is as slow as an escargot? ((Ooc: snail) I'm telling you, 'cause you'll never guess: a 118 security officer.
Léa: ::Sighing some more.:: We look like sheep going to the slaughterhouse. Why is it taking so long??
::She tried to see what was going on, but her view was blocked by several tall crewmembers in front of her.::
Romain: Abattoir sounds better. I like words with a nice 'r' in them. No one pronounces those 'r' the right way in space. The letter is so soft it could just as well be banished from the alphabet.
Léa: Don't start speaking like an idiot, Romain. We are supposed to blend in.
::Moments later, it was their turn to go through security, and the couple handed their credentials to the Andorian woman at the check point.::
Romain: A good day to you, ensign. I bet you've some fun looking at all our mugs on your security screen. Still, I don't want to frighten you but there are some real ugly specimens behind us.
MGia: ?
::Léa remained silent, wishing the scanning procedure wouldn't take so long. Staying here, in this 'nowhere zone' that wasn't the station nor the Astrolabe was making her feel nervous.::
Romain: Fair enough. Say officer, do you know if Mimgar and Klart have already gone to the Starbase?
MGia: ?
Romain: Okay. One more question though: is there any good cafés you could recommend?
MGia: ?
::At long last there was a reassuring 'beep' and the couple got its credentials back. They stepped toward freedom, but someone behind Romain muttered 'good riddance, looser' and pushed him. The French engineer turned round, pushed the guy back, was pushed again, lost it, and head butted his aggressor. As soon as the man went down, a brawl erupted between two factions of Astrolabe engineers.::
::Léa crouched down, narrowly escaping a fist that would have surely ruined her face. She then retreated to one of the drab seats that lined the wall facing her. You could tell at first glance that those seat had been lovingly designed with only one purpose in mind: to be as uncomfortable as possible.::
::Opening her handbag, she took her multi-purpose PADD and took a few snapshots of the fight. Romain wasn't doing so bad actually, and those pictures would make great memories. Léa then saw a woman trying to go through the checkpoint, but a Fleeter caught her before she could even take a breath of the Starbase atmosphere.::
::All in all, the situation was interesting to witness, as it showed the rather frightening efficiency of security.::
Léa: oO Hopefully, it won't be so strict in the commercial sector. Oo
::Overtime the outburst was contained, names were taken again, more questions asked, and from what Léa could gather, the Astrolab herd got divided into three groups. Violent individuals who were taken away, the meek ones who were allowed to continue to be processed, and the injured, who would have to go to sickbay.::
::Her husband belonged to the last group, and he now sported a cut lip and what was likely to turn into a black eye. As he saw her approaching, he asked her if she liked his new 'though look.'::
Léa: What you call 'tough', I call stupid. We were supposed to make a discreet entry, dammit!
Romain: There is no point crying over spilled milk when the whole galaxy is bent on spilling that milk. Any idea where sickbay is? It damn well hurts.
::Léa glanced at him and the smile she gave him wasn't entirely warm. The one and only truth her mother had imparted to her was that men were such babies when it came to pain. They always wanted to be pampered.::
Léa: I don't suppose it's going to represent a problem. There is bound to be interactive maps every two metres on this Starbase.
::And so the couple stepped properly onto SB118, in search of some gauze and skin treatment.::
tag/tbc
MSNPCs Ensigns Léa and Romain Deschamps
Engineers
Independent Freighter Astrolabe
As simmed by Lt Cmdr Brek, CDO, SB118
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