Rumors "
By: Paulis, Engineer, [NPC]
Adam and Nelson, NPC's, [NPC]
Craig Witmore, Engineer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58204.20 1330

Adam and Nelson walked down Zion's corridors. They had asked Dr Dane if they could have the afternoon off. There were no patients in sickbay anymore and if they were needed Dr Dane would surely call them.

"How are you ribs," Adam asked. "Well they are still sore but it is bearable," Nelson replied. He was not happy at all, he wanted to get even with the Marines and especially with Major Madriani.

Both men entered the messhall and took a seat in the corner. Nelson rubbed his rib cage after he sat down. "It is still a little stiff. Your eye look awful man."

"Yeah I am so tired of having Marines on the Zion. Things were a lot more peaceful without them.

"A lot less stressful too," added a medical technician who was sitting behind them. "I was in sickbay when it happened too. Totally unnecessary.His kid wasn't even in any serious danger."

"Hi Lila," said Nelson. "We didn't see you sitting there. Heck of a day at work huh?"

"What gets me," interrupted Adam, "is that he did not even apologize. I can appreciate his anxiety for his little brat but he did not need to be that way."

"That is the way Marine's are," said an engineer sitting at another table. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be eves dropping but you were talking sort of loud."

Adam shrugged, "I do not really care. Marines are dangerous."

The engineer stood up and waved at another one entering the room. "Hey Whitedog over here."

Ensign Whitmore waved back at Ensign Paulis, he really hated being called Whitedog. His name was Whitmore not Whitedog. He had stopped in to get a quick bite to eat before he went back to engineering. Chief Silvio had given him quit some tasks to perform before the Zion shipped out again. He took a bowl of noodles from the replicator and walked over to Paulis who was talking to Adam and Nelson.

"He guys, ready for our poker game tonight?" he said while sitting down. "Jeez Adam, that's quite a shiner you have, did Dr Dane have a bad day?" Craig chuckled. He knew the pretty little Doc would never do such a thing he was just teasing Adam.

Adam shook his head and he explained the incident in sickbay. "Man, I had never expected that from the Major, Craig said. "He probably had a bad day."

"Yeah, well his bad day does not require him to ruin mine." Adam said with a note of fury in his voice.

"Calm down Adam people are starting to look," said Nelson as he looked around the room. He did not see any marines in the room so he relaxed.

"Let them look." Adam glanced over at a table of operations officer having lunch.

"Sit down Adam," said Whitmore shouting like a fool is only going to get your nose broken. Whitmore gestured to the door where several marines had just walked in. The room got kinda quiet as they ordered food form the replicator and sat down.

"I have lost my appetite," said Adam as he got up. "I am going to go for a run.

"Hey wait up. I'll go with you, " said Nelson as he got up. "See ya guys at the poker game tonight.

"Yeah later," Paulis said.

Whitmore watched as the nurses left. "Too bad for those guys. There are good guys, for nurses." said Whitmore as he watched the marines eat.

"Yeah, not much we can do about it," said Paulis "That is what way marines are and they will be with us for a while.

"Yeah," said Whitmore who was clearly distracted.

"Hey Craig, you listening to me? What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," said Whitmore as he finished his meal. "Let's get back to work."