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[h3][color=4682b4][i][b]Ash Holloway[/b][/i][/color][/h3][i][b][color=4682b4]Location:[/color][/b][/i] Mechanics (K) -> Mess Hall (C)
[i][b][color=4682b4]Skills:[/color][/b][/i] N/A
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	Ash took a moment to look down at himself when Guy made mention of the sour nature of his aura. He nodded and shrugged, giving a look that clearly broadcast that he understood. If Rivets's bathroom was local legend, then it stood to reason that they'd stick the new guy with it. And considering Ash's background, they probably wanted to see if he had any humility to him. Or it was just the luck of the draw. [color=4682b4]"Not going to lie, it's not my first choice for detail. It's a job that needs doing, though."[/color] It was a sort of philosophy of his, and one of the reasons that he maintained specific duties even while in charge of the Newnan settlement. [color=4682b4]"I wish we could just hose everything down and squeegee the place out, though. Take a fraction of the time."[/color] It looked like a lightbulb went off. Oh, this was something to ask about. Ever the Engineer, he supposed. The novelty of this meeting washed back over him, and he reiterated, [color=4682b4]"[i]Damn[/i] it's good to see you, Guy."[/color]  

	After Guy introduced himself to Hunter. Ash took that occasion to move closer to the hose. If the Army taught him one thing, it was how to clean up quickly. He looped the hose over the top of the patio umbrella and turned it back on, using it like a shower he could lean into rather than stand under to more effectively wash the day off of himself. So his pants might get a little damp in the process. He could live with that. While he was cleaning up, Ash caught another slice of conversation from Guy, this time about who came in with him, and his face darkened a little. There were so many who he couldn't save that day, when Newnan fell. 

	[color=4682b4]"Not many. Jack and Tati, little Jamie, Amelia, and Riley."[/color] The part about the conditions under which they had found Tati might come out later, when and if she felt like talking about it. He sighed a little, debating whether to bring up the next part but knowing that it would come out anyway, [color=4682b4]"Doc Froggy came in just after we did, on his own. Something happened to him out there, Guy. He got turned away. Hell, Beatrice ...left of her own accord. She was with another group that met up with us the day we got bused in."[/color] He nodded his head, still cleaning himself up, and continued, [color=4682b4]"They found another Gonzalez, Guy. Old man Caesar's neice, um, Alicia's cousin. Small world. Well hell, there's a ton to catch up on. We're going to have to find some time to talk."[/color] The discussion was good for him, but they did have a timetable and rules did have to be followed here. [color=4682b4]"Hey, one thing though - I don't know exactly how thing work here yet, so... calling me 'Boss' might not be appropriate, you know, now."[/color] Still, it was good to hear that Medic came in with him. And yes, As was very happy to see Thana. If only Guy knew. 

 	Listening to Guy encourage him along to lunch sounded like the best offer he'd had all day. [color=4682b4]"Yeah, hey, yeah... just a sec on that and I'm with you."[/color] His moment was next spent finishing his shirt and squeezing it out thoroughly. A little time in the sun and breeze, about the time it would take to get to the Mess Hall, might help a tiny bit to dry it further. Might. It vaguely occurred to Ash that Guy reference the fish that "we" just brought in. So he was a fisherman now? He gave a quiet laugh, and said aloud, [color=4682b4]"Way to adapt, Guy."[/color] Nodding again, Ash turned the water off and replaced the hose. 

	Suddenly remembering something, Ash looked back around to Hunter. [color=4682b4]"I apologize,"[/color] he started. He didn't particularly like the man and Lord knew he didn't leave the best impression on Ash, but he did just do the younger man a disservice. [color=4682b4]"I offered you a hand, then got caught in a conversation. Guy's a man I knew back Before, and was one of my best people for a long while After. I thought he might be dead. Anyway, I'm sorry. Get you next time."[/color] 

	His shirt halfway dry and his body less offensive, Ash got to jogging in the direction of Mess to catch up to the others. He kept the shirt in one hand, so as to better get airflow around it until he neared the building in question. Guy and Mizrahi had entered before him, so he wasted no time in pulling his damp shirt back over his head, shimmying into it, squaring his posture, and walking into the Mess Hall. 

	While he was in line, Ash looked around the room trying to find anyone familiar, anyone he might know, or if he was being truthful with himself he was looking specifically for Thana. Maybe Guy and Mizrahi would want to sit at her table and maybe they wouldn't, but Ash's priority was with her. A small grin found him when he spotted her. She seemed to already have a crowd around. Including the reenactor, the angry Gonzalez girl, and the older veteran. And someone he wasn't sure he'd met yet, at least officially. Looked like he was going to socialize a bit, so long as he could do it alongside Thana. It seemed like the two that he followed into this place were sitting elsewhere, so he bid them a quick farewell and the hopes of catching up with Guy later on. 

	For him today, it was the Tuna Casserole. He might have considered the sushi, but after cleaning that bathroom he really wanted some comfort food. Ash took his tray and walked steadily over to Thana's table, stopping only to politely ask, [color=4682b4]"Does anyone mind if I join you?"[/color] If he was lucky, he might even get a seat next to or across from the lady who had his affection. 



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[h3][color=dc143c][i][b]Thalia Carmichael[/b][/i][/color][/h3][i][b][color=dc143c]Location:[/color][/b][/i] Mess Hall (C)
[i][b][color=dc143c]Skills:[/color][/b][/i] N/A
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	Everybody was being so polite. Asking questions of one another and exchanging pleasantries, offering variations of "How do you do?" and "Lovely weather we're having!" or something to that effect for all that Thalia could tell. She was awash in people seemingly going about their lives, and conversations that weren't too dissimilar to ones she had during her company lunch hour back before dead people ate the living. But she had sushi, actual, honest to God sushi, coupled with company that she didn't mind. Those two things seemed miraculous. Then Thana had to go and mention that they didn't have the appropriate flatware to eat sushi, and to treat it like finger food. Thalia get out a little snorting laugh while she was trying to eat. It was funny, really; she'd been doing it like that anyway. Chopsticks, hadn't crossed her mind in the least. Nor had forks. Did she even get a napkin? Eh, it was probably around somewhere.

	Of course, part of being around people meant socializing, sort of. The initial response from Thana was something that she literally asked for, be it a little generic an answer. She never got to know Thana the lady who had a day job; Thalia knew about Thana the post-apocalyptic survivor who led their group into battle the first day they met and kept them all together for a year beyond. Once upon a time, Thalia had a day job. Office, too. Rank within a corporate entity - not a very high one, but she had direct reports. She could remember how. But this air conditioning? Still not used to it. Okay, Thana asked how she was settling in into the new job. She looked to the woman and raised an eyebrow, the one hanging over the cut on her cheek, and answered, [color=dc143c]"Settling just peachy, Navy."[/color] There was a tone to her voice that suggested restraint. 

	Nigel picked up salutations next, it seemed, kicking thing off by thanking her for something. Or beginning to, though she had no earthly concept as to what he might thank her about. His train of thought seemed to have been waylaid by the fresh wound on Thalia's cheek, anyway. It seemed to have been waylaid yet again by Alexander's presence, so she took the opportunity to shove another piece of sushi into her face. Spicy tuna this time. Ah, the yums. When his game of conversational hacky sack came to an end, Thalia answered around a mouthful of rice and fish with a direct, [color=dc143c]"Gaht my ass kicked by a bowling trophy."[/color] She declined to comment further. There was fish to eat. Bigger conversation could wait for a little bit.

	Somehow, Thalia felt a change in the air around her. But was it that, or was it some sort of pregnant pause in the general topic of the table that was making her very conscious of herself? Her eyes slid to Alexander, trying to see if he was getting "back on the clock", so to speak, then over to Thana for the same reason. She couldn't read the Navy girl's face, but something seemed off suddenly. Hard to pin down. Even a mid-sentence stop on Thana's part. It was a subtle change that came over Thalia, one that showed in small details only. A sense of tension building and a vague, sensory look that one got when they were concentrating on all of their senses at once. If Thalia had her knife with her, she might have reached for it. 

	Then she heard [i]the voice[/i]. Mr. Iambic Pentameter himself was making an appearance. It was about time anyway, she she really wanted to see him. There was a thing to puzzle out. But she couldn't just leap headlong into this, oh no. Her dear brother had a thing for drama, even if she didn't. This might take some strategy to get to the meat of the subject. Thalia waited until the appropriately nicknamed Shakespeare was finished speaking and was seated in front of her, smiling at at her. She swallowed her bite, dabbed the corner of her mouth with her one remaining thumb, and took a deep breath. [color=dc143c]"Good news about your heart, Joaquin."[/color] She spoke to him in quiet, clear, even tones, her hazel eyes locked with his. Thalia tilted her head slightly to one side, and she continued coldly, [color=dc143c]"Tell me a story. You know the one I want to hear, [i]hermano[/i]. What happens next?"[/color] She began pinging the fingers of her metal arm closed, like she was cracking artificial knuckles. A few pieces of subtle drama to keep things interesting for the her brother yet not so much as to muddy the waters with whatever the hell was going on with him. 
	
	Another approach followed by another request to join the table. Thalia shifted her eyes over just enough to see that it was Thana's Army guy. Well, there went casual conversation with her for this lunch break. She had her own thing going now anyway, to which she immediately returned, prompting Shakespeare with a monosyllabic, [color=dc143c]"Nnn?"[/color]