The Price of a Life
The Price of a Life
Arc: Paradise Regained
Summary: Voodoo confronts Tizona about her disobedience to orders
Date: 2658.336
Related Logs: Dropt From the Zenith
Participants: Cole Paz

Cole's wrecked bomber settles to the deck and quickly taxis off to the side. A few moments later, the hatch pops open and the major himself drops out to the deck, taking off his helmet, stuffing his flight gloves into it, and lobbing it back along through the hatch. Well, at least there's not much change to his usual post-flight routine.

Paz manages to get herself extracted from her heavily damaged Rapier and is almost instantly beseiged by outraged techs demanding to know how she managed to make such a mess. For her part, she seems too damn happy to still be blowing air past her teeth to take offense at some of their more acidic comments. Which will probably come as good preparation for the tag-team ass reaming to come.

Cole looks along towards Paz as she's removed from her Rapier for a moment… just watching the process unfold, and giving a little shake of his head. He does at least wait until the clamor from the technicians has died down a little, before calling over "Tizona."

Oh hell, here it comes, and sooner than she was expecting. Damn military protocols, can't they at least let a girl get a stiff drink or two in her before giving her the absolute hell she knows she deserves? Taking a deep breath, Paz collects herself, straightens her flight suit and all but marches to stand before Cole. "Sir." she says, coming to something just shy of formal attention.

"I'd tell you what you did was dumber than shit" Cole explains to Paz simply. "But I think the Kilrathi gave you enough instant feedback on that one" he points out to her. "So instead I'll just say good luck. Because frankly, I think we're both going to need it."

"Yes, sir." Paz replies, nodding formally as she comes a little more towards attention. "I was trying to prosecute a target without thinking things through. I will accept full responsibility for what happened and take whatever lumps I've got coming." she says simply. "If they want to roast me, that's one thing. Not about to let them roast you, sir."

"What are they going to do, promote me to civilian?" Cole replies with a little shake of his head. "Believe me when I say, Tizona, it's not the Navy that I'm particularly worried about right now"

"So what are you worried about, sir?" Paz asks, cocking her head curiously. "You attacked a legit target. Hell, we've all got it on our logs."

"What I'm worried about, Lieutenant, is that they had that target off-limits for some reason beyond bureaucratic asshattery" Cole explains to Paz simply. "And that I actually, honest to god broke something I shouldn't have in order to save your ass."

Paz winces and suddenly finds the tops of her boots incredibly interesting. "I……" she starts to say, then stops, trying to think of how to reply to that. "I'll tell them it was me." she says at length. "You did it because of what I did."

"There can't be much mistaking which of us launched that warhead, Lieutenant" Cole replies to Paz. "And I'm sure you'll find that the answer the Confederation wants in that situation is for me to let them shoot you dead." There's a moment's pause, and then without further fanfare he moves to take a step past her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need a drink."

Paz has no response to that, merely steps aside to let Cole pass with a more than slightly forlorn look.