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[ he returns the smile, albeit a little lamely, and he can't hold onto it so it quickly falls away again. ]

Amos? [ taking a guess. it's probably either him or naomi anyway. ] Yeah, Karen and I have been learning from him. I only pick up about every third word.

[ A nod at the first name, and then a little tilt at the next one Frank offers. ]

Yeah, him and Naomi. It's good someone on this station knows what the hell they're doing, the place looks like it's falling apart already.

Who's Karen?

[ he nods. raleigh can say that again. frank would be worried about it if he could do one damn thing about it, but until they get through the doors there's only so much even amos and naomi can do. the question about karen gives him visible pause, and he lifts a hand to scratch at his eyebrow. ]

She's someone I know from home. Karen Page. [ a beat as he considers saying more, not that it makes any difference. but he pushes out a subtitle anyway, just because it seems relevant in the moment. ] She's the best damn investigative journalist the Kitchen's ever seen.. [ ... ] If anyone can blow the lid off this thing, she can.

[ he knows if she were here she'd only find his faith in her, his optimism, trying. but good for both of them, she isn't. ]

[ Raleigh slows his run to a stop as he listens, the mechanical gears that provide resistance slowing with a soft whir. All the exercise machines here are sort of strange, but from what Alex said they're designed specifically for gravity training. This particular one is a lot like an elliptical, except the mag boots click into place like his drivesuit does to the conn pod controls. So in that way, it's familiar enough he adjusted without much trouble. He disengages his boots and steps down, lifting one of his jumpsuit sleeves to wipe his forehead. ]

Investigative journalist? [ Sounds useful, actually, especially when it comes to figuring out if there's a link between who's been brought here, and determining if the messages some people have been getting are legit. Raleigh nods in what looks like approval. ] What kind of stuff does she usually dig into? Crime, politics?

[ he thinks of his own story and just nods. that one encompassed both pretty smoothly. ]

Both, either. Whatever needs digging into. [ he gives a little shrug, looking around the room a minute. there's nothing he particularly feels like engaging with in this room, save raleigh. maybe he can convince him to go for a friendly spar. well, as friendly as he ever gets. ] She's like a dog with a bone when she grips onto a case. It's somethin' to see.

[ karen won't be the one on this barge to let them down. frank knows she'll never give up, it's her most infuriating (and useful) quality. ]

[ A friendly spar is absolutely possible, he's just taking a moment to stretch out. ]

I'll pass anything that comes our way to her, then. Not that we've found anything useful since Mako got that weird recording early on... you guys know about the wires planted in people, right?

[ frank starts stretching too, power of suggestion maybe. remembering alex's words about keeping active, not losing muscle mass. he's there already anyway, down at least 5 pounds since coming here. ]

Yeah, I sewed someone up after it happened, nasty shit. [ a beat and he leans closer when he pauses after a lunge, even though there's no one else in the room to overhear them. ] Karen found something. Pages from- an instruction manual or. I don't know. It's about the doors.

Me too. I've never actually done that before... or the cutting someone open part. They just taught us on bananas in training. But I think he'll heal up okay.

[ Then Frank leans in to confide another discovery, and Raleigh blinks at the news. ]

What, seriously? Why are you keeping that quiet? The engineers have gotten panels open but the controls are dead, maybe there's a bypass.

[ frank shrugs, remembering the bizarre wound on clara, how she probably wasn't human but he'd stitched her up like she was anyway. ] I've done it a few times - mostly on myself. Sure he'll be fine. [ frank moves on with a shrug- ]

Because I don't know if it's legit yet. I'm gonna run it by someone who knows better than me if Karen and I can find the override. [ a beat ] Or if we can't.

[ it's habit to keep the pool of knowledge small, even if he should maybe make a network posting, tell everyone. but that could endanger people too, if they're all going for the doors. frank rubs at the scar on his right palm reflexively in memory of the door swallowing karen, the subsequent helplessness he'd felt. ]

It said there was a code for each one. A different code. Now- if that's even true, it's gonna take us a long time to crack it. [ he's seen what happens when people know they're cornered. he'd rather not deal with a riot when they're actually making progress. ]

[ Hmm. Maybe discretion is best, Raleigh's not exactly a mastermind when it comes to this kind of thing. A rush on the doors could be dangerous, it's true. But the more minds set to a problem, the faster it can potentially be solved. Especially if it's codebreaking, since the news that every door has its own code is less than encouraging. His expression falls a bit, brows knitting. ]

I'd want to at least tell an engineer or two, but. Did it say how many digits?

[ he nods, telling nerds nerd stuff is good. telling everyone nerd stuff is mass hysteria. then he's shaking his head right after at the question, arms moving to bar his across his chest. ]

No. That's all it said. That the codes correspond to some other manual. For the crew.

[ Raleigh processes that for a moment, a hand coming up to rub at his jaw thoughtfully. The panels are dead anyway, but if they can light them up they'd probably be able to see how many numbers it needs. He's guessing none of this is going to be easy. ]

Where'd Karen find this anyway? Are they actual pages, like from a book, or something sent to her comm like the messages?

Pages. She woke up and they were in her bed. That seems to be happening a lot lately.

[ waking up to weird shit that wasn't there before. ]

I wouldn't sleep through someone putting a dog in my room, and she definitely wouldn't sleep through someone putting a stack of papers under her pillow.

Yeah, tell me about it. I hardly even sleep in the first place, and somehow woke up the other night to needles trying to stab me in the back. Makes about as much sense as anything else, I guess, but it's really unnerving.

[ Wait a second. ]

...dog?

Yeah, yeah that's it in a word. Unnerving.

[ he shakes his head. ] You haven't met him either? Max. Another friend from home. [ apparently they're making sure frank is surrounded, or distracting him. he's not sure what the goal is really. can't even begin to guess. ]

Needles?

[ Max. Raleigh files the name away, but it'll be easy to remember. Chuck's dog is named Max too. And the way Frank says it makes it sound like he just lets the fella run around the station alone to meet people. He pictures a dog booping elevator buttons with his nose and grins. ]

I would've noticed a dog running around. When do I get to meet him?

[ Oh right. ]

Knitting needles, specifically. I learned during physical therapy to try and get fine motor skills back. [ He flexes his left hand, which is still weaker than he'd like. With his jumpsuit hanging off, the scarring on that side is visible, circuitboard-like patterns spreading over his arm and chest and a ragged gash peeking out from under his tank. ] Nerve damage.

He gets around. Right now he's with Karen but he'll find his way back down here eventually. Always does.

[ dogs always know the way 'home.' even when their home is a room on a space station. at least he doesn't have to explain to raleigh what a dog is, that shit was getting old. ]

Oh. [ it's not judgmental, though he's sure the guys in his unit would've made fun of a guy for knitting. marines are savages like that. frank thinks it's smart, actually. ] Wouldn't be such a bad way to pass the time, place like this.

He can work the elevators? [ Raleigh's only half kidding, he's seen dogs do more impressive things. ] I've gotta tell Mako he's here. She loves Max -- different Max. He's a bulldog.

[ Oh Frank. Being made fun of would have necessitated Raleigh to be around anyone else, ever. And he just wasn't, during recovery. Or since, really, not until very recently. Nobody's ever seen him knit, just the many cozy sweaters that came of it. ]

It's not all that distracting once you actually get the hang of it, but it's good to keep your hands busy. And I like making things. [ He hesitates, tilting his head. ] You wanna learn? There's a ton of supplies back in our room.

He knows how to get people to work the elevators for him, more like.

[ he's a charming piece of shit!!!! frank says it fondly, of course. ]

Max is a pit, near as I can figure. He used to run security for the Irish mob.

[ he gives a moment's pause, but then tips his head in agreement. ]

Alright, you're on. I probably should get a workout in first. [ frank looks over at the mats set up in the far corner. ] Wanna have a go?

Of course he does. [ Security, huh? That probably means he's had a shitty life... and dogs like that aren't easy to adopt out, let alone rehab well enough to be running around unsupervised. Raleigh's not sure if it's impressive or vaguely irresponsible but will give Frank the benefit of the doubt here. ] You get him through a rescue?

[ A go? After a moment's consideration, that gets a nod. At least the lower gravity probably means taking a fall won't hurt as much, even on his bad side. And it's not like he's sleeping on the floor anymore... which he's still sort of working through in his head, but is grateful for. ]

Why not? Yeah. From what the actual space people have been saying you should hit the machines at some point too, though.

[ it can be both!!!! he doesn't mean to leave max unsupervised. it just... happens, on occasion. people are always happy enough to escort him where he's going, frank figures it's good for socialization or whatever. ]

More like I... liberated him from the situation.

[ you stole the dog frank. just say you stole the dog. but then raleigh is agreeing to fite which he's all too eager to get to now, unwinding his arms and starting to walk towards the mats. the lecture gets a look even if he knows the man is right. he's never been an exercise machine guy, he's hoping something more familiar will jumpstart his motivation. ]

Yeah, yeah. Already got the speech.

[ You totally stole the dog, Frank. But from assholes, so... ]

Good.

[ Raleigh follows him over to the mats, stretching out each shoulder in turn. The glare his suggestion gets doesn't seem to phase him. ]

Just saying. It's your body. [ He considers his boots before stepping onto the mat, not used to sparring in footwear and they wouldn't work through the thick foam anyway. But Frank doesn't lose his, so they'll just run with it. No kicking is all. ] What're you into, fight-wise?

[ he nods once at the praise. max is better off with him, even in a killer space station. and all his abusers are dead anyway, also a good thing as far as frank's concerned. but he'll leave that part out of the story, naturally. ]

Uh- Punch until the other guy doesn't get up? Usually.

[ he quirks half a dry, dry smile, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet. the boots bring him down harder than even his combat boots would, but after a few more times he's used to the weight. just fists then, that suits him fine. ]

You a boxer?

[ When it comes to spars, Raleigh's far more used to martial arts. Mostly aikido, but Rangers train in a variety of style, and usually with weapons. But yes, he can box. Not enough to call himself a "boxer" but it is one of his favorite sports. He knows the techniques well. ]

I've boxed. It's been awhile since I hit a person instead of a bag, though. [ A pause, consideration. ] In a ring, anyway.

...guy had it coming.

[ that gets a much more sincere smile and frank puts his fists up, stretching his neck from side to side. he can do the kickpunching kind aka mma but that would require taking his boots off and even on the mats he's too paranoid yet to do so. so boxing it is. ]

Yeah? Well, just pretend I'm him then.

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