"You handled yourself in the best possible way under the circumstances," T'Var assures Kylah. "You should try and rest now. If you need a stronger sedative, I will administer one."
"You handled yourself in the best possible way under the circumstances," T'Var assures Kylah. "You should try and rest now. If you need a stronger sedative, I will administer one."
Rangin couldn't care less about other Elasian zither music. It is the player that is important on this occasion, as he muses about the broken muse in Sickbay.
His concentration breaks once again as a call, more an order, from Lt. Collins to meet with the detective in charge comes through before the call cuts off abruptly.
Wondering when he might be able to get back to work unfettered by the events but it seems it will not be for a while. Rangin rises from the chair, shutting down the simulation, and heads for the conference room to see what they want. No doubt to ask what he knew leaving Rangin to wonder just what he should answer.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Graham nods appreciatively at T'Var's comment--and almost asks for a sedative himself.
"Well I can tell you the assh- The guy I ran down put up a hell of a fight."
He shakes his head, about to try to lighten the mood with a joke and then realizes how earnestly she's seeking confirmation.
"Uh, seriously, I think you've said plenty to nail...I mean, positively ID one of the guys we picked up earlier."
He rubs his chin. "That's what matters. Lunnd knows his business...if he can convince this one guy he's going to take the fall on a serious charge all by himself, he'll turn on his buddies for a lighter sentence. They almost always do."
He thinks for a moment: as far as he can tell Kylah may have omitted some details, but she didn't lie about material events, which is what matters...
"You stuck to the...facts that, ah that...really mattered. Keep doing that and you'll be fine. Really."
Rangin meets Collins and Det. Lunnd in Conference Room 5. It is a standard shipboard conference room but for the two large replica paintings on display, both, Rangin presumes, from the American Revolutionary War battle from which the ship takes its name.
Lunnd greets the Coridanite xenobiologist and asks him to sit down. He puts a small datapad on the table and says, ""Ens. Rangin, as you know, I'm investigating the attack on Ens. Kylah and the theft of her property. I understand you were with her at the beginning of her shore leave. This will be your official police statement, and everything you say is being recorded. Anything you remember about what happened, anything at all, might turn out to be useful. If there's something you later remember after our talk here today, please let me know as soon as possible. What matters is that you're completely honest and forthright. All right? Now, please tell me what happened from the time you first went down to the surface."
The paintings:
"Storming A Redoubt," from the Virginia State Capitol: http://www.virginiamemory.com/docs/0...-a-Redoubt.jpg
"Siège de Yorktown," from the Palace of Versailles: http://img0.worldhistoryproject.org/...ree_column.jpg
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 04 Jul 2015 at 11:51 AM.
"Thank you very much, Dr. T'Var," Kylah says when the doctor kindly reassures her. "You have been patient and I have felt your presence every time I woke up. It means a great deal to me." She considers the sedative but decides against it, for now. As long as the detective is still on board, Kylah is afraid of anything that might loosen her tongue accidentally. As it is, she has a nagging feeling that she might have said too much.
While Graham speaks, Kylah mulls his words over and feels a little relief. Then she pulls herself up slightly, peering at his face and upper body--all she can see from this angle.
"You say--you captured one of them? And he fought you? Are you all right? He did not hurt you, did he? Or anyone from the crew?" Kylah looks at Graham's eyes but can only imagine the void of the black masks. A haunting vision of those raised clubs makes her wince and shake her head. Guilt fills her stomach and throat with bile, which she swallows back. "I am sorry to have put any of the crew at risk, Mr. Graham. Please tell me if anyone was harmed?"
Graham can't help but smile.
After all he invective Rangin hurled at Kylah earlier--"she's broken" and so on--after all she's been through and all she's worried about (whether of her own making or not, it doesn't matter), she pivots on a dime as the old saying goes as soon as there's any hint someone else may have been hurt on her account.
Graham crouches down so they are on a more level plane. He clasps his hands together for a moment, and then--given how upset she's been--just puts them on the edge of the bed rather than trying to touch her shoulder or anything like that.
"It's fine. Everybody's fine." He looks down for a moment and then back up. "I was just doing my job--we all were. Nobody put anybody at risk except these...thugs...who are hopefully going to be put away for a good long time."
He stands to leave, then adds, softly. "There's a big difference between people who make mistakes, and people who hurt other people, on purpose." Like this Lez asshole. Or Rangin.
He glances briefly toward T'Var, then back to Kylah. He holds her gaze for a moment. "Whatever...mistakes you fear you've made, I hope you're clear about that distinction. I am." he concludes with gentle emphasis.
Kylah takes in his meaning, and she blinks while thinking of Graham and what little she knows of him--his own guilt, which she has felt so strongly in the past. "Are you clear about that distinction?" she asks gently yet somewhat pointedly. "I hope that is truly the case."
After a moment of watching him, she adds: "And Mr. Graham,.. regarding all this, what you have done, and said, and not said...I am grateful. I do not want anyone put at risk. Regardless of what you know about my experiences on the planet, if--if there is some potential for--negative consequences to you..." Such as anything Vargas or the Captain asks you, she thinks, wishing she could mention this explicitly. "You are under no obligation. I would not forgive myself if something happened because you... to put it in your vernacular... took phaser fire for me."
She looks down for a moment, then finishes with an intense stare upwards at him. "What happens to you matters. To me and, I am sure, others."
Last edited by choie; 04 Jul 2015 at 04:20 PM.
Nia barely has time to acknowledge Collins's hail when the junior officer says her piece and abruptly cuts the communication. Staring down at the arm of her chair in disbelief, Nia tries to process what she was just told. Rangin? The detective wants to meet with... Rangin? She supposes it makes sense, he was--if the reports are accurate--with Kylah down on the planet, briefly. But all this seems extraordinary for what Nia thought was a relatively straightforward theft and assault. How far back in time do they need to go? Even in a relatively peaceful city, there must be a half-dozen attacks on vulnerable young men and women every day. Especially those who inadvertently put targets on their backs by throwing money around due to being wealthy and foolish? Or just naive, she amends, thinking again of Kylah's youth with a pang.
After informing Three Crows, Vargas and Singh of the latest details, Nia gets in touch with Rangin. "Lt. Onn to Ensign Rangin. I know you're about to be interviewed by this Detective Lunnd, so I'm sorry to interrupt. But I just wanted to make sure that he and Lt. Collins haven't accidentally forgotten to remind you that you're entitled to have someone with you. I reminded Ensign Kylah of this too, so I'm not singling you out. Personally, I just get a bit... leery... when detectives and Security folks start crowding around me, and I thought you might feel the same. So don't feel obligated to say anything without some advocate nearby."
While she speaks, she glances at her chronometer. She wonders how long this investigation has taken--and how much longer she has until she will be relieved. Her watch seems to have lasted longer than usual. Perhaps the stress of waiting for news has made it feel endless. And her curiosity about why Rangin is involved is now nagging at her even more.
Well. Collins is apparently too busy to entertain questions from a senior officer. Perhaps someone else can explain exactly why this mugging investigation is now spreading through the ship like the beginnings of an insidious infection.
Assuming her conversation is through, she flips her communications switch, which is now getting to be habit at this point.
"Lt. Onn to Ensign Graham," she says, friendly but businesslike. "When you're available, can you see me on the Bridge?" Or, if her watch is over/almost over, she'll ask Graham to meet her outside the infirmary when she's free.
Last edited by SidonianGal; 04 Jul 2015 at 04:58 PM.
Graham listens silently as Kylah poses some questions to him--for which he does not have easy answers.
How much would it matter to Lizzy, he wonders. Not because it would matter to her because she's a good person. But because I've been a good...or at least any sort of..a father?
Graham smiles a little. "Duly noted. I'll 'watch my ass,' to put it in my vernacular...if you promise to rest," he adds with sincere affection.
His communicator chimes and he excuses himself. "Well, duty calls--I don't think phaser fire is a risk at the moment."
Graham isn't sure what Onn wants to talk about, but by god he's going to give her that snow globe...he asks if there's somewhere they can meet in 15 (giving him time to change out his uniform stained with his and Lez' sweat, and to grab the gift from his quarters).
Last edited by general_urko; 04 Jul 2015 at 06:57 PM.
Doing her best to smile in return, though it is weak, Kylah nods at Graham and settles back on the pillow. And tries to imagine what Lunnd is saying to Collins.
Nia nods, although of course Graham can't see her. "Sure. My watch is over in a matter of minutes--just waiting to be relieved. Can I meet you..." She hesitates. She's had the urge to pay a visit to the focus of this afternoon's excitement since the young woman was successfully retrieved, and now might be a good chance to do so. "Near the infirmary? We can talk on my way from there to the rec room, where I plan to drown myself in some form of hot liquid caffeine. See you there in fifteen."
T'Var gives Kylah a reassuring smile. "In the end, all will be well," she says. "You should rest. I will check in on you now and again while continuing with my duties in Sickbay."
Det. Lunnd and Collins wait patiently as Rangin gathers his thoughts.
Dr. Villa asks Dr. T'Var to look over a proposed vaccination schedule for the ship's seven Rigellian crewmembers, in light of a recent Tavinai flu update by the Starfleet Surgeon General. There's no hurry.
It is now 1630 hours, and each of you are now off-duty. Lt. Onn is relieved as BCDO by Capt. Singh. She asks as she settles into the big chair, "Anything out of the ordinary to report, Mr. Onn?"
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 05 Jul 2015 at 02:03 PM.
Graham washes off and changes into casual clothes. He takes a look at the the snow globe, the puts it back in its bag and heads toward the infirmary.
Kylah nods and thanks T'Var, then turns around on her right side--which bothers her less than her still slightly-sore left, and finally lets go of the straps of her canvas bag so it rests on the floor. This makes her gaze fall upon the small table near the bed, where her new communicator has been placed.
The urge to contact Velir fills her with loneliness. She cannot imagine what she would say to him. The avenue for regaining even his friendship seems blocked forever.
She closes her eyes tightly, certain she will not be able to rest. But exhaustion soon takes over--along with the medication--and her body gives in to the need for sleep.
Rangin looks across at the pair of them. Two police officers now looking to give him the third degree when all he wants to do is get back to his work. He didn't really trust Collins given how she sided with Graham and Rangin is always wary of any officer looking for evidence, given that it was normally aimed at him. With Security's very apparent dislike of him, Rangin is expecting this to be a setup job. After all, he's from Coridan so it's expected.
Putting on a neutral demeanour, Rangin begins speaking clearly. "There is very little to tell. We transported down. Ens. Kylah wanted to fix her zither. The shop we checked out was shut. We wound up wandering for a while until we ended up some quaint hostel, a little off the beaten track. I don't think we were really welcome by the two groups already there. We got some drinks. Ens. Kylah helped out some lady in the Restroom. We chatted for a bit, nothing serious. I went to the restroom came back and found she was gone. Contacted her and she said she was sorting out something to do with her zither. Agreed to meet up later. I went out and bought some gifts and then Ens. Kylah contacted me. We met up, wound up arguing and then I left as shore leave was over. That's it."
Rangin sits back in the chair and waits to see what else he will be asked.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Nia stands and shakes her head, glad to be out of the chair. "No sir, there've been no further developments since my last update, and no further matters on the ship have been brought to my attention--so I assume things are running smoothly."
She then turns over the datapad with Russell's proposal on it. "There is this, for your review, Captain. I think you'll find it... intriguing." She can't help raising an eyebrow and smiling. Finally, she mentions the new temporary standing order regarding having the transporter crew keep the Bridge informed of activity beaming on or off the ship. "That was Lt. Thalen's idea, Captain, and if I may say so, I think it might be useful moving forward, at least during potentially dangerous missions off the ship."
When her watch is officially over, Nia thanks the other departing Bridge crew as they all go their separate ways. Her own first destination is, as she promised herself, Sickbay. Once there, she slows down, takes a deep breath, and enters to visit Ensign Kylah.
...Who turns out to be sleeping. Nia exhales, a bit relieved despite herself--she hardly knows what she would have said--and looks down at the patient. Eyes closed, one hand clutching the blanket up around her chin, the girl looks barely out of her teens. Kylah also looks paler than Nia remembers, possibly due to some fading bruises on her skin. Her shoulder is visible above the blanket, and a healing but still yellow-purple bruise is ugly against otherwise smooth skin. As Nia stares down, she cannot help envisioning another young woman, about this age, lying there. Her skin would be much darker, the hair in tighter curls. The face is... a blank. Nia cannot imagine the features of someone she has never seen, not grown like this.
She does not think often of what might have been; Nia tries not to indulge in such pointless exercises. But her heart aches anyway. The truth is, she has no idea if the person she is imagining is alive or dead. She will never know if she ever experienced anything as traumatic as what Kylah has been through. Please no, she thinks, closing her eyes briefly at the terrifying helplessness swelling within her.
Then she opens her eyes, annoyed with herself. There is no point to this. Nevertheless, unable to prevent the impulse, Nia gently lifts the blanket to cover Kylah's shoulder, careful not to wake her. Then she turns, walks through Sickbay with a grateful nod to T'Var, and enters the corridor. All timed perfectly to find Graham walking toward her. Nia looks away from him for a second, needing a moment to collect herself, and then turns back to face the security officer with a smile.
Collins listens to Rangin's curt description of his trip to Anubis. Sounds reasonable, but why is he being so defensive?. She decides to voice her concerns.
"Why are you being so defensive, Ensign? No one is accusing you of anything. In fact, it's because of you that we've gotten as far along as we have."
Graham surprised by Nia's smile. Why should I be? he thinks, everything doesn't have to be fucked up all the time...
He takes and exhales a deep breath and manages a slight smile himself. "Probably the worst shore leave ever," he says, shaking his head. He shrugs and raises the hand holding the snow globe bag. "But hey, for what it's worth, I, uh, got you something down on the planet."
Last edited by general_urko; 06 Jul 2015 at 10:14 AM.
Det. Lunnd waits for Rangin's answer to Collins, and then asks:
"What sort of repair did Ens. Kylah's zither need, if you know?"
"'Hostel' has different meanings in different cultures. What does it mean to you?"
"What were the two groups already there in the bar that made you feel unwelcome?"
"How exactly did they do so?"
"Other than ordering drinks, did you have any dealings with the bartender?"
"Did Ens. Kylah?"
"Were you aware of her intention to exchange currency?"
"Did either you or she drink to excess?"
"What was wrong with the woman in the restroom, and how did Ens. Kylah help her?"
"Did Ens. Kylah explain why she left while you were in the restroom?"
"When you later met up with her, what did you argue about?"
"Forgive the intrusion, sir, but are you and she romantically involved?"
"Did she seem in any danger to you when you last saw her?"
"Was she acting normally?"
"Is there anything I haven't asked you, that you think I should know or that might have any significance to this case?"
Nia, about to ask Graham any number of questions about the investigation, is--for one of the few times in her Starfleet life--at a loss for words, at least for a few seconds. "You--what?" She shakes her head at the rudeness of her own question and tentatively takes hold of the bag, although she doesn't actually remove it from Graham's grasp. For now, they are both supporting it together. "You got me something," she repeats, looking down at the bag, then back up at Graham. "That was... wow, that's..." Incredibly thoughtful? Strange? 'Forward,' like Cece said? Ugh, no, not 'forward,' who are you, some character in an ancient romance novel? She finishes at last: "That's a surprise, to put it mildly. In between attacking criminals you stopped off at a gift shop? Those must have been pretty slow bad guys."
But she defuses the words with another smile, unusually shy for her, and now takes the bag. Whoa. Heavier than I was expecting. What the heck is this? "Seriously, thank you. But... um, before I open it... can I ask the questions I had for you and get them over with? Because--" Nia peeks into the bag, only to see a box that tells her nothing about whatever this gift is. "I'd like to give this my full attention. Do you have a couple of minutes to walk with me to one of the conference rooms so I can get that coffee?*"
Assuming the conference rooms have replicators for coffee; if not, substitute one of the rec rooms up on Deck 8.
"Well, we were on land, of course, so I could move a lot faster than I could in the pool," Graham explains, not entirely sure if the gift was entirely welcome or not--or if I just violated some custom, could have done some research I guess... "And it was only one guy. That I attacked."
He clears his throat. "But, ah, anyway. yeah, sure--lead the way, ma-... Nia."
Nia tries, not entirely successfully, to suppress a grin at Graham's hesitant speech. For a man his age, his size, his attractiveness, his experience... he's sure awkward. In a very cute way.
Of course, she doesn't say anything about that. "Thanks, Booker. I'm just... I'm in the opposite situation to you--I've been sitting so long in the big chair today, waiting for any slight trickle of information I can get, that I just feel like being in motion. You're probably tired out and--oh, hell." She stops, turns, and puts a hand on his arm. "I didn't even say it, did I? Thank you. You guys did a great job. It sounds as if at least two of the men you caught might be the bastards who tried to crush that young girl. Woman." Nia glances back at the Sickbay, still able to envision Kylah's pale form. "If I could I'd buy the whole team a drink. I hated just listening to what was going on, having no role to play, cut off like that waiting for any news. Sometimes you want to make an actual difference. Not just let others do what should be your job..."
She turns back to Graham to see if he understands, without fully hiding the concern and anger from him. When she meets his gaze, seeing herself reflected in his eyes, Nia realizes she's making an idiot of herself. Or at least being way too... something... with someone she barely knows. With a brusque shrug, she tries to shake it off. "Sorry," she says, removing her hand and starting down the hall. "So... um. I'm not fully aware of what's going on, since honestly, the ACOS isn't super-great with reporting. What is going on with the interviews on the ship? Why is this Lunnd guy interviewing Rangin? He wasn't even around when Kylah was attacked. You know anything about that?"
Last edited by SidonianGal; 06 Jul 2015 at 03:03 PM.
"Well, we all have our part to play," Graham replies, encourangingly. "I can manage rolling around in the mud to collar some worthless punk, and you can, you know--fly the ship and save all our asses, if it comes down to it." Then he sighs.
"Uh, Rangin." He scratches his head. "Well, I guess I did attack more than one person today," he says in a queiter voice than typical conversation. "He ah--was the, ah, last person to see Kylah on the planet. He's been acting..." Like a sick, twisted... Graham decides not to go there. "Uh, weird. Enough so that I thought he posed a threat to Kylah, earlier...."
He looks toward Nia wondering if he needs to explain further what happened, then pauses and looks back toward Sickbay.
"Anyway, I can send you a copy of my official report later if you want. " He shrugs. "Something to remember me by if Vargas transfers me to the ass half of the quadrant.
He quick steps to catch up with Nia and gestures expansively. "But hey, on the bright side, you're right, I'm pretty sure we got one of the assailants. Lunnd seems solid, I bet we'll track down the rest of the sons-of-bitches..." He starts his sentence cheerfully, but heat starts to be obvious as he continues, realizing he's talking about the perpetrators of the beating.
His demeanor shifts immediately though, becoming almost wistful.
"I just hope...ah, Kylah..." he frowns and glances back toward Sickbay and then toward Nia. "Uh, holds up ok, it's been a...not a good time for her," he says softly.
Onn and Graham see Lt. Thalen from down the corridor, apparently coming to Sickbay.
Nia finds Graham's words difficult to process, as he reaches several subjects before she has a chance to react to any of them. First he seems to be saying he--he attacked a fellow crewman? And it was Rangin? Velir Rangin against Booker Graham. The image is a ridiculously unfair match-up, unless the former were holding a disruptor and the latter had one arm in a sling.
"You're not going to get transferred," she starts to mutter, knowing through personal experience that Vargas will punish intra-crew quarrels harshly but not unfairly. Well, not entirely unfairly. Nia still bears a grudge against an incident from early on in her Yorktown days. But her words are blown past as Graham focuses on Kylah's attack. And his look toward Sickbay is full of unspoken feeling.
"Hopefully she'll recover, physically and mentally," Nia says. "It's a damn shame someone so new to Starfleet's been through as much as she has. But she will get through it. If she's got friends and family who care for her, that'll help." They've reached her destination and, after noting Thalen's presence, she quickly enters the conference room, heading toward the replicator. Before she reaches for it, she pauses, remembering Kylah's insistence on having Graham with her during questioning. Why beat around the bush?
"Do you care for her?" Nia asks, glancing up at him. "Is that why you got so mad at Rangin that you and he..." She finishes by putting up her empty fist and punching Graham's arm lightly with it.
Graham shrugs, not sure what Onn means about "getting mad at Rangin." I was doing my job...
"Well of course I care for..." he starts to reply, then the requisite number of synapses click.
"Oh, you mean--uh..." he looks away, feeling as if he's blushing furiously, but not sure why.
He feels his shoulders tense and clears his throat. "No, not that--I mean--she's almost exactly my daughter's age," he says, directly addressing the wall rather than Nia. "Even reminds me of Lizzy sometimes. But even smaller than Lizzy," he adds, his voice trailing off.
Memories of both Elizabeth and Kylah looking up at him, resolute--and mad at him--blur together. He clenches and unclenches his fists unconsciously.
"And she's in a hospital bed," he says tightly, turning back toward Nia. "On my watch."
Last edited by general_urko; 06 Jul 2015 at 09:24 PM.
Everything about Graham's emotions and stance feels charged with electricity, and Nia takes a step back to examine him. His daughter's age. He has a daughter. And Kylah... he feels responsible for her...
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had a daughter." Does he have a wife? Didn't notice a ring... crap, better not ask about that, my foot's already filling my mouth as it is. "But... you say Kylah's in Sickbay on your watch," she adds quietly. "Let's address that first. Unless you have some secret orders from Starfleet Intelligence I don't know about, you're not Ensign Kylah's bodyguard. Far as I'm aware, she went down to the planet with Rangin, then went off by herself, and then... some animals attacked her. How is that your fault? Hell, I was in the Captain's chair at the time. If it was anyone's watch, it was mine. And I'm not saying I don't feel like shit about it. But realistically I also know that this was a shore leave. It wasn't a mission, she wasn't one of a group of officers whose moves I was supposed to be tracking. Do you feel you're supposed to be tracking her, even when she's off duty? She's not a child. Yeah, she looks about fifteen lying there in that bed, but she isn't. She's... she's an adult and a Starfleet Officer. Presumably that means she's able to handle herself."
Nia leans against the wall, hands across her chest--including the one still holding his gift bag. "I don't know. Maybe she does need protecting. I have no idea how unworldly she is. If she's been kept under lock and key behind palace walls, maybe her parents shouldn't have let her go off to Starfleet in the first place. Maybe she should followed around by a royal guard. But from what little I've seen of her, and the reports I've heard of her actions, Kylah doesn't seem the type who'd appreciate being put on a leash. Even though she does have the judgment of a five-week-old puppy: all enthusiasm and passion but clumsy and likely to poke her nose into a hornet's nest. It hurts. But she'll learn eventually. Or she'll keep getting stung."
She switches her gaze to the side at the replicator, not really seeing it. "I know you feel responsible, and that speaks well of you. It really does. But you're not actually responsible for her. That doesn't mean it's easy. In fact, it's harder when you know, deep down, that you really don't have any control over someone you care about. When you can't protect them every minute of the day, or be sure where they are all the time, or even know if they're alive or dead..."
Her voice is a bit hoarse and Nia swallows hard, hurrying to abandon this line of thought. She forces herself to focus on Graham again. "Booker. You've got to let go of the belief that people can save others from every possible harm. We can't. Not unless you lock them in a cage for the rest of their lives." Taking a deep breath, she reaches out to hold his arm again, feeling the tense, coiled strength of him beneath her fingers. "You can and should watch her back if you're assigned to do so in a mission, but today... she got out of her cage. And predators found her. That's the risk we take when we're set free. It's not your fault."
She lets her thumb caress his arm for a second, one tender brush to comfort him, and then starts to let go. "Now," she says, forcing a bright tone. "Do you like yours dark or light?"
Last edited by SidonianGal; 06 Jul 2015 at 10:32 PM.
Rangin fixes Collins with a fixed glare. He had seen this game played before, had played it before and he sits there with no intention of giving away anything more than the absolute necessities. Not that long agom Collins had been quite happy to agree that Rangin could not be in the same room as Ens. Kylah without supervision and now she is accusing him of being defensive.
Don't worry, we're all friends...you can trust us...why don't you tell us what happened. No Rangin is not going to be that stupid. If it looks like they are trying to get him for something, they probably are.
He sits and waits patiently for the next question to come from the detective. He has nothing to hide, he did nothing wrong, but Rangin isn't going to give them anything to even consider the question.
"What sort of repair did Ens. Kylah's zither need, if you know?"
Damn, first question up and nothing to do with the attack. All Rangin's senses, which were on alert, fire and now he can see they are looking to blame Kylah for what happened. She may have been a stupid bi.., no Rangin reins his mind in from even that line of through. Just stupid for now.
"Pass", he responds coldly.
"'Hostel' has different meanings in different cultures. What does it mean to you?"
"In this particular case a bar, pub or inn. Does that make it clearer?"
"What were the two groups already there in the bar that made you feel unwelcome?"
"I'm sorry that question makes no sense. Do you mean the two sets of locals?"
"How exactly did they do so?"
"They seemed unhappy with us not being local."
"Other than ordering drinks, did you have any dealings with the bartender?"
"No."
"Did Ens. Kylah?"
"You'll have to ask Ens. Kylah"
"Were you aware of her intention to exchange currency?"
"Why would she tell me if she needed to change currency?"
"Did either you or she drink to excess?"
Rangin just looks straight across the table and fixes the detective with a glare. "I did not, you will have to ask Ens. Kylah about her own drinking habits."
"What was wrong with the woman in the restroom, and how did Ens. Kylah help her?"
"I don't know and she talked to her the lady's colleagues."
"Did Ens. Kylah explain why she left while you were in the restroom?"
"I've already answered that."
"When you later met up with her, what did you argue about?"
"I fail to see what that has to do with Ens. Kylah's attackers."
"Forgive the intrusion, sir, but are you and she romantically involved?"
"Forgive the intrusion? I'm sorry I thought we were taking a statement about the assault on my colleague, not the state of her love life."
"Did she seem in any danger to you when you last saw her?"
"No, but then she was attacked after I left."
"Was she acting normally?"
Rangin pauses and considers everything that Kylah has gone through over the last few weeks. If she hadn't been a little off-kilter than something would have been wrong.
"Yes"
"Is there anything I haven't asked you, that you think I should know or that might have any significance to this case?"
"The gifts were for my sister, but I doubt its relevant. How about, I left before anything happened so I don't know why I am being quizzed like a suspect. Ens. Kylah is a big girl capable of handling her own life. You should be asking her these questions, not me."
Rangin fixes Collins with a very pointed look. "I'm sure once she has recovered you can be given access."
He looks across at the two people who are probably less than happy with his responses despite having told the absolute truth.
"Are we finished?"
Looking down, he realises that his communicator has an unanswered message, surprisingly enough from Lt. Onn. He holds it up wondering if he should answer, but making it clear to both Collins and Lunnd that someone is trying to reach him. He gestures silently with the communicator, his nod enquiring as to whether they are willing to let him leave.
Last edited by CatInASuit; 07 Jul 2015 at 05:50 AM. Reason: Extra message added
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Lt. Thalen sees Graham and Onn and nods as he passes by.
Det. Lunnd frowns at Rangin's responses. He says, "No, we are not finished. That message can wait. As it happens, sir, I have already questioned Ens. Kylah. Now I am questioning you, and it is not for you to tell me what is or isn't relevant to my investigation. You are not a suspect, but I need to explore all reasonable possibilities in this case." He continues:
"By 'pass,' do you mean you don't know what sort of repair Ens. Kylah's zither needed, or you are refusing to answer?"
"Did you observe Ens. Kylah have any dealings with the bartender, other than ordering drinks?"
"I will ask you again: when you later met up with her, what did you argue about?"
"Are you and she romantically involved?"
"Do you have any reason to wish her harm?"
"Do you know of anyone else who might?"
Graham starts to tense and frown as Nia goes on.
I thought you had some questions, not a lecture, he thinks.
He starts to open his mouth to respond: there's a lot you don't know about...
Then he shuts it as she touches his arm.
She's being entirely sensible. And friendly. Also really good-looking too...
He forces himself to relax.
"Uh, light. And sweet. Just like my personality," he says instead of launching into an argument, with a little shrug.
He smiles a little. "Remind me not to introduce you to my daughter, you two would gang up on me for being overprotective just like she and her mother did, when she--"
The memory is not entirely bitter--but far from entirely sweet as well.
"Look, ah, anyway...we can talk about the past anytime, but right now: are you going to open that bag or what?" He points to the bag. "I mean, I probably could have apprehended a dozen more bad guys and put half the crew in a headlock in the time it took me to find that..." He gives himself a couple obviously exaggerated gorrila-like fists taps on his chest. "Or managed...Hell, I don't know--maybe half a lap?--across the pool."
He shrugs again. "I've got to know if I spend my time wisely, right...?"
Rangin looks back across the table at the detective. So they had already spoken to Ens. Kylah, so why did they need to speak to him. He hadn't been there when she had been assaulted, so why did they even need this conversation. They would have got everything from her...unless she had been lying again and they thought he was guilty of it.
"Fine, let's continue," growls Rangin unhappy with the fact he was being set up, "Let's continue my questioning on relevant possibilities to Ens. Kylah's unfortunate assault."
By 'pass', do you mean you don't know what sort of repair Ens. Kylah's zither needed, or are you refusing to answer?"
"Again with the zither, would love to hear how it is relevant, but then I never saw it, so I don't know...or didn't Ens. Kylah tell you?"
"Did you observe Ens. Kylah have any other dealings with the bartender, other than ordering drinks?"
"I was a little too far away to tell, being sat at a table while she was at the bar."
"I will ask you again: when you later met up with her, what did you argue about?"
"And I'll answer again, none of your business."
"Are you and she romantically involved?"
Rangin struggles to get a grip on his temper and calm down as it hits a nerve. He doesn't want to think about how close they got, how she offered herself and how he rejected it. Not now. "Didn't you say you wanted to discuss relevant possibilities. This isn't relevant, I wasn't there, this is nothing to do with me, I'm the one who found her after all. If it wasn't for me she'd be bleeding out somewhere unknown."
"Do you have any reason to wish her harm?"
Rangin freezes. He may hate her, may not ever want to see her again, but hurt her. No. But if the detective is asking this question...
Rangin leans back over the table, his voice a lot colder and calmer than before. "You said relevant possibilities. If you're asking me that, then you are considering me as a possible suspect. Somehow I don't think I want to take any further part in this interview, especially if you think I did it and this is a little more than just your average questioning."
"Well?" Rangin addresses the pair of them, but especially Collins, "am I a suspect or not?"
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
"No!" Collins says hastily and sincerely. "At least not as far as I'm concerned. Please answer the detective's questions," she pleads. "We all want this whole thing over and done with."
Nia smiles, a trifle crookedly. "Right." Light and sweet. First innuendo fail--and yeah, considering that describes Bennett perfectly, I should've expected that response. Plus he's sending all kinds of signs, flares and fireworks that spell out 'not interested except maybe in sexytimes.' All right, I can roll with that. He probably heard about her proclivities and has put her in an entirely different category from the sweet submissives he likes. She's surprised by her disappointment. What does she care about this near-stranger?
Except it was nice to see a man with some maturity and depth behind his eyes.
"Of course. Sorry for being presumptuous. I didn't want you to think I was all about the presents, so I figured I'd pass the time with conversation rather than ripping open the box immediately. But let's get to the gift-opening time." Nia turns and orders the coffees--hers is hazelnut, black with sugar--and passes the cup to Graham while she sits down. She lifts the box--weird balance to it, it shifts and... there's liquid in it? Nia's eyes flick sideways, suspicious and twinkling. Must be a gag gift. Swimming medal or whatever. Or a water-filled dildo? Is he that obvious? Wouldn't be my first crass gift, but he doesn't seem...
Then, the box opened and tissue paper removed, she draws out what first appears to be a clear glass orb, larger than expected. Definitely not a sex aid, or if it is, he's got me waaay overestimated--
She lifts it and her heart catches a beat. Inside the perfect crystal orb set on a deep brown wood base, is water--not entirely full, but relatively close. It's not clear after all, but instead reveals an odd little scene. Settled at the bottom are hundreds of tiny white flakes and pellets, some glistening like silver. There's a miniature cabin flanked by two evergreen trees, a little snowman, and, as she brings the object closer to her face, she can see two tiny, winter-clad children near the snowman. One seems to be tasked with placing the coal-black eyes of their creation, the other is rolling another huge 'snowball,' perhaps beginning a little snow-woman companion. Peering even closer, Nia can see that the boy holding the coal has dark brown curls beneath his faux-wool cap; the girl pushing the snowball has wee black braids.
"Ohhh..." Her breath escapes her in a sigh without her realizing it, and her eyes widen in awe. "Just look at this," she whispers. The slight movement of her hands as she lifts the globe higher causes the mock snow to drift upwards a bit before settling. And she suddenly remembers that she's seen one of these before, back on Earth during an Academy winter break. Nia glances up at Booker only for a second before returning to the gift, then shaking it as she remembers her friends doing back in Tahoe.
The particles immediately scatter, like a mini-explosion, and when she stops they float and cascade downwards on the cabin, trees, snowman and the kids. The kids. Against her will, Nia's eyes prickle slightly with unsheddable tears at how happy they seem now, how incredibly perfect and right, even though they're alone. They're not wanting for anything. Inside the cabin is probably hot cocoa and a fire and two loving parents. Or maybe just one, and perhaps another child, too small to play outdoors with its siblings. Nia doesn't usually spend such time in imaginative fantasies, but the thought pleases her even as it's bittersweet. She laughs unexpectedly, despite herself, and shakes the globe again so she can once again watch the pretty snowflakes swirl and surround the figures at the bottom.
"Oh Booker," she murmurs, cradling the globe in both hands. "This is... this is lovely. Just lovely." With a warm look at this charming object, she shakes her head and says almost reverently: "I've almost never seen snow. I went to Lake Tahoe on Earth once, and we were expecting to do cross-country skiing, but the weather turned out weirdly warm and there was almost nothing there. But my friend bought me something like this--well, not really like this at all, it was small and plastic and cheaply made, and broke--leaked water and foam pellets everywhere in my suitcase," she adds with a distracted chuckle at the memory. Really she's just talking to distance herself from the figures inside. She's not usually this sentimental but seeing Kylah and hearing about Graham's daughter... she's filled with a longing that she hasn't allowed herself in a long time.
Cupping the gift like a baby's head, she lowers it to the table and looks up at Graham. "Thank you. I wasn't expecting anything like this. Not something so beautiful or so... so well-considered." Her eyes crinkle with her understanding smile. "It's because you know Sidonia has never seen one drop of snow, right? I've experienced it maybe twice in my lifetime: once during a trip at the Academy, and once on a mission to an ice-planet about a decade ago. But I've never forgotten it. It was like magic." She turns back to the snowglobe with pleasure. "So is this. I don't know what to say. You're... you surprised me. I don't even want to tell you what I thought it was," she adds with a sudden flush and another much more wicked chuckle.
She corrals her thoughts, lets the globe leave her fingers, and stands up to face the security officer. He's not much taller than her--really, if she wore higher heels, they'd be eye to eye. Not caring that she's fairly certain he has no interest in her, she covers his cheeks and stares at him. "To answer your question. Yes, Ensign Graham. You spent your time wisely." She bends forward, kissing him on the lips, feeling her naturally cool skin warm considerably at the touch of his mouth to hers and--though she really, really wants to know just how much warmer his tongue would feel inside her--she ends the kiss quickly. "Very wisely," she murmurs for emphasis, staring up at him and holding the glance for a moment before releasing him.
"Thank you, Booker. I'd call such a gift completely unnecessary but, to be honest..." Nia looks down at the snowglobe fondly and her voice is very soft. "It feels necessary to me. Not that it was necessary for you to give me anything, I just... this globe means more to me than you realize, that's all. I'll treasure it."
She very much wants another kiss. But... Bennett. Light and sweet. That's his preference. Probably his wife, the one he doesn't want to talk about, was like that, too. Knowing she'd probably better not say anything more, Nia flashes a warm but slightly less full smile, then turns to put the globe almost reverently back in its box.
Last edited by SidonianGal; 07 Jul 2015 at 02:33 PM.
Graham finds it surprising--and endearing--the way Nia handles the snow globe as reverently and intensely if he'd just given her something as precious as a pure dilithium crystal...
It certainly seemed like a gift that had made sense, given what they'd talked about, and his apparently correct assumption that if she had ever felt snow she must have found it as or more amazing than experiencing rain.
She comes across as kind of a badass, not the sentimental type... Watching her handle the globe he starts to think he was obviously unfairly stereotyping her personality...
He's not sure what she could have thought it was...something stupid and macho? A rueful thought occurs to him: what would Rangin think I would buy someone?
That thought is quickly and entirely banished as Nia stands in front of him: he's expecting she'll say thank you, maybe give him a hug, to which he'd respond "it was nothing, really..."
This assumption was clearly wrong: Graham is caught flat-footed as she starts to give him what he anticipates as a comradely hug and instead touches his face and kisses his lips.
It's over before he can respond. (What that response should be he's not sure...)
He realizes he's standing there like a drooling idiot while she turns, very...elegantly, he thinks...the way she propelled herself through the water and pulled herself easily from the pool start to stand not in contrast to what he's just seen, but to cohere into signs of a more complex person than he'd assumed previously.
Not that I have a problem with badasses, but...
He's...aroused...by the kiss, he can't deny that . But after what he's just seen he can't imagine that a random roll in the hay in a conference room is what she wants from him. Or even if she did, what's right for her...
He reaches forward after a moment's hesitation. "Nia..." Graham more blurts her name out rather than managing to be suave. As she turns away he puts his hands on her upper arms. Strong, muscular...she could really put up a fight if I tried to turn her around, he thinks--but that's not relevant...
His touch is as light and gentle as he can make it to indicate he'd like her to turn back toward him--but such that she could practically blow them off her with a deep breath.
"The gift...it seemed like the right thing to do," he says. "Given what, ah, little I'd learned about you...but I'd ...it feels right to learn more, if you..."
He feels like even more of an idiot. She's a beautiful, tough, smart senior officer who probably any number of men (or women) half his age knocking on her door, pestering her for attention...
"...if you feel that's worth your time," he continues..
There's no hint of either apology or innuendo in his tone. There's an old saying: laying your balls on the table. Don't be a coward, Booker. She deserves more than that.
It's a stark statement of fact he makes, trying to hold her eyes. "I'd like that, Nia."
Last edited by general_urko; 07 Jul 2015 at 09:50 PM. Reason: edited last part
Det. Lunnd, frowning, looks from Collins to Rangin and raises an eyebrow.
Pivoting to face Graham, Nia lets her gaze take in the hope and--most interesting--the respect in his eyes. She lowers to look at his mouth, moistening her own lips, and then steps toward him. "I wouldn't have kissed you at all if I didn't think you were worth my time," she murmurs. "But I'll say this. That's twice you've surprised me in five minutes, Booker. First with this amazing gift, and now... well, I'd written you off as uninterested."
Nia absently brushes her thumb along Graham's mouth, removing a trace of her lipstick. "You're probably tired as hell, and I'm happy to wait until our off-duty times mesh. But for now, before we go any further--if we do--I will tell you one important thing about me.
"I'm as straight a shooter as you'll find." She puts her hands on her hips, chin raised and proud. "What that means is, I don't promise what I can't deliver; I don't agree to be monogamous if I want to sleep around, and I don't pretend I'm fine with being casual if I've got my heart set on one man. In short, I don't play games with others' feelings. And I don't lead men on a merry chase or force them to run an obstacle course."
She shrugs and tosses her heavy ponytail of curls so it falls from her left shoulder down her back. "Some guys prefer the teasing, hard-to-get types, and that's fine. I may miss out on them by being so upfront. But I figure it's for the best."
Inhaling, she can smell the mingled scents of the hazelnut coffee and something that is pure Graham. "I'll also just say that almost the minute I saw you--and I've noticed you before you entered that pool last night--I've wanted to get to know you. I'll explain why some other time, but... well, it's the truth.
"If that kind of directness is a turn-off, tell me now, because if so, we'll be wrong for each other for anything other than a one-nighter. Which... sure, is something we could do," she admits. She lifts her hand to his chest and playfully smooths his uniform while lowering her voice. "Make no mistake: if it weren't for all the emotional upheaval we've been through today, and a new mission nearly ready to begin, I'd invite you back to my bunk--I don't share, by the way, that's another plus about me--and perform some acts on you that a few planets don't even allow to be spoken."
Nia smiles, lips tilting sideways. "But that's for another time, if you're so inclined. Truth is, I think I want more from you than one night. I can get one nights elsewhere." She inches closer until he'd only have to bend slightly to reach her mouth. "If any or all of this interests you, Booker," she whispers, "it's time for you to make the next move."
Rangin looks at both Lunnd and Collins and realises with a sinking feeling that Lt. Collins is really and truly just trying to be helpful. Detective Lunnd had had Rangin down as a suspect before this interview even took place, probably over something Kylah had said, whether inadvertently or whether she had lied to save her own skin, just like she did on the planet.
Either way, Lunnd was looking for more than just a witness statement from Rangin and Collins was unthinkingly giving him all the legitimacy he needed.
"Well Detective." Rangin rest his elbows on the table, hands flat to the surface, and speaks slowly. "In your list of relevant possibilities, am I considered a suspect?"
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Even though there is no hurry, T'Var looks over the vaccination schedule and will contact the Rigellian crew members to confirm their appointments.
The doctor leaves Sickbay and decides to enjoy a brisk workout at the gym. Then perhaps something light to eat.
With the air of someone keeping a grip in his temper, Det. Lunnd says to Rangin, "I've already told you you're not a suspect, but frankly, your evasiveness and attitude aren't helping. You've just been asked by Lt. Collins to answer me fully, and still have not." He turns to her. "Please call whoever has the authority on this ship to order this man to answer my questions."
The vaccination schedule makes sense to Dr. T'Var. She is able to either contact each of the Rigellian crewmembers or leave messages for them. The gym is not too crowded. She sees her cabinmate Lt. Bennett on a cycling machine; the young Englishwoman smiles and waves to her.
"Honestly, Detective," Collins decides "I don't think that's necessary. The two of you are so alike, you're just butting heads at this point, waiting to see who blinks first." The anger in her voice is quite obvious. "You," she looks at Lunnd "stop acting like Ensign Rangin is a suspect if he truly isn't, and you," she looks at Rangin "stop being so defensive and just answer the damned questions." she almost shouts. "Knock off this insane measuring contest already!"
Last edited by anyrose; 08 Jul 2015 at 01:01 PM.
Graham is surprised, too: that I'd be a fool not to be interested.
But also that he's also more...comfortable with women who...what? Fit more neatly into a simple category: "just like one the guys"--like Rachael. Or..."unapproachable." Like Bennett...or Jane.
Huh. Maybe I'm also a fool to get involved...
"I don't believe in playing games with people's feelings either," Graham replies slowly, shaking his head just slightly, inches away from her face.
He takes hold of Nia's shoulders--still gently but a little more sensually, getting a sense of she'd move and feel with more...intimate...contact.
The contact is...welcome...but he realizes it's been awhile. It's been an even longer time since he actually felt intimacy even when there had been "contact."
Uh, Fasial's probably right, I would be a better roommate if I got laid...
That little voice in his head recedes far away.
"Or in running away in fear from the unknown, no matter how far...beyond...what felt safe in the past it might seem..."
He leans down and forward--fair enough, "my move"--to kiss Nia's lips.
He's clear on--in fact, a little grateful for--the fact that Nia isn't looking for a tumble under the conference room table like a couple of Academy cadets... But the closed-lipped kiss feels a little too...un-intimate for the moment.
He moves closer and lets his hands slide naturally toward her shoulder blades, and while he doesn't insist on a deeper kiss, he offers...
At the touch of Graham's mouth, Nia closes her eyes and follows every lead he sends her. When he pushes forward and makes it clear he's ready for more than a light kiss, she responds in kind, opening up to him and letting her body loosen so she is leaning against him, feeling the muscles against her softness. The kiss is delicious and she sighs in pleasure, the tiny moan reaching from her mouth to his. She wouldn't mind if he were more aggressive, because the strength she feels in his arms is something she desperately wants around her. And yet there's also something charming about the deference and care with which he's holding her. It's as if he thinks he'll break her, somehow. Go ahead, Booker, break me, she thinks, entwining her fingers in his hair and pulling his face even closer. Break me and put me back together again. Turn me into something new, something that's yours.
The hint of the scales usually visible on her skin disappear, an unconscious, automatic message from her body. It only happens when she's ready to be vulnerable, ready to be touched anywhere, and everywhere. Without those scales her skin tingles with every light touch, even that of her clothing, even the pulse in his wrist on her back. Getting ahead of myself, she thinks, despite being almost sleepy with longing. Way ahead of myself... unfortunately...
She knows this because in the back of her mind she still hears Graham's self-conversation before he finally took hold of her: he's insecure, he's got mixed feelings, he's not used to someone like Nia. These feelings won't go away with one achingly hot kiss.
After some time, which she has no idea how to track, she breaks from the kiss, keeping her eyes closed for a few seconds just so she can encapsulate this moment, the burning, tingling of her lips and tongue, and the heat from his breath as he exhales only millimeters away.
But the spell has to emd at some point. Her eyelids flicker open and search his gaze. "Wow," she murmurs, clearing her throat. She fingers his hair to neaten it against the band that pulls it back from his face. "I hope that was at least a quarter as incredible for you as it was for me." Nia smiles and rests her fingertips on his mouth. "...But a gentleman wouldn't tell me if it wasn't. So there's no need to confirm or deny."
She steps back and shudders slightly: her skin is cold without his body against her, now that her scales have receded. With her shudder her body begins to return to normal. Shell back in place. "Booker," she begins while taking hold of his hand. "I understand what you said. In fact, I think I maybe understood a little more than what you actually said." She lifts his hand to her lips, kisses it, then cradles it with her other hand. "Let's get to know each other. You need to work out what's best for you, and I want to work that out as well. If you're not sure about me, if you have a different type of woman in mind... even a specific different woman... I'll back off."
Smiling, because she still feels ripples of pleasure, Nia turns to gather her things from the table. "That's actually another truth about me," she adds lightly as she busies herself--something she's doing consciously in order to let Graham think without having to worry about controlling his facial expressions. "I don't compete with other women for guys. Whatever else you think of me, I have my share of pride." Nia waits a moment for that to be digested before turning back to him, her gift bag and coffee now in hand. "Okay, Ensign. You may now speak," she says, lightly teasing him for the way he's just looking at her.
Last edited by SidonianGal; 08 Jul 2015 at 04:26 PM.
Nia seems to appreciate his kiss...
No, wait...whoa...
She throws herself into the kiss and his embrace with an intensity that he's...
Happy to reciprocate isn't the right word.
That he does and wants to reciprocate.
It's infinitely more straightforward, in the moment, and primal than weighing a bunch of pros and cons.
Nonetheless, when it ends and she stands with her eyes closed for a moment, his first instinct is to ask if something is wrong. He's infinitely grateful that he's still too occupied...looking at her....the way her nostrils move when he breathes. The tiny asymmetries between the curve of her eyelids... to speak before she does and he ruins the moment.
No, nothing's wrong, you idiot...
He collects his thoughts but doesn't speak until she goes on to... there's a different sort of heat he starts to feel other than that of arousal as she goes on.
I don't compete with other women...I have my share of pride.
She's saying it matter of factly--it's neither an accusation nor a complaint, but it still seems to imply....
That women exist for entertainment.
That they're just a notch on your belt...
Did someone treat her like that?
Graham calms himself down. Let's get to know each other shall we? Tell me the worst thing a man ever did to you. Great idea, Booker...
But if he's learned one thing already it's that Nia Onn does not need him to be her father.
Also she's pretty funny too, he thinks when she gives him leave to speak.
He clears his throat and then rubs his chin thoughtfully. "So, no obstacle courses for either of us, then?" He shrugs and grins slightly. "Probably for the best--unless we've got some females from a native aquatic race onboard, handicapping the swimming portion would be a real nightmare."
Hs smile turns more openly and sincerely--more like a slack-jawed schoolboy, her thinks, but he doesn't care, when he fully takes in the picture of her standing there with bag and coffee in hand. "Nia, you could be transported right now into the middle of the ritziest shopping street on Rigel among the galaxy's 'privately-owned-warp-capable-yacht-beautiful-people' right now and no one would bat an eye."
He shakes his head.
"No harm no foul if you decide you don't want a broken-down old ensign spoiling the picture." He pauses and then offers, hopefully. "But I can carry a lot of bags, that's one point in my favor..."
Graham's flattering words elicit Nia's rich, throaty laugh. "Thanks. I can honestly say I've never gotten a compliment like that. 'You belong on a ritzy shopping street.' Hopefully you meant as a customer rather than as a delivery girl." She smiles, although it hasn't missed her notice that he completely avoided her reference to whatever... thing... is going on between him and Bennett. Was that purposeful, or was he just unable to pick up on what Nia thought wasn't hugely subtle? Then again, there's that 'broken-down' remark. Can he really not realize that more than one woman might want him?
Suddenly she remembers what Bennett called him. 'Forward.' Seriously? This guy who's asking to carry my bags like a footman, and thinks he's ready for retirement? Seht'Dar's prolific balls, either he's putting on an act with me, or Cece's got a bigger stick up her butt than I ever thought. Nia shakes her head slightly in confusion, and then the wicked idea occurs to her: Hey, maybe he bought Cece the glass dildo! The absurd notion nearly makes her choke with suppressed laughter, especially when she remembers her thoughts about the stick.
"Um... " Nia gets herself together. "Right, well, I have no doubt you can carry almost anything you set your mind to. Now, as for calling yourself old... hey, I come from a planet where a woman my age is considered next door to a dried-up old hag. Age is all relative." She tilts her head and casts a deliberate examination of Graham from head to toe. "Mmm. Yeah, I think you're forgetting that I saw you half-naked in that pool yesterday, and a minute ago I was standing close enough to you to tell how many ribs you've had fractured over the years. Nothing I saw or felt seemed broken-down or old to me."
She smiles and lets her dark emerald eyes gleam with appreciation, then leans over and gives him a kiss on his cheek. "Besides." she murmurs, "some of the best times of my youth involved finding crashed airships and fixing them good as new. If anything on you does turn out to need repairing, I won't rest until I make you forget it ever troubled you. Promise." The last word is invested with much more sincerity than her otherwise joking tone, as is her steady gaze at him. Then, slowly, she kisses him again, this time on the lips--longer, lingering, and very loath to part.
"Ohhh my," she exhales when through, staring up at him. "Damn, Booker. You are... you're something a gal could get very used to. You didn't accidentally come back from that last mission infected by those freaky spores, did you?" Grinning, she forces herself to take a step back again, clearing her throat again. "Okay. Off to take a shower. Thanks again for this. The gorgeous snowglobe, I mean," she adds with a laugh while lifting the gift bag. "Sure wish we could head to the mess together. But you're probably still on duty since the shore leave threw our schedules out of sync, right? Maybe we can grab a meal tomorrow, if everything's back to normal?"
Last edited by SidonianGal; 08 Jul 2015 at 09:02 PM.
Graham's bemused... What the fuck kind of planet calls her a dried-up old hag?
What the fuck kind of planet indeed, he thinks as she gives him another kiss.
He frowns--just a little bit--when she mentions the spores.
"Violence breaks the spore's influence...but, ah--yes, I'd like that, to grab a meal tomorrow," he adds with a smile. He's still smiling when he adds--with an obviously exaggreated batting of his eyelashes , "Or a shower, too..."
For a split second he feels twenty...no, thirty...years younger...
Then he sighs and shrugs. "But right now--on duty or not--I really do need to file a formal use-of-force report with Vargas."
He's not sure how to leave things. At one point he would have tried to guess what clever and appropriate thing Rangin would come up with to say, with even a little admiration--but now he knows his behavior its just a manifestation of a sick need to manipulate and control...
He's also realistic about the fact that whether he's onboard with getting to know each other or not (which he is), if they engage in another kiss he's likely to find a tumble under the conference table too hard to resist...
He moves quickly--maybe a little too quickly and formally, as if he's been dismissed by Vargas... but after all, he's the junior officer...toward the door, but when he turns back toward Nia he takes her free hand in his.
He turns them over, marveling as if he's never seen hands before. Her lustrous skin against his...that seem to him pale and scarred...like a ghost, or a revenant, only halfway returned from the dead to pursue some forgotten and futile mission whose time had passed...
"Whatever happens...I'm glad I chose 'Nia' over 'Lt. Onn' yesterday," he says, concluding by looking up at her face and giving her hand a squeeze.
He nods and (unless stopped) moves to leave the room.
There's plenty to enjoy in Graham's flirtatious comment about the shower, and Nia beams approvingly. Atta boy, now you're showing me what I thought I saw yesterday. The next few words go by in a blur, although he says them casually, and then he takes her hand and she tries to forget the hint of concern that his somewhat glib remark instilled in her. His fingers are strong, not long but thick, solid--a working-man's fingers. Her father had fingers like this--at least, the scars and roughness.
"That 'Nia' was the first of several good choices," she says, shaking the bag again. But her smile is a little wary now, because she hates to break the mood with the necessary question about his glib comment. Damn it. Stupid responsibility.
"But now, um, I might be about to make a bad choice, because... I really don't want to spoil the atmosphere with a work-related issue, but it's sort of my duty..." Nia's expression tightens as if expecting a blow. "I have to ask, because I just spent about five hours as the faux commander of this ship, and if something happened on my watch... well, you know exactly how that feels." She gnaws at her lip, then just spits it out. "This use-of-force you mention. Are you talking about capturing the criminals, or... is there something else I should know about?"
Last edited by SidonianGal; 08 Jul 2015 at 10:05 PM.
Lunnd seems taken aback by Collins's reply. He asks stiffly, "Now you're deciding what questions I can ask, too, Lieutenant? Are you refusing my request to call Mr. Rangin's superior, as well?"
The door to Kylah's Sickbay room whisks open, and Lt. Thalen looks in to see if she's awake.
Awakened both by the whoosh of the door and the rush of emotions that make it clear someone is nearby, Kylah opens her eyes from a not-very-restful nap. Despite an uncomfortable sense of half-consciousness that often occurs when woken in the midst of a dream, it takes her only seconds to recognize Lt. Thalen--Andorians are not plentiful on the ship.
"Lieutenant," she says, then clears her throat and excuses herself, running her good hand through her messy hair. "I am sorry, I did not expect anyone. How kind of you to come, sir."
Last edited by choie; 08 Jul 2015 at 10:13 PM.
Without losing the intensity she'd just displayed, Collins replies, "You're trying to blame Ensign Rangin! He may be surly and unresponsive now, but that's because you're treating him like a criminal! I'm a pretty good judge of character, Detective, and Rangin's mood is because he had an argument with the woman he loves! And Ensign Kylah is young. And led a sheltered life before joining Starfleet, so of course she's naive! You have Lez in custody! What the hell are you trying to accomplish here?"
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