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 Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:53 pm
It rankled Autry to be so obvious when he was aiming for easygoing. But "easygoing" was difficult with the way those buttons were straining. Autry carefully kept his gaze trained on Serafima's eyes, his bright blue opposite her dark brown. "You must like it here on Gaia, away from, you know, everything." He gestured with his hand, generally indicating his own uniform, his tone impassive-relaxed.
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 10:17 pm
"Honestly?" Serafima raised her eyebrows in a sort of facial shrug, cheek still resting against her upraised hand. "There are moments that I enjoy Gaia. Then I realize that I have been ordered here indefinitely with no proper goals and few people who I would consider my peers and..." She lifted her free hand in a fluid arc to indicate Gaia as a whole. "The entire thing pales a bit." Her gaze flicked over Autry in a head-to-toe motion, clear enough for interpretation. "There really aren't many like you or me here."
Galatea blinked at Hadrian. "I know you didn't," she whispered, "but I thought it best to double check. Besides, I would be lonely over here if you left."
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Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 10:55 pm
"Then I'll just have to stay." The older feien said, in his trying-very-hard-to-whisper voice, with a warm smile. He wondered if that meant that Galatea was often lonely, trying to stay out of her Captain's way. Perhaps she could help Captain Rabik with the garden and they could spend some time together.
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 12:26 am
Autry nearly said there wasn't anyone like him on Gaia anywhere but that would have been a lie -- he was certainly not the only Fleet member or the only Security officer or the only person with combat nanos or the only anything else. In fact, since joining the Fleet, Autry had been forced to accept that he was not a special anything, or particularly notable, and that no matter how you cut it there were an infinite number of people with his same skills and qualifications. The desire to assert otherwise was merely yet another remnant of a dead life, and a result of an ego that was of not benefit to a low-ranked officer. Autry resigned himself to his position. At least on Gaia he was one of a mere handful.
"You should look at this as an opportunity," he said to Serafima. He leaned forward, elbows on knees, closing the distance between them. "Maybe you're stuck out here, but this place has to be of interest to the Fleet for some reason." He was not entirely sure he believed his own line of reasoning. The Fleet seemed to take an interest in a lot of seemingly pointless stuff. Empty dimensions. Worthless trash. Copies upon copies upon copies of things. The Fleet collected everything it could, including people. Especially people.
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 5:55 pm
"Everything is of interest to the Fleet." Allowing him into her personal space, Serafima seemed to take no notice of any mental struggle on his part or possible impropriety in the nearness. She merely flashed him a startingly brilliant grin, only just barely tinged with the dangerous glint of a shark. "It is why they are as they are. Or rather we are as we are." She gave another lazy one-shouldered shrug. "Here on Gaia, they have an ideal testing space for their feien program, I should say," she continued. "This world is immured to enough oddities that the residents would blink off tiny flying beings. My neighbor has a fox tail and no one even mentions when Dr. M chooses to walk around wearing his paper cat ears. It is a permissive place... More or less."
Galatea's hand inched over to touch Hadrian's and she smiled shyly. "I want to let the Captain have her company," she tried to explain, " and I can keep my own. That is, I like spending time with you and you act oddly around the Captain. I don't want you uncomfortable."
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:03 pm
Hadrian blinked, finding himself rather called out. Not to mention distracted by overhearing the phrase 'ideal testing space for their feien program' - as he prefered to think of himself as neither something other people should test on or part of a program. Galatea, by default of being someone he cared for and by being present in his space, touching his shoulder, gained his full attention almost immidately.
"Do I act oddly around the Captain? I mean...I don't mean too..." He stuttered a bit, trying to explain himself. He hadn't thought she noticed how uncomfortable the captain made him, but that was foolish of him - of course Galatea would notice and it was silly of him to think he had ANY ability at hiding hid reactions to things.
"I don't want to make you feel as thought you have to try to only see me without you Captain around." He finished, finally.
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:32 pm
Autry snorted at the mention of Dr. M. Clearly he was not a fan. "Are there any taboos in this place?" asked Autry. He almost said 'shithole.' "I'm starting to think that maybe Gaia could use a few regs. The whole attitude of this place is really slowing up the investigation."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 8:24 pm
Serafima straightened a bit and cocked an eyebrow at her guest. "The usual taboos you find in most homo sapiens based cultures," she replied. "Rules against killing and stealing. Is there anything in particular that you need to know?"
"Oh, I don't think that at all." Galatea frowned slightly but her hand didn't move. "I just think... The Captain is a difficult person to appreciate. She was different when we were living with the Fleet. Here she is... Without purpose? Does that make sense?"
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 8:40 pm
Hadrian nodded vigorously. It was, actually, a very insightful statement, and in a way it made him feel both more comfortable with himself feeling awkward around the captain, and less concerned with the Captain's cool attitude towards Galatea.
"Yeah, it does. Like you described before, she misses her job."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 8:56 pm
"Hm, no," said Autry nonchalantly, figuring that kidnapping was probably a crime, but it was hardly kidnapping when it was one of your own citizens. Detaining for questioning. Minus a few of the usual rights. At least, that's what he would tell the Gaian authorities should any of them actually exist and inquire as to Burgundia. "So they've got bars somewhere around here?" And night clubs, and strip joints, or at least Autry could hope.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:06 pm
"There's a half-decent Irish place a block away." Serafima abruptly leaned back in her chair, long legs stretching out in front of her and flexing her feet absently as her arms lifted above her head for an additional stretch. She glanced at the heavy clock on the mantle. "Happy hour starts in ten minutes."
Galatea nodded fiercely, glad that Hadrian understood. "And she was very good at her job, too. Everyone said so. I think she misses the people from the Fleet, too."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:14 pm
"Maybe her visitor will cheer her up then?" Hadrian suggested, smiling in a way he hoped was encouraging. He reached up to cover her hand with his without thinking, an automatic show of support.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:22 pm
Autry brightened at the thought of happy hour and just as suddenly darkened. "Can't," he said bitterly, "on duty until the damn investigation concludes. Offworld posting and all."
All Fleet assignments could be categorized into two types: offworld and onsite posting. Onsite meant within the confines of the Fleet itself. It included meals and breaks and when your hours were over, you were free to relax. Offworld meant that you were on full-time duty until return to the Fleet and dismissal by Central. You were still allowed to eat and piss, you just had to observe proper adherence to regulations while you did it and remain attentive to your duties. Then there were various subcategories, such as offworld permanent posting, which allowed in time for sleeping, but a simple investigation was an offworld day job. Not the kind you were allowed to slack off on and go drinking.
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:35 pm
"You're allowed dinner," she pointed out. Then she stood and leveled a dark-eyed, speculative gaze on him. "If you're card-carrying, I'll pay to reserve your cred. Then you can tell me what this investigation is really about. You know I cannot provide any real information without some sort of parameters."
Oblivious to the plans on the other side of the room, Galatea hesitated and then gingerly leaned into Hadrian's side. "I hope so," she whispered. "She doesn't smile much anymore."
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Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 9:45 pm
He wasn't sure whether to smile at the fact that she seemed more at ease with simple affection, or to frown at her obvious concern for her Captain. "Maybe we can help." He ventured, "I know that something like a garden won't be quite enough for someone like your Captain, but it might be something."
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