Free Time - Part 1

Posted on 31 Jul 2014 @ 2:50pm by Major Richard Sharpe & Lieutenant JG Kassi Denterius

1,494 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: M12: For Duty or Honor
Location: Marine Lounge

Fingers wrapped around the glass as she held it within her hands. Her gaze seemed to be focused on something out the window of the mess hall, though she was a bit lost in her thoughts. Work had been keeping her busy and for that she was glad, after all it kept her from doing just what she was doing now... thinking. She couldn't help but to wonder if this ship was the right place for her. She knew part of her issue's was the fact that she just didn't seem to bond with people. Something that she'd had trouble with in the past. It wasn't the first time she'd found herself struggling, this time it simply seemed worse. Sighing softly, she lifted the glass for a drink.

Free time seemed to be something of a luxury right now for Sharpe. He was enjoying a few brief hours of downtime, which he was now able to get - what with his new personal aide. He entered the lounge, and after heading to the bar and ordering a frosted cider - he looked around for somewhere to sit in peace and quiet. It was during this search, he spotted Kassi just staring out the window. He was originally going to just ignore her and go sit on his own, but something about her body-language seemed to suggest she was in need of companionship. After their brief... date... he hadn't spent much time with her. He figured she'd worked out he wasn't worth her time, and had let it go.

He walked over and stood next to her. "Lot of space out there to get lost in." He said.

A slight jump and soft gasp of an "oh..." as she turned her head to look at him. A shy smile and blushed touched her cheeks seeing him and realizing he'd caught her off in her own little world. "Yes.... you can say that again." The glass turned a little in her hands nervously though she kept that in, she hoped. After their date, she'd thrown herself into work to try and distract herself from chasing him down. The last thing she'd wanted to do was seem desperate, after all he could have hunted her down for a change.. right? At least that's what she'd told herself... but now... With a head nod to the chair across her as she kept her eyes on his she asked. "Wanna join?"

"Sure." He said, and moved to sit at the table. "Something on your mind?"

"Always have things on my mind." She said with a slight shrug before attempting to change the subject. "Just hadn't heard or seen you around since... well.... the last time. Was wondering if I scared you off or something." That hint of a pinkness touched her cheeks as she looked shyly at him.

"No, you didn't scare me off." Sharpe smirked. "I'm afraid that the Admiral doesn't like me very much, and has given me the position of Security Deputy Chief in addition to my role as Marine XO - and tasked us with sorting out a combined marine/security thing... which is very very demanding of my time. I don't think I've seen a variation between my office or my bed in weeks."

"Well it's good to see you got time off for good behavior." She teased him a little, though a flicker of something went though her eyes as she pondered the fact that she might actually miss him if she was to leave. With a shake of her head, she took another drink before speaking. "But I understand about the work thing, I've been staying pretty busy myself. Always something that needs tinkering with."

"Finding things to keep you busy?" He asked. "What is it that they say, all work and no play makes Kassi a very dull girl?"

Kassi smirked a little. "You may have a point there, been pondering the fact that I may be working a little to much. But then, keeping busy with work should look good to the command team... yes? And considering I don't have to many people to play with on this ship...." Her blondness showing as she didn't realize just how that may have sounded till after it was out, and she blushed some. "I mean...." Well hell, how did she make that any better...

Richard for his part, offered only a slight chuckle at her faux pas. "I suspect you should try socializing with people more, you might find yourself enjoying it."

"Perhaps, I suppose I'll have to work on taking my days off a bit more often. See what kind of trouble I can get myself into." Kassi said with a light smile. "So ever going to tell me what you have against Bojorans?" Yes, she could be a little persistent, she only hoped he'd forgotten that she'd asked him that the last time they talked.

"Not today." He replied, calmly.

Well, she supposed that was better than the last answer and she gave a little nod. "Just thought I'd ask." Though, she could be a bit stubborn and knew she'd ask again another time. "You know.... " She said eyeing him a little." Why does it feel like I do most the talking when we are together?"

"You're more talkative than I am?" He smirked back at her.

"I suppose I do. But then that's likely the downfalls about Marines. They think they have to be the strong silent type." She said teasingly of course. "So, how about you talk and I'll listen and sip my drink? That or we can order dinner.... if you are hungry and want to eat together that is." That last part held a slight hint of nervousness to it.

"Marines are the strong silent types because that's how we're trained." Sharpe replied. "The DI's destroy your sense of self, and rebuild you into a marine. You're not a person, you're a marine. You don't talk unless you're spoken to, and when you are, you keep your answers brief and to the point." He smirked. "And I wouldn't mind some dinner, I'm famished."

There was a slight cant of her head as she listened to him. "I can't help but to disagree on that. Not the dinner part, I'm hungry too, it would be nice to have your company. But, if they rebuilt you all then you would all be the same, robots. You are still your own person, you have your own thoughts and idea's. You just tend to keep them buried now... and I suppose I can understand why. After all in the middle of a fight or something you don't want to suddenly have a break down. But still, opening up and relaxing is a good thing to do at times, lets people get to know you better." She paused a moment as she pondered fleetingly the idea that she did talk a lot at times.... Hmmm.... "Anyways, I get the feeling you don't always do the whole... spoke when spoken to thing all the time."

"Not always, but most of the time." He agreed. "I tend to keep myself to myself, because when you get too close to the people under your command, or people around you - it can lead to terrible pain when something happens to them. It can also call into question your judgement, that you might make a different decision because they're your friend, than if they were a stranger. Sometimes that works in your favor, the esprit de corps, but sometimes... it doesn't."

"Doesn't that lead to a lonely existence though?" She asked as she studied him some. "Life is about living, about taking chances... even if it's with other people and allowing them to get close to you." Of course, this was coming from someone who was throwing herself into her work to keep from getting to know people. But that was different she'd decided. "So dinner....?"

"Yes, dinner." Sharpe said. "Shall we order?"

"Sounds good, I'm thinking baked chicken with a side of wild rice and corn. And a...." She paused a moment, having thought about a glass of bajoran wine. But she still couldn't bring herself to rub in the fact that she was part bajoran. "a glass of ice water." She said with a warm smile. "What about you?"

"I'll have roast duck in sauce, with egg fried rice and a spring roll, with a glass of cold cider." He said, placing the order with the server who just happened to be there at that moment.

As the order was placed she looked at him. "You know, I'm going to come off a big talker... something I'm usually not. Or this dinner is going to be really quiet if you don't start talking more yourself." She teased him as she relaxed... once more pondering the downfall of her recent idea. Yes, maybe she would give talking to more people a shot first.


TBC

 

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