<SNIP>

Rowe remained silent a moment after she mentioned her colony’s specialization… surely that was purely a coincidence, though Rowe didn’t believe in such a thing. As massive as the known universe was, the chances of ending up on the same ship.... astronomical… he shook himself out of the thought, hoping that it was simply the old paranoia creeping in. “No I can’t take credit for the program, though I wish I could. I just came in looking for good drink and bad music… both are thankfully exceeding my expectations.” Rowe watched as one of the musicians took his time riffing on a stringed instrument.

“It’s nice to be someplace that feels less sterile.” Rowe said casually. “I’m still relatively new to ships… the near perfect sanitary conditions are surprisingly the hardest adjustment. There’s just something atmospheric about unfiltered air.” Realizing he was rambling, the man took another pull from his glass.

• Rowe

Talia traced the pad of a finger around the lip of her martini glass. “I understand what you mean. I’ve spent the majority of my life around ‘sterile’ conditions because of all the medical facilities I’ve been in and grew up around. Sterile air doesn’t have any smell. It’s too clean.” She smiled at James and took another sip. “It’s like water. Do you agree that water tastes differently depending on where you get it from? Have you ever tasted some from a mountain stream? Delicious!” She laughed softly, hoping he didn’t think she was talking like a ‘kid’.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

“You’re not wrong…” he said thoughtfully. “You have to be careful though and make sure the quality of the stream is up to par… if not… your stomach may want to revolt for a few days.” Her talk of medical facilities hit him again with a strange sense of knowing her more than he should, but he had to keep that to himself… if details around his treatment came out… James took a long pull from his glass choosing to cast the thought train aside for now.

“So have you found any fun diversions on the ship thus far?”

Rowe

“Not yet, but I haven’t been here long. I’m sure there are programs here in the holodecks that would be lovely to get lost in.” She drank most of the martini then and signalled for another. “I know there’s a gym and I like to run–it builds stamina. I’m pretty sure there’s a large arboretum too, so, there’s that. I know it may be silly, but I’m hoping for a swimming pool of any size.” She looked down with a little embarrassment, her long lashes brushing against her cheeks.

“What about you? You said you’ve been here for a little while—what has perked up your interest?”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

“Well my interests are pretty varied.” He said noncommittally “But I find it’s hard to go wrong with good drink and mediocre to above average music.” His tone was light as he spoke with a humor that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Honestly it takes a bit for me to get settled in, so it has been a lot of routine building. Up early, get a workout in before my body has a chance to revolt, generic replicator breakfast, duty shift, generic replicator dinner, sleep, rinse and repeat. This is a nice break from that norm.”

Rowe

Talia shrugged, “That doesn’t sound exciting in the least. Have you tried signing up for time on one of the holodecks? I’m sure that a ship this size has a lot of programs that are open for individual use. Surely, you could find something that would get your blood pumping. Don’t you think?” Of course, maybe Rowe wasn’t ready to step outside of routine yet. In her experience, the doctor had found that everyone went about independence and social interaction at their own pace if allowed, and times for each varied according to the person.

“Oh I’m sure the Athena has plenty of somethings or someones to get the blood pumping.” He said, unable to catch the inuendo before it slipped from his lips. Rowe thought, ‘What the hell was that James? This woman is too young to say things like that to. You absolutely come across as a creep.’ In the same instant he tried to to transition the conversation in a way that hopefully allowed him to save face. “What have you found to divert you since coming aboard?”

“I like to walk or sit and contemplate in the arboretum—especially if my mind is jumbled. It’s an easy way to smooth out conflicting thoughts and feelings. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I need the ladie’s room.” Scanning the perimeter of the bar, she noticed a sign in one corner and slid down from her stool. The gown formed around her figure now in a more intimate way, highlighting the contours. With a nod, Talia headed off to the area, hoping James would still be there when she returned.

Rowe was unsure if she genuinely needed to use the facilities or if she was looking for a way to make a polite exit, but when she moved in the direction opposite of the entrance arch he blew out his breath in a raspberry. He downed the rest of his Old Fashioned, welcoming the alcoholic burn it sent down his spine and tipped his glass to the bartender to indicate he wanted another.

After using the facilities and while standing at the sink, Talia experienced a mild neural episode. She felt the space around her fluctuating and leaned against the counter, hands planted firmly against it. The neural link showed her a memory of her hand clasped with the patient she’d undergone the Neural Phase Echo Transfer with. On the way to the procedure, she’d held his hand, lending him strength and telling him it would all be alright. In her mind, that’s what she saw now. It was short and innocuous, but the link was active—she could feel it just like all the other times.

It passed after a moment. Talia took a couple of steadying breath and made sure her appearance hadn’t changed, then left the restroom and returned to the bar. After mounting her stool again, she downed the fresh dirty martini that was waiting for her and tried to calm her mannerisms.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

James had grown accustomed to the near constant creepy-crawly sensation his nerves played out, especially in his feet and legs… he was less comfortable when they showed up in other areas of his body. As he sat alone at the bar waiting for his fresh glass, the sensation started creeping from his left elbow towards his hand… his nerves itched in his left wrist bad enough that he physically scratched at his arm in an attempt to alleviate the sensation. The worst however was when the sensations started in his face or brain. Just left of center behind his brow, Rowe felt an uncomfortable tightness… spreading out from there the creepy-crawly sensation crept across his left brow to his ear and along the cheekbone under his right eye. The man tried rubbing the skin of his left brow between thumb and index finger, but the pressure did nothing to alleviate the symptoms. Then slowly the moment passed, like an ocean swell moving on its way. As the last of the sensation retreated back to his left ankle the bartender returned with a fresh drink. Rowe tipped the man generously in the program’s currency, and took a sip finding comfort in the burn that he could explain.

Rowe

Her companion seemed a little less talkative when she looked his way, which was a disappointment. She’d finally found someone to have a normal conversation with and in her absence to the rest room, something must have happened. “Are you alright?”

Rowe physically shook himself out of his momentary absence, looking again now at Talia not realizing she’d already made it back.

“Did something happen while I was gone?” If she applied the question to herself, her eyes were possibly brighter with tension and her pulse beat harder, but aside from that, Talia thought she must be pulling off her regular demeanor.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

“Sorry about that, I got lost in the ‘feeling’ of a memory.” He said his own tone made it clear that the concept confused him even as he spoke about it. “One of those situations where the body remembers things that the mind might not… at least initially. I’m cognitively back now.”

Rowe

Her brows knit. That was a strange thing to say, wasn’t it? Lost in the feeling of a memory he couldn’t recall? “Okaaay. If you say so.” She glanced around the bar again and then focused on James. “So what do you do on the Athena? My job isn’t a mystery because I work in sickbay.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

James didn’t really hear her initial reaction to his response as he found himself distracted by how vibrant her green eyes seemed. As she spoke again, his eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to the subtle peach gloss on her lips. Mentally he took himself by the shoulders and shook himself out of whatever vision threatened to dance through his head. “I’m a relatively new member of the Science department, stationed here on a research assignment. I’m studying the way systems… and people… interpret incomplete or competing inputs. I also do some interdepartmental consulting based on my experiences prior to transitioning into the Scientist role.”
Rowe

A small smile touched her lips. “Really? What kind of experiences did you have before you came to the Athena?” Talia tilted her head to one side thinking. “If you became a scientist on this ship, what were you before you got here?” Their conversation had just gotten a lot more interesting.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

James’s eyes drifted to Talia’s lips as she smiled before he caught himself. “You’re a curious one aren’t you?” He responded playfully before rolling into his answer, “I spent a lot of time in planet-side operational field assignments. Coordination… logistics…” He allowed his voice to trail off for a moment… “I promise it’s more interesting than it sounds…” His tone was self-deprecating. “Honestly it’s not too different from what I do now, the lens just changed… and of course the backdrop is much less scenic.”

Taking a long pull from his drink, Rowe’s attention held for a beat longer than necessary before he caught himself, a faint shift in his expression as he pulled the conversation back on track. “What about you? Surely you see some fun things in sickbay… maybe learn more about our coworkers than you care to?”

Rowe

“I think I was hoping you were going to tell me you were a spy or something.” Ren actually laughed at the silly thought. “As far as sickbay—its pretty traditional, although occasionally something interesting will happen. Someone might disclose a secret while coming out of an anesthetic, or you find a diagnosis in a medical chart you would never have attributed to the officer involved. Their are family histories that contain bits of random surprises, but everything is eventually acceptable.” Of course, then there are the charts where information has been redacted, or left out completely, and it was best if she didn’t mention those. Talia didn’t want certain questions asked.

“What about family? Is there a Mrs Rowe or Roweletts, somewhere waiting for you?”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

Talia’s spy comment brought a genuine smile to James’s lips as the warmth of his drink began to tingle in his fingers and toes. “I’m so sorry to disappoint… but I’m far too boring for all of that… besides I thought spies were supposed to be charming.” There was a playful sincerity to his tone that suggested that Talia was seeing more of Rowe than most anyone else was allowed to. He listened intently as she spoke of life in the sickbay.

When she asked about family, Rowe’s eyes fell momentarily to his glass as he swirled the fluid within. “I’m afraid I haven’t lived the type of life that leads to finding a missus… as for Rowelettes, I suppose it’s possible there are a couple out there… but I haven’t heard from any.” His voice carried the tenor of the playful scamp, but the playfulness didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Rowe

For reasons she had yet to understand, Talia was pleased to hear there was no Mrs in his life. That didn’t mean there wasn’t someone on the ship that had piqued his interest, but he said he was fairly new on the Athena also. She sipped her drink and listened to the music for a moment while she thought about her odd attraction to him. They’d just met, and he was several years older than her usual ‘go to’ for a relationship, but he was handsome—and something about him connected with something inside of her. She didn’t know what it was yet, but she was certainly up for the challenge of finding it.

“And other family? Brothers, sisters etc.?”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

Talia’s question hit harder than Rowe expected it to, not because it was unexpected… no first conversations tended to follow this thread pretty regularly. Maybe it was the drink… maybe he was getting ‘soft’… or maybe it was more about the person asking… For a long moment, his eyes moved to the band as they transitioned into a slower song that seemed to perfectly reflect his thoughts. Rowe’s index finger worked silently around the rim of his glass as a wave of loneliness passed over him. When he spoke again his tone was quiet, carrying more sincerity than it had at any other point thus far.

“Nope, just me.” His eyes returned to hers now, “There’s not a big sob story or anything like that. I had loving parents who went out of their way to make sure I was afforded every opportunity that my talents presented me with. They just happened to have me later in life after spending most of their marriage thinking they couldn’t have a child.” A sad smile passed across James’s face as a memory of his father came to mind, ‘there are some things in this Universe that you can’t achieve through force of will… sometimes when you stop trying so damn hard… that’s when things fall into place.’

James took a long pull from his glass silently toasting his parents’ memory. “Enough about me, I’m bringing the vibe down. What about you? Married? Betrothed? Reverse Harem at your beck and call?” The wry grin returned to Rowe’s face.

• Rowe

OOC: I deleted Rado’s post because this is a one on one with Rowe and Ren.

Elbow on the bar and chin in her hand, Talia looked at James and let out a sigh. “Wow, that was a mood changer. I get it though, I haven’t seen family in years. Things just happened that spread us further and further apart and noone took the time to fix it.” It was sad, for both of them. “I don’t want this to turn into a pity party though. Why don’t we dance?”

It would be nice to sway to the slower music playing, held in the arms of an attractive man. Although Talia didn’t like to acknowlede it, she got lonely sometimes and dancing with a partner was a way to get a loose hug for a moment.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

James held Talia’s gaze a moment longer than he should have as she expressed her own loneliness, feeling drawn more to her. When his eyes left hers they moved to the dance floor where couples were moving slowly against one another. He somehow found himself surprised at the invitation despite that being the natural progression of things in a place like this one… “Sure, a dance sounds good. I apologize in advance for my dancing deficiencies… but my father told me one time that if you couldn’t dance, to find a pretty girl and to hold her while she danced around you…” He offered a hint of a wink, “I think I can do that much.”

Rowe finished his drink and stood up offering a hand for Talia to take as they moved out to the dance floor.

Rowe

Pleased, Talia took his hand and headed to the dance floor. Once they arrived, there was only an awkward second or two as she settled into his hold, both of them slightly stiff with the newness of it. As they began to sway to the sulty music, Talia felt her body relaxing–not only that, it was as if her mind let out a deep sigh and settled into an easy ‘automatic’ mode. She was running on instinct as they moved a bit around the floor.

One of the things she noticed about James was that he smelled good, and his hand firmly held hers. He wasn’t shying away from the intimacy, he just needed the same few awkward seconds she did, to settle into the embrace. “This is nice…”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Talia Ren
Doctor USS Athena

As the two danced, James didn’t respond verbally… he just let his smile linger longer than it had in some time as he stepped closer. The two danced together in silence as one song’s end bled into the next song’s intro. As the rhythm changed, Rowe guided Talia through a turn. As the two moved, there was a fleeting moment when his hand found her waist as her hips brushed back against his. Then their hands found one another again to complete the turn as he pulled her closer with the hand in the small of her back.

While they danced, everything around them seemed to grow quiet for James… even his constant pain dulled some. The moment felt comfortable… more comfortable than James had felt in as long as he could remember. “I’m glad you came into this program tonight.”

• Rowe