Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Pre sim - Guess who’s coming to dinner…

Posted by Lieutenant Auleraine Brison (Engineering Officer) in Pre sim - Guess who’s coming to dinner…

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Pre sim - Guess who’s coming to dinner…

<snip>
Mardusk looked at her. He hadnt known about all of it. His blood boiled, but his face just showed hurt. Hurt for her. Not pity, but hurt because she had suffered.

“I didnt see it all… just the last moments before the rescue.” and he looked down again. “Your face was caught on one of the helmet cams. I saw you… your eyes… Defiant. Angry. But not broken. Not scared. It… it’s really impressive, Lera. That you could take all that and not give up. It says a lot about you. And that’s why I wanted to know you… that kind of will is… well… it’s a rare thing.”

Mardusk

“I guess…” she said. She turned to look at him, her brows furrowed with curiosity. “You thought I would reject you cause you are Orion. Why aren’t you shunned by the ordeal I went thru? It’s obvious I was broken, no matter what those eyes told you that you saw. Which I don’t believe was anything but survival. And I won’t lie, Mar… I don’t know how to act around you. Around others, I know what I am. I’m a protector. I’m the one who takes the blows cause they can’t. But I can’t take the blows you would fear.” She laughed and shook her head. “I told Mike that this morning. But it’s true. So how do I act around you? Because posturing as your body guard will merely make us both look foolish. Me for doing it and you for letting me.” She shrugged at her loss of what to do.

Lera

Mardusk looked at her and shook his head. “You can act however you want.” and he stood up and came and actually knelt down on his knees to look at her directly. “Or you dont have to act at all. You can just… be. You dont even have to talk, if you dont want to. You can just be near me. I wont judge. Or feel sorry for you. Or ask you to talk about it. Of if you do want to talk, I’ll listen.” and he slowly rose to his feet.

“And I dont see you as broken. Not now… not then. Hurt and tired and scared? Sure. But you were never broken. Because if you were really broken by those bastards… you wouldn’t be standing her talking to me about how you dont know act around me. You’d have fled the ship the first time you saw me.” and he bent over and put his face in front of hers, emerald-like eyes looking directly at her.

“When I see you I dont see what happened. I just see you. Right now. And I hope and wish that when you look at me you just see me, not the past.”

Mardusk

Her hand rose without thinking and touched the side of his face. “I don’t see the past…” she said to reassure him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them she smiled, but it was almost sad. “I’m gonna press your buttons. I’m gonna push, and kick and shove and do things you won’t like.” She laughed then, “Or least try damned hard to. I’m gonna stand up to you, and for you, and end up looking like like some small pup chomping at the heels of a large warg. Can you live with that?”

Was this happening? Was Mike the reason, or were they managing on their own? She didn’t care. The look she saw in his eyes was something she wanted to see always. A man who didn’t know of her past and either try and tiptoe around her like she was made of spun electrum. And didn’t go the other extreme to become overbearing thinking that was what she wanted or needed.

Lera

A smile crept across his lips and he said “I can if you can. And push all the buttons you want. I can take it.” and the smile grew onto a grin. He reached out and took her hand, and it disappeared into his.

Mardusk

Her heart was racing, but it wasn’t from fear or uncertainty. She laughed softly, her other small hand resting on top of his. “I think I can handle one Orion Male…” She wanted him to know he was certainly not in the department with the others. Leaning over, she kissed his forehead. Realizing what she had done, she blushed and tried to back up, stammering her apology. “I’m sorry… I didn’t… I should have asked.”

Lera

His speed was almost as impressive as his size. With a sudden motion, he had scooped her up off the ground and set her in his arms. He bent his head low and placed a single, soft, delicate kiss on her lips. “You dont ever have to apologize for that. No matter what or where it happens. Ok?” and his hand brushed a strand of hair from her face.

If she was paying attention, she would realize he was holding her with one arm.

Mardusk

She cried out but there was an edge of a laugh to it and her arms reflexively went around his shoulders. “Mar!!!” She settled as he he did and his hand, for as large as it was, managed to brush the hair away with a tenderness she wasn’t sure even she could have managed.

As he told her not to apologize for kissing him, she nodded, “Ok…” It was then that she realized she was cradled on one arm. She smiled. “Show off. And no, it doesn’t scare me.” She furrowed her brow and a hand rose to run gently over his own brow. “I don’t think I would ever be scared of your touch. Is that silly?”

Lera

He shook his head and said “Nope. Not to me.” and then he looked around. A couple he recognized had stopped some ways away and were very interested in an exhibit of grass. He looked down and asked her “Want me to put you down? Or are you good?” with a big grin.

Mardusk

She glanced at the couple then back at him. “I’m good… are you?” She grinned at him worried more about his reputation than her own.

Lera

“I’m great.” and he began walking. Moving past them, he said “Evening Lieutenants. Good to see you.” and continued on about their way. As they rounded the corner, Gravel put a finger to his lips and then pointed at his ear and then to hers.

As the stood quietly, nothing happened. But after about thirty seconds a woman’s voice belted out “OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!! Did you see that?!” and there was a smack and a man’s voice said “Ow! Yes! I saw it! How could you not see it?” and the woman said “I cant believe that. And who was the girl? I don’t think I know her.” “Because it’s a huge ship, Karen. You dont know everybody.” ” But now I have to know! I cant just say ‘I saw Savage Dragon with a red head cocked up on his arm strolling through the Arboretum.’, now can I?” “Well, you could not say anything and let them have their privacy.” “Oh shut up. You’re gonna be making crass jokes about him and her in the locker room first thing in the morning.” “I am not! Have you seen the man?!? He punched a shuttle, Karen. A shuttle. And the shuttle lost! I’m not saying anything.” and there was a long pause. Then the woman said “I wonder how that works…?” “What works?” he replied.
“You know… that. They are so different in size. Poor little thing will probably pass out first time she sees his d-“ “AANNNNNDDD WE’RE DONE!” and their footsteps moved away.

Mardusk

“Ma…” she started to ask why he stopped when he told her to shush and listen. She frowned a moment then heard the voices. Her eyes grew wide as the woman freaked out. She actually had to put her hand on her mouth to keep from laughing as the woman talked about her cocked up on his arm.

When the man mentioned Mar had punched a shuttle and won, she looked at him with a questioning glance. And as the conversation ended, she turned beat red and actually buried her head into his shoulder. “Oh gods…” she was caught between murmuring and laughing in embarrassment.

In a couple minutes, she had the hiccups from laughing till tears choked her throat.

Lera