Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: Early Morning in the Lab

(snip)

Ah she understood why. Enough time with Randy talking her through it and other doctors and therapists. “I know you’re not. And we’re putting it off because privacy is very important to both of us. To give that up feels fundamentally wrong.” She squeezed his hand again before letting go and picking up her glass and taking a drink, setting it back down on the left of her bowl instead of the right. She smiled though when he said he would take her. “I’m supposed to go at 1600 tomorrow. I’m not sure they will talk…much. I heard a couple techs in the Galley a couple days ago…no one believes Scott. They feel bad for both of us because she won’t let it go. They think she’s lying. But honestly she brought it on herself.” Rand had another thought though…”What…what about those pranks. One was even on one of the nurses. We’ve both been targets…”

Rand

Rand was right of course. Privacy was intensely important to Roman - and to Rand as well. He appreciated the emphasis she put on we’re, that it was her too, not just him. Once she let go of his hand he took another bite of his food, and then smiled back at her. “If I finish my work early I’ll be able to make it by then.” He was glad to hear no one believed Scott - and he agreed. Her gossip habit caused this for her. At the mention of pranks, Roman shook his head and shrugged. “I’m not worried about the prankster. So far he’s messed with technology, I can’t see him meddling in personal business.”

~ Roman

Rand didn’t bother to tell him not to rush that if his work wasn’t done not to leave it to come with her. There were probably times when one’s personal life should come first, before work, but Rand didn’t think that this was one of those times. It is as just an x-ray. She didn’t agree about the prankster. They had destroyed her uniforms and doused that poor nurse in green paint. But Roman was probably right. She ate quietly the rest of the meal. The company allowing her to relax and the day’s tension to disappear. She finished and sat back. Absently rubbing at her hand in her lap. Roman’s presence and release of tension letting her hand relax significantly as well. She had seen the book when she walked in. “What are you reading?”

Rand

Roman knew he couldn’t rush through his work, he wasn’t planning to. But he figured he could get done faster instead of dragging feet through the paperwork. He finished his own meal in silence as well. “It’s Dracula, actually. One of the classics I haven’t read yet.” He said, shrugging slightly. “It’s alright, so far.”

~ Roman

“That whole literary period is filled with horror stories. I never understood that. The need to create fear and monsters out of nothing, when the universe is already so full of real ones.” Rand shrugged, “It’s not that they aren’t literary master pieces, I just don’t understand what drove them to write such stories.” They didn’t scare Rand. She didn’t dislike them either. In fact the cinematic era of the horror movie didn’t scare her either. Probably because she understood how the special effects were done and how cinematic and literary suspense worked. When acting a part you got the whole script at once and knew what was going to happen, and then had to act afraid, surprised, giddy, happy, terrified, whatever it was even though you knew what was coming. “Do you like scary stories?”

Rand