Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Reckoning

(snip)

Rand smiled, squeezing his hand. “That sounds good. I’ll get food and you pick the movie.” Now normally Rand wouldn’t care who got the food. In fact it was less stressful to let Roman get it because then she didn’t wonder if people were wondering who she was eating with. Not that anyone, other than Scott, would ask. The truth was though she wanted the opportunity to spy on her brother. It was Randy after all, and he was her brother so it was okay to spy just a little.

But bad luck for Rand or maybe good luck for Randy, Randy and Tracey were already gone from the mess hall when Rand got there. And Rand was not so curious that she wanted to miss out on time with Roman. So in short order Rand was back with a tray, two plates (mostly finger foods), two drinks and a small covered container. She set it down, kissed Roman briefly and disappeared back out the door. A few minutes later she was back, with hot popcorn. “What did you choose?”

Rand

Roman was about to offer to go down with her but instead she said to pick the movie, so he turned his attention to the list of new movies. Rand showed up just a few minutes later with their food, they kissed, and then she was gone again. He set up the movie he’d chosen, and then made himself comfortable on the bed and readjusted the heat pack he was using for his leg, switching the settings to make it cold. Then he put his food on the side table within his reach. When she came back with the popcorn and asked, he said, “A well known one from the early 21st century: The Matrix.“

~ Roman

Rand nodded. She didn’t know if Roman had seen that one yet, on the disk she gave him. Fortunately the little mishap with Anderson and Fordham at the self-defense class didn’t spread. The Matrix was one of the last performances Rand had given before she ‘retired.’ She didn’t say that she knew the movie simply because she wanted to just enjoy the evening. She didn’t want Roman to ask how she knew it and then wonder if it bothered her to watch something she’d performed. Instead she took her plate and sat down next to him on the bed, with the popcorn between them. Pipkin was on the stool, sitting up on her hind legs, nose twitching, looking for her own meal.

The movie was slow and strange to start. The choreography was decent, the special effects she figured were good for the time. Once Rand finished she set the plate and drink to the side and leaned up against Roman. Rand was enjoying the movie and resisted the urge to recite the lines along with the movie.At some point Pipkin decided it was safe to get on the bed and settle between them.

Rand