Understanding

Centauri Landing Platform 

The transparent crystalline walls grant a magnificent view of icy Shalyaris. Overhead you notice several hovertanks patroling the city and this spaceport in particular. Various ships, mostly of Centauran design, occupy spaces on the platform. Many Centaurans mill about, speaking silently with telepathic voices. In the center of the platform, a smooth-walled tube with ten foot glassy walls around it plunges into the heart of the tower. A conventional staircase for non-Centauran visitors also spirals downwards about a hoverchair lift. The night sky glitters with stars, the yellow-orange companion of the sun a particularly bright one. Patches of the city extending off into the distance begin to darken their lights; a distant mountain remains completely dark. The spaceport itself glows from within.

Contents:                              Exits: Martine                               [SH] Offworld Shuttles IND Saviour's Haste                   [LA] Launch Food, Rest, and Entertainment Sign    [STR] Stairs Refueling Console - Centauri          [TU] Tube

Jeff Ryan disembarks from the IND Saviour's Haste.

Martine exits the shuttleport, a bag slung over her shoulder, briefcase in the other. It seems she has more work than personal items on hand, but that's the way it usually is for the Masquerade's captain.

The majority of 'people' around the spaceport aren't people at all, but jelly-like beings floating around the place. One of the few humanoids in the landing pad is running in the direction of the shuttle pad.

Martine pauses, taking a quick glance around the area. She notes the approaching humanoid figure, and gives a laugh, setting down her bags and opening her arms. "I've missed you, love!" She exclaims.

Jeff Ryan slows, as he approaches, but not too much, the way he picks up the smaller woman probably isn't good for her lungs. And the kiss says he missed her more than words can.

Martine returns the kiss just as fiercely, despite most of the wind being knocked out of her. She clings close, her arms slipping around his neck comfortably as she just enjoys the moment. Slowly the kiss ends, and she rests her head against his shoulder.

The man is grinning and he doesn't seem keen on putting her down, not quite yet, "It's good to see you girl." Still holding her, he glances down at the briefcase, "I hope to keep you away from that."

"Mmh, you know I have to keep up with things." She responds with a soft smile, glancing down at the offending briefcase. "I got mostly caught up, but I can't promise I won't." She doesn't seem to mind the fact that her feet aren't touching the ground.

Jeff Ryan finally sets those feet back down onto the ground, and he looks slightly abashed. Perhaps strong displays of emotion aren't really his style, "We'll see." He's still smiling though. "How long have we got?"

"A good thirty six to fourty eight hours, it depends on if anything happens that requires my attention." She reaches down and grabs her bags, then glances back up at him. "Shall we go onto the ship, love?"

Jeff Ryan glances in the direction of the Haste, now a small brick over there. Giving the woman the time to pick up the bags. He frowns, "Sure you don't want me to carry those for you?"

"Why don't you take one?" Lydia suggests with a smile, offering the briefcase. "Chivalry's all well and good, but so is sharing the load." She winks, and takes his arm. "Besides, now I can do this."

"I'm surprised you know that word," says Jeff laughing taking the offered briefcase. "Not many people seem to these days." When she takes the arm, he uses it to pull her closer. A few of the centaurans peer at the pair, or in their case, slow and hover as they pass.

"I used to do a lot of reading, when I had the time." Lydia admits with a dimpled smile. "Now I hardly have time to myself." She heads in the direction of the ship, not minding the closeness in the least.

Jeff Ryan nods smiling, "Well we need to make the best of what we have. Easy night on the Haste? Want to see the sights? Or leave that until tomorrow?" Eventually they're approaching the boarding ramp to Ryan's ship.

"Mmh, I'll leave that up to you. I'll try to do all my work tomorrow morning, so we can have the day and evening free." She hefts her bag a little, and waits for you to start up the ramp.

Jeff Ryan has to let the woman go as the board the ramp, needing an arm free to type in the boarding code to the ship. The airlock opens and the head aboard the Dasher. "Dinner tonight on the ship and maybe try one of those bottles?"

Martine boards the IND Saviour's Haste. Martine has left.

Jeff Ryan boards the IND Saviour's Haste. Corridor  - IND Saviour's Haste - The short corridor runs along the portside of the ship, lit from a set of recessed fourescent fixtures hidden withing recessed ceiling coves. The corridor ends in two hatchways for and aft, and halfway along the inboard wall there is a third, more elegant, doorway. Last, outboard, a heavy pressure door accesses the ship's small airlock.

Fri Mar 17 13:09:17 3006 Contents:                              Exits: Martine                            Docking Collar  Main Cabin  Stateroom  Cockpit Jeff Ryan boards through the ship's airlock.

"That sounds perfect." Lydia replies with a smile, then nods her head. "All right, we've got that settled. Where shall we go drop my things off?" She inquires, glancing around.

"You can leave your things in my room," he realises what he's said and blushes slightly. "Of course, I'll em... I'll take the main cabin of course, I wasn't... I wasn't suggesting anything," the lunite stammers.

She smiles, but doesn't laugh, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. "Darling, don't be silly. I know you weren't suggesting anything, but you know it's perfectly normal. Nothing has to happen, that's not why I'm with you. But it might be nice not to sleep alone for once."

Jeff Ryan goes bright red, he grips with the hand she squeezes and with his free hand fingers his earlobe, "I.." His voice, fails him, so he tries again, "It might be." And he almost runs into the Stateroom.

The hatch slides to the left, allowing access to private stateroom. Stateroom  - IND Saviour's Haste -

There is an air of quiet simplicty which frames the room, bringing the subtle touch of elegance to the finely appointed quarters. The far wall is dominated by a single window, a long narrow band of clear polycomposite glazing reaching from the carpeted floor to the latticed ceiling above. Beyond its crystal pane the stars slowly pass, looking out to the sable depths. Outboard is a recessed bunk and storage units, an efficient array of    elegant casework. The bed is neatly made, its single pillow set square at its head. Sheets and bedding are the finest satin, falling in fancy pleated folds. The bed is set into the wall of exquisite millwork. Above, below, and to the sides the cabinetry becomes a paneled grid of polished ebony and mahoghany, trimmed with mother or pearl inlays. Some panels are doors, some for storage cubbies, and others are displays, monitors and commlink, the pragmatic links to the officer's world. Inboard is a workstation, flanked by a pair of fine mahogany and leather chairs. The workstation wraps the far corner of room, its data display and workpad set flush in the finely polished desktop. Upon the screen is traced a lattice of coloured lines and scrolling shipping schedules, as  well as readouts repeated from the ship's bridge. Fri Mar 17 13:17:46 3006 A storage locker is here. A suit of kevlar armor is here. A suit of   kevlar armor is here. A suit of kevlar armor is here. Contents:                              Exits:  Out Martine enters from the corridor. Martine has arrived.

Martine seems a bit bemused by the reaction, but doesn't comment, not wanting to make things worse. She finds a spot and sets down her bag, then tilts her head curiously. "You all right?" She finally asks.

Jeff Ryan starts to recover himself, almost by instinctive reaction he's heading towards the most worn of the two leather chairs. As she asks him, hand on the chair, he turns round, nodding, but letting out a breath he says, "I am." And he smiles to prove it, "I'm just not used to personal em... relationships." The man was married for god-sakes. "It's not that I don't... I mean..." Still fingering his earlobe, "I'm just old-fashioned." By a couple of millenia. "It would be nice having, somebody."

"I'm somebody." Lydia responds a bit mischevously, then follows, not sitting down quite yet. "I guess I'm a little better, but not by much, to tell the truth. So let's just take this as it comes. It might be the blind leading the blind, but at least we're not alone." She reaches out and tugs his hand away from his ear, and encloses the larger one in both of hers. "We'll figure it out eventually."

Jeff nods, smiling as she takes his hand, he encloses them with his other, "We'll have to." He glances towards his locker, "I have those things you asked me to pick up, maybe we can hire someone to help you back with them."

"I'm sure I can handle it. I'll just need an extra bag." Lydia says with a small shake of her head. "I'm pretty sturdy despite how small I am, you know." She gives a little grin. "Despite how easily you picked me up."

Jeff Ryan grins and nods, "I'm not suggesting you're not strong enough, they're bulky though." Not letting go of the hand he moves to sit down on his chair. "It's been murder this week, I don't like hiding."

Lydia perches comfortably on the arm of the chair, and nods. "I can imagine. I hope at least what little communication we've had has helped." She leans down and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I've been madly busy, or I would have written you more."

The man laughs and nods, "It's helped. Having the Jackals over yesterday helped too. Malion seem to be coming around, can't blame him for what he thought of me though." His face has cooled down somewhat by now, he glances up at her fondly.

"He...he has some issues. He actually threatened one of my crew. Told them he'd tattle on them to me for being 'rude'. Can you imagine such a thing?" She seems a bit disgusted. "I tell you, that completely reversed my opinion of him. What a low thing to do to a poor girl. And she's only just started, the poor thing was terrified that I'd fire her."

Ryan looks bemused, "So my opinion of him is going up, whilst yours is going down. We'll probably meet somewhere in the middle." He nods, "The boy has some serious problems, in the past he's been quite disagreeable, though he tends to behave himself around me."

With a small chuckle, Lydia shakes her head. "I don't pretend to understand him. I was never like that, even at his age." She laughs openly. "However many aeons ago that was."

His hand slides around her waist, "Any gossip from the Masque?"

"The usual," nods Ryan with some sympathy. "Probably nothing compared to what it was like in the Senate though. We couldn't agree that water was wet." He glances towards one of her bags, not the briefcase. "I had some nice meals on Castor." He grins, "Which reminds me..." He picks up a file on the desk, underwhich is a small paper bag with a little ribbon, "For you."

It's an organic-plantlike structure that seems to form a natural chain, two colours entwined with one another (a dark green and a light green), light and the pendent is in the shape of a banyan-tree leaf, which is made of some kind of light metallic alloy, also green.

Lydia blinks in surprise, then smiles slowly. "You shouldn't have." She says, though she opens the bag quickly enough. "Oh...it's beautiful." She breathes softly, reaching in and drawing it out by the 'chain'. "Whereever did you find it? It's absolutely lovely."

"Castor," says Jeff grinning, happy she's happy with it. "I figured a third bottle of honey wine might not go down so well after the first two." He grins, "The leaf shape comes from those banyan trees I was telling you about."

"Honey wine is nice, but it's heavy." Lydia agrees, then gives a little laugh. "You know, that's kind of funny..." She trails off, then holds up the necklace. "Help me put it on?"

Jeff Ryan takes the necklace in his hands and he fumbles a moment with the fastener. He stands up and as she lifts her hair up, fastens the chain round the neck, closing the fastener he lets her adjust it herself, "Beautiful." He smile approvingly. It's not the chain he's looking at.

Lydia blushes softly, then shakes her head. "It matches my shirt, too. That's kind of funny..." She pauses, then laughs. "You know, this kind of makes what I brought for you seem kind of silly, almost a copycat. But I was struck by it a while ago, actually, when I'd gone in to see the tailor to get my costume made. You know I have a degree in fashion design..." She pauses. "I'm rembling. Anyway, it got delivered last week. It's in my bag, would you like to see?"

Jeff Ryan's grin spreads as he glances towards the bag, remembering he's no longer eight, he nods once and with a mock-seriousness says, "I would."

Martine hops down from the chair, releasing his hands, and nods. She goes for her bag, and unzips it, retrieving a small black box, a jeweler's style container. She hefts it, then tosses it towards Jeff. "Catch."

''It's a necklace as well, actually. Surprisingly. Simple, masculine chain, silver metal, a circular pendant with the zodiac symbol for ares raised on the front, on the back an inscription that reads 'Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty''

The lunite is taken by surprise, but just manages to stick his hand out on time, the box falls into his hand, opening the lid. He raises an eyebrow, and lifts the chain up from the box he smiles at the pendant, "It's perfect."

"I was talking to father, and I remembered, that was one of his favourite sayings. It seemed to fit you." She smiles, moving back over to take her seat on the edge of the chair.

"I try," says Jeff nodding. He seems almost overcome with emotion and gives her a hug, "I definitely try." Holding her, she won't notice for a moment, not until the tears drip from his cheek onto her own.

She smiles, and lets her arm slip around him as well. "I love you." She says with a simple, unabashed sweetness, then laughs quietly. "And I didn't think I'd be able to say that, but it's true."

"I love you too," says Jeff, still holding her, the tears continue to fall. And he's not crying for Lydia. He cries for himself.