Once the rains had subsided, and the chill of the humidity had worn off a little with the return of the sun for the remainder of the day, Susan had re-emerged from her shelter. She was dressed for taking a jog, and still not finding John (they had a rematch, after all!), the commander took off down the beach on her own to get out a little of her frustrations, aggrevations, and to get her thoughts straight. Where in the hell was he, and how did he manage to get back? Did he have to convince anyone, and most importantly-- why did he leave a bunch of civilians behind to fend for themselves? That last bit was really the kicker, and she adamantly refused to allow herself to be even the slightest bit pleased that he had returned. Even if they could fend for themselves 'back there', there was important geographic intel to be gained, and he was the information gatherer while she was the de facto tactician. As good as the Ranger was, in that area, she was better
( ... )
Marcus was in the process of carefully lighting the candles, using a long piece of damp bark as a taper.
The glow lit Susan's auburn hair as she came into view and he moved the tall candles to sit in the centre of the 'table'.
The warmth of the fire that burned safely away from their tents warmed one side, but it was the smile he could see in her eyes that warmed him more.
"You--" She was reeling... and the only way she knew, really, to rouse herself was to shift gears... "What are you doing back?"
He remained silent, it was not his time to talk, yet.
"How did you get back? And-- why?"
His head canted to the side, a smile hovering on his own lips now. But he still remained silent, until her tirade of questions ceased.
"There are civilians back there that are going to need your help-- two scientists... a pregnant woman..." "Yes" he said "about that. They are in an inpenetrable ship, separated from us by another dimension of space, not unlike warp space. And" he countered, overriding her by raising his voice just a small
( ... )
There was something inherently wrong with her approach, obviously. The rise at the final 'accusation' didn't come; instead, the response was a soft, easily understandable explanation. Not even an excuse. Susan stood in her spot, in her mind frozen in place, her expression shifting from the failed attempt to have the least bit of anger or annoyance at seeing him to one of... incredulity. This was honestly a surprise... and one that completely solved, if not justified, the small mysteries. She'd known 'who'... and now, at least part of the 'why
( ... )
Marcus laughed softly as he poured her a glass of the white wine. The label was printed in Interlac, a fine vintage of wine that would only be recogniseable to someone from their time.
As he set the glass down, he reached down behind him and with a very small flourish, but an almost-air of embarressment, he presented her with the single red rose.
"The effort was a pleasure, Susan. And" he held up a hand to forstall any comments just yet. "This evening is designed just for you, I want you to realise"
He stopped, then swallowed, trying to draw some moisture into his mouth "I want to tell you how much I care for you. It was the only thing I could come up with, on short notice."
The smile on his lips hovered, almost uncertainly. He'd done everything he could to wind her up over the day, but it was a game she'd enjoyed, he could feel it, without even having to try.
[Ivanova] Please stay... or go... stay?lost_mckayNovember 13 2007, 17:23:01 UTC
"Oh..." The nod in response to her question wasn't, honestly, something she was expecting even if she was expecting it. Truth be told, Marcus was in an untenable position, held between duty and personal. Susan knew that, and still, she'd asked. Probably not fair to either, in hindsight, but perhaps he could see a way around it that she couldn't.
True to form, he'd shifted slightly and made the concession, "I must be back before dawn, at least." She couldn't meet him that half way, however... She just couldn't bring herself to look past her anger, the thought that a crime against humanity had been done despite her best efforts, and the First One could have done-- something. Anything
( ... )
Marcus' lips pressed together in thought, then he nodded once. "It's a good.. idea" he smiled, almost shyly. "But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."
He looked around, but of course the nearest thing to the sacred fruit was the cranberries. Peeling one off, he held it up to Susan. "From birth, through death and renewal, you must put aside old things, old fears, old lives, this is your death, the death of flesh, the death of pain, the death of yesterday. Taste of it, and be not afraid, for I am with you to the end of time. Taste of it. And so it begins."
The words of the ritual were harsh, but to Marcus they were a commitment, a promise. He held the fruit close to Susan's lips, hoping she would take it.
Was she nuts? Susan offered to stay up, after 4 glasses of wine, and watch Marcus sleep?! 'Hoo, boy, Susan... you are... desperate? Not very becoming. You should be stronger than that. Her own internal argument held everything... the fact that normally, she'd be in bed by 10, 11 o'clock and wake with the blaring of her alarm. Waking up in the dark was one of the things she just couldn't do, no matter how hard she tried. And, she'd hoped to get a full night tonight as she didn't last night. They'd been up most of the night, then the blue ball fell out of the heavens at the crack of dawn. Oddly enough, the unfairness of it all, at least in her mind, was comforting. Meant the universe was still... right.
"Okay." Now, Susan was stuck. She couldn't admit to wanting to curl up and go to sleep with the man, sharing the warmth... and--
"But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."That took Susan aback, and she stared... not entirely sure how to react. Particularly after the... pledge, and he
( ... )
She did take the fruit, heartbeats after its offrance, the tangy taste seemingly altered towards the bitter before it settled into a subtle sweetness. Just like the promise of things to come, the death of that which came before. That was going to be the hard part
( ... )
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The glow lit Susan's auburn hair as she came into view and he moved the tall candles to sit in the centre of the 'table'.
The warmth of the fire that burned safely away from their tents warmed one side, but it was the smile he could see in her eyes that warmed him more.
"You--" She was reeling... and the only way she knew, really, to rouse herself was to shift gears... "What are you doing back?"
He remained silent, it was not his time to talk, yet.
"How did you get back? And-- why?"
His head canted to the side, a smile hovering on his own lips now. But he still remained silent, until her tirade of questions ceased.
"There are civilians back there that are going to need your help-- two scientists... a pregnant woman..." "Yes" he said "about that. They are in an inpenetrable ship, separated from us by another dimension of space, not unlike warp space. And" he countered, overriding her by raising his voice just a small ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Marcus laughed softly as he poured her a glass of the white wine. The label was printed in Interlac, a fine vintage of wine that would only be recogniseable to someone from their time.
As he set the glass down, he reached down behind him and with a very small flourish, but an almost-air of embarressment, he presented her with the single red rose.
"The effort was a pleasure, Susan. And" he held up a hand to forstall any comments just yet. "This evening is designed just for you, I want you to realise"
He stopped, then swallowed, trying to draw some moisture into his mouth "I want to tell you how much I care for you. It was the only thing I could come up with, on short notice."
The smile on his lips hovered, almost uncertainly. He'd done everything he could to wind her up over the day, but it was a game she'd enjoyed, he could feel it, without even having to try.
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True to form, he'd shifted slightly and made the concession, "I must be back before dawn, at least." She couldn't meet him that half way, however... She just couldn't bring herself to look past her anger, the thought that a crime against humanity had been done despite her best efforts, and the First One could have done-- something. Anything ( ... )
Reply
He looked around, but of course the nearest thing to the sacred fruit was the cranberries. Peeling one off, he held it up to Susan. "From birth, through death and renewal, you must put aside old things, old fears, old lives, this is your death, the death of flesh, the death of pain, the death of yesterday. Taste of it, and be not afraid, for I am with you to the end of time. Taste of it. And so it begins."
The words of the ritual were harsh, but to Marcus they were a commitment, a promise. He held the fruit close to Susan's lips, hoping she would take it.
Reply
"Okay." Now, Susan was stuck. She couldn't admit to wanting to curl up and go to sleep with the man, sharing the warmth... and--
"But first, there's one other.. ritual. Nafak'cha, it's called. A pledging of one to another."That took Susan aback, and she stared... not entirely sure how to react. Particularly after the... pledge, and he ( ... )
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