(Untitled)

[mr_gaeta]

[OOM: Stop me if you've heard this one before: so a Presidential aide and a former President talk about a bar...]

It might not be any more real than Cloud Nine's environmental dome had been, but the outside here is...actually pretty nice

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[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta opens his eyes when he hears the quiet plunk of the not-quite-skipping stones. Once he realizes what the young woman's trying to do, his mouth quirks, faintly; he's never learned how to do that, either.

Leaning forward, propping his feet on the slope of the rock and his wrists on his knees, he watches for a few more --

Holy frak.

The crackle-BOOM of the exploding rock makes him jerk back, involuntarily, as the casual attention turns to a startled stare.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta swallows.

"I'm sorry," he says; contrary to the look on his face -- which he hasn't quite schooled back yet -- he sounds remarkably calm. (Even if it's the kind of calm that's really only there by dint of politeness.)

One at a time, he eases his feet down the rock, but stays seated. "I, uh..." Hands behind him again, against the rock. "Didn't mean to interrupt you."

[always_okay]

One moment, the shore is empty, true. But perhaps the next Gaeta opens his eyes, he's no longer alone. The young man is very quiet, and very good at being quiet. Everything about him says military, right down to the expression: angry, removed, and wary.

Outside, the rules don't apply, but the man on the rock doesn't concern 494. He just watches, everything he can, like maybe he'll know what he's looking for when he sees it.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta stills somewhat, as much from the other man's sudden appearance as from the familiar way he's carrying himself.

(Not just the militaristic bearing; the poised wariness, too, of trying to take in everything at once in an effort to understand, to prepare.)

He folds up his legs, watching in kind for a second, then offers a polite nod in greeting.

[always_okay]

494's attention locks in on him all at once. His lips twist, and the distant expression vanishes beneath a snide veneer.

"You didn't have to do that."

[mr_gaeta]

...Well, he can't say he was expecting that. Gaeta's eyebrows rise slightly.

He did deal with Colonel Tigh for four years, though; it's less unexpected than it could be.

While it's obvious he's taken aback, he keeps the tenor of his voice level as he says, "I'm sorry. I'm...not sure what you mean."