"Born like sisters to this world...Will you feel better, better, better.."

[master_charm]

Who: Charlene Marla
What: Charlene and Marla talk things through.
Where: Observation Deck # 8

For something full of gas and dark matter, space made for a mesmerizing view. Charlene now wondered why she didn't visit the observation decks more often...amongst other things, of course. Even the stars couldn't distract her from the nervousness she felt.

Comments

[lt_mcgivers]

Marla didn't really want to talk to Charlene. She hardly knew the woman, and didn't even really know if she and Sanjay were together, but the look she'd given the two of them at that party... She's going to... I don't know. Yell at me. Hate me. She took her time in getting to the observation deck, hoping that if she took long enough, Charlene would get tired of waiting for her and leave.

No such luck. She caught sight of the other woman as she stepped into the room, and paused in the door, trying to psych herself up. You can do this, Marla. Just... just... you can do this. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and let it out slowly before approaching Charlene.

"Um. Hi...?" She sat down a few seats away, folding her hands in her lap, staring down at them instead of look at Charlene or out at the stars.

[master_charm]

Charlene was surprised when Marla suddenly appeared to her side. She had been so focused on the stars and what the hell she was going to say that she didn't notice the other women approaching.

She smiled slightly, hoping that it would ease Marla's nervousness. Charlene wasn't going to yell at her because she had nothing to yell about.

"Hi. Thanks for coming...I know that you didn't want to, but I appreciate that you did anyway." She sighed. Better get to the point instead of stalling.

"Like I said before, you don't have to be sorry about you know. I'm not okay with it, but I don't really have the right to not be okay with it. So really, I should be the one apologizing to you. I'm sorry."

[lt_mcgivers]

Marla sat with her shoulders hunched, desperately wishing that she could be anywhere but here right now. Of course, she didn't have to come here. She could have just hid in her office or in her quarters and not come out for the rest of the five year mission. In fact, that option was beginning to look better and better.

Until Charlene began talking. She was apologizing. Charlene was apologizing, and Marla wasn't even really sure why. "Charlene... no, you shouldn't apologize," Marla protested, shaking her head, eyes widening as she looked up.

"Look, what happened... That was completely because of the thumos plant, Charlene. That wasn't me. I... Look, I don't want to have anything to do with... with Ensign Singh."

[master_charm]

Is it wrong to be this relieved? she wondered. A huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders, knowing that the attraction between Marla and Sanjay wasn't actually real. That it was just simply an effect from the thumos plant. But still, no matter how crappy she felt about having them, Charlene still had her doubts.

She look at the other woman unsurely, and asked, "Really?" After all, only personalities were altered by the pollen, not actually wants or desires. "I wouldn't blame you for wanting to, if you did. He's a great guy" She paused and said half jokingly, half seriously, "If I'm being really passive-aggressive, just slap me right now. I mean it."