Still Waters Run Deep

Posted on 26 Apr 2013 @ 3:43pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm & Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeroen Adlar

1,805 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 4 - Arboretum
Timeline: MD 04 - 18:00

ON:

Sitting stretched out on the ground, Siren tilted her head to the side as she watched the tree. Her long legs were comfy, stretched out and crossed at the ankle, and she leant back on her hands that were planted down on the ground behind her body, enough to keep herself propped up. Her long, dark red hair swayed as she tilted her head to the other side as she considered the tree, 'hming' as she narrowed her blue eyes. She wasn't sure if she loved the fact there were real, growing things here, or if it unsettled her for being so unnatural. Trees in space, whatever next.

Jeroen smiled gently as he spotted the woman under what was his favourite tree. He had started to come here every day, just to think...to live, he supposed. He watched her, his eyes warm. "Hi..."

She looked across to him with surprise before lifting a hand in greeting. "Have I taken your spot?"

"No," he said, smiling warmly as he watched her. "Although I'd like to sit close if that is okay?"

"What, and you're not even going to buy me a drink. Wow, cheap date," Siren teased with a smile all the same, slapping the ground next to her to indicate he should sit. "You like the trees?

Jeroen nodded as he smiled, sitting down. "It's nice here," he said as he chuckled. "And yes, I am a very cheap date in my old age. I'm Jeroen," he offered his hand to her.

She took the hand, gripping it tight in hers rather than shaking it. "Odd name. I like it. I'm Siren," she shook her head firmly, squeezing his wrist before looking to the tree. "It's pretty. But strange."

He smiled warmly, nodding as he watched her before looking up. "Pretty things can be strange."

"I always thought the roots of trees were supposed to....plough to the very centre of the world, the symbol of strength," Siren mused, pursing her lips. "And here one is, floating in space."

"The roots still run deep," Jeroen said and smiled warmly. "As deep as the ground...it could eventually force through the metal too."

"Wow..." Siren looked back to the tree with new found respect. "You know a lot about them."

He smiled warmly, his eyes gentle. "I work with things like that."

"Really?" Siren said with surprise, oblivious if it was rude or not. She arched an eyebrow and leant to him. "Don't tell me you're one of these science genius'."

"Not a genius...I just like it," Jeroen said and smiled warmly. "I like science."

"You got something missing in your head, mate? The kind of missing that makes you like pain?" she leant to him with a sceptical look.

He watched her, his eyes warm as he let out a soft breath. "Not a masochist, darling...just enjoy knowledge."

"Could have fooled me," Siren leant back with a chuckle, shaking her head. "Science is masochism. If you ask me. Which you didn't, granted..." she indicated to him with an expressive hand in a 'savvy' kind of way. "Too many things to remember. Like - if a tree grows in space, does that make it different to other trees on, say, Earth, or is it just the same?"

"The same, however the atmosphere around it is different," he said softly, leaning closer as he held her eyes. "And it depends what the mad scientists do..."

She gave a grin at that, searching his eyes. " 'The' mad scientists? Or do you mean you, hm? Why did I just get a vision of you all masked up with saws?"

Jeroen laughed, shaking his head. "That's the doctors, you know...not us..."

"That makes me feel so much better," Siren rolled her eyes with a laugh. "I hate Sickbays you know. It's not natural, people interfering with you, in a non exciting way."

He watched her for a long moment, his eyes warm. "Where are you from, Siren?"

"Nyx," she said lightly, glancing across to him with neutral features. "Heard of it?"

Jeroen met her eyes, giving a small smile as he nodded. "Yes...yes I have," he said softly. "Been there once too."

"No way!" Siren watched him with surprise. "And you got out alive and in one piece? Respect."

Jeroen chuckled as he watched her, his eyes dark. "Alive, yes. Not quite in one piece...it was a bit of a tough trip."

"It always is on Nyx," Siren laughed though, slapping his shoulder. "You have all your hands and fingers and facial features. You did good!"

He laughed warmly, nodding as he watched her. "I did as well as I could," he said as he watched her. "Which gang did you belong to?"

"Hex," she pushed the black t-shirt off her shoulder to show the tattoo that proved it on the top of her arm. "No pretender."

Jeroen nodded as he watched her, his eyes gentle. "Strong stock then...your gang are renowned for their skills," he said...a compliment. He had heard of them. Hell, he had heard a lot of them when he went there, when he had been Maquis.

She gave a smile of surprise at that, tilting her head as she watched him with shining eyes. "See, now, I thought Fleeter's weren't meant to approve of that sort of thing," she whispered.

"Not just a Fleeter," Jeroen said as he watched her. "When you come from Nyx, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you survive."

"Pretty much," she gave a half smile. "And never cross your own. You cross your own and you get found out."

He nodded as he watched her, his eyes gentle. "It's difficult to get your lot off the planet..." he said gently.

"Yeah, well, when I get an idea in my head, it sticks," Siren chuckled, shaking her head as she pulled her legs up close to hold. "What can I say? The Smoking City gets boring."

Jeroen smiled warmly, nodding as he watched her before taking a breath. "A lot of things get boring for the young, Siren."

"The young? You say it like it's another species," Siren shook her head with a soft laugh of disbelief.

Jeroen laughed warmly, shaking his head. "Well, at times it feels like it," he said with a wink.

"I feel about 80," she whispered with shining eyes, shaking her head. "You're probably younger than I am."

"No," he said, his eyes gentle as he watched her. "And I certainly don't feel it...It's why I come here. To feel...peace."

"Is it working?" she asked with genuine interest. She supposed in her own way she'd done the same.

Jeroen smiled gently, nodding as he watched her. "Yes...it is. Talking to you also helps."

She leant to him with surprise, laughing as her eyebrows lifted and her eyes shone. "How?"

"You've got life," he said, his eyes warm. "And fire. And not just the red hair."

Siren laughed, nudging him with her body. "Listen, fire's not all good you know," she winked.

He chuckled as he nudged her back. "It's what keeps you alive, Siren...but you know it. You've nurtured that fire."

She gave an almost playful smile at that, searching his eyes. "Now there speaks a fire tamer..."

Jeroen chuckled as he arched an eyebrow. "It's not tamed...just tempered," he said softly. "It's how I have survived. Keep it burning, but slowly, warmly...deeply."

Siren smiled at that, just holding his eyes for a long moment, watching him with interest, trying to take him in. "I can see how you survived Nyx."

He chuckled as he nodded, touching her shoulder. "And I can see why you left...you needed to stretch yours wings out...and breathe the fire."

Siren nodded, searching his features for a long moment, her own turning serious. "You can only stare at smouldering remains for so long."

He nodded, his eyes gentle as he watched her...also serious. "I know what you mean," he said quietly. "There's only so much you can see before you have to either leave or turn to stone."

"Or turn into the people around you," she added, nodding in agreement with him, sighing. "So where were you?"

He watched her for a long moment before chuckling. "In general, or on your homeworld?"

"In general," she shook her head with a small, knowing smile. "You speak like someone who's been somewhere bad."

Jeroen nodded gently as he held her eyes. "I went to your home to recruit people for the Maquis."

Siren sat back a little, watching with shock for a long moment, but she blinked it away to surprise. She searched his features, as if to say 'no way', but she could see he was being serious. "Pretty rare breed these days."

"Still a few around..." Jeroen said and smiled gently. "More old dogs than angry wolves..."

"I don't think there's enough energy left in the universe to stoke that flame anymore, is there?" she shook her head with a frown.

"You'd be surprised," he said with a frown before shaking his head. "But not for those like me. We burned out years ago."

"And now you watch trees in space," Siren nodded sagely before grinning to him playfully.

He chuckled as he watched her, his eyes warming. "I am learning to live again..." he said softly. "I like it here because it reminds me of...peace. And warmth. And nature."

"I can see why you'd like it then," Siren nodded, looking back to the tree in thought. "See, I still find it kind of creepy."

He smiled gently as he watched her, nodding. "It's being kept alive the same way we are."

"Sandwiches and moonshine?" Siren said with surprise before her smile broke through.

Jeroen laughed at that, his eyes shining. "That too..." he said and looked at her. "I like your attitude...it's a remarkable experience."

Siren laughed softly at how he put it, looking to him with surprise before dropping back to lie down, stretching out as she tucked her arms under her head. "It's not always so good."

He watched her, his eyes gentle as he studied her. He liked her energy. He liked how strong she seemed. "Trust me...it is."

"I end up pissing people off at some point or other. Tact is not my speciality," Siren warned, but with a shake of her head. "I don't mean to be rude though."

Jeroen watched her, shaking his head. "I do not mind. So...we can try it. And I'll show you that you can't piss me off."

OFF:

PO2 Jeroen Adlar
Science - Geoengineer
USS Galileo
(PNPC: Lt JG Aria Rice)

Crewman Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo
(PNPC: Lt JG Scarlet Blake)

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