Between Friends

Posted on 17 Feb 2015 @ 12:33am by Lieutenant Commander Amynta Markos & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm

1,402 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Markos' Quarters
Timeline: MD-23, 21:30

ON:

Amynta had invited Hex by. She knew the woman had a lot to recover from, emotionally if nothing else. Even so. Amynta had the best antidote to anything like that. On the table was a bottle of strong red wine, smooth and promising in its bottle. Two glasses had been put out, as well as olives and other nibbles. It was more a catch up and a thank you to Hex more than anything else. And with how informal it would be, Amynta wore a simple jersey dress rather than anything too fancy.

Siren pressed the chime with a small smile, glancing down the corridor as she leant against the frame. She'd read this as a casual thing. She bloody well hoped so, in black trousers and black vest. Nah, Amynta was always up front about her being pissed off, she wouldn't bother throwing her off the scent like this.

Amynta smiled as she looked up, taking a breath. "Enter," she said and gave a nod to the other woman. "Come and sit down. I have some wine...and something to eat. I hope that I didn't steal you away from the Commodore?"

Siren shook her head with a warm smile, moving to sit close with her. "She's a busy woman. The downside of hooking up with the brass," she winked to her.

"Well, maybe you will learn your lesson," Amynta said playfully, shaking her head at that. "How have you been?"

"Oh...well, well...you know, just getting ready for the wedding," Siren mentioned casually, a small smile playing on her lips.

She poured the wine and offered her the glass, arching an eyebrow. "Yes. The wedding..." she said lightly. "You will be gone all shoreleave?"

Siren nodded with a sigh, smiling gently to her. "Afraid so, we'll be travelling for a lot of it. I'll miss you, you know. Who else is going to give me my fix of acerbic statements of the obvious that no one else wants to touch...."

"You're going to spend time with Orion men and women. I'd wish you luck, but all you will get are sexist comments and headaches," Amynta said and gave a small smile. "But your wedding will be most beautiful and you will have a terrific time."

Siren smiled at that, taking a deep mouthful of her drink, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm not crazy, am I? Getting married when I have no idea what marriage or family should be?"

"I don't think you and Saalm are chained by conventional ideas of marriage and family. Both of you are fiercely loyal. It is all you need. Love and loyalty. You take care of each other and that's what it should be about," Amynta watched her closely, taking in everything.

"She took care of me, when I was laid out cold in that Sickbay, from what I hear anyway," Siren chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Might make me strange, but....well when she told me what she did, to protect me when I was that vulnerable? It made me love her all the more. For being the sort of person who would give enough of a damn to care one way or another."

Amynta smiled weakly, nodding at her words. She had heard that too, even if she had pretended not to. "Protection is love," she said softly. "Doesn't make you strange if you ask me. I...too need someone who can make me feel secure enough to relax my guard."

Siren watched Amynta with curiosity at the words, leaning in closer with a small smile. She didn't hear much about Amynta's love life. She wasn't even sure if she had one on the go or not. "You got one of them?"

Amynta looked at her for a moment before nodding weakly. A hint of a blush came to her cheeks as she reached for an olive. "His name is Alexion," she said...opening the door for them to talk about more personal things.

Siren's eyes widened with surprise before laughing gently. "The doc who did weird stuff to me? Sorry...that sounded wrong, you know what I mean...."

Amynta laughed, shaking her head at the words. "Yes, that doc who does weird stuff. He...has some abilities. He would only have used that if you were dying, you know..." she added, with a weak smile. "But anyway. Yes. Him. And me. We're...well."

"Seeing 'more' of each other'," Siren arched an eyebrow, but with a good natured smile. "Well you can't leave it there! What's he like?" she shifted on to her knees and leant closer.

Amynta smiled as she looked into her glass, considering it. "Intelligent. Caring. Strong. He's no one's fool," she said before meeting his eyes. "He knows what he wants and he doesn't lie. I have to admit, it is refreshing compared to human males."

Siren laughed warmly at that, shaking her head slowly. "I'd have to agree," she teased, her eyes shining. "How far is it along? So to speak..."

"We're...well. His son knows," she said and considered it, frowning. "I have told Carus about us. I suppose it is going the way things go on a Starship. We steal moments away."

"Why the frown?" Siren asked softly, tilting her head as she nudged her arm gently with her glass.

"Because I'm not a schoolgirl to have a crush on people. I'm not used to having these...emotions," Amynta drained her glass and moved to refill it, and Siren's too. "And at times it frightens me. If something happens to him...I don't know how I'll cope. I've not felt like this about anyone before...except Carus, but you're biologically designed to care for your offspring."

"Then why worry about the worst that hasn't happened anyway," Siren shook her head with a soft laugh. "Why consider the bad stuff when you can look at the good instead. The real stuff that's *actually* happened, that's good, right?"

Amynta frowned as she watched her before sighing. "Because if you don't consider the bad, it knocks you down when it arrives. I prefer being prepared," she admitted before smiling weakly. "But it doesn't matter, you...have your happy ending now."

"Maybe it's time to let yourself have one too," Siren said gently, giving a small knowing smile as to the nature of the woman.

Amynta sighed as she watched her, shaking her head. "We will see, right?" she said fondly, sipping her wine. "Any concerns you're feeling about...everything?" she asked, wanting to know...hell, in her own way, wanting to help.

Siren shook her head with a soft laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "I mean...I don't think I really know what I'm letting myself in for. Family wasn't exactly normal to how you guys see it compared to where I'm from. But you can't hold back from the unknown forever, right? Or you'd never do anything."

"True," Amynta said as she met her eyes, before nodding weakly. "You will be fine. Just don't lose yourself in it. You're a strong woman, a Hex. Don't let the Orion clan suck that away from you."

"I...do hear that Orion women can be a strong lot," Siren laughed warmly, stroking the back of her neck. "Does it ever bother you? That your beau isn't human?"

"No," Amynta said before frowning. "Or, it does if I stop and think about it. Properly. He...well...he will outlive us all. In ten years time, things will change again. Won't always have me..." she met her eyes and smiled gently. "You are a Hex. I know what that means. You are one of the strongest women I know, so you need to tap into that when things get hard."

Siren watched her with surprise at the words. "Hey..." she reached out, holding onto her arm. "No morbidity. We could all be dead tomorrow, with the risks of living on a ship. So enjoy what's now."

Amynta watched her eyes for a moment before looking down. "You're right. I am not used to it," she said lightly and met her eyes with a small smile.

Siren's smile widened at the words, making her slap her shoulder in a comradely fashion. "Then it's time to start."

OFF:

PO1 Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Lt. Commander Amynta Markos
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

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