Resonance

Posted on 02 Oct 2012 @ 10:21pm by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Oliver Sylver & Verity Thorne

1,546 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 2, Mess
Timeline: MD 10: 14:00

ON:

Verity was sat in the chair closest to the large viewport. He wasn't looking directly at it though, he was more just soaking up the feeling of the view. No, instead, his eyes were on the old fashioned book in his hands. He was leant back in the chair, clearly comfortable with his legs crossed as he carefully turned a page, his finger lingering against the paper page for a moment, feeling it. He took a breath, catching the unmistakable scent of an old book with the movement. He reached out unconsciously, managing to catch up his coffee without looking, sipping it absently.

"Hello, Verity," Olly smiled gently as he watched him, his eyes shining as he took a seat. "You okay?" he held his eyes, unable to take his eyes off him. How...focused he was. Intense in the moment.

Verity glanced up to him with mild surprise, not having heard him. He blinked a few times to get back to reality before smiling warmly, lowering the book to his knees. "Hey, flyboy, sorry, I had no idea you were there."

"Don't worry," he said as he watched him, his eyes warm. "You seemed to be in your own little world there with your book."

"I was," he laughed, shaking his head as he reached for his coffee, then sighed. "And now my coffee is lukewarm. Want to share a pot with me?"

"I would love to," he said and smiled, touching his arm. "Let me get it, Verity."

Verity nodded, watching him move away to get the coffee. He hummed to himself, smiling as he set the old cup and pot out of the way, sliding the book onto the table. "Do you sing?" he suddenly asked as Olly returned.

He watched him with surprise before blushing, grinning. "I...sometimes. Why do you ask?"

"I'm thinking of setting up a music group here," Verity smiled to him as he leant to him. "A singing group is easier than orchestral. I'm fishing to see if it would be popular."

Olly chuckled at that before nodding gently. "I'd join," he said softly. He'd join to be close to Verity anyway.

"Great," he smiled warmly at that, taking a deep breath at the good reception to the idea. "I thought a theatre group could work too. Or maybe a reading one."

"Are you bored by any chance?" Olly asked with warmly, reaching to touch his arm with humour. "I think theatre can work, I am just a lousy actor...but reading would be good for the younger ones too."

Verity laughed weakly at the words, looking down. "Bored? No. I guess it's just instinct. Social groups help people bond and understand each other, without even realising it. Before you know it, you understand more about how Ensign John Smith works without even realising it. Of course, it can be good for morale too," he chuckled, shaking his head, searching his eyes. "I may as well use my spare time constructively. It's that or whiskey, so..."

"How about conversation and whiskey? With me?" he asked, his eyes shining as he watched Verity with good humour.

"Well that's allowed," he smiled warmly to him, leaning to him as he held his eyes. "How about you, Oliver? How have you been?" he asked softly.

"I've been good," he said and smiled warmly, easily, to the other man. "What about you though, Verity? Kept yourself busy with all of...this?"

"Battle has been filling in a bit too," he chuckled weakly, shaking his head as he leant closer to him, his chin in his hand. "Sickbay was heaving."

He frowned as he reached to touch his arm. "I am sorry," he said quietly. "It must have been hard for you."

Verity watched him with surprise before shaking his head with a weak smile. "No, no but thank you. It was the others, in Sickbay, who were tested. All that was left for me to do was offer some company to those who were badly injured."

He watched him for a long moment before taking his hand. "Who says that is not hard?" he said quietly. "Offer company and comfort..."

Verity watched the hand, taking a slight breath. He gripped the hand tighter, smiling softly before meeting his eyes. "I am pleased that you weren't a casualty."

"So am I," he admitted, giving him a warm smile, holding his eyes. "But I just fly the ship on occasion."

"Now I know that's not true. I know pilots are just as busy as the rest of us," he said with mock rebuke, but smiling to him, holding his eyes. "You will have to take me out for a spin sometime."

"I want to," he said and smiled warmly, before taking a breath. "Could be romantic, you know...the stars..."

"Is that what you are, Oliver? A secret romantic under those devilish looks?" Verity teased lightly, but with warmth in his smile.

"Perhaps," he said and smiled warmly to him. "I have to believe in something...and love seems quite straight forward."

"You think love is straight forward?" Verity watched him with surprise, laughing softly. "Oh, I wish I were you."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Love isn't. Believing in love is. We all need something to cling to."

Verity tilted his head with a smile, resting it in his hand as he sipped his drink. It was interesting to hear someone make the distinction. "We do?"

He chuckled and nodded, searching his face for a long moment. "Well...yes. Everyone tries to cling to something. Religion, identity, morals, notions of things...sometimes, a mix of it all. It is part of who we are at the core."

Verity grinned, laughing warmly as he took him in, considering. "You hide a lot behind the devil may care smile."

"Don't most men?" he asked and grinned as he reached to touch his wrist. "I mean, you have an honest face...but those eyes...oh...you know a lot of things, don't you?"

Verity held his breath at the touch and the words. He searched his eyes, licking his bottom lip slowly as he just watched him, his mind moving fast. "I have seen many things," he whispered. "Experienced many things. Done many things. More than most would expect from someone who spent most of his adult life as a Priest."

Oliver nodded as he watched him, his eyes warm as he studied him closely. "I can see that. Sometimes, you just know that by looking into someone's eyes...their soul, I suppose."

"I never have been any good at guarding my eyes," Verity laughed quietly, shaking his head as he watched him intently. "I was told that they give me away far too easily. They betray everything I think and feel and say far too much about me. Not great when you're in Starfleet. Your eyes are the opposite though. They shield everything. Makes a man wonder what is going on behind them. Except for when you laugh. They sparkle with warmth then."

He smiled warmly at that, chuckling as he touched his arm for a long moment. "I suppose I have a lot to hide too...most people with tainted hearts do."

"I cannot believe it is tainted," Verity frowned at the choice of words, but with concern. "Not for a moment."

He met his eyes and smiled, his eyes warm. "Oh, you are a good man. I suppose...marked is a better word for it."

"Can't mark a heart. Or a soul," Verity said softly, almost a whisper as he held his eyes firmly. "Those are yours. Just yours. Hidden deep. The taint slung our way in life, it's all surface," he motioned over him as if indicating his body. "Only you can decide what gets through to your heart and soul. And what lingers there."

Oliver smiled at the words, taking a deeper breath as he reached to take his hand. "So much wisdom," he said as he searched his eyes.

"I'm not wise," Verity laughed softly, shaking his head as he watched their hands. "I'm really not. I can be as calm and 'wise' as you like to other people, but applying it to my own life? Forget it."

He nodded as he watched him, his eyes gentle. "So what?" he asked, caressing his hand. "Isn't that part of being alive?"

"Well it's definitely part of the human condition," Verity smiled, shaking his head as he looked down. "For those of us who are, anyway."

He chuckled as he leant closer, to whisper to him. "No need to be so politically correct with me, Verity. I think it is a very human trait."

"Well, in that case, why don't we agree that I tell you what I think might help you, and you tell me what you think might help me?" he smiled playfully.

Oliver watched him, grinning as he held his eyes for a long moment. "Of course. Deal. A proper deal, Verity..." he offered his hand, a handshake to seal the deal.

Verity watched the hand before laughing softly, meeting his eyes as he took the hand, giving it a firm shake. "Deal."

OFF:

WO Oliver Sylver
Flight Control
USS Galileo

Crewman Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo

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