RPlog:Two for Tea

Players: Lanil, Lynae Date: March 11, 2006 Overview: Lanil lets Lynae in on a rather big secret.

Quarters - Caiton - ICC Dauntless The words 'Spartan' and 'utilitarian' or 'militaristic' are good ways to describe the quarters of Captains Lynae and Yoseph Caiton. Standard gray, industrial weave, carpeting stretch the length of the room along with blocks of the same carpeting paneled half way up the walls to further mute sound from the ship itself. The walls themselves are another shade of pale gray with only a handful of framed images or documents for decoration. To the immediate right of the door are a series of bookshelves bolted to the wall. The bookshelf fronts are latched transparisteel covers that allow the contents to be seen, but prevent the books and reference manuals from flying about as the ship is in motion. Continuing along the right wall is a couch followed by a table in the corner and two chairs tucked in beneath it. A Kitchenette is built into the wall directly opposite the door alongside the angle of the wall which extends back into the room in a straight line, forming another smaller room within the main cabin. Along the wall to the left are two computer stations, the desks end to end, forming a larger workspace and from the amount of datafiles and work stacked there, it would appear that the Captain's regularly work together and share the space. A privacy screen is bolted to the wall and floor, forming an L shaped partition behind which is a bed that, when glimpsed, is also neatly made. Obvious Exits: -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Lynae => Lanil
 * ead leads to the head.
 *  leads to the Berth Deck - ICC Dauntless.

The quiet sound of a news broadcast can be heard all through the quarters that Lynae calls home, a large flat screen occupies one wall, the screen a bit fuzzy but the image clear enough to suffice. Prowling around the room in the midsts of several projects at once, Lynae is organizing files while brewing a old-fashioned pot of tea. The sound of a kettle over a tiny warmer is bubbling, just a few seconds from beginning to whistle.

The door to Lynae's quarters slides open, and Lanil enters. Looking about, he spots the doctor at her desk, "Hey Lyn, I let myself in, seems I was on the auth list and all. Then again, there's not really anything I CAN'T get around, heh." He walks around the room, coming to a stop across from her desk. Taking a seat, he smiles and continues, "I just stopped by, friendly call, nothing professional. Also I'm wanting to talk to you about some things."

Lynae holds up one hand for a moment, "Hold that thought," she says as she keys in more notes on a datapad she's propped on her desk. Her forehead creases briefly in a frown as she pulls over another datafile flimsy and references some data there before scanning the data and finalizing the report with her initials and e-signature. "Of course you're on the auth list," she finally says, glancing up and blinking at Lanil as she surveys him with a quizzical look. "I've known you forever," she continues, "why ever wouldn't you be on the list?" The tea kettle begins to whistle softly, prompting Lynae to rise from the chair and attend to the tea making. "Which things?" she asks over her shoulder, "don't tell me you found another fair officer to escort to the festivities," she jests with a laugh.

Lanil laughs, "That's true, you have known me forever. And actually, you're pretty close with the thing about the festivities, yet you're still off a bit." He pauses, seeming to gather his thoughts a moment before continuing, "Captain...Lynae...Lyn...I might as well just come out and say it: I like you. Much so. Yes, I know, there's Yoseph to think of and whatnot, but he's who knows where, dammit we don't even know if he's alive or not, or captured by the Rebellion, or even shuttling spice for the local Hutt! The point is, I have sat idly by for the years that I've known you two, and...I just, I don't know, I've finally realized I've always felt something for you, it's just that now, with my return from my remote assignment, and the festivities coming up and such....it's just brought everything to a spearhead." He sighs, relieved that he managed to get that out the way he wanted.

Carefully sifting the tea leaves into two cups, and assuming that Lanil would want a cup of tea, Lynae remains silent while he speaks. Taking the pot of boiling water and pouring a measured amount into each cup, she sets the pot aside before slowly stirring the hot mixture around, setting the spoon down after tapping the spoon against the cup and replacing it down onto the counter top. Turning and leaning back against the counter, Lynae tucks her hands into her pockets as she meets Lanil's eyes with her own. "Yoseph has become.. disenchanted with the Empire, of late," she says quietly. "And nothing that I say, or do, can bring him back to where he should be. Bring him back to seeing this," she gestures briefly with one hand for a moment, "in the correct light. As his wife, he will not hear what I say. I have no choice but to give him the time that he needs, and the space, to make the decisions that he must make, for himself. I am an officer, and when I say that I live but to serve, I do not make that statement lightly. Nor mouth the words, just as a pretty formulae for politeness sakes." Rubbing one hand against the back of her neck as she takes a deep breath, Lynae continues to keep her gaze level as she speaks. "Lanil, I feel as though I have known you forever. There is a very very short list of people that I would trust my life to. Let alone, trust my honesty too, like this. And you and Maris are topmost on that list. My feelings for you are.. complicated," she says softly, "but I am most glad that you are posted to this sector once more," she adds. Lanil smiles, taking Lynae's hand in his, "Lyn, I thank you for that vote of confidence, more than you'll ever know. I understand you not wanting to completly let go of Yoseph so quickly. He was and will always be a good friend, no matter what the path that he chooses becomes. I myself and my father both had trouble letting go when my brother Walker died, back during the first days of the Empire. He of course went on a suicide strike against the Rebels, and myself, well let's just say that if it wasn't for Walker's death, I probably wouldn't be having this conversation with you now." He chuckles sentimentally to himself, and sips at his tea for a moment before continuing, "Mmm, Dantooine Tea, my compliments doctor on your acquisition skills. So, I understand if you're feeling a bit...overwhelmed. I am feeling the same myself, actually. And I would understand also if you'd feel more comfortable going with someone else to the Selene Day celebrations."

"I traded a bit of Coruscant Nettleleaf tea for this," Lynae murmurs in immediate reply, reaching for her own cup and blowing across the surface of the tea before sipping in silence for a moment. "I have to hope that he keeps his vows to me, as well as his vows to the Empire. For if he breaks the one, it will be so much easier to break the other, will it not?" she says softly. Cradling the cup between her hands she shakes her head slowly, "My parents raised me to be exactly the woman that I am now, Lanil. Exactly. Of this I am sure. And there is no one else that I would care to attend the celebration with," she states firmly. "I get the feeling that I intimidate some of the junior officers, for some reason. At least you don't look at me like I'm some red handed murderess."

Lanil nods, "Captain, you and I are a dying breed. We're the ones who still remember what it was like before the Empire. These new faces...ok, sure, a good chunk were born before the Empire, but they were only kids then. But most of them have lived with the Empire all their lives, never having seen the chaos and disorder of the Rebellion, to paraphrase from your speech, which was well done if I do say so myself," He raises his cup in a toast to the Captain before continuing, "As those who have seen both sides of the coin, we must strive to go that extra mile to preserve what is right and orderly. Even if our methods are unorthodox by some standards." He shifts his eyes about the room in mock conspiracy, "Besides, if it wasn't for your unique approach to medicine, we never would have met anyways. Or need I remind you of a certain Commodore who couldn’t control his own bowels?”

"I never forget a patient or a procedure," Lynae responds with a quiet chuckle. "I've been making waves in the medical community for my entire career, I don't see that stopping any time soon. The only good enemy is a dead enemy," she adds, lifting her cup in a brief toast. "And thank you. I had to do some rather fast talking in order to persuade the powers that be to let me make a formal reply to that of the titled 'Princess Leia'." Lynae makes a quiet sound as she shakes her head slightly, "So many children in soldier clothing, Lanil. I sometimes wonder if they know the difference between serving the Empire, and following orders." Lanil nods, "Only time will tell my dear, sadly. These boys can be the best in the simulators, but strap them in a cockpit, or give them a real blaster, with real Rebels shooting back...a good chunk will just lose it. That is where the inefficiency in any system comes into play." He stops for a moment and finishes off his tea. "So, you mentioned that your feelings for me are 'complicated'. Seems we got stuck talking politics and theory, but let's try to get back to the matter at hand...if that's alright with you."

"Let me preface this with the admission that I'm not very good with the messier emotions," Lynae admits before taking a bracing sip of her tea. "I wasn't raised to 'go with my emotions' or to 'feel for things' let alone to have 'girl moments'. As I said, my parents raised me to be the woman that I am. My father was a pilot, my mother was a research scientist. One of my earliest memories is of scraping up my knee and running, in tears, to my father. He picked me up, set me down on the edge of his desk and examined my knee. Asked me quite calmly if I thought the damage was sufficient to have the lower extremity removed, or if it was salvageable." A faint smile forms on her face before she turns to cast a sidelong glance at Lanil, "I'm built more to analyze the problem and compartmentalize the situation into manageable segments than I am to sit down and just 'go with my emotions'. My feelings, though, for you are complicated. Years of friendship are entwined with years of respect and admiration and trust. The something more has never been something I considered. First, because my career is first and foremost. There are few women in officer country of the Empire, and the one way to retain my commission is to keep myself from the messy entanglements of having a liaison with some other officer. Secondly, I'm just not GOOD at interpersonal relations!" Lynae laughs at herself, a rueful sound, "I'm just not."

Lanil nods, "You're right of course. Now true, this isn't some big officer-enlisted fraternization scandal. I'm an ISB Senior Agent, you're an Imperial Navy Doctor Captain. Yet we both agree that the other puts duty foremost, if only for the nature of our upbringings and our jobs now. But Lyn, you've obviously opened your heart before, because there's Yoseph and whatnot. Now am I asking you to just drop your bags and come running to me? Well I don't really know the answer to that question myself. Like I said before though, we are a dying breed, Captain, and I want to be with someone who really understands where I come from, firsthand. I don't want to have to be re-educating my own wife, y'know?" He smiles half-heartedly, to break the tension, "You speak of career first. As do I. The work we do...it's not like your average pilot jock or Stormtrooper human-trigger. It takes real time and dedication. But it also has times when someone is needed to truly confide in, beyond friendship...beyond anything, even. Which is why I am asking all of this of you. I need someone like you, Lynae."

Lynae stares down into the cup of tea for a moment, studying the surface before she lifts her gaze again and nods slowly. "I need someone like you as well, Lanil. To be able to talk, like this, is of immeasurable value to me. To be able to speak freely, and not have to mince words or carefully weigh every single syllable for worry that the listener will think I am spouting mindless babble. The work that I do," she shakes her head slowly, "the work that we both do. We're the weapons the Empire needs in the here and now. I can be nothing less, and demand more of myself when called upon. I don't know if I can offer you more than friendship, Lanil," she continues in the same quiet voice. "But I do know that I can offer you friendship, the freedom to speak freely and in confidence, and the knowledge to not ask questions of you and the trust that you know the same of me. Will that be enough?"

Lanil nods, a bit dejected, "I guess it will have to be, for I know you too well to think that you would say otherwise, at least now. Later though, who knows? For all we know you could be Mrs. Lynae Jast soon enough." He chuckles, "But really though Lyn, I thank you for bearing with me through all of this."

Lynae fixes Lanil with a long look then smiles for a moment, "Do you have any idea what sort of red tape we'd have to go through?" she says frankly. "Getting permission to wed was grueling in and of itself. Then to petition for divorce, and then to petition - again - to remarry? The very enormosity of the idea, Lanil. The kind of deed we'd have to do to get permission," she shakes her head slowly, her eyes huge at the thought. "We'd find it easier to break into the Emperor's personal chambers and read his diaries!" she concludes with a burst of laughter.

Lanil laughs, "Between a Navy Captain, and a former Commander turned Bureau of Operations turned ISB Senior Agent, it shouldn't be that much trouble. Let's not forget I still have some pull with Grand Admiral Danik back from when we served on the I2SD Tormentor and Conqueror."

"At least there can be no doubts regarding chain of command interference and fraternization. We couldn't be more removed from that problem if we were in different militaries all together," Lynae says with a quiet laugh of her own. "Let’s just take this one day at a time, Lanil. I'm still married to Yoseph. He may return, he may not. Granted, all signs point to him not returning," her tone of vice is tinged with carefully controlled sadness as she moves to pace around the room. "He's never even been here," she says quietly. "I mean, on the Dauntless, the quarters we were assigned. Not once. Since the Conqueror, he hasn't set foot on the Dauntless in all this time. Far be it for me to force his hand and make him do so." She runs one hand through her hair again, some of her self control slipping just enough to let the frustration leak through. "There are moments, Lanil, when I think I should have just stayed married to the Empire and my career. It certainly would have been easier." Lanil nods, "Of course Lyn, I understand. I'm not pressuring you either, I just wanted to get this off my chest." He stops speaking and simply sits for close to thirty seconds, just staring off into space, before speaking again, "Would you like for me to stay here for awhile, help you gather your thoughts, or would you rather just be alone. I'm only asking because of the emotional stress problems. I've been in enough commands to not be blind to it. No doubt with your medical training you are aware of it too."

"In the last two months I have rearranged the medical filing system twice," Lynae confesses with a bit of a smile. "The furniture in here," she glances around slowly, "probably half a dozen times. I've upped my training sessions and am angling to get in some extra hand to hand combat training so I'm less of a burden when we're in the field. I may never be able to use a blaster with any marked efficiency, but as my first weapons master said: aim doesn’t matter if you're close enough." Lynae runs one hand through her hair before saying, "I'd rather you stay, Lanil, I don't have to put on such a face when you're here." Lanil nods and stands. Coming up behind Lynae, he drapes his arms about her neck and chest. Leaning around, he kisses her on the cheek, then releases her from the embrace, smiling, "I'll put a call in to the SSD. Not much to move out from there, it's mainly an office-space for me. We're both Spartan like that I guess." He chuckles and walks the room, getting an idea of the layout. "Well, I guess in order to keep the junior officers from saying things and whatnot, I'll take the couch...unless you have any objections?"

"The lack of clutter makes it easier to pack up and redeploy," Lynae agrees with a nod, following Lanil around the room with her eyes, finishing her cup of tea after a moment. "Let me get you some blankets and a pillow," she says before retrieving the aforementioned items. "Ooh, a warning. I'm on emergency call at all hours. I set up the Com system to be rather noisy when they call for me, so if the sound jars you awake, try not to roll off the couch with blaster drawn." She chuckles softly, "Maris spent the night here once and when the Com went off she did exactly that, darn near came up from the floor ready to shoot. It was a sight to see," she adds, still laughing quietly. "Me doing my usual first few seconds of confusion not quite awake, and her instantly in battle stance and not quite awake either."

Lanil chuckles and goes to help Lynae with the sheets.