<USS Lovisa> "Infringement of Solitude"

From: Mara Ryell <mara.ryell@xxxxxxxxx>
To: usslovisa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 11:41:45 -0600

*"Infringement of Solitude"*

Starring Ethan Chastain & Mara Ryell

Exhausted but unable to sleep, Mara had quickly grown sick of her quarters. So she found herself sitting in the lounge instead, sipping a mug of hot chocolate. At least this way she could pretend to be social.

Ethan walked into the lounge, his nylon black wind pants rustling against each other as he walked. A game of Velocity with the Galactic Champion of 2341 - holographic representation of course - had tired him significantly, but it wasn't enough to force him to retire. He was more hungry than anything. Walking through the door he saw the lounge virtually empty with the exception of Lieutenant JG Mara Ryell at a table near the corner. Perhaps, after all, he wasn't the only night owl aboard. Ethan stopped briefly at the counter, getting a cup of coffee, and headed over to her table. "Excuse me, Miss, is this seat taken?" His words dripped with insincerity, but were lined with good intentions. "This place is too crowded at almost one in the morning."

"Actually, I ..." Mara searched frantically for an excuse. Any excuse. "... actually it's not," she finished lamely. An hour by herself and he was the first one to approach. "Is there something you need, Doctor?"

"Company. Late night, can't sleep, was hoping for a little chit chat about things." Ethan took a sip of his coffee gingerly, his eyes going to the stars as was his usual custom. "It's so peaceful at night. You know, just looking at the stars in silence with the gentle hum of the warp core pulsating throughout the ship."

Mara followed his gaze, looking out at the stars for a moment before she snapped back to reality. This was the man that had been irritating her all day. "I suppose. Of course I'd rather be sleeping than staring out some window."

"And, yet, here you are." He smiled through the steam emanating from his cup.

"Here I am," she said grudgingly. "So just what was it you were looking to talk about?"

"I don't know. I was thinking relatively neutral topics where there is little chance of conflict. Politics, holographic rights, cross-world religions... you know, things like that." He chuckled a bit and sat the cup down delicately on the table. "Unless you had something better in mind as far as conversation goes?"

"We gripe at each other all day over the comm, and now you come in here wanting to talk about holographic rights? Charming." She took a sip of her cocoa.

His eyes widened slightly, but mainly out of amusement. "Griping? Oh, Lieutenant, you haven't heard me gripe. That was mere harmless banter with a hint of sarcasm, chilled to perfection and served with a garnish of distaste." Chuckling slightly at his own creativity, Ethan took a last gulping mouthful of coffee.

"I'm sorry I don't find it quite so entertaining, Doctor." Mara glared at him from across the table..

There was still a smirk in the corner of his mouth as he tried to regain a serious composure, "Please, just call me Ethan. Do you have a problem with me, Lieutenant?"

"Not professionally, /Ethan/. No need to worry about that." She wasn't smiling.

"Well, Mara... can I call you Mara?"

"No."

It stopped him, as if he had just been hit by a shuttlecraft. "If I have said something to offend you, please let me know so I can apologize or explain my actions. Well, mostly explain why I am the way I am."

If you have said something to offend me? Doctor--/Ethan/," she said, noting his near protest, "You were nothing but arrogant and condescending the whole day."

"In response to orders and statements that were in contradiction to each other and downright stupid. How would you react if someone told you that they were powering down the weapons array and then telling you we're going into battle?" Ethan ran a hand through his hair, "I apologize if I was a little standoffish."

"That wasn't the case! We were losing power all over the ship and had to conserve what we could. And it's not like there was an epidemic on board." Mara watched him, calming down slightly. "I can see where you would be irritated. It wasn't really an ideal situation for any of us."

Ethan looked at her, "So you can see how I would become upset? Protect us against the radiation, Doctor, but please make sure you do so with some stones and a few sticks. I can't work like that."

"I was doing my best on the bridge," she said defensively. "Next time make sure you're taking it out on the appropriate people. Or solar flares, considering that's where the real blame lies."

He nodded, "You're absolutely right, Lieutenant. I apologize for my actions earlier."

Surprised, she searched his face for any hint of sarcasm but came up empty. "Apology accepted. And you can call me Mara," she added.

"I don't know," he said with a smile, "I'm getting comfortable calling you Lieutenant."

"Fine, call me whatever you want," Mara replied, slightly irritated again. She moved to stand up. "If I'm not going to sleep, I should at least get some work done before my next shift."

Do you play chess?"

"Chess?" She made a face. "No, it's always looked boring. I prefer my games to be a bit more active."

"Like?"

"Hoverball, Velocity ... " she paused, looking him over. "I don't suppose you play Anbo-jytsu?" she asked, smiling.

Ethan shook his head, "No, but I'm a whiz at Velocity. I just came from there actually. I was playing the 2341 Champion. Do you know Vlondilev Trevelyen?"

"Of course I know him. Are you telling me you've got a program to play him?"

Ethan nodded, laughing, "Yeah, programmed it myself. Get this, Vlondilev was a family friend of one of the people I went to the Academy with. Met him, studied the sport with him, and then he said that I could program a holodeck simulation with him as an opponent to keep up my skills."

"You studied with him? That's incredible!" Mara grinned. "Why do I suddenly have the feeling I shouldn't be so eager to go up against you?"

"Yeah, you'd probably lose."  He paused, "Badly."

She leaned across the table, looking at him evenly.  "Was that a challenge?"

"Maybe."

"Don't tell me you're backing down now.  I'd give you a good run."

Ethan smirked again, it was becoming his favorite pastime, "So, what do I get if I win?"

Mara laughed. "I'm not coming in to restock the med lab for you, if that's what you're looking for."

"Dinner."

She pulled back immediately, her smile fading. "I'm sorry Doctor, but I'm not interested."

He tilted his head, knowing he struck a nerve for some unapparent reason. "Are you afraid you're going to lose, Lieutenant? I completely understand if you are... but it seems like such a small price to pay for saving face."

Mara stood up. "I'm not afraid of losing to you. I just want to play for different terms."

"Name 'em."

She shook her head, at a loss.  "There's got to be something else you want."

Gutter... meet Ethan's mind... Ethan's mind... meet gutter. He laughed out loud, "Uh, nothing actually. No need to bet at all, but it would be nice to have dinner with you. Public place with real people. That's it. One evening."

Glancing at the door and then back to him, she hesitated again. "Just dinner. One evening. And don't be so cocky; I'm going to beat you."

"I don't think that that would be such a bad thing," he said, getting up out of the booth and walking towards the door. "Just promise that if you beat me you don't spread it around. It'll tarnish my reputation as a woman beater." Ethan laughed as he doors parted.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure the whole ship knows by the next day." His ego needed to be knocked down anyway. She liked the idea of having a go at it.

Ethan nodded to her as he approached the lift, "Tomorrow after we get off shift? I believe you're on Alpha Shift as am I. Meet you in the holodeck say eighteen hundred hours?"

Last chance to back out. Another night reviewing tactical data in her quarters? "Eighteen hundred, it's a deal."

"I look forward to dinner," Ethan winked and the turbolift doors closed with a hiss.

<USS Lovisa> "Infringement of Solitude"

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