[USS Tempest] Priorities"

[Elizabeth Bethell <ejbethell@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Priorities 

*Second Lieutenant Soliel and Captain Vevay Harak*
 
As Vevay watched Jesse waddle out, she felt the giggles start and soon her 
sides were splitting and tears were rolling down her face. "Oh my God, that 
was too much like fun."

Soliel smiled as she walked across the mat to stand beside Vevay. "Do you 
really think he learned anything?" There was still a lot of anger shining in 
her eyes over his comments. She would have pummeled him if not for Vevay 
being there.

"Not a blasted bloody thing, but he will." Sliding her arm around Soliel's 
waist, Vevay turned to look at her. "You proved yourself to be the greater 
warrior, that will be remembered and respected long after Jesse has calmed 
down and his antics forgotten."

"If I had been so great he wouldn't have pissed me off and nailed my 
shoulder." She rolled her shoulder and winched. There was a rather long, 
dark bruise that peeked out from both sides of her shirt strap.

Touching the mark lightly, Vevay frowned a little. "Yes, you need to keep 
your anger in check and learn patience above all things." Still with her arm 
around Soliel's waist, she led them down the corridor to the medic bay. It 
was a small room with one biobed and a desk in the corner, totally empty.

"You didn't hear what he said.. How am I suppose to ignore things like 
that?" she asked as she stood the in medical bay with her arms wrapped 
around herself. Every time she thought about what Jesse said she wanted to 
hit something. "And why the hell did you offer him every night at five?"

Eyes flashing pure ire, Vevay grabbed a dermal regenerator and set about 
healing Soliel's shoulder. "You dare," she said in a low growling whisper, 
"to question my judgement on this?"

"I wasn't asking my captain why she picked Jesse Weaver of all people to 
work with. I'd be the last person to ask that, knowing full well others have 
asked the same about me," Soliel replied in an even tone. "I was asking you 
why you'd add more to your plate when 'our' evenings are already so short."

"I see." Turning away, it took everything in Vevay to not throw the 
regenerator across the room and yell loudly as her old CO once had at her. 
Instead, she took three deep breaths and turned back around, fixing Soliel 
with an expressionless stare. "Our evenings are secondary. Our lives are 
secondary. Everything about us is secondary." A tiny glint of anger seeped 
into her eyes. "How dare you behave like some spoiled brat? Do you believe 
that I did this to spite you? To deliberately undermine our relationship?"

Without realizing it, Soliel took a step back, her eyes wide. "No I don't 
think you did it to spite me, or to undermine anything." She was reeling 
inside. "Excuse me for forgetting where I place in things, and for thinking 
I was allowed to express my options on wishing to spend a little more time 
with you." Her eyes burned but she would not cry.

"Then express them as an adult and not some pre-adolescent child who wants 
to suck at her mother's apron strings," Vevay said in a completely unbiased 
tone. Sighing heavily, she reached out to brush her fingers over Soliel's 
face. "Corps first and above all other things."

Incredible hurt flashed behind a sheen of unshedable tears. "I'm sorry I 
don't express myself to your standards, but I'm not used to expressing 
myself at all." Soliel closed her eyes, and leaned into Vevay's touch before 
reaching up and taking her hand away. "The Corps above all else.. even 
Imzadi," she whispered before turning, and stepping away.

Refusing to allow Soliel to move too far, Vevay placed both of her hands on 
her face and forced the girl to look at her. "I love you." It was inadequate 
to cover the hollowness in her stomach. This wasn't right, not by a long 
shot. This hurt too much. "What would you have me do?"

"Nothing, Vevay," she replied softly, afraid her voice would break if she 
spoke in anything more than a whisper. "I'm blessed to merely have you love 
me, I have no right to ask any more of you, not that I would. You're right, 
I'm simply being a child."

"I don't know what to say," Vevay admitted. "I've never... been here before. 
With Ffej, there were no conflicts of interests and the instant there was, I 
resigned my commission. But now..." *Fuck, what do I say to you?*

*Just hold me.*

Wrapping her arms around Soliel's waist, Vevay pulled her closer. She rested 
her head on her lover's shoulder and kissed the side of her face.

Soliel closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Vevay, afraid to let 
her go now that they were so close. "I'd never ask you to leave for me, 
Vevay. I know how much it all means to you. I'm not worth it. I just wish.. 
I know you love me, I just wish I meant as much." 

*Don't*, a voice in her head warned. *You've been here. Make the right 
decision this time.* "I wish I could let you," Vevay whispered as she drew 
back to see Soliel's eyes. "I do love you." Another voice said, *but you 
already have.* "I chose to live because of you, the Corps has never inspired 
that kind of need in me."

Pulling back, Soliel ran her hand down Veva's arm then brought it to her 
lips and kissed were the clot had been. "You have no idea how much that 
means to me, Vevay," she said softly, her voice a little stronger. "But it's 
still the Corps you think of first. Instead of fussing with me over my 
silliness you think I'm questioning your command, when I tell you that I 
just wanted more time with you, you tell me it doesn't matter, that the 
Corps comes first."

"I will not fuss over you," Vevay said defensively. Slowly, her eyes 
softened again. "You are my heart and soul but the Corps is my family." 
Stroking the side of Soliel's face, she asked, "If they were my true, 
biological family, would it bother you nearly as much as this?"

Soliel shook her head. 

"I have no one else. They took me in, gave me a home and now I am indebted 
to them." Sighing heavily, she leaned her head against Soliel's. "How do I 
get you to understand?"

"I understand some," Soliel replied. "You're not the only one indebted to 
them, V. After all, they gave me you." She sighed softly, her hands coming 
up to touch Vevay's face.

Vevay brought their lips together, kissing her softly. "It won't be for 
long, you know. This training with Weaver. I just want to show him how good 
he can be, maybe it'll make him toe the line a little better, get him off 
your back."

Soliel sighed and nodded her head. "Alright."

Smirking, Vevay pulled her head back. "You think I'm just dreaming? Do you 
think he's a lost cause?"

"I don't think he's cut out for the long term," Soliel answered honestly. 
"He's still to full of his own hot air. He's rather be the big man on campus 
than being part of the whole."

"Then he will learn what team work truly means." Vevay was already 
calculating ways and means to try to instill some sense of the Corps in 
Jesse but she kept her peace, not wanting to ruin this. "How is your 
shoulder?"

Soliel rolled her shoulder and bit then shrugged. "Better, a little stiff 
but nothing a hot shower wonÕt be able to fix." 

"Then take a shower," Vevay smirked. Shaking herself, she giggled lightly. 
"One day, I'm gonna get my mind out of the sewer."

"Don't do it on my account," Soliel teased. Leaning up, she kissed Vevay on 
the lips, then the tip of her nose. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart." 

"Forgiven," Vevay said easily. "Forgive me too? For being obstinate and 
obsessive?"

Soliel smiled. "Always." She kissed her lover again, the light returning to 
her eyes. "Come home with me?"

Pulling her slowly to the door, Vevay replied, "Always."

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[USS Tempest] Priorities"