[ussbansheec] "Dragon Slayers"
- From: Elizabeth Bethell <ejbethell@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbansheec@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 18:09:58 +0100
Dragon Slayers
Captain Andy Maluhia and First Lieutenant Evelyn Hale
Andy didn't consider himself a vindictive man. He was fairly easy going and
laid back. He definitely preferred things to be calm and peaceful but a
certain Lieutenant Hoover had crossed the line and joined the very short
list of people he would carry a grudge against for the rest of his life. His
own ideals wouldn't allow him to deal with her personally but he'd mentioned
the idea to Victoria and he still liked it. Sitting at his desk with a
somewhat amused look on his face, he tapped his comm badge.
"Lieutenant Hale, come see me in my office. I'd like a word with you."
An amused smile played over Evy's face as she said to Smithie, the lad who'd
decided to attach himself to her hip, "Well at least he can't transfer me
until we get home, right?" Then she sauntered into Andy's office, knocking
once before entering and standing at perfect attention. "Sir."
Andy nodded. This was the sort of crisp detail he liked. "At ease,
Lieutenant. In fact, have a seat. Nobody stands in this office unless they
need discussing at," he said mildly as he settled his hands on the desk.
A smirk firmly in place, Evy sat with legs crossed and arms folded. "I ain't
in trouble then. Huh, must be a first." Tilting her head to the side, she
gave him a considering look. "What d'you need, Cap?"
"Now, we had this little discussion about what marines do and don't do,
right?" Andy began, leaning his elbows on the desk as he leaned a bit more
forward.
Evy raised her eyebrows. "We did."
"So you would agree that a man my size wouldn't physically harm a
woman--oh, say, your size--if it wasn't in defense of his life or another's,
right?"
"Yes sir, that would be just wrong." Evelyn narrowed her eyes. Vix ain't my
size, she's smaller and slighter, but the Cap wouldn't hurt her anyway, and
even if he did, he wouldn't then tell me 'bout it, that would be just
stupid... "Men don't hit women," she said, "ever."
"So, what would you think if I told you I was this close," Andy asked as he
held his index finger and thumb tips barely apart, "to physically throwing
one of your gender out of my home?"
"I'd think I'd like to know what that bi..." Evy coughed lightly but
grinned, "what that particular female had done to my cousin to make you
wanna toss her from the lil doc's cabin, sir."
"Now we come to the million credit question and before I go any further,
let me make something completely clear. This is personal and not ship's
business," Andy stated. "You haven't been on board very long. Do you know
Siobhan Hoover?"
"She that leggy brunette in Science that Jimmie's got his eye on?" Evy
asked.
Andy looked disgusted. "I hope he's got better taste than that but that
sounds like her. She's in Li's department. You familiar with the term 'man
eater'? The kind of woman who stalks eligible men?"
"Oh yeah, I know the type." Her smirk became a flash of fury. "She after
you?" In a dangerous, low voice, she asked, "She try to take you away from
Vixxie?"
"Been after me practically since I set foot on the ship. It's disgusting if
you ask me," Andy explained. He shook his head. "You don't know me that
well, Hale, but ask around if you want. I'm not that sort of man. The woman
disgusts me and she's nothing if not persistent. She's gotten worse ever
since I moved in with Victoria."
"What did she do?" Evelyn asked in a careful voice, all trace of accent
gone.
"If I had known that she was going to make a move on me, I would never have
invited her in. Brought a plant, wine, and some candy. Tried throwing
herself all over me and that was just as Victoria came home. 'Accidently'
broke one of her antique glasses. Insulted my grandmother. Called Victoria a
witch doctor and said I was playing nursemaid to her," Andy began, his face
flushing with recalled anger as he listed the grievances. "And that's just
starters...that lôlô 'Ilio wahine."
Evelyn watched as her CO got angrier and angrier, her own fury turning to
ice in her stomach. "Tell me everything," she said, it was a demand but if
she was going to be truly 'fair' on Hoover, she needed to know the full
score.
"Victoria thinks that people treat her like she's some sorta freak, that
she's less than Human or perfect," Andy told her, his fingers starting to
drum on the desk. There wasn't anything breakable or heavy enough to throw
in the office. Nothing that would have taken the edge off. "She's not like
that. I don't see her like that but that stupid..." he let out a hissing
breath, "that stupid bitch got her so upset that she asked me to leave and
said she wouldn't wish herself on her worst enemy."
"Sir," Evelyn said slowly, "I request permission to resume my duties. I
believe I was on reclimation duty this afternoon, was I not?"
"Denied for the moment. This is a personal matter, Hale. I don't want
Victoria to have to deal with any overflow, if you understand what I mean.
That and this has nothing to do with any professional matters--now or in the
future. You understand?" Andy asked, his eyes dead serious.
"I ain't gonna let her get away with treating my cousin like that!" Evy
fumed, balling up her fists. "You tell me all this and then tell me to leave
her alone?" Her eyes full of disgust and disbelief. "I can keep the Corps
out of this but that creature's gonna learn how to treat my family with
respect, sir."
"Shut up, Evelyn, or I will shut you up," Andy snapped. He got up from his
chair then walked around the desk to stare down at her. "You can't be that
dense, woman. Did I say leave her alone? No, I said I don't want Victoria
dealing with fallout. *I *will. I also want it very clearly understood that
this is personal. It's got nothing t'do with your career or mine."
Evy blinked several times as she stared up at him. "I'm not known for my
intellectual capacity sir," she said when she could manage to speak past the
shock. No one called her by her first name except family. No CO ever had,
even when yelling at her. "But I pick things up eventually."
"Never said you were stupid," Andy said mildly, a hint of humor in his
eyes, "just dense. I'm asking you if I've made my points clear."
"Crystal, sir." Evy's smirk was back full force, her cold blue eyes
sparkling like ice on snow.
"Good. *Now* you're dismissed. Try not t'end up in the brig, will ya? I
can't bail you out and it'd be a shame if you're in there for the wedding,"
Andy said, the smile back on his face.
"Wedding?" Evy eyed him suspiciously and then she beamed, laughing brightly.
"Damn, Cap, you move fast."
"She asked me, Evelyn. I was going t'ask her but she beat me to it," he
said with a chuckle. "She's worth every bit of trouble I can catch for this.
Thank you."
Evy shrugged. "What for? I was in here to get an earful about how I beat on
James, why you thanking me for that?" Winking up at him, she tapped him
lightly on his arm. "I'll go see Vixxie after shift. Then I'll start to work
on my homework assignment. Damn, I sound like a lil kid again."
"Just make sure you don't get detention, eh?" He made shooing motions
toward the door, conveniently ignoring the remark about James. "Dismissed."
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