Judgement – Life changes
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock
Post Details
::ON::
Leaving Rianni's quarters, Ai'lani slipped his hands into his pockets. He looked over at Whitlock while mulling over his thoughts. After the conversation they'd had with the CO of the Dhelan and her offer to let her family shelter Dominic while he was away weighed heavily on his mind. Not wanting to go back to face his son so soon after all this, he stopped and faced Thomas.
"Hey, Tom. You busy? Want to go grab a drink?" he asked, hoping the human would take him up on his offer.
"I could really use one right now," Thomas said with a nod.
"I know the feeling," Ai'lani nodded, walking with Thomas towards the Box and finding an empty table. "I can't believe we just got invited onto a Romulan ship. The Khelliana flagship, no less!"
"She wasn't kidding when she said it was the opportunity of a lifetime," Thomas agreed.
"I know! I just don't know what to do about it now. I want to go sooo badly, but I feel so terrible for even considering leaving Dominic." It was obvious how troubled the older Deltan was with his current dilemma.
"Dominic is old enough to take care of himself," Thomas said to him. "And there are plenty of people on the base that can help look after him."
"He's fifteen. He's not old enough. He's never been alone for more than a few hours," Ai'lani explained. "I'll have a Screwdriver," he told the waitress that came over. She smiled a flirty smile at Whitlock then. "And for you?" she asked.
"Ion Storm," Thomas replied to the waitress before turning back to Ai'lani. "You could always take Rianni up on her offer."
Ai'lani nodded. "I'll need to think it over. So, anyway," he said then, wanting to change the subject. "What stories are you working on?"
"I'm sort of between stories at the moment," Thomas admitted. "I've taken some time for myself recently."
"Oh? Doing what? Found that special someone?" Ai'lani teased, happy to have something to jab at Thomas for. He knew that they both were friends in a way, and that neither of them ever really took what the other said to heart. So, he enjoyed their verbal spats once in a while.
"Nothing as interesting as that," Thomas admitted. "I've just needed some time to myself to reassess my priorities."
"Why? I thought you were happy with how things were going. I mean, you just arrived. You're still young, just getting started with things," Ai'lani said. He was curious, as Thomas rarely expressed any serious feelings about things like priorities and career choices.
"I am happy," Thomas replied. "I just think I need to start thinking more about the future."
"Like what?" Ai'lani asked in confusion.
"I need to start considering settling down and starting a family," Thomas said.
Ai'lani nearly chocked on his drink then. Coughing loudly as he tapped his chest, he looked at Thomas with shock. "Are you trying to kill me? You? I thought you said you weren't ready?"
"Things change," Thomas said to him. "We aren't exactly in the most secure section of Federation space. What would happen if something happened to me? Who would carry on the family name?"
"That's what's bothering you? Thomas, you need to relax and focus on life and not what happens when you die," Ai'lani told him, rolling his eyes. "Besides, in my experience, you meet someone great only if you're not really looking. For instance, I met someone I'm going out with tonight when I went to pick up Dominic's meds from the Infirmary."
"Oh really?" Thomas asked, a little surprised. "Who?"
"Another Deltan, surprisingly," Ai'lani admitted. "Pathologist. New to the station, actually. We talked, were just generally happy to see each other, since Deltans aren't exactly common outside of Delta and then things got busy and the Infirmary and we said we'd meet for drinks tonight."
"I'm happy for you my friend," Thomas said to him. "Has she met Dominic yet?"
"No, not yet. And it's not a 'she'," Ai'lani pointed out, wondering for a moment why Thomas would automatically assume him new friend was a female. Then again, as he remembered from past experiences with humans, they tended to have a lot of preconceptions about some things. He'd accepted a long time ago that was how they were. It was their nature and he didn't hold it against Thomas.
"I forgot about your preference," Thomas replied. "I apologize. When are you going to let them meet?"
"Well, I only met Kaelin a couple of days. And we're really seeing each other tonight for the first time, so my guess is they'll meet tomorrow morning at breakfast," Ai'lani guessed with a shrug, sipping his drink. He didn't feel like arguing with Thomas over his said 'preference', about how it was not a matter of preference.
Thomas chuckled and smiled. "I'm glad you found someone. I hope things work out for you."
"Me too. Shouldn't be too difficult. He's sweet. Starfleet though. That might cause some ripples in the pond, but nothing I can't handle."
"I'm actually jealous," Thomas admitted. "You have someone and I don't. What is this galaxy coming to," he said, rolling his eyes as he sipped his drink.
"I've always had someone and you didn't. It's because all the time I've knows you you've been this lust-filled thing that chases anything in a skirt and then once he's had it moves onto the next one," Ai'lani pointed out to him. "Personally, I'll never see your obsession with sex. Or any other human's. But before we get into another argument about how backwards you're people are in that regard which led to nothing good the last time we had it, I'll simply admit that you're just wired that way." In fact, the last time the two men got into this argument, they ended up not speaking for a good month. Not counting the level of competition that rose between them then, with both taking jobs they'd personally never do just because they heard the other wanted them.
"That's something I'm trying to change about myself," Thomas told him. "It's time I got serious about someone."
"Anyone in mind?" Ai'lani asked, resting his chin onto his hand as he leaned on the table.
"Not at the moment," Thomas replied with a soft sigh.
"What about Rianni? You mentioned last time that she had all a man would want?" Ai'lani suggested.
"I doubt Rianni would even be interested in someone like me," Thomas said, staring down at his drink.
"What do you mean 'someone like you'?" the Deltan asked him, looking him over. "Look at you, you're tall, good looking, easy going. Sure you can be annoying and everyone knows you don't know when to drop an issue, but some people find that attractive."
"I've earned somewhat of a reputation on this base," Thomas said, still staring at his drink. "I'm not sure I'll be able to find someone that can overlook that."
"Tom, you haven't even looked around yet. Give yourself some credit. Any girl that's worth keeping is probably able to look past any faults and see the real you," Ai'lani advised.
"I just need to wait and see what happens," Thomas said with a nod.
"Exactly. There's no rush, my friend," Ai'lani told him with a smile, reaching over and resting a hand on his forearm.
Thomas looked at him for a moment and smiled. "I guess I should get going. I have a couple leads I need to look into."
Smiling warming at him, Ai'lani gave him a nod, taking his hand back. "Go ahead. I'll see you."
Thomas smiled at him again then turned toward the door.
TAG
:OFF:
Thomas Whitlock
FNS Reporter
Ai'lani Elley
Photojournalist
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock
Post Details
| Title | Life changes | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Arrival Thomas Whitlock | |
| Posted | Mon Nov 01, 2010 @ 6:39pm | |
| Location | The Box of Delights | |
| Timeline | SD35 - 11:30 hrs |
Leaving Rianni's quarters, Ai'lani slipped his hands into his pockets. He looked over at Whitlock while mulling over his thoughts. After the conversation they'd had with the CO of the Dhelan and her offer to let her family shelter Dominic while he was away weighed heavily on his mind. Not wanting to go back to face his son so soon after all this, he stopped and faced Thomas.
"Hey, Tom. You busy? Want to go grab a drink?" he asked, hoping the human would take him up on his offer.
"I could really use one right now," Thomas said with a nod.
"I know the feeling," Ai'lani nodded, walking with Thomas towards the Box and finding an empty table. "I can't believe we just got invited onto a Romulan ship. The Khelliana flagship, no less!"
"She wasn't kidding when she said it was the opportunity of a lifetime," Thomas agreed.
"I know! I just don't know what to do about it now. I want to go sooo badly, but I feel so terrible for even considering leaving Dominic." It was obvious how troubled the older Deltan was with his current dilemma.
"Dominic is old enough to take care of himself," Thomas said to him. "And there are plenty of people on the base that can help look after him."
"He's fifteen. He's not old enough. He's never been alone for more than a few hours," Ai'lani explained. "I'll have a Screwdriver," he told the waitress that came over. She smiled a flirty smile at Whitlock then. "And for you?" she asked.
"Ion Storm," Thomas replied to the waitress before turning back to Ai'lani. "You could always take Rianni up on her offer."
Ai'lani nodded. "I'll need to think it over. So, anyway," he said then, wanting to change the subject. "What stories are you working on?"
"I'm sort of between stories at the moment," Thomas admitted. "I've taken some time for myself recently."
"Oh? Doing what? Found that special someone?" Ai'lani teased, happy to have something to jab at Thomas for. He knew that they both were friends in a way, and that neither of them ever really took what the other said to heart. So, he enjoyed their verbal spats once in a while.
"Nothing as interesting as that," Thomas admitted. "I've just needed some time to myself to reassess my priorities."
"Why? I thought you were happy with how things were going. I mean, you just arrived. You're still young, just getting started with things," Ai'lani said. He was curious, as Thomas rarely expressed any serious feelings about things like priorities and career choices.
"I am happy," Thomas replied. "I just think I need to start thinking more about the future."
"Like what?" Ai'lani asked in confusion.
"I need to start considering settling down and starting a family," Thomas said.
Ai'lani nearly chocked on his drink then. Coughing loudly as he tapped his chest, he looked at Thomas with shock. "Are you trying to kill me? You? I thought you said you weren't ready?"
"Things change," Thomas said to him. "We aren't exactly in the most secure section of Federation space. What would happen if something happened to me? Who would carry on the family name?"
"That's what's bothering you? Thomas, you need to relax and focus on life and not what happens when you die," Ai'lani told him, rolling his eyes. "Besides, in my experience, you meet someone great only if you're not really looking. For instance, I met someone I'm going out with tonight when I went to pick up Dominic's meds from the Infirmary."
"Oh really?" Thomas asked, a little surprised. "Who?"
"Another Deltan, surprisingly," Ai'lani admitted. "Pathologist. New to the station, actually. We talked, were just generally happy to see each other, since Deltans aren't exactly common outside of Delta and then things got busy and the Infirmary and we said we'd meet for drinks tonight."
"I'm happy for you my friend," Thomas said to him. "Has she met Dominic yet?"
"No, not yet. And it's not a 'she'," Ai'lani pointed out, wondering for a moment why Thomas would automatically assume him new friend was a female. Then again, as he remembered from past experiences with humans, they tended to have a lot of preconceptions about some things. He'd accepted a long time ago that was how they were. It was their nature and he didn't hold it against Thomas.
"I forgot about your preference," Thomas replied. "I apologize. When are you going to let them meet?"
"Well, I only met Kaelin a couple of days. And we're really seeing each other tonight for the first time, so my guess is they'll meet tomorrow morning at breakfast," Ai'lani guessed with a shrug, sipping his drink. He didn't feel like arguing with Thomas over his said 'preference', about how it was not a matter of preference.
Thomas chuckled and smiled. "I'm glad you found someone. I hope things work out for you."
"Me too. Shouldn't be too difficult. He's sweet. Starfleet though. That might cause some ripples in the pond, but nothing I can't handle."
"I'm actually jealous," Thomas admitted. "You have someone and I don't. What is this galaxy coming to," he said, rolling his eyes as he sipped his drink.
"I've always had someone and you didn't. It's because all the time I've knows you you've been this lust-filled thing that chases anything in a skirt and then once he's had it moves onto the next one," Ai'lani pointed out to him. "Personally, I'll never see your obsession with sex. Or any other human's. But before we get into another argument about how backwards you're people are in that regard which led to nothing good the last time we had it, I'll simply admit that you're just wired that way." In fact, the last time the two men got into this argument, they ended up not speaking for a good month. Not counting the level of competition that rose between them then, with both taking jobs they'd personally never do just because they heard the other wanted them.
"That's something I'm trying to change about myself," Thomas told him. "It's time I got serious about someone."
"Anyone in mind?" Ai'lani asked, resting his chin onto his hand as he leaned on the table.
"Not at the moment," Thomas replied with a soft sigh.
"What about Rianni? You mentioned last time that she had all a man would want?" Ai'lani suggested.
"I doubt Rianni would even be interested in someone like me," Thomas said, staring down at his drink.
"What do you mean 'someone like you'?" the Deltan asked him, looking him over. "Look at you, you're tall, good looking, easy going. Sure you can be annoying and everyone knows you don't know when to drop an issue, but some people find that attractive."
"I've earned somewhat of a reputation on this base," Thomas said, still staring at his drink. "I'm not sure I'll be able to find someone that can overlook that."
"Tom, you haven't even looked around yet. Give yourself some credit. Any girl that's worth keeping is probably able to look past any faults and see the real you," Ai'lani advised.
"I just need to wait and see what happens," Thomas said with a nod.
"Exactly. There's no rush, my friend," Ai'lani told him with a smile, reaching over and resting a hand on his forearm.
Thomas looked at him for a moment and smiled. "I guess I should get going. I have a couple leads I need to look into."
Smiling warming at him, Ai'lani gave him a nod, taking his hand back. "Go ahead. I'll see you."
Thomas smiled at him again then turned toward the door.
TAG
:OFF:
Thomas Whitlock
FNS Reporter
Ai'lani Elley
Photojournalist