Deception: The lesser part of Valour – Time for Tea
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Lieutenant JG Petro
Post Details
Faces blurred by in smudges of blues and greens and greys as Isha stormed down the promenade.
Pausing for breath Isha grabbed the rail with both hands and looked down onto the lower levels. Every time she turned her head, every time she left her quarters Rh’vaurek was there interfering with what she wanted to do and who she wanted to see.
Isha closed her eyes; she could hardly blame him for being solicitous of her wellbeing, she knew how he felt, and she reasoned, her annoyance was exacerbated by her own barely controlled desires that were boiling dangerously close to the surface of her skin; what happened last night could not be taken back and when the evening came, what could she do?
Relaxing her grip Isha gazed down at the lower levels, from this distance everything seemed calm. Were she closer the faces that milled in groups might betray something of the thoughts and feelings of their owners but from here they were passive. Isha’s gaze fell on one face in particular one she had seen earlier that day at the funeral. Isha pushed away from the rail making her way to the stairway at a slightly more sedate pace. She had judged the direction correctly, there the woman was heading in her direction.
Isha waited until they were almost level before she paused. “Petro,” she said, “what a coincidence.”
Petro paused and turned in the direction of the voice. For a moment she didn't recognize the woman who had addressed her. Since there were so few people that spoke to her outside of a report, there weren't that many faces that she had to sort through to find the right one. Remembering her name was another issue. "Isha, right?" she asked, moving towards her. "You helped me pick out the dress." She stopped and leaned against a pillar, trying not to make it look as though she were in pain. The woman that stood before her seemed to be having some difficulties herself.
Isha nodded, "What a shame the evening didn't work out quite as expected," she said, the creature looked ill at ease. "I don't imagine it was much fun to be caught in the centre of all that disruption. And here I am again - the proverbial bad penny! Would you like tea, Petro? You'd be doing me a tremendous favour, it would be so nice to talk with someone who isn't going to burden me with tiresome demands."
Petro nodded. "That would be nice." She said. "Please lead the way." As they walked, Petro thought about what Isha had said. "I'm not sure what a bad penny is."
“Its an idiom I came across some years ago, it means someone who turns up where they’re not really wanted. I find it rather appropriate as I have acquired something of a reputation for poking my nose into other people’s business. Here we are,” Isha smiled and pulled back a chair, “I drop in here most days, it’s a good place to watch the world walk by.”
Petro looked around and smiled. "I wouldn't consider you to be a bad penny at all," she said, taking a seat. "I'm usually the one no one wants around. I make them nervous or uneasy. It's like they don't know how to address me. Some say 'sir' other say 'ma'am' and others try to avoid it all together."
“I suppose they can hardly just say ‘oi you’ can they. It sounds rather like having too many titles, really you just need to tell people what they should call you. I always find that humanoids are appreciative of a little guidance when they’re confused,” Isha said folding her hands in her lap.
Petro nodded. Sometimes she needed a little guidance. "And sometimes they grow more angry if you offer it too soon." she pointed out.
Isha waved to the waiter, “The usual, please. Bring a pot and two cups.” Pausing she glanced at Petro, “I’m do apologise - I didn’t even ask you if you wanted tea before I ordered, that’s another bad habit of mine which I suppose makes me something of a hypocrite. Shall I call the waiter back?”
"No." Petro said. "Tea is fine." she said. "I forget. What is it that you do again?"
Isha smiled, her gaze falling on her interlinked fingers, "Last time we met I was a lady of leisure and freelance journalist, now I'm officially the Empire's ambassador, things change so quickly," she said lightly.
"Ambassador." Petro said, bowing her head a little in reverence. "I have never had tea with an Ambassador before. I've never spoken to one before either." Petro suddenly felt nervous. Ambassadors were not to be addressed without going through the proper channels. There were myriads of protocols that were expected to be followed and she knew very few of them. How was she supposed to act? What should she say or not say?
She fiddled with her napkin, realized that was inappropriate, and set it on the table again. She placed her hands in her lap but holding them together made them sweat so she unfolded her hands. She found herself not being able to look up at Isha but fearful that if she didn't then that would be an offense.
Isha leaned forward speaking in the same tone she would use with a nervous child "Petro, it doesn’t change who I am, its merely a job. Thank you,” she said briefly as the waiter placed a tray on the table. Isha reached for the teapot and poured; this was awkward. “Besides, I didn’t ask you here as an ambassador, I asked you as a friend. I can’t believe that you’ve never spoken to a friend before.”
Petro smiled. "I have." she whispered. "I'm so used to protocols that I just reacted. I'm sorry." she accepted the offered tea and took a sip. "I'm sure someone like you has lots of friends. You're so beautiful and sure of who you are. I could never be like that."
”I have many acquaintances, yes, but I’m rather selective about who I actually name a friend. That step brings with it all sorts of obligations and considerations. Tell me, Petro, when you wore that dress how did it make you feel? How did your friends react? I can guarantee that their thoughts did not stop at surprise.”
Petro smiled. "I don't know what the thoughts of others were. I have only a few friends. We never had time to talk about it. There was too much going on. When everything happened -" she paused to recapture her breath. "I don't know. Things became like nothing." She sipped her tea, trying to remember the things that she saw and what she might have said. "It was like I was working without thinking." she said.
”You should ask them,” Isha advised, “I’m sure you turned heads. Still, I can understand how that could be overshadowed by events … I was on the very edges of it all myself and my friend insisted that we leave … being caught in the middle of such a scene is quite disorientating.”
"Quite." Petro said. She held her tea cup with both hands, staring at the liquid inside. She didn't want to remember what had happened. It blurred too much with what had happened before and now, she just wanted something else to talk about. Perhaps, just to listen.
"We didn't have much time to talk last." Petro said. "Tell me about yourself. You must live an exciting life."
“Privileged, perhaps … I prefer a simple life, though that is not always one’s choice to make,” Isha said, “Which makes me rather lucky that I am free to choose to spend my time here,” It was a lie of course, but a harmless one; Isha was as much subject to the whims of her government as any of the people posted to this station.
"I'm not sure what it's like to be priviledged." Petro said. Just as she was about to speak again, a crewman walked up to them.
"Sorry to interrupt your tea ladies." He said, his expression distraught as he turned to Petro. "Excuse me Miss Petro. Your presence is greatly needed on deck 1,043."
"Very well." Petro replied. She turned to Isha and smiled. "A woman's work is never done." she said with a wink. "Thank you for the tea and the company. If you need anything ambassador," she smiled and gave a showy bow. "Please don't hesitate to call on me."
Petro took another quick sip of the tea, stood straight up as she could and turned to the crewman. "Lead the way."
Isha nodded; what sort of emergency could that possibly be?
But she did not bother to ask, she had just been saved from having to talk about her life and was thankful for that as she sipped her tea.
OFF:
Warrant Officer Petro - Quartermaster
&
Isha t'Khellian
by Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Lieutenant JG Petro
Post Details
| Title | Time for Tea | |
| Mission | Deception: The lesser part of Valour | |
| Author(s) | Commander Isha t'Vaurek & Lieutenant JG Petro | |
| Posted | Sat Jan 17, 2009 @ 8:46pm | |
| Location | Promenade | |
| Timeline | SD6 Early afternoon |
Pausing for breath Isha grabbed the rail with both hands and looked down onto the lower levels. Every time she turned her head, every time she left her quarters Rh’vaurek was there interfering with what she wanted to do and who she wanted to see.
Isha closed her eyes; she could hardly blame him for being solicitous of her wellbeing, she knew how he felt, and she reasoned, her annoyance was exacerbated by her own barely controlled desires that were boiling dangerously close to the surface of her skin; what happened last night could not be taken back and when the evening came, what could she do?
Relaxing her grip Isha gazed down at the lower levels, from this distance everything seemed calm. Were she closer the faces that milled in groups might betray something of the thoughts and feelings of their owners but from here they were passive. Isha’s gaze fell on one face in particular one she had seen earlier that day at the funeral. Isha pushed away from the rail making her way to the stairway at a slightly more sedate pace. She had judged the direction correctly, there the woman was heading in her direction.
Isha waited until they were almost level before she paused. “Petro,” she said, “what a coincidence.”
Petro paused and turned in the direction of the voice. For a moment she didn't recognize the woman who had addressed her. Since there were so few people that spoke to her outside of a report, there weren't that many faces that she had to sort through to find the right one. Remembering her name was another issue. "Isha, right?" she asked, moving towards her. "You helped me pick out the dress." She stopped and leaned against a pillar, trying not to make it look as though she were in pain. The woman that stood before her seemed to be having some difficulties herself.
Isha nodded, "What a shame the evening didn't work out quite as expected," she said, the creature looked ill at ease. "I don't imagine it was much fun to be caught in the centre of all that disruption. And here I am again - the proverbial bad penny! Would you like tea, Petro? You'd be doing me a tremendous favour, it would be so nice to talk with someone who isn't going to burden me with tiresome demands."
Petro nodded. "That would be nice." She said. "Please lead the way." As they walked, Petro thought about what Isha had said. "I'm not sure what a bad penny is."
“Its an idiom I came across some years ago, it means someone who turns up where they’re not really wanted. I find it rather appropriate as I have acquired something of a reputation for poking my nose into other people’s business. Here we are,” Isha smiled and pulled back a chair, “I drop in here most days, it’s a good place to watch the world walk by.”
Petro looked around and smiled. "I wouldn't consider you to be a bad penny at all," she said, taking a seat. "I'm usually the one no one wants around. I make them nervous or uneasy. It's like they don't know how to address me. Some say 'sir' other say 'ma'am' and others try to avoid it all together."
“I suppose they can hardly just say ‘oi you’ can they. It sounds rather like having too many titles, really you just need to tell people what they should call you. I always find that humanoids are appreciative of a little guidance when they’re confused,” Isha said folding her hands in her lap.
Petro nodded. Sometimes she needed a little guidance. "And sometimes they grow more angry if you offer it too soon." she pointed out.
Isha waved to the waiter, “The usual, please. Bring a pot and two cups.” Pausing she glanced at Petro, “I’m do apologise - I didn’t even ask you if you wanted tea before I ordered, that’s another bad habit of mine which I suppose makes me something of a hypocrite. Shall I call the waiter back?”
"No." Petro said. "Tea is fine." she said. "I forget. What is it that you do again?"
Isha smiled, her gaze falling on her interlinked fingers, "Last time we met I was a lady of leisure and freelance journalist, now I'm officially the Empire's ambassador, things change so quickly," she said lightly.
"Ambassador." Petro said, bowing her head a little in reverence. "I have never had tea with an Ambassador before. I've never spoken to one before either." Petro suddenly felt nervous. Ambassadors were not to be addressed without going through the proper channels. There were myriads of protocols that were expected to be followed and she knew very few of them. How was she supposed to act? What should she say or not say?
She fiddled with her napkin, realized that was inappropriate, and set it on the table again. She placed her hands in her lap but holding them together made them sweat so she unfolded her hands. She found herself not being able to look up at Isha but fearful that if she didn't then that would be an offense.
Isha leaned forward speaking in the same tone she would use with a nervous child "Petro, it doesn’t change who I am, its merely a job. Thank you,” she said briefly as the waiter placed a tray on the table. Isha reached for the teapot and poured; this was awkward. “Besides, I didn’t ask you here as an ambassador, I asked you as a friend. I can’t believe that you’ve never spoken to a friend before.”
Petro smiled. "I have." she whispered. "I'm so used to protocols that I just reacted. I'm sorry." she accepted the offered tea and took a sip. "I'm sure someone like you has lots of friends. You're so beautiful and sure of who you are. I could never be like that."
”I have many acquaintances, yes, but I’m rather selective about who I actually name a friend. That step brings with it all sorts of obligations and considerations. Tell me, Petro, when you wore that dress how did it make you feel? How did your friends react? I can guarantee that their thoughts did not stop at surprise.”
Petro smiled. "I don't know what the thoughts of others were. I have only a few friends. We never had time to talk about it. There was too much going on. When everything happened -" she paused to recapture her breath. "I don't know. Things became like nothing." She sipped her tea, trying to remember the things that she saw and what she might have said. "It was like I was working without thinking." she said.
”You should ask them,” Isha advised, “I’m sure you turned heads. Still, I can understand how that could be overshadowed by events … I was on the very edges of it all myself and my friend insisted that we leave … being caught in the middle of such a scene is quite disorientating.”
"Quite." Petro said. She held her tea cup with both hands, staring at the liquid inside. She didn't want to remember what had happened. It blurred too much with what had happened before and now, she just wanted something else to talk about. Perhaps, just to listen.
"We didn't have much time to talk last." Petro said. "Tell me about yourself. You must live an exciting life."
“Privileged, perhaps … I prefer a simple life, though that is not always one’s choice to make,” Isha said, “Which makes me rather lucky that I am free to choose to spend my time here,” It was a lie of course, but a harmless one; Isha was as much subject to the whims of her government as any of the people posted to this station.
"I'm not sure what it's like to be priviledged." Petro said. Just as she was about to speak again, a crewman walked up to them.
"Sorry to interrupt your tea ladies." He said, his expression distraught as he turned to Petro. "Excuse me Miss Petro. Your presence is greatly needed on deck 1,043."
"Very well." Petro replied. She turned to Isha and smiled. "A woman's work is never done." she said with a wink. "Thank you for the tea and the company. If you need anything ambassador," she smiled and gave a showy bow. "Please don't hesitate to call on me."
Petro took another quick sip of the tea, stood straight up as she could and turned to the crewman. "Lead the way."
Isha nodded; what sort of emergency could that possibly be?
But she did not bother to ask, she had just been saved from having to talk about her life and was thankful for that as she sipped her tea.
OFF:
Warrant Officer Petro - Quartermaster
&
Isha t'Khellian