Mission of Mercy (poetlore and dunruffle)

[PoetLore]

Cass looked at him and blinked, "Hmm...ok." she said tapping her fork against her plate. "I'll start with you then. You are a great tactician and leader. Fearless and committed to your men and anyone who is in your care at any given time. You are level headed and stay on tack and can solve a problem quickly that jumps out of nowhere to capsize a mission. That said, you are a stubborn mule and almost impossible patient. Stubborn is good in some ways but crippling in others." She smiled and took a bite of her food and appeared thoughtful.

It took a bit but she spoke again, "Ok...Xanders next. He's strong and takes orders well and follows through with precision. In situations where lives are on the line he's all in and without regard for his own safety will do all he can to see others are safe. He does seem a bit personally insecure and almost co dependent on Dante in some things."

She took another bite of her food and another sip of coffee, "Sorry but I was starving when I woke up this morning...so I'm going to eat while I think." She grinned at him and then moved to the next saint. "So ok Turk. It's really difficult to know Turk, since he says so little, but what I DO know of him is that he's intense and calm. It seems like the two shouldn't be able to coexist but they do and he makes that work for him. I find him a calming force in all situations so that is a strength he has, to keep others calm. His weakness lies in the fact that he keeps himself so entirely separate from everyone and everything."

Again she ate and considered, "Dante. He's strong, but he's also gentle. He's very much a dichotomy. Hard nosed warrior but loves romance novels, big man but seems to see tiny details about people, and he's a man who follows orders and goes where he's told but who also seems to be the master of his own ship. The only thing I can say negative about Dante is that he feeds Xander's co dependent nature. I'm not thinking it's intentional but he allows it and that's probably not good."

She finished her food and then looked at him, "Erik...I believe I may be a bit too close to that subject to be truly objective. He's dedicated and real. He doesn't take anyone's bull and he knows his business. One of the best med techs I've ever worked with to be honest. I guess if I had anything negative to say, it would go back to when we first met and he jumped to a lot of conclusions about me before he ever knew me. I have no idea if that's something he does often, but it annoyed me then. I've forgiven him since." She grinned.

Then she leaned back in her chair and looked at him, "So...why did you want to know all that?"

 

[Dunruffle]

Kirst shook himself out of his daze and tapped his chin as he mulled over what Cassandra said. "Hrmm...interesting. Well it's always good to get an outside perspective on things. I asked because your relationship with our group has gone over the line from proffessional to personal. Not that it is a bad thing, but in our line of work being close to people is often not the optimal path for getting stuff done. You and Riktof obviously, i have no problem with what you two do on your own time. But since you two also work together it can make things...complicated to say the least."

Stretching slightly Kirst set down his coffee cup and looked at Cassandra seriously. "I figured I would give you some history of our squad. I know you have all the base medical files but the soldier psych files are probably still classified even for you. So i guess we will start with me. Had a boring middle class childhood, my parents loved me and i got average grades in school. At 18 instead of going to college I enlisted because i bought into what the school recruiter was harping about and thought the military lifestyle would be fun. Making new friends, travelling to exotic places, the usual recruitment bullshit. Went through basic then officer's school, got average marks and then i was shipped out with the army. Did my first tour, followed orders and kept most of my men alive. Came home and i realized that i had been conditioned to the military lifestyle. I sleep more soundly in a foxhole with artillery going off than I do in a bed at home. Went on my second tour, got shot then met my wife. Overall a pretty boring career. I am not amazing or a good person, I follow orders like a good soldier and don't question anything. That is what got me into the SOG. I was part of an operation that went pear-shaped and was overall a disaster. Lots of civilian casualties, lots of my friends got killed and the enemy got away. Halfway through the operation I got orders to leave two squads to die and go secure a different objective. I want to say that I told command to go to hell then rushed in and got everyone out alive. Except i didn't. I followed orders and left ten men to die for an objective that had no tactical value. I was praised by command, was told I made the right choice and was given a promotion. But after that none of the men under my command trusted me. They called me Bootlicker Kirst, that i was an honorless dog that would let my men die if it meant I got promoted. After that i got an offer from the SOG. I figured i was already damned enough that transferring to a black ops unit wouldn't make much of a difference. Shortly after that my daughter was born." Kirst let a long sigh and slumped slightly in his chair, the facade of dependebility and confidence falling away to reveal a weary and cynical man. "My hope is that my daughter and wife never find out what kind of monster i had become, of the things i did after I sold my soul to make sure they lived a comfortable life. After I transferred to the SOG I was given command of a new squad, Turk is the only remaining member of that squad, the rest are dead."

Staring at the wall with a blank look, Kirst continued, like a sinner confessing to a priest knowing that nobody else would hear of the things he had done. "Next is Turk, the silent killer, at least that is what most people see him as. You probably noticed something about him when he was performing last night. In reality Turk is the twin brother of a famous musician. He grew up in the lap of luxury, his parents both hugely successful musicians and expected to continue the family legacy. But he and his twin were complete opposites personality wise, Turk was quiet and shy while his brother was loud and outgoing. His parents did not care though, to them Turk was obligated to become a musician and bring more glory to the family name. His brother of course was more than willing to do that, he loves being the center of attention. But when he grew up Turk left his family and joined the army at 18. Changed his name and everything. Of course his parents have disowned him and unless you dig really deep into the past, to the public eye Turk never existed. Of course when he would talk or wear certain clothes people would always comment how he looked just like his brother. He hates that, no matter what he does his family will always be haunting him. So he just clammed up, stopped talking to people, and focused on a role that required the bare minimum amount of human interaction. So he put all his energy into becoming a sniper, he volunteered for missions where he would be alone for days at a time to take out enemy targets and honed his skills. He got the offer from the SOG and was put in my squad. I only know this because one night he got really drunk and just started venting about his past and how he hates his family."


Pushing the now empty coffee cup around on the smooth table, Kirst glanced at the closed door to the hallway. "So then there is Dante. Honestly I don't know why he is in the SOG, his personality and morals are at odds with what he is made to do. In my opinion he would be better suited doing humanitarian relief work. You already know the whole story about how he blew up a tank column singlehandedly while disobeying orders. It sounds cheesy but he is too pure for this line of work, he keeps a smile on his face but there are times when it eats him up inside. You are right about him being independent, when he was put in my squad it was tough to control him at first. He was confident that his way of doing things was better and a few times simply went off on his own mid mission. Eventually things came to a head and I had to impose some discipline per the order of the Director. It took awhile but eventually i beat it into him that he was not the one in command. When Xanders joined he mellowed out, luckily he seemed to focus his energy on being friends with Xanders, but i will get to that."

Shifting his legs, Kirst took a hash brown from Cassandra's plate and ate while he talked. "So then there is Riktof. The newest addition to our fucked up squad. Surprisingly he was the quickest to fall in line. When I was told a violent ex-con was going to be our medic I was half expecting to have to put a bullet in him to stop him from going on a rampage. But he works well with the others, is respectful, and follows orders, honestly some of the new recruits could learn a thing or two from him. He can get a bit bull-headed when it comes to medicine as you know, but it is because he would rather do it himself than rely on someone who might fuck things up."

Finishing his hash brown, Kirst leaned back in his chair and idly tapped his fingers against his leg. "Last is Xanders. The ticking time bomb. You would not think it but out of all of us he is the most dangerous. He is a through and through killer. The only way I see him leaving the armed forces is in a bodybag. His past is pretty sad, but it explains a lot about him. Grew up on a remote mining colony in the outer rim. Dad was a physically abusive alcoholic, Mom was a verbally abusive junkie. Was poor for his entire childhood until he left his parents and struck out on his own. He met a girl and fell in love, worked hard to save up money so they could live together, never touched alcohol or drugs and never lashed out in anger, a model citizen. Well that is until the confederacy rolls through and torches his home. The confeds beat him up, have their way with his fiance, then kill her in front of him and leave. Poor fucker just broke. He survived and immediately joined the army, specifically asked for a posting that would get him into combat. The only reason he wasn't dishonorably discharged for ptsd was because of how good he was at killing confeds. Creeped out everyone he worked with because he did his best to get face to face with whatever he was killing. Probably still looking for the guys who killed his girl. He actually applied to the SOG and was accepted because of his kill count. When he joined my squad it was rough at first but for some reason Dante wanted to be friends with him. Of course Xanders never told any of us about his past. I only know because I called in a few favors to find out what the psychopath's history was." Focusing on Cassandra once more, Kirst gave her a stern look. "I am warning you for your own safety Doc, do not try to talk with Xanders about his issues. You know the phrase let sleeping dogs lie? Just let that dog in Xanders sleep."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass listened and tipped her head a few times. She showed no emotions whatsoever as he spoke, just let him say what he wanted to say. But when he finished she leaned forward in her chair and furrowed her thin brows, "Forgive me...I am a bit confused." She said honestly, "Why did you want to know my thoughts? I'm sure you've come to realize that I try to see only the good in people as much as possible...until I am forced to see otherwise in cases like Marcus." She drew in a deep breath. "Some of what you've just said I was aware of but not all."

She frowned, "I understand what you are saying about Erik and I and working together in the future. I would hope by now I've proven that I always do my job no matter what. Even though I've come to care about all of you as a group, I did not leave other patients to tend to you exclusively even though I wasn't sure all of your would make it. I know what my job is...sometimes I have to decide who lives and who doesn't." She leaned back in her chair and there was a look in her eyes, "Are you under the impression that I am somehow lily white with no demons in my closet?" she asked seriously, "I put myself through school as a guinea pig for any program that would have me and that last one I allowed to implant an eye into my body knowing that it transmitted everything I did, saw or said though a remote offload system and that nearly cost my life not many days ago. Marcus' family funded my first research facility where I perfected the implant system Harrison and i now use effectively, so I put up with his constant flirting and following me from assignment to assignment because of that...and it nearly got the director killed. I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of so I could get to this point where I can afford a conscience and call my own shots. I'm an ambitious perfectionist Kirst not a saint."

She was still wondering about his words though, "Have I done something or said something that would make you feel the need to tell me all this? Or is there another reason?"

 

[Dunruffle]

Kirst narrowed his eyes and leaned forward slightly, a somewhat cold look in his eye that was far different from the normal jovial one he regularly wore. "I am telling you all this because I respect you Brandford. You think I'm doing this for shits and giggles? You deserve to know about the people you are friends with, both the good and bad. Not to diminish what you have gone through, but the SOG does things daily that are far worse than anything you have gone through. You may not be pure, but compared to the rest of us you are a saint. You still have your morals and beliefs in what are right and wrong and there is nothing wrong with that. But when soldiers join the SOG they literally beat it into you that morals are something that will get you killed and are a luxury you cannot afford. Our job is to be the necessary evil, to be the ones who do horrible things that keep regular people safe and unaware of all the dark and scary threats against them."

Sitting up straighter, Kirst ran a hand through his short hair in frustration as he stared at Cassandra. "To be honest I am surprised the Director has let you go this long without some kind of punishment, but maybe you have charmed him in some strange way. I am not being a hardass right now just because I can, but because you are focused on the wrong part of this conversation. This is not a pity contest about who has the most tragic past or dark secrets, everyone has those. Think of this as a professional courtesy, I am trying to give you a warning before you get to deep into this job. I can guarantee there will be a point where you will be ordered to do something that you think is morally wrong. You have so much talent and your ability to help people is unlike anyone I have ever heard of. The point I am trying to make you understand is that you could do so much better anywhere other than the SOG." Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Kirst closed his eyes and gestured towards the window. "There is a whole galaxy out there that could benefit from your skills. Now we are both adults so I realize whatever I say will probably not change your mind. I just think in my honest opinion that the SOG is not the right place for you."

Opening his eyes, Kirst grinned slightly and let his shoulders droop. "I can already tell you are gonna give me an earful. Maybe I deserve it for being so ham-fisted about this. But someone had to say it. Sorry for being a downer on your vacation but this was as good a time as any to tell you."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass stared at him as he spoke. She'd already consider most of what he was saying. Dealing with Dr. Echen had been a difficult choice for her and knowing that something had happened beneath the facility was driving her nearly insane. She did not like unanswered questions, her brain just didn't have the ability to let those things go. It was one of the things that helped her in her career and in perfecting things that others didn't have the patience to chase down. However, she could only guess at the gray areas and totally black areas that valentine was willing to cross for his empire to maintain and build on it's dominance over the competition.

She relaxed, understanding where he was coming from and feeling more at ease about the conversation. Still, he was right about her giving him and earful. "Ok, I can see that reasoning. In comparison I am probably seeming to be lily white, but I'm not stupid Kirst. I can see the facility crossing moral and ethical lines. I can't imagine the Director has any intention of bowing to my character, though in some things I have given him little to no choice. My methods are mine and in my hospital I am God, Director or no and he knows it. That said, I am aware that I am not going to be left unscathed by this assignment."

She drew in a deep breath, "This may come as a complete surprise to you Kirst, but I when I say I am ambitious I am not referring to monetary exploits or fame or power, I am referring to medical advancement. At the facility I am free from the restraints of a normal hospital situation, and their constant interfering and delays. There is very little red tape. Being able to cure things that are considered beyond the reach of medicine...those are my ambitions. I am willing to pay the price asked to have this freedom." She held up a hand sensing he was going to speak, "I know...I have no idea what I'll be asked to do. I have to believe it will involve death, but I can still cling to my hope that it will not come to that. But, even if it does...The medical advancements ... the ability to help people beyond the walls of the facility is still there. Harrison's builds for your team, the ability to expand the uses for the artificial skin and tissues we have developed will reach beyond the SOG facility. Any price I pay will be worth that..."

She looked out the window then and leaned forward in her chair, "Now...since we are being honest...What the hell is going on with this vacation?" She asked her blue gaze piercing him, "I know we are not here alone. The Director is here...Natalya is here...this is not a vacation...so, what is it?"

 

[Dunruffle]

Kirst smirked as Cassandra laid out her reasoning and cut right to the heart of the matter. They may "officially" be on vacation, but Natalya tagging along was definitely not a normal occurrence. "That kind of question is way above my pay grade, but I have a few suspicions. This war with the Confederacy has been dragging on for more than a decade now but to all us peons the Alliance keeps reassuring us that everything is under control. Now take what I am about to say with a grain of salt because I am not an expert nor do I have inside information. But my gut is telling me this war is more than just about the outer rim injustices. To me this all boils down to supply and demand. Everyone knows why we keep expanding to more distant planets, because the inner sector planets have been stripped clean of any natural resource of value. Prime example is Earth, humans only started moving to other planets because Earth had nothing left to give. So here is my theory, the longer this war goes on the stronger the Confederacy gets. Why? Because they are the ones with the resources. Sure the Alliance has more advanced tech, more developed industries, and more credits, but all that is worthless if their citizens are starving and their ships have no fuel. Right now the Confederacy is still not as powerful as the Alliance, but they don't have to worry about starving because of limited resources. If you look at the economic reports the Alliance is barely breaking even right now since the Confederate planets won't trade with us. It is all about supply and demand, that is why the top brass have been trying to quickly end this war before the mega-corporations switch sides because it is more profitable. So if all this guessing on my part is even partly true, it would explain why we are vacationing on an industrial city planet instead of some nice beach." Shifting his legs, Kirst leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "The only one who knows why we are here is the Major, I have a feeling a storm is on the horizon and we are here to provide muscle for whatever secret mission the Ice Queen on."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass listened thoughtfully, "I agree with everything you're saying...and I see why you are here with the Saints...but why am I here? Why are my people here? Are we a cover for whatever is going to happen." She let out a rush of air and looked over at him sideways also leaning in a bit, "I feel bio warfare in my nostrils. How do you get people who have everything to trade with you?" She asked lifting a brow, "YOu infect them with a sickness that only you have a cure for and then you bargain with them for their lives."

Every since their last mission to retrieve the biochemicals she'd been bothered by the ideas that had been forcing their way into her consciousness. Yes, she was aware that bio warfare was nothing new, but with genetic tampering things had radically changed in the last ten years even. She was VERY sure Dr. Sechen was operating on the same premise as she was, the advancements in medical treatment and methods were worth the other things, but she had a feeling those organs were made for more than possible implantation and patient use.

Her gaze drifted out the window again as her thoughts rambled and swerved in ways she didn't want them to especially since she didn't have any hard proof of her suspicions. "There are a lot of things going on far above our combined paygrades...I guess I should be glad for the time off and keep my mouth shut about things I can't prove." she sighed, "Burns my cupcakes to think I'm being used as come kind of pawn in a game I'm not really allowed to play though." She gave his arm a squeeze though and looked back to him, "For what it's worth Kirst...and that may not be much...I trust you and the Saints. I hope you trust me. I will always do everything in my power to see we all get back alive, and I know you will too."

 

[Dunruffle]

Kirst grinned and patted Cassandra's shoulder. "You haven't given me or my squad any reason not to trust you. Hell, you are probably the most trustworthy person outside of my squad. As for the real reason why we are here of all places, I guess we will just have to wait and find out. If it is about bio-warfare then things will get real ugly real fast. I mean they are banned by the second Geneva conventions but if the bigwigs get desperate enough who knows what they might have us do. But enough of all this serious talk, I say we try to enjoy this vacation as much as possible. Best case scenario, Major Sokolov does here mission quickly and quietly and we all go back without any trouble. So what do you think doc? Should we go rouse the troops or let them sleep in? If you want to go somewhere with Riktof I will stay and monitor Jen. I have been wanting to finish a novel and reading on the balcony seems like a nice change of pace."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass smiled in relief. "I'm glad to hear that since it seems I've done irreparable damage to my relationship with the Major." she sighed and frowned a bit. "And yeah, if this is about what I fear it might be then things will likely be more than ugly. If they do, the right people are here to handle it." She half smiled at him, "And yes...until the you know what hits the fan we should enjoy this time away. I can't believe it will happen often, or even ever again." She stood up then and tipped her head, "Well...I think only half the troops will rise..." She chuckled, "It didn't seem Harrison was having any luck at Nadia's door. Xanders? Not thinking he'll be awake any time soon either. Jenn probably wishes she wasn't awake." She shook her head, "However...I dare say Erik is probably awake...so if you are sure you don't mind checking on Jenn..."

She walked to the door with him, "I think I will take you up on that offer." They both would see Harrison still standing outside Nadia's door stubbornly hoping she'd open up. She went to Erik's room and tapped lightly, hoping he was already awake and that she wasn't disturbing him.

Harrison nodded to Cass and Kirst when they emerged from her room. That had been a strange thing to him, for them to have been in there alone so long, but that was none of his business.

Cass turned and looked over her shoulder at Harrison, "I don't think she's going to answer...maybe give it another hour?"

Harrison sighed and nodded as he walked to his room and slipped inside looking a bit disappointed and dejected.

 

[Dunruffle]

While Kirst went to retrieve his book, Erik opened his door wearing baggy shorts and a wrinkled t-shirt with his beard and hair slightly mussed. Rubbing his eyes, Erik nodded to Cassandra. "Hey doc, you seem pretty chipper this morning. I slept like a rock and I can't remember the last time I was allowed to sleep in this late." Yawning sleepily, Erik gestured for Cassandra to enter his room. "Feel free to come in, it would be rude of me to keep you standing out in the hall."

 

[PoetLore]

seeing his sleepy appearance Cassandra felt horrible about knocking on his door. "I'm so sorry...if I'd..." she sighed and entered the room, "I thought you might already be awake...I've been up for a while." For some reason she felt horrible self conscious in his room, and the whole scene seemed weirdly intimate to her, since he looked all mused and sleepy and totally huggable. she threw those thoughts aside though and sat in one of the chairs, not totally sure what to say.

Folding her hands in her lap to hide her nervousness she made a little face, "Jenn woke up sick...Kirst helped me get her into bed and clean up the mess. Harrison made handover relief for everyone...luckily." her brain was screaming for her to SHUT UP, but like always when she was not totally comfortable with a situation she rambled on sometimes endlessly. she pressed her lips tightly together to keep herself from babbling but then there was that awkward silence that seemed almost worse. Why wasn't she feeling nervous when she was in her room alone with Kirst? Would she be feeling nervous if Erik was in her room instead of she in his? Maybe. Was it because of what Kirst had told her about him? No, that didn't mean anything to her. she didn't care about the past, and if he wanted to tell her about it, she'd listen and then leave it there where it belonged. No, this was that awareness of another person that happened when they were important to you and you didn't want to screw it up.

 

[Dunruffle]

Erik sat down on the end of his bed and gave Cassandra an odd look. "You okay Cassandra? You look worried or something." Smiling, Erik patted a spot next to him on the bed encouragingly. "C'mon over here, it feels weirdly formal with you sitting over there. I would like to think we know each other well enough to be less formal when we are alone." Yawning sleepily, Erik scratched his beard as he looked out his window. "Sorry to hear about Jen. We probably should have kept an eye on her since she is smaller sized. Though I think Xanders is probably hung over as well judging from the state he was in when we got back."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass got up and sat next to him and sighed, "Sorry...it's been a strange morning..." She said and leaned her shoulder against his. "I shouldn't have woke you up though...I ... well...Kirst offered to keep an eye on Jenn so we could go do something..." She blushed a bit, "if you want to..." Should she say something about her conversation with Kirst? She wasn't sure, but she didn't like keeping secrets from Erik either. She was also aware she wasn't the best at hiding her emotions, so she knew he'd see that for the fluff off that it was.

She peeked over at him, still weirdly unnerved being in his room. "And well..." She turned a bit so she could face him, "Kirst asked to speak to me privately..." She began waiting for his reaction to that statement before continuing."

 

[Dunruffle]

Erik chuckled and held her free hand in his. "Kirst is a good guy, he is probably used to taking care of others because of his daughter. I see no reason why we shouldn't take him up on his offer, and stop apologizing for waking me up you did not know and I would rather wake up to you than an angry drill Seargent." Realizing what he just said and how it could be interpreted, Erik's ears turned red in embarrassment until he was distracted by Cassandra turning to face him. Arching an eyebrow, Erik looked at Cassandra quizzically. "Is something wrong? I know LT can come off as a hard-ass sometimes but he means well. Did you and him have a fight?"

 

[PoetLore]

Cass smiled at his words about waking up to her and leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, "That is the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me I think.." She was blushing a bit too at how he might have meant that, but she wasn't going to read anything into an innocent comment. She was fully aware that she could be and often was a total pain in the rear.

She held his hand and pushed on, "I've never seen that side of him before, but I know to be a commander he has to be a little bit of a jerk sometimes." She shrugged that off though, "I'm not real sure what prompted him to tell me everything he did, maybe he was trying to keep me safe...I don't know." She wasn't usually this vague when she spoke but she was really afraid to screw things up. "He told me things about all of you...things that I guess I'm not supposed to know. He asked me what my opinion of all of you is...made me think of something bad about each of you." He made a face at that, "He told me about your past and things about the others...told me to be careful about being friends..." She gave his hand a squeeze, "All of us have a past though...I don't care about that." She was sure he could guess what Kirst would have told her, what he'd felt pertinent about Erik's past. Her eyes finally lifted from the floor and looked back to him, "I enjoy your company and I'm glad we have this time away from work and the facility to spend so time getting to know each other."

That should not have been as hard to say as it was, but she was a complete nervous wreck. She felt like a kindergartner trying to impress the teacher on the stage of her first play. Oddly enough, to her this felt like a huge risk. Maybe this wasn't as big a thing to him as it was growing to be to her, and she was saying something he wouldn't want to hear. She really was horrible at this kind of thing, which was why she'd never had a serious relationship in her life.

 

[Dunruffle]

Erik quirked an eyebrow when Cassandra recealed Kirst's actions and was silent for a few moments as Cassandra finished speaking. Gently squeezing her hand, Erik smiled and looked into her eyes. "Well I don't know about the other guys but I have always been pretty open about my past. I mean it's not like the SOG recruits goody two-shoes so I probably fit right in. There was a time in my life when I did some bad things but getting a deal to join the armed forces was a hell of a lot better than sitting in a cell all day, I like to think I made the right choice. I also enjoy spending time with you Cassandra, though to be honest I was never really good at the whole relationship thing so feel free to let me know if I am messing up." With a smile on his bearded face, Erik pulled Cassandra into a hug and kissed her cheek. "So...since Kirst is babysitting Jen does that mean we have some time to go on an actual date?"

 

[PoetLore]

Cass listened and she could see he was being sincere and open. "I think you did. Seems to have helped you turn your life around and be able to move forward in a way you can be proud of ... and I know... some of the things you do here at SOG are not nice ... but still you act with professionalism and compassion. To me that means more than whatever got you here." she chuckled a bit, "Oh, like I am doing a stellar job of this?" her brow lifted and then she shook her head. "So I'll just say right now...I've never actually had what anyone would consider a real relationship with a man in my life. Always too busy...was my excuse..." She tipped her head to the side a bit, "The truth is...I was just not ever interested enough in anyone to put in the effort. But in my not so experienced opinion, you're doing just fine." She hugged him back and blushed a bit at the little peck on her cheek. "It does mean exactly that...I've already eaten, but I can down more coffee while you eat if you want to do that first." She offered.

 

[Dunruffle]

Erik chuckled and stood up, offering his hand to Cassandra. "Let me change into some actual clothes and then we can go wherever you want. All i need is to grab a breakfast sandwich and then i am ready to go." Erik had Cassandra wait in the hallway as he changed, Kirst passing by with a book in hand and entering Jen's room. Erik then emerged in a pair of black casual pants and a short sleeved white polo shirt that revealed the tattoos completely covering his arms. His hair and beard had been brushed and the normally scruffy looking medic actually looked somewhat presentable for once. Tugging at the edge of his shirt nervously, Erik looked at Cassandra with a grin. "Do i look okay, I am used to always wearing something military so I dunno if I managed to make myself look normal."

 

[PoetLore]

Cass waved at Kirst, "Thanks again..." as he entered Jenn's room. She was pretty sure Jenn would be out cold for the next four or five hours, but it was good to know someone would be there to help her if she had another sudden attack of the upchucks. She waited in the hall, smoothing down the waist of her sundress nervously. She looked up when he came out and smiled.

"You look perfect," she said as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I don't think anyone will suspect us for a second." She teased, "Let's go get you that thing you wanted for breakfast and maybe some coffee?" She tipped her head a bit, "I could use another cup myself...So...what do you say to finding a park to take a walk in? There has to be one somewhere on this floating entertainment party...I would think anyway."

 

[Dunruffle]

Erik blushed slightly when Cassandra kissed his cheek and smiled as he took her hand in his. Making their way down to the lobby, Erik grabbed a breakfast sandwich from the dining area and walked out onto the main platform with Cassandra. Walking over to a hovertaxi stand, Erik scrolled through the seemingly endless list of destinations. "Huh lets see...parks...every park i find has a waiting list. Guess greenery is hard to find around here. Well there is a plant museum exhibit nearby. Seems the main display are the man-eating plants on loan from the rim worlds. That sound good or something else pique your interest?"