4/18/99

You say "Clara?" She sounds a bit tired. "I hope I'm not intruding--I don't recall if we set a time for our meeting?" into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "Hmm? Oh, I don't think we set a time, Corian." She sounds just as tired. "But of course you're not intruding. I'm in my office...or we could meet elsewhere, if you prefer?" in Clara's voice.

You say "I could come there, of course. Whichever would be most convenient suits me." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and says "Why don't we meet in my office then? It's quiet, if nothing else. I'll have some tea waiting by the time you get here." in Clara's voice.

You say "Bless you, Clara, that will be wonderful. I will be up in a moment." into the communit.

[Travelspam deleted.]

Corian calls a quiet greeting to the various medbay staff, moving to knock lightly on Clara's door before she enters.

You walk towards the Chief Aleron's Office.

Chief Aleron's Office

Bright and airy, this fair sized office is far from pretentious, but instead useful. A large wooden desk faces the doorway, a pair of pointillism paintings in soft pastels flanking either side of the wall behind it. A second desk adjoins to the first, branching back from one side, upon which a terminal and keyboard rest. A pair of fairly comfortable chairs face the desk for visitors, wooden with soothing sand colored upholstery. On one side of the door is a simple brass coatrack, and on the other a bit farther down the wall is a full sized synthetic human skeleton. Along the right hand wall, a low couch covered in brown velour looks frighteningly comfortable, graphic print depictions of Stilvani and Edreeni internal anatomy framed neatly above it. Across the room is a single bioscan bed, much like the ones outside, just as the easily cleaned white tile flooring is unchanged.

Contents:

Clara

Obvious exits:

Medical Bay

You walk here from the Medical Bay.

Clara calls for you to come in, then smiles over her shoulder as she rises with two cups of tea and circles the desk to offer one. "Good afternoon. Please, have a seat," she offers, nodding at the couch.

Corian takes the tea with a murmured thankyou and a grateful smile, seating herself lightly. "Good afternoon, yes," she replies, sinking against the back of the couch. "Have you had a pleasant day?" She holds the cup for a moment, fingers wrapped lightly around it, before she sips.

"Infused by a few pots of coffee, yes," Clara replies, settling lightly onto the other side of the couch with a sigh of relief. "Bless her heart, Julie went on shift for me at noon so I could come hide in here. And you?"

Corian rubs her eyes lightly with one hand. "Mmm. Well, I do not know that I would term it pleasant, but it has been productive, at least. I have been in meetings all day." Her smile is rather tired, and somewhat rueful. "But it has been interesting, at least."

Clara tilts her head over her own cup sympathetically, nodding. "Productive's a good word. A great deal of translation to attend to then? I do hope you can take the afternoon to rest, perhaps."

Corian nods, with a small grimace. "Quite a lot of translation, yes--you see," she adds, her expression warming, "I am being considered for an additional job, assisting in the teaching of the children. But the parents are uncertain and my employers are uncertain, so I have been trying to convince him. Part of the afternoon will be mine, though, at least."

Clara actually brightens at this, a bit of animation momentarily erasing the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Yes? Oh, Corian, that's splendid. I'm in the midst of working out paperwork and tuition for that lad I was telling you about to get into the Complex school. You'd be a wonderful teacher." She takes a slow sip. "Is that what you wanted to discuss?"

Corian inclines her head at that. "Actually, yes, it is, though I do not know that I would be teaching your young friend. The intention is that I work with the youngest children, and I cannot say that this distresses me." Her smile is rather wistful. "I do hope we are able to work out the details. It has been far too long since I have taught. Hopefully, I will be able to convince them." She shakes her head fractionally. "But that is hardly the question I had for you." After a sip of her tea, she inquires thoughtfully, "Do you know if any of the races here at the Complex are incapable of vocal music?"

Clara's lashes flutter in surprise at the question before her eyes close to allow her to review various types. Finally she opens her eyes and waves a hand upwards at one of the prints on the wall behind her. "Stilvani, for one. Well, I don't know that you'd call them incapable, but it's not in their culture. Krondakans are another, although I haven't seen any about on base. Why, if I may ask?"

Corian inclines her head at the mention of the Stilvani. "I have found," she replies, "With children, especially those of this particular age, music is an excellent teaching tool. But I thought it best to make sure it was a viable alternative, before I suggested it to the parents. I do not believe there are any Stilvani of that age here, though I am not sure about the Krondakans. I will have to check, thank you."

Clara leans back into the couch with a nostalgic smile, nodding. "I remember our teachers using song." She laughs, shaking her head. "Granted, half of it was in Latin. Nuns aren't much for popular music. But music really is a spectacular teaching tool. You sing?"

Corian's lips quirk fractionally. "I sing well enough for the purpose; I have done so in the past. And if providing a possible program of study will help me to get this job, well, I would like to do so." She shakes her head, expression wearily amused. "Saaranus can only pull so many strings for me, after all."

Clara mimes tugging strings from the sky before chuckling. "Ah, I'd not worry. If it will help, I can offer to act as a reference? I'd suggest Riley, but that'd be rather obviously biased," she decides with faintly saddened humor. "You would prefer to teach rather than translate, then? Would this be a more permanent assignment? And if I ask too many questions, toss a cushion at me."

Corian, expression thoughtful, murmurs, "I will consider that, thank you." Her expression goes faintly amused at the suggestion of Riley's bias, and she nods. "Ah, see, that is part of the problem. It is not a question one or the other--if I take on the teaching job, it will be in addition to my job as translator. That is part of the difficulty. And I do not believe that it would be more permanent, no, though there is always the option for contract renewal." With a faint smile, she adds, "I am planning for employment beyond my contract here, but nothing is definite just yet."

"In addition? Good heavens, Corian. Don't you do enough already?" Clara exclaims, a line appearing between her brows in worry. "Do you want to stay here on Linnae then?" she add, a faint smile appearing.

Corian reassures quickly, "My duties as translator would be somewhat diminished, and the teaching would be only a few afternoons a week. It is not that much more work, and somewhat less than I have done in the past." At that last question, she looks thoughtful. "I am not altogether sure," she replies. "If the option is there, perhaps, yes. But... well, I am also unsure as to how long Tarrant will be based here."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Clara ahs softly, smile warming considerably. "I take it you would prefer to accompany him wherever he may be based?" She shakes her head for a moment, but more to adjust a lock of hair out of her face than a comment. "Despite his self-opinion, he really is a wonderful person. I'm so, so pleased for you."

Corian's smile is warm, but restrained from that nauseating sappiness. "Thank you. I... well, it makes me very happy. -He- makes me very happy. And I would rather be with him, yes. If we are able to be made partners, officially within the Department, then that would be somewhat more feasible."

"Within the Department?" Clara drops her gaze to her teacup again, considering that. "I would remind you of the dangers of such a profession, but I think you're already well aware of it." She even smiles faintly, looking back up. "Like I have any room to talk. I think I've seen more action here than the entire time I was at Cannerton."

Corian inclines her head. "I am aware of the dangers," she says tranquilly. "But I have the family lunacy, you see, so they do not bother me overmuch. My decision to leave was... somewhat hasty, and a bit ill-considered."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Clara offers gently, head tilting in an expression of reassuring warmth before she blinks. "The family lunacy? It's genetic?"

Corian's eyes hold a hint of amusement. "So Hona has told me, yes." After a moment of consideration, she glances about the room. "This may not be the best location to discuss my former occupation in detail, however. The walls have ears, whether they are listening or not."

"I may need to comm Honalee then and find out about this family lunacy, if I'm going to have contact with the family for the rest of my days," Clara decides as she rises to move and tap at her computer, amused. "The weather report is lovely...perhaps you'd care for a stroll by the lake?"

Corian inclines her head after a moment of consideration, setting aside her teacup. "That sounds wonderful, yes. I have yet to see the lake."

Clara sets her own cup beside her coffee cup and moves to the coatrack, absently patting the penguin there before exhanging her lab coat for her yellow bomber and cap. "It's a lovely place, actually. Just beware the ducks."

Corian nods as she gets to her feet, a hint of amusement crossing her face. "I will be sure to do so, of course."

Clara walks towards the Medical Bay.

Clara has left.

You walk towards the Medical Bay.

Medical Bay

Even the circulation of air can't quite keep the antiseptic smell from this room. Immaculately clean, the tiles of the floor are the same pristine white as the walls. Gadgets and gizmos abound. The highest medical technology available for all the races that might conceivably come to the station are present. A pair of beds near the door provide places for emergent cases, their bioscan devices ready for monitoring. Doors lead to rooms for surgery, short-term care, and long-term care. (OOC note: To set your room doing, try 'I'm <doing>'.)

Contents:

Corian, standing by the door.

Clara, standing by the door.

Julie, working on paperwork

Obvious Exits:

Short Term Care Chief's Office Elevator Lounge

You walk here from the Chief Aleron's Office.

Julie waggles her hand in a so-so gesture. "I ate in the mess hall. Remind me not to do that again, eh?" The gesture smoothly turns into a wave for Clara and Corian. "Afternoon, ladies."

Clara comes out of her office with Corian, tugging on her cap and casting a wave at Julie and Giani. "Afternoon, ladies. Before you yell at me, I'm leaving. See? Right out the door. No paperwork or anything," she promises, getting a derisive, but amused snort from Giani.

Corian, a few steps behind Clara, offers a smile of her own to the pair. "I will attempt to keep her from paperwork at the lake. But one can never tell; perhaps the ducks have some waiting."

Julie smiles slightly, shaking her head. "Now how'd you know I was going to, er, yell." Corian gets an approving nod. "Take some bread," she advises.

"Bread is good," agrees Giani approvingly before turning her attention back to Julie. "The dining hall isn't so bad. You just have to know where to eat. Have you tried the gyros from vendor in the Pavilion?"

[Travelspam deleted.]

Lakeside

Blue, blue, as far as the eye can see is blue. Well, there's some sandy-brown, too, at the far edge of the blue, but there's lots of blue. That would be because the lake is pretty big. Occasional ripples hint at fish. At the near edge of the lake, the sand is relatively rock-free, and decidedly kind to bare feet, with a weathered wooden dock. There are, however, several large rocks, perfect for sitting. Beyond the sand, trees grow gradually closer together, providing welcome shade and the occasional fruit, should one be able to climb high enough to reach the fruits. At the eastern end of the lakeside, the rocks increase, making a narrow, crevice-like path.

Contents:

Clara

Obvious exits:

Clearing Rocky Path Path Out

You walk here from the Outside Copper Hill.

Corian seems maybe a little glad to stop, by the time the lake is reached. Upon seeing it, she blinks. "Goodness," she murmurs. "It is very... blue."

Clara comes to a slow halt at the water's edge, inhaling a deep, contented breath. "This is one of my favorite places." A faintly lovestricken smile touches her lips as she gestures at a rock inclanation a few dozen meters towards the ravine. "That's where Riley gave me this," she murmurs, regarding her ring with a fond smile, then laughing. "Extremely blue. There's a rock over there we can sit on. Shall we?"

Corian moves over to the rock and perches lightly on it. Apparently, that's a yes. "Much better," she murmurs. Her gaze lingers briefly on the ring, expression fond. "Yes, I'd heard that he gave you that. I'm most glad." She studies the water for a moment, gaze drawn to it, apparently.

Clara follows over to drop to the rock as well, pulling her knees in to rest her arms on them. "I'm glad you don't mind," she offers quietly, absently turning her cap around backwards. "I'm not quite sure what the social implications are of a'trezla..." She shakes her head, smiling. "Learning is good."

Corian considers for a moment, perhaps the aforementioned social implications. But then she shakes her head, apparently not quite together enough to launch into an involved explanation. "Learning is wonderful, yes. And once I get my employment prospects a bit more settled, I would be very glad to assist you as I may."

"Thank you," Clara replies with a nod of gratitude. "I think I understand what it means between he and I, since I have something similar in my culture...except it requires marriage," she adds with a laugh, then tilts he head. "There are no walls here to have ears," she notes gently.

Corian inclines her head fractionally. "There are not," she murmurs. After a moment, she says slowly, "How much do you know about the situation that Tarrant and I were in, while we still worked together?"

Clara reaches down absently for a rock, turning it over slowly in one hand. "Very little. I know Tarrant is...forgive my choice of wording, please. I don't mean it derrogatively. But I know he's a spy and an assassin. I assume it fell within that realm?"

Corian says quietly, with a faint smile, "It is what he does. You do not seem to hold that against him, so of course I will not take your words amiss. And that was the case, yes. We were two of quite a few people--perhaps fifty--in what I believe was a relatively large grouping of agents. We would often work in smaller groupings, and those were fairly fluid in their composition."

Clara continues to toy with the rock a moment before sending it skipping expertly out over the water. "I assume this must have been a massive surveilance, to warrant such a large team. You worked closely with Tarrant?"

Corian tips a hand back and forth. "Occasionally. It depended on the team, and the need. And it was not so much a surveilance as a base. We generally went elsewhere to work, then returned back to the base." She smiles faintly then adds, voice quiet, "It was a home, a place where we could relax somewhat."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Clara ahs softly, a soft smile appearing as she claims another small rock. "Sort of like what we Fleet people have here, then, although we don't really leave. At least, not again, I hope," she adds wryly. "As to what you said before, no, I don't disapprove of Tarrant's profession. I don't understand it...but there is much I don't understand." She tilts her head. "Did something happen at your last assignment, then?"

Corian shakes her head fractionally. "It was not at our assignment, no, but... well, not everyone approves of what is done by our employers. I suppose we got complacent. I'm not really certain of all the details, but... well, the explosion was difficult to miss." Her voice is even and perfectly calm, but there is a certain distance about her gaze.

"Explosion..." Clara's face falls at the word as she drops the rock and reaches a hand to you gently. "Oh, no. Many were lost?" she asks, fully sympathetic.

Corian, gaze still on something not quit visible, apparently doesn't notice the hand. "Some were. Enough. Fortunately, there some on assignment, but I was not one of them, and nor was Tarrant. I... well, I have never been fond of explosions." And she finally does blink, and notice the hand, taking it with a faint smile and a murmured thankyou.

Clara squeezes the fingers of your hand gently, shaking her head. "Oh, Corian. I'd no idea," she offers before releasing it and reclaiming her rock. "Were you injured? Was Tarrant?"

Corian shakes her head. "I was not, not that time. But I was... somewhat unsettled. Our employers decided that it was best to separate the group, then. Tarrant... well, I do not know if he was, though it is possible. His apartment was near some of the worst damage."

Clara wrinkles her nose, discomfitted as she sends the second rock skipping out. "The Fleet does that too with personnel after a disaster. It throws people back into a daily routine without the constant reminder of the catastrophe. Psychologically sound, but sometimes there are groupings that just -work-."

Corian focuses briefly on the rock, and the skipping. "It made sense to separate us. Having that many together... well, it was good for us, good for morale, but it was also rather dangerous. And even if the group had not been broken up, I daresay I would have left anyway."

"Yes?" Clara asks softly, tilting her head to regard you with as comforting an expression as she can manage. "Why do you think that is? You tired of your own work within the organization?"

Corian shakes her head. "No, I generally enjoyed my work," she replies, with a faint smile. "But... well, as I said, I was unsettled. Do you know much about the history of Han-Gilen?" she inquires after a pause, naming a fairly obscure world, but one whose civil war, which occurred eight years past, made some headlines.

Clara inhales a deep breath, tilting her head to the sky to search her memory. "We studied it in school," she finally says slowly. "Civil war, what...ten years ago? Something like that. We learned about it in strategy and tactics class."

Corian inclines her head. "Eight," she murmurs. "It was eight years ago, but ten is close enough. I was there, you see, in Asan-Geitan when the bombing began. It was... somewhat chaotic."

Clara tilts her head to furrow her brow at you, more in curiosity than a frown, though. "I can imagine. Bombing is seldom good for keeping order. You were there...with the Department?"

Corian shakes her head to that. "No, I was there on my own, learning Gileni and offering lessons in Standard in return. They hadn't entered the Alliance just then, of course, but were hoping to do so. I was only with the Department for three years, ending not long before I came here."

"The reoccurrance of bombing was traumatic to you, then?" Clara asks gently, wrapping her arms about her knees. "You were perhaps injured in the bombing at Asan-Geitan?"

Corian inclines her head. "Yes," she replies, with a faint smile. "It was, and I was, though not all that seriously, thank goodness. But the overall experience... well, I did not like to be reminded of it."

Clara draws a small shape in the gravel to one side, noting carefully, "You know that if you rejoin the Department, you risk such an activity again, don't you?"

Corian nods to that. "Of course," she replies equably. "It would be difficult not to consider that. But... well, Tarrant is hardly likely to leave the Department. It would be worth the risk, to be sure that I could be with him."

Clara's gaze drifts out over the lake thoughtfully. It's talented. It flies. "I can understand that, certainly. I wouldn't want to be seperated from Riley at any cost, now. Not after having spent time away, however brief." She half grins over. "Remarkable what we'll do for a man, isn't it?"

Corian nods to that, with a rueful little smile. "Remarkable in the extreme. But I couldn't conceive of life without him, now. It's amazing how feelings can change, or become more clear." She shakes her head fractionally, drawing gently on the ground with one delicate finger.

"And then fuzz again, just to reclarify," agrees Clara with quiet fondness. "There have been so many times I thought I was sure of my feelings for Riley, and then something happens when I have to re-evaluate all over again, and it ends up better than before."

Corian inquires quietly, looking over with a brief smile, "It's amazingly complicated, isn't it? And yet it's so simple, all at the same time." Chuckling very quietly, she adds, "Hona is going to be very smug. I will have to try and comm her, soon, once life settles down a bit."

"She doesn't know yet?" Clara can't suppress a laugh. "I'll lay odds she's more thrilled than smug. When she found out about Riley and I, she was the epitome of stunned. I'd -thought- Riley had told her. He hadn't."

Corian shakes her head. "I... well, I've been somewhat busy, what with Tarrant's injury and now these meetings. And I'd rather not comm her until I look less like I've not been sleeping. She worries enough as it is. And she'll be thrilled, of course, but... well, she tried to reason with me on this subject, and I kept insisting that I did not need this kind of relationship." She shakes her head, wryly amused. "She'll tell me again that I'm like Mother."

Clara laughs easily at that, scrounging up another rock. "She calls what she sees," she decides. "If it makes you feel better, I was convinced living alone had everything I could need before I met Riley, too. I'd tried a relationship, didn't work. Heck, why bother?" She cants her head, grinning. "And are you like your mother?"

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Corian considers that for a long moment. "I hope not," she says finally, with a faint smile. "She can be... very distant, sometimes, and very involved in her work. I know that I hold people at arm's length, to some extent, but I don't think I'm as bad as Mother."

"Aah, but many career minded women are like that," Clara assures gently. "Perhaps falling in love will help you be a bit more open to other people? Although I must admit, I've found you a very easy person to get to know."

Corian inclines her head. "Perhaps it will, yes, though it does not seem to have helped Mother." Her expression is rather fondly amused. "Or maybe it did. Father will never say. He enjoys teasing me about it far too much. And I'm glad of that, though I must say that at least some of that is because you and Riley are so close."

Clara laughs, waving a hand dismissively. "You just tell him it's because I'm a whole different critter. Counselors are -supposed- to be able to get close to people. Can't help them otherwise," she explains with a grin, albeit a weary one, rubbing at her forehead.

Corian suggests, with a faint smile, "Perhaps you should help yourself--maybe by taking some time to rest?" She pauses a moment to consult her watch, then adds, "Actually, I have another meeting before too much longer, anyway."

Clara has the grace to look sheepish, nodding wistfully. "I've been a little remiss on the sleep department lately, yes. It's a long story." She climbs slowly to her feet, sending a final rock skipping out over the water. "Still, this have been a nice break. Thank you."

Corian attempts a rock-skimming of her own. Plunk. No, it doesn't work. She hmms quietly, and murmurs something about practice, then smiles at you. "Thank you as well," she says, getting lightly to her feet. "I enjoyed our talk."

In the sky, The clouds begin to move away, revealing the bright sun.

"As did I," Clara agrees, grinning at the attempt sleepily. "Sorry. I grew up on an island. I've been doing that since I was a kid. I'll teach you someday?" she offers, starting back towards the outline of the Complex and the Steading.

Corian inclines her had as she falls into step beside you. "That sounds like fun. Stone-skipping lessons in exchange for lessons in Kashidian, perhaps?"

Clara's brows lift in apparent delight at the offer. "Now that's the best offer I've had all day. You've got yourself a deal!" she agrees with a grin, and continues on back towards home.

[Travelspam to Atrium deleted.]

Corian waves towards the diplomatic hall. "I will see you later, yes? And please give my regards to Riley. He and I haven't been able to see much of each other lately."

Now why would that make Clara look faintly guilty? Still, she nods affably and pauses on her way towards the elevator. "I will, as soon as I see him. Perhaps we can all find that time to get some dinner together," she adds. "Good luck with your meeting."

Corian smiles faintly as she heads for the hall. "Thank you, I believe I will need it. And dinner would be wonderful, yes. I will try to remember to pester Riley on the subject." With that, and a brief extension of her smile, she ducks into the hall.


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