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[The scene opens in the dining facility.]

Kyara is poring over a thick tome, absently downing a portion of lasagna. Somehow she's managing to refrain from getting any sauce on her uniform.

Corian is graceful as ever as she comes into the dining facility. She's got a rather haphazardly-woven crown of daisies atop her head--she probably forgot that it's there. She moves to claim some tea and a salad, then looks for... aha, she can inflict herself upon Kyara. She moves over to the appropriate seat, inquiring, "May I join you?"

Oh, and Corian's a bit damp, too. (Just checked the +weather.)

Kyara glances up with a smile as she recognizes the voice. "Of cour..." She blinks, and giggles a bit. "Sure ya can. Definitely will make my meal more festive."

Corian slides lightly into the seat with a murmured thankyou. After a sip of her tea, she inquires, with a nod towards the book, "What is it that you are reading?"

Kyara glances down at the book and shuts it, mouth quirking in a rueful half-grin. "History of the Alliance, Volume IV."

Corian's brows arch fractionally as she starts to make inroads on her salad. "I never especially liked that particular text," she observes. "I found that 'A People's History of the Alliance' was somewhat more readable--though, of course, it has a rather Edreeni slant to matters."

Kyara considers that thoughtfully for a moment. "An Edreeni slant, eh? Perhaps that'd be worthwile to read as well, as much of an insight to the Edreeni as the history itself."

Corian inclines her head. "Of course. One can tell rather a lot about people by learning how they perceive historical events. Of course, it loses something in the translation, but that is true of many works."

Kyara nods her agreement, using her fork rather than her knife to cut the lasagna into a few smaller pieces. "That makes sense. It amazes me, sometimes, to discover that an entire culture can have a concept that hasn't been imagined by any other, much less understood well."

Corian nods once more, daisies bobbing lightly, as she picks out the tomatoes from her salad, the better to eat them first. "Language plays a large role in that, I believe," she observes. "Though I am also somewhat biased, in that."

Kyara chuckles. "You'd know better than I would. Hope those don't fall in your food," she adds with a grin. "Daisies probably don't taste all that great."

Corian blinks. "Daisies?" She looks rather perplexed for a moment, then chuckles very quietly, reaching to take the crown from her hair and to set it on the table next to her. "This is why one should always look in the mirror after taking Sectassian younglings out to play."

Kyara grins. "Makes ya look like a May queen or something."

Corian, with another chuckle, takes a piece of cucumber from beneath some raw spinach. "Thank you. Hopefully, the wreath will stay together long enough for me to get it upstairs."

Kyara smiles. "A memento to keep?"

Corian nods amiably to that, with a quick smile. "For a time, at least, yes--or perhaps longer, if the flowers dry well. Though," she adds, eyeing some of the rather battered petals, "That may not work. The children were rather hard on the flowers."

Kyara's mouth quirks. "Children are rather hard on just about everything, aren't they?"

Corian nods once more, a briefly amused smile crossing her face. "As a rule, yes, though there are exceptions, of course."

Kyara cocks her head. "I bet you were one of those exceptions, weren't you."

Corian considers for a moment. "I suppose I was, yes. Honalee," she adds, with a wry little smile, "Says that I was forty at four."

Kyara laughs quietly. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Corian shakes her head slightly. "It is a bit of both, I suppose," she replies, manner a bit thoughtful.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kyara eyes you for a moment, then reaches for her orange can. "Giro for your thoughts?"

Corian, with another headshake, says lightly, "I was merely thinking that I was rather an odd child. That is all."

Kyara brushes that aside with a flick of her fingers. "On whose scale? We're all individuals."

Corian inclines her head. "I should clarify that. Compared to those children I knew when I was young, I was odd." With a very quiet chuckle, she adds, "It is not all that unusual, though, I suppose."

Kyara hmmms. "And did being... odd, to use your phrasing... have a negative impact?"

Corian shakes her head. "It is not really something that I can judge," she replies, "As I have no basis for comparison."

Kyara grins. "Okay, let me put it another way- if you could live your childhood again, knowing what you know now, would you strive to be less odd?"

Corian shakes her head. "Of course not," she replies, with a smile that holds perhaps a touch of wistfulness. "I am very happy as I am now, and changing my childhood would almost definitely change my current situation."

Kyara nods with a smile, curiosity touching her expression. "But you would, perhaps, like to be... childlike now and again?"

Corian chuckles very quietly, with another shake of her head. "Spending time with the younglings is enough, as far as those things go."

Kyara grins. "At least it probably gives you plenty of exercise. Speaking of children," her eyes twinkle, "How's Tarrant these days?"

Oh, look. That wistful look is back. "He is doing well, I assume," Corian replies. "He had to go off-planet, for work. Hopefully, though, he will only be gone a few days." She misses him, though she is trying not to be too obvious about it. Aww.

Kyara smiles sympathetically. "I did wonder why he didn't come to the wedding with you."

Corian nods once more. "He was preparing for his trip, then, yes," she replies, with a quiet sigh."

Kyara impulsively reaches over, going for a hesitant pat at your hand. "He'll be home soon enough, I'm sure."

Corian smiles at the impulsive gesture. "He will, yes," she replies, taking up her fork to finish off her salad. "It should only be a few days. And maybe we will be able to have a bit more time before he has to leave again."

Kyara nods thoughtfully, remember her own fork. After swallowing a bit of lasagna, she notes in a very quiet voice, "Well, maybe after y'all get married, you guys can take a nice vacation."

Corian smiles faintly at that. "We did have a few days," she says slowly. "We were married a few weeks ago."

Kyara blinks. "You were what? Oh my. I'm sorry... May I offer congratulations, however belated?"

Corian shakes her head, smile warming a bit. "There is no need to apologize, dear. We have not told many people. And thank you for your congratulations."

Kyara looks faintly relieved. "You're welcome, of course," she responds automatically. "Thank goodness- for a moment there I thought somebody'd told me and I'd forgotten about it."

Corian shakes her head once more. "That is rather unlikely," she replies. "Very few people here know, and those have been asked to keep the news quiet. It is easier for us to keep track of who knows, that way."

Kyara chuckles. "Y'all are rather private people, I take it? Or you just didn't want, er, festivities?"

Corian tips a hand back and forth. "It is a little of both. Neither of us especially wanted a fuss. And it is easier to see reactions when people are told individually."

Kyara grins. "Can't say as I blame ya for that. Have the reactions been satisfying?"

Corian nods to that, with an amused laugh. "Oh, certainly, yes. One of my aunts was so startled that she could not speak for a few moments. That was rather entertaining."

Kyara giggles. "Have you told Clara and the Chief yet? If so, did you get a picture of their faces?"

Corian inclines her head, gray eyes glinting with amusement. "I did, yes. Riley was... very surprised, yes, and rather disappointed, as well. Husbands cannot be tormented, after all. But I told him that he can tell Tarrant embarrassing stories from my childhood, so I suppose it is all right, now."

Kyara blinkblinks. "Tormented?" That last brings a faint grin. "Yeah, but Tarrant'd probably only find such stories charming."

Corian clarifies, after a sip of her tea, "Riley sent a letter to Tarrant, apparently, asking about his intentions." With a shake of her head at that last, she murmurs, "I do hope so. I still plan to be elsewhere when they have that discussion, though."

Kyara's jaw drops, her eyes widening. "His intentions?!? Is that, like, a formal duty of brothers on Kashid or something? I mean, that's rather bold..." She snickers softly. "Well, you can always go to Clara and tell her embarrassing stories about Riley."

Corian shakes her head. "Torment in general is a sibling's duty," she replies, not really looking all that bothered. "Riley likely still thinks of me as fairly innocent, so I can see how he would think that I need protecting." At that last, she shakes her head. "Actually, I told him that I would not. I am, however, going to try to assist Clara in getting these same stories from Honalee. Hona likely knows many more stories than I do, after all."

Kyara laughs softly. "Cori, you never struck me as the sly type."

Corian's smile is a hair shy of angelic, only it actually looks unfeigned, on her. "Sly? My goodness, Kyara, you must have me confused with someone else. I am only trying to help entertain a friend."

Kyara snickers, shaking her head. "That's what I get for underestimating. That does explain something though. Regarding Ri... the Chief, I mean."

Corian sets aside the salad plate, with only a few apparently unpalatable vegetables remaining. "Oh?" she inquires.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kyara nods, gesturing upward slightly. "I don't think he thinks of me as innocent. That would explain why he doesn't, thank the spirits, get protective."

Corian nods agreeably enough to that. "And there is something about younger sisters that requires protection," she adds. "Well... most of the time. I do not believe he finds that necessary with Evvy." Her lips quirk wryly at that.

Kyara snickers. "I've heard her name mentioned a few times, I think. Sounds more like he needs protection from her than vice versa."

Corian nods to that, expression rather amused. "Evvy is a very... strong-willed woman." Hello, understatement.

Kyara grins. "Family trait."

Corian, with another nod, says lightly, "She certainly does take after her mother, yes."

Kyara cocks her head, gesturing slightly. "I wasn't talking blood, necessarily. But I think you know that."

Corian leans back in her chair, absently toying with a petal that has departed one of the daisies. "It is generally better not to assume, I have found."

Kyara's mouth quirks. "Safer that way too." She gives a light shrug of her own. "They say you can't choose your family, and that's true to an extent. Yet when I talk about 'my family', it's a fairly safe bet that I'm speaking of you and the Chief and Clara and Nick." She snickers suddenly. "Now Nick, /he/ gets protective."

Corian smiles warmly, and murmurs, "I am very glad to be considered family, dear." She pauses a beat at that last, then nods. "I suppose I can see that, yes. He is rather young yet, though--and I am not speaking merely chronologically. He will relax somewhat as he gets older, I would guess."

Kyara grins. "I think it's the knight chromosome has something to do with it."

Corian nods her agreement to that, a briefly amused smile crossing her face. "That makes sense, yes," she replies, with a quiet chuckle. "I would be interested to see what his parents are like--well, his mother, I suppose."

Kyara nods her agreement. "I do get the feeling he grew up in a very loving family, if maybe just a tad strict?" She pauses before adding, "His father's not all that bad a guy."

Corian nods thoughtfully to your assessment. "That is rather the sense that I have, yes." After a brief pause, she inquires, "You mean Mr. Veruzac? Yes, he has always been very nice to me." Her smile as she mentiones Terrence holds just a hint of sympathy.

Kyara mhmms, pushing her tray aside. "I've only met him one time, but he seemed a perfect gentleman."

Corian, with yet another nod, murmurs, "I have found him to be so as well--very courteous and polite."

Kyara nods, her expression faintly puzzled, then she shakes her head. "So. Are you going to start working with Tarrant then after your contract here runs out?"

Corian nods firmly to that. "Yes, if such a job is offered to me--and I believe that it will be. It is certainly my intention to do so."

Kyara smiles. "I can't quite see you as the paper-pushing type, but it /would/ be awfully nice being able to work side by side with your partner."

Corian nods yet again, after a brief pause. "Well, I am basically a paper-pusher now, with my duties as a translator. And I will likely be serving as a translator in my new job, as well."

Kyara ahhhs, "Yeah, I suppose that does make sense." She grins. "The best of both worlds then."

Corian says quietly, with a brief smile, "It will be good to be able to work with him, yes. I am not altogether happy being separated from him--even for so brief a time." She shakes her head, with another smile. "But it is less than four months, and then we will be working together."

"Well of course you don't want to be seperated," Kya snorts. "Especially this soon into your marriage and all. Y'all are still in that newlywed stage, I'm sure."

Corian nods her agreement to that, decidedly wistful. "We are, certainly. Though perhaps we will be able to take some time when my contract ends, and before I try for the new job."

Kyara grins. "You've sense. Can you lend some to the Chief?"

Corian shakes her head, chuckling very quietly. "Riley's job is too important to him, I believe, for me to infuse him with much sense where that is concerned. Perhaps I would be the same, if I had spent so long on any one job."

Kyara's fingers drum thoughtfully on the tabletop. "Yeah, that and... Do you suppose he buried himself in work for so long because he was lonely, then when he finally got somebody, the habit's just too hard to break?"

Corian considers that for a moment. "To be honest, I am not altogether certain. Before I came here... well, it has been quite some time since I have spent an extended amount of time with Riley."

Kyara nods consideringly. "You know he had to practically be browbeaten into getting together with her. He's /stubborn/."

Corian's lips quirk just a bit. "Family trait," she murmurs.

Kyara grins. "You're not stubborn. You're steadfast."

Corian ponders that for a moment. "Thank you," she says finally. "I am not altogether certain how many people would agree with you, but I do appreciate the word choice."

Kyara chuckles. "That's one nice thing about chatting with you. Improves vocabulary, and you understand subtle differences in words. Hmmm. That's two things, isn't it?"

Corian inclines her head, holding up two thin fingers. "It is, that. I am glad that you enjoy conversing with me, though," she adds, with a quick smile. "I am glad of the conversation, as well."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kyara blushes, glancing down toward her book with a quiet, "Thank you." A pause, then she begins to gather up her dirty plates. "I, uh, really should be getting to work."

Corian inclines her head. "And I as well, yes." She finally does look at her pocketwatch, and blinks. "Goodness. I had not realized it was so late. Yes, I certainly need to complete some work."

Kyara looks up with a rueful grin. "Time flies, et cetera. Don't work too hard, Cori." She saunters off, disposing of the tray on the way.


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