5/6/99

Your communit crackles to life and says "Corian? It's Clara...did I catch you at a bad time?" in Clara's voice.

You say "What? Oh... of course not, Clara. Is everything all right?" into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "*sigh* I think so? Oh, I'm not really sure. Riley's not home yet, and I can't get him on his comm. I guess I just got antsy and needed to hear a voice," she explains with a rueful laugh." in Clara's voice.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

You say "Have you asked at dispatch? Perhaps they would know where he is. And I am glad that you called--I cannot say as I mind hearing someone, as well." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "I did, but the night dispatcher didn't know where he was either. He had another meeting with the powers that be, and he may have gotten bad news tonight, or maybe good news." She shifts gears slightly then, concerned. "Can you not sleep either?" in Clara's voice.

You say "Well, I will hope for the good news. And... well, it is a bit early for sleep yet, but I do not see it happening for a time." There's a small pause. "The room is rather empty, that is all." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and says "*chuckle* Isn't it? Would you like some company? Or would you like to come down here, perhaps?" in Clara's voice.

You say "Company would be wonderful, yes--I could come there, or you could come here, whichever is more convenient." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and blares "*pause* Perhaps you could come down here? If Riley comes home, I'd like to be here when he does so." in Clara's voice.

You say "Of course, that makes sense. Just give me a few moments to change clothing?" into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and says "Of course. Take your time. I'll set some water on to boil for tea in the meantime." in Clara's voice.

[Travelspam to the third floor deleted.]

You knock on a door.

Clara calls, "Come in..."

You unlock the door and go into room Z13.

Room Z13

The dominant feature of the room is all the built in shelving. Wherever the walls are not taken up with furniture, a door, or a window, there are shelves. Shelves wrap their way around the cooking unit, over and around the room's four doors, to either side of the massive sleeping unit set into the wall, and above and beside the picture window. Beneath the window, which overlooks the Pavilion below, is a scooped window seat, fully long enough for an Edreeni to stretch out on. The ceiling has been painted a soft sky blue and marked with brushed white, almost like a swirl of clouds, providing some light to the darkness of the shelves. The carpeting is a rich blue to compliment the ceiling's shade. A rather long and battered couch and massive coffee table take up a chunk of the empty space and face the comm unit and flatscreen. A large table serves dual purpose as a dining area and a desk.

One door leads out into the hall, another into a white tiled bathroom, a third into the closet, and a fourth into a small side room. (+view is available)

Contents:

Clara

Obvious exits:

Music Room Out

You come in from the Elevator Lounge.

Corian pauses just inside the door, with a quizzical little smile. "You know," she observes thoughtfully. "You really do need to get some more shelving put into this room."

The vid is on, but the sound turned down so that the French overdubbing over an old black and white flat movie is almost inaudible. The window is partially open to let in the sounds of the street, and Clara is at the kitchen counter, working with tea fixings. She grins at the comment and nods. "Don't we? I never know where to put anything. Thanks for coming..."

Corian replies, gaze drawn to the window, "Thank you for asking me--oh, of course it would rain now." With a rueful shake of her head, she moves to the window, putting her hand out to catch the rain. There's a brief shake of her head, and a murmured apology. "I am afraid that I am not especially wonderful company, though," she adds, flickering a rueful smile over her shoulder.

Clara offers a somewhat wistful smile in return as she crosses over to the window with a pair of teacups and offers one over before sinking onto the window seat at one side. "Me either, I'm afraid. Are you worried about Tarrant?"

Corian takes the teacup with a murmured thankyou, absently wiping her damp hand on her sweater. "I am, of course," she admits, with a faint smile. "There was that which he needed to do before he left--research, knowledge of the situation--and I do not know how much of it he finished. He said that there would be time on the trip there, but..." She makes a vague gesture with one hand, still graceful for the worry that it conveys. "Well, I still worry. I will be very glad," she adds, with a hint of fervor, "When I will be able to go -with- him."

Clara exhales a soft sigh and leans back against the wall, gaze flickering to the street below before she glances back and gestures at the long window seat. "You're welcome to join me, or sit on the couch...or anywhere you'd like if you care to sit." She shakes her head. "Grown men, and yet we still worry ourselves silly. I have to keep reminding myself he took care of himself for nearly forty years without me."

Corian settles lightly in part of the window seat, with a murmured thankyou. "Seventy-seven, here," she adds, with a quiet laugh. "For all that he is ten, yes." She leans lightly against the window, tea held lightly in one hand. Well, the cup is held. She doesn't want to burn her hand. Though, with you here, she'd time it well, at least. "But I do think that worrying is just natural--if distressing."

"I nearly boggled when I saw his age in his chart, yes," Clara admits with a rueful grin. "I really am glad he explained the situation, though, or I'd have pestered him until doomsday to let me experiment on him."

Corian inclines her head fractionally, finally sampling her tea. "I was rather stunned when I heard as well, yes--though part of that was the phrasing involved." She sits up somewhat, and adopts a British-esque accent. "'He's old enough to be your grandfather, you know, so don't get any ideas about him.'" Eyes glinting, she murmurs, "I really do need to determine where Emma is, now."

Clara can't help but laugh at that, leaning a bit closer to the window and inhaling deeply. "Corian, my friend, you frighten me, I think. That sounded precisely like my great-grandmother for a moment when she's speaking Standard. Actually, Tarrant's -older- than my grandfather. Only by a year or two. What I find amusing is they likely served in the AF at the same time."

Corian, tucking her legs beneath her--as sitting in her preferred lotus-style isn't the best when one is wearing a skirt--offers an amused smile. "Ah, another person that I have frightened. Perhaps I should start a list." With a shake of her head, she adds, "Emma is not quite a great-grandmother type, though, I am afraid. She is a dear young woman--was very good at helping people release tension."

Clara takes a careful sip of her own tea, brows lifting with interest, although she drops into her own natural accent with a grin. "Ah, some of us younger folk are afflicted with the speech pattern as well," she explains, then tilts her head. "Is she a masseuse or a physical therapist then?"

Corian shakes her head, with a fond, almost distant smile. "No. She just knows how to make the most of her time, and insists that others do as well. Before we were to go out," she clarifies, "She would be very... excited. There was something almost childlike about her, despite the fact that she is highly skilled."

Clara doesn't bother to suppress the hyper-proper cant to her words once allowed to come through, but does smile faintly at the description. "Giani's somewhat like that. For all that she's tiny and adorable and returns almost as much male attention as she gets, I love working with her. Pure delight with the skill of a fully trained nurse."

Corian glances down at her teacup for a moment, with a brief nod. "I always did love teaming with Emma. There was an energy to her that made even difficult assignments easier." She looks up with a brief smile. "Perhaps I will be able to browbeat the Department into giving me information about her. Tarrant says," she adds, a rather Honalee-esque look of smug pleasure crossing her face, "That they are afraid of me."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Clara blinks almost owlishly at the information, obviously nonplussed. "-Afraid-? Of you? Good heavens... I mean, I'm fully willing to accept that you're trained for far more than you let show, but, well. The Department? Why would they be afraid?"

Corian considers for a moment. "The most recent time that Tarrant and I returned together from off-planet, when he sustained the injury from the plasma bolter, do you remember?" Duh. "I received a message from him that was intended for them. I went down there to... request that they offer assistance." Her smile is just a bit abashed. "As Tarrant said, they are used to dealing with dangerous people, but not with someone quite as angry as I was when they refused to help."

Clara inclines her head slightly at the reminder of the injury over a sip of tea, then listens to the rest of the explanation intently. "I believe I would have been livid, were I in your position," she agrees thoughtfully. "Do you mean to tell me that Tarrant was purposefully sent on a mission he wasn't supposed to return from?"

Corian hesitates for a long moment over her answer. "There was someone in the organization who wished to be rid of him," she says finally. "He thought it best to go elsewhere, as this person had not shown any reluctance to harm civilians to get to Tarrant." She looks for a moment like she's going to explain further, then shakes her head.

Clara's expression hardens for a moment as she transfers her gaze to the street below, shaking her head. "Harming a fellow agent, disregard for civilian safety...the person needs to be found and removed from his or her position." She pauses for a moment, eyes coming back with trepidation. "Do you think it could be the same folks behind that, that wish Riley gone as well?"

Corian makes a vague gesture of uncertainty. "I am unfamiliar with this particular person. I can ask Tarrant, if you like, once he returns, but I do believe that this is the sort of thing that he would mention."

"That's all right," Clara declines with a wistful headshake. "I guess there are times when I just see bogeymen in every shadow. I hate to say it, but I really feel much safer now that Lexington is passed on."

Corian pauses a beat. She doesn't say anything for a long moment, and, in fact, makes a mental note to hunt down her brother at some point--she's got to mention this whole Interior Department thing to him anyway, and she can ask about this as well. "I have not heard good things about Lexington," she murmurs.

Clara all but snarls, eyes flashing with sudden anger as she tosses her head. "If he isn't the one that had me sent off to that god-forsaken Outpost, I'll trade my inheritance. The man truly had it in for poor Riley. I can only be grateful that the current Chairman seems a reasonable sort." She sighs softly. "I hope whoever has given up, though. It's been awhile since the last attempt."

Corian absently smooths a wrinkle from her skirt. Yes, she definitely has to have words with her brother. "Riley is alert to problems, no doubt," she offers. "And if the rest of Security knows, then they are doubly vigilant."

Clara nods uneasily, taking a sip from her tea to keep her voice from rising into the shrill tones of frustration before she replies, "I know they are, and I know he is. I just wish...well, I'm not sure. I wish those madmen downstairs would understand that a seventy-two hour workweek isn't slacking off," she adds with a wry twist of her lips.

Corian's brows arch fractionally at that. She offers, sounding utterly serious, "I could go poke them in the eyes, if you like." She wiggles one finger. It's skinny. "It is stronger than it looks."

Clara stares for a moment, then dissolves into laughter, gesturing with her mug and nodding. "Brilliant. I can bring a speculum and beat them over the head at the same time. Take that, you evil overlords!"

Corian laughs very quietly at that. "Actually," she adds, sounding honestly serious this time, "Tarrant would be thrilled with the opportunity to poke somebody's eyes, if you think it would help. I have asked him to refrain from poking the Jansites, after all, poor man."

Clara shakes her head, smile going rather sad actually in negation. "It's a generous offer, mon ami, but one Tarrant and I have already discussed. He offered to find whomever it is that's threatening Riley...but I had to tell him no. I can't see Riley approving of me doing that behind his back, and I can't lie to him."

Corian ponders that for a long moment. "And I do not know that Riley would approve of it even if it were not done behind his back." She finds a place to put the teacup, rubbing lightly at one hand with the other. "I will just have to tell him to keep his eye-poking skills in check, then, I suppose."

"Exactly," Clara agrees, pulling her legs in tailor fashion and balancing her own cup on one knee while finding a grin. It was probably on one of the shelves. "Now, if he has ear boxing skills, that might be another story -entirely-..."

Corian nods thoughtfully to that. "Oh, I daresay he does--or he could learn them, if, by some miracle, he does not already posess them. He is rather a quick study at that sort of thing, after all." She fidgets with her ring, apparently unaware of the movement.

Clara's eyes fall to the ring, smile widening warmly as she considers it. "Is it very much different? Being married, I mean. It seems like such a big step..."

Corian stops fidgeting to tip a hand back and forth. "In some aspects, it is very different. It does not change the way I feel about him, of course, but I do believe that... well, I suppose my -perception- of those feelings has changed. It is difficult to explain. And, well, I no longer have to worry about various relatives tormenting him, which is nice--though there are always those like Hona, who will torment him no matter what. And having it formalized is nice, though I do not believe that formalization could make us closer."

"It seems very odd to me, having the relationship Riley and I do without being married," Clara admits somewhat sheepishly. "When he described a'trezla...to me it was like he was describing what marriage is supposedly like." A rather awed smile touches at her face. "And he still wants to marry me." She glances back up curiously. "Does he behave any differently now that it's formalized?"

Corian points out, with a fond smile, "The two are not mutually exclusive, after all." She shakes her head at that last. "He has been gone more?" she suggests, with a wry little smile. "Though the timing of that is not intentional, of course." She regards the ring for a long moment. "He was all joy when he asked me," she says, looking up with a smile. "Or, at least, when I said yes. I gave him a few bad moments before then. And it has been all joy since then, for the most part."

Clara inclines her head at that with a wry grin, leaning back against the wall again. "Not mutually exclusive, no. The decision is easy, but the act itself will be a near nightmare to get approved." Her eyes widen with rather sappy appreciation as she sighs. "Oooh, that -does- sound nice. And you're both so even tempered."

Corian's lips quirk fractionally at that last. "For the most part, we are, yes." With a shake of her head, she adds, "I honestly do fear which stories Riley will choose to tell him. It is a rare thing for me to show less than an even temper for very long, but... well, it is memorable, when I do." She chuckles very quietly, adding, "At least he fears speaking with Hona."

Claraquirks a rather sardonic grin at that, draining her tea before noting, "Riley and I are a bit more...volatile. He's far calmer than I am, though. Still, there's nothing quite like making up after a fight," she adds with a fond sigh. "And speaking with Hona is deliciously frightening. I'm hoping she'll give me lessons in being properly terrifying."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Corian chuckles very quietly at that. "I think she would be very pleased to do that--though I do hope that you will save being terrifying for recalcitrant patients and the like?" she adds, rather ostentatiously hopefully. "After all, with Hona, I can just hide if I do not wish to be tormented."

Clara waggles her brows and utters an ominous chuckle before grinning somewhat more lightheartedly as she reaches up to rub one eye with a fist lightly. "Can I torment Tarrant? He's just a good person to talk to, and getting to torment him would be splendid."

Corian nods amiably enough to that. "As long as you do not volunteer to Riley that I gave permission for that--after all, brothers are not allowed to torment their sisters' husbands. That one letter was certainly enough." She takes a moment to peer at her pocketwatch, then shakes her head. "Maybe I will be able to sleep now. In any event, I should try. Ximena has noticed that I am much more likely to look after her younglings when I am lonely, so she is sending Xalin and Tirisa to see me tomorrow morning--and perhaps a few other children as well."

"Letter?" Clara asks, blinking somewhat blankly at that, but nods affably enough and starts to unfold her legs. "It is late, yes. I'll try to comm Riley again, then just leave a message I think and go to sleep. He's likely gone and nodded off on the couch in his office again."

Corian, getting to her feet, shakes her head, with a wryly amused smile. "Riley apparently found it necessary to write Tarrant a letter regarding his intentions towards me--and what Riley would do if those intentions were not honorable." With a shake of her head, she adds, "I really do need to explain to him that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Clara lets out a soft laugh at that, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she rises as well. "I can't believe he actually did that. No, actually I can, but shame on him. This must be why he's always saying he's glad I don't have any brothers." She tilts her head, grin going wry. "And now you have Tarrant to help take care of you. To take care of each other," she adds gently.

Corian nods her agreement to that, her smile warm, but holding a decided element of longing. "We take turns protecting," she murmurs, as she turns towards the exit. "We have decided. Though I am not quite certain whose turn it is to protect, just now--probably mine, until he recovers from his trip." Casting a smile over her shoulder, she adds, "Thank you for the company, Clara. It... well, it helped."

Clara follows you to the door, nodding with a rather wistful agreement as she steals a glance backwards at the shelf full of penguins before replying, "And then there are the times when you take care of each other simultaneously," she adds absently, then brightens a smile as she opens the door. "Thank -you-, Corian. It did indeed. Sleep well."

Corian offers a quick smile. "And you as well, Clara." With that, she exits the room, off to attempt to sleep.


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