2/16/99

[In the research library.]

Clara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has arrived.

Niko is, as his room doing says, at a terminal, scrolling through various judicial-related files. He's intent on the work, and, from the scribbled notes before him, has been at it for a while.

The door slides shut behind Clara as she makes her way to the information desk to speak quietly with the librarian. The man nods in some sort of affirmation and pulls a stack of paper journals plus a small box of data disks. Claiming these, Clara heads for a terminal, then pauses at one. "Niko? Hey there..." she says quietly.

Niko is very focused on what he's doing, but starts a bit at the sound of his name, looking over. "Huh? Oh... hi, Clara." He rubs at his eyes with the heels of his hand, inquiring, with a faint grin, "How's things?"

Clara lifts a brow, although she looks a bit groggy herself, and half smiles. "Better for me than for you, I'd say. How long've you had your nose buried in all that?"

Niko peers at his chrono. "Too long," he decides finally. "Time flies when you're trying to decipher legalese, I guess."

Clara's nose wrinkles considerably at the idea. "Egads, awful stuff. Can I help? I can decipher medical legalese, if nothing else. Why the headlong dive into judicial studies? Going for JAG?"

Niko's shoulders twitch in a repressed shudder. "Mm. Not quite. Just trying to figure a few things out. Guido. Ela raised a few good points, but I need to figure out specifics."

Clara leans on the center divider of the terminal cubical, looking terribly curious. "I think I'm relieved. You're good at what you do now...may I ask what new points are coming up? If you'd rather, I'll let you get back to work though."

Niko shakes his head, shifting in a slow stretch. "Can't do any more just now. My brain shut off when I stopped. It's a wonder I'm still talking." His voice is tired, but holds wry humor. "She just pointed out that his own part in the fiasco in the rec hall would come out if he mentioned my part. Give a history of misconduct, revenge motive, that sort of thing. So what I was trying to figure out how the possible, uh, consequences would be different, in the two different scenarios." He pauses to take a breath, then adds, "Y'know. Try to figure out whether he'd think it was worth it."

Clara shakes her head with a faint smile. "You need some rest and a decent meal then," she decides, then nods reasonably. "Of course that would come out if he brought it up. As it is, it's a good thing he's getting a civilian trial. Court martial would bring up every pecadillo he's got on his record as evidence. Any conclusions yet?"

Niko murmurs his agreement to the rest and meal related statement, tacking on a mutter about evil diplomatic meetings for good measure. "Nothing yet, no. Deciphering that nonsense is... well, not even close to one of my strong points."

Clara leans forward to pat your shoulder consolingly, then refolds her arms over her books. "Ela off in meetings? That's rough...poor girl. Think she can help decipher the mass at all?"

Niko's head bobs in a brief nod, though a vague, rather silly smile crosses his face. Yeah, that's what he wants to do with Ela: discuss legal matters, woo hoo! "She offered to, yeah."

Clara doesn't bother to stifle an indulgent grin at the expression. "You're well and truly twitterpated over her, aren't you?" she asks, obviously delighted. "I'll bet she finds a few good leads for you, though. She's used to wading through all that diplomatic doubletalk."

Niko draws himself up as he is called twitterpated, really trying to look insulted. It's not going to happen, though, as that silly smile returns. "Well, yes," he says, after a moment. "I love her, you see. And she loves me. And that generally tends to make the world a pretty incredible place."

Clara's smile softens as she looks down at her books, satisfied. "It does, doesn't it? I could tell the two of you were in love the day we moved you from short term, but it's good to hear you say it. And it has to be easier with out a steady dose of painkillers to fog you out."

Niko nods emphatically at that. "Much as I appreciated not hurting, the painkillers made it difficult to think sometimes, let alone express what I was thinking." He grins rather crookedly. "Though I might've been a bit better-behaved if you'd lowered them a bit earlier."

Clara returns the look with raspberry and smirk. "I highly doubt it. I'd've likely been comming you ten times a day wondering if you were going into cardiac distress or if it was just your blood pressure tilting up a bit from external stimuli." Not that she'd know anything about that. "Council's meeting late tonight then?"

Niko says mildly, "Clara, I don't think you would've had to worry about that." He was very aware of that monitor, after all. At the question, though, he shakes his head. "Nah, it's the delegation that's meeting, not the council. Or maybe she's back already--she could be, as long as I've been at this. Though I'd think she would've let me know."

Clara rolls her eyes briefly, shaking her head with amusement. "Niko, I was -teasing- you," she explains, but does look mildly apologetic. "Sorry about it, though." She glances vaguely at the ceiling. "I'll let you go then just in case. Give her my best, okay?"

Niko shakes his head. "No need to apologize," he says cheerfully. "Kathlyn said worse--much, -much- worse." He gets to his feet, with a small grimace for abused muscles, then nods. "I'll tell her, sure. Think I might head down to the dining facility, though, instead of upstairs. Don't think she's back yet, and there's food down there... or an approximation, at least."

Clara looks somewhat wistful at the mention of food, then gives her books a guilty glance. "Kathlyn says things like that all the time," she notes absently. "I, uh...need to study. Motivation is greatly lacking, but that's never stopped me before. Have a good time, okay?"

Niko leans to log off his terminal, with a nod. He says, with a faint grin, "Y'know, those books'll still be there after you've gotten something to eat. Can't study well if you're thinking how hungry you are, after all."

Clara gives you a faintly dubious look, one eyebrow arching. "Maybe I need to recheck your psych file for the extrasensory scores," she accuses, then chuckles. "You wouldn't mind if I puttered on down with you, then? I'd about kill for something substantial right now."

Niko shakes his head. "Wouldn't mind at all," he says good-naturedly. "And you don't need to check my psych file. You just looked hungry is all. The power of suggestion, all that." He grins, then, and gestures towards the exit. "After you?"

Clara reshifts her books to hug to her chest and grins. "Aye aye, sir. I give way to your better judgement," she decides, and heads out the door.

[Travelspam deleted.]

Niko rolls his eyes as he trails behind, muttering about 'sir' and 'better judgement'. "Sure. That's it."

[Simple deleted a pose. Something about Clara asking him if he wasn't used to being sirred.]

Niko trails after Clara, pausing to coax a blue can from the vending machine, then exchange a few phrases in Hellenic with the unit. "Well... no, but especially not from -you-," he says, giving the machine a wary pat before heading for 'real' food.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Aliana arrives from the Central Atrium.

Aliana has arrived.

Aliana seems in an inordinately chipper mood as she bounces in...ala tigger, perhaps? She spots a space and poounces.

Clara actually goes for *gasp* a cup of black tea with cream and sugar and a plate of breakfast foodstuffs, chucking affably. "Hey, I sir and ma'am real good right along with the rest of 'em. Scored great just like in saluting 101. Where do you want to si-..." Her words cut off as she sees Ali, a faintly guilty look crossing her face.

Niko's gaze trails off to the source of Clara's word-cutting-off-ing, and he lifts his can in greeting to Aliana before moving to snag some pasta. "Usual table?" he suggests to Clara. "The round one, in the back?" Where else would Galahad sit, after all?

Aliana glances at the two and offers a rather friendly wave, 'hello!' She calls over before pulling out a couple of packets from her pack.

Clara offers a wan smile and head bobble to Aliana, then grins up at Niko. "Lead on, oh veritible heathen of the blue can soda," she suggests, then blinks at Ali's greeting and brightens a hint. "Evening!"

Niko trails over to the round table and slides into a seat. "Join us?" he suggests to Aliana. "Plenty of room, after all. And I will convince you, Clara," he adds, grinning as he pops the tab on his soda. "You, too, shall see that the blue can is the One True Way, and there shall be much rejoicing, yea, even unto the heavens."

Aliana wrinkles her nose at the can, 'If you say so' She says rather doubtfully as she moves over to the others.

Clara nods amiably at Niko's invitation as she slips into a seat at the table as well. "Please do." Taking a sip from her tea, she shakes her head, utterly amused. "Never. The lure of the red can is simply too strong. Destiny cannot be denied."

Niko says, quite seriously, "I met a lady from Destiny the other day. Bet -she- drinks the stuff in the blue cans."

Aliana tilts her had slightly, 'Destiny is a place?'

"Oh, tosh. That's ridiculous," Clara scoffs, dousing most of her plate in maple syrup. "Everyone knows the red can is the soda of destiny." She nods at Ali around a bite of French toast. "Mm-hmm. Pretty small, if I remember right?" She glances at Niko for affirmation.

Niko's head bobs as he starts to twirl some of the pasta onto his fork. "Y'go to the back end of nowhere, then turn left. Or was it right? I can never remember. One way leads to Hellas, and the other way leads to Destiny." He pauses a beat, apparently caught by the phrase. "The other way leads to... Destiny," he repeats, voice dropping half an octave. "Sounds like it should be a holo or something." He grins, then, and lifts his can in salute to Clara. "You'll learn. I have faith in the power of my Jihad."

Aliana chews her lips as she repeats this to herself..."The back end of nowhere" A pause before she asks, 'Is that close to the other side of beyond?'

Aliana knew she should have paid more attention in school.

Clara rolls her eyes, cutting one piece of toast into bits. "If you're doing a Jihad, then I get to do Crusades," she decides, then tilts her head at Aliana. "The other side of beyond? You mean hyperspace?"

Niko just nods to Aliana. He tasted the pasta, see, and liked what he tasted, so now he has to eat -more-, and quickly. He spears a bit of chicken and a sliver of carrot, munching intently.

Aliana shakes her head to Clara, 'Rhys told me his last post was on the other side of beyond'

Clara dissolves into quiet laughter, managing to get in a bite of sausage in the meantime. "I think that just means he was posted to a really remote system. There's several. I know Kashid's one...Hellas is pretty much off the beaten path too, isn't it, Niko?"

Aliana ohs softly, then says rather quickly, 'I knew that'

Niko's head bobs in an affirmative. "Mmhmm," he says. As he finishes that mouthful, he clarifies, "Back end of nowhere, as I said. It's got its good points, though." He grins at Aliana, then scoops up more food.

"Never have lived or been posted anywhere there wasn't constant traffic," Clara says thoughtfully, then tilts her head in apology at Aliana. "Sorry 'bout that. It's just been a ... -long- day. I tend to laugh over things that aren't funny."

Niko teases Clara, "You've had a long day? When I woke you up with that comm call? -Some- of us had already been up for five and a half hours at that point."

Aliana giggles softly, 'No apology needed.' A meatball is speared and eaten..mighy hunter?

Clara hesitates for a moment, a troubled look flashing over her features before she plasters on an easy laugh. "Okay, I'm caught. But it was a late night, what can I say? Getting Riley situated back in his quarters and all, y'know."

Aliana ohhhs softly, 'HOw is he doing?'

Niko catches the troubled look, and murmurs a vague apology of his own, perhaps a bit sheepish. And, of course, he doesn't say anything about his own bedtime. Wouldn't want Clara to get all doctor on him. Instead, he waits for the answer to Aliana's question and munches his pasta. Can't put a foot in a full mouth, after all.

Clara shakes her head fractionally at Niko with a faint smile, then nods at Aliana, reaching for the pepper to assault scrambled eggs with. "He's fine. Very, very tired still, but he's off the IV and all but two monitors, and even back into real clothing."

Aliana smiles broadly,'That is truly good news.' A pause as she sips her java. "He will be up and around soon, won't he?'

Niko looks mildly confused by Clara's headshake, but drops the subject, instead saying vaguely, "I'll have to pin down Anya about Addie going to visit him."

Clara tilts her hand from side to side. "He's already able to walk around a bit, shower, do things like that. He just can't do too much before he needs to lie down again." She nods gratefully at Niko. "That's an -excellent- idea. I think he'd appreciate that."

Niko inquires of Clara, "Could -you- tell her that, though, maybe? Tell Anya, I mean."

Clara's brows lift as she polishes off the last of the scrambled eggs. "Me? If you'd like, sure. I assume she's off at home for the night, though, right? I could pester her in the morning?"

Niko nods patiently. "I didn't mean now," he says mildly. "Just when you've got a chance and she's around. She'd likely hurt me if I told you to call her now, and then I'd have to find -more- raspberries. Gonna drive up the prices, at this rate."

Aliana tries to track the logic in that, then simply nods her head. That generally works.

"Aack! A run on the raspberry market! The stocks go nuts!" Clara exclaims, then scoops up all but her mug and takes it over for disposal before returning. "I'll talk to her tomorrow. Riley's likely still asleep anyway."

Niko now takes his own moment to try to follow the logic, but this time in Clara's statement. "Uh, what, so Addie couldn't visit now? Uh, yes. She's two. If she's not asleep just now, I'm very sorry for Anya." He grins wickedly. "Though there -was- a lot of sugar in those cookies... butterscotch chip," he adds. "Anya apparently told Addie that Ela likes 'scutterbotch'." He's obviously very amused by this. "Figured I'd share.'

Aliana blinks, a new found awe in her eyes as she considers Niko...mixing 2 year olds with alots of sugar...and here she thought he was a knight of the round table.

Clara laughs merrily, wrapping her hands about her mug, obviously a little beyond logic at the moment despite getting prodded into eating. "Scutterbotch, huh? I'm sure she's good and truly asleep, though. Ela made the cookies, then?"

Niko shakes his head. "Found 'em in this little bakery in the Quarter." He gives approximate directions, adding, "That place is fantastic. I could go there just for the smell."

Aliana takes note of the directions and grins, 'I will have to check them out.'

Clara shakes her head rapidly in dramatic denial. "Oooh, no. Nonono. Don't even tell me where it is. Just -smelling- anything that good would toss me right up over weight regs," she decides, then grins. "Tell me what it's like when you go, Ali."

Aliana tilts her head to the side as she considers Clara rather frankly..she shrugs slightly as she starightens and grins, 'Alright...I have one heck of a sweet tooth'

Niko inquires of Clara, quite innocently, "What if I told you everything in the store was guaranteed to be one hundred percent fat- and calorie-free?" Course, if he said -that-, he'd be wrong. Flashing a grin to Aliana, he admits, "Me, too."

"I'd say you were lying badly enough to end up with a tree branch on the front of your face," Clara replies to Niko just as innocently, then grins at both. "Me too. Pumpkin empanadas...sheer heaven, partiularly with cream cheese. Bakeries are scary places."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko nods affably to Clara, with a mumble about nerf. "And you'd be right," he agrees cheerfully. "It's a nice fantasy, though, huh? Never had a pumpkin empanada, though, with or without cream cheese."

Aliana pulls out her little notebook...flipping through until she comes to a blank line, 'Pumkin whats?'

Clara doesn't choke on her tea, mainly because she was in between sips, but splutters anyway at Niko's mutters. "No nerfs is good nerfs," she comments after a moment of regaining her composure. "Empanadas," she adds to Ali. "It's a Terran pastry, sort of like a turnover."

Aliana carefully sounds it out as she writes in her book. She grins as she quickly slips the book away.

Niko raspberries Clara, then grins as he finishes off the last of his pasta. "Oh... a thought. Miraculous, I know, Clara, you said something about wanting to check on my so-called progress? When did you want to do that?" Grin turning more amused, he adds, "I was going to try out the skates, see. Figured I might as well kill two birds with one stone."

Aliana finishes up her meatballs as she listens quietly...then carefully refolds the packet and slips it into her pack.

Clara tilts her head, puzzled. "I left my imager upstairs in the medkit, so I can't measure your muscle mass," Clara explains, then leans back to glance up and down Niko clinically. "I'd say you've built back up some...almost enough. You're in more than good enough shape to skate, though, if that's what you're asking."

Aliana follows Clara's glance...and okay so hers isn't clinic as a light smile touches her lip as she considers Niko.

Niko's lips quirk. "I was going to skate -before- I came to see you. First time I've tried it. Well... Ela's said she'd try it if I managed..." Then he notices that both women are -looking- at him, and the difference in the gazes, and he fumbles for his drink.

Aliana almost, but not quite smiles as she picks up her cup of java and starts to take a drink, 'I think I have seen you on those skates before..are they fun?'

Clara's lips quirk up in a grin as she notices Niko's discomfiture, and simply winks at him without a word. She's already full well told him just what she thinks of his appearance. "I think you ought to go for it and have a good time. The two of you will have a blast. Just don't -break- anything, okay?"

Niko shakes his head to Aliana. "You couldn't have seen me," he says, puzzled. "I only just got mine, never been on 'em yet. Maybe you saw Riley?" At Clara's words--or maybe her wink, it's unclear--he shakes his head and chuckles quietly. "Well, no, I can't. Not if I want Ela to go with me. She said she'd wait and see how much I hurt myself. I think four bones was the limit, or she wouldn't try it? She didn't say how long I had, though."

Aliana considers this for a moment then shrugs, 'I don't think I looked above their feet...so it could have been Sirgar for all I really remember.'

"Riley's likely who you've seen," Clara agrees. "Although not lately. Giant on wheels," she muses with a fond headshake. Tilting her head at Niko curiously, she asks, "Okay...so what exactly are you needing from me if you don't need clearance for this? I'm a little fuzzy here, sorry."

Niko grins crookedly. "I just wanted to make sure that it -wouldn't- be Vryce who patched me up, if I managed to fall too badly."

Aliana tilts her head thoughtfully as she repeats the name to herself, "No Vryce'

Clara suddenly catches on at the direct spelling out and laughs, shaking her head in bemusement. "Just comm me if it happens. I'll come get you myself and do the patch. It'll still be a week or so before I'm in Medbay." She grins at Aliana. "Vryce is an excellent doctor. He just has an...-interesting- bedside manner."

Niko murmurs a heartfelt thankyou to Clara, then says to Aliana, sounding quite sincere, "If you have any deities, pray to them that you never end up under his care." He grins, then. Apparently, he doesn't think -that- badly of Vryce. Just a little badly.

Aliana peers suspiciously at Clara, then turns to Niko, apparently trusting his judgement a bit more, 'What does she mean by -interesting-?'

Niko lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. "He wouldn't tell me anything about Riley," he says candidly.

Clara sighs faintly and nods. "Vryce has definite ideas on how to deal with a patient. Or rather, how the patient should behave, which is to be quiet and not ask questions." She offers Niko an apologetic look. "I'd have let you know myself, but I was a little preoccupied. I am sorry."

Aliana ahhhs softly,'I see' A quick grin as she considers this....heavens help Vryce should Ali ever come under his care.

Niko snorts very quietly at the description of Vryce's idea of patient behavior. Obviously, he did not fit said description. "No, no, Clara, I really am glad you did what you did," he says quickly. "Though that's good to know. Maybe I -will- find him if I crunch something, and ask every possible question... hm." Then he pauses a beat. "No, wait. Annoying someone armed with a regenerator is not the best of ideas."

Clara starts to voice a warning, then relaxes as Niko thinks it up himself. "Precisely. And I'm a -lot- more generous with anesthetic than he is, not to mention you happen to be closely related to a man who won't hesitate to tickle me within an inch of my life. I -have- to be nice to you."

Niko's head bobs at Clara's words, but his brows slowly lift at the tail end of her statement. "Ah," he murmurs. "Well. I'll do my best to avoid Vryce." He gets to his feet, then, to dispose of his empty dishes and to snag some water.

Clara regards Niko's reaction blandly, although there's a hint of expression that says she only opens her mouth to change feet. Nearly hiding behind her teacup, she focuses on Aliana. "So...Ali. How's Islien?"

Aliana just beams at the question...a tender expression filling her eyes as she pauses for a moment. "She said to tell you she is doing very well....tomorrow she hunts." a pause as she seems to listen to an inner voice again. "And to thank you for asking....She inquires as to how you and Riley are."

Niko takes his time getting his water, only to drain the glass as soon as he does. Then he ambles slowly back to the table. "If you ladies will excuse me," he says lightly, "I think I'm going to head upstairs. I've been awake a little too long, I think."

Clara simply beams at the response, delighted, although there's still that hint of sheepishness. "Please, tell her we're both well and that I appreciate her asking, and that I hope her hunting tomorrow is profitable," she adds, then peers up at Niko with a rueful smile. "Goodnight, then. Thanks for dragging me down here. Sleep well."

Aliana smiles as she bows from her seated position, "Rest Well, Niko."

Aliana nods her head as she turns back to Clara and chuckles, "She hopes so too....she is hungry"

Niko inclines his head, and murmurs a polite farewell before turning and loping out of the room.

You head towards the Central Atrium.

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