2/3/99

[The scene opens in the Medical Bay.]

Giani comes out from the short term care in time to see Niko, and offers up a brilliant smile. "Why, Lieutenant. What a pleasant surprise. Can I help you?"

Niko returns Giani's smile with one equally brillliant, pausing in his whistling to do so. My, he's chipper today. "Got an appointment with Clara, joy, rapture. Is she in her office?"

Giani makes a moue of surprise, shaking her head and peering up at the wall chrono. "You know, she's not? That's odd all by itself. She -should- have been here a half hour ago. Tell you what, have a seat and I'll comm her?"

Niko nods affably, heading over to the chairs. "Sure, Giani," he says, pausing a moment to squint at his chrono. "Maybe she's sleeping. What an amazing concept. Y'don't need to bug her, though. I can always come back after work or something."

Giani pauses in starting to use her comm, then grins as it beeps at her anyway and a rather hurried sounding Clara announces she's on her way. "There you have it, sir. Not getting out of this physical."

Niko, with great dignity and much maturity, raspberries Giani. Then he grins, clearly amused. "I'm not trying to get out of it. It's just a physical. No big deal. I'm just -trying- to be nice. But if you don't -want- me to be nice, then fine, I'll just be horrible and awful and disagreeable." Of course, since he's still amazingly cheerful, this statement is patently ridiculous.

Giani snorts cheerfully and slides into her chair at her desk. "Sure, Lieutenant. Rude and obnoxious. That's just you all the way," she teases.

Clara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has arrived.

Niko absolutely beams at Giani. "Really?" he asks, with amusingly feigned naivete. "I am? Will you tell people that? Folks have this warped impression that I'm -nice-, and we cant have that, after all." Clara gets a bright grin, and a cheerful, "Hiya, Clara. No need to rush, Giani wouldn't let me leave."

Clara comes in almost at full speed, looking utterly apologetic and just a bit harried. "Thanks, Giani," she calls over at the nurse, who gestures at Niko. She spins about and ventures a wan grin. "Hey, there. I'm so sorry...I sort of overslept. Giani?" she calls back. "You get a raise, dear. Thanks. C'mon, you. Over to the bioscan." The last to Niko, of course.

Niko gets to his feet, moving obediently over to the bioscan bed. "No need to apologize. We all need to sleep sometime, and it's not like I'm going anywhere. Not on shift for a bit, as Anya was kind enough to tweak my schedule to get me in here." Oh, and doesn't he just sound thrilled with Anya. He's still sounding pleased with the world at large, though.

Clara follows along with a faintly bemused expression, eyeing Niko thoughtfully before a hint of amusement crosses her features. She tugs the curtain shut and starts to assemble the appropriate tools before doing her initial hypo prep. "You, sir, are in entirely too good a mood. If I ask what her name is, do I get hit?"

Niko's smile is just a bit sheepish. "Aww, c'mon, Clara, I'd never hit -you-. It's Ela, though," he adds, that revolting cheer returning in full force. "You've met her a few times--the one who knows all the evil stories."

Clara's smile turns on in full force. "That utterly lovely young woman from the dining hall?" She turns to lift the hypo to hiss it against an artery in the neck to take a sample, but taps your chest with her free hand and lowers her voice. "I told you," she murmurs. "You look happy." She turns away to feed the sample to the vampiric computer.

Niko starts to nod, but, no, there's that hypo, and he's not going to move his head when -that's- near his neck. "That'd be her, yes. And I -am- happy," he adds, clearly attempting not to look too silly. "It's great. And you did tell me so, yes, we can put you in Anya's always-right club."

Clara unholsters her scanner and starts to run it over various places, still grinning broadly. "I couldn't be more happy for you," she offers with a fair amount of warmth. "Or her. Does she happen to know what a fortunate young woman she is?" At the last bit, she snorts, eyes dancing at the readout. "I'm not like Anya, as wonderful as she is. That's one heckuva shiner."

Niko ducks his head a bit, though whether his embarrassment is related to the question of Ela's awareness of her good fortune or to that black eye isn't quite clear. "Gotta hate it when you walk into somebody's fist like that," he says lightly. "It'll heal. No biggie."

Clara glances up from her readout, smirking broadly. "Incorrigible. I hope he looks a site worse than you do," she mutters, then reholsters the scanner and makes a notation on a chart before starting a manual check. It only -looks- like she's throttling Niko. "It will heal though, and I won't even offer to resonate it. Gives you character."

Niko chuckles very quietly at that, though he keeps still to avoid hindering the exam. "Of course, you didn't say what -kind- of character it gives me." He pauses a beat, then says, "Wish I'd thought to nag you about resonating it -before- the Chief saw, though. That was less than bright, on my part. Official notice and all. Now, though... well, it's a little late."

Clara pauses in her examination, sobering a hint as she looks up seriously. "Niko, no. He needed to know what happened...and what he did needed to be done. We all know that what's best isn't necessarily painless," she adds, then ventures a smile. "Now, you escape the orders to strip, since your shirt is thin enough." She hitches a stethoscope in her ears and places the disk. "Deep breath."

Niko's deep breath kind of keeps him from making any comments, but something about his expression suggests a strong opinon or two on the matter. He doesn't voice it, though. He just breathes. He's good at that. Practice and all.

Yeah, most people are fairly addicted to breathing. Just one of those things Clara's noticed. She moves the disk several times, nodding vaguely to herself before grinning. "You are, and I quote, disgustingly healthy, from initial exam. Let me check the blood and gen-scan, and then you're free."

Niko nods agreeably, downshifting from 'deep breathing' to normal breathing. "Are genetic scans a usual thing?" he queries. "I don't think I've had one done before. Not sure, though. Doctor Feintuch wasn't exactly your most communicative medical-type, so he could've done one."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, usually," Clara agrees, tapping up the wall monitor, which starts to flash rows of codon information under a slowly spiraling image of a strand of DNA. Beside it is a scrolling list of compounds in the bloodstream. "I always do one just to check over for any problems. It's not often that I..." Her voice trails off as she frowns at the screen.

Niko straightens somewhat at the voice trailing-off. He's generally pretty cool about medical exams, but pauses, on the other hand, are bad. "What?" he asks, peering towards the display. "What is it?"

"The bloodwork looks good," Clara notes absently, still staring at the genetic information. "But the genetics," she murmurs, obviously thinking at top speed, the gears upstairs working overtime as she taps in another command. The DNA picture vanishes, only to be replaced by another section of code.

Niko looks reassured, until that 'but'. Buts fall into the same category as pauses. He slides down from the bioscan bed, the better to see the code. "See," he says slowly, "For once, I'm really wishing I'd attended more biology classes."

Clara is completely enthralled with whatever nonsense is on the screen obviously, having claimed a remote stylus and by now tapping at various parts of the two sections of code, scrolling back and forth and murmuring to herself. Finally, she turns and tilts her head. "Oh, you're fine, don't worry. But...Niko? How long has your family lived on Hellas?"

Niko relaxes palpably as he hears the news. "Forever," he replies, sounding a little puzzled. Then he adds, with a short laugh, "Well, no, not -forever-, but there was a Casymed on the colony ship, so we've been there as long as Hellas has been... well, Hellas."

Clara regards you for a long moment, obviously puzzled, then turns back to the rows of code on the wall screen. "This is the -strangest- scan, though," she murmurs, bemused. "How much did you learn about genetics in school? Specifically in the codon rows at the mitochondrion level?"

Niko gestures rather vaguely. "I've forgotten most of the bio that I've learned," he says apologetically. "I -might- have learned about it, at some point, but it's since left my head."

Clara shakes her head at the screen, eyes still flickering over each section in comparison. "Okay, each person has their own specific codon map...call it a genetic blueprint, if you want. More personalized than a fingerprint, retina scan...anything. The thing is, yours if frighteningly close to another scan I ran recently. I just don't get it...I've only seen this sort of similarity at the nuclear familial level."

Niko looks decidedly confused by that, though there's a flicker of uncertainty about his manner. "That's, uh, rather odd." He squints at the code, as if it will somehow magically tell him why it's odd. "Can you tell me who the other one is? Maybe he--or she, or whoever--is from Hellas."

Clara shakes her head rapidly, still staring up at the code and obviously baffled. "I know who it is, and he's not from Hellas. I don't even know if he's ever been there," she adds. "You're sure you don't have any family on Kashid?"

Niko shakes his head very slowly. "I... no. That's not done. I'm the first of the family to go off-planet." He's still got that odd uncertainty, though.

Clara gestures vaguely at the monitor, shaking her head again. "Then I don't really have an explanation...unless..." She hesitates, then holds up a hand and mutters into her comm unit.

Clara says "Riley? You awake yet? It's me..." into her communit.

Clara's communit crackles to life and announces "Gwyack! The... is -now-...." in Riley's voice.

Niko pads back over to lean against the bioscan bed, still peering at the code. He mutters to himself, "... mistake..." When he hears just who Clara's comm-ing, he blinks several times.

Clara says "*snicker* Good morning to you, too sleepyhead. You needed the rest. Got a question for you...any idea if you've biological relatives on Hellas?" into her communit.

Clara's communit crackles to life and announces "... that... then I... thing... my... of... name and... and stuff...." in Riley's voice.

Niko really tries not to fidget too obviously, but it's a losing battle. Finally, he pushes off the bioscan bed, idly prowling around the room.

Clara says "It's...a long story. Can you come down to Medbay, maybe? It has to do with your gen-scan." into her communit.

Clara's communit crackles to life and announces "... coming,... a... to... shoes and jacket..." in Riley's voice.

Clara sighs and peers up at the screen again, then glances back, only to realize that her patient's gone AWOL. She peers outside the curtain and grins indulgently. "Sorry. I get a little sidetracked when a puzzle's got me by the tail. Riley's on his way down."

Niko comes back to the curtain, the better to squint at the screen. "Riley," he says slowly. "He's... the other... he's..." Amusing how he loses the power of speech sometimes, isn't it?

Clara glances up sidelong, brows raised over a serious expression a she simply nods. "And I can't explain it. Aside from his own genetic quirks, which I can't really discuss, the two of you could theoretically share a parent." She frowns back up at the screen. "Maybe I should get a second opinion...I -have- to be missing something."

Riley arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Riley has arrived.

Niko shakes his head firmly. "Clara, not to knock modern medical science, but... well, that's -impossible-. It really is. We -can't-..." He turns, then, spotting Riley, and offers a rather floored smile. "Hiya."

Clara lifts her hands in utter confusion. "I can't explain it, Niko. But the code is staring me in the face here, and all I can do is tell you..." She glances back at the greeting, confusion melting into a warm smile. "G'morning. How're you feeling?"

Riley comes padding in, still fixing the cuffs and collar of his gray shirt, and looking more than a little rumpled. He doesn't look blitzed or znonked, just like he's been sleeping in these clothes. He offers a wave to both Niko and Clara, looking confused but pleased. He has no idea what's going on, but he's just had an entire night's sleep, so he doesn't care if they're going to tell him they've set the building on fire. "Morning." He grins, "Good, mostly awake even. Yes, miracles will never cease."

Niko manages a crooked grin at that, though he's still got this rather poleaxed look about him. "Armageddon is nigh," he murmurs, "Anya told me so."

Clara waves a hand dismissively, eyeing the clothing with amusement, but not commenting. Has she relaxed a little about the situation? Oh, just a hair. "Chocolate's good for you," she notes, then turns back to the screen to attempt to make more sense of it and finish her sentence from earlier. "All I can tell you is that this sort of similarity -isn't- supposed to happen without genetic consanguinity."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Riley has come into this conversation a little late, it's a good thing Clara used nice small words when speaking to him. 'Chocolate's good for you' is something he can understand and appreciate. 'Genetic consanguinity' however really could use a couple of cups of coffee. He shakes his head, "Um, could I maybe get a recap of what I've missed and what I was needed for?" He casts a slightly abashed look at himself and the wrinkles and such.

Niko peers back towards the code in his continuing attempts to bludgeon some sense from them. He mutters to himself, "... -impossible-... doesn't... make sense... -can't-..." Apparently, he's letting Clara handle the explanations.

Clara gestures for Riley to come closer, then taps the remote at the upper section of code. "This is your scan from the other day. I spent yesterday going over it, or I would never have noticed this. This," she follows, tapping at the bottom set of code, "is Niko's scan. And the two are entirely too similar. For two men from different families, different planets, they should be wildly different."

This doesn't so much as garner an eyelash bat from Riley as he steps up to regard the indicated genetic code. He's an engineer. He just woke up. He has -no- idea what he's looking at. Clara's words however do sink in after a moment however and his chocolate colored (See now that he's eating chocolate again, they can be chocolate colored) brows knit together in an expression of 'I'm missing something here'. "So Nick and I have excessively similar genetics." There's a pause. "Is it the Edreeni thing maybe?"

Niko blinks quite a few times at that. "The Edreeni thing?" he echoes, taking on his own 'I'm missing something here' expression. He peers between Riley and Clara, giving the former a long, thoughtful look.

Clara tilts her head up at the screen to think this over, then shakes her head, pointing at another section of code. "No, that's an entirely different set of alleles for you. One of the more obvious differences. But here, here, and here," clickclickclick goes the remote, "I can't explain it. If you'd been to Hellas as a kid, and you," she adds to Niko, "didn't know your father, I'd say you could be father and son or siblings."

Riley does not -quite- choke on that first suggestion, "I'd've had to have been what, -fourteen-? I'd -remember that-." He manages to bring himself back to the subject at hand, rather than on the concept of him randomly fathering greek kids while a teenager. "Different alleles. Hmm, well, the Edreeni's on my mother's side..." Gee, he's remarkably enrapt in this as a puzzle and not even thinking about what's actually being said. No, wait a moment, there's a confused look, "Huh?"

Niko says dryly, at Riley's first comment, "So would my mother." He's still obviously confused as all get out by this Edreeni thing, but just as obviously isn't going to ask, because, gosh dangit, he's got other concerns.

Clara casts a smirk up at Riley, rolling her eyes. "I didn't say you fathered any children at fourteen, silly. I said the code is similar enough." She glances over at Niko suddenly, an unreadable look on her face before she tears her eyes away. "I have to be missing something," she repeats to the screen.

Riley leans heavily against something convinient. It's time to do some serious thinking, not serious standing. Kindly, in the interest of somebody coming up with something to help, he thinks aloud. "Okay, my biological mother's family I know pretty well. Most of it's still living, back five generations if you include me, least the maternal run of it is." He's not making a lot of sense, but -he- knows what he's talking about. "Though my great-great-grandmother's getting on." He pauses, "My father's family, I've no clue. All I've got of that's a few holos and a name, eh? Is it possible he's from Hellas? Would that be enough to explain the consanguinity?"

Niko flickers a look of vague apology to Clara, even if he's not quite together enough to understand why he's apologizing. Riley's revelations get a few puzzled blinks, as he processes relatively startling information. He still holds his tongue, though, glancing back to Clara for her answer.

Clara folds her arms at the explanation, seeming to be following it fairly well. "Your father's family is fully human?" she asks, then shakes her head and starts to tap at the remote again, scrolling through both sets of code. "Not really. Even if the cultural link is there, this is- too- close. Nuclear family level. Niko, what's your father's name?"

Niko's brows lower thoughtfully, but his reply to Clara is automatic. "Basilius. Basilius Themistocles Casymed. But, Clara, he's -never- left the planet. Ever. Unless Riley's mother visited there at some point, and they--" Okay, parent sex, this is getting into a realm that Niko just does not want to visit.

Riley mmhmms quietly to Clara, "Least it'd seem so. The brief genetic information I'd been given before didn't indicate that he'd have been anything else."

Thankfully Riley doesn't have Niko's problem. See, cause his -mom- is not his mother. So there's no evil kid based flinching that has to result. "I can ask, but from the way I heard the story, my mother met my father on Kashid." He pauses a beat, "Standard needs more words."

Clara's brows furrow at the screen, an obviously uncomfortable with her conclusions and unwilling to share them. "I..." She shakes her head and clicks off the screen, both displays blanking. "Call it a fluke, then gentlemen. I'm sorry to have bothered you both with this...it just threw me for a loop. Niko, as I said, you've got a clean bill of health aside from the shiner."

Niko regards Clara for a long moment, then asks, "Chief--Riley--your father's name, the original one--" A pause. "The original father, not the original name." He shakes his head, obviously a little frustrated with his lack of speaking ability, asking finally, "What is it?"

Riley just looks confused. He was asleep. With a penguin. This is not a situation conducive to comprehension, especially not when random genetic discussions occurr afterwards. He has to pause a beat to answer Niko's question, "Hmm? Oh, Terrence Veruzac."

Clara turns away quietly, letting the men discuss this as she inconspicuously starts to put away instruments and make notations in Niko's chart.

Niko blinks several times, very slowly. His words equally slow, he says, "I know him, I think. Well, no, I don't, he left Hellas before I was born, but... He--does he play chess? If it's who I'm thinking--and Veruzac isn't the most common name on Hellas--then he was my father's best friend."

Click. Oh dear. It's the crashing sound of things falling into place. Riley blinks a few times, the gears moving only a cog at a time. "Um, I don't know about chess. Like I said, I don't know a thing about the man. I uh, have a couple of pictures though, if that would serve to verify things?"

Clara glances up from her chart blandly, pausing mid notation to look from one man to the other. And oddly enough, she doesn't seem surprised. She moves forward to lay a hand on Riley's arm, suggesting gently to both, "Why don't the two of you find some coffee and talk this over?"

Niko, unlike Clara, does seem quite surprised. He seems floored, in fact. He nods, though, first to Riley and then to Clara. "I've got a picture, too, in my album." He looks for a moment like he's going to say something else, then just murmurs something about coffee.

Riley glances at Clara with an extremely grateful look. It's also a sappy look, one that would probably cause pine forests to simply spring into being. "Coffee," he manages at length, "Sounds like a damned good plan."

Clara returns the look with a rather insipid one of her own before she can realize what she's doing and clear her throat, schooling her features to bland compassion. "I'll catch up with you two in a few hours, hey? You can toss me out an airlock or buy me lunch, whatever you want at that point."

Niko manages a vaguely amused look at the various looks being passed between the two. "At this rate," he says lightly, "I'm not going to need sugar for my coffee. Uh... any preference for place, Riley? And we'll catch you later, yeah, sure, Clara. Lunch, though, sounds more likely than tossing you out an airlock."

"My place maybe?," Riley offers, "I've undoctored coffee, the aforementioned pictures, and umm... I could really stand to change into something a little less squashed looking." He grins at Clara and nods, "Have fun."

Clara tosses an almost wistful, and very casual, salute at both men with a wan smile. "Enjoy, fellas," she offers, then vanishes into her office without another word.

Clara walks towards the Chief Aleron's Office.

Clara has left.

Niko nods affably as he heads for the exit. "Sure, that sounds good. I can stop by and snag my album on the way or something."

You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Second Floor Elevator Lounge

Despite being one of the major hubs of activity in the Complex, few people linger here. While there are usually people present, usually they are on their way to someplace else. The lobby is nice enough, with broad tapestries hung on richly paneled walls, and floors of veined black marble; but it is simply too busy for most people to stop and chat in. The occasional tasteful potted plant lurks in the corners, and large mirrors are hung near the elevators for passing lobbyists to check their appearances before descending to the main level. Corridors lead to the northeast and southwest.

Obvious exits:

Elevator General Housing Library Security Maintenance Medical

You arrive from the Medical Bay.

Riley arrives from the Medical Bay.

Riley has arrived.

You push the button.

From the elevator, With a ping, the doors slide smoothly open.

You walk into the elevator.

Elevator

The elevator rides up and down in a glass shaft, overlooking the foliage of the atrium below. The motion is smooth, and each floor is marked with a delicate "ping" as the elevator arrives there.

A bank of round blue buttons on either side of the door has the numbers 1-4, and a button labeled "Below".

The doors are currently open, the direction arrow is pointing down and the dial above the doors points to 2.

Obvious exits:

Doors

From outside the elevator, Riley walks into the elevator.

From outside the elevator, Riley has left.

Riley has arrived.

You push the button marked 3.

The elevator direction light changes to UP with a ping.

The doors slide shut, soundlessly.

The elevator glides almost imperceptibly upward and goes "ping" as it reaches floor #3.

With a ping, the doors slide smoothly open.

You leave the elevator.

Third Floor Elevator Lounge

While it is as tastefully decorated as the other levels, this elevator lounge seems a bit more homey and less 'designed'. Perhaps it is because the occupants of this level, the Complex personnel, are less transient than the populations of the other two housing floors. Large area rugs are spread over the black marble floors to muffle the sound of footsteps. For some reason this level also lacks the occasional tasteful potted plants lurking in corners. A comfortable bench is set up along one wall, and over it is a corkboard of notices.

<< To see a directory of tenants, type +view corkboard >>

Obvious exits:

Elevator

From the elevator, Riley has left.

Riley has arrived.

Riley unlocks the door to room I16 and goes inside.

Riley has left.

From the elevator, The doors slide shut, soundlessly.

You communicated "I'll be in in a minute... album and all." to Riley.

Your ear receiver beeps, followed by Riley's voice, "Check, gotcha."

Niko pops into his room and emerges after several minutes with a flat leather album-type book. He peers at it for a long moment, then, with a shrug, heads over to Riley's room and raps lightly on the door.

A muffled reply comes from Riley's room, "It's open."

You unlock the door and go into room I16.

Room I16

While the battered nature of the furnishings shows this room has been occupied for some time, little else distinguishes it from being an un-assigned room. Sunlight is piped in down a reflective tube from the upper levels, and the small patch of resulting light illuminates an un-used desk. From the proximity of the cooking unit the desk presumably also serves as a dining area, but there's little evidence Riley cooks much. Cupboards provide storage space above and at the end of the desk, their doors are kept shut. A small closet is half-open, revealing a closet full of uniforms and the occasional t-shirt. The door to the bathing unit is closed as well. The sleeping unit is stored in one wall. Perhaps the only personalization to this room at all is a battered sofa across from the viewscreen with noveltapes scattered at one end, and a picture on one wall of a small girl standing on a huge beach with a stuffed penguin in her arms.

Contents:

Riley

Obvious exits:

Out

You come in from the Elevator Lounge.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Riley is just managing to get the t-shirt straight, and his hair is still vaguely damp. Obviously he opted for a lightning quick shower as well. He goes to poke at the coffee maker, "Sorry, Clara woke me up and all. Needed to get cleaned up. Have a seat?"

Niko starts to page through the album as he comes into the room, apparently looking for the right page. Looking up with a faint grin, he shakes his head. "No need to apologize," he says, with a mild doubletake for the various confused entities on the shirt. He heads over to take a seat by the desk, where he also deposits said album.

Riley juggles various mugs and coffee preparing things, "Want anything in your coffee?" He goes ahead and pours one mug full. Said mug has something printed on it in Edrilac. It's probably snide.

Niko shakes his head, then pauses. "Sugar, yeah, thanks. Not a lot." He squints at the Edrilac print, then shakes his head. The only Edrilac he knows, after all, are stock phrases that he memorized in school. Where is the bathroom. I would like to buy some butter and some cheese. Take me to your leader. No, none of those seem to fit.

Riley adds sugar to the second mug, pouring the coffee on top of it so that the heat of the beverage will melt the granules correctly. Adding a spoon he offers the second mug which has the AFN logo on it in faded print, to you. Gulping his own irregardless of the heat, he goes to a cabinet and rummages behind a pile of noveltapes for a couple of holocubes.

Niko murmurs his thanks overtop the clinkity-clink of spoon against mug as he stirs. "Nice mug," he adds, lips quirking as he gestures towards the logo. Spotting the holocube-rummaging, he starts to page carefully through his album. "More old-fashioned, this, but that's Mathraki."

Riley heads over to the desk, settling a holocube on it gently. "These are convinient because they can be so easily copied. I used to own some actual flat photographs, but they were all destroyed. I've only the one on the wall now. I keep everything in crystal storage in different places and all so I don't lose the ones I have left." He tabs at a couple of keys, bringing up the image of a man with dark curly hair and dark eyes. The man is with a woman, and in her the Edreeni ancestry is more obviously marked. The picture seems to have been taken at some kind of festival. "My parents. Techincally."

Niko peers at the picture for a long moment, then nods. "It's him," he says quietly. "Or a ringer for him." He finally hits on the proper page, to show his own picture: that same dark curly-haired man, at least a decade older. He's apparently playing a game of chess with a younger man, a woman of about the same age sitting between them and watching. She, it may be noted, has a strong resemblance to Niko. Terrence is apparently pretty close to winning the game, though; a captured bishop still in his hands, he looks decidedly pleased. "My parents," Niko echoes, with a gesture towards the younger couple. "And Terrence Veruzac, who was Dad's best friend for a while." He looks for a moment like he's going to say something, then frowns instead, and reaches for his coffee.

Riley tugs over another chair, dropping into it to regard the pictures, each in turn. At length he says clearly, "There are days, Nick. When I am struck with how remarkably twisted the universe is, and how odd its sense of humor must be to have generated life as we know it. By the laws of probability, chance, logic...you name it... What we have here is simply impossible. But, it also seems remarkably hard to find any way around our pet impossibility, for we have the proof of our eyes before us."

Niko is still churning the facts over in his head, twitching of his brows echoing random shifts of thought. He doesn't say anything for a long moment. "So your original father knew Dad," he says slowly, finally, though not without some hesitation. "Very small, this remarkably twisted universe."

Riley is quiet a moment more, not wishing to disturb the younger man overmuch. Riley's had about as many years as there is age difference between him and Niko to come to terms with the concept that he isn't exactly the product of the people he was raised by. There's a definate thrilled hint to his posture however, for all that he's worried about Niko's reaction, he's delighted as well. "Maybe," he ventures, "You should call your parents sometime?"

Niko chuckles very quietly at that. "Yeah," he agrees. "For something like this, they might actually use a comm-link." He shakes his head, then, gaze flicking between the two pictures. "Suddenly," he says slowly, "So many things start to make sense." Of course, full understanding of the situation hasn't quite dawned on him just yet, as he's still stuck on the whole paternity thing. He mumbles, barely audible, "Iolytus Nikolaos Veruzac. By all that's holy, there -are- worse names than mine."

Riley can't -quite- stifle a snicker at that horrendous tongue twisting nominative. He shakes his head though, "Worse yes, and most assuredly not your name. No matter who contributed the genes, your parents did the raising. Just as my parents are -my- parents, even if neither a one of them was involved in the technical aspect of it, eh?"

Niko nods his agreement to that, albeit a thoughtful one. "Of course," he agrees, "Exactly. This man... Terrence, whatever we're calling him, he may be my father biologically," And Niko most certainly stumbles over those words, "But he's not my -Dad-." He pages lightly through the album, all kinds of touching or funny familial scenes, to settle on a ridiculously adorable one. It's a profile of Basilius and Niko, the latter looking to be about four and ridiculously fluffy-haired. It looks like they're fishing, with Basilius holding Niko in his lap and helping with the mechanics of the rod. They're both very intent on it, but the delight on Niko's face is obvious. "This," he says softly, "Is my father. He's -Dad-."

"Bingo," Riley says quietly, a great deal of satisfaction in his tone. "And as long as you know that, and you let -him- know you know that, everything'll be fine. You just get a whole bunch of scary relatives all of a sudden is all."

Niko blinks at that, and, to be honest, looks mildly disturbed for a moment. Then, very slowly, comprehension dawns, and he turns to you, very obviously torn between startlement and this delight that he's trying to throttle. "Wait a minute. If he... and your mother... well, that means that you and -I-..."

See, Riley caught onto this one immediately, seeing as he didn't have the other shock to process through. He looks frankly thrilled at this, "Are half-brothers, yes. This doesn't mean you get to lock me in the closet though, or steal my couch. Or rather if you do, I'm allowed revenge, eh?"

Niko radiates innocence. Galahad the Pure, that's he. "Lock you in the closet?" he inquires. "I thought that was something that was done to young--ack." He stifles a laugh, adding, "Your -couch-, on the other hand, is tempting. I could never find them big enough."

Riley snickers softly, lifting his shoulders in a bemused shrug. "Growing up Zach was as likely to come up with evil as Corvil, and Zach's my younger brother." There's a pause, "My other younger brother." He grins wryly, "Try an Edreeni furniture store. It's cheating, yes. But it works."

Niko blinks, then looks successively enlightened then sheepish. "Of course. I should've known. And it's hardly cheating, especially not for you, I guess." He pauses a beat, then takes up his coffee, swallowing a mouthful before admitting, voice quiet, "I always wanted a brother. Don't get me wrong, I adore my sisters, but... well... it's different.'

Riley makes a hit on his coffee as well, and as he's been at it the whole time the cup is now empty. He climbs to his feet, heading for the pot of the substance. "It is. I've a sister as well. A brat." This last is said with fondness however. He offers you a grin, gesturing questioningly with the coffee pot towards your mug, "Hey, and think of it this way, you get out of all the horrible stuff brothers do as kids." He pauses a moment, startled into a snicker and making a comment about Kyara borrowing the skimmer, this has been his week for aquiring impromptu relatives.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko peers into his mug, still mostly full, then shakes his head, with a murmured thanks. He grins throughout your words, then pauses a beat at your last, suddenly looking decidedly disturbed. "If she calls me 'Uncle Niko', I -swear-...."

Riley replaces the pot in the maker. Your comment does not generate a snicker, it gets an all out laugh as Riley slides back into his abandoned seat with a headshake at the pictures again. "Anya would probably have a fit of apoplexy laughing if Kya did that. Talk about wild... I don't think I've ever read anything -this- mixed up." He pauses, "Not that I'm complaining." He's serious a moment, although sheepish, "I've gotten a lot of mileage out of this quote lately, but in Lerner and Lowe's version, Arthur says, 'If I could choose any man from all the world to be my brother, it would be Lancelot.'" He pauses a beat and clarifies, "I could not have been any luckier had I gone through and been able to choose."

Niko is silent for a long moment at that, then reaches for his coffee and downs a mouthful. He's a manly man, he's not going to cry, even though your statement very obviously touched him. "I..." He coughs once in an attempt to clear that huskiness from his voice, and tries again. "Thank you. 'Me, too' really sounds ridiculously inadequate, but you really did express that so -well-." He puts down the mug, carefully closing his album, and offers you a smile that, while tentative, has the warmth and promise of a clear summer morning.

Never mind that the quote makes an even bigger jumble of the whole Arthurian mythos present here than there was before, Riley is very thankful to it for having given him the right way to go about saying something. He grins in return, just altogether entertained by the entire situation, and thrilled beyond words. Downing another measure of his own coffee, he has a required intake amount before he can be considered a person each day after all he just nods. "Well, it's been a week hasn't it?"

Niko blinks at that for a moment, then clearly takes a moment to consider what exactly has happened during the past week. "Uh, yeah," he says, really trying not to snicker. "Yeah, it's definitely been the most... interesting week I've ever had." And then he gives in, leaning back in his chair and just -laughing-. No, he's not nuts, it's just a perfectly normal outlet, and a heck of a lot better than, say, taking a tangler and shooting your boss/brother.

Riley can't help but snicker as well, leaning crossed arms on the desk. In fact there's just a few long moments spent snickering helplessly. "Pudding.." he eventually manages at length, although there's not much he can eke out after -that-. Eventually he eases off, "Sorry by the way, for leaving you with Kya at the Fruvous last night. I was just about to lose my temper again if I stayed, and I didn't think that'd go over well."

Niko, rubbing at his jaw as he finally stops laughing, makes a dismissive gesture. "Don't worry about it. Ela rescued me soon enough, so it was no big loss to have to deal with Kya for a few minutes." He gets that ridiculously cheerful look about him, then adds, a bit absently, "She said you looked very tired. And she seemed surprised by this. Is this a Stilvani thing?"

Riley nods amiably at the mention of Ela-rescue, "That's good then, that you didn't have to endure her long. Hopefully she'll start clueing in soon. If not I'll have to haul her out and show her how things are. I'd really rather avoid that." He lifts his brows at the cheerful look, a bit bemused. "I think Kya is...very young in some ways. I really don't think she understands the potential evil of her joke, or what all happened while she was away."

Niko lifts his shoulders in a shrug of agreement. "Well," he says carefully, "I tried to... emphasize the fact that she shouldn't let practical jokes get out of hand. I hope you didn't mind my assigning her to clean your office. I was just trying to come up with something that she really wouldn't like, but I thought that having her clean the tunnels might go a little far. Just a bit. I do hope she gets a clue, though," he adds absently, more to himself than anything else. "That, or lose a little weight."

Riley shakes his head amiably, his expression a bit lost in thought as he contemplates the problem of Kyara. "Nah, I don't. I told her not to touch the desk, and the rest is fine. Besides, she needs to have -something- to hand, since she's not Security. No, I think you covered it pretty well." He pauses a beat, "Lose a little weight?"

Niko pauses a beat to formulate the proper words. "I was... not pleased to see her," he says carefully. Of course, he degenerates into mumbles for the rest of the explanation--picking her up by the lapels and suspending her in the air for a bit. "I didn't drop her, at least," he adds, "Though I still think I went a bit far. Between the--" Yeah, a quick substitution here, "--discussion that morning and all, I was on a bit of a short fuse."

"I think you did better than I would have," Riley offers after a pause and a startled look. "If she'd walked in when she first showed up. Besides, it was a very clear demonstration..." He pauses again, "Not that randomly picking up people is always a good thing, but I certainly don't think Kya was hurt by a bit of education. She could use a bit more. Even -I- don't antagonize Anya, and I have rank and a comfortable working relationship of long standing with her."

Niko nods at that, a small grimace crossing his face. "Not to speak ill of her," he says, his preface a sure indicator that he's going to do just that, "But sometimes it seems like she really doesn't -think-. Like that comment in the Fruvous, right before you left. Admittedly, my relationship with my superiors when I got started was nothing even -remotely- like what we have here, but I never would have even remotely considered such a challenge. That on top of the situation that we've got here..." He shakes his head, expression vaguely troubled. "I don't know. I hope she figures out a few things."

Riley nods a bit mournfully, mentally worrying at the problem like a puppy with a bone, or a ferret with a beanie. "It's my job to make sure she does I'm afraid. If something were to happen, full scale war, random malicious transfer, being too close to the next pudding bomb, and this rather carefully built arrangement were to fry... Well she'd have to survive in the AF for real, not as some kind of kid playing at soldier. And with her attitude, she'd be tossed out if she was -lucky-."

Niko continues the fraternal tradition of nodding, a hint of grimness crossing his face. "She needs to understand that," he says quietly. "And she -needs- to know that it isn't as casual everywhere as it is here." Too bad we can't send -her- to Corvil for a bit. "Honestly, I'm still kind of floored that she even made the decision to join up. It seemed very... uncharacteristic."

Riley considers this at length, framing a response. "She found the situation she was in intolerable, and life threatening. I don't think she really wanted to join the AF, she just wanted a safe out. She couched it in terms of honor and all that jazz, but honor had little to do with it by my definition. But then culture being what it is, she and I probably don't have anything even remotely similar in the definition department. Still, it's the situation we have, and the one we have to work with. She's just a kid, I don't want to leave her out in the dark if the luck were finally to run out on me."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko nods very slowly at that, his brows lowering in a thoughtful half-frown. He doesn't mention that Kyara's only about a year younger than he. It's a question of attitude and maturity, after all, as well as chronological age. "I don't think it will," he says slowly, "But the possibility has to be considered, I guess. She's got concerns along the same lines, though I'm not sure if she's totally aware of the possible consequences."

Riley finishes off his second cup of coffee, but does not go in chase of another. He rotates the mug with its alien script in his hands. "I don't really -expect- the luck to run out anytime soon. Hells, it looks like it's been working on overdrive for me lately. I mean I've joked about riding the luck for years, but I think this afternoon I honestly -believe- that. How else to explain..." He just gestures at the album and holocube. "Still though, I don't want her to be in the dark if something were to happen. She's young, but that's curable. There's hope for the kid yet, she doesn't deserve to get doomed if I can do something about it."

Niko quirks the smallest of grins at the repeated use of the K-word, but nods nonetheless. "Knowledge is power," he murmurs. "And she's got the potential to do a lot better, yes. When I apologized to her for the whole picking up incident, she got very military. It was interesting. Now if she could just figure out -when- to do that..."

Riley may not use the k-word in regards to Niko, but he seems to think it entirely justified in Kyara's case. Hey, she's his daughter after all. He doesn't even seem to eb aware of his repeated use of it. But then as much as he's trying to think of at once, it's hardly surprising. Then something seems to kick in, "Honalee's gonna get -such- a snicker out of this."

Niko's brows lift slowly. "Honalee? Well, yeah, I guess it's amusing and all..." But since he still doesn't know the full story, he's mildly confused, and it shows.

Riley realizes the point of confusion, and looks a bit sheepish about having been musing aloud. "Honalee's my great-grandmother." There, that should sum it up.

Oh, gee. Yet another startling surprise. "Wow," he says, once he's finished blinking. "No wonder you miss her and all." He blinks another few times. "Really, really, dang small universe. Unless you two planned the postings?"

"Not so small as it seems," Riley explains, "They were psoting Kashidians in groups originally. And then later, Honalee's a civilian, with the right to go where she wants and all. So she and I ended up in the same place by dint of a little planning."

Niko ahs very quietly, a quick grin crossing his face. "All right, that does restore my faith somewhat in the order of the universe. Of course, I'm still kind of floored about us and all." He glances briefly to your holocube once more, then inquires casually, with a gesture towards Terrence's image, "Y'know where he is?"

Riley nods a moment, "Floored is a good word on my end as well." But then he shakes his head, without even the slightest hint of regret. "No, and to tell you the truth, I've suddenly lost all desire to know. Obviously he wasn't the most...ethical of people."

Niko regards the holo for a moment or two longer, then shakes his head. "Well," he says, a quick grin crossing his face, "Chalk one up for environment, instead of heredity. Whatever else can be said for us, we certainly don't take after -that-."

Riley nods rather emphaticly, his loose curls all but spilling into his face with the force of the expression. "True enough. Although he must have had some kind of redeeming quality to have been your father's best friend and all. I dunno, I don't profess to understand such things. It's just a serendipitous circumstance." He pauses a moment, "You really will need to contact your parents though."

Niko hesitates at that, fingers curling loosely around his coffee mug. Clearly, he's not all that sure whether he wants to talk to his parents about this. "They don't really use technology, though. I could maybe contact Aunt Thalassa, see if she could talk to Mom," he says dubiously, "But, see, I'd rather that -I- tell her I know, and she's not likely to make use of a comm-link for anything that isn't really extreme."

Riley nods, scooping up his mug and climbing to his feet to stow it in the cleaner. "Letter by commstat maybe? Speed's near instant, and if your aunt's willing to help they wouldn't have to bother with the actual technical parts."

Niko nods slowly at that. "She would. She... see, she's the one I asked when Dad made all the fuss about the picture, and I didn't want to ask him or Mom. She's a big fan of familial communication and all." He chews lightly on his upper lip. "I guess a letter would be okay. Just seems kind of impersonal."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Riley nods after a thoughtful pause, trying not to be too intrusive. "If nothing else, you can use letters to try and get a comm meeting." He pauses again, "WOuld you rather do it the long way? GO home and visit?"

Niko hesitates for a moment or two. "Transit would take too long," he says slowly. "Commstat will work. Once they see the letter, maybe they'll go for a comm-link." He pauses a beat, then shakes his head. "Of course, that would involve figuring out what to write." He chuckles very quietly.

"If you're sure, Nick." Riley rummages idly in a cabinet, "We could find the time for you, move a few things around here and there if you'd rather say things face to face." He finds a box of candy bars and pulls it from behind a couple of penguins, "It is rarely easy to think of what to say. Goodness knows I had a lot of trouble in a similar situation. But I gave in and said it quickly and simply, like tearing off tape quick so it hurts less."

Niko nods slowly, still clearly thinking his way through the matter. "Well, yes," he muses. "That's the way they'd likely appreciate it, too, instead of a lot of hem-ing and haw-ing and such. But I've been off more than I've been on lately," he adds, with a crooked grin. "Time I start pulling my weight, that sort of thing. It'll be fine, Riley." From the look of him, he's maybe speaking with a bit more confidence than he actually feels. "But thanks for the offer. I do appreciate it."

Riley regards you at length, but doesn't press. Instead he offers a candy bar absently. "If you change your mind, want suggestions, or a couple of shots of scotch, just let me know, eh?"

Niko takes the candy bar with a murmur of thanks, expertly pulling off the wrapper. He breaks off a square of chocolate, considering it for a moment. "Suggestions," he says finally, would be appreciated. "Scotch should likely wait, though. I've been drinking more than I'd like lately. Chocolate will just have to do." He nibbles on the candy, adding, with a faint grin, "I'll choose my vices. That works."

Riley scoops out a chocolate bar for himself, peeling off the foil. He considers this at length, choosing his words with care, "I think it really helps to try and put yourself in their shoes first. Why would they have wanted to keep this from you? To protect you, eh? SOmething along those lines. So how to show em you don't need protecting anymore? Or how to explain that it doesn't bother you... Only you know em well enough to find words. But the trick is to reassure them first, and then ask for the information. Don't go asking first."

Niko nods thoughtfully as he munches on another square of chocolate. He flattens out his own foil bit as he thinks and munches, working at the creases. "It will take a while to figure out what to say," he admits, with a small grimace. "I don't know that they'll ever think I don't need protecting, though. It's just a question of letting them do what they need to do, while I do what -I- need to do. But... not asking first, yes, that makes a lot of sense."

Riley slides into a chair again, munching idly on the chocolate bar. "Wonderful substance is chocolate. Caffiene, sugar, lots of awful stuff. Terrible for you. But would you believe I was about to fall over from not having eaten the things? No joke. Sometimes the stuff that seems the worst is the most important. It reconciled a lot of things with my parents when we sorted everything out. They no longer had to hide it. Helped my family a lot."

Niko's brows lift at your chocolate-related revelation. (Sometime, his brows will have to be covered in chocolate, perhaps via another dessert-related explosion, so he, too, can have chocolate brows. "Chocolate? Seriously? Dare I ask?" He nods at the last, rubbing lightly at the bridge of his nose. "Yeah," he agrees, finally releasing his coffee mug so that he can polish it off. Coffee and chocolate and a brother, what a happy day. "I'm still really beyond confused about a lot of things, and I'm sure that talking with them will help with that, but there are also some things that weren't discussed, that weren't done. Now we can be more..." He gestures vaguely with one hand, wide gesture pulling in closer to himself. "Us. I don't know. And maybe now," he adds drolly, "Gigia will stop fussing about if I'm 'ever coming home'. This really explains -that-."

"Has to do with that tad bit of Edreeni ancestry." Riley explains as he continues breaking of parts of his candy bar. "Mixes in such a way that I burn glucose too fast. I stopped eating concentrated sugars, and bang, started going to hell in a handbasket with a good intention to light the way." Hello tormented phrases? He nods amiably, "Exactly, lies have a way of keeping people apart. It's a lot safer without them."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko really tries not to look amused by the news about the chocolate. "Ah," he murmurs, that amusement flickering forth as he adds, "Well, now I know what to get you for your birthday." At your latter statement, he looks thoughtful. "Well, it wasn't quite a lie. An omission is pretty close to the same thing, though, even though their intentions were good. And they were," he adds, with a quick smile.

Riley pauses to consider birthdays, briefly amused, "Fifteen years to the -day-," he muses. The latter gets a nod, "Maybe 'secret' woulda' been a better word. Makes guilt and all." He nods, "The best of intentions. And there'd've been no harm in you never finding out. But under the circumstances, I'm glad the dice fell the way they did."

Niko nods emphatically at that, with a broad grin of amusement for the birthday. "Figured you'd know that," he murmurs. "And I'm glad, too, of course." He's silent for a moment, thinking, then blinks suddenly. "No -wonder- you like tziziki, even if you eat it in such an odd manner. My faith in the order of the universe really is restored."

Riley all but chokes on a piece of chocolate, laughing at that. "The secrets of the universe explained! Next on Derris Ajun..." He shakes his head in wry amusement, "Great, I really -am- an infidel."

Niko nods solemnly, though his eyes are glinting with humor. "Yes. I'm very sorry, but you are. But it's not too late! You can convert to the One True Way."

Riley pauses, turning to regard you rather wryly, a single brow arched. "One True Way, huh? Sorry," his grin lightens, "I'm morally opposed to soda in blue cans. I shall have to remain an infidel."

Niko stifles a snicker at that. "Actually," he admits, "Most of the family prefers the stuff in the red cans. I got hooked on the blue stuff at Evinast. So you can convert without changing your beverage preferences."

Riley pauses at length to consider this, mulling it over. "I don't know... I'm probably too set in my ways to change now. See, cause I probably perpetrate all kinds of evils against greek food. I even eat Pavilion gyros of my own free will."

Niko blinks several times, his eyes widening in shock that is mostly feigned. "Maybe Ela will cook for you," he ponders. "You eat -her- cooking, you'll never go back to the scary stuff in the Pavilion. Though, actually, that's likely not a good thing, as the vendors in the Pavilion are a heck of a lot less busy than poor Ela. That really -was- good, last night, though." That last statement is, of course, quieter, and more to himself.

Riley chuckles softly, his eyes lighting with amusement. "The last thing I need is to be spoiled, considering it's something of a luxury to get out to the actual Pavilion for food as it is." He pauses a beat, questioning with a vague smile, "Your friend from home fed you then?"

Niko nods at that. "Yeah, when she rescued me from Kya, she had food on. Gyvraki. Good, good stuff. She almost makes it like gigia, which is pretty incredible." Seeing that the last of his chocolate is gone, he folds up the wrapper into a neat little square. "Really a great evening, overall. Ela made up for Kya being disturbing." He catches that goofy grin before it gets too ridiculous, and ducks his head.

Riley catches the goofy grin as well, brows arching a bit in bemused curiosity. He's itching to ask, but he knows it's dangerous territory. He proffers another chocolate bar from his stash. "The little pasty thingies?" Ooh, specifics. "I've only had that the once, back on Earth in San Fran. Some great little corner places to eat there. Izakiki's, with the souvlaki to die over, and where they wouldn't harass a uniform." He adds quietly, "Ya' had fun then?" Ooh, deceptively simple question considering the depths of Riley's curiosity.

Niko nods confirmation of the first question. "The pastry thingies, yeah. They were great." He pauses at the second question, then nods, a slow smile crossing his face. "Yeah. Yeah, we had a really wonderful time." Another brief pause, and he adds, "Clara said it would happen. I just didn't know that it'd be like this. Talk about where you least expect..."

"Clara said what would happen?" Riley questions quietly, offering a grin at the smile. He's pretty sure what the name of the game is, and he looks more than a bit pleased although he's trying not to be obvious. There's nothing someone deeply sappily in love likes more than seeing someone else in a similar state.

Niko says simply, "She said I'd find someone." He doesn't add 'else', and, happily, doesn't even hint at that word in his voice or his manner. "Ela, she's..." He shakes his head, trying unsuccessfully to keep back another of those stupid grins. "I just wish this could've happened sooner."

Suspicions confirmed, Riley looks inordinantly pleased. "That's a good thing, a wonderful thing. See, sometimes the luck really does run, eh?"

Niko nods at that, with a broad grin. "You're not even kidding. And I keep hearing that things happen in threes. Not that I'm asking for more, but, dang. As great as the first two have been..."

Riley nods emphaticly, "And hey, you never know what could happen next. I've long since given up on trying to guess, good or bad, it always seems to e..." There's a repeated chiming from his wrsit unit and Riley fumbles for his radio that's been left on the counter. Dang, he took the thing out. Obviously this was an important conversation. "Caught."

Niko's brows arch fractionally as he spots the radio on the counter. "Couldn't last forever," he murmurs philosophically. Then he catches sight of his chrono, and a decidedly startled sound emerges from his mouth. "Ack. Anya's going to strangle me." He clambers to his feet, unfolding himself from the chair like one of those uncomfortable chaise lounges with the nylon straps. "I'll catch you later, all right? And thanks. For everything."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Riley is snagging his uniform jacket from the back of the couch, "She's gonna kill me too. I have a meeting in ten minutes or so." He nods, "Later Nick. And thank you... This is just... neat... Really, really neat."

Niko pauses by the door to flash a broad grin over his shoulder. "Yeah," he agrees. "It is." Of course, then he practically bolts out the door, skidding to a halt in front of his own door as he remembers that, yes, keys are preferable to crashing into said door.

You leave the room, pulling the door shut behind you.
[Travelspam deleted.]

SECURITY> Riley arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

SECURITY> Riley has arrived.

SECURITY> Kyara is at one of the computer terminals, reading Sherlock Holmes. 'The Speckled Band'. All of the coffee mugs are spotless.

SECURITY> Riley comes all but pelting in, trying to button up his uniform jacket and with a pile of paperwork under one arm. He waves and ducks into his office.

SECURITY> Riley walks towards the Chief Addison's Office.

SECURITY> Riley has left.

You head towards the Security Central.

Security Central

Unlike most of the rest of the complex, the security offices are designed for ease of use rather than aesthetics. Wood paneled walls and marble floors are not to be found here. Brushed steel and plate flooring take their place. The acoustics in this room are designed to muffle sound, so despite the metal flooring and the constant coming and going of security personnel, the area does not quite achieve a cacophonous state. A large bank of monitors takes up the bulk of the east wall. On each is displayed video from various security cameras as well as information garnered from customs and immigration. It is from here that security can keep an eye on most everything that happens in the Complex. There are always at least two uniformed guards on duty with nothing to do except watch the monitors. A broad desk is located near the entrance, with an officer present to handle queries.

Three arched doors lead from this area. One to the brig, one to private offices, and the third to the elevator lobby.

Contents:

Kyara

Tally Board

Obvious exits:

Chief's Office Brig Elevator Lounge

You arrive from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Kyara looks over to blink at the retreating Chief. "What the...?"

Niko is, like Riley, attempting to get his uniform into order as he hurries into security. He slides into his seat, really trying to look like he's been there forever, then starts apologizing to Anya. "It's been a day," he concludes, looking ridiculously cheerful despite being late. "He's got a meeting," he adds, to Kyara.

Anya just lifts a brow, shaking her head. "Useless, the pair of you." Her tone is not entirely displeased though, "Dare I ask?" She nods to Kyara as well, "Fleet Admiral on the comm."

Kathlyn, somewhere between Niko and Kaycen in the seniority gradient, just stares. She mutters to herself, "... didn't know... swung that way... wonders never cease... least he's... getting some..."

Anya overhears the latter part of that mutter and manages to get coffee -right- into her sinuses.

Kyara blinks. "Oh!" She casts a thoughtful frown toward Anya. "Fleet Admiral Ransh-what's-his-name? That's usually bad news, isn't it?" She just /blinks/ at Kathlyn.

Niko shakes his head to Anya. "It's all really confusing, but I'll let you know when we know--what?" He blinks mildly, obviously not having heard the aforementioned mutter. "Are you okay? I'm not -that- late, am I? The Chief and I were just..." He trails off, as Kathlyn's stunned snickering has caught even his attention.

Still trying to breathe through coffee, Anya manages to nof to Kyara. "Fleet Admiral Ranshek. And it's not always bad news. He's the Chief's immediate superior, so he has to report to him." Niko's words just make Anya's mental picture -worse- and -she's- trying not to snicker which is bad because she -knows- better.

Kyara peers at Niko. "Not that late for what?" She loftily refuses to allow certain mental images into her mind, and ignores Kathlyn.

Anya and lofty are concepts far removed from each other, and she's still snickering almost incessantly into her coffee mug, "All that ... fluffy hair ... confused."

Niko gestures around the room. "I was on shift..." He peers at his chrono, and winces. "Well, a while ago. Just got a little involved in what we were doing is all. I mean, this is all a really bizarre experience..." That sends Kathlyn into peals of hysterical laughter, and poor Niko just looks really confused, peering between her and Anya. "-What?-"

Kyara can't help- she starts to snicker. "Five stars for the evening's entertainment," she mutters. "Niko, what /were/ you doing?"

Anya would really -love- to explain it to Niko, but just now she has her head on her deask and os laughing so hard that she's shaking. Nothing in the helpfulness department is she going to be coming up with for a minute or two.

Niko goes all kinds of red as Kathlyn whispers in his ear. "That's -illegal- on Hellas," he sputters. "We were -talking-. Honestly, y'all have your minds so far past the gutter..."

Anya manages to wipe at her eyes, still snickering. "Sorry Niko, it's just when y'all came running in and putting on clothes... Well, that's normal enough, -I- didn't blink, but Kathlyn's comments, and then you just made it -worse-..."

Kyara giggles, nodding at Anya's words. "

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kyara giggles, nodding at Anya's words. "Oh calm down, Niko. You and the Chief make a /lovely/ couple."

Okay, that does it. Kyara's comment sends Anya in to a new fit of laughter, "No, too much fluffy hair..."

Niko is trying desperately not to join the others in dying laughing. "No, guys, you don't -understand-. That would be seriously, seriously -wrong-. And I'm not just talking about job weirdness, here."

Kathlyn dissolves into snickers again. "Come on, Niko, you can keep it upstairs, right? Or at least have the courtesy to go into his office..."

Kyara doubles over in laughter. "So /that's/ what the sound screen is for!"

It is good Anya is not drinking anything. She probably would have ended up choking to death. "Wrong Niko?" She can't finish her snide comment, as she is laughing again.

Niko literally chokes at Kyara's statement. Oo. Bad air. By now, he's just a really -disturbing- shade of red, though that's conceivably because he's still trying desperately not to laugh. "Wrong," he confirms, to Anya. "Very, horribly wrong."

Kyara shakes her head, eyes merry, though she glances toward the entrance occasionally. This would be a /really/ bad time for, say, Lexington to walk in. "Oh, c'mon Niko," she purrs. "So are you two planning on adopting then?"

Anya -can't- help it, she -has- to ask. "Why Niko?" Splutter, snicker, splutter, "Intimidated by tall men?" Considering Niko is only a hair shorter than Riley, this is a patently ridiculous comment. But then presumably, that was the intention.

Niko just chuckles at Kyara, wiping briefly at one eye. He's slowly but surely returning to his usual color. Leaning back in his chair, he says, quite casually, "Oh, it's nothing too surreal, Anya. It's just that, well, he's my brother. That's just kind of wrong."

Anya pauses a moment and then goes in search of her jaw. She's dropped it somewhere, see. Eventually she manages, "And you call that, 'nothing too surreal'?"

Kyara blinks, choking mid-laugh, to stare at Niko. "Say what?"

Niko stifles a laugh. "I was trying to be blase," he informs Anya. "It's actually just about the -weirdest- thing I've ever heard. But then today--" His comm-unit, with the worst possible timing, chimes at him. "Ack, Saaranus." He holds up one finger, then answers the call, starting his litany of yessirs.

Kyara throws up her hands in frustration, mumbling a curse under her breath.

Anya just sighs quietly, realizing Niko will be on the comm a while and she will be denied answers. Cruel. This is cruel. But then, considering two minutes before the whole room was implying the fluffy haired wonder duo was engaging in lewd but amusing acts, it's probably only fair.

Niko scrabbles for a piece of paper, scratching a barely-legible notation of Saaranus's complaint. He's still keeping up a steady stream of murmured acknowledgements. That way, he can pretend that everybody else in the room doesn't exist. For once, miraculously, he's -grateful- to the Sectassian.

Kyara returns to reading Doyle, occasionally glancing over to see if Niko's off the comm /yet/.

And it does take quite a while for Niko to get off the comm. Saaranus is on a role today. He finally does turn off the comm, a small smile playing across his lips as he waits for the questions to begin.

Anya is tapping a pencil, quietly. "Okay, so do you cough it up Casymed or do I have to sic Addie on you?"

Kyara leans back in her seat, folding her arms. "What she said."

Niko makes a sound somewhere between a snicker and an ack. "No, please, anything but -that-. But we're still not really sure about all the details, except that, well... we've got the same father. Clara found that we had really similar genetic makeups during my physical today. Pretty bizarre, huh?"

Kyara blinks. "Understatement... Uncle Niko."

Anya blinks a lot. She pauses. "Well that would explain why you're both so infuriating..."

Niko just chokes at Kyara's words. "No, see you're not allowed to call me -that-. My niece is -two-." He flashes a quick grin to Anya. "Yeah, among other things."

Anya adds, "Although the fact that you're both -male- explains that honestly..."

Kyara giggles, then, sobering slightly, wags a finger at Niko. "I'd make that a closely-guarded secret if I were you." Anya's comment earns a snicker.

Aliana arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Aliana has arrived.

Niko snickers softly at Anya's words, then peeres at Kyara. "That my niece is two? I don't think she'd mind if I told..." He doesn't see Aliana just yet. He's peering at Kya, see.

Clara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has arrived.

Aliana pokes her head in slightly...almost as if she wanted to run....but then she mutters again, 'Allright'

Clara walks in reading from a folder in her arm, brow furrowed as she frowns down at the information there as if she were -not- pleased about what she's seeing there. She glances up to start weaving her way through, then pauses at all the flabbergasted expressions.

Kyara rolls her eyes. "Not that. The fact that y'all are bro..." She cuts herself off at the entrances. "Evening, Clara," she smiles.

Aliana pauses by the doorway..looking like she would much rather be anywhere else but there.

Niko ahhs quietly at Kyara's words. As she greets Clara, he turns to grin at the doctor as well, that expression fading at both Clara's frown and Aliana's... well, presence.

It's that cocktail party thing. Clara doesn't hear the first part of the comment, but does hear the greeting. She edges towards Kyara, puzzled, but with a faint grin. "What's got all the rummies flummoxed?"

Anya looks a bit nonplussed too. She's not exactly sure -why-, but she does.

Kyara's eyes shift to Aliana, then flick to Clara as she shrugs. "I'll tell ya later."

Aliana catches sight of Niko's expression and she bites down on her lower lip uncertainly. Then her shoulders square and chin rises as she asks, 'Is Riley in?'

Niko says smoothly to Clara, "What you told the Chief and me earlier, see, it turns out we've, uh, figured out that you were right after all. Sorry I was so difficult." His gaze slides back to Aliana. "Chief Addison is in a meeting."

Clara nods vaguely at Kya in agreement, then flashes Niko a purely apologetic smile before opening her mouth...and shutting it again as Aliana beats her to the punch. She blinks at Niko before she immediately sinks into a nearby chair. "I was? You mean...really?"

Aliana nods once,'Then I will wait. I need to speak with him'

Anya nudges Niko lightly, murmuring to him, "Not...he just ... to say it was..."

Kyara gives Aliana a brief, cold look before deliberately turning back to her terminal.

Niko's brows lift at Aliana's words, but he nods nonetheless. Clara's inquiry gets a broad grin. "Yeah. Isn't it bizarre?" Anya's nudge and murmuring catch his attention, though, and he responds in kind. "Oh. Did... tell... people waiting... see... that one... one... supplied Kyara... green... not sure..."

Clara joins the fair amount of security looking flummoxed, then nods and climbs to her feet. "Okay, that solves my problem," she says simply, glances around at the various cold looks, and shakes her head briefly, murmuring about dictating charts.

Riley walks here from the Chief Addison's Office.

Riley has arrived.

It seems to take all of Ali's will power to keep her expression smooth and chin up as she watches Kyara's action. Her arms cross before her and she looks straight ahead.

Clara heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has left.

Riley arrives with a thick pile of papers in one hand, "I'm supposed to he..." He pauses as Clara leaves, looking a bit dissapointed. "Sorry, I was in a commed meeting. What's up?"

Aliana turns at the sound of a door opening and steps forward, "Admiral Addison...May I have a few moments?'

Niko starts to transcribe his haphazard notes from Saaranus's call, looking up to say something to--hey, she's gone. He blinks, though flashes a quick grin to Riley. "Somebody to see you, Chief." He gestures towards Aliana.

Kyara glances up briefly toward Riley, pausing as Ali speaks.

Riley winces at the 'Admiral'. Painful evil word. Ouch. Ow. Ick. "Sure, what can I do for you?"

Aliana glances towards his office, then up at Riley..for a brief moment her confidences about to flee along with her ability to speak...bu ahh, there they both are. "I am the one responsible for your skin turning green.' There...said.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Kyara frowns, eyes flicking toward Riley, and she shakes her head, ever so slightly.

"Yes, I know. And?" Riley's expression is simply questioning. "Anything else?"

Niko just transcribes. Scribble, scribble. Erk, no, scribbling isn't going to do it. He actually takes care, writing neatly and legibly, though with those odd quirks to his script that are inherent in the fact that this is his second written language. He's not listening at all. No way.

Aliana seems a bit taken aback by this, then nods. "I have sent a message back to Sirgar...and I will be out of your complex as soon as I recieve my punishment."

There's a pause, Riley looks a little confused. It's been a confusing day. "Why?"

Kyara /blinks/.

Niko, despite the fact that he's busily working and not, in fact, listening at all, arches a brow.

Aliana reaches up to play with her necklace then lets out a deep breath,'I knew when I was assigned to the complex, that I was on my final warning...and the next mistake I made, next prank I pulled would be my last. But I did it anyway.'

Riley explains with detailed care, "Aliana, I cannot officially take notice of the ridiculousness with the green dye. If I do, Kyara will be thrown out of the AF faster than I can blink. I really would rather not have to do that. I must say I find it more than a bit distasteful that you witnessed how worried folks were and didn't say anything, but you have taken no AF oaths concerning honor or standards of behavior, so I have nothing to say. I won't be saying anything to anybody."

Kyara lets out a strangled sound, half-rising from her seat. Jaw dropping, she just /stares/ at Riley.

Clara arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has arrived.

Aliana glances around the room, gaze resting on each person for a moment before she looks back at Riley...For a brief moment, her eyes glisten, then her control has returned and her voice while soft is steady, 'And that above all is why I must go.'

Clara slips back in again, this time with a clipboard in her hands, then stops and peers at the tension going on. Yes, she's walked in at another bad time. Rather than interrupt, she simply edges her way towards Niko, holding out the clipboard and a pen and pointing at a line saying 'signature'.

Niko glances over his shoulder at Kyara at that strangled sound, finishing his transcribing and adding a few notes of his own. Clara distracts him, then, as he takes the clipboard and reads it. Looking a bit abashed, he signs his entire unpronounceable name, with a murmured apology for not doing so earlier.

"I'm not going to make you stay," Riley notes quietly. "I have no authority over you one way or another. As far as my authority's concerned you're a free citizen with rights to make your own decisions. But I will not, and can not, press any kind of citation or charge."

Kyara stumbles back into her seat, looking more than a little bewildered.

Clara grins vaguely down at Niko and squeezes his shoulder before taking the clipboard back, then jerks her head at the discussion questioningly at him, eyes questioning what she doesn't ask aloud.

Niko's gaze follows Clara's movement, and he murmurs something to her, voice not moving past her ears.

Aliana nods once...and as she feels her control slip, she offers Riley a bow.....serious for once. Her gaze moves to take in the rest of the room and she says quietly, 'Goodbye'

Aliana turns as slips out, head held high.

Riley could sell her into prostitution maybe, but not cite her.

Aliana heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Aliana has left.

You whisper "Aliana is the one who supplied Kyara with the <name of that evil chemical that we never actually named> to turn Riley green. Apparently, coming here was a 'last chance' kind of thing for her, though, honestly, that seems kind of bass-ackwards to me. So she screwed up again." to Clara.

Why is it every time Riley finally has everything in hand, people have to come be confusing at him. He pauses and adresses the room, "Does anyone have a clue I can borrow?"

Clara is busy staring after where Aliana ran to, casting puzzled looks at Niko. "-Her-?" she whispers, astonished, not even registering Riley's question.

Kyara shakes her head. "I was gonna get one from /you/."

Niko nods seriously to Clara. "Yeah. Surprised the heck out of me, too." He pauses a beat at Riley's question. "Uh, try chocolate? I don't know."

Riley snags a half a chocolate bar from one pocket at Niko's suggestion, it sounds like a plan. "What did she expect out of me?

"Probably to be like that Guildmaster of hers," Clara notes absently, nearly grating out the man's title. "Do you think she'll be all right?"

Riley sinks down into the empty chair half opposite Anya's desk, his usual position. "I have no idea. What else could I do other than not take offical notice of the event?"

Kyara waves a hand. "Um, hello, clueless person here. How could I get in trouble with AF for something I did before taking the oath?"

Niko shakes his head slowly at Riley's question, taking up his paper and dropping it into Anya's in-box. Lucky Anya. At Kyara's question, he glances back at Riley as he returns to his seat.

Niko says, "Nothing, Chief," too. He forgot that part.

"It counts as offering your word under false pretence, Kya." Riley's reply is almost weary. "To swear to serve and protect when you knew you'd left a time bomb..."

Kyara ohs, very very quietly.

Clara leans against the side of Niko's desk, folding her arms and still staring at the door. "Without mentioning it to anyone at all," she agrees, still watching the door thoughtfully. She does a quick look from one man to the other and murmurs, "Sorry for the can of worms today."

Niko flickers a faint grin at Clara. "No, I'd rather know. I think there are still some things I need to find out, and some things I need to tell folks, but I'd still rather know."

"You've got a lot to learn about the AF still, Kya." Riley offers in what's an attempt at consolation. Catching Clara's mutter he offers her a grin, "That was probably the hilight of the day."

Kyara sighs, nodding. "I can hardly disagree," she notes mournfully.

Clara's brows quirk at the reaction from both, obviously surprised. Okay, this isn't what she was expecting, but she's pleased, nonetheless. She reaches over to ruffle Niko's hair, simply because he's closest and offers a wistful smile at Kyara. "We all get to learn. Some of us the hard way. You're not alone."

Niko looks a bit puzzled by Clara's surprise. "What, did you think we'd be upset?" He pauses a beat. "I mean, it's unsettling and all, and I still want to know -how- the heck it happened, but..." He just grins, then, though the expression is sobered a bit by the doctor's last words. Then, of course, he straightens his hair. Can't have it all ruffled.

Riley drops one ankle over the other, stretching his legs out a bit. "It was a surprise, but a pleasant one, eh?" He doesn't touch the rest, still too unsettled after Aliana's visit.

Kyara nods to Clara, rather annoyed at herself. "I'm generally not this stupid." She glances toward Niko with a slight smile. "Shouldn't be too difficult to find out."

Clara grins back at Niko, waving a hand at his head. "You've got a cowlick," she notes affably, then shrugs. "Consider the way it looked from my end, Niko. The -last- thing I wanted to do was come up with the final possibility." She peers at the door again. "I should go after her."

Niko peers at Kyara for a long moment, some of his good humor dropping, then shakes his head. He mutters to himself, "... needs... learn more... more... AF." He nods at Clara's words, with a faint smile. "Yeah. I understand that, trust me. I'm still having an, uh, interesting time with the final possibility." He flickers a glance at the door as well, but doesn't say anything about going after Aliana.

Riley glances towards the door as well. "It's your call Clara, you've the background and all." He pauses a beat, "What was it you came in here for the first time? Something I can help with?"

Kathlyn feels the need to conform, and so looks at the door as well.

Kyara glances toward Niko at the mutter, fidgets, and finally gets to her feet, /not/ looking at the door. "Can I get back to cleaning your office now, Riley?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, it was nothing Riley," Clara manages, frowning at the door vaguely. "Except if she's gone back to the Guild, I can't follow her," she murmurs, then sighs heavily. "Can you fellas at least tell if she's left the Complex?"

Riley nods to Kyara. He starts to say something, but brings it up short. "Yeah, feel free." He nods to Clara, climbing to his feet to go poke at a terminal. "She's not in the building." There's another pause, "Last shot we got of her was in the Pavilion, headed for the Bonded yard."

Kyara blinks, pausing, then shakes her head and continues on her way.

Kyara walks towards the Chief Addison's Office.

Kyara has left.

Clara grimaces and stuffs her hands in her pockets, pushing away from the desk. "Bother," she murmurs, starting to nod at Kyara, but shrugging as the woman slips out before she gets a chance. "I can't go there."

Riley questions quietly, "Can't?"

Niko takes a blank piece of paper from the pile, starting to scribble on it in Hellenic. He looks up briefly to glance between Riley and Clara, listening for a moment, then muffles a sudden grin and turns back to his paper.

Clara tucks the pen in her hand into a pocket and nods absently. "The Guildmaster and I...don't exactly see eye to eye. Okay, I'll let you fellas get back to work, I guess. Don't do double shifts, okay? Either of you."

Riley starts to say something again, but once again comes up short. "Uh, are you sure?" This was not quite what he wanted to say, but it's what he managed.

Niko says, without glancing up, "I think we've decided against tossing you out an airlock, Clara, so we owe you some food, huh? I can run down to dining and snag something."

Clara pauses in turning, brows creeping up. "Sure about the Guildmaster? Oh, indubitably. I threatened him, then thought up a few choice names for him in public after he'd left," she offers lightly, then grins at Niko. "No airlock? Hey, this is a good thing."

Riley shakes his head rather quickly, hair scattering. "I meant were you sure you should go?" He chuckles quietly, "Not to mention we don't -have- an airlock. And besides, I'm awfully attached to you, I wouldn't vote for spacing, see." He eases back into the chair.

Niko is scribbling now in fits and starts, still in Hellenic. "Spacing," he concurs, "Would be bad. Even if it were possible."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Clara flashes Riley a quick, excessively warm smile, and shrugs. "I don't have to go, no. I'm off shift now. And the spaceport isn't -too- far away. You two could always bribe someone to take me up. But I'm with you...I don't even like to fly let alone be outspace without a suit."

Riley looks a bit relieved at the smile, reassured of something or another. He returns it almost shyly before nodding. "It's an aquired taste sometimes, and some folks never pick it up. Flying, not being spaced. That's kind of a one shot deal. Still, we could all meander down for foodage."

Niko's brows lift a bit at that. He ventures, with a quick glance at Anya, "I was late on shift as it was. Ducking out early, as appealing as it sounds..."

Riley looks a lot sheepish at Niko's comment, seeing as he was no earlier. "Oh yeah, good point... Piles of stuff on my desk..."

Clara rolls her eyes, nodding. "I've spent my entire adolescence on an O'Neill. It's a taste I never acquired," she decides, then peers from one to the other, smiling faintly. "Which tells me I can get my own dinner. Okay, you guys enjoy. Don't work too hard."

Riley does not look pleased at this. In fact he looks rather like a kid who's had his toy taken away. Rather pathetic for a grown man, and Anya obligingly kicks his boot lightly. Riley offers her a look and climbs to his feet. "Work, yeah." He turns officewards briefly before offering y'all a wave and turning to head into it. Banished to paperwork.

Niko doesn't look all that thrilled, either, though for a different reason: he's -hungry-. Unlike Riley, he can't live on chocolate alone. And, just as he's thinking just how much he'd rather be in the dining facility, his stomach makes a decidedly vocal protest. He coughs at that, shaking his head as he sets aside his scrawlings in favor of some more paperwork, offering a rather abashed smile to Clara. "Enjoy your meal."

Clara returns the wave somewhat vaguely, not exactly chipper herself. She ventures a wan smile at Niko and Anya, then stuffs her hands in her pockets and shrugs. "Medbay calls," she says simply, and heads out.

Clara heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Clara has left.

Riley walks towards the Chief Addison's Office.

Riley has left.

Anya notes quietly, "Why don't you go run snag some grub, Niko? If you're feeling guilty you can always eat it up here. But you're welcome to go eat, it's quiet."

Niko looks up from his paperwork as he focuses on the sound of his name. "Huh? Oh." He offers Anya a decidedly grateful grin. "In lieu of groveling--" He'll see if he can sneak that past her. "--is there anything I can bring you?"

Anya chuckles quietly, "If you'd snag me a soda and a bag of chips when you come back I'd be eternally grateful."

Niko's eyes widen in feigned awe, at that. "Your eternal gratitude? For that, I can bring -two- sodas." He's been working with Anya long enough to know her preferences where these particular food groups are concerned, and so doesn't ask, but instead grins over his shoulder at her as he heads in the general direction of the exit.

Anya doesn't bother to restrain the snickers, "Thanks Niko, you're a doll. Don't get too close to the desserts though mind you."

Niko snickers quietly at that, lifting a hand as he heads for the exit. "I'll be sure to do that."

[Time passes.]

Niko comes back from the dining facility with a purloined tray. He's got something monochromatic (and a blue can) for himself, the chips and soda for Anya, and... something else.

You head towards the Security Central.

Security Central

Unlike most of the rest of the complex, the security offices are designed for ease of use rather than aesthetics. Wood paneled walls and marble floors are not to be found here. Brushed steel and plate flooring take their place. The acoustics in this room are designed to muffle sound, so despite the metal flooring and the constant coming and going of security personnel, the area does not quite achieve a cacophonous state. A large bank of monitors takes up the bulk of the east wall. On each is displayed video from various security cameras as well as information garnered from customs and immigration. It is from here that security can keep an eye on most everything that happens in the Complex. There are always at least two uniformed guards on duty with nothing to do except watch the monitors. A broad desk is located near the entrance, with an officer present to handle queries.

Three arched doors lead from this area. One to the brig, one to private offices, and the third to the elevator lobby.

Contents:

Tally Board

Obvious exits:

Chief's Office Brig Elevator Lounge

You arrive from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Niko drops off the chips and soda at Anya's desk, holding the tray high enough that she can't see the rest of the contents. "If you could just make out a receipt for that eternal gratitude...?" He drops off his monochromatic meal and blue can at his own desk, then heads towards Riley's door.

Anya tugs open her chips, snickering quietly, "I'll get right on it." She glances at the tray, nodding.

Niko raps once on Riley's door, snickering as he waits for the response. It's because of the conversation with Anya. Really.

The sound barrier's off, and a muffled, "Come in" is called.

You walk towards the Chief Addison's Office.

Chief Addison's Office

This office is something of a haven from the chaos in security central. It only has one viewscreen, although there are controls to direct it to any of the observation lines. A large desk takes up the bulk of the room. It's a battered affair, and shows the signs of great age. It doesn't really fit in with the polished atmosphere of the Complex, but neither does the man it belongs to. Piles of paperwork, scattered datapads, and a lurking terminal take up the majority of the space on the desk, but somehow room has been found for several photocubes and a small plastic penguin. The floor is carpeted in institutional gray carpeting, and the walls are a slightly darker shade. It would be a dank hole of a room if it weren't for several large electronic maps on the wall, each aglow with various telltales and marker lights. In front of the desk are two uncomfortable chairs and one battered and exceedingly comfortable looking couch. A handful of bad noveldisks are piled at one end of the couch.

Contents:

Riley

Kyara

Obvious exits:

Central

You walk here from the Security Central.

Kyara glances over her shoulder, giving a nod to Niko before she continues on. Glancing toward Riley briefly, she begins sorting through scattered datapads.

Riley is up to his eyeballs in paperwork, not looking altogether thrilled. He's trying to ignore the re-arrangement of his office to boot. The terribly good mood of the morning is being eaten away at. He looks up as Niko enters, "Heya, can I help?"

Niko, tray still in hand, manages a straight face as he comes into the office, returning Kyara's nod. The contents of the tray--a bowl of butterscotch pudding, complete with whipped cream and a cherry--is deposited on a rare blank spot of Riley's desk. "Happy eating," Niko says solemnly, though the twitching of his lips gives him away, "And the Chef's compliments." And with that, he turns to leave, though he's clearly just -dying- to see Riley's reaction.

Kyara catches sight of the pudding, and chokes back a laugh.

There's another pause, a long, evil, stretching pause. Riley's expression is deadly calm, some vast turmoil seething just beneath the surface. Calmly and smoothly he scoops up the spoon, fills it with pudding, and in the age old manner of food fights everywhere launches the blob of yellowy-brown slime Niko-wards. Then and only then does he give up on holding in the laughter.

It's not altogether apparent what Niko was expecting, but, from his startled yelp, a spoonful of cold butterscotch pudding hitting the back of his neck and sliding past his collar was most definitely -not- it. Dissolving into chortles of his own, he turns, with a grin, though he's attempting to extract the pudding as he does this. It's a losing battle. "This," he sputters, "Was -not- my idea."

Riley is having to lean against the desk he's laughing so hard. It was an irresistable impulse. "Whose idea was it then?" He continues to snicker, "I can throw pudding at them too."

Kyara's jaw drops, then she's lost in quiet giggles.

Niko is still trying to get that pudding out from under his collar, his laughter suddenly stilling as it hits his back. "Yack--cold! Uh, one of the caterers. The pretty one, with the red hair. She asked me to give it to you."

Riley snags a pad from his desk and makes a great show of taking notes. "See, when the revolution comes, these'll be the first to be pickled in pudding." He's still snickering at Niko's attempts to depudding himself.

Kyara rolls her eyes with a chuckle and gets back to work.

Niko finally just gives up and unbuttons his uniform jacket, returning to snickering as well. "I don't suppose you've got any napkins in here? Least you could do, after pelting me with pudding." And his awful lime-green shirt is not helped by the slimy yellowy-brown blob gradually working its way down his back. And we're not even going to get into folks' reactions if Niko doesn't put the jacket back on before going back out to security central. (Incest is best?)

Riley clambers to his feet, still snickering helplessly. He goes to rummage in the closet, making more of a mess in it, and fishes out several paper napkins. Crossing the room he offers them to Niko. "Sorry Nick, it simply had to be done or I'd never have been able to live with myself."

Kyara turns to glance into the closet, then shakes her head. "Nope, not part of the office," she mutters to herself, firmly turning away from it to eye the pudding. "You planning on eating the rest of that?"

Niko murmurs his thanks as he takes the napkins and attempts to get at the blob that he can't see, and can barely reach. It's amusing, to say the least. Niko is definitely comic relief tonight. "T'salright," he replies, with a grin. "Ela'll give you a medal or something," he adds cryptically. "She'll likely ask you to do this again."

Riley is still snickering as he drops into his seat. He shakes his head at Kyara, "Nah, I think I'd probably choke if I tried to eat it. My chest hurts looking at it too long." He blinks a few times at Niko, "Ask me to throw pudding at you?"

Kyara blinks at Niko too, puzzled.

Niko pauses a beat at that, and makes a mental note for his mouth to consult his brain before doing something like that again. "Yeah," he says, with a decidedly embarrassed grin. He looks for a moment like he's going to explain further, then shakes his head. "Bad, idea," he murmurs. "Too. Much. Information."

This of course just sets Riley off still further, and he starts snickering again. "Yeah, belay that, I probably do not want to know." He manages to stop laughing at last, gathering up his paperwork. "Lunatic people."

Kyara perks up a bit. "/I/ wanna know."

Niko casts a grateful grin at Riley. "Lunatics? Ela and I? Well... yes, thanks." Kya's comment gets a soft chuckle, and a shake of his head. "Sorry. It's really not my place to tell."

Kyara groans softly, shaking her head. "/Paki/." She skirts behind Riley to get at the datapads on the other end of the desk.

Riley nods to Niko with a wry grin, "Well, I know -you're- a lunatic, I'm having to guess about Ela. I'd have to actually meet her to determine that. Other than very brief halway passbys." He shakes his head, "Kya, please, if it's on the desk don't mess with it. Unless it's the pudding, which you can have if you want."

Niko's brows lift at the unfamiliar word that Kyara uses, but he doesn't push the issue. At Riley's mention of Kyara armed with pudding, however, he gives up on his crusade to free himself of the pudding and tugs on his jacket, tossing the paper napkins into the trash bin. Yes, Kya with pudding is a thought that disturbs him. "I should likely get back to work. Was there anything you needed, Chief?"

Kyara pauses, glancing between Niko and Riley, but she doesn't look all that disappointed as she nods. "No prob." Replacing the datapads, she does indeed reach for the pudding.

Riley shakes his head after a decided pause, "No, but thanks Nick. I appreciated the chance to toss food at you though."

Niko's lips quirk as he heads for the exit. "Glad I could help, Chief. Next time, though, I'll bring something less... slimy." He chuckles once more, buttoning up his jacket as he leaves. He really doesn't think, does he?

You walk towards the Security Central.

Security Central

Unlike most of the rest of the complex, the security offices are designed for ease of use rather than aesthetics. Wood paneled walls and marble floors are not to be found here. Brushed steel and plate flooring take their place. The acoustics in this room are designed to muffle sound, so despite the metal flooring and the constant coming and going of security personnel, the area does not quite achieve a cacophonous state. A large bank of monitors takes up the bulk of the east wall. On each is displayed video from various security cameras as well as information garnered from customs and immigration. It is from here that security can keep an eye on most everything that happens in the Complex. There are always at least two uniformed guards on duty with nothing to do except watch the monitors. A broad desk is located near the entrance, with an officer present to handle queries.

Three arched doors lead from this area. One to the brig, one to private offices, and the third to the elevator lobby.

Contents:

Briga

Tally Board

Obvious exits:

Chief's Office Brig Elevator Lounge

You walk here from the Chief Addison's Office.

Anya pokes at it a few more times before suggesting, "Ma'am. He's in the atrium."

Niko, buttoning up his uniform jacket over a particularly disturbing lime-green shirt, pauses a beat as he spots Briga, casting a surreptitious look at the missing per--Zaeltan's form on his way to his desk.

Briga rumbles softly, 'Down with all those /people/?'

Anya can't help but raise her brows at Niko's shirt putting back onning. "Yes ma'am, with all those people."

Niko ignores the wolf whistle from Kathlyn, with the exception of the slow flush creeping up his neck. (Hey. What's that kind of yellowy-tan stuff on the back of his neck?) Instead, he starts to alternate between paperwork and his meal, with half an ear cocked towards the conversation by Anya's desk.

Briga twitches her tail angrily...whiskers bristling, 'Is he now?' Anya is given a half bow, 'Once again...I thank you'

Briga stalks out the door....felix had better hide.

Briga heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.

Briga has left.

Niko, popping open his blue can, shakes his head. "That looked like an adventure. What happened, did somebody try to swipe her tail?"

Anya shakes her head, "Kid wandered off."

Niko wrinkles his nose, digging into his meal with vigor. "You'd think he could wait til we got off-shift," he quips.

Anya looks confused a bit, "The kid? Wait to wander off?"

Niko nods his agreement. "Then... who's on next, Kaycen? Then he'd get to deal with her." He lifts his shoulders in a small shrug, with a crooked grin. "Don't mind me. The hunger's starting to get to my brain, that's all. Food'll make me a little more sane."

Anya nods, "Eat, eating's good." She glances at the clock and prepares to gather her things.

Niko lifts his fork in farewell, not needing Anya's suggestion. "Have a nice night. Say hi to Addie and Tony for me."

Niko peers at his chrono as Kaycen comes in. "Time to go already?" he murmurs. "Wow, time flies." He clears off his now-empty dishes, putting them with a stack of others to be returned to the dining facility--generally done by one person, to save trips. Murmuring a farewell, he heads for the exit.

[Travelspam deleted. Scene resumes in Niko's room.]

You say "This is really awful, and it's perfectly all right if you smack me for this, but was I supposed to come find you today? It's been a really insanely bizarre kind of day, and I'm trying to remember, but it's gone right out of my head." into the communit. [All comms are to Ela, unless otherwise noted.]

Your communit crackles to life and announces "I'd love it if you did, but I don't believe we made arrangements specifically for you to do so. Insanely bizarre? Is everything all right?" in Elasia's voice.

You say "Everything's super. *muffled snicker* Matter of fact, I even got hit with more pudding today, though without the corresponding explosion, so that should make you happy. Should I meet you somewhere? You can come here, if you'd like." into the communit.

Your communit crackles to life and says "Pudding? Pudding is good. *chuckle* Or you can come to my place. I'm a bit too beat to cook, but I think the concept of stuffing leftovers in the oven's not beyond me. Though your place is nice too." in Elasia's voice.

You say "Actually, I managed to snag food at work today--though I don't mind saying that I would've rather had your cooking. Actually... now that you mention it, I could likely eat some more. I'll be up in a minute? Or are you not there yet? And I can lend a hand with the cooking and all, if you like. Putting stuff in ovens is a fairly easy thing." into the communit.

[Niko heads to the elevator lounge, and Clara's there.]

Your communit crackles to life and says "Just got here and got changed. And there's nothing really to it beyond sticking the dishes in the oven. It's cheating, but hey." in Elasia's voice.

Niko blinks as he comes out of his door, then grins. "Hey, good timing, now to see if I can defeat the evil... ack, no, there it goes." He stifles a laugh, then lifts his communit to reply.

You say "Great. I'll be up in a moment, then." into the communit.

Clara heads out of the elevator, a datareader tucked under one arm. She flashes a quick smile at Niko, but seeing he's on the comm with someone, simply passes on towards her room.

Clara unlocks the door to room F20 and goes inside.

Clara has left.

You push the button.

From the elevator, With a ping, the doors slide smoothly open.

You walk into the elevator.

Elevator

The elevator rides up and down in a glass shaft, overlooking the foliage of the atrium below. The motion is smooth, and each floor is marked with a delicate "ping" as the elevator arrives there.

A bank of round blue buttons on either side of the door has the numbers 1-4, and a button labeled "Below".

The doors are currently open, the direction arrow is pointing up and the dial above the doors points to 3.

Obvious exits:

Doors

You push the button marked 4.

The doors slide shut, soundlessly.

The elevator glides almost imperceptibly upward and goes "ping" as it reaches floor #4.

With a ping, the doors slide smoothly open.

You leave the elevator.

Fourth Floor Elevator Lounge

Eloquently appointed, and impeccably arranged, this elevator lounge serves as a waiting area for the diplomatic level as well as for the lifts. Unlike the lower floors, the marble here is a blinding white, veined lightly with silver gray. Heavy rugs are strategically arranged and each depicts the symbol of one of the Alliance sectors of space. The walls are paneled in a lighter colored wood than the levels below, and sport brass fixtures. Tasteful potted plants lurk in the corners. A receptionists desk and security station are set up for those seeking information, but no traffic is impeded. A carefully engraved listing is available of all the diplomats maintaining offices on this floor.

<< To see a listing of offices maintained here, type +view listing >>

Obvious exits:

Elevator

From the elevator, The doors slide shut, soundlessly.

[A pemitted knocking message.]

A reply is called out, "Come on in, it's open."

You unlock the door and go into room E16.

Room E16

This oasis of practical comfort may not be as large as other suites on this floor, but it is organized to make the most of the available space. The furnishings are tastefully bland, but they are standard equipment. A long sofa wraps around the bulk of the small living room, and a low pine colored coffee table is perched in front of it. The floor is of a substance that looks just like hardwood, but does not quite make the same echoing sound underfoot. A rug of rich royal blue covers the floor in front of the comm and holounit, and is a decided splash of color amidst the sea of tans and creams. The walls are a soft cream, but they've been liberally littered with bright photographs of friends and family, as well as the occasional framed print of Hellenic scenery. A nearly non-descript screen of taupe cloth conceals the exceedingly comfortable sleeping area, and a small door leads off into a bathroom of creams and tans. The one point of size in the room is the dining unit, it would appear more at home in one of the larger suites down the hall.

Contents:

Elasia

Obvious exits:

Out

You come in from the Elevator Lounge.

Elasia is sprawled, with her hiking shoes off, on one end of the sofa. She looks tired, although not terribly so, just someone who's been working steadily all day. "Heya' Niko, good to see you. Give me just a minute more to enjoy being off my feet and I'll stuff the dishes in."

Niko pads into the room, curling hair still a bit damp from a recent shower. He's still got the eau de butterscotch thing going on, though, and is obviously both aware of and amused by this fact. "Rough day?" he inquires sympathetically. "You sounded tired." With a crooked grin, he adds, "If you point me at where stuff are, I can put the dishes in, and you can enjoy being off your feet for that much longer."

Elasia takes a long indrawn breath. She's like a ferret spotting chocolate, she can smell butterscotch at fifty paces. "Ooh, you smell heavenly." She offers you a grateful smile, gesturing towards the kitchen. "They're in the fridge. Just plunk them in the heater and hit the reheat key."

Niko pads over to do just that, stifling a laugh at your comment. "See, I -told- Riley you'd be pleased. Maybe I'll have to bring him pudding more often--though I'd rather he throw it somewhere -other- than my collar." Tabbing the appropriate heater key, he heads over to join you on the couch, still wearing that look of rather vaguely stunned amusement.

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Elasia's eyes close a brief blissful moment and then she scootches (isn't that a great word) companionably close to you, and to that smell for that matter. "Your boss threw pudding at you?" Sniff, edge closer, "I'm all for this mind you, but why?"

Niko nods at your question, eyes glinting with amusement. "It had to be done," he intones. He adds, expression turning a bit more reflective, "It's really been a day. That seemed like kind of the appropriate cap to being downstairs, though."

Elasia can't help but laugh quietly at that. "It had to be done? Is there some sort of involved pudding ritual?" Sniff, "And if so, can you do it more often?" She tilts her head, questioning, "A day? What all happened?"

Niko can't help but laugh at your first questions. "See, it's my own fault. I -brought- him the pudding, and after the whole explosion thing and all, I was kind of asking for it. It might be a little obvious if I brought it again, but I daresay he'd throw more at me if you asked." Or she could ask Tara to rig it so that his showers spray pudding instead of water. Yeah. After a moment, he adds, "And I had a physical this morning. I'm fine," he says, before you can ask, "Perfect health, Clara says. But she noticed something... interesting in my gen-scan."

Elasia makes a mental note to send a polite letter to Riley about tossing pudding at Niko regularly. If nothing else it should be amusing. She nods as she listens, "Interesting?"

Niko inclines his head. "Seems that the scan shows that I've got a very similar set of genes to someone else in the Complex." He speaks slowly, and while it's obvious that he's pleased by this news, it's equally obvious that he's got a lot of questions, too. "See, and I know this is really bizarre, it turns out that Riley's my half-brother. We've got the same biological father, though he didn't actually raise either of us."

That brings Elasia up for a pause, rather startled and not entirely sure -how- to react to this news. You seem pleased enough however so she chuckles slightly, "Talk about a small universe. Why is it out of all the gin joints in the crazy world, y'all ended up in the same one?" Yes, it's a mangling, but she half chuckles anyhow. "So, errm, your father isn't..."

Niko shakes his head. "No, he's not the, uh, provider of sperm, whatever we want to call it. And, to be honest, I'm really not sure -how- it happened. But he's still Dad." There's a small pause, and a shake of his head as Niko edges an arm towards your shoulders. "But you're right, it's an insanely small world. That he and I would both end up in the same branch of the AF, both in security, both -here-..." He really can't help but laugh. "It boggles the mind."

Elasia edges into the arm, taking a long blissful sniff. She -really- is in heaven. "Still Dad, yup." She crosses her arms in her lap lightly. "It certainly seems the laws of probability went out to lunch." She pauses, "So is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Or not a witch at all?

Niko considers that for a moment or two, with a thoughtful smile. "It's a good thing," he decides. "I'll still feel a lot more settled if I can talk to Mom and Dad about it, but... having Riley for a -brother-. This is really, absolutely incredible. I'm still having to stop and take a breath, just because I'm so incredibly lucky."

Elasia nods after a considering pause, she turns enough to flash a smile up at you. "Maybe it's not so improbable at all then. I mean with the time you've had lately, it was time your luck changed. You needed a good day."

Niko can't help but return the smile. "Another one, you mean," he suggests. "Last night, with you... I'd really have to say that was better." Or whenever it was, if it wasn't last night. "I mean, it's wonderful to have a brother and all, but that's something that neither he nor I chose. You and I, on the other hand..." He laughs softly, shaking his head. "Well, it's obvious. There's a change. People were commenting on it, that I looked happier."

Elasia listens quietly while you speak, looking inordinantly pleased. That last line however garners a particularly bright smile and she shifts half sideways to wrap her arms around you in sort of an impromptu hug. "Happy, see, now that's what you deserve to be. I'm proud to have been part of making you so." She chuckles, "And I got my fair share of poking about it today as well, in between silliness." Looking a bit sheepish she releases the embrace.

Niko offers a fond smile at the embrace, and a quick nod at your words. "Everybody deserves their own little piece of happiness. But... silliness?" He grins almost impishly. "I didn't know that diplomats were allowed to be -silly-. Isn't that against some sort of regulation?"

Elasia half rolls her eyes, grinning up at you. There's another surreptitious sniff. Yuuummmmm. "Not silliness in the good kind of silliness sense, more like ridiculous back biting. Still, got a lot done, just there was a lot of byplay."

Niko wrinkles his nose a bit at that. "Backbiting doesn't sound at all good, I'm sorry. But at least that's not something that -all- diplomats do." From his tone, you clearly fall into his categorization of 'diplomats who don't backbite'. "But it's good that you got a fair amount done, at least. Accompliment helps, huh?" And he's not really noticing the various sniffings going on.

Elasia decides that as amusing as it would be to lick you, and as apealing as the thought is, it would -probably- be a 'Bad Thing <tm>'. She decides instead to slip from the couch, moving to the kitchen to pull out the dishes from the oven. "It really does. Today was really productive. There were some fascinating things done with cargo shipping lanes. Okay, maybe fascinating's the wrong word... Creative."

Niko gets to his feet to trail after you, his expression suggesting that he, like his player, had forgotten all about the food. "Creative?" he inquires, one brow arching. "Is this the sort of thing that I want to know, or will it make me cower in fear or something?"

Elasia tugs a couple of dishes from the cabinet, making up plates that can be taken back to the couch. "It just involved getting a lot of people to think they were pulling one over on each other, when everybody was really just getting what they needed. I could explain it, but it'd take me ages to sort through it as tired as I am." She offers you a plate, silverwear resting along one edge of it, and gestures couchwards. "Sprawl and eat maybe?"

Niko takes the plate with a murmur of thanks, and a quick smile. "That sounds like an excellent idea, yes. Your chairs are quite nice, but your couch is a lot more comfortable. I'll just have to make sure to keep the conversation interesting enough that you don't fall asleep," he adds, a hint of gentle teasing to his voice.

Elasia stops by the fridge, aquiring a glass of juice and offering you a soda. Chuckling she replies, "I think I'll manage to stay awake. Besides, I'm tired, not sleepy. It's not really the same thing. Talking with you is a good thing, as long as you don't mention Gross Capita Mileage. If you do," She says as she heads back to the couch, "I get to see if you taste as good as you smell." Oh yeah, she must be -danged- tired to have said -that-.

Niko blinks at that, clearly a little nonplussed. Then, after a moment, he looks decidedly tempted. Finally, taking the soda with a quiet thankyou, he shakes his head. He mutters to himself, "... Galahad wouldn't..."

Elasia settles down onto the couch with her fork, offering an apologetic look. "Sorry Niko, I'm teasing. It's been a really long day." She pokes at a potato.

Niko shakes his head, expression as he sits a mingling of reassurance and thoughtful amusement. "Trust me, Ela, there's no need to apologize for that." He pauses a beat, then suggests, "I could get you some butterscotch pudding, if you like? There should still be some down in dining."

Elasia shakes her head, chuckling at that, "Nah, I think this looks fine." She gestures to her food with her fork. "Besides, somebody might accost you in the hall and throw it at you."

You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.

Niko quirks a grin at that, munching lightly on his food. Yes, he recently dined, but this is -Ela's cooking-. "That's entirely possible. The woman who asked me to take the pudding to Riley said that she was tempted to do just that. But he took care of it, so I guess she won both ways." He can't help but laugh at that, adding, "This is good, though, yes. I was singing its praises to Riley today. He really does need to have some decent Hellenic cooking at some point, seeing as how he's half and all."

Elasia's eyes flash in a briefly pleased look, "Ooh, more people to cook for. Niko, you're a saint." She chuckles, "You will probably never live down pudding references for the rest of your natural life, you n=know that right?"

Niko murmurs, with a wink, "I'd rather be a knight than a saint." He nods at your last statement, expression somehow both doleful and amused. Don't ask how he does it. It's a gift. "I'm not even remotely surprised about that, no. I'm still trying to figure out how to write home about it, though. I don't want them to worry, but to give Losi such an opportunity to laugh at me... well, it's tough to pass up."

Elasia turns another grin your way in between bites, "See, now that's proof you're a good brother. Allowing opportunities for torment when you could repress them... I am amazed nobody's tied you down Niko. Scooped you up and hidden you in a closet or something, just to horde niceness."

Niko bites back a laugh, mainly because, well, this is a nice couch, and he doesn't want to get food on it. His grin, however, he really can't help but hide. "Oh, no, there'll be no locking in closets or tying up or anything like that, because I think folks know that the niceness will disappear if that happens." He transfers the last of his food to his plate, yes, he's a fast eater, and chews blissfully.

Elasia finishes eating as well, although she does not clean the plate. Leaning forward to deposit the dish on the table she snickers, "Kinda like wringing the neck of the goose that laid the golden eggs. That makes sense when you put it like that. We'll just have to keep you around to exude niceness then, makes the world much shinier."

Niko moves over to put his plate on the table, sliding it under yours. Thoughtfully, he inquires, "I'm not -that- nice, am I? I mean, people keep saying that I am and all, but I never really thought of myself as particularly -nice-." And, no, he's not fishing for a compliment, he's just honestly puzzled, and, from the look of him, starting to get tired.

Elasia shifts to sit close to you, but not too close for fear of getting another of those nonplussed looks. "You really are though, Niko. Deeply and inherantly a good person. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you could manage to be less than nice if you needed to. But in all my experience you'd only do that if something needed defending." She pauses, looking a bit sheepish. "You look tired."

Niko only gave a nonplussed look at the mention of licking, and that's because he wasn't expecting it, not because he wouldn't enjoy it. Almost absently, he settles closer to you, apparently convinced of the absence of licking in the near future. "Thank you," he says, with a smile. Rubbing lightly at his cheek, under that shiner, he says, "I can definitely be quite a lot less than nice, yes, though I think it takes a lot. And I -am- tired," he adds, with a faint smile. "I've thought and felt and experienced enough for at least two or three days."

Elasia edges a bit closer in return, figuring she's safe enough from offending you since you started it. With a quiet sigh she relaxes a bit, tired as well. "You really have... last night, finding out you have a brother, random evil... A lot of sleep you could use."

Niko would be amused by all this edging, were he less tired. Finally, he curls an arm around your shoulders once more. "That," he says slowly, "Sounds like an excellent idea. Now I just have to make myself go back to my room is all."

Elasia gives up and curls up into the arm, not even bothering to muffle a yawn. She's suddenly very comfortable indeed, but has all intent in remaining coherant seeing as she's got you here and all. "Yeah, it's always the getting up off the couch part that's the hardest. I've learned this much already. This couch has evil powers."

Niko shifts just a bit, so that he may rest his head against yours. "You're right," he murmurs, with a short laugh. "It's really terrifyingly comfortable." Not once, but twice does he move as if to get up, then sink back against the couch. "Okay. One, two, three." He's still sitting there. "This is ridiculous," he murmurs. "I'm not -this- tired, but being comfortable and having you here and all is just sapping the will to move from my body."

"You don't -have- to move," Elasia offers with a chuckle, "I can always get you a blanket and you can sleep on the evil couch. Or we can just sit here a while and let it work its evil ways upon us until we are jellyfish or something."

Niko considers that for a moment, again getting that rather tempted look. . o O ( Get thee behind me, Zoot! ) "As wonderful as that sounds," he murmurs, his tone suggesting that it really does sound wonderful, "It would probably be better if I went back to my quarters." Even though everything about him practically screams that he'd rather stay.

Elasia has already pushed it a great deal for the night, so she tries not to do so now. "If you'd rather, that's up to you. But it's a comfortable couch, and you're welcome to it. I promise it won't bite you in the middle of the night or anything. It just may not let you up in the morning."

Niko muffles a yawn, then, with a clearly reluctant smile, gets to his feet. He is, after all, Galahad. "How's this? I'll come see you tomorrow, while I'm awake enough that sitting on that couch would -not- cause me to lose all motor control." He leans down to cup your cheek with his hand, gaze already looking a bit sleep-fogged, otherwise he likely wouldn't do this just yet. "We can maybe catch a sunset, if you'd like and the timing's right. Or," he adds, with a smile, "I could drag you to meet my brother."

Elasia unfolds herself from the couch, offering you a smile that's a bit sleep-fogged as well. "A sunset sounds wonderful, or meeting your brother, or anything y'like." She offers a half wink, "Maybe I'll have to drag the chair in here, it's less evil."

Niko rests his hands lightly on your shoulders. "Would we be able to sit together in the chair, though? I do like... sitting with you." Yeah. Sitting. That's what he'd like. He gives himself a small shake, then. "Home, sleep, gah, I'm starting to talk too much. Sleep well, all right, Ela?" He gives your shoulders a gentle squeeze, releasing his grip on them after a moment.

Elasia pauses to consider the both of you sitting in said chair, "Um, not without one os us sitting on top of the other. Not exactly efficent." She nods at length, offering. "You too Niko, pleasant dreams."

Niko pauses a beat at that particular mental picture. Pleasant dreams? Oh, most definitely--at least, that's the reaction when he's this tired. After all, how often do guys think of sex? Every six minutes? Hell, compared to that, Niko -is- Galahad, but he's still human. He offers a smile and a final murmured goodnight, heading for the door.


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