|
|
Terrence walks here from the Java Quarter.
Terrence has arrived.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Niko is, yes, skating near the chess tables. And, no, he isn't wearing a helmet
this time. And, yes, he still looks vaguely grouchy about something, and
maybe like he didn't get quite enough sleep last night. But skating is good.
Lunch hours are festive.
Terrence ambles up the hill slowly, hands in his pockets, and looking generally
pleased with the world. Yeah, he probably got laid last night, he's a studly
man. But whichever lucky lady it was, she's not with him at the moment as he
strolls along, then pauses at catching sight of the skater. "Isn't that
dangerous without a helmet, son?"
Ooh. Calling him 'son,' -that- got a nasty look. "Probably, -Dad-, but I'm careful. No need to worry yourself on my account." Yes, that would be Niko.
Terrence's brows quirk slightly at this, formidable critters in their own right
although with a lot more gray. "You've got a 'Dad', kid, and he's on Hellas,
last time I checked. And I'll worry anyhow. You're a good kid," he replies
back calmly, then returns to his stroll, trying to hide a look of
discomfiture.
Niko thrusts his hands in his pockets. "I'm not a kid," he informs you. Of
course, that tone is probably more suited to, well, a kid than it is to
someone of Niko's age. See, finding a target for his irritation is, while not
necessarily a good thing, still therapeutic.
Terrence glances over his shoulder thoughtfully, then pauses to lean against a chess table. "You don't look like one, anyway," he allows. "What you look is like a hard day. Y'oughta kick off early and go home to that wife of yours."
"Seeing as how I'd end up against a locked door," Niko says, if anything
looking more angry, and maybe a little miserable into the picture as well,
"That's probably not a good idea."
Terrence's brows lift considerably at that, obviously surprised at the news. "A locked door? I'd heard rumors...poor kid, heck that's gotta be rough. When did she find out?" he has to ask, looking distinctly sympathetic.
Niko pulls his hands out of his pockets. "I. Am not. A kid." He kicks lightly
at the leg of an empty chess table, miraculously maintaining his balance.
"And she found out yesterday. I don't know who told her. It's not like it's a
big deal, though. I've got my reasons."
Terrence shakes his head lightly, regarding the kick with just a hint of disapproval, then looking back up with a long sigh. "Do you mind if I call you Niko, then? Calling you Commander Casymed sounds really odd considering," he notes, but doesn't say considering what. "We've all had our reasons, though. Have you tried apologizing? Flowers? That sort of thing?"
"Niko's fine," that person says, with a shrug. "And I'm not apologizing," he
adds, jaw jutting stubbornly. "She didn't even hear my side of it, just said
she wasn't letting me come home. She thought it was some sort of joke, I
think, but I'm serious about it. I'm -right-."
Terrence just...stares. For a rather long moment, actually, then clears his
throat and glance skywards. Sheesh, even -he- isn't this unrepentant! "Um,
there's generally two sides to every story, you're right. But...it's no
joking matter. Are you really serious?" he adds, looking over with extreme
sympathy now.
Niko replies, tone rather exasperated, "Of -course- I'm serious." He doesn't
notice the stare or the skyward glance, no. He's just grouchy. "Clara's one
of my best friends. Maybe if she sees that this is this big a deal for me,
she'll go along with it."
Terrence has to lean a bit more firmly against the chess table, more and more
flabbergasted by the moment but hiding it as best as possible. He was at the
wedding, sort of. He -saw- how happy the various couples were. Still..."Maybe
she will, maybe she will. I hear she's an intelligent women, not to mention
flat out easy on the eyes. Have you asked her to?"
Niko takes a moment to blink about the reference to Clara's looks. "What does that have to do with anything?" he inquires. "I asked her, though, yeah, and she still won't." He looks decidedly frustrated by this. "Said she had her reasons, but she wouldn't tell me what they were. I mean, honestly, she's been after -me- to be sure I did it. Shouldn't she do the same?"
"Uh...nothing, I suppose?" Terrence blinks several times, then gives his head a slight shake and folds his arms over his chest. "I...uh, yeah? I mean, everything being equal and all. It's best when it all happens together. Maybe you ought to not give her a choice? Just... tell her to do it?"
Niko pauses a beat. Maybe that hasn't occurred to him. "I don't know, I don't
think that would work." He pauses a moment. "Maybe if Julie helped. She seems
pretty keen on getting both of us to do it, after all." Worse and worse. If
only he knew what you were thinking he was saying.
"Julie?" This would be a factor in the equation that Terrence doesn't know
about. "Hmm. That's always an adventure when there's someone else helping,
yeah. Is this Julie person willing to help out and work with both of you?" he
asks, interest quirked. Maybe this son of his did inheret some of the genes
for lechery!
Niko supplies absently, brows furrowed in thought, "Doctor Foster. That's Julie. Nice lady, even if she seems big on nagging. I guess I could go to her instead of Clara, for that matter, if it came to that." With a shrug, he nods. "She'd help, yeah. She was after both of us to do it, the other day in the dining facility." He pauses a moment, brows narrowing in suspicion. "Maybe -she's- the one who told Ela, since I didn't come in for it."
Terrence utters a low, rather impressed whistle. "You've certainly got a way with doctors, lad." He reaches back to tap at the chess table idly. "Up for a game? Or at least sit down? You look like you're about to hit a tree." Or a biological father. "I think you ought to get both ladies at the same time and do it that way." He pauses. "The other doctor might have told your wife?" He sighs faintly. "Women...never know what their thinking of next."
"Don't have any pieces," Niko says, though he does sit down at the table, still looking thoughtful. "What, so Julie takes care of Clara and Clara takes care of me? I guess that would work. As long as Clara goes along with it... I mean, that's the point of all this, getting her to go along with it."
"That could work. You'll even get to watch Julie and Clara that way, and that's
always interesting," Terrence agrees with an encouraging smile, circling
around to drop into the other seat with a faint sigh of relief. "I'll bet if
you asked Clara nicely enough, and told her how good it would be for everyone
involved, she'd go for it."
Niko looks really altogether puzzled by this. "Uh, why would I want to watch Julie and Clara? They'd probably go behind one of those curtain things, anyway. Privacy, y'know." At that last, he shrugs. "I don't know what else I could say to convince her, though. I mean, Riley's probably told her -he- wants her to do it. If he can't convince her, who can? Maybe Honalee... hm."
Gee, it's good Terrence is already sitting down. "Riley...Addison? Your
brother? She is involved with him, right?" He blinks slowly, then shrugs
slightly. "I suppose he knows what he wants, yeah. And if he can't, Honalee
could convince rocks to get up and walk, let alone convince a stubborn
doctor."
Niko nods, looking a hair more puzzled. "Riley Addison, my brother, yes. Why wouldn't he want her to do it? He's involved with her, yeah. It's in her best interests to do it, after all." If only he knew what he was saying...
Terrence nods slowly, eyes just a hint wide with surprise but he's trying to
keep his composure. His children are more lecherous than he is, almost! He
thinks, at least. "I...suppose I can't see why he wouldn't want her to. She'd
probably be better off for it, certainly. How does you wife feel about it?
Maybe she should try it too?"
Niko wrinkles his nose just a little. "Yeah, but she's a diplomat. It's
different for them. They don't have to worry about regs. She's annoyed with
me--said I was being self-destructive. But I don't see what's so
self-destructive about it. I mean, Clara's been doing the same thing for,
what, eight years?"
Terrence's brows scoot right on up at this news again. They're getting a workout today. "Eight years, has she? I didn't think she was old enough," he muses, then shakes his head. "I suppose different professions have different priorities, yes. I'm not sure I see what's self-destructive either, though. I mean, there are ways it can be very, very good for you."
"Well, I wouldn't say good," Niko mutters, with a look towards the Complex. "It
got me kicked out of my home." Yes, he's getting a little grouchy. "I don't
see why she doesn't just let me do this. It's important. And it's not like it
has anything to do with her, really."
"Er...I suppose it doesn't," Terrence agrees thoughtfully, a faintly worried look on his face. "Look, I know I'm the -last- person to be talking about marriage, but...there are some things women just aren't so understanding about. I think you need to decide what's important to you, Niko."
Niko gets to his feet once more, restless energy not wanting to be confined in a chair any longer. "Ela is, of course. But so's this. I mean, if she'd just let me -explain-, instead of right away saying she wasn't going to let me come home. And baking brownies, that was just cruel."
Terrence rises as well, hands slipping into his pockets as he continues to
watch in definite bemusement. "Well...maybe she'll cool down enough to let
you explain. Maybe? Huh, sounds like you married a real hellkitten there,
son," he adds with a wry laugh.
Niko gives you a level look. "You can call me Niko, but leave off calling me
son, all right? And speak respectfully of my wife."
Terrence lifts a single brow, but nods thoughtfully. "Sorry...Niko. I wasn't
using it in a famlial sense, though. Just old man to young man," he adds,
returning the look just as levelly. "And I was speaking respectfully. I
respect any woman with fire in her."
Niko shakes his head, a short, sharp gesture. "'Hellkitten' doesn't really seem
like a respectful term to me."
Terrence shrugs lightly, shaking his head. "I said I'm sorry. But if you ask
me, you're calling the kettle black, Niko. You might try a little respect for
the woman yourself."
"What do you mean?" Niko inquires, tone somewhat less than polite. "I'm disrespectful because I won't let her dictate what I do?"
Terrence considers this for a moment, then shakes his head. "No. There's
nothing wrong with standing up to a woman and deciding to be a man.
But...there's -some- things that you just have to be understanding on,
because she sure won't. Unless you're ready to pack it in and do your own
thing." Unspoken is 'like I did'.
Niko stares for a moment, looking altogether shocked. "Of course I don't want
to do that. I love Ela. This isn't -that- big a deal, not worth ending our
marriage over. But I can't back down, not yet at least." Even if it makes him
miserable, which, yes, it does.
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Terrence tilts his head with a rather bland look, shrugging slightly.
"Marriages end over a lot less, you know. If you can't get past this thing
with the doctor, you're going to have some real problems. What do you plan to
do?"
Niko looks really altogether confused. "Marriages end over less than -this-?
Must not've been very good marriages to begin with, then." There's a pause,
then. "And why in the world do -I- have to get past it? She's the one being
stubborn. If she'd just say yes, then I could do it, too, and then maybe that
would help with Ela. I don't have any plans, though," he adds, with a shake
of his head.
Terrence shakes his head almost mournfully, gesturing with one hand. "I don't
know what to tell you, honestly. I've never had a woman try to dictate my
life before. I'd say you're right. I mean, a man has to stick to his guns and
do what he feels good about. And she might even benefit from it, you never
know. Think she'll cool off anytime soon?"
Niko looks just a bit puzzled by how Ela would benefit from this, but, hey, he doesn't ask. "Probably not," he says, with a shake of his head. "I should get back to work. Already been gone longer than I should be."
Terrence nods at that, still rather bemused. "Have a good day at work, lad. Try
not to let this get you too down? Take it one step at a time, and good luck,"
he offers with a vague wave.
Niko lifts his shoulders briefly as he heads for the stairs. "Don't need to
worry about steps. I have skates." And with that, yes, he skates down the
stairs, apparently without any problems. He even manages to land on his
skates, once he reaches the Quarter.
You walk towards the Java Quarter.
RECHALL> Terrence walks here from the Central Atrium.
RECHALL> Terrence has arrived.
RECHALL> Riley is at the range, firing off carefully measured shots and looking
tired.
RECHALL> Terrence wanders in in sweats and a t-shirt, evidently planning to run and keep himself in top scammer shape, then pauses at seeing a certain taller man firing off shots. He thinks for a moment, then meanders in that direction to lean on a railing behind and watch for a moment. "Good shooting," he notes.
RECHALL> Riley is quiet a long moment as he finishes the sequence. "Thanks," he
replies. His tone is polite if not entirely aware. "Though I'm afraid the
computer could be more pleased."
RECHALL> Terrence glances out at the targets, then shrugs slightly. "Looks
pretty good to me, although an anthropologist doesn't get much chance to use
a gun." He pauses, then straightens a bit. "Look, I don't know that we've had
a chance to meet in a relaxed setting. Terrence Veruzac," he offers,
extending a hand.
RECHALL> Riley examines the tangler a moment, but sets it aside enough to shake
the proffered hand. "Riley Addison," he replies with a tired smile of
bemusement, well aware that introductions in this case are less than
required. "And the computer's just picky."
RECHALL> Terrence is just as aware, but really trying to be polite. It's a
novel sensation for him, being nice without being slimey. "Computers are
posessed with ancient spirits of evil," he explains, shaking the hand, then
slipping his hands in his pockets. "Must be my day to run into offspring.
Just spent some time talking with your brother."
RECHALL> "Ah," Riley replies, taking up the tangler again and looking bemused. "I dare say that was an adventure, considering the current situation."
RECHALL> Terrence leans back on the railing again to watch, nodding. "An adventure, to say the least. I'll have to admit, I sure didn't expect this of him. Didn't figure he was the type. You surprise me too, though."
RECHALL> Riley's brows lift in some confusion as he lines up the target again.
"He and Clara both are just being unreasonably stubborn, both. Not that I'm
not, but had I been in Nick's shoes I think I'd've given in for the poking
and such. But then Ela's not the one refusing to get one. So it makes it
confusing. I swear, sometimes I wonder at those two -didn't- end up together,
as self-destructive as they are."
RECHALL> "Didn't...?" Terrence's brows furrow at this, much like Niko's in
scariness but with lots more gray. "I thought you knew? Niko said you even
were in favor of the two of them sleeping together. Does this mean you're
not?"
RECHALL> Riley's own brows, a great deal less scary, lift and he nearly misses
the target altogether. "What?" He sounds decidedly puzzled. "Um, somehow I
don't think Clara'd go for that, she's from Earth."
RECHALL> Terrence shrugs lightly, shaking his head and rather bemused. "I hadn't known, but still...there's some Terrans that're like that. You're sure you didn't know about this? Niko seemed to think his wife was being unreasonable for kicking him out when she found out. I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. I never figured you kids would be as laid-back as this."
RECHALL> Riley nearly chokes on a wry laugh. He shakes his head slightly,
turning back to the target. "Ela kicked Nick out cause he was being an idiot
when she wanted to make him get an annual exam."
RECHALL> Terrence tilts his head with utter sympathy now, uttering a small
sigh. His poor son. Totally clueless. "Ah, lad, that's a nice idea,
but...your brother, he was pretty emphatic. He even mentioned getting some
other woman involved. He's a stubborn kid."
RECHALL> Riley is too tired to care that his biological father is very
confused. "He's very stubborn," he agrees. "Ela informed him she'd not let
him in till he got said exam, so he informed her he'd find another place to
stay. I won't add Anya's editorial comments."
RECHALL> Terrence is at least clearheaded enough to pick up that the younger
man is exhausted, and frowns slightly. "Anya. Interesting name. You look like
you're about to drop, though. I'll leave you to your shooting, I suppose," he
remarks, reaching down to reclaim his gym bag.
RECHALL> "Anya Pendleton, yeah, the lady who actually runs security, no matter
what the records say," Riley's tone is musing, and a bit out of it. "Have a
nice day, Terrence. It was nice to meet you in less chaotic circumstances,
even if things were bizarre. Maybe we can run into each other sometime when
I'm awake, I promise I'm more social then."
RECHALL> "Riley, get some rest," Terrence suggests, settling the bag over one
shoulder. "You look like you're about to drop, lad. A talk might be far more
enjoyable, when you're more awake. Good luck with the situation with that
doctor woman of yours and your brother," he adds, turning away and shaking
his head. Running can be done elsewhere.
RECHALL> Terrence walks towards the Central Atrium.
RECHALL> Terrence has left.
RECHALL> Riley walks towards the Central Atrium.
RECHALL> Riley has left.