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SECURITY> Riley lifts one shoulder in half a shrug, "I hated the word, still do when I get pegged with it. I didn't think it was particularly fair for folks to bandy it about with you being so new. If you'd been here a month and folks still had an inkling to call you that, I wouldn't've said anything. But judging people so fast on something they can't change isn't real fair."
SECURITY> Niko's brows lift fractionally. "You? Still? Huh, go figure." He echoes the half-shrug, adding, "Well, it doesn't really bug me. Thanks for the thought, though."
SECURITY> One corner of Riley's mouth lifts in a dry smile, "Still, yes. I'm somewhat short in the age department compared to my AF peers. When I was still stationed on Terra it was 'boy'. Now I've been upgraded to 'kid' when I run into certain folks." He shrugs, "It's a term that encourages sloppy thinking. I don't approve of sloppy thinking."
SECURITY> Nah, just sloppy boots. If Niko thinks that, though, he doesn't say it. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me, Chief."
SECURITY> Which is a good thing, or Niko would probably get treated to another of Riley's involved spiels. Talk about fates worse than death. "Besides, it made Anya have to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. All in all worth it."
SECURITY> Niko nods his agreement, a quick grin crossing his face. "Anya really is something else, isn't she?" His tone is one of approval, and of profound respect.
SECURITY> Riley nods, an honest grin breaking out for once. "She is indeed. Always has been. Thankfully at least the AF realizes she's as good as she is. She came here an E-2, now she's a lieutenant. She'd be higher if she hadn't turned down the last two would be promotions."
SECURITY> Niko blinks once, reaching to take a judicious sip of his coffee. "Hm. It's good that she's appreciated--though it's not like folks around here don't appreciate her." He gestures vaguely with the coffee mug, likely meant to indicate security, rather than the Complex in general.
SECURITY> Riley nods amiably, somewhat distracted. "I recommend her every time the time comes around. Still, she wouldn't take the last two, didn't want to get promoted out of here effectively."
SECURITY> Niko inclines his head, a faint smile crossing his face. "Well, I'm grateful for that." He gestures towards Anya's seat. "Like she said--how would we find the keys?"
SECURITY> Riley leans forward, delivering a swift kick to the corner of Anya's desk. A small drawer pops out and he reaches in and scoops out a ring of keys, "Shhhh." Dropping the keys back into the drawer and re-closing it he grins rather broadly, "The place would be lost without her though, seriously. She's kept me on track for five years now."
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
You head towards the Security Central.
Niko chuckles at the appearance of the keys, shaking his head. "Should've known," he murmurs. He starts to say something else, then, spotting Clara, flashes her a quick grin. "Hiya, Clara." He shifts in his chair, turning his attention back to the monitors that he really should've been watching all along. Socialization, alas, is more fun.
Riley is sprawled in a chair in front of the dispatcher's desk, his feet propped on the corner of the desk. He waves pleasantly, "Chief Aleron, nice to see you."
Clara sidesteps an officer headed out without looking up from an open folder, whatever she's reading in it covered in rows and rows of tiny lettering in outline format. A thick ring of keys is linked over the fingers of her left hand as she pads in, then glances up with a distracted grin at the greeting before nearly faltering and sighs. "Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me."
Riley rubs at the back of his head, smiling sadly. "You'll do fine, Clara. Honalee wouldn't have left it in your hands otherwise. She's a ... a ... picky old wench."
Niko turns away from the monitor once more. He flickers a smile to Clara that's likely meant to be encouraging. Shifting to sit bass-ackwards on the chair, he folds his arms across its back, coffee mug still gripped lightly in one hand. "You'll do fine," he echoes.
Clara leans against a wall next to the desk, shrugging noncommittally, eyes somewhat distant. "I'd like to be able to tell her that to her face, though," she murmurs, then shakes her head to clear it and smile at both men wearily. "Thanks. I was going over what she left me, and there's a vault in Medbay that needs to be rekeyed to my retina and voice prints...do I talk to y'all about that?"
Riley's expression falters a bit at the mention of being able to inform Honalee of her evil face to face, but he drags that professionally pleasant expression back out, nodding. "Yeah," he climbs from his chair, snagging a scanner. "The main vault?"
Niko keeps his peace, though he does notice Riley's change of expression. Reaching to set aside his coffee mug, he shakes his head fractionally.
Clara clears her throat slightly, for once too tired to notice any faltering. "That one too," she agrees. "And the back one." She glances back briefly before dropping her voice. "Where the tagging kit is kept...and here, me joking about tranq guns..."
Riley rummages in his pocket for a ring of keys, pulling a terminal unit from a locked wall orifice. Reaching over to offer Clara the scanner, "If you'll give it the print and a voice sample, I'll load it in. I know I can do the main from here, I'll have to check about the other." He snickers quietly, "The sheer number of times I got to be glad Honalee couldn't have shot a duck in a barrel."
Clara gives the scanner both samples rapidly before setting it back on Anya's desk as she crosses to stand behind Niko vaguely, flipping the folder shut and half grinning. "They let you fellas watch the tube? Man, I'm in the wrong field."
Riley takes the scanner, plugging its port into the main machine. Fingers flying over the keys he goes about reprogramming the various units. He takes advantage of the task to drop into an unremarkable silence.
Niko offers Clara an amused grin. "It's fascinating. Really." Chuckling quietly, he shakes his head. "It's not paperwork."
Clara half perches on the corner of a desk, glancing over the various monitors before making a face. "Riley, you're not keeping him busy enough," she complains mildy. "C'mon over to Medbay...I've got plenty you can do." She rubs her head. "Oooh, but not tonight. I told Rhys I'd meet up with him hours ago, poor fella. Nice kid. Closest thing to a kid brother I've ever had."
"Yeah, but finding more for him to do would be more work for me." Riley notes idly as he taps in codes, "And as a dyed in the wool laze, I can't manage it."
Wow, a person's expression really can change that quickly--from cheerful at the prospect of helping Clara in Medbay to vaguely jealous dismay at the mention of Rhys to a flicker of relief. Then, Niko is quite cheerful. "There's plenty to do," he agrees, with a broad grin. "I'm just not doing it. The Chief got enough done earlier that I can be lazy a bit now."
<OOC> Leila is not normally big on horoscopes, but any horoscope that reads, "Enjoy it already. Work! Love! Lick random objects!" Is okay in my book.
<OOC> Clara rolls! That's...creative. :)
<OOC> Kris laughs!
<OOC> Jess just loses it laughing. Where is this one found?
<OOC> Leila grins, "Comedy Central's website."
<OOC> Jess snickers a lot. Okay, that makes sense.
Clara makes a face at Riley's back. "Tell it to the preacher, boss. I've got correspondence on my desk to work through that was started when I was in med school. See what a good night's sleep'll do for you, though?" She leans forward and poke's Niko's shoulder. "Can I be envious now or later?"
Riley all but chokes for some reason, poking at the terminal. "It should be set up. But if that didn't work let me know." He closes up the terminal, "I'll come do it by hand." He slides into Anya's seat, "I still have half a closet full, but I think I'll wait to see how many citations I have to defend from this batch."
Niko says pleasantly, "Whenever you like, Clara. Both. Rank hath its privileges, but sometimes it's just better to be on the bottom of the totem pole. But you should take your own advice, eh? Don't work too hard."
Clara waves the folder vaguely over her head, pushing up from her perch and grimacing in mock dismay. "Sheesh, I come in here for dataprints, and I get diagnosis," she grouses, tone far more affable than words. "Thanks, Chief. I'll let you know if it goofs. I'll be up most of the night to fiddle with it anyhow."
Niko shakes his head fractionally. "I tried," he murmurs, to the air directly over his nose. "Nobody can say I didn't try."
Riley tugs the torn remains of a piece of paper from the front of Anya's desk, piecing the halves together and snagging a notepad. "Anytime," he grins, "Heck, I'd almost be hoping it doesn't work so I can see what Honalee had hidden in those things. Maybe beer bottles." Hello Geraldo. He grins at Niko, "Look at it this way. She can't poke us for it now."
Niko corrects, with a grin, "She can't poke -you- for it, now. No need to give -me- a hard time, on that score."
"Heh. Watch me," Clara retorts. "And I doubt it, seriously. From what I can tell, it's the pharmacy...although I guess beer might be considered medicinal." She thinks this over, then shrugs. "Either way, not much way a few dozen vials of diphenhydramine hydrochloride are going to be dangerous."
Riley grins over at Niko, leaning back in the chair to start drafting a reply to the citation. "Darn. I was hoping she had deep murky secrets. Or at least a stash of stolen penguins."
Niko shakes his head fractionally, though his expression is decidedly amused. He mutters to himself, "... -do- watch..." Downing the rest of his coffee, he gets to his feet, the better to dispose of the mug. One brow arches at the penguin reference, but he doesn't comment.
Clara pauses on her way back to the doorway, tilting her head back in curious seriousness. "You think there might be, Chief? There was one in the box she gave me before she left..."
Riley looks up from the notepad, brows lifting, "Really?" He turns back, penning in a line. "There well might be. She's been filching the things from me for over a dozen years."
Niko watches Clara leave, true to his word, though he glances away as she turns. "Imagine that," he murmurs. "Huh."
Disappointment flickers over Clara's face for a scant instant before she squares her shoulders and nods. "I'll get it back to you in the morning then," she says vaguely before flashing a quick, sleepy smile at Niko as she heads out the door.
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
You head towards the Medical Bay.
Your communit crackles to life and says "Keep the penguin. Everybody needs a penguin." in Riley's voice.
SECURITY> Niko returns to 'his' seat, pillowing his chin in a cupped hand. Yup. It's the monitor again. "She's working too hard," he murmurs. "Is it something that comes with the title?"
SECURITY> Riley shakes his head, scrawling notes on the pad. "In Peesh's name, I wish Honalee hadn't left." He nods amiably, "Must be. I never worked this hard as an Admiral. Call me Chief instead, I get insane hours." He doesn't seem to be all that displeased. "It's not a bad life."
SECURITY> Niko murmurs a quiet "Me, too," in response to your audible wishing. He rubs at his eyes with the heels of his hands, adding, "Nah. I guess it isn't a bad life. Not one I'd want, but that's convenient, as you're the one stuck with it. I just hope she doesn't end up getting sick or something, in the process of getting used to it."
SECURITY> "Aww, what, you wouldn't want my job?" He pauses to chew on the end of the pen, "Is 'demise of your tail' or 'the event in which your tail perished' better?" He gestures towards the monitor, "Why don't you let me stare at that and you go after the pretty lady, see if she's okay?"
SECURITY> Niko takes a deep breath. "'Demise of your tail'. The other's too wordy." He hesitates a moment, then nods, getting up from his chair. "Thanks, Chief. I'd appreciate that."
SECURITY> Riley pokes at a control by Anya's monitor, switching of yours and bringing up the same readout on hers. "Go for it, then. I can write and watch just fine."
SECURITY> Niko offers a quick smile as he heads for the door. "Thanks," he repeats. "I owe you one."
SECURITY> Niko heads towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
2FLOOR> Niko, naturally, hovers outside Medbay for a few minutes. Then, looking rather impatient with himself, he heads into the room.
Niko arrives from the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
Kramer, the gawky, over-serious Head Nurse glances up from his desk, brows quirking at the officer. "Can I help you, sir?" he asks. A light shines from an open vault door down the hallway.
SECURITY> Riley glances up vaguely at the ceiling, "Honalee, I -will- get revenge for you up and bamfing and leaving me with kids. Just wait."
Niko blinks a few times, though whether it's the 'sir' or the fact that Kramer is most definitely not who he was hoping to see isn't quite clear. "Uh. Hi. I was looking for Cla--er, for Chief Aleron. Is she available?" Can Clara come out to play?
Kramer gives the security officer a long stare from toes up to eyebrows and thinks it over before jerking his chin over his shoulder down the hall and smirking. "In the vault. Good luck getting her to mumble more than two words together tonight."
Niko murmurs his thanks to Kramer, then steps lightly down the hallway, pausing just far enough from the vault that she can't see its contents. "Clara?" he asks lightly.
A bang followed by the sound of something falling is followed by an "Ow," without emphasis before Clara leans back from where she's kneeling to peer out the door. "Niko? Hey...c'mon in. What can I do for you?"
Niko winces at the various sounds, peering in that direction. He hesitates, then... When in doubt, parrot Riley. "I was... wondering if you were okay." He finally does move close enough that Clara doesn't have to lean back to see him. "You know. New job and all."
Clara is restocking a pile of small boxes back on the shelf, the entire area lined with various shelves of large pill bottles, liters of various fluids, and other medicinal needs. And yes, a small box of penguins in a far corner. She puts the last box in place and makes a note on a clipboard before pushing to her feet. "I'm fine, thanks. Just taking inventory on the albuterol. Lots to do tonight," she adds with a wistful grin.
Niko rests lightly on the outside edge of the vault, leaning against it. "Lots to do," he agrees, "But does it really all have to be done immediately? I can't really see Honalee leaving this place in disarray, even from the little that I saw of her."
Clara leans over to brush off her knees, not that there's any dust or that it would show on the multicolored pants, but it seems habit. "Mmm, she didn't. This place is in better order than any hospital I've ever seen. I guess I just like to know my working environment inside out..."
Niko nods agreeably enough at that. "Immediately?" he repeats softly. "Staying up all night? I'm not a medic--" But I've played one on a MUSH. "--but that really doesn't seem like it'd be... well, conducive to alertness the next day. Y'know. When patients will be here."
Clara smirks and reclaims her clipboard, hugging it to her chest absently and smirking. "You've never been an intern then. Staying up for twenty hour shifts is nothing new to me, so a sixteen hour one isn't a big deal. I'd just go upstairs and read the new Journal if I weren't here."
Niko chuckles quietly at the reference to interns--no, he's never done that. "Well," he says slowly, "There are other things to do around here--other than reading the new Journal." He doesn't offer any suggestions just yet, though.
Clara thinks this over, starting to lean against a wall, but stopping herself just in time before she actually leans against shelving and sends vials of frightening orange liquid flying. "Oh, I know. I was supposed to hit a tavern with Rhys tonight so he could be smug and tell me stories, but likely tomorrow. Anyway...Riley let you out of monitor-sitting for a break?" she asks, heading for the door to stand in the hallway.
Niko inclines his head. "Said he could watch monitors and write at the same time, yeah." He rubs lightly at the back of his neck. "So. This tavern. Is it the Fruvous? Anya said that the main band there is phenomenal."
Clara shoos you out of the way so she can push the vault door shut, several evil sounding clicks and whirrs sounding as she does. "Mmmm. I think so? I imagine it would be, although I haven't been there yet since I've been back. Heh...for that matter, since I commissioned."
Niko's gaze tracks the close of the door, then flicks back to you. "I've heard the music is great," he repeats, then bites back a sigh as he catches the repetition. "I was thinking about heading over there, some free evening." He pauses a beat, then adds, painfully careful not to talk too quickly despite his desire just to get this question over with, so he can tell Anya he tried, "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"
"Sure," Clara answers lightly, tapping in a locking sequence. "It'll be fun," she agrees. "What is it, a group of folks from Security?" She turns back to grin up at you, running a hand up through her bangs to push them from her face.
Niko pauses a moment. "Uh, no," he says slowly. "I mean, I wasn't planning on them being there, though some of them might happen to be there anyway--and I wouldn't put that past some of them. I was..." He clears his throat, then tries again. "I was thinking maybe just us." Too bad the vault's closed. Watching albuterol can't compare to watching a monitor, but it's something.
Clara's smile fades, giving way to surprise as the clue brick drops on her head. She glances rapidly down at herself, suddenly painfully aware of rumpled fatigue pants and t-shirt before clearing her throat. "Oh. Oh, I see," she says quietly. "I'd like that, yes."
Niko lets out a held breath, though the exhalation is barely audible. A bright smile crosses his face; the relief there as well is overshadowed by his delight, but still noticeable. "Great." His expression shifts, a hint of roguishness working its way there. "Now that I've managed to get the question out, we have the hard part: figuring out when we're going to do this. I think Anya will be kind where scheduling is concerned, though."
Oh, look. It's raining bricks. A few more thwap Clara in the head as she blinks in surprise. "Managed to get... Anya?" She shakes her head, rubbing at the bridge of her nose and chuckling. "Forget it. I don't think I want to know. Anytime's pretty much fine for me, as long as I know in advance. I don't have an assistant yet."
Clara clarifies with a weary grin, "To tell me where to be and when to be there, I mean."
Niko chuckles at that. "So you're making your own schedule, yeah. You -are- going to get some rest, though, right?" His brows lower, concern slowly replacing his general chipperness. "I mean, not to sound discouraging or anything, but you look kind of beat. This stuff'll keep til tomorrow." He eyes his chrono. "Well... til later tomorrow."
Clara does the obligatory glance at her own chrono, wrinkling her nose in a grimace. "Now who's the doctor?" she asks lightly, but smiles. "But yeah, I think I'll knock off for the night. Kramer's been after me to vacate for hours now. I need to shut down everything in Ho-... in my office first," she adds, smile fading for a beat.
Niko, for some obscure reason, goes a bit red. He coughs once. "Y'don't have to be a doctor to be concerned," he says, with a smile. Then he adds, "Need a hand, in the office? I can manage flipping switches." No comments from the peanut gallery about turning things on and off.
Clara misses the redness, as she's already headed towards the proper door. "Sure, c'mon in. You can chat with McCoy while I get everything put away," she adds, a hint of wicked humor tinging her voice.
Niko's brows lift. "McCoy?" he inquires, trailing behind you. "I don't think I want to ask who--or what--McCoy is." Of course, he just -did-, so it's rather moot.
You walk towards the Chief Aleron's Office.
Chief Aleron's Office
Bright and airy, this fair sized office is far from pretentious, but instead useful. A large wooden desk faces the doorway, a pair of pointillism paintings in soft pastels flanking either side of the wall behind it. A second desk adjoins to the first, branching back from one side, upon which a terminal and keyboard rest. A pair of fairly comfortable chairs face the desk for visitors, wooden with soothing sand colored upholstery. On one side of the door is a simple brass coatrack, and on the other a bit farther down the wall is a full sized synthetic human skeleton. Along the right hand wall, a low couch covered in brown velour looks frighteningly comfortable, graphic print depictions of Stilvani and Edreeni internal anatomy framed neatly above it. Across the room is a single bioscan bed, much like the ones outside, just as the easily cleaned white tile flooring is unchanged.
Niko walks here from the Medical Bay.
Clara snickers cheerfully, flipping on the light as she comes in and heads for the desk. "That's McCoy," she explains, gesturing cheerfully at the rather bony fellow to one side of the doorway as she drops into the chair and starts to type.
Niko looks about the office with interest, but his gaze pauses on the skeleton. "Okay. So McCoy was a very skinny friend that you had?" He grins, heading over to get a closer look, then asks, "Is it just for show, or could I touch it?"
Clara grins, eyes flickering away from the monitor as she starts to log off. "Yeah, that's what I do with my patients that don't listen to me. Nah, he's synthetic. Go ahead and touch...all the joints are wired together, so he won't fall apart."
Niko snorts very quietly at the jest, then gently takes one arm, rotating it at the shoulder. "Always had a fondness for these," he says, a glint in his eyes hinting at a story behind that oh-so-innocent statement. "Very good listeners. Skeletons in general, I mean, not just their arms. Though I guess an arm would do, in a pinch." He shifts to let the hand dangle in his own, closing thumb and first finger in a pinching gesture.
Clara finishes typing, the screen going dutifully blank, and she rises to push her chair in and head for the coat rack and that obnoxious yellow jacket. "Aren't they? Cadavers are pretty good about it too, but they smell a lot worse."
Niko ponders that for a moment, gently releasing McCoy's hand. "Nice to meet you," he adds to the skeleton, sotto voce. "Yeah," he adds, voice raising to normal conversational level, "I suppose they would. I can't say as I mind not having personal experience with that, though."
"Nor do I blame you for an instant," Clara agrees affably, clicking off the light, one hand on the door. "But then, that's why they make living folks counselors rather than the non." Her smile flashes for a moment in the dark before she opens the door and heads out. "Headed back to security?"
Niko considers that for a moment. "Probably not," he says. "I'll likely just end up nagging the Chief about going to sleep--which he won't, til the shift's over--and he's had enough of a day without me making it worse. Nah, I'll go write the obligatory letter to my kid sister, then get some sleep."
You walk towards the Medical Bay.
Niko walks here from the Chief Aleron's Office.
Clara waves at Kramer, who peers up from his desk with a look of pleased surprise along with a small boggle at the security officer before returning to his paperwork. "Letters home, huh? Not a bad idea. I need to write my grandfather, at least."
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
Niko arrives from the Medical Bay.
Niko murmurs something about promises and twelve year-olds. "She's already annoyed at me for missing a few days, when I promised I'd write every day. I should likely go get that done, while I'm thinking of it, or she'll send me something scary. But I'll see you, okay? Tomorrow? Maybe?" Aw, isn't he cute when he's trying not to be too eager?
Clara holds up a hand as if fending something off, eyes dancing. "I can guess a half dozen scary things a kid sister can do, too. Better take care of whatever you need to do." Her smile brightens faintly. "And of course I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."
Iron discipline. That's what it takes to leave. Or, more probably, Niko starts thinking of all the horrible things that his little sister will undoubtedly do to him. "Goodnight," he echoes quietly, a quick smile crossing his face. He heads for the library, perhaps to make use of a terminal there.
Niko heads towards the Research Library.
You head towards the Security Central.
Riley glances up from the monitor, seems he's taken up Niko's task of the evening. He flashes a tired grin your way, "Evening, again. Finished stealing the heart of my assistant for the night?"
Clara comes back in, this time jacket and hat added and a bottle cradled in one arm rather than a folder, shaking her head faintly and looking bemused. She heads over to perch on the corner of the desk and raises a brow. "I haven't stolen a thing," she protests and sets the bottle down along with a note in an envelope. "This was left for you in the vault."
Riley's brows lift, the inane grin faltering. "Honalee?" His question is quiet, reaching for the envelope.
Clara gives a single nod, folding her arms after tugging off her cap. "Mm-hmm. I didn't read it, but it's her handwriting on the envelope." She gestures with her chin at the bottle. "She has good taste."
Riley tears open the envelope, pulling out the sheet of cream colored paper inside. Scanning it he shakes his head, smiling sadly. "She does, very good taste." Tearing his eyes from the paper he tilts the bottle to regard the label, "In Peesh's name, she must've been holding onto this since right after the Aslan."
Clara quirks her brows approvingly, smiling faintly down at the bottle. "She seems to be a special woman. I wish I'd gotten to know her better," she says quietly. "There was a note in my box to bring that to you if you didn't snoop and find it on your own."
Riley hmphs slightly, resuming his ponderance of the note. There's not that much writing on it, so either he's a really slow reader or he's re-reading. "She knows me too well. After the Great Penguin Wars... I hadn't even really had so much as a chance to think since she left though. Been in here and all since, well excepting when I fled so Anya could harass poor Niko, and then the Zaeltan sent me the citation..." He all but rolls his eyes, "It's been a day, but then I'll bet you'd say the same." He pauses, "Honalee's very special, I've known her ever since Kashid joined the Alliance and they stuffed her Navy in with that of the AF. We even kept touch after the Aslan was destroyed, and then to both end up assigned here. It was rather comfortable I suppose."
"It's been an -odd- day," Clara agrees mildly, adopting a look of sincere interest, but with a fair deal more sympathy than a normal counseling session would garner. "And what do you think, now that she's gone?" she prompts gently.
"That things are suddenly a lot less comfortable." Riley shrugs lightly, re-folding the paper carefully along its creases. "Still, I wouldn't write the wench off. She's as much hooked into this place as I am. She'll have to at least -visit-."
"Things aren't going to fly apart, Riley," Clara reassures, tilting her head. "Not with you here. I do hope she comes to visit though. Medbay already feels more than a little empty without her floating down the hall to harass the nurses."
Riley tucks the letter back into the envelope, settling it with the shredded citation from earlier. "If anything keeps this place together, it's not me. It stays together cause it has to, no matter what half the Council may think." He reaches for his coffee mug, draining off a long measure as if it were something stronger. "You'll do well though I think. You don't seem to be easily intimidated."
Clara leans back slightly, a faintly puzzled half-smile appearing at the comment. "I should hope not," she decides after a moment. "After facing up to the most intimidating woman in the galaxy most of my life, everyone else is easy." She purses her lips slightly, observing the coffee inhalation. "You are going to bed before the cows come home tonight, yes?"
"The most intimidating woman in the galaxy?" Riley nods at the last, "After spending most of last night trying to figure out what to do about Niko, declaring the crusade versus paperwork this morning, Honalee leaving this afternoon... I'm most assuredly going to go crash at the end of this shift." He grins rather wryly, "I -intended- to head out earlier, but I told Nick I'd watch his monitor. And since he hasn't shown back up to take it -back-..."
Clara covers her mouth with one hand, coughing faintly and having the grace to look more than a little embarrassed. "Uh...he's gone off to bed. I think he had his mind on other things." Skipping ahead rather than linger on that subject, she nod wryly. "My great-grandmother. She has, shall we say, definite ideas on what is and isn't proper behavior for a lady."
Riley smiles with vague amusement. Under other circumstances he'd probably think it was hysterical. "I'd rather figured he had." He hmms questioningly, "Proper behavior?"
Clara waggles her brows, half grimacing, half grinning. "Mmm. Military service is definitely -not- proper behavior. Nor, for that matter, is 'dirtying your nails in someone's intestines'," she explains, slipping into a high-class British accent for the last. "I take it everything's cool between the two of you now?"
Harrumphing with quiet amusement, Riley shakes his head slightly. "Your great-grandmother -really- ought to meet my mother. We could sell tickets." He nods after a thoughtful pause, "I think so. I just got ahead of myself is all, thinking of him as a friend rather than someone I work with."
Clara's eyes widen slightly at that, and she bites back the temptation to make a wisecrack. Instead, she ducks her head in a nod. "I think I can see that. It's a common enough workplace syndrome, especially if you don't know all your coworker's buttons yet. That might be why tonight floored me as much as it did."
Riley offers you a faintly thankful glance, apparently noting the bitten back wisecrack. "Don't get me wrong, some of my best friends in the world I work with. But it's a tricky thing to enter into, friendship with someone who theoretically ought to salute you." He lifts a brow, "Floored?"
Clara dips her head, smirking as she hops off the desk and snags one of the rolling chair, twirling it around to sit on it backwards and rest folded arms on its back. "Want I should start saluting you more often?" she teases, lips quirked in a grin. "Floored indeed. Don't tell me you didn't know?"
Riley shudders dramatically, "Save me from saluting. I had a -lifetime-'s worth of that on Terra." He looks somewhat puzzled, "Which bit am I not telling you I didn't know?"
Clara wrinkles her nose in a grin at that. "No saluting, check. A shame, too. I passed saluting 101 with flying colors." Her eyes drop the floor, a grin fading to a faint smile. "Niko asked me out. I'm not really sure why, but he did."
You faintly hear a chime mark the hour.
Riley ahhs softly, toying lightly with his growing collection of paper objects. "That I did know. He's been moping about the past couple days trying to get up the guts to do it. And why shouldn't he ask you out? You're both new, young..." He grins, "You're a beautiful woman, he's a goofball security type... It's a holonovel waiting to happen."
Clara makes a face at the description of the situation, rolling her eyes. "Anyone ever tell you you're a hopeless romantic?" she accuses, amused. "Chief, I haven't been asked out in six years, although I'll admit I'd certainly like to be as young as he is." She laughs, shaking her head. "I'm looking forward to it too. I must be out of my mind."
The twinkle in Riley's eyes is acknowledgement and acceptance of the accusation enough, but he also says, "Of course I'm a hopeless romantic, well certainly -hopeless- if you were to ask Anya." He grins ruefully, "'Sides, you're not that much older than he is. Six years or so, give or take a month? So last time you dated you were his age, it's karma. And why not look forward to it. Dates are fun. Nick's a neat kid."
Clara cradles her chin on folded arms, eyes dancing with amusement. "I'll take your word for it," she allows lightly. "Now I'm glad I went shopping though. Every stitch I owned before this afternoon was Fleet issue. Comfortable, but not all that feminine." She glances down at slightly dusty fatigues. "You men sure do have odd points of view sometimes."
Riley nods amiably, half grinning. "If we weren't odd, we wouldn't be male. Besides, those of us who're in the AF as well are used to uniforms and all. We don't tend to see them anymore since everybody's in one. We look at other stuff."
Clara feigns a look of panic, eyes widening dramatically. "Egads...it's those blasted X-ray glasses from the backs of comic books, right? Bother...now I have to get lead underthings." She snorts cheerfully, shaking her head. "That's what Rhys said too, though, essentially."
Riley does not -quite- roll his eyes, but the expression is close. "You know what I meant, oh evil and vicious one." He grins, "I knew I liked that pilot."
Clara inclines her head serenely at the title. "I did, and thank you." She grins slightly, nostalgia settling in. "He's a good kid. I think I may be the only female at the Academy he didn't have on his heels, which might be why we're such good friends." She glances up at the wall chrono, then back with lifted brows. "When's your shift over, boss?"
Riley glances at the chrono as well, stifling a yawn behind a hand. "Ten minutes or so, the kid's replacement should be here."
Clara looks faintly troubled at the reminder of Niko's youth for a moment, then covers it with a weary grin. "Try to sleep tonight? You deserve it after cleaning out the proverbial Augean stables."
Riley nods emphatically, starting to clean up the mess he's made of Anya's desk. "I intend to." He climbs to his feet, timing impeccable as just then the next shift begins wandering in. "You try the same, eh, Clara?"
Clara rises in on fluid movement as she spins the chair about and tucks it under the appropriate desk. "Mmm," she replies noncommittally. "I'll get upstairs after a bit," she starts, then grimaces and shakes her head. "Except that if I go back to Medbay now, Kramer'll kick me out on my tail. Okay, boss. Sleep, I will," she says resignedly and turns to head for the door.
Riley takes the bottle and the small pile of paper, waving to the incoming security officers. "Sleep's a good thing. You don't want to be all out of sorts to be picking date times with Nick." He grins, moving to follow you out the door after switching off his office lights and pulling the door shut.
You head towards the Second Floor Elevator Lounge.
Riley arrives from the Security Central.
Riley pushes the button.
"Times?" Clara splutters. "Angels and ministers of grace, Riley, he's only asked me out once!" she protests. "We'll just likely hit dinner at the Fruvous, anyway," she downplays, tugging her cap back on self consciously.
From the elevator, With a ping, the doors slide open, smoothly.
Riley snickers softly, shaking his head slightly. "Dinner at the Fruvous is good." Maddeningly, he just grins toothily.
Riley walks into the elevator.
You walk into the elevator.
Riley pushes the button marked 3.
The elevator direction light changes to UP with a ping.
The elevator glides almost imperceptibly upward and goes "ping" as it reaches floor #3.
With a ping, the doors slide open, smoothly.
You leave the elevator.
Clara makes a face up on the way out the elevator. "You're an infuriating man, Addison," she accuses before her smile warms considerably. "Goodnight. Sweet dreams, and all that."
Riley moves to head down the I hall, stifling another yawn. "G'night Clara, see you on the morrow." As he ambles away his voice echoes back, "I do so try to be appropriately infuriating."
Riley unlocks the door to room I16 and goes inside.
Clara mutters something about men in general, casting her eyes to the ceiling as she heads down the opposite hallway and into one of the doors.