Joint Duty Log - RAdm Waterhouse, Capt Diziara & 1LT Black - "Never, Never a Trace of Red"

Posted on Sat Aug 16th, 2014 @ 2:44am by Commander Amelia Waterhouse & Lieutenant JG Teá Black
Edited on on Sat Aug 16th, 2014 @ 2:50am

1,916 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: In the Dark

"I think that's Sean's girlfriend," the silvery-blond Admiral said to his wife as they stood along the edge of the dance floor. She grinned back at him like a lioness spotting the lone gazelle on the plains. "Kitten," he said to her gently.

"We'll just say hello, I promise I'll behave," she insisted, and strode towards Teá. With a soft sigh, the small admiral followed his flame haired wife with a quick but easy stride; it was clear that over the years he'd had practice keeping up with her mile long gait. As they neared the black haired marine, the Admiral quick stepped to pull ahead of his wife, and approached first.

"Teá?" he asked coming to a stop in front of her, clasping his hands behind his back. His wife stopped behind him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Her hair a flame red, a familiar pattern to the muted Klingon ridges, and faded trill spots made it clear which Intel officer on this ship the couple was related to.

Teá had chosen a elegant floor length forest green gown with a ornate gold neck piece that clasped the two support straps. On each hip was similar ornate gold piece giving the gown nice flair without over doing it.

Teá had been checking in with the Marines on guard duty when she heard the voice. Spinning around to see where the voice came from, she noticed the older gentlemen and a women with fiery red hair. "Yes sir," Teá said quickly wondering if the women was related to Pond.

"Corey Waterhouse, and my wife, Diziara," he introduced, holding his hand out to her to shake. "I have heard a lot about you."

That one phrase for Teá struck fear into her, and Teá was fearless when it came to her assignments. To have someone she never met before say I have heard a lot about you. was enough to stop her heart. "It it's a pleasure to finally meet you two your daughter has been a great mentor and friend to me." Teá stuttered her next two words and hoped she recovered quickly enough.

The grin that spread across Diziara's lips was like that of a shark that had gotten a taste of blood in the water. In the blink of an eye, she was gone from Teá's field of view. As Corey's eyes shifted up and to his right, a hand fell on Teá's right shoulder, and an arm draped across her upper back.

"Amelia hadn't mentioned you're one of her ghost friends," Diziara purred in the shorter woman's ear. Corey cleared his throat.

"Sean's the one who talks our ears off about you," he quickly explained. "It's too bad you were delayed on the way to Earth for your trip to Jamaica, you could have joined us for lunch when Sean did."

The comment from the wife this time struck fear again into Teá but again she quickly recovered and smiled. "As am I for many different reasons the most important one missing Sean something terrible and of course missing the chance to meet you two." Teá added with a grin.

"It sounded like Sean had a lovely visit planned for you two, I have half a mind to have him plan our next leave... Did you have a good time?" Corey asked, his eyes drifting to Diziara as she moved around to stand next to him again.

"What delayed you, anyhow? The explanation Sean gave reeked of-"

"Diz, drop it," Corey interrupted her. His tone was even, he didn't even raise his voice, but her reaction was quick.

"I'm getting a drink," Diziara announced, and turned to stalk off.

"Risa sunrise, synthehol, Kitten," he called after her, and turned his attention back to Teá. "I'm sorry about that, she's had some rough experiences with Intel over the years."

Teá just nodded as she took another sip of her gin n' tonic and studied Corey, "Well, in all honesty, I don't blame her, 'ghost's' don't tend to make great first impressions or last impressions."

"Nonsense, your job depends upon making a good impression," he dismissed, smiling. "Most I've known over the years are charming individuals, it's only when something causes them to get caught off guard that they falter. Who could blame them for that though? But when they falter is what reputations are built upon." He shrugged. "I'll admit, most of what Sean has told us about you was unending prose about your beauty, which while not inaccurate, fails to paint a complete picture. How did the two of you meet anyway?"

"The Griffin was docked at the starbase where I was working security. Sean was tipsy," Teá said as a grin started to form and her eyes seemed to get brighter. "He started to sing "Dancin' In The Moonlight" by Thin Lizzy which apparently a equally tipsy Klingon did not appreciate it and I had to break up a potential fight." Teá said with a chuckle as she bit her finger nail remembering that moment.

"That is quite a first impression." Corey laughed and shook his head. "How was he holding his ground against the Klingon? He's certainly taken his lumps from Pond, hopefully he learned from them."

"It didn't get started I made sure of that. I'm sure Sean can hold his own but this Klingon would've done serious damage to Sean." Teá smirked, "and plus I was station security and on-duty."

"Being on duty takes all the fun out of some things, doesn't it?" Corey asked, lowering his voice and stepping closer to do so, as if sharing a little conspiracy with Teá. "Take Diz for example," he said, looking up to make eye contact with his wife as she returned with their drinks. "She normally doesn't come to these sorts of events, she hates how I have to behave when I have to play to the lie that I'm a respectable flag officer." He winked at Teá as he accepted his drink from Diziara, and quickly nipped at the inside of his wife's wrist after a quick glance that no one was watching.

Teá was a little uncomfortable with how close the Admiral had moved to her; she had a bubble of space she maintained and only a select few were allowed to enter. Noticing the quick glance around, something similar to what Teá does all the time, but she knew this was for something different.

As uncomfortable as Teá felt when Corey stepped into her bubble the confiding he did was really ten times worse, especially with what he chose to confide in her. Not really knowing what to do, she just gave an awkward smile and took another sip of her gin 'n tonic. The quick nibble to the inside of his wife's wrist seemed innocent enough but it was at a formal military event and Corey was a flag officer. As innocent as it was, it was still very very much against military regs and for Teá this was the first PDA she's ever seen from a flag or even high ranking line officer.

"Everyone lies, whether it's a simple thing like putting on a face at event like this or..." Teá said, just letting that hang in the air and probably making the moment even that more awkward.

"Or not telling your boyfriend what you've been up to," Diziara finished the sentence for her, her head tilted to the left as she considered Teá. "You know, usually I'm the one who makes Amelia's friends feel awkward," she directed at Corey, and he glanced at Teá.

"Excuse me," he murmured, clearing his throat, and stepping out of Teá's personal space.

As soon as Corey stepped out of her bubble, Teá could breathe much easier again. "Thank you, Admiral." Teá said looking at Corey, "and as for your comment, ma'am, I couldn't — that would've endangered my life and potentially his. So yes, I should've, but I chose to keep myself safe and anyone and everyone that I care about safe."

Diziara sighed at being called ma'am, but her face softened at Teá's response. "Keeping those you care about safe is the important thing, and I know Sean understands. It's just hard being on the receiving end, even understanding why," she explained.

Teá looked at Diziara for a second and realized she had just met Sean's other parents. "It is, and me and Sean, we're working it out and trying to make it work."

"It's difficult, but you know when it's worth it," Corey insisted, sharing a knowing look with Diziara. She smiled back at him.

"With how Sean talks our ears off when the subject of you comes up, we know he thinks you're worth it," Diziara confided in Teá with a wink.

Teá smiled, sensing that she was slowly wining them over, which she knew Sean would be very happy about when they spoke next. "So may I ask what exactly you two do within Starfleet?"

They sighed together, exchanging a look that said this was a sore subject. Corey cleared his throat, conceding defeat in the the silent argument. "That's up in the air. It's still being decide what to do with some of the shipyard assets and personnel that made it safely to Klingon space," he explained, implying that he and his wife were included among the personnel in question.

"My apologies. Didn't mean to broach on such a sensitive and difficult topic." Teá said realizing that she had to work on proper conversation topics; her time undercover didn't exactly require tact when dealing with certain parties.

"You're fine, it's just a difficult situation," Corey insisted.

"We've lost..." Diziara had started, and her voice caught for a second. Corey gave her hand a squeeze. "...lost contact with a few people, and Corey's parents, sisters, and their families are all still on earth. Now we're just sitting here, doing nothing."

Teá wasn't sure what to say, so she went the awkward drink sip hoping it would give her enough time to come up with something. Teá was a gypsy since she truly did become a 'ghost', so for her the concept of leaving things behind in a moments notice was very very different. "I'm sorry, I hope this all over soon and your family and friends are safe and male it through this ordeal."

"Thank you," Corey answered, even as Diziara sighed. "We're probably keeping you from friends, it's been a pleasure meeting you," he added, then looked up at his wife.

Friends was a bit of a stretch; Teá was still repairing her personal reputation after how she was found out. And the fact was, she didn't do well with meeting people. "Same here, it was a great pleasure to finally meet you two. Have a lovely night," Teá said looking over at the bar and back to her empty glass.

Corey smiled at Teá as he offered Diziara his arm, and when she took it, the two of them made their way out to the balcony talking softly as they went.

Teá headed for the bar — she needed another drink, that had been exhausting. But at the same time good, in the sense of feeling more a part of that family unit, which is what she needed.

=/\= END LOG =/\=

Rear Admiral Corey Waterhouse
Head of Fighter Design Team
In Transition

Captain Diziara
Fighter Test Pilot
In Transition

1Lt Teá Black
Marine Intelligence Liaison Officer
USS Vindicator

 

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