From: Nai (naomi_lara_at_optusnet.com.au)
Date: Mon Mar 26 2007 - 01:39:08 PDT
"Cats and Dogs" Cont' from Kim's "Angst" _______________________________ Location:Earth, St. Paul, Minnesota Scene: Ball room Stardate: 2.70326.1829 The night air was cool on her face, giving her some relief from the claustrophobic, hot environment of the ball room. She cranned her head back and glanced upwards at the stars in the night sky. They seemed so far away. A deep breath of cool air into her lungs slowly released the tension in her shoulders and back. There was just too many people, too many voices, too many faces and too much noise for her to feel comfortable. But it was Daniel's family, so she weathered the storm. For the most part. Every now and then she had to go outside and reorientate herself. She turned her head as someone approached. "If I didn't know you better I would think you were being unsociable." Marty said as he joined her on the balcony, casually leaning against the railing. "But I do know you better then that." "Just needed to get a moment of peace." Catherine assured him with a faint smile. She glanced over her shoulder at the throng of people on the other side of the French windows. The ball room was full of members of the one family, drawn together for an event. Young and old. Men and women and children, all dressed in their finery and enjoying themselves. "There sure are a lot of you." She added, somewhat bemused at all the fuss. "Families tend to stick close, they also tend to keep growing." The younger of the two Clarkson boys told her. "You're now a part of it." Catherine shook her head, not sure if being a member of that throng was a good thing or a bad thing. "I only have one half brother, so I'm sure you can imagine that this is all a little overwhelming." From a scattered family of one to another of over two hundred was a lot to deal with. Marty sighed and straightened out his shirt slightly, trying to pull the creases from its folds. "Daniel tells me that you've been in the dog house for a while." He said. "Dog house?" Catherine arched en eyebrow. "Euphamism for laying low, keeping out of the way, not drawing attention to yourself. He tells me that you're either in your office or at home. He has to drag you kicking and screaming anywhere outside those bounds." Her brother-in-law stated. "I don't kick and scream." "Fine, you fold your arms across your chest and pout." "It's better now then it used to be." Catherine shrugged and turned her face back towards the darkness of the gardens that surrounded the building. "I just feel guilty. I let them all down and I don't know when -if ever- I'll stop feeling like this. I don't want to make another mistake, part of me feels like they expect me to fail again. I wonder if they want me to fail." She said softly and then shook her head. "No, that's just me over analysing things." She chided herself quietly. "Was it hard with watching Danny go dirt side?" Marty asked her curiously. There was this unspoken agreement that this conversation would not go beyond the bounds of the balcony. Catherine turned her head at studied him carefully. Obviously the two brothers shared more then she expected them to. It didn't bother her though. "He nearly died, and I was stuck up on that damned ship sitting on my hands. Of course it was hard." Her blonde curls bounced as she shook her head. "It's what I am Marty, down to that last base pair in my DNA...it's what I am. And when I can't be what I am, what does it make me?" She turned around and straightened up. "I don't know." He answered truthfully. "I don't know either." Sterling gestured that perhaps it was time to rejoin the fray. "We better go back before they send out search parties for us." Marty smiled and nodded his agreement, and they walked back into the celebrations. =/\= Location: USS PATRIOT Scene: Bridge Time: Next morning Cal sighed and swivelled in her chair to glare at Catherine. "You're not supposed to be here." The Anarian watched the genetically engineered woman like a hawk since she had stepped onto the Bridge with two padds in hand. "Good morning to you too, Lieutenant." Catherine replied politely with a thin smile. She had risen early and left Daniel sleeping soundly to go to her office and keep her work up-to-date. The Patriot might be in limbo for the moment, but the galaxy certainly wasn't. There was a quiet, aggressive war between the two women. A clash of personalities that was deep. Tellah couldn't deal with Catherine's past indiscressions and abuse of her former position. She was always weary of anything that Sterling did or said. Always watchful and waiting. Catherine merely was frustrated with her replacements hostility. "What do you want?" Tellah asked bluntly. Sterling held up the two data padds in demonstration. "I have several reports for the CO and ExO to leave on their desks, that is, if it's okay by you." She said with false sincerity. Tellah was always suffocating her, and it was a rare opportunity for her to get a dig in. "I'll pass them on." Cal held out her hand to pick up the padds. "Can't allow that, they must go directly from my possession into theirs." Catherine shook her head firmly, but kept herself polite and professional, even though she sorely wanted to hit the lieutenant. "Security protocol and all that." "Fine." Cal growled softly as another person intruded onto the Bridge. Tam knew she walked into something nasty the moment she saw the two women. "Sorry...am I interrupting something?" She began hesitantly. The tension was so cloying in the air. "No." They replied in unison, turning their focus onto the new ensign. Immediately the energy was dampened a few notches. "I see you found your way to the Bridge, Counsellor." The Operations officer said, as she turned in her chair to face her console and began to tap away at it once again. "Of course." Tam smiled brightly, letting the remark slide over her head. Cal was already combative, so she certainly wasn't going to rise up to the bait. "You're our new Counsellor?" Catherine asked, slightly surprised. Daniel hadn't said anything to her earlier about having a new crew member on board. Inwardly she sighed, hated having to relay on second, third and sometimes even forth-hand information. "Yes, sir." Tam nodded an affirmative. Catherine smiled warmly, "welcome aboard, ensign. Its nice to see a fresh face." She said honestly. "Yes, things can get a little stale when we're on rotation." Cal muttered under her breath as she returned to her work. "Thanks..." Tam said hesitantly, wondering if another salvo had just been fired over her head. "I actually was wondering if I could get some advice on the people on this ship." The woman began, wondering if it were wise to even suggest it in front of these two. Cal ignored the request, and Catherine was woefully inadequate to answer it. But since Cal didn't exactly hold up her hand the intelligence liaison officer had no choice. "Just give me a moment to put these down and I'll try and help you out." She promised. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NRPG: Was going to add to this but nothing's coming.... Chris: Hey man! What's happening?! Naomi Lara Lt. J.G. Catherine Sterling-Jade Intelligence Operative USS PATRIOT And Lieutenant Tellah 'Cal' Callishendrack'Hylarmarishnakaashanah Chief of Operations USS PATRIOT And Commodore Teneill Danara-Bennow Deputy Chief of Starfleet Intelligence From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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