InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "This bagel is good, wot wot!"

model_pilot (model_pilot) wrote in kobols_legacies,
@ 2008-04-30 21:06:00

Entry tags:

(completed scene), (l) avalon

A shoulder to lean on.
While not very fast on her feet or graceful, Dani could lumber forward on her own power once she was on her feet. Still, she didn't mind the assistance from her friend as they made their way up the short steps into Sting.

The young woman sighed in relief as she sank into the VIP chair and put her feet up. "The next time I get a wild hair to come down to the deck before the babies are born, Rhys has my permission to chain me to the bed." She joked, trying to relieve the tension in the air from what the other woman had gone through.

"I'll make sure he knows, but you want to see he uses silk ropes, not chains, sweetie, less pain!" The laugh was still brittle, but she managed to sit down in another of the seats in the cabin. There was no slumping, her body still tense, muscles tightly coiled still in response to the attack and desire to lash out. If she stopped long enough to analyse it she would have admitted that she was incredibly grateful for Dani having been there - she didn't want to think just how much she might have lashed out at the woman if she hadn't had Dani to focus on and keep herself in check.

"You're right, silk ropes it is!" Dani laughed along with her friend, letting her hands rest on her swollen midsection as she watched her friend.

The two women sat there in silence for several minutes before Dani couldn't stand it anymore. "Niki, what in the worlds happened?" She burst out, her eyes wide. "I don't think I've been that shocked at another person in years."

Anika swallowed hard, knowing this moment was going to come and hoping hard that it wouldn't, but now it had.

"She accused me of being a drug smuggler, and Sting of being illegal." Her voice was tight, and dropped a few levels as it thickened. "And that I must have run guns before..." Despite her eyes widening she couldn't stop the tears that now welled up, her chin lifting defiantly as she blinked them away, the anger bubbling up again at the poisonous accusations.

Dani's jaw dropped at the words that tumbled out of Anika's mouth. "She what?" It was hard to believe, but she had no reason to think Anika would lie to her. The two women knew practically everything there was to know about each other after three years, and Anika wasn't the lying type.

Accusing Anika of being involved in illegal activities was like dropping a lit match into a pool of tylium fuel, given what had happened with Bryn. The argument obviously had badly shaken her friend, and at the sight of tears Dani gathered Anika into a hug as best she could reaching over the seat.

"Oh Niki, you poor thing..."

Her throat tightened and it hurt something fierce as Anika tried to swallow but couldn't. The malicious venom in the woman's words, the intentionally barbed accusations, in front of the whole hangar, in full hearing of anyone and everyone present...

She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears overflowed and she tightened her hold on Dani. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't give the bitch any more power over her, would shut her out. Inhaling deeply her voice was still a little shaky. "It's okay, really. She'll get what's coming to her, you know the goddesses will see the balance is found." She had to believe that, it's what gave her the strength to stop from slamming the woman into something hard, despite her intense desire to as the vile, inflammatory words had dripped from her tongue in full hearing of all, as if they were based on some irrefutable facts and not the creation of her apparently disturbed mind.

"She's beyond clueless, and she proved it at the end." Shaking her head she looked around Sting's cabin. "I just wish Sting and I could get off this damned ship and never have to set down here again."

Dani frowned at the remarks. She was friends with both women but couldn't defend Jilleen's actions and how they'd given Anika yet another reason to be distrustful of the military. "It's ok to cry, Anika, nobody but you, me and the twins here will know. It's healthy to let it out, don't bottle it up inside and let it eat you."

Note: This continues from the events in Briefing Anika

Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad here, right now: $0

(Post a new comment)

fly_baby
2008-05-01 01:46 am UTC (link)

Crying was something she couldn't afford to do. Only in her cabin, when she was alone, had she let herself do that. It was a sign of weakness, and one she had fought against all her life. She still remembered her father's words when she would stumble and graze a knee, or not quite bring Sting in for a perfect touchdown. "Hey! Come on, Nik, suck it up! Be strong!" More than once she'd wondered whether he'd have preferred her to be a boy, or them to have had a brother. But she'd adored their father, worshipped him, so would do what he said and then more, trying to make sure she pleased him, made him proud of her.

She shook her head, hugged her friend and sighed deeply, using the technique to release the anger and hurt. "As the priestess used to say... 'Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names can never hurt us.' Though sometimes I have to wonder about that, because it sure damned well feels a whole gammut worse." She shook her head and smiled weakly at Dani. "Would've preferred it actually, punching the stupid cow in the face would've felt a whole heap easier and better."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

model_pilot
2008-05-01 01:59 am UTC (link)

"You know, I had my mouth washed out with soap when the proctor taught us that and I replied that it was dumb saying full of crap." Dani laughed, continuing the embrace and letting her friend work it out however she needed. "To me words have always hurt worse than any injury."

She winced at a particularly strong hit to her kidney from one of the twins and glanced down at her stomach. "Though certain people seem dead set to convince me otherwise..." she muttered, a bit exasperated.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-01 02:06 am UTC (link)

Anika immediately wiped at the wetness on her cheeks, annoyed at the escaping tears and that Dani was having to go through all this. "I'm sorry, Dani, you should be up in your quarters, resting, not having to deal with this frakked up mess. They're probably complaining about all this drama." She loosened Dani's arms and gently encouraged her to lean back in the large seat, putting a hand on the roundness of Dani's belly and hushing softly, telling the occupants she was sorry to have made their mom upset.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

model_pilot
2008-05-01 02:22 am UTC (link)

"It's ok, Niki," Dani reassured her friend even as she willingly leaned back fully into the seat, it had been a long walk down to the deck and would be a long walk back to her quarters. "I probably shouldn't have come down here, but it was important to help out a friend. We Virgonese have to stick together."

Sometimes she wondered if she'd made the right choice, joining the military and then staying in, something very few Virgonese did. Dani loved to fly, and was proud of her service, but sometimes the military life felt so...stifling. Everything had to be just so, and there were hundreds of little rules to follow.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-01 02:31 am UTC (link)

Anika leaned over and gave Dani a hug, thanking her. "And believe me, I'm so glad you did, even if Ani's going to kick my arse from here to breakfast time for dragging you all the way down here." She gave Dani a small smile as she added, "and the bitch at least finally stopped, then tried to make nice with you." She huffed a dry laugh, remembering the incident she'd seen at Dani's wedding, and hearing through the grapevine later what had gone on. She didn't know if Dani knew about that, she and Rhys had been across the other side of the room and being called down to the front for the song the officer had performed.

"Just hope she doesn't turn around and lose it with you, just because you came down to help. Wouldn't surprise me if she did, but she would regret ever having drawn breath if she tried it." Loyalty wasn't just between the military - Anika's loyalty to her friends was unshakable. While she was seriously considering not even telling Bethany what had happened, to stop her sister from taking it higher and further with all her contacts, nothing would stop her taking the cow to hell and leaving her there in a boiler suit if she turned her venom on Dani.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

model_pilot
2008-05-01 03:00 am UTC (link)

"I don't think she will," Dani hugged her back. "Either way, I'm a big girl and can fight my own battles Niki. Thanks though, I do appreciate it."

She'd deal with Jill herself if the need arose. Hopefully the other woman would realize what she'd done and take steps to rectify it.

Dani let go of the hug and sank back in the cushioned seat. "I don't want to get up..." She closed her eyes and let her hands rest on her badly swollen stomach, lips curving into a smile as she felt the subtle movements of her children inside her.

"I think they're going to evacuate dependents off ship in the next day or two," she said, eyes still closed, as a way to change the subject. "Right now I'm considered a dependent. Are you and Bethany still willing to put up a cranky pregnant woman?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-01 11:02 am UTC (link)

"Sweetie, you may be a big girl, but she's... and inferior superior officer," Anika pointed out, "and that's something even you can't combat if she sets her mind against you." Anika knew there wasn't much chance she'd see the woman receive what she deserved, just like last time. "Look at what she said about me when she's never even met me, and was supposed to be briefing me." She shook her head. "She's insane."

She reached over and squeezed Dani's arm, something she didn't even realise was what her twin did when trying to comfort people too. "Why don't you stay right where you are and I'll just fly us outta here," she told her friend with an attempt at lightness, adding a wink. "You know we'd love to have you stay with us, and that Bethany wouldn't even hear of anything else. She's already made enquiries about getting you your own cabin, especially so Rhys can come visit if possible, saying that it would make sense in case the babies came."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

model_pilot
2008-05-01 10:58 pm UTC (link)

"They'd better not come early!" Dani exclaimed, opening her eyes and looking down at her stomach with a mixture of concern and amusement. "You hear that you two! Listen to your mother and stay put until it's the right time for you to come out, which isn't for weeks yet." Realistically she knew it was getting closer to that time, but the longer they stayed in and 'baked' as close to full term as possible then the better off they'd be after they came out.

"I'd love nothing better than to stay in this nice, comfortable seat than walk all the way back to my quarters." She patted Anika's hand and then let her head rest against the back of the chair again. "But I wouldn't want to have Rhys come back there and suddenly find me packed up and moved to Shangri-La without any warning. He'd be frantic."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-01 11:52 pm UTC (link)

"Can't have that now can we?" Anika shook her head then added, "save all his franticness for when the day of daddyhood hits." Her body slowly eased out of the rigid pose she'd been in, on the edge of the seat, and she slumped back till her head rested back on the headrest, eyes closing.

"Still want to just get off this damned ship," she muttered quietly after reopening her eyes and staring at the cabin's ceiling for a long moment.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

model_pilot
2008-05-02 12:23 am UTC (link)

"Avalon's not a bad ship," Dani protested mildly. "A lot of good people are in her crew and she's kept me alive three years now." Still, she understood why Anika wanted off the ship.

Almost as if someone were listening in to the conversation, the head of the deck officer of the day poked through the hatch of the ship. "Excuse me, Miss Jereldsen? Commander Burk has rescinded the hold order on your ship, you're free to go as soon as you're ready."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-02 12:28 am UTC (link)

Anika jerked back upright, eyes narrowing a little as she looked toward the hatch, the light of the hangar bright compared to the dimness in the unlit cabin. "You serious? How soon can you get us out of this damned hangar?" she asked coolly. Her fingers tightened on the armrests of the seat, her only interest now in making sure Dani was helped back to her quarters safely.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	model_pilot 2008-05-02 12:38 am UTC (link)
	"I'll get the tow hooked up immediately, how's that for you?" the officer replied, and ducked back out of the ship. Dani brought her legs down and looked over at her friend. "I guess that's my cue to get moving." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fly_baby 2008-05-02 12:45 am UTC (link)
	She gave the officer an appreciative smile before he ducked out, then looked at Dani. "Wait, we'll get one of those cart things. At least to get you back to the lift." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	model_pilot 2008-05-02 12:52 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, well, I still have to get out of this chair." Dani told her friend, pushing herself up with some effort. She brought herself out of the chair and onto her feet and looked over at Anika. "I'll see you soon, right?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fly_baby 2008-05-02 01:04 am UTC (link)
	"We'll be waiting for you at the VIP lounge on Shangri-La, sweetheart, to whisk you away to your new home!" Anika told her with surety. She doubted whether she would ever set foot on the decks of this ship again. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	model_pilot 2008-05-02 01:57 am UTC (link)
	"Right!" Dani nodded and smiled as she waddled to the hatch. Poking her head out she could see that the tow had already been hooked up. "I'd better get off now or I'll be disembarking on Shangri-La!" she said over her shoulder, and took an assist from a nearby deckhand to carefully step down onto the deck. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fly_baby 2008-05-02 02:08 am UTC (link)
	Seeing her friend down the stairs Anika grimaced and again felt sick that Dani'd had to deal with what had happened. "You make sure you look after her," she said to the deckhand who'd come to help. "And tell Rhys he's welcome to come over any time, remember?" she added, bending down and giving Dani a hug from where she stood on the bottom step. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	model_pilot 2008-05-02 02:15 am UTC (link)
	"I will," Dani promised with a smile, reaching up and hugging Anika. "You tell Bethany hello for me and I'll see you both soon." "Fly safe." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fly_baby
2008-05-02 02:30 am UTC (link)

"You know me," Anika replied, climbing back up into Sting and giving Dani a wave before heading straight to her own seat and quickly settling into it.

As the ship was towed through to the launching deck Anika quickly went through preflight checks, systems bring brought back online and the radio and DRADIS synchronisation completing. "C'mon, babe, let's get out of here," she murmured as the clearance was given and a short while later the welcome black of space and scattered lights of the fleet were around her and she was requesting clearance back home...

(Reply to this) (Parent)