a movie when we get back to the Enclave."
"You mean a date?” Nunez blinked, surprised.
"Well,” Bangler flushed slightly, “as near a date as you can get in that big cave, anyway. We'll have to eat dinner in the regular mess, I guess, but the movie's on me. If you want to, that is,” he added hastily.
Uh boy, Peg, gal, here is one kettle of fish, she decided. Grab your chance when you don't know yet if there's anything between the two of you, or give him up and let the lady... woman... uhm, female, who loves him have a shot at him.
"Well, maybe we better wait until we get back and see what orders we have,” she hedged. “If that's cool, and our schedules synch up anytime soon, I'm game."
"Great,” Bangler grinned.
"Now you need to determine a final form, dear,” Sira advised. “You already have the rough shape, but you need to complete the physical transformation, and we will help you with the mental and emotional. It's far closer to what my specialty was aboard ship anyway, not to mention I've had some experience with it."
"What... do you think...” Piki shot a quick glance at Bangler, who had wandered away from Nunez to get a glass of water, and struck up a conversation with McAllister, “...might be liked?"
Tomlinson glanced at his mate, wide-eyed, and Sira had a mental impression he'd held up his hands in a desperate, “don't ask me” gesture. She smiled to herself.
"My observations indicate, current trends notwithstanding, that pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes, with your current figure, might be very... liked,” Sira said with a straight face. “Why don't you use your palm computer to pull up some photographs, and... Oh! I know! Ask Sergeant Bangler to help you pick attractive features? You know each other, and as he's... unattached, he brings no special bias to the matter, as for instance, John here might do, because of his relationship with me."
"Ooo, I like,” Piki decided happily. She got up to fetch her computer.
Tomlinson raised an eyebrow, watching the other Crispy walk away. “Smooth, hon."
Sira shrugged, a mischievous grin on her pixyish face. “I thought so."
"You know it could end up hurting one or both of them. She's got a lot of mental issues after that rape, and she does NOT understand the ramifications of what she's starting to feel for him."
Sira sighed. “What would you have me do, John? The more she develops mentally and emotionally under our tutelage, the more attached to him she grows. He SAVED her, and she knows it. He took two bullets intended for her. She loves him for that, if for no other reason. If he refuses her, it is already too late to prevent it hurting her. He is also more open to her than anyone else on this vessel—you saw how he grinned when she smiled, while everyone else looked away. I picked up his reaction at that point; he thought she was cute, John. As in ‘attractive cute,’ and that, in her half Cresperian form. Besides which, if she cannot get past the trauma of the rape with him, she will not get past it at all. At least this way there is a chance they may both find what they want."
"Speaking of what we both want,” John said, drawing Sira out of the small conference room, “let's find someplace to talk."
There was no one in the women's bunk area, and they ducked inside it. “If I'm caught in here, I'll never hear the end of it, so I'll make it quick,” Tomlinson said. He suddenly dropped to one knee, holding out a glittering object. “Sira Whitman, will you marry me?"
Sira's eyes went wide, and she fairly lit up from within. “Yes, John Tomlinson, I will! I will!” she exclaimed joyfully.
"Good,” Tomlinson said in some relief, standing and slipping the diamond solitaire on her left hand before kissing her thoroughly.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 7
Tomlinson thanked his friend aboard the sub crew who'd snuck the engagement ring aboard, he and Sira made their momentous little announcement, and the tutoring classes
"You mean a date?” Nunez blinked, surprised.
"Well,” Bangler flushed slightly, “as near a date as you can get in that big cave, anyway. We'll have to eat dinner in the regular mess, I guess, but the movie's on me. If you want to, that is,” he added hastily.
Uh boy, Peg, gal, here is one kettle of fish, she decided. Grab your chance when you don't know yet if there's anything between the two of you, or give him up and let the lady... woman... uhm, female, who loves him have a shot at him.
"Well, maybe we better wait until we get back and see what orders we have,” she hedged. “If that's cool, and our schedules synch up anytime soon, I'm game."
"Great,” Bangler grinned.
"Now you need to determine a final form, dear,” Sira advised. “You already have the rough shape, but you need to complete the physical transformation, and we will help you with the mental and emotional. It's far closer to what my specialty was aboard ship anyway, not to mention I've had some experience with it."
"What... do you think...” Piki shot a quick glance at Bangler, who had wandered away from Nunez to get a glass of water, and struck up a conversation with McAllister, “...might be liked?"
Tomlinson glanced at his mate, wide-eyed, and Sira had a mental impression he'd held up his hands in a desperate, “don't ask me” gesture. She smiled to herself.
"My observations indicate, current trends notwithstanding, that pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes, with your current figure, might be very... liked,” Sira said with a straight face. “Why don't you use your palm computer to pull up some photographs, and... Oh! I know! Ask Sergeant Bangler to help you pick attractive features? You know each other, and as he's... unattached, he brings no special bias to the matter, as for instance, John here might do, because of his relationship with me."
"Ooo, I like,” Piki decided happily. She got up to fetch her computer.
Tomlinson raised an eyebrow, watching the other Crispy walk away. “Smooth, hon."
Sira shrugged, a mischievous grin on her pixyish face. “I thought so."
"You know it could end up hurting one or both of them. She's got a lot of mental issues after that rape, and she does NOT understand the ramifications of what she's starting to feel for him."
Sira sighed. “What would you have me do, John? The more she develops mentally and emotionally under our tutelage, the more attached to him she grows. He SAVED her, and she knows it. He took two bullets intended for her. She loves him for that, if for no other reason. If he refuses her, it is already too late to prevent it hurting her. He is also more open to her than anyone else on this vessel—you saw how he grinned when she smiled, while everyone else looked away. I picked up his reaction at that point; he thought she was cute, John. As in ‘attractive cute,’ and that, in her half Cresperian form. Besides which, if she cannot get past the trauma of the rape with him, she will not get past it at all. At least this way there is a chance they may both find what they want."
"Speaking of what we both want,” John said, drawing Sira out of the small conference room, “let's find someplace to talk."
There was no one in the women's bunk area, and they ducked inside it. “If I'm caught in here, I'll never hear the end of it, so I'll make it quick,” Tomlinson said. He suddenly dropped to one knee, holding out a glittering object. “Sira Whitman, will you marry me?"
Sira's eyes went wide, and she fairly lit up from within. “Yes, John Tomlinson, I will! I will!” she exclaimed joyfully.
"Good,” Tomlinson said in some relief, standing and slipping the diamond solitaire on her left hand before kissing her thoroughly.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 7
Tomlinson thanked his friend aboard the sub crew who'd snuck the engagement ring aboard, he and Sira made their momentous little announcement, and the tutoring classes
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