Angst

Posted on Fri Jan 25th, 2013 @ 12:45pm by Anaia Viel (Halliwell) & Lieutenant JG Marcus Augusta PHD
Edited on on Fri Jan 25th, 2013 @ 1:11pm

1,190 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Sowing the Seeds
Location: Holodeck One, USS Ranger
Timeline: Current

ON:

Tiberius Domitius Augusta looked every inch his fathers son. Tall but not huge, athletic but not toned, jet black hair and light green eyes that gave him a fairly striking appearance. His arrival aboard the Ranger had been fairly unceremonious, transported over along with a group of enlisted technicians who made for terrible conversation partners before making his way to his quarters with his belongings. It had been a good week before his father had given him any real time to train in his preferred manner and since everyone was busy investigating the destruction of the Dubai, Tiber thought that now would be the perfect time. Tiberius ventured down to holodeck 1 to partake in some exercise.

Tiber, much like his father, was proficient in numerous forms of unarmed combat but his favorite sport was fencing. After a short upload from his father's personal database Tiberius took position with his favorite stunt sword, clad only in a thermal jumpsuit and instructed the computer to begin the program.

"Unable to comply, unauthorized personnel in holodeck."
Tiberius swore loudly before asking the computer to clarify. As he did so he noticed from the corner of his eye a young woman looking at his sheepishly.

"Something wrong?" Tiber called over in a slightly aggressive manner.

The wide-eyed blue stare that was his only reply at first was indicative of Anaia's mystified surprise, not to mention her immediate nervousness. Curiosity had caused her to linger since it hadn't occurred to her that there could be anyone close to her age on the ship but she instantly regretted it as the boy's harsh glare connected with enough force to make her wince. She'd never been good with her peers outside the ones that she had grown up with. A friendlier greeting still would have made her feel uncomfortable but at least it would have ensured more tolerance as her dry mouth tried to fumble through a response.

"N..no. No, nothing's wrong."

Tiber looked over at the girl, cocking his head slightly to help focus his vision. She looked terrified. Tiber had never seen this in someone before and had no idea how to respond to it. Standing back to his full height and setting his sword down in the comer of the room, Tiber took a few steps in the young woman's direction. Approaching slowly, he spoke in a softer tone;

"You don't look like nothing's wrong? What's your name?"

As had happened so often lately, Anaia's nervousness soon found close company with her insatiable curiosity. Her personality was such that she had never realised how much her mind craved information until she'd found herself drowning in it quite happily. Someone her own age, or close to, on board was alarming but at the same time intriguing. Her blue eyes scanned his face eagerly before the pinkness of her cheeks turned a darker shade of red and she realised she'd taken just a few too many seconds to respond.

"Anaia." She offered the boy a crooked little smile and, keeping in mind the brash confidence of her friends back 'home', added with no small amount of bravery, "What's yours?"

Tiber must have been gazing at her for a good few seconds before finally answering. He wasn't sure what to think of this girl, she clearly wasnt particularly confident but he wasn't sure why?

"Tiberius, but just call me Tiber." A slightly awkward silence prevailed over them both so tiber chose to pick a topic rapidly.

"Who are you on board with? I'm guessing you're not on your own?"

The young girl's perplexed expression almost made it seem as if she hadn't understood the question though, in actual fact, Anaia was simply trying to figure out how to answer it honestly. In some respects, she wasn't on board with anyone. When she had left the only place she'd called home, the general opinion seemed that she'd eventually be back but since arriving, there hadn't really seemed to be any talk about timeframes or conditions-of-stay and she'd been far too timid to ask what her fate was to be. Chewing on her bottom lip, Anaia frowned and then hunched her shoulder, replying as best she could.

"Captain Halliwell."

Tiber gave a slight gasp but managed to conceal it well. His father would be very unhappy about him mixing with someone so close to the commanding officer. His own appreciation aside Tiber was a stubborn young man and despite this revelation, in addition to the noticeable discomfort Anaia seemed to exude over their encounter he decided to press on with the conversation.

"Hmm, well I'm with Lieutenant Augusta, he's the assistant head of security. And an all round cheery guy."

Tiber made a stab at humor at his father's expense, hoping that Anaia would appreciate the sentiment.

The comment elicited a faint smile from Anaia though she lost none of her awkwardness. It hadn't occurred to her that being linked to the Captain might put her in some lofty category that set her apart from others, it had never been her experience to be considered 'better' than anyone. Now, no matter what Tiberius thought his father's reaction might be, Anaia remained oblivious and, as such, totally devoid of conceit.

"You just got here," she said softly, less of a question than a revelation that explained why she hadn't seen him.

"....Ye......not been here long, still haven't worked my way around holodeck protocols yet........obviously..." Tiber half joked half sneered at the utterly oblivious virtual intelligence that made its home deep within the bowels of the Ranger's computer core.

Making his way over to an access panel Tiber began entering commands and instructions far beyond that knowledge of an average 14 year old boy and no doubt to the further bemusement of the young woman he had encountered. Ignorant of his irregular behavior Tiber pressed ahead with their conversation. "What you do for fun then?"

Even though it seemed that she had arrived first, Anaia was starting to realise that there were certain protocols that she apparently had a better grasp on than this boy. His brazen attitude was a shock, the rebelliousness he was displaying involving more courage than she could even begin to fathom. Eyes wide, still absorbed with the fact that he was casually messing about with technology that, until just recently, she hadn't even fully experienced, the lithe blonde didn't hear his question. Mouth slightly agape, her mind remained where it had stalled and though not one to normally protest openly, declared softly, "I don't think you're supposed to do that."

Tiber scoffed slightly, in his mind a boundary simply existed to be broken. His response was interspersed by the sharp beeping from the holodeck controls and a cheeky grin he flashed back at Anaia.
"Probably not, but i know what im doing better than most techs, why bother waiting for them."
The response resonated with confidence and a good helping arrogance, something he had been told was a traditional trait of the Augustae. Traits that given Tibers way, Anaia would get to know well.

END

Tiberius Domitius Augusta

And

Anaia Viel

 

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