Commission Admission
Commission Admission
Summary: Reed visits Adele in her bunk after she declines a military commission, and the talk turns to eels, blankets and twelve year olds.
Date: 21 ACH
Related Logs: None
Players:
Reed..Adele..

Reed comes in from Passageway.
Reed has arrived.
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Contractors Quarters Support Station PAS - Deck 3
21 ACH 6735 Souls


This area is the sleeping quarters for the contractors on the ship. The bunkbeds are doubles, lined in rows along each wall. Down the center of the room is an oblong table with cushioned chairs. Off the area is a shower room and changing area for those here, divided between men and women. Lockers occupy the space between the bunks, almost hidden behind smooth paneling.


Contents: Adele Reed Bunk Object Wireless 1390
Exits: [O] Out
-=============================================================================-

Adele is sitting in her bunk, which strangely enough sports an ugly, military-issue grey blanket instead of a comforter that would match the rest of her bedding. She is reading over a journal of some sort, highlighter in hand.

Reed walks in, looking about and picks up a chair, moving to Adeles bunk, then sets down the chair and sits, facing her, "Howdy." He says lightly."

Adele doesn't realize that someone is nearing her bunk until the chair is set down and Reed makes his verbal greeting. Startled, she looks up from the journal and sets it aside, her expression turning to guilt at once. "Hey," she returns the greeting hesitantly before launching preemptively into an apology. "Look, Reed, I'm sorry I didn't take the commission. It was an honor to be offered one, and I know it would have been a good move for me, but…" She trails off with a grimace.

Reed shakes his head, "I'm not upset about your not taking the commission. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed you gave an answer without talking to me about it." He says mildly, tilting his head, "But what? I know you went to the execution. Talk to me, Adele."

"I knew you'd probably be successful in talking me into it," Adele admits with a wan smile upon her face. She shifts her weight, fluffing a pillow to use as an armrest as she lets go of a quiet sigh. "Yeah, I went to the execution. I decided I needed to educate myself on military practices, and… it probably wasn't a good idea. I'm sure that man deserved to die, and I trust in the military to make its own decisions regarding criminals in its ranks, but it was horrifying." She frowns, pushing a lock of hair back into her ponytail. "Reed, I'm just not military material. I told Isabeau that I could probably force myself to adapt, but I don't really want to, not at this late in my life, not when I'm trying to grasp at everything I have left, which, like everyone else, is not much." She pauses, then levels her gaze meaningfully at Reed. "And, honestly, if they ever did transfer me to medical - which they'd be crazy not to since I'm a damn good doctor - I'd have to end things with Jesse. I don't want to take that risk, not when I… feel the way I do about him." She blows out a breath, then mumbles, "So there you have it. Selfish reasons."

Reed shakes his head, "One of those reasons, I can dismiss immediately. Your position on the PAS would be research. Emergency duty as a medical doctor does not change your perminant posting, which would be under Captain Reighner, your relationship with the CMO would be secure. I not only know that in general, but in specific. I did the checking and the work to look into it." He shrugs, "And no, an execution is not the place to try to familiarize yourself on military procedure. It's ugly. Necessary, but ugly. This commission is supposed to be an opportunity for you, not a punishment to turn your world upside down. Now, I can go over every advantage, disadvantage and lay out philosophy for you, but in the end, it's your decision and I respect the one you've made."

Adele smiles faintly, a bit ruefully. "I understand that, Reed. I know it's a wonderful opportunity - but you're saying that as a military man. Rhea said it as a military woman." She shakes her head, still looking guiltily apologetic. "You have to realize how terrified I am of change, of losing control over certain aspects of my life. And we just went through the biggest change in the history of humanity. I'm trying to get used to the fact that /this/ is my life now. On a station floating in space indefinitely." She emits a single, desperate sounding laugh. "I can't throw something else into the mix. Not now, Reed. But Isabeau says she will keep the paperwork lest I change my mind. And I'm not convinced I won't."

Reed nods, "I understand, Adele, I really do. There's a lot you'd be taking on when you join the Officers corp. OCS veing one of the most important things."

Adele looks mildly relieved. "Thanks, Reed. I hate the idea of disappointing you, but you know I'm always at your disposal for research as far as my station as a contractor will allow me." She pulls her legs up and crosses them, resting her arms against her thighs. "How are you?"

Reed nods, "I know, Adele. You're way too brilliant to not keep you on as a contractor." He smirks a little. "I'm doing okay. Things are alright on the personal front. We've got some stuff coming up that will be a little tense but that's going to go down how it will and I can't affect it, so I'm not shouldering it."

"That's probably a good idea," Adele says with a slow nod. "Even if I've always found that a little difficult to do, not shouldering things that are beyond my control." She shakes her head amidst a small smirk, then arches her brows curiously at Reed. "So, anything interesting on the personal front that's made things all right, or - are things just all right by default?"

Reed narrows his eyes, "What makes you ask?" He asks, with a clear suspicion in his voice, looking at the Doctor under the blanket, one brow arching.

Adele isn't actually under the blanket; she's sitting on top of it. When she hears Reed's voice laced with suspicion, she lifts a hand, palm out. "Nothing, it's just we haven't talked about anything but eels in a while. Just curious." Her eyes travel over his face, noting the arched brow. "I'm not the best at reading people, but I'd say you just got a little defensive, so maybe my curiosity is well founded?"

Reed shrugs, leaning back, "Oh, maybe, not like things always unfold the way we ant them to, or are hoping." He smirks, "Have you had any of thr eel dishes yet?"

"Wow, that was almost as evasive as Jesse," Adele replies, unfolding her legs to sit up a little straighter. "And yes, I've forced a few eels down. Why couldn't muskeg have been overrun with aquatic chickens or cows?"

Reed quirks a brow, "But, Adele, the eels are aquatic chickens. Well, practicly speaking, really. They have excellent meat, and they're plentiful."

"I've never liked the taste," Adele informs Reed with another rueful smile. "But it's food. I'm not really going to complain, so long as they name a dish after me." She considers a moment. "How about… The Adeel."

Reed nods, "I like it, what would be in the Adeel?" He smirks, sitting back more, crossing his legs.

Adele tilts her head to the side, considering. "I don't know - maybe some of that plant I was trying to get to grow when I unwittingly stumbled upon the secret to eel multiplication?"

Reed chuckles, "As a garnish. Tasty. How about a fillet of eel, lightly toasted in a wine sauce?"

Adele arches her brows. "That actually sounds kind of good. Do you cook?"

Reed shakes his head, "Not in the slightest, no. I thought it fit with you alcohol tolerance." He grins, "So, what's with the Regultion blanket, anyway?"

Adele laughs, giving Reed a wrinkle-nosed look. "Clever," she allows, before glancing down at the blanket underneath her. "I'll let you guess whose it is, and where mine might be," she states, looking back up at Reed with a vaguely sheepish grin on her face.

Reed chuckles, "to that point, hmm, exchanging bedding for the smell. That's nice, really. Glad to know things are going well with the pair of you."

"Me too," Adele replies, running a hand over the comforter before pulling it back up into her lap. "It can get a little difficult, getting to know him, but I know he's doing the best he can in opening up. It's hard not to pry, but I think I've been doing a fair job." She shrugs limply.

Reed grins, nodding, "Well, good for you. Using feminine wiles on him to make him open up." He chuckles, "so you've got your personal project all set out for you, hmm? Big game hunting."

"Feminine wiles?" Adele asks, emitting an amused laugh. "Those only work when I want things to go in… a different direction. Getting Jesse to open up is another story entirely. But it's all right, it's kind of like reading a novel very slowly in order to savor it." She tilts her head and glances at the ceiling, then nods. Yes. That is an astute comparison.

Reed chuckles, nodding, "Fair enough. you seem happy, and that's the important thing, so I'm hardly the person to argue." He pushes back in the chair. "Cling to that, it's going to give you strength."

Adele smiles, almost privately. "It does," she agrees, lapsing into contemplative silence after a moment. Then she frowns. "I almost feel bad, though, having what little I do, with Jesse. What about people like Rhea and Matt, who have lost their spouses? And… in Matt's case - his children? I know it's stupid, but I feel guilty finding the small joy in my relationship with Jesse, because others have had theirs ripped away permanently."

Reed shakes his head, "don't you're rebuilding, and that's important to show people they can rebuild after everything that's happening. People need to see it for what it is."

"I know," Adele agrees, angling her back towards the headboard and pulling her feet up onto her bed to sit with them stretched out over the length of it. "Just overthinking, like always. But I'm not /about/ to go displaying my affection for Jesse in front of Matt or Rhea, rebuilding or not." She shakes her head, then shifts subjects again. "You heard any more from your young engineer fangirl?"

Reed chuckles, "No, thankfully. I don't want to get involved with her. I suppose that's just all there is to it."

Adele grins, nodding once. "Probably a good idea. I was a fangirl once, and the relationship that surfaced as a result was a complete disaster. It's hard to get stars out of your eyes." She purses her lips at the memory.

Reed smiles, "Yea, and I don't really want anyhting that.. unusual, notin this situation we're in. Need focus and concentration. someone compitent in their own feelings.

"Competent in their own feelings?" Adele asks, looking mildly amused. "From what I've seen around here, that narrows it down quite a bit."

Reed blinks himself out of a thought, and looks to Adele, nodding, "I suppose. Well, guess we won't be seeing you on the Range, working on your firearms certification then, hmm?"

Adele shakes her head. "Afraid not, though I'm sure it'd be a useful skill to have. But I have to keep within the lines of the decision I've made, and if that means forgoing learning how to properly handle a gun, I can live with that."

Reed nods, "Alright. Then, here's something I have for you. Emergency plans I'm drawing up for Condition one, a buddy system you and a partner, watching out for one another, amongst the Civilians."

Adele arches her brows. "Oh?" she asks, swinging her legs back over the side of the bed to sit on the edge again, in order to peer more levelly at Reed.

Reed nods, "I'm going to pair you with Reece Zimmerman. You look out for him, he looks out for you. I think the th methodology is sound. Reece will be looking out for Dr. Zaharis' girlfriend.

Adele blinks, her head tilting involuntarily. "Reece? He's - he's twelve, Reed. Is he really - going to be paired up by himself? With… me?" She is skeptical, of this there is no doubt.

Reed nods, "He's twelve, but he's a military brat. He's been around the military all his life and he's been scampering all over this station for as long as there's been a station to scamper around. He's smart and he's got more knowledge of the military than most anyone who hasn't been formally schooled."

Adele purses her lips, considering. "But he's twelve, Reed. I've never been a twelve year old boy, but I have a pretty good idea of what happens to the pituitary gland during that particular stage of life. I know he's smart, and I know he's got more knowledge about the military in his left pinky nail than I do in my entire body - but he's a boy going through puberty. He needs to be protected in a time of crisis, he doesn't need to be doing the protecting."

Reed smirks, "Well, I have been a twelve year old boy. Okay? And this is the kind of thing that will work. In a crisis situation, if Reece can focus on helping to protect someone else, he doesn't have to worry about his image. If he's helping you, he can get rid of his self consciousness to do it. And he can be manipulated by you. You can use him to guide you to where you need to go or what you need to do, and translate jargon."

Adele lifts her hands. "All right, Reed," she says, offering a slow nod. "I have no reason not to trust your judgment, and when you put it that way, it makes sense." She smiles tightly. "So what does this buddy system entail? Do we have to go through training or anything like that?"

Reed shakes his head, "not really, just when you report to your Condition station rooms, find each other and log in like normal, the emergency training you've already gotten will suffice, though it never hurts to learn more." He rises, "But I need to get going and let you get back to your reading, or sniffing the blanket." He smirks.

Adele watches Reed rise, returning his smirk with a roll of her eyes. "It's just for the purposes of sleeping alone, damn it. I don't sit here and pine away throughout the day, breathing in the faint smell of cigarettes and snarkiness, you know." Of course, her eyes go a little foggy when she says that, as though it sounds like a pretty good idea. "See you later, Reed."

Reed snickers, nodding, "See ya." He heads out.

Reed leaves for Passageway [o].
Reed has left.

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