| Men Are From Picon… |
| Summary: | Ramiro takes Greje's offer to speak with Eve |
| Date: | 84 ACH |
| Related Logs: | Difficulties |
| Players: |
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Dane had forwarded ahead a request to meet with Eve at Greje's request. Having spent the better part of his morning trying to study for the OCS exams, Ramiro checks his watch multiple times before the time comes. Offduty now, he heads to Eve's office and lightly knocks on the door at the scheduled time.
Eve pulls open the hatch herself, instead of merely shouting for him to enter, a pleasant but oddly smoothed out smile is on her features. Its her professional mask of neutrality. Love it, hate it. "Ensign Ramiro. Getting used to being called that, yet?" She motions in to the interior of her office, already indicating the couch and that he should come in.
"A little bit…" Dane smiles to her, stepping inside. Taking a quick look around, he looks back to her as he turns and stands beside the couch. He'll sit when she does. "…it's stranger getting saluted in the hallways by my old fellow enlisted, but I'm adjusting." He pauses. "How are you?"
Eve presses her lips together slightly. "I'm well." It sounds a bit pinched however. "I have coffee, if you'd like. Decaf, though, I'm afraid." She offers, before they get down to the knuts and bolts of things.
"Yeah, yeah sure…do you want me to prepare it?" Dane asks, lifting his eyebrows a little bit in an attempt to try to be accomodating. He lets out a slow breath. "I've…never really seen a psychiatrist before other than a psych eval…how does this work? Do I just…" He shrugs. "…spill it all out and we try to put the pieces together? I warn…I'm…in a bit of a pickle."
Eve gives a slight shake of her head, and moves to pour to cups. "I hope you take it black." Because most everyone does, and luxuries like sweetener are harder to find than the coffee, which is saying a lot. She makes her way back over with the mugs in hand, offering one to Ramiro before easing into her old familiar chair. There. Now he can sit. "We just talk. Its that simple. Where ever you'd like to begin, Dane."
Taking the cup of coffee, Dane sits down and chooses not to recline on the couch. Blowing into the cup to cool it off just a little, he stares into it for a long moment. "Recently Lex and I submitted a request to get married due to my mustanging…" He pauses. "…I keep going back and forth between wanting to do it and not wanting to do it." He looks in her direction. "But it's either get married or say goodbye. How can someone make that distinction so quickly?"
Eve takes a sip of her coffee, not yet reaching for her pad of paper and pen. "The military law is pretty finite in the regards to fraternization. Acception for one, and they'll have to make acceptions for all. You could have turned down the commission in order for you to explore your relationship. Why did you make the choice you did?"
"Because the war is more important than my personal life." Dane replies fairly confidently. "We're in the process of being hunted down by the Cylons and I'm a trained and decorated soldier. I hardly doubt the civilians on the Carina would appreciate it." He pauses for a moment to sip his coffee. "I believe in what I do. If I'm needed to set battle plans as an S3, then I heed the call. It's an important time for our people."
Eve isn't judging him in the slightest, though she nods along with his words. "And how do you feel about the mandate. That officers and enlisted must marry, but can not date?" Questions, that's all she has to offer at the moment.
"I feel it's completely understandable." Dane nods. "Officers and Enlisted are separated for a reason, not to sound too textbook since I'm in OCS right now…" He smiles, letting out a short, quiet chuckle. "You have to avoid favoritism, you have to avoid seeming less than objective at all costs to avoid your relationship issues coming in to play on the field. There has to be that disconnect…"
Eve rubs her lips together, now reaching for the pad of paper. "And so you realize its either an all or nothing scenario when it comes to you, and your Lex. So tell me why the hesitation?" She doesn't assume, even if she thinks she knows, the answer.
Ramiro takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. At least he's forcing himself to be honest on many a level. "There's been a few reasons really…" He pauses. "First it was because she doesn't have anywhere near the interest in religion that I do. I'm not saying that means she doesn't understand commitment, but it's such a hard difference in way of life. We talked about it." He shrugs. "She says she won't offend and that I'm sacred to her. Which is…fine." He pauses and takes another sip from his mug. He swallows. "This, for me, is a life decision. I don't believe in divorce. The problem is that I have to make this decision now." He looks to her. "So my hesitation is two fold. What if this girl's it, you know? Sure there's some rough edges and difficulties but what marriage doesn't? On the other hand…" He flattens his lips a little. "…how can I decide what's best for me for the rest of my life in such short notice and fully commit to it? It's not like I can decide to date her or keep in talks with her. It's now or goodbye. The end."
Eve starts to make little notations on her paper, but she tries to keep them unobtrusive and nonchalant so as to not interrupt his flow of speech. She's not here to offer her opinion on the matter, she's here to guide him into making one of his own. "And how long do you have to make your decision?"
"I've been granted 48 hours leave to take it when I'm ready, but I haven't really asked. I'm assuming it's very short time because sooner or later they're going to call this dating." Ramiro replies, sitting back a little to relax on the couch. "She's ready to go. Actually…as of last night, we were both ready to go. I'll admit I think I'm being a bit of a jerk…I've been telling her that I don't have any doubts because I want to be bold, you know?"
Eve taps her pen against her paper. "So your main concerns not in your religious difference, but in the commitment of 'forever'?" Eve reaches up, pulling her glasses down from their perch on the crown of her head, settling them down on her nose so she can more easily read back into her notes.
"Well…" Dane pauses. "…there's a catch there I suppose." He pauses. "I wouldn't say that religiously that there isn't a large problem as well." He pauses, taking a breath. "This is going to be some psych eval fodder but here I go." He looks to her face. "There have been spiritual events that have taken place that I can't deny as being…significant. I can't go into much detail, but the long and short of it, is that I don't wish to offend the Lords of Kobol by making a foolish decision. Forever is a commitment I'm willing to make. Just…simply put, how do I know if I've had enough time to decide if this is the right decision?"
Eve glances to Dane over the dark rim of her glasses. Its one of those practiced looks they must teach you in school. Its not exactly a levelling gaze, but its one that clearly begs for more explanation. "Care to elaborate?" Even though he's already said he doesn't want to get into detail.
Dane takes a deep breath. "Uninitiated are never, never capable of translating the Tongues of Kobol, but my parents taught me some at an early age. Theory, in a sense. My father was a Brother in service to the Cult of Apollo, which I am considering becoming an Initiate in." He pauses. "Since the war started, I've translated the tongues of kobol, had confirmed communal visions with irrefutable evidence, and…" He takes a deep breath. "…have had a train of moments that have led myself and others to holy sites on the surface of planets." He gives her a nervous smile. "I…know this isn't your area of expertise, but to the devout, it's…significant." He looks to his coffee. "Hard to explain without seeming insane, but I've worked hard to be objective about it. I feel without a doubt that we are being watched, and that my actions need to remain both honorable and in correct judgement. It doesn't stress me out…except for when it comes to Lex."
Eve gives another dip of her head, making more scratches on her paper. She can't, or won't, comment on the religious implications or lack there of when it comes to marrying someone who isn't of as strong a faith. "Dane. You have a level head, but in the end, that's not what is going to answer your question, is it? Trust yourself. There is no wrong answer here. What you have to decide on, is what you're happier regretting. Not marrying Lex, and letting her go, or later the chance that you'll regret you didn't give it more time."
"I've never really…had to decide on issues like this. I suppose this is why back home courtships are arranged…" Dane lets out a sigh, leaning an elbow on the edge of the couch and resting his jaw on his fist. "What about the fact that she gave me a clear out and I chose not to take it, but then I turned around and…here I am?" He pauses. "I mean…on an adult level, we're all adults here, I'd tell her I need more time, but that's not time I'm going to be able to get. Frak it's a raw deal, a really raw deal, and I've probably dug myself a hole that'll deserve a punch in the face…" He pauses. "…but I'm not ready. I just feel horrible. She's opened herself up to me, made herself vulnerable." He blushes, swallowing. "When we first met she didn't want things complicated. No feelings…if you catch my drift."
Eve clamps her pen to her paper with a thumb. "Then you've already made up your mind, you just need to let it catch up to this mile a minute whirlwind you're in. And who is to say down the road that the two of you can't spontaneously get married?" She offers a bit of a reassuring smile.
"That's true…" Ramiro sips his coffee, staring at the floor with a bit of a squaring of his jaw. He takes in a slow breath and lets it out. "Spontaneously deciding to get married while not courting isn't technically dating. Since we put in the request ahead of time they'll know there's history and not a sign of frat." He pauses, looking to her. He takes another breath. "I guess…you're right. Frak she's gonna kill me."
Eve shakes her head, "I'm not right or wrong. The decision is yours and yours alone. I'm just here to guide you on the way to making it." Hell, unofficially, Eve's likely cheering for them to get hitched, considering her own personal situation, but she's kept that quietly locked away. For now.
Dane finishes his coffee and looks into the empty mug. He simply nods quietly. Letting out a long sigh, he looks up. "So the next step from here then is to talk to Lex, have a heart to heart with her about this…" He pauses. "…and hope she understands and is okay with the distance for a while. Then let her decide."
Eve peels her glasses off of her face. "I'm here if you need to talk again, Dane. Anytime, hmm?" She seems sincere in that. He has to worry about Lex, she has to worry about Greje.
[Intercom] Attention! Action Stations! Set Condition One throughout the fleet.
[Intercom] Pass the word, Commander Regas to CIC.
"Yeah…yeah…" Dane says in tandem as he starts to nod again at some sort…" He blinks. The intercom goes off. He sets the mug on her desk and stands, heading quickly to the door. "You need an escort to a safe location, sir?" He asks quickly.
Eve blinks, tossing her paper down. "I go to berthings. I'll be fine. You see to yours." Frak. She's on her feet a little too fast, a steadying hand needed to clamp on the back of her chair to keep her from toppling.
Ramiro nods and leaves her door. Running as fast as he can towards the arms locker, he rushes out and towards his action station.
