Clearing the air

Posted on Sun Nov 28th, 2021 @ 7:55pm by Captain David Blake & Commander Ryan Blake & Lieutenant Marina Tanger

Mission: The Riixian Insurection
Location: Blake’s quarters

OOC: hi, thought this could be a fun post :)

{ON}

With her security escort in tow Marina made her way to Ryan’s Quarters, she had requested permission to leave her lockdown quarters to speak with him. With her request granted she now stood outside Ryan’s door, pressing the chime she waited for permission to enter.

Ryan was still in uniform sans his tunic top when the chime rang. He walked to the door and opened it. He gestured for Marina to enter. "Come in, have a seat." He looked at the guard. "Standby out here please.

As she stepped inside Marina offered a polite smile. “Can I..talk to you? I owe you an explanation.”

Ryan nodded and gestured to the table next to the replicator. "I was about to grab a beer. Want anything?"

Marina nodded. “A Pepsi please” She took a seat and made herself comfortable.

Ryan ordered up the beverages and sat down at the table. He slid Marina's across to her and took a sip of his beer. "You don't owe me anything Marina?"

“Yes, I do” Marina paused to pick up her drink and take a sip. “I owe you an apology for leaving you the way I did.” She placed her glass back on the table and sat back. “I received news of my first assignment, but I wasn’t permitted to tell anyone where I was going. I went straight out of the Academy, and straight into a top secret assignment. After that I was dropped into another one, then the Caliphate...” She sighed. "I loved you, you know that.”

Ryan matched her sigh with one of his own. He gave a nod of his head after a short pause. "I know. I...was in love with you too. I had even planned to propose you Graduation Night, but Andrea had beaten me in her proposal to Gar. I didn't want to steal any of their thunder that night. I decided to wait until the next morning, but...you were gone."

Marina looked at Ryan in wide eyed surprise. “You were...going to ask me to marry you!?” She sat stunned by the revelation. “Ryan I...if I’d have known I wouldn’t have taken that assignment.” She took a deep breath. “For what it’s worth I won’t get in the way of your life here. My feelings for you haven’t changed, I spent many nights wondering where you were, and what you were doing. If I could have contacted you I would have.”

Ryan didn't know what to say. He had always been difficult for telepaths to read due to years of tutoring by his father growing up and in special courses at the Academy. It had become so ingrained in him from childhood that it had only lapsed in the last few months with Sheena and even she was only able to see into his surface thoughts. He was about to say something when his door opened unbidden and his father came rushing in.

David looked first to his son with an expression of worry before turning to Marina, his expression transforming into something hard and cold. "You are dismissed Lieutenant."

Marina’s eyes widened as she looked at Ryan before standing bolt upright, and nodded. “Sir, Yes Sir!” With that she exited the room leaving Ryan and his father alone.

Ryan knew his father was angry, but he could not for the life of him figure out why. "What's wrong Dad?"

David frowned at the question. He looked at Ryan and realized there was so much he didn't understand about what was going on. "You need to stay away from that woman. She will only try and play on your feelings to get what she wants."

Ryan stared at his father for a ten count. "So. Who is it you don't trust? Me or her?"

David's expression was a mix of conflicting emotions. Ryan may be a respected member of Starfleet's Strategic Operations and Intelligence community, but there was too much at stake to read him in. "Trust me son. If I could tell you why, I would." He said no more. He turned and walked out of Ryan's quarters.