Subject: USS Grail: 'Unexplored Spaces' - Blake & Castle
USS Grail: 'Unexplored Spaces' - Blake & Castle
by
Lt. Logan Castle - Chief Security Officer
&
Ensign Karen Blake - Assistant Chief Science Officer
(NPC - Written by Jason Cleaver)
<Deck 12- Gymnasium>
At the end of Alpha Shift, Logan Castle headed right for the gym.
The combat exercize he had shared with Tifa Charr exemplified exactly
how out of shape he was.
His mind started recalling that combat, or more accurately, the
aftermath. Tifa, on all fours, arching her back, wiggling the water....
With a sharp slap to his own face, Castle started to run. His
breathing was labored at first, but he finally managed to hit his
stride. And with his body on `autoplilot' he allowed his mind to
wander again.
He started thinking about Eve. She just completely forgot about
him since the Romulan conflict. She had told him she would seek
him out once they were back aboard the Grail. But, she had made
no effort to do that. It had been almost a day.
He had stopped himself from going to her more than once. He
had been aggressive with her from the start and had felt that she
enjoyed his company, but this silence seemed to indicate otherwise.
But, as aggressive as Castle was, he would never allow himself
to be `pushy'. He would only pursue until his attentions were no
longer desired. And a days silence was a strong indication that
Eve no longer desired his attention.
Castle shook his head and lost his wind. His enthusiasm for the
exertion deflated him. "Damn.", he hissed as he towelled off his
sweat-soaked torso and neck.
She had gotten under his skin, is what happened. Despite the
fact that she was an artificial duplicate of a once living person, he
was very attracted to that once living person. But the real Eve
Mallory died over a hundred years ago. Or did she? Did it matter
that she was silicon and not flesh and blood?
`Obviously, it doesn't matter, Maggot, or you wouldn't be thinking
about it.'
Odd that he should recall the words of Jeb Kirby, spoken to him
so many years ago. Maybe a good long talk with Kirby was what
he needed now.
`Blake.', his mind suddenly reminded him. `Maybe this has
something to do with Blake.' Of course, Castle could not imagine
the connection, if any. But, maybe he could just make a few innocent
inquiries. Castle got cleaned up and into his civvies and decided to
look for Blake.
He found her in one of the Science Labs, frowning over a screen
full of data, and alternating between that and a slab of rock with
some very intricate carvings and a language Castle didn't recognise.
She looked up as he approached, with an expression that told him
nothing.
"Hello Karen. May I call you Karen?", Castle asked with a small
smile. It was his most innocent affectation and had worked on a
hundred women on a hundred worlds.
It didn't work this time. Blake just looked back at him with a blank
expression. "If you have to," She replied in a voice that was bare
of anything but politeness
"Eve has been conspicuously silent of late.", Castle said as he
leaned casually against a wall, his hands stuffed into the pocket of
his flight jacket. "Is she all right? Has she mentioned me at all? I only
ask because I guess you guys go way back and you DO work
together...."
Blake shrugged. "She's probably working on the cloaking device,"
She replied. "Eve has a tendency to forget time when she's working."
She turned back to the screen. "The ship could explode around her
and she wouldn't notice."
Castle waited for her to say any more, but she didn't. He got the
impression that she was deliberately ignoring her. He turned to
leave, but was stopped by Blake's voice.
"Why would she mention you anyway?" This time, there was a
note of curiosity and almost hostility in her tone.
Castle shrugged. "I don't know. We had a date the other night, and
since you two are friends, I thought maybe she had...."
Blake's face sneered at him. "Oh *I* get it," She said. "You want to
fuck her, don't you?" She shook her head. "I should have expected
that from you. I've heard all about you, Castle. And I know why you
are after Eve; just another kind of woman to have sex with, right?"
She stepped up to him, face and manner furious, finger pointed in
accusation. "She doesn't need your 'love 'em and leave 'em' antics
right now, big man; she couldn't handle that. Not again!"
Castle weathered the hostility the same way he weathered
everything. With impassive patience. But when she was done, he
spoke. his tone was a controlled hush.
"This is the first conversation you and I have ever had and you
think you've got me all figured out already?", Castle put his hand up
and gently pushed her accusing finger out of his face. She pulled it
away quickly, as if his touch burned her.
"You don't know me. And if you're going to believe everything you
hear, then I guess you're not all that much of a scientist. Just because
a theory is widely espoused, doesn't make it the truth."
If she had a phaser, she would have shot him dead.
"Listen, Karen. You're a good friend to be so protective. But I am
not trying to hurt Eve. I like her. And I think she likes me. Just
because you don't like me, doesn't make me bad for her."
Castle turned to leave, but stopped.
"`Just another kind of woman to have sex with'", Castle repeated
Blakes accusation. "That's a pretty offensive accusation to make. And
you give me too much credit. And Eve too little. If I were that simple,
she would be too smart to fall for me."
Posted by Jason Cleaver
Lieutenant (jg) Eve Mallory
Chief Science Officer: USS Grail
http://www./Area51/Rampart/8529/index.html
/ ICQ No: #4914684
"Great, she's a toaster oven. Can we go now?"
Alien Resurrection