JP - Robin Hopper & Nathan Richards: A Special Kind of Knowing (Part 2)
tas9303
((Level 5, Main Engineering – Amity Outpost))
Nathan leaned back in his chair, looking around his office. It felt strange to be behind a desk for most of the day, but was starting to tolerate it. He looked down at the three stacks of PADDS that sat in the middle of his desk, and sighed. Robin hadn’t been joking when she said being a department head came with LOTS of PADDwork. He idly sifted through them, organizing them by contents. One stack for system and maintenance reports, one for repair logs, and the biggest stack of them all: Maintenance, repair, and upgrade/refit requests. He puffed out his cheeks, letting the air go gradually as he opened his lips.
One of the PADDS trilled on his desk, drawing his attention away from the piles that sat in front of him. The sound had come from his personal PADD which indicated that his lunch with Robin was fast approaching. He was both excited and nervous about meeting Robin for lunch that day. When he brought up the possibility of her joining him for his trip back to Earth for his sister’s graduation and brother’s wedding, it almost seemed like she hadn’t taken him seriously about the offer. There was an irrational thought that crept into his mind that maybe in extending the offer, he had triggered something that would harken back to her not wanting to be tied down.
He sighed, trying to push the thought away and stood from his desk. His irrational thoughts weren’t going to stop him from going and enjoying their lunch. He slipped his PADD into his bag before shouldering it and another bag with a built-in cooler, and walked over to the door of his office. Looking back one last time at the PADDS on his desk, He took a deep breath and stepped out towards the turbolift, hoping that when he tried to bring up her coming back to Earth with him again, maybe she would be a bit more receptive.
((Simultaneously – Mackinac Biome, Peace Park))
Robin leaned on the end of her shovel, looking down at the large patch of worked soil in front of her, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead. She wiped her face against her upper arm, keeping the sweat out of her eyes, and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder. She’d finished her morning PADDwork a little quicker than usual that day and agreed to join one of the bio-science teams in Peace Park to continue their ongoing biome health surveys. Part of the job had been taking soil samples, and she’d been more than happy to oblige – especially since doing so would do double-duty, getting her important data about the composition of the soil in the spot she intended to build her community garden.
Looking over the plot now, having taken to it with nothing but a shovel and gumption, she took a few deep breaths – appreciating the earthy aroma that carried her back to her home on Theta VII – before removing her gardening gloves and tucking them into the satchel that sat beside her on the ground. The space she’d worked today represented only about a third of what she hoped to convert into communal gardening space for the residents of the Outpost, but it was a good start.
oO I’ll have to recruit Nate to help me dig the rest… Oo she thought to herself, the stray thought accidentally tying her stomach in knots all over again. It immediately carried her back to the ‘unfinished business’ of that morning – when he’d suggested, jokingly, she figured, that she might accompany him back to Earth… oO He wasn’t really serious, wasn’t he? Oo She tried to recall the exact expression on his face, the tone of his chuckle, the colour of the silence that had lingered afterwards…
If keeping their relationship from their co-workers and friends was a priority, then surely maintaining ‘the illusion’ when it came to their families had to be an even greater concern. She thought of what Keri might say if she somehow confirmed Robin and Nate’s connection, especially given her uncomfortable attachment to him. Her sister had never been understanding of Robin’s crushes when they were younger either, though. She’d always had some harsh judgment to offer, some nit to pick… and she’d never been able to keep a secret.
Keri’s big mouth had gotten Robin into more trouble with her peers, her parents, and her counselors than she ever would have gotten into on her own. oO If she found out, everyone would know. Oo And if it ended badly…? She’d never hear the end of it. “Heartbreaker,” Keri would say of Robin. “You just use people and discard them when they’re not convenient anymore – just like holos…” It wasn’t true. At least, Robin didn’t think so… But a smidge of self-doubt lingered.
A pinging from within her satchel brought her out of her own head and back into the moment as she recalled, with a start, that she was meant to be meeting Nate for lunch. She reached into the bag, deactivated the reminder, and threw the satchel over her shoulder, trekking back through the trees towards the lakeside…
((Lakeside, Cherry Blossom Biome, Peace Park))
Emerging from the trees, dirt-stained apron covering her uniform, carrying a satchel and a shovel, Robin couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight she must have made. She could see Nate walking down the path towards their meeting place – the glint of his golden arm in the sunlight making him hard to miss. She lifted her shovel in the air a foot or two and waved the long wooden handle at him. As they neared, she smiled, certain that she looked like a complete and utter mess. Nathan opened his mouth to say some snarky comment about her getting dirty, but she quickly cut him off.
Hopper: Before you say anything, yes… I did get into a little tiff with Mother Nature. She put up a good fight, but I’ll have you know – I emerged victorious.
Richards: ‘Atta girl. To the victor, go the spoils then. ::smirking:: Where do we want to sit and enjoy the sunshine?
She threw her shovel down on the lawn dramatically.
Hopper: Right here? I’m pooped.
She dropped her satchel as well.
Hopper: I just spent over two hours digging and turning over fifty square meters of soil… ::Grinning:: But – on the plus side – soon we’ll be able to actually grow the ingredients for lunch, right here on the station.
Nathan raised his eyebrows and nodded. He was seriously impressed with the work that she had been doing to make a community garden. The fact that they could eventually have actual, fresh produce that they could grow and pick themselves, was mind blowing.
Richards: That is amazing. ::Smiling, sing-songy and half sarcastically:: Proud of you!
She smiled back up at him, feeling the butterflies again as she saw herself reflected in his eyes more brightly than in any mirror.
Hopper: ::Bashfully:: Thanks…
The two stepped closer and, after a cursory glance at their surroundings for any familiar passers by, wrapped each other in a warm and relaxing embrace. Robin rested her head on his chest, felt his chin on top of her head, and felt absolutely at peace for a moment, soaking in the feeling for as long as she could before her stomach growled, naggingly.
Hopper: ::Looking down at her stomach:: Speaking of arduous tasks… what did you bring? ::Removing her gardening gear:: I’m starving.
Richards: Huh? I was supposed to bring the food? Aren’t you growing it?
His attempt at a joke wasn’t a very convincing one, seeing as how he was carrying a cooler. After dodging a few playful swings of Robin’s apron, he pulled the bag from his shoulder and set it down beside her satchel.
Next, out came a checked blanket that Robin was pretty sure matched one of Nate’s many flannel shirts. They each grabbed a couple corners and laid it out over the grass then piled themselves and their belongings onto it.
Richards: I brought stuff to make some salad and sandwiches. Haven’t quite figured out how you like your salads and such made, ::Smiling:: so I’m here to learn.
Hopper: ::Hurriedly:: Uh-huh? That’s sweet, but honestly I’m so hungry I could just eat a head of lettuce from the dirt right now… ::Chuckling:: I’m sure whatever you’ve brought along will more than meet my needs.
Richards: ::Opening the bag:: Let’s see, We have Cucumber, Lettuce, Spinach, Hummus, a couple of things I didn’t even want to try and pronounce but it said weren’t meat products. ::Pulling out something wrapped in butcher paper:: Except this. This is my ham. ::tucking it under his arm:: I’ll just hang on to that.
Robin nodded respectfully, if perhaps slightly impatiently, as he removed the items from the bag.
Hopper: Alright, you’ve piqued my curiosity. Let’s see the unpronounceables.
She took the container from his hands and began poking through it trying to determine which of them were familiar and edible and which would be new and unique health risks. She was pleased to find most of the assemblage at least recognisable.
Richards: There are a few other odds and ends greens and veggies in there. ::smiling, shrugging:: I wanted to make sure you had your options.
She reached across the blanket, covered in an assortment of vegetables, and touched a hand to his cheek, enjoying the subtle prickles of his five o’clock shadow on her palm.
Hopper: Aww… You know me so well. I am a grazer, aren’t I? ::Looking down at the options:: I’m just gonna skip the “salad-making” part and nibble.
Robin picked up a tartoc root and bit the end off it, enjoying the crunchy and savory root vegetable’s unique flavour. She smiled back at Nate, squinting as she studied his features.
Richards: As long as you’re happy, ::Looking Robin in the eyes:: I’m happy.
Nathan pulled two pieces of sliced bread from the bag and began to assemble his sandwich, stacking slices of ham, lettuce, cucumber and even a couple of small pieces of the tartoc root that Robin had been munching on. He had no idea what it was, but if she liked it, it couldn’t be all that bad.
Hopper: ::Her chewing slowing, swallowing:: You know, studies have shown that tartoc is rich in neuritine – a compound linked to enhanced brain function and memory retention…
Nathan bit into his sandwich, surprised by the…flavors that were present. He blinked a couple of times, chewing slowly as he tried to process just what was happening in his mouth. Robin watched him with amused curiosity, knowing that tartoc was an ‘acquired flavour,’ to say the least. He swallowed what he had been chewing and quickly lifted the bread to remove the pieces of tartoc.
Hopper: …In fact, most people never forget the first time they eat it.
Richards: ::Shrugging, chuckling:: I tried, I failed.
TBC in Part 3…
Lt. Commander Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer,
Amity Outpost
V239806K11
&
Lieutenant Nathan Richards
Chief of Operations,
Amity Outpost
A239905NR1