[G-QRTS] Lt. Alora DeVeau - "Company Is A Good Thing" (Kells)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

OOC It’s all good. I had hoped to respond last night but wound up being
further behind in homeschool group prep than intended. And of course,
what happens? Schools are closed and we follow school closures. >_<


IC:


(Garuda, DeVeau’s Quarters)


::With an unexpected swoosh, the doors opened for a third time. While
she, of course, knew her and the good doctor Skyfire, the person that
swept through the door was someone Alora was more familiar with and
closer to.::


Kells: Where is she? Alora, I came as quickly as they released me--!


DeVeau: Aron...


Skyfire: Slow down a second, sir...who--? :: his words were cut off
sharply by the captain as he started to turn towards the pair. ::


Egan Manno: Doctor, please continue to check the lieutenant out. Mr. Kells--


:: As the captain dragged Mr. Kells to a quieter corner, Chythar nodded
and returned to his scanning. Alora couldn’t hear the conversation that
passed between her friend and the Captain, but Egan Manno didn’t seem
particularly pleased. A moment later, she finally stated something
within hearing.::


Egan Manno: Two minutes only. And if either Dr. Skyfire or Lieutenant
DeVeau ask you to leave, you leave. Understood?


:: Alora. Why didn’t anyone ever call her Alora? It was a silly
question, particularly considering there really wasn’t any reason such a
thought should be provoked. Once permission was given, Aron wasted no
time in coming to her side and he was awarded with a small smile. It was
Skyfire’s turn to enter into a flurry of quiet words while she and Aron
hosted their own conversation.::


Kells: How're you doing, little sister?


::The small smile brightened ever so slightly, but it still didn’t reach
her eyes. Too much still tormented her for that.::


DeVeau: I’m...here.


Kells: ::small smile:: You're looking a little worse for it, if I may say.


DeVeau: It could have been a lot worse, honestly.


::Others had suffered far more than she had. She shifted a little as her
gaze flicked to the captain and the doctor, then back down to him.::

DeVeau: Thanks for coming.


::It was good to have a friend around, for Alora much preferred that to
being alone. Granted, the doctor and the captain were there, but it
wasn’t quite the same. It was about that time they finished saying
whatever needed to be said and the captain focused her attention on the
science officer.::


Egan Manno: We'll check back in, Alora. Lieutenant Moonsong will be down
soon, too.


DeVeau: Right, okay.


::She, too, was a friend and her visit would be more than welcome, even
if it was in merely an official capacity. At her response, the captain
nodded, then she and the doctor left her alone with her friend.::


:: As soon as the captain and Dr. Skyfire had left, Aron turned his head
halfway toward the door, as if he were listening for something. Alora
watched him silently until he noticed her scrutiny.::


Kells: Sorry. I was just listening.


DeVeau: For what?


Kells: I bet they put a lock on your door. Making sure no one can just
wander in -- you know, like I did.


DeVeau: Oh.


::She hadn’t thought about that. Generally her door was open unless she
needed privacy, such when she was changing. Most people were polite
enough to request entry regardless.::


Kells: If you want me to go, you just say the word. I just -- I'd like
to repay you for the kindness you've shown me since I've been back.


DeVeau: Honestly, I’d rather have friendly company.


::She certainly considered him to be that at the very least. While some
might wallow in their agony while alone, Alora preferred to have someone
around to help keep the shadows at bay.::


DeVeau: Unless you’d honestly want to be somewhere else.


RESPONSE?


DeVeau: Then I’d honestly like you to stay.


::Having someone around would help keep her mind occupied, help keep her
from dwelling too much on what had happened, on those faces that kept
flashing, the screams that she heard in her dreams even in the short
period between her return to her quarters and the captain’s arrival.::


RESPONSE?


::She paused at the question. He'd asked her that before and she
supposed she hadn't given an honest answer. If she thought about it to
hard, she'd just break down again and even though Aron was a friend, she
didn't really want to do that.::


DeVeau: I've...been better.


RESPONSE?


*********

Lt. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Garuda