SD 920802.09 - PO Helena Blackwell and C1C Bodri Creeke
tBot
=Begin Log=
"... and you roped him? Like an errant calf?" Helena beamed at the man
across the table and laughed. The situation - that of Bodri hogtying a
Xeleucian soldier - wasn't actually funny; at the time, she would have
been horrified at the risk he'd taken. But now, after the fact, it was
the sort of act that women admired men for, the sort of act that
displayed a man's bravery, competence and 'take charge' mannerism -
three things that Helena liked in a man.
"A man who knows his roping techniques. Interesting," she said as she
smiled at him and her fingers played with the top lip of her
wineglass. "How did you learn that?"
Bo was still trying to grasp the reality of his situation. He was
having dinner with a woman he couldn't believe was attracted to him
talking about something he still couldn't believe he had done. Setting
his glass down on the table, he fought to keep from getting lost in
those gorgeous green eyes looking across the table at him.
"Guess I have my friend from Texas to blame for that. I met him over
the net when I was still in school and he use to brag that only
quarter horses were any good at working with cattle. Being proud of
the Arabians we raise I told him he was wrong and that I would prove
it. I spent a school year working with one of our best horses,
teaching him and me how to work with cattle and how to do calf
roping."
Bo took another sip of wine and continued. "When summer came I
trailered Lochem down to Texas. After proving his worth, we spent the
summer competing in rodeos. Can't say as though I ever did as good as
I did back in that cargo bay. Say have I ever told you how lovely your
eyes are?"
The sudden compliment amused Helena and she laughed, sitting back and
taking her wineglass with her. "Flattery just might get you somewhere,
Mr. Creeke." The eyes he'd just called lovely met his and a flicker of
something - doubt? interest? nervousness? Bodri wouldn't have been
able to name it and Helena wasn't about to do so - ran through them.
She sipped her wine and leaned on the table again and diverted the
conversation back to him: "There's this rumor, Bodri..." She started
slowly, letting her words draw out in an ever-so-slight Southern Belle
drawl, and coyly dropped her gaze to her wine. Lifting her gaze back
to him, focusing on him like he was the only man who mattered to her,
she smiled and continued, "That a certain Crewman has been offered a
commission. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would
you?"
Bo smiled at her reaction to his compliment and blushed a little as
her response sent his mind off in new directions. When Helena began
talking about a rumor going through the ship, his face turned to one
of puzzlement. "A rumor huh! Can't remember hearing any rumors lately
- let me think."
Bo gaze alternated from her eyes and down to his wine glass and then
back again. After a few seconds, his face split into a wide grin. When
he finally spoke it was in a conspiriatorial whisper, "The Captain
himself came looking for me to propose the idea."
To increase the conspiratorial nature of their conversation, Helena
quickly stood and shifted her seat to be next to Bodri's. This let her
lean in close to him, press her bicep along his and give him her
complete attention. "Really? Do tell, Bodri," she grinned and
encouraged him.
Bo went on to explain the meeting with the Captain down in
engineering. "I still can't believe it - although it would make my
parents proud. They always wanted me to go to the academy. It would be
huge change - what would all the friends I've made on the ship think?
I'm sorry I'm rambling a bit. How'd you hear about it? Oh and I love
the way they light up when you smile."
"I think your friends would be jealous, Bodri, but they'd have to
acknowledge that you've worked for it, right? The Captain doesn't just
randomly take notice of crewmen," she told him. "Of course... a
crewman with engineering *and* roping skills? How could he not be
impressed?" She laughed, but everything about her at that moment said
that she was impressed with Bodri. She nudged him with her shoulder
and chuckled, "You know that I have this thing for men who display
their competency ... particularly those with dark hair and green
eyes."
Bo pushed his glass away and put his arm around Helena's shoulders. As
he pulled her closer to him, he could hear his mother's voice in his
head warning him. Not everyone is family or even a friend. Be careful
whom you trust son. "Those that are fair minded would probably
acknowledge it but I'm guessing the vast majority would be saying
something like Why not me."
She was flirting outrageously and without a plan for where said
flirting might lead. But, she reasoned, it never hurt to have a
potential officer wrapped about her finger. "Have you decided whether
you're taking the commission? Or do the opinions of your friends
matter so much that you'd decline it?"
"It changes hour to hour but if I do turn it down it won't be because
somebody's feelings might get hurt. If I turn it down it will be
because I don't think I can handle the job good enough. After all I am
lacking several years of academy training. How about you, would you
have a problem calling me Sir and taking orders from me? At least when
other crewmen are around?"
But before she could answer, Bo used the arm around her shoulder to
gently nudge her face toward his and gave her a kiss.
She was glad for the kiss: a soft, tentative one that quickly deepened
into a more passionate lip lock; it gave her a chance to think up a
response to Bodri's oh-so-loaded question. If he took the upgrade in
rank, she'd follow his orders, no doubt, at least as well as she
followed any officer's orders (in other words: just enough to keep
herself out of major trouble).
But ... there was an undercurrent to his question, one that she wasn't
sure how she wanted to answer. Much as she might flirt with him, might
tease him or lead him on ... where would this end up? she mused. The
kiss made her think about it. Her body wanted to respond to his - that
she was attracted to him wasn't in doubt, but did she want something
more from him? Did he want something more from her? Was she willing to
give that something more? 'Typical,' she chided herself, 'Over
thinking the moment. Way to go, Hellcat.' Just as she convinced
herself to stop thinking about it and just enjoy it, the kiss ended
and she was answering Bodri's question.
She smirked, their faces too close for him to really see it, and gave
him a loaded answer: "Perhaps, Ensign Creeke, if you play your cards
right, I'd follow your orders in private as well."
His left eyebrow arched upward and half smile appeared on his face.
"It might worth accepting the promotion just to see that."
She had the grace to blush slightly.
His life on the ship had fallen into an acceptable pattern and he was
making friends among the crew but now everything was changing quickly.
His once again started to go over all the concerns over the promotion
and the budding romance that had been plaguing him over the last
couple of days started to run through his mind. Mentally shaking
himself he willed himself to just enjoy the moment wherever it might
lead.
His voice softening Bo reached up brushed errant strand of hair from
Helena's cheek. "I have a sneaky suspicion though that you aren't one
to take orders gracefully."
"Who? Me?" She laughed lightly and kissed his cheek as she verbally
teased him. "Yes, you might be right about that. How very ...
'Officer-ly'. For you, I promise that I'll try to be good." She leaned
into his hold a little bit more. "Tell me more about Texas and
Iochem..."
--
C1C Bodri Creeke
Engineering
USS Scylax
PO Helena Blackwell
Medical
USS Scylax
--
a.k.a. tBot
I am a Wench: a Woman Entitled to Nothing but Complete Happiness.