anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 26, 2006 4:29:40 GMT
Joan had been wondering what to do with some of the free time she had, and thought of visiting her boyfriend. She then remembered how busy he got on this day every week, and decided to leave him be.
Joan headed for Tante Maria's at full speed hoping for something chocolate, and maybe even gooey. She reached the bakery in no time flat and noticed there was a small line for the counter.
Joan stepped in line behind a female, and wondered who this was.
"Hello, I'm Joan McCormick, I thought I knew all the instructors and cadets on the base right now. Who might you be?"
(Crystal)
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 26, 2006 4:50:01 GMT
OOC: This is a fluidic timeline, and takes place at a different time from Commander Hope's trial.[/OOC]
Crystal had found, through trial and error, that other people looked at her less like she was a crazy person when she was in a restaurant and then talked to herself. Besides, she didn't want to be in her quarters aboard the Hanson, and she absolutely hated just walking along the promenade. And the bakery, from what she had seen of it, would allow her to sit for a while, and work on trying to learn Breen. Crystal wasn't sure why she was still intent on learning it, her only motivation for doing so had died at the same time Arlen had. And she didn't plan on going back to Breen, when she had visited it had been a rather unpleasant place, and Crystal didn't think it had changed much.
She was in line, and hadn't yet made it to a table and apart from the crowd, and about to roll a mental die to figure out what she was going to pick for dessert, when she was interrupted.
"Hello, I'm Joan McCormick, I thought I knew all the instructors and cadets on the base right now. Who might you be?" Crystal heard, coming from the person behind her, who sounded far more cheerful than Crystal thought she had been since she was 15.
“Crystal Shinsei, Hanson, Navigations Instructor,” Crystal replied, without turning around to look at the other person.
<Tag Joan>
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 26, 2006 5:00:43 GMT
OOC: I forgot to put one at the top of the first post. This thread is because someone challenged me to something. So I plan to prove my friend wrong. IC: Joan had noticed this woman didn't turn around. "Well since you didn't give any rank, I suppose I am to call you Crystal?" The line went a little quicker, and soon they both had their goodies. Joan noticed Crystal was heading for a table in a corner, and she followed the woman. "Good idea, a corner is always a good spot. Do you mind if I join you?" Joan smiled trying to look sincere at her 17 years of age.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 26, 2006 5:10:15 GMT
OOC: Are you sure you can do so? [/OOC]
The person behind her suggested calling Crystal by her first name, something Crystal usually only asked of people she wanted to annoy, or be friends with. But she shrugged. Crystal decided on some kind of bread thing she'd never heard of before, but she figured she probably wouldn't even notice the taste.
As Crystal headed towards a table that was in the corner with the chair facing the wall, she noticed someone behind her. She ignored them, but couldn't as soon as they imposed their voice on her thoughts. “Do you mind if I join you?” the girl, she really wasn't much more than a girl, said.
“Yes, I do,” Crystal said. “Would you,” she started off angry, but swallowed the sentence. “Leave me alone.” she said softly. “Please.” Crystal deliberately put a little faked desperation into her voice, hoping that would do the trick, and allow her to sit alone in peace.
<Tag Joan>
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 26, 2006 21:41:35 GMT
OOC: Don't doubt my abilities dearie.
IC:
Joan realized this woman shouldn't be left alone, but she wasn't sure how to go about this. She knew she had to be quick though.
"Well, I'm sorry but your at my table, ask anyone here," Joan said sitting down not sure how else to go about it. It seemed childish, but then again Joan was still just that a child.
"If you don't like it, tough," Joan said grabbing a padd as well. Joan realized this woman was sounding desperate, but she didn't believe it for a second. ~Is she going to be as bad as the cadets?~ Joan thought.
Maybe you should try being nice to her. Leena chimed in, and Joan sighed. She was about to apologize when Crystal beat her to saying something, and it seemed Crystal was going to be rude.
"Look, I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot here. Maybe if we can start again, and maybe a bit more friendly. I don't know why you are being like this. I do apologize for my childishness earlier. Perhaps if we just sit her ignoring each other at first we might grow on one another?" ~Its a start, maybe a good one.~
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 26, 2006 22:12:13 GMT
OOC: Joint post between Joan and I[/OOC]
“Then I'd be happy to leave your table,” Crystal replied. Joan kept talking though, and Crystal thought about what she'd said. “Or I could leave and we could ignore each other far more successfully,” Crystal said, standing up. She took a quick bite of the food she had, not wanting her visit to the café to have been a total waste.
"No, please, that's not what I meant at all. Please sit back down. Can't we discuss this?"
“No, it's fine,” Crystal said. “I probably have an elsewhere I can go. And what exactly is there to discuss?” she asked, slightly confused.
"You aren't leaving because of something I said?"
“No,” Crystal replied honestly. It hadn't been something the young commander had said, it was the very fact that Joan was saying anything. Crystal liked being left alone, and she knew she could still manage it.
"Was there something I did to offend you? I am sensing you are hiding something, but I can't be sure," Joan said not wanting to let this go away.
“You didn't offend me. I just wanted to be alone, still do,” Crystal said. “And trust me, I'm not hiding anything.” Which wasn't completely true, Crystal hadn't exactly poured her life story out to this stranger, but she hadn't thought that was customary.
"I can see that something is wrong, and I am sorry if I have upset you. When I said 'hello' earlier, I was hoping for a new friend. I see you don't want a friend. There isn't another corner table in all this place available. If you would like to stay, then I will find another place to sit. I just hope in the future we can be friends," Joan said starting to stand.
“You can stay, I'll leave,” Crystal said. “I don't have an emotional investment to a corner table, as you seem to.” What Joan said about being friends, Crystal understood in theory. But Joan had pegged Crystal right, she didn't want a friend. Friends complicated things way too much.
Joan sighed. "I can sit here any time I please, I live here. I would hate to see this place leave a bad impression on someone. I was just giving an excuse to sit with you, but you wish I didn't, so I won't," Joan said grabbing her food to vaccate that table for Crystal.
“Thanks,” Crystal said. As she sat down again, she took the PADD out of her pocket to work on.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 27, 2006 17:21:10 GMT
Joan moved to a table that was close to hers not wanting to give up completely on being her friend. She just wasn't sure what to say, so she left her alone.
A little bit later Joan was walking the corridors and entered a turbolift only to see Crystal there.
"Well, it seems this is a really small station. I didn't expect to see you again so soon. Let me guess, leave me alone?" Joan said as she made sure to stand on the far side of the turbolift so as to not completely bother the woman.
Joan took out a padd, and started to read making it look like she was busy any ways. She wanted to befriend her, but she wasn't sure how to go about it. Joan figured that if she left the woman alone for now it might help.
~Don't push, and maybe things will work out.~ Joan thought as she tried to concentrate on the information in front of her.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 28, 2006 3:26:55 GMT
Crystal had decided she wouldn't be visiting the bakery again. It hadn't been entirely as she suspected, plus it was on the promenade. Of course, all the restaurants on the Conqueror were there, which was unfortunate. There were too many windows, and Crystal knew she would be expected to be sociable. Which she somehow hadn't felt like doing lately, what with her life being what it was.
She walked through the halls, and she headed back to the turbolift to return to the Hanson. She supposed she could just go to her room there, since she didn't have anything to do. It was either that or see if there was an open holodeck, which Crystal could do later, when she got tired of being in her quarters. It was either that or go back to pacing corridors.
She entered the turbolift, and had only been there for a short time, when Joan entered. “Let me guess, leave me alone?” Joan asked.
“It's either that or explain to me why exactly you even want to be my friend,” Crystal replied. “Trust me, I'm not a good friend. You should be able to tell that by now, and you don't even know me.” Crystal kind of wanted to understand why Joan had fixated on the idea of Crystal being a friend, because then maybe Crystal would be able to explain why that really wasn't such a good idea.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 28, 2006 3:35:54 GMT
"Because you look like you need a friend. I remember when I was younger, I didn't have any friends, and I don't wish that experience on anyone. What in your life has made you this way? What has you thinking you wouldn't be a good friend to anyone?" Joan said hoping Crystal might share a bit of what she went through.
~Could it really be as bad as being an orphan? I don't really know her, but if I am right I see exactly what I was. Withdrawn, and that is only one of the many things I did to make things easier for me.~ Joan thought remembering a little of her past when she was alone.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 28, 2006 15:23:53 GMT
“You want to know what my life has been like? Honestly?” Crystal shook her head. She couldn't do that. If she told enough of the story Joan might pity her and frankly, Crystal could do without that.
“Fine. I was born, I lived, I hated it, I ran away, and now I'm living some more. Interpret that as you will.” Crystal knew it would be a relatively simple matter for Joan to look up Crystal's official record, which would, of course, have Crystal's life story neatly tied up and summarized. But at least if Joan did that Crystal wouldn't have to be around. And it wasn't like Crystal had had that bad of a life, and it could only get better from here, right?
“And I'm a bad friend because...” Crystal paused for a moment before continuing, “I don't want to have a friend. That makes me instantly a bad choice to be a friend.”
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 2:03:22 GMT
"Yes, I know that very well. I was an orphan since I was six, and was just adopted last year. Any ways, as I grew up in different orphanages, I had no friends, and I often ran away to get a new start on my own. They always caught me and I had to do it all over again, but things might not have been so hard if I had a friend," Joan explained and wondered what else to say as it didn't look like she was making any ground here.
"Look, you don't have to be my friend, but if you ever need someone to talk to or need help in some way around here, please remember that I am happy to help you. Please remember that I tried to be your friend," Joan said as she noticed her deck came.
"I hope you reconsider me being your friend, even if you think you are a bad friend. I used to think that because I couldn't make friends that I was a bad friend as well. This is my deck."
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 29, 2006 2:48:51 GMT
“Goodbye,” Crystal said, not responding to anything else Joan had said. If Joan hadn't figured out by now that Crystal wasn't exactly sociable, well, then Joan wasn't about to win the Observancy Award of the Year, and it was hardly Crystal's fault.
She then realized this was the same deck Crystal had been intending to go to. Crystal thought about the idea of changing her destination plan, but she wasn't that childish. Instead she just smiled and got off as well. “Actually, this is my stop too.” Crystal thought about her original plan, and decided to modify it. She didn't have to become friends with this girl, but nor did she need to go out of her way to be mean.
“Do you play racquetball?” Crystal asked, since there was a racquetball court here, and it might almost be fun to do. And it wasn't something Crystal would be able to do on her own.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 3:09:01 GMT
Joan was about to leave when she heard what Cryastal said.
"I've read about racquetball, but I've never played before. Actually maybe you would want to join me and a couple of my friends? We are going to be playing handball. Something new they taught me, and I think I'm getting better," Joan said and smiled.
"We could use a fourth player, Tom and his sister were going to take turns so as to keep it fair, but if you come we could do teams," Joan said realizing she was getting ahead of herself. She decided to be quite and wait for the answer she hoped she would hear.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 29, 2006 3:27:00 GMT
“Handball?” Crystal asked, raising an eyebrow, showing her obvious discomfit with Joan's suggestion. Crystal had never even heard of that, she hadn't generally done many sports. Just racquetball, and Crystal had kind of been forced to learn it.
Also, Crystal didn't really have much of a desire to play with Joan and her friends. Oh well. She'd made the 'friendly offer' and the answer was no, obviously Joan was busy. A fact Crystal didn't exactly feel devastated over. Crystal didn't do well with team sports, that was a simple fact of life. “No thanks,” she said
“It's fine, I'll just do what I was going to do anyway,” Crystal finished, already heading in the other direction, towards the changing room for the pool, hoping Joan wouldn't try to stop her, since at this point things would only get awkward.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 3:37:09 GMT
Joan was about to reply when one of her padds when off. She nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked at the message and groaned.
"Crystal, what exactly were your plans, if you don't mind the company?" Joan said and hoped she wouldn't be kicked out and made to make her own plans in a seconds notice. Joan wondered what she would say about this, but decided not to push. It seemed that with the invitation to racquetball that Crystal was opening up. ~It's a start, and with that I hope things work out.~ Joan thought clearing and putting her padd away.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 29, 2006 3:48:31 GMT
“I was going to go swimming,” Crystal replied. “Why, did your friends cancel on you?” Crystal noticed what Joan was saying about Crystal not minding the company, which Crystal supposed she didn't. There were always going to be other people around, and Crystal knew she couldn't avoid all contact with them, much as she might want to.
“Did you want to join me?” Crystal asked, carefully faking a smile. After all, inviting Joan to join her didn't really bother Crystal, if she was capable of smiling and being a good instructor, she could do this. At least, she'd been a good instructor except for the last mission. But she hadn't really had any cadets, so it didn't count as her being an instructor, just a senior staff member, right?
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 4:06:58 GMT
Joan noticed she smiled. ~Is she really smiling or putting on a show?~
"Yes, I would like that," Joan said remembering her swimming lessons with her ex. She blushed a little and smiled following Crystal to the pool area walking in silence for once.
Both ladies changed into swim suits, and Joan was glad she left one here. It wasn't the best she could own, but it was hers and she didn't mind being in navy. Joan dropped a towel on a seat and jumped right in. She then surfaced and looked around for Crystal.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 29, 2006 4:24:34 GMT
Crystal changed into the swimsuit she had brought with, and jumped into the pool at one end. She then started swimming quickly to the other end. She reached it, and turned around and headed back. She knew that she could talk to Joan, try to engage her in conversation, but Crystal would rather just swim in the water. It was almost like being back in San Francisco, as a kid. Except she hadn't ever been able to swim in the water there, just watch it, and only then if someone didn't shout at her to go away.
Crystal had learned to swim at the insistence of her mother, as if her mom had thought if Crystal was busy with swim lessons she wouldn't notice that her parents were around less and less, and that they had become more and more afraid of the soldiers in the street. Really, it had been inevitable that they would be caught. Crystal's parents just hadn't known how to be subtle, how to not get caught. They had thought they knew how to change the world, but they hadn't understood that the world really couldn't be changed.
Crystal's head surfaced from the water, and she touched the edge of the pool, before turning around and swimming back to the other side. She noticed Joan was still where she had been, and seemed to be looking at Crystal kind of funny. Crystal shrugged off the feeling, and swam another full lap before coming to a rest near Joan, wondering if Joan would try to talk.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 4:37:43 GMT
Joan watched Crystal noticing how graceful she was in the water, and Joan felt a bit embarrassed at how little she knew. She stayed where she was, and then noticed Crystal was right beside her. ~Is she going to say something?~ Joan thought and smiled. She dunked Crystal and then swam away in her clunky manner.
Joan looked around the water hoping that Crystal wouldn't get the drop on her. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she hoped that Crystal knew she was just playing.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 29, 2006 4:47:13 GMT
Crystal resurfaced, and took a deep breath of actual air before looking around to see where Joan was. Swimming away, after a fashion. Crystal knew she could easily catch up with Joan, but Crystal wasn't sure what the point would be. Crystal didn't want to play, and she didn't want to be dunked under the water again.
Crystal just gazed at the water of the pool for a while. She didn't suppose there was much she could do at this point, she could either ignore Joan's gesture of playfulness, or she could give in to the urge to retaliate and smile and grin and pretend everything was fine. Except Crystal really couldn't do the second, so she resumed swimming from one side of the pool to the other, only slower than before.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 29, 2006 4:52:40 GMT
Joan noticed Crystal was keeping her distance, and groaned. ~So she doesn't want to play. Okay.~
Joan swam over the best she could. "Truce?"
Joan didn't wait for an answer though. "It seems you have been practising swiming for a long time. Is it something you could teach me?" Joan said remembering that her swimming lesson before had been cut off because of who was teaching her. She wanted to know how to swim pretty well, and thought maybe Crystal could teach her.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 31, 2006 2:07:44 GMT
“I'm not sure,” Crystal said, thinking. “I mean, you already know how to keep from sinking, so that's pretty much all you need to know.” Crystal glanced at Joan. Crystal barely remembered her own swimming lessons, and only that she had hated them and her parents had insisted. And then when she found out there was a pool at the orphanage, she spent a lot of time there. She had claimed she could lose track of time there, which would explain away why she missed the daily orphanage-wide dinners. It hadn't been true, but Crystal had never felt like listening to a lecture on why her parents had been criminals and terrorists. So she had just kept swimming until she got better at it.
“And I wouldn't know how to go about teaching you,” Crystal replied, shrugging in defeat.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 31, 2006 4:03:09 GMT
"Crystal, I just have to know, what did your parents do to you that was so bad? I just can't figure out why you are so ornery. I understand mine, I'm just so stubborn," Joan said right out of the blue. She wanted to understand this woman, and thought maybe she would still learn from the mouth of the person. Joan didn't want to have to read her record, but knew that might be the only way she learned anything. ~Even then records don't have everything in them. I know mine needs a good updating.~ Joan thought.
Joan swam around doing her best to keep up with Crystal not wanting this to just go away.
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crystal
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Post by crystal on Jul 31, 2006 4:13:38 GMT
“What did my parents do?” Crystal parroted back, then smiled wryly and shook her head. “Nothing. They were great. Then there was the dying, and that was less good.” It suddenly occurred to Crystal that Joan obviously hadn't read Crystal's official record yet. Crystal wasn't sure how that would help though, and she bit back the urge to tell Joan to leave her alone.
Instead Crystal wiped her face carefully of expression, and lowered her voice a little. “It was only shortly after that when I turned to a life of crime,” she said in the voice she might use if she was confiding, but really, she just wanted to see Joan's face and reaction.
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anderson
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Post by anderson on Jul 31, 2006 4:34:45 GMT
Joan gulped, and realized she had it pretty good after her parent's death.
"Wow, I never thought of going down that path when I was younger. I wonder what would have happened if I never found my mom. Maybe that's what you need, someone who really cares," Joan said looking over at Crystal.
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