- RP Date
- ye 40
- RP Location
- S6S Anvil
Clean
Good lord it felt good to be clean, truely clean - the kind of clean that took years off of your face and made you feel like a new person. David had put aside his trusty Muur to be cleaned later and instead opted to try out the new uniform that had been laid out on his bed, it was crisp and felt like something he'd worn during his time in one military or another - but there was a ship to explore and he couldn't spend all day admiring the design of Section Six's uniform so the Geshrin did what he knew best, he strapped the new pistol to his thigh and the Kukri-style machete to his back before moving to leave the room he and the cook had been assigned.
The man would exit to find a 6'2 long raven black haired woman waiting just outside the door. There was a long decent sized scar running down the entire side of her face. Dressed in boots, green cargo pants, a green military style jacket, and a white t-shirt. She didn't immediately say anything, only blew a bubble with the gum she was chewing, her blue eyes examined him closely.
David looked at the woman, barely taller than him but enough for it to be one of the first things he noticed, he noticed the angry zipper of scarred flesh too yet it didn't draw his attention so much as those eyes - the way they studied him was all too familiar, but the brown haired, brown eyed, tanned skinned man offered a slight smile as he spoke. "Anything I can help you with, Ma'am?" he asked politely, smiling though studying her with the same intensity she was studying him.
She again didn't say.anything at first, but her eyes were drawn to the machete on the man's back. The woman blew another bubble before rather bluntly said, "You're much older then you seem." Admittedly she wasn't any different despite her age, she looked early 20's.
It clicked suddenly in his mind, he had an idea of who this observant woman might've been but there was no real way of knowing right here and now without being somewhat blunt about it, "And you barely look twenty yet I have the feeling you might be the Grandmother of a certain Lieutenant Pine," he gave as an answer - head tilting ever so slightly to the side.
"Those the great SAINT detective powers kicking back in? Yeah I'm her grandmother. Lieutenant Commander Sarah Pine. And if you really care, I'll save you the trouble of hacking my file, I'm 38.", Sarah said with no small bit of sass. The woman still eyed him closely, and despite her relaxed posture, she was ready pounce like a predator.
"I guess it never really leaves you," David replied with a faint chuckle as he stuck one lightly calloused hand out and began introducing himself, "I suppose I'm a private then but your grand daughter seems to think I'll be a commander in no time, David Maverock - fifty two."
Sarah accepted the hand, "Believe me, people who've lived to our age, and do what we've done usually do. And it's trooper, not Private. So what's your story?"
David gave a firm handshake before he released her hand and answered, "New-Detroit, was a human, Greens, became a Geshrin, SAINT until the SAoY kicked us out - I just stayed a freelancer and never signed back up." His answer was rather blunt and concise but the tanned man with a machete on his back hoped it would be enough of an answer for him to get his own question answered, "And you, Ma'am?"
"Happy childhood, family switched races, parents fake.death, joined SAoY for revenge, didn't get it, assassin for 20 years. Find my brother, learn he's my son, find parents are alive, I get killed, want revenge again on the asshole who curbed stomped my head.", Sarah listed with a somewhat grin, "Now I'm married, and a mother of five."
Externally David didn't react much to this rather strange string of events besides blinking a few times and exhaling maybe a bit harder than usual but internally he was... impressed wasn't quite the right word, surprised seemed more fitting. "Just the usual then?" he mused with a smirk, certainly was something to have listed off not even an hour after landing.
Sarah gave a chuckle, "Around here, yeah. And that wasn't even the half of it bub. Trust me, weird shit is far from over. Ask my wife, she has to deal with it too most of the time."
Sarah acted so casually about all of this, something hiding her true emotions rather well. But even still, gave off a sensation of someone deeply angered. It wouldn't be him it was directed at, but something that had a constant place on her mind. No, she was here to decide if he was going to be another item on he list of annoyances.
There was a certain fire the tanned man could see as he rested his hands on the belt attached to his pistol holster, he knew better than to go poking at something so clearly hidden though - at least on his first day, and so instead opted to poke into what she was willing to share. "So joining the SAoY for revenge, that have anything to do with being curb stomped or is that some other beast all together?"
The woman tilted her head and gave a grin, "separate. I was 16 when my parents "died", and I blamed the Elysians at the time. But the war ended before I could get wanted, so I paid off my contract and went freelance killer. A very angry young woman makes a very motivated killer."
Sarah gave a pause before continuing, "The curb stomp happened when some company decided to make a psychopath with my son's DNA. He threw me to the floor of our living room and curbed stomped my head like a ripe melon. I died, who cares about that, but there was more that he'll be sent to Hell for by me."
David let out a small, singular chuckle, it wasn't one of humor or even one of amusement but rather - one he let out in response to not knowing if there was a correct way to respond to what he had just been told. The Geshrin man cleared his throat and looked back up to Sarah before speaking, "Things seem to be set to a perpetual eleven around you don't they?"
She gave a confused look about that response, "Whats that supposed to mean?"
His brown eyes diverted for a second throughfully before they dragged back to meet her gaze, "Nothing, things just sound rather intense in your life - that's all I meant to say."
"Wanting to hunt down the man who's killed you while pregnant with twins seems like an appropriate enough response to me.", She said casually, "But hey, it ain't all bad, I have a family to enjoy watching grow up. That being said watch yourself around my granddaughter. I can tell by the way you referenced her that you like her."
"And of course you've worked hard for that right, I can't imagine it was easy and I'm not going to pretend it is anything short of impressive that you managed to overcome that - ma'am," David responded as he mulled over her last words, while he wasn't about to deny it he wasn't going to blatantly admit it either.
"She's a sweet girl," He admittied, as it as what he had gathered thus far from the small conversation in the Tenba that dropped him off here. "With a grandmother like you I wouldn't dare try to wrong her, you have my word," David finally added, he didn't plan on it anyway but this seemed like the best way he could try to convince Sarah.
The sensation of anger faded, and she gave him a smile, "Smart boy, keep to that and I won't have to remove your balls. Now, how about a drink.", she said suddenly putting an arm around his shoulder as if he was some long lost drinking buddy.
She was alright in his books, seemed like the typical 'mama bear' type he had encountered before and David had no reason to doubt that after all this - it took him a second but the tanned Geshrin hesitantly reached around to put an arm on her shoulder before he spoke, "I'd very much like to keep my balls so It'd be stupid for me to deny that offer, ma'am."
"I don't care if you said no, I just wanted an excuse to get a drink. Especially after having to drag that Haisley girl out of the maintenance conduits.", Sarah said with wholehearted laugh. She liked this guy, he was smart, and being the same races wasn't a bad bonus either. Her previous demeanor had all but disappeared.
"She sounds like a handful, would this happen to be the same girl with metal ears and a tail I heard gave your sergeant a run for his money?" David queried, it was good to be with your own kind and share some unspoken comeradery - especially since most of your kind opted to upgrade and jump into a new body, seemingly forgetting their roots all together.
Sarah laughed, "The very same. That little girl kicked his ass so bad. It took my son to subdue her. Took a claw through the hand before knocking the girl out. She's now employed as a trooper and a local tech specialist."
David gave an amused laugh at his realization, feisty women seemed to be the order of the day around here and he wasn't about to complain, "A handful indeed, so where is this fine drinking establishment anyway?"
"We.have liquor in the wardrooms."
Sarah lead the way, the compartment actually not far from the cabins at all. It was rather empty as most others were on duty.
Sarah gave a grin before asking, "What's your poison?"
"Gosh I really shouldn't but..." David trailed off as he contemplated it for a moment, he wasn't techically on duty yet and he had been told today was for mingling so the decision made itself.
"In the likely event you don't have a bottle of Firebrand whiskey, anything strong enough to knock me on my ass - and I'll have you know I'm hard to knock over."
"I'm sure we have something. Son's best friend was a homebrewer, and damn did some of his stuff have kick.", The black haired woman said with a chuckle as they moved over to dispensary. The screen there after switching to the menu for alcoholic beverages, made her previous statement all the more true. Most of the list were clearly homebrew drinks. Not that there were a few non homebrew, but due to the sheer number of them.
"Now I'm not easily knocked on my ass either, for just fair warning. Only my wife can."
"Good, if that's true then it'll be good to finally have a drinking buddy who won't pass out after a few mugs," David mused as he silently sat down on a nearby stool and rested against the counter before speaking once more. "You know this place better than I do for now, how about you surprise me?" the Geshrin man offered.
"I got just the thing.", Sarah said before flipping through the menu, finding what she was looking for, she tapped the option twice and swiped her food credits card. Two pouches of liquor were deposited into the dispensary tray.
Returning, it became clear that the contents.......were glowing?
David reached for one of the oddly fluorescent pouches and held it up for inspection, it was quite pleasant to look at if he was being honest so he unscrewed the pouch with a curious look and gave the liquid a sniff - hints of apple and comething citrusy flooded his nose.
"What is it?"
"The boys call it plasma jet. Something a guy named Zeke brewed up and left the recipe. Not the craziest thing he's made, but the kid has talent.", Sarah said popping the top off her's before taking a swig.
"Plasma jet huh," the tanned man mused as he mulled over the curious liquid for a few second before taking a hearty swig, letting the incandescent beverage slide down into his gullet with a satisfied sigh. "I like it," was the only comment he gave before going for another pass.
Sarah took another large swig, enjoying the flavor of what had become one of her favorites. Even as expansive as the liquor menu was, the woman had already almost tried everything on it. "So, anyone you need filled in on?"
David looked off into a corner of the room thoughfully as he thought about the question, who was he most curious about? "This girl, the one that kicked the sergeant's ass - is she going to be a problem or do you reckon you can keep her on a leash?"
"Who? Haisley? Little punk teen wasn't too much for me. And I actually was the one to drag her out of the maintenance conduits.", She said with a snort and another drink.
"Big strong woman like yourself? I should have thought as much," he quipped back before taking another pull from his drink, he didn't care what was in it but it tasted mighty fine.
"Four toddlers that are just as rambunctious. That Nep girl was barely a challenge. Girl triplets and one boy, make for quite a handful.", Sarah admitted quite fondly, "Certainly keep me and Rose on our toes."
"I can imagine," David mused with a slight sigh before he straightened his posture and thought up a question, "is that sergeant of yours a pushover then? all bark and no bite?"
"Just with teenagers apparently. So.far he's been quite a hard ass. Ex-marine, with his last mission being utter cluster-....luck, which only a few made it through.", She said as if it was no big deal.
"He's a tough sonnuvabetch. Keeps leaving the medbay even though he's in recovery. Something I got on to him for after he showed you and your pal your rooms."
"Ah, well I guess I know for future reference," he simply said before taking another swig from his drink, noticably bigger than the previous ones had been.
Sarah tipped up her pouch and chugged the last of the contents. "I hear they already replaced the Lieutenant Commander who died recently already."
David's brow creased as he flattened out his empty pouch and listened to Sarah's words, it seemed like morbidity and him never stayed more than a few steps from each other, "I'm sorry to hear that, Ma'am - condolences."
"He was around since beginning. But my point is, how was he replaced so fast? The new guy never shows his face, or even gives a name. Always in full suit and helmet. It's friggen weird."
"Maybe he simply has connections above your paygrade, that or it was all rigged from the start - everyone has their dirty little secrets," David replied a little too casually as he began rolling up the empty liqour pouch.
"I'm pretty sure I know how my son runs his military. I assume he has good reasons to keep us in the dark. But, no offense, I just don't like secretive types like SAINT."
"I'm not SAINT so none taken, I was mostly kidding anyway - I forget my humor can be a bit... what's the word..."
"Humorless.", Sarah said with a grin.
"Besides, trust me, if he tried to pull that stuff. I'd just grab him by the ear and make him behave."
"Sure, humorless works - heaven forbid anyone that gets on your bad side, ma'am," he shot back with a grin of his own before the tanned Geshrin adopted a slightly more serious tone as if something was on his mind.
She just nodded.
"Ma'am, is it okay if I ask you something a bit more... personal?'
"Define personal and we'll see.", Sarah said eyeing him.
"Hm, well personal concering your granddaughter," David said before clearing his throat and continuing the explanation. "You have no quarrels with someone older than yourself taking an interest in her?"
"Bud, my wife is 24, I'm 38. That should answer that question right quick. Fair warning, I'm going to be listening very closely to what you say.", She said eyeing him.
"I was just wanting to make sure I suppose, besides - your granddaughter said she wasn't looking for anybody right now so I can respect that, you shouldn't get any trouble on that front," the tanned man replied as his dark eyes were brough up to meet Sarah's.
"Though anybody tries to mistreat her and rest assured they'll get a visit from me before I toss them over to you, she's a sweet girl and I can't stand that kind of crap anyway," David finished as he squeezed the rolled up liquor pouch hard enough for it to pop, as if to emphasize his point.
"Mhm, was that all you wanted to ask then?", Sarah asked still eyeing him. She offered to take the pouch, poor thing was brutalized enough.
He thought for a moment before handing the breached liqour pouch across to Sarah, "I suppose it is - for now at least."
"Awwwh, mildly disappointing, but oh well....Let me ask you something. What if someone else steps in who poses potential competition? Will you put in the effort, or back away?", Sarah asked as she got up to throw away the empty pouch, before sitting down after tossing it into the nearest can.
David cocked an eyebrow as the question graced his ears, gaze flicking down to the table with an exhale before they looked up at his fellow Geshrin to answer, "If she has no interest in me then I'll back off and that is the end of that, if she does have some interest however then... I see no harm in a bit of friendly rivalry, it is solely her choice afterall."
"As long as you just don't give up, I'm satisfied. Girl has been hurt one too many times for my taste, and why I make sure guys, and er I guess girls too, who go for her at least actually care. A standard I started looking for after her first boyfriend ran out.", Sarah explained further, making sure he understood her position, "I was none to pleased on that one."
"Rest assured ma'am that giving up isn't something I do, you have my word - regardless of how that may not mean much to you yet," the tanned man replied with a rather serious tone behind his voice and a curt nod of his head, he hadn't gotten this far by just giving up.
"Good.", was all the woman said.
"I'm glad you think so, it looks like I've avoided a neutering for now - lets hope I don't dare give you a reason in the future," he half-joked back at her, relieved she had some semblance of faith in his words.
Good lord it felt good to be clean, truely clean - the kind of clean that took years off of your face and made you feel like a new person. David had put aside his trusty Muur to be cleaned later and instead opted to try out the new uniform that had been laid out on his bed, it was crisp and felt like something he'd worn during his time in one military or another - but there was a ship to explore and he couldn't spend all day admiring the design of Section Six's uniform so the Geshrin did what he knew best, he strapped the new pistol to his thigh and the Kukri-style machete to his back before moving to leave the room he and the cook had been assigned.
The man would exit to find a 6'2 long raven black haired woman waiting just outside the door. There was a long decent sized scar running down the entire side of her face. Dressed in boots, green cargo pants, a green military style jacket, and a white t-shirt. She didn't immediately say anything, only blew a bubble with the gum she was chewing, her blue eyes examined him closely.
David looked at the woman, barely taller than him but enough for it to be one of the first things he noticed, he noticed the angry zipper of scarred flesh too yet it didn't draw his attention so much as those eyes - the way they studied him was all too familiar, but the brown haired, brown eyed, tanned skinned man offered a slight smile as he spoke. "Anything I can help you with, Ma'am?" he asked politely, smiling though studying her with the same intensity she was studying him.
She again didn't say.anything at first, but her eyes were drawn to the machete on the man's back. The woman blew another bubble before rather bluntly said, "You're much older then you seem." Admittedly she wasn't any different despite her age, she looked early 20's.
It clicked suddenly in his mind, he had an idea of who this observant woman might've been but there was no real way of knowing right here and now without being somewhat blunt about it, "And you barely look twenty yet I have the feeling you might be the Grandmother of a certain Lieutenant Pine," he gave as an answer - head tilting ever so slightly to the side.
"Those the great SAINT detective powers kicking back in? Yeah I'm her grandmother. Lieutenant Commander Sarah Pine. And if you really care, I'll save you the trouble of hacking my file, I'm 38.", Sarah said with no small bit of sass. The woman still eyed him closely, and despite her relaxed posture, she was ready pounce like a predator.
"I guess it never really leaves you," David replied with a faint chuckle as he stuck one lightly calloused hand out and began introducing himself, "I suppose I'm a private then but your grand daughter seems to think I'll be a commander in no time, David Maverock - fifty two."
Sarah accepted the hand, "Believe me, people who've lived to our age, and do what we've done usually do. And it's trooper, not Private. So what's your story?"
David gave a firm handshake before he released her hand and answered, "New-Detroit, was a human, Greens, became a Geshrin, SAINT until the SAoY kicked us out - I just stayed a freelancer and never signed back up." His answer was rather blunt and concise but the tanned man with a machete on his back hoped it would be enough of an answer for him to get his own question answered, "And you, Ma'am?"
"Happy childhood, family switched races, parents fake.death, joined SAoY for revenge, didn't get it, assassin for 20 years. Find my brother, learn he's my son, find parents are alive, I get killed, want revenge again on the asshole who curbed stomped my head.", Sarah listed with a somewhat grin, "Now I'm married, and a mother of five."
Externally David didn't react much to this rather strange string of events besides blinking a few times and exhaling maybe a bit harder than usual but internally he was... impressed wasn't quite the right word, surprised seemed more fitting. "Just the usual then?" he mused with a smirk, certainly was something to have listed off not even an hour after landing.
Sarah gave a chuckle, "Around here, yeah. And that wasn't even the half of it bub. Trust me, weird shit is far from over. Ask my wife, she has to deal with it too most of the time."
Sarah acted so casually about all of this, something hiding her true emotions rather well. But even still, gave off a sensation of someone deeply angered. It wouldn't be him it was directed at, but something that had a constant place on her mind. No, she was here to decide if he was going to be another item on he list of annoyances.
There was a certain fire the tanned man could see as he rested his hands on the belt attached to his pistol holster, he knew better than to go poking at something so clearly hidden though - at least on his first day, and so instead opted to poke into what she was willing to share. "So joining the SAoY for revenge, that have anything to do with being curb stomped or is that some other beast all together?"
The woman tilted her head and gave a grin, "separate. I was 16 when my parents "died", and I blamed the Elysians at the time. But the war ended before I could get wanted, so I paid off my contract and went freelance killer. A very angry young woman makes a very motivated killer."
Sarah gave a pause before continuing, "The curb stomp happened when some company decided to make a psychopath with my son's DNA. He threw me to the floor of our living room and curbed stomped my head like a ripe melon. I died, who cares about that, but there was more that he'll be sent to Hell for by me."
David let out a small, singular chuckle, it wasn't one of humor or even one of amusement but rather - one he let out in response to not knowing if there was a correct way to respond to what he had just been told. The Geshrin man cleared his throat and looked back up to Sarah before speaking, "Things seem to be set to a perpetual eleven around you don't they?"
She gave a confused look about that response, "Whats that supposed to mean?"
His brown eyes diverted for a second throughfully before they dragged back to meet her gaze, "Nothing, things just sound rather intense in your life - that's all I meant to say."
"Wanting to hunt down the man who's killed you while pregnant with twins seems like an appropriate enough response to me.", She said casually, "But hey, it ain't all bad, I have a family to enjoy watching grow up. That being said watch yourself around my granddaughter. I can tell by the way you referenced her that you like her."
"And of course you've worked hard for that right, I can't imagine it was easy and I'm not going to pretend it is anything short of impressive that you managed to overcome that - ma'am," David responded as he mulled over her last words, while he wasn't about to deny it he wasn't going to blatantly admit it either.
"She's a sweet girl," He admittied, as it as what he had gathered thus far from the small conversation in the Tenba that dropped him off here. "With a grandmother like you I wouldn't dare try to wrong her, you have my word," David finally added, he didn't plan on it anyway but this seemed like the best way he could try to convince Sarah.
The sensation of anger faded, and she gave him a smile, "Smart boy, keep to that and I won't have to remove your balls. Now, how about a drink.", she said suddenly putting an arm around his shoulder as if he was some long lost drinking buddy.
She was alright in his books, seemed like the typical 'mama bear' type he had encountered before and David had no reason to doubt that after all this - it took him a second but the tanned Geshrin hesitantly reached around to put an arm on her shoulder before he spoke, "I'd very much like to keep my balls so It'd be stupid for me to deny that offer, ma'am."
"I don't care if you said no, I just wanted an excuse to get a drink. Especially after having to drag that Haisley girl out of the maintenance conduits.", Sarah said with wholehearted laugh. She liked this guy, he was smart, and being the same races wasn't a bad bonus either. Her previous demeanor had all but disappeared.
"She sounds like a handful, would this happen to be the same girl with metal ears and a tail I heard gave your sergeant a run for his money?" David queried, it was good to be with your own kind and share some unspoken comeradery - especially since most of your kind opted to upgrade and jump into a new body, seemingly forgetting their roots all together.
Sarah laughed, "The very same. That little girl kicked his ass so bad. It took my son to subdue her. Took a claw through the hand before knocking the girl out. She's now employed as a trooper and a local tech specialist."
David gave an amused laugh at his realization, feisty women seemed to be the order of the day around here and he wasn't about to complain, "A handful indeed, so where is this fine drinking establishment anyway?"
"We.have liquor in the wardrooms."
Sarah lead the way, the compartment actually not far from the cabins at all. It was rather empty as most others were on duty.
Sarah gave a grin before asking, "What's your poison?"
"Gosh I really shouldn't but..." David trailed off as he contemplated it for a moment, he wasn't techically on duty yet and he had been told today was for mingling so the decision made itself.
"In the likely event you don't have a bottle of Firebrand whiskey, anything strong enough to knock me on my ass - and I'll have you know I'm hard to knock over."
"I'm sure we have something. Son's best friend was a homebrewer, and damn did some of his stuff have kick.", The black haired woman said with a chuckle as they moved over to dispensary. The screen there after switching to the menu for alcoholic beverages, made her previous statement all the more true. Most of the list were clearly homebrew drinks. Not that there were a few non homebrew, but due to the sheer number of them.
"Now I'm not easily knocked on my ass either, for just fair warning. Only my wife can."
"Good, if that's true then it'll be good to finally have a drinking buddy who won't pass out after a few mugs," David mused as he silently sat down on a nearby stool and rested against the counter before speaking once more. "You know this place better than I do for now, how about you surprise me?" the Geshrin man offered.
"I got just the thing.", Sarah said before flipping through the menu, finding what she was looking for, she tapped the option twice and swiped her food credits card. Two pouches of liquor were deposited into the dispensary tray.
Returning, it became clear that the contents.......were glowing?
David reached for one of the oddly fluorescent pouches and held it up for inspection, it was quite pleasant to look at if he was being honest so he unscrewed the pouch with a curious look and gave the liquid a sniff - hints of apple and comething citrusy flooded his nose.
"What is it?"
"The boys call it plasma jet. Something a guy named Zeke brewed up and left the recipe. Not the craziest thing he's made, but the kid has talent.", Sarah said popping the top off her's before taking a swig.
"Plasma jet huh," the tanned man mused as he mulled over the curious liquid for a few second before taking a hearty swig, letting the incandescent beverage slide down into his gullet with a satisfied sigh. "I like it," was the only comment he gave before going for another pass.
Sarah took another large swig, enjoying the flavor of what had become one of her favorites. Even as expansive as the liquor menu was, the woman had already almost tried everything on it. "So, anyone you need filled in on?"
David looked off into a corner of the room thoughfully as he thought about the question, who was he most curious about? "This girl, the one that kicked the sergeant's ass - is she going to be a problem or do you reckon you can keep her on a leash?"
"Who? Haisley? Little punk teen wasn't too much for me. And I actually was the one to drag her out of the maintenance conduits.", She said with a snort and another drink.
"Big strong woman like yourself? I should have thought as much," he quipped back before taking another pull from his drink, he didn't care what was in it but it tasted mighty fine.
"Four toddlers that are just as rambunctious. That Nep girl was barely a challenge. Girl triplets and one boy, make for quite a handful.", Sarah admitted quite fondly, "Certainly keep me and Rose on our toes."
"I can imagine," David mused with a slight sigh before he straightened his posture and thought up a question, "is that sergeant of yours a pushover then? all bark and no bite?"
"Just with teenagers apparently. So.far he's been quite a hard ass. Ex-marine, with his last mission being utter cluster-....luck, which only a few made it through.", She said as if it was no big deal.
"He's a tough sonnuvabetch. Keeps leaving the medbay even though he's in recovery. Something I got on to him for after he showed you and your pal your rooms."
"Ah, well I guess I know for future reference," he simply said before taking another swig from his drink, noticably bigger than the previous ones had been.
Sarah tipped up her pouch and chugged the last of the contents. "I hear they already replaced the Lieutenant Commander who died recently already."
David's brow creased as he flattened out his empty pouch and listened to Sarah's words, it seemed like morbidity and him never stayed more than a few steps from each other, "I'm sorry to hear that, Ma'am - condolences."
"He was around since beginning. But my point is, how was he replaced so fast? The new guy never shows his face, or even gives a name. Always in full suit and helmet. It's friggen weird."
"Maybe he simply has connections above your paygrade, that or it was all rigged from the start - everyone has their dirty little secrets," David replied a little too casually as he began rolling up the empty liqour pouch.
"I'm pretty sure I know how my son runs his military. I assume he has good reasons to keep us in the dark. But, no offense, I just don't like secretive types like SAINT."
"I'm not SAINT so none taken, I was mostly kidding anyway - I forget my humor can be a bit... what's the word..."
"Humorless.", Sarah said with a grin.
"Besides, trust me, if he tried to pull that stuff. I'd just grab him by the ear and make him behave."
"Sure, humorless works - heaven forbid anyone that gets on your bad side, ma'am," he shot back with a grin of his own before the tanned Geshrin adopted a slightly more serious tone as if something was on his mind.
She just nodded.
"Ma'am, is it okay if I ask you something a bit more... personal?'
"Define personal and we'll see.", Sarah said eyeing him.
"Hm, well personal concering your granddaughter," David said before clearing his throat and continuing the explanation. "You have no quarrels with someone older than yourself taking an interest in her?"
"Bud, my wife is 24, I'm 38. That should answer that question right quick. Fair warning, I'm going to be listening very closely to what you say.", She said eyeing him.
"I was just wanting to make sure I suppose, besides - your granddaughter said she wasn't looking for anybody right now so I can respect that, you shouldn't get any trouble on that front," the tanned man replied as his dark eyes were brough up to meet Sarah's.
"Though anybody tries to mistreat her and rest assured they'll get a visit from me before I toss them over to you, she's a sweet girl and I can't stand that kind of crap anyway," David finished as he squeezed the rolled up liquor pouch hard enough for it to pop, as if to emphasize his point.
"Mhm, was that all you wanted to ask then?", Sarah asked still eyeing him. She offered to take the pouch, poor thing was brutalized enough.
He thought for a moment before handing the breached liqour pouch across to Sarah, "I suppose it is - for now at least."
"Awwwh, mildly disappointing, but oh well....Let me ask you something. What if someone else steps in who poses potential competition? Will you put in the effort, or back away?", Sarah asked as she got up to throw away the empty pouch, before sitting down after tossing it into the nearest can.
David cocked an eyebrow as the question graced his ears, gaze flicking down to the table with an exhale before they looked up at his fellow Geshrin to answer, "If she has no interest in me then I'll back off and that is the end of that, if she does have some interest however then... I see no harm in a bit of friendly rivalry, it is solely her choice afterall."
"As long as you just don't give up, I'm satisfied. Girl has been hurt one too many times for my taste, and why I make sure guys, and er I guess girls too, who go for her at least actually care. A standard I started looking for after her first boyfriend ran out.", Sarah explained further, making sure he understood her position, "I was none to pleased on that one."
"Rest assured ma'am that giving up isn't something I do, you have my word - regardless of how that may not mean much to you yet," the tanned man replied with a rather serious tone behind his voice and a curt nod of his head, he hadn't gotten this far by just giving up.
"Good.", was all the woman said.
"I'm glad you think so, it looks like I've avoided a neutering for now - lets hope I don't dare give you a reason in the future," he half-joked back at her, relieved she had some semblance of faith in his words.
