Awkward Meeting

Posted on Sat Oct 29th, 2022 @ 10:09pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Tia Smithy(Kosugi) & 1st Lieutenant Kyle Walken

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Walken's Office
Timeline: Before Extraction
2716 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Tia had great determination in her eyes and in her movment. She had a goal in mind and no one was going to stop her. Well, so Tia thought. The moment she stepped into what could be termed Marine country, she was met with some looks, and also was literally blocked from making any further progress.

"Afternoon Petty Officer Smithy? What's your business here, hadn't gotten an order for anything to be fixed down here." The marine stated.

"Actually, I would like to speak with Lieutenant Walken please?" Tia asked actually keeping her temper inspite of her feeling of ire starting to rise.

"I'll see if he's in, if he is I'll see if he wants to see you." the marine replied.

Tia nodded and hoped he was there, So far she's struck out on trying to meet him. Well better if she hadn't the first time she would have maybe been in a bit more trouble.

The marine stepped away and called for Walken.

"Sir, we've got a Petty Officer Officer who would like to talk with you. Are you available to meet with her? Just a word in advance, its Tia Smithy, aka Spitfire."

Walken closes his flask and sets it down. He thought for a moment as he leans back in his chair, "Go ahead and send her in." He wasn't sure what she wanted at this time. Adjusting his uniform he rubbed his temples quickly. He did however have a guess as to what she wanted.

The marine went back to where Tia was waiting. "Okay, Lieutenant Walken is willing to see you, come with me." the other Marine stepping out of the way.

For some reason Tia's mouth went dry, and she felt a bit nervous. She followed after the marine and once they reached Walken's office he stepped inside and said "She is here" then he stepped out of the office to allow Tia entrance.

When Tia stepped inside, she looked at Walken for a moment she couldn't say much. Now that Tia was here, her words failed her. She stood there in an awkward silence, until Tia finally said. "Hi there." feeling even more awkward which really was bugging her.

Walken looks confused, "Did you come all the way down here just to say hi there?" He asks aloud. He opens his flask back up and takes a drink, lifting a datapad. "Well, Hello Petty Officer." He said going over the quartermaster's reports of the marine armory.

"Well no sir, it isn't why I came down here!" Tia snapped out then inwardly grimaced. "Sorry sir. You see, sir I have come to make an apology." Tia managing to articulate. She looked Walken over, was remembering what Hayter had said well when they were drunk. She remembered she had every intention on trying to take on Walken. That was then, this is now.

Tia watched as Walken took a drink licked her lips, wishing she could have a drink right now then remembered she had made a promise to Captain Hawkins and she's kept it so far.

Walken seals the flask once more and sets it down, "Apologies? Why? I don't remember you doing anything to me that would warrant an apology. Best side an apology is pointless, I'm a marine make up for whatever is eating away at you through your actions words are meaningless unless you show you actually mean them. But again I have no idea why you would need to apologize to me."

"Actually its not exactly apologizing to you but, its more on the aspect of apologizing to the men that were injured during that brawl. They won't let me get near them. You are their commanding officer so if i can not apologize to them then, I am asking for your help in this. Once that's done you won't have to deal with me anymore." Tia said gruffly. "I messed up and I was actually thinking of looking for you to challenge you to a fight as well but hey, that was then, and this is now. Besides." giving Kyle a look up and down. "I'd be hard pressed to do much damage if I were to try. You look like you are someone who wouldn't be caught offguard."

"There is still no need to apologize to me or them, if you beat them then they need to wear that on their shoulders. Do you know how many scraps I used to get into when I was enlisted? Fights happen, afterwards, you go to them, shake hands, and then have a drink together. At least that is how my marines do it, they will seek you out Petty Officer because if they don't they know they will have to deal with me, the highest NCO on this ship, and their squad leader making this an issue to them." Walken stands up at her last comments. "Anyone can do damage to anyone Petty Officer and no one can remain on guard at all times."

Tia looked at Walken, seeing him stand up. She wasn't certain as to what he might do. Deciding to present a more not so aggressive manner towards him, she raised up her hands palms outward, "I don't intend on attacking you. I was just speaking my mind, and I will not be drinking alcohol with anyone until after the current mission is done. I made a promise to the Captain I wouldn't. Maybe coffee though."Tia tilted her head slightly, as she regarded Walken.

"Tell me something, if I were to ask you to have coffee with me would you consider doing so?" Tia gruffly asked, feeling a bit awkward in asking.

Walken tilts his head, "Why would I attack you? That would serve no purpose." He was honestly confused by the Petty Officer now. "It doesn't have to be alcohol but it's important that you sit down with those marines and figure it out."

"Not much of a coffee drinker anymore, ask me once you are 'allowed' to drink again."

"Okay that sounds like a plan." Tia responded, "So... how about this, can we start things out differently? Like say, Hi I'm Tia Smithy, nice to meet you, what's your name?"

"Well since we only just met we can start it over, I'm Kyle Walken."

Tia smiled, "Nice to meet you so, if you aren't busy want to go somewhere and do some talking? Wait maybe that is too soon." she rubbed her hands nervously on her pant legs.

Walken just looked a bit confused, "Are we not talking now?" He noticed her nervous movements. "Are you alright Petty Officer?"

"I am, and if you're okay with us talking here, I'm good with it too. Can I get some water please?" Tia pausing her wiping her hands. "My palms get a bit sweaty when I get nervous. And well after arriving here, I got a little bit nervous. I know sorta stupid to be like that right?"

"Replicator is behind you go ahead," Walken answers as he sits back down behind his desk and listens to her. "I'm not following as to why you are nervous though."

Tia was sort of wondering why she was nervous as well, but turned to get herself some water to help her occupy her hands. She got the water then took a seat, across from Walken. Taking a sip of water, which seemed to help, Tia worked to quell her nervousness. She looked at Walken, getting a really good look at him. Another drink of water then Tia felt she could actually say something. "Maybe, its due to my realizing just how good looking you are and you've got nice eyes." there she said it. Her cheeks going a bit pink, and wishing the floor would just open up and swallow her.

Walken unscrews his flask and takes a small drink, "I would say I'm just average, Petty Officer." He answers as he closes his flask once more. "I appreciate the comment." As he spoke his demeanor was the same it had always been neutral not really giving off any emotion.

Tia gave a bit of a sigh of relief, actually relaxing. "I don't think you are average but thanks for not making a big deal of what I said, even though its an honest opinion from me. How long have you been in charge of the marines?"

"I've been a marine for eight years now, I've seen my share of battlefields," Walken answers honestly. "As for command, I took charge of my first squad four years ago, the SNCO a year ago, field promoted into marine CO not all that long ago."

"Okay that is cool, hopefully it is going well for you so far. And how are you liking the position so far?" Tia was deciding that the best way she can get to know him was to ask questions.

"Marines haven't fallen apart yet, more of the same just in charge of more people." Walken tilts his head slightly trying to figure out why she was questioning him now about himself.

Tia took another drink of her water, watching Walken, noting the slight tilt of his head. "You know you could ask some questions about me if you want, but if you don't that's fine too." Tia actually having a bit of a smile.

Walken shrugs, "How long have you been in the Navy? Why did you choose what you do?"

"I've been in for a little bit, maybe about fourteen years. And why i chose to be in the Navy, I wanted to work on the ships, keep them running, and be part of being out there to see new worlds." Tia remarked.

Walken was never the best at small talk, "I see." He finished going over the inventory report from his quartermaster and signed off on it. "Fourteen years of service, how many ships have you served on?"

"Ships that I've served on counting this one, five and a starbase. The Arcadia just a short time, before coming here, the-the- T'sul." her glass of water shook slightly when she mentioned that ship. She set the glass down, and placed her hands in her lap, clasping them together, to keep them from trembling. Tia swallowed the lump that had developed in her throat. "Before that, I served on the USS Aurora and the first ship I served on was the USS Lakota. And very first assignment, I served on the Spacedock above Earth."

Kyle lets out a sigh, he knew it was against his better judgment but he noticed her reaction. With such an obvious reaction it seemed like he was supposed to ask about what happened. "What happened on the T'sul?"

Tia flinched slightly when Walken asked his question, then her hands quit fidgeting as she made a massive effort to pull herself together. "Nothing much, just watching while the engineering crew were being drained of their blood, like they were freshly killed deer and me inside one of the jefferies tubes, seeing this happen, and not being able to do anything. Not daring to move a muscle, frozen in place not being able to avert my eyes. It sickens me that I couldn't do anything, and then a noise came which broke the spell and I was able to move away. Just after that a bomb went off in engineering. Sucking out the bodies of those who had died, maybe they though they could cover up what they had done." Tia stated.

Walken would never trust another counselor again but that didn't mean he wouldn't suggest it to another. "Have you sat down with a counselor about that? People I know who have gone through something like that tend to fall into two groups. They hate themselves because they feel they should have done something, anything to help. Or the guilt of surviving builds on them."

"I've spoken to a counselor, Commander Ziyal. She is the first counselor that I spoke to, and I told the Command staff, as to what I witnessed. And from what you had just mentioned, have you had the experience of talking to a counselor? Did it really help? And would you fit into either of those categories? I really don't know what category I would be fitting in though." Tia replied.

"No I wouldn't fall into either of those, I didn't take part in these events so it's pointless as to what I would fall under because I didn't experience it." Walken simply ignored the rest of her question.

"Well good for you, I don't think I would fall under any of those either. A person has to deal with horrid things in their own way, as sometimes, Counselors just don't seem to help out. My own prescription would be to do hard work, and, bury it until I want to deal with it. I can't change the fact I experienced it. Watched good friends and crewmembers die. I can have the satisfaction though, as to being part of the effort to stop the jerks from doing this sort of thing again." Tia getting a rather firm expression in her eyes. "Like tearing down their obscene tower, well atleast what it looked like to me."

"Make sure if you go down the revenge hole you leave yourself enough rope that you can climb out," Walken states as he lifts a PaDD listing the new transfers coming on board soon. "That's what happen to my old Captain Bolingbroke before I came here, he couldn't and now he is wasting away in some prison instead of leading marines anymore."

"There is the saying when you seek revenge, make sure to dig two graves. And that is sad to hear about that happening. But would that count where a weird radio tower is concerned. Taking revenge on an inanimate object?" Tia raised a questioning eyebrow, then taking another drink of her water.

In the back of Tia's mind though, there was just something about Walken which made her interested in getting to know him more. She'll have to bide her time, besides she did have a potential drinking appointment with him after the mission?

"I wouldn't say sad, he made his choice. I would say stupidly. Well let's say you do take revenge on this tower, who is to say it doesn't fall on other Starfleet members because you didn't want to wait?"

"A well planned revenge would be done with them out of the way. I really do not intend on bringing harm to my new crew mates. If I can work it, with help from the Chief Engineer, that thing would be dealt with on a permanent basis. No loss of life." Tia at first felt some ire start to rise, then a thought occured to her. Walken didn't know who she was, and Tia allowing her spitfire self jump to conclusions, would just make things go into a really bad direction. What the heck was with this guy, was it his demeanor that was helping her keep a lid on her short fuse?

"If you have it planned out like that, then you have nothing to worry about." Walken again keeps his answer simple. "Anything else you need to talk about?"

Drinking the last bit of her water, Tia gave a slight sigh, then shook her head. "Nope, I think that is all, and thanks for taking the time to talk with me. It helped a lot." giving a lopsided smile. Tia rose from the chair she sat in,and walked towards Walken's desk and held out her hand. "Thank you, and I'll see you around."

Walken gave a simple nod to the Petty Officer as he looks back down at his pile of rosters and inventory.

Feeling a little bit awkward once more, Tia gave a slight shrug, lowered her hand and headed out the door. He was a man of few words, but she did like Walken's eyes. Another lopsided smile, Tia giving a wave to the marines who watched her leave, feeling curious about what made the bad tempered engineer have a smile.

Deciding to not bother Walken, they resumed their routine day, maybe sometime they will find out what went on in Walkens office between him and Tia.