Clearing the air

Posted on Thu Jun 20th, 2024 @ 5:57am by Captain Callisi Verra & Commander Raiden Kosugi

Mission: The Gamma Expanse
Location: TBD
1918 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

After the briefing with Hawkins, Raiden moved up to Callisi after they left. "Do you have time to talk for a few?" the executive officer wanting to have a talk with her, knowing full well that he'd not spoken to her since before she went after the Trinity on that mission.

"Of course." The cyclopean rabbitess responded, turning her attention from the crowd, and the view out of the side of the room towards him.

"First off, how are you doing?" Raiden feeling a little bit lame in starting off the conversation that way, still it was a start.

Callisi gave Raiden a look and a smirk. She had a crush on this man long ago. She wore a dress with no back for this man. Small talk. It amused her. Especially coming from someone she almost slept with. "I'm well. Well enough." she commented, at least giving him a reply. "I've had better days but, well you know. I've had worse."

"Certainly nothing worse than those shoes they put with those fancy dresses." a comment back to their time at dinner, and those horrible shoes that she wore to compliment her, well, her everything. "I'm a soldier, I handle things pretty good. How about yourself? Since we're now hip deep in small talk." she softly smiled, amused.

Raiden gave a nervous smile, this was awkward. "About that, I don't think I ever apologized to you for that incredible goof I made. You looked great, and the fact you wore those shoes, which did look uncomfortable, and I feel that I hurt you as well, a lot. Something I never intended on doing. I am going to say this, I can be rather stupid. Never said I was the smartest person around."

Callisi gave him the chance to speak, and then gave a nod, "You didn't know the signs to look for. How could you?" she offered. An excuse, to cover him... or perhaps the truth of the difference between species. "And don't beat yourself up over it. It.." she paused, "It hurt, but I'd rather the slap in the face at that moment, then being lead on. You did me a mercy, and for that, I'm grateful."

"You have nothing to apologize for, but I do accept the sentiment. You're not stupid or dense or anything. You caught the eye of a Daughter of Ts'usu. I should have been more direct in my intention." she was, but she didn't need to live through it again.

"So, aside from that, what's on your mind?"

Raiden drew in a breath, then let it out slow. "Actually what I want is to establish a more open communication with you. If there is something that I am missing and you see it, tell me. I don't mind directness. And the cloud that had been in my mind, its now cleared out. I had experienced something that clouded my perceptions." A brief pause then "Anyway, enough with that. As I had mentioned, directness. There are things I still need to learn."

Callisi gave a nod, ears gently bobbing along with the motion. "We've been through a bit of awkwardness, a bit of misinterpretation. Because of that, though, we both know exactly where we stand. No doubt. No confusion. We know what we are... and what we're not."

"You can come to me with anything. I can't give you advice on dating because all women are crazy and it's every man's fault." A soft smirk, "But in seriousness, i want you to know you can talk to me about anything. As a friend, as a colleague, as a soldier."

A visible sense of relief washed over Raiden, it showing in the set of his shoulders and in his eyes. He valued Calissi a great deal. "Thank you, and this has been weighing heavily on my mind. I do value you, and was worried that I had destroyed any chance of us being friends."

"Not in the slightest. The notion that you're taking these steps, back home, would solidify any friendship." She offered, "Though, i know the rules are a bit different here. Suffice to say... we're good." She was silent for a moment, to give the declaration the weight it deserved. Still though, something needed closure.

"And you're welcome... and i suppose, thank you for, for finding me desirable. It... it helped. Beyond that..." she decided to break the loop, "i won't deny you Kinetic matches. I'll just arrange to share them in the lounge."

"Pallas and i get to watch them first then share with the rest."

His eyes widened slightly, as his memory recalled something that Pallas had briefly mentioned, that she had a wonderful shoreleave. He might be leaping to a conclusion still though....there seemed to be a slight tone of affection maybe? in Calissi's voice.

"You've got it, watching kinetic matches in the lounge. I like the sound of that. " Raiden giving a happy smile.

"I'm glad I can share something of my people with the Gladiator and not have to worry about omissions, censorships, or anything of the slight. Something pure and decent." she offered. Then paused, "I... didn't want to make it sound like the ONLY reason you want to be my friend is high stakes electrokinetic entertainment." she offered.

Raiden looked at Calissi, her words giving him pause, his smile disappearing, then another smile appeared. "Calissi, you are looking out for me once more aren't you. I've gone over in my mind the times you have been rather delicate with me. Of that I am grateful for. And no I am not wanting to be your friend just for that. Yup I have a lot of things to learn still. Heaven help the ship. And I am most definitely still needing the lessons of what your people's customs are like. So far I may have failed the class repeatedly."

"I am." she said plainly. "I tread lightly with others because I realized that the Ts'usugi dialogue might be considered too direct, or too indirect, for the liking of the Non-Ts'usugi among us." she started, a soft smile forming on her features. "You may have failed the class repeatedly, but ask yourself the same question my third rank teacher used to say, 'A failing exam is the superior teacher'." she cited, as though quoting ancient Ts'usugi wisdom.

"You failed. Yes. You KNOW you failed. The next part is learning. As my drill instructor back in Basic said, they're not concerned about you making a mistake. They were there to ensure you never made the same mistake." a pause, "And in that, so far, you have not. I think you're handling exposure to a new culture very well."

Raiden gave a grateful smile, "Thank you, if you have things written that I can read over about your race, I'm definitely going to be doing a lot of studying."

Callisi gave a giggle, "Are you implying that every people out there has a user's manual?" she was amused. "Well, as it so happens, there IS a collection of books about Ts'usu and her history. Unfortunately, they're written in Ts'usubito, and they're on Ts'usu." she pointed out. "Feel free to ask me. A friend to a friend, expressing curiosity, will not offend." the cyclopean rabbitess explained with a soft smile.

"You know we love sports, you know we're just about the equal of the Federation in matters of war, you're aware of how our technology diverges from the galactic standard, but you don't know how." a pause, "That's a question I can't answer. Against the rules."

"And it isn't anything I will be asking." Raiden replied. "It is against rules as well. I just know what you have been sharing ie, the sports, gives a little bit of a taste as to your technology. Though I may actually ask about your people's martial arts, the way you defend yourself. The type of music you listen to and even... Your religion. I do believe that those are allowed to ask."

"Indeed they are." She assured him, "Well as for things like martial arts, we have two. Soldiers are taught one during their Three, while the other is learned as an option later in life to help relax and sooth the soul." She paused...

"I... haven't quite picked that style up yet."

"As for music, we have several types. Hymms and choir songs, where it's mostly just vocalizing. Very relaxing, but I don't like it." she declared, "Most of what we have is similar to what Earth calls Rock, but it varies in intensity. Some is very mellow and soft and, well, dull."

She had a taste.

"And some is heavier, harder, faster. There's a growing style of music that's very punk, very ... almost rebellious. The bands dress up, dye their fur, break taboo and traditions. They're very... oh I don't even know the right words." she seemed flustered, something that Callisi usually wasn't.

"Okay, so there's a band back home, their name roughly translates to Footsteps in the Snow Behind You Left By Ghosts. They're a heavy, heavy band. They dress in blue hues and shades, and then use blue lights on the stage so that they almost disappear. Just their instruments moving around. I saw a video of their performance, and I almost thought it was fake."

"It's a newer generation of music, for a new generation of Ts'usugi. A generation that doesn't rely on tradition, but wants to, I dunno, they just want to be."

"Now, as for that last bit. Religion. I'm... I'm not religious. I mean, we have a religious belief, a lot of it is 'Mind your manners because everyone who came before you is watching you, always'... but..." she paused, and withered. Her ears laid flat, drooping, everything about her just.... diminished.

"The day I needed them most, they were just content to watch. What happened that day didn't seem to bother them." she paused, letting that moment linger in the air. Heavy with emotion and hurt. No tears from Callisi, though. Mostly because she only had one working tear duct.

"That day I decided the only person I was worried about seeing what I did was me." a pause, "I guess and now Pallas." That brought a soft smile to her face.

The smile that Callisi gave, and her words about Pallas, answered a question Raiden didn't dare to ask. Pallas, Callisi was the reason why Pallas seemed more complete and also happy. Raiden gave an answering smile towards Callisi then it faded. "I am sorry that you were left alone in the personal trial you were facing. I am glad that you endured though, that you are here now, that you proved your own strength and willpower. I am very glad that you are here."

Callisi returned with a soft smile. A gesture reserved for her closest friends, in moments of honesty. "Here is where I belong. Where I'm needed." she offered. "And, thank you. I might have lost my faith in, well, Faith, but I won't lose my faith in people. Saizensen ni iru kazoku, my family on the front lines."

"Yōshi engumi shita kazoku wa issho ni tsuyoku nareru Adopted family can be strong together." Raiden stated with a bow of respect, he straightened up and gave a smile. "Now to get ourselves to where we can find out just what is needed to find our pathway here in this nebula."