Socialization is over rated

Posted on Mon Sep 9th, 2019 @ 2:33am by Lieutenant Mica Rue

"Do you really think you should be doing that?"

surprised by the intrusion, Mica's hand slipped, her fingers grazing a wooden brace. Like dominoes, the pieces fell to the ground, one by one, until all that remained was a forest of wooden sticks around the woman.

She straightened, lowering her hand. "How exactly is it that you are always able to sneak up on me, Selin?" she smiled, despite her creative disappointment.

The broad man grinned. "I've always been lucky, that's all." Opening his arms, Mica ran into them. Selin wrapped her in his hug, spinning her around.

"Alright, you lug, put me down." Mica slapped his shoulder lightly as her lowered her feet back to the ground. Stepping away, she walked into the destruction again, bending to pick up one piece. "I'm guessing mother and father sent you?" She reached into the air, placing the wooden-looking holo piece in place.

"I needed a vacation."

Mica raised her eyebrows at him and cocked her head.

Her brother sighed. "They're worried...again."

"Because of my career choice?" she placed another piece.

"Because you are still alone."

Mica rolled her eyes. "I'm not alone. You're here."

Selin sighed again, louder this time. "Come on Mikey, you know what I mean."

Waving her arm, the two watched as the pieces she had just placed fell from the air. "So they want me to have companionship. I can arrange that. It's not like I'm an oracle or anything. In fact, there's nothing saying I don't have a partner back at my room right now. Maybe two or three." a devilish grin crept over her lips as she lowered her head.

Selin's eyes glazed for a moment. Slowly a flush came over his cheeks. Thirty seconds later, he coughed and averted his eyes. "Gods, Mikey, that's playing dirty."

Mica's usually sunny deposition resumed. She grinned, expelling the imagined memory she had transferred to her brother. There wasn't really anything dirty about it. In fact, she figured the love scene between her, and the other man and woman in the hot pool was the cleanest she could devise.

"You aren't supposed to use that on people, you know that."

She laughed and called up a life-size completed version of da Vinci's ornithopter flying machine. Putting her hands behind her back, she strolled around it casually. "Well, you aren't people, you're family, Selin."

"Mikey," the man groaned, "why are you here?"

The woman reached up, stroking the brace of the spiraling wing. "It's shore leave before my appointment. After working on starbases for years I think I've deserved that much."

Her brother came over, putting a hand on her arm. "Mikey, look at me." when she ignored him, Selin wrapped his fingers around her wrist, gently peeling her fingers from the holographic wood. Mica turned, surprised by the careful gesture. "Mikey, you're on a class M planet designed for pleasure, with thousands of other sentient beings, some of whom are your shipmates. It is beautiful and warm and perfect for sports and socialization. Instead," he dropped his hands from her, "you're in here. Alone. Why don't you go out, enjoy the sights and the people."

Mica's eyebrows were still raised. Selin didn't do monologues and this combination of sentences was dangerously close. "Marriage isn't exactly suited to starfleet life."

"I'm not telling you to get married, just saying finding a partner would be nice."

She grinned. "Are you telling me to go sleep around, dear brother?"

Selin groaned again, combining the noise with a growl as he spun around and stomped away. "Gods Mikey, you're so....so..."

This time it was his sisters turn to be sentimental. "I get it, Selin, I do. Let me finish up here and then I promise I'll go out. I'll find a little bar and have a drink, I'll find a pool and take a swim. I promise, I'll find people. Just let me finish, first."

The man pursed his lips. Despite the promise, he knew his sister would be holed up for hours longer, perhaps all night. He mumbled an acknowledgement then left through the door, his steps heavy with the burden his parent's had placed on him to check up on his baby sister.

Finding the nearest bar, Selin sat on a stool, arms resting on the counter, head lowered. "Just give me something strong," he ordered.