Marcus staid silent. It’s not that he didn’t have a comment. It was just that any sport complex had a similar store in the center. He could just buy one there, so he lulled her into a sense of ease as he followed them to the rink.
….
Wells walked quickly through the Academy until she popped out on the other side. Her feet quickly taking her through the streets until she reached a low built and barely hanging on building. Outside of it stood two burly looking guards. She waved her hands at them as she attempted to walk by. One of them reaching out for her shoulder. “Hey you. You can’t just walk in there.” Wells ignored him and kept walking. The guard besides him pulling his coworker back. “Not that one, she’s a friend of the boss.” The man looked confused and nodded. What sort of friend of the boss would look like that?
…
Marcus turned to look at Rao. “I don’t believe I have.” He turned to look at the view. It seemed quaint. Why hadn’t Wells or Sunsan ever taken him here? Where they perhaps scared of his natural athletic talent? He turned to Garnett who was getting these so called ‘ice skates’ for everyone. “Fifteen.” He ignored his friend’s boisterous comment. As a specimen that was over a foot taller then him it was natural for him to have bigger feet. This was one of those times Marcus found Garnett silly. He smiled at everyone briefly. “Excuse me for a moment. I need to go to the toilet room.” Marcus turned to walk away. Of course, he had been reminded by Wells and Sunsan multiple times that it was the bathroom or the washroom but he refused to accept it. There was no bathing or washing done in the public rooms. They were ludicrous terminology. Marcus electing to stop in at the smaller version of a convenience store the rink had to purchase some patches for Rao.
…
Susie Que was enjoying her first few moments on the ice. Nataly and Gra’an were being their adorable selves as the pair of girls glided on the ice together. As Gra’an was an Andorian who grew up on a planet of ice something like this was as natural as walking to her. While, Nataly had spent many hours in cold environments with her girlfriend. The two of them were beautiful to watch. Many of those on the ice also took breaks to stare at them. Shrike, however, as their forever third wheel, was more fond of speed. As he rushed around the loop to get faster and faster each time. One of the few attractive moments he has was the look he got on his face when he was enjoying the speed of something. Susie Que herself did not feel the same enjoyment as her friends. The blues of Marcus dating Rao was hanging over her as if it was replacing the gravity on Terran. Her blades lazily gliding against the ice. Sighing to herself she waved at her friends. “I’m going to get a drink.” Susie Que heading off the ice towards the food stand. To her dismay she noticed Zletka, Garnett and Rao. WHY! Why was this girl lurking around her to cause such misery! Couldn’t she give her a day of peace away from her? She already took Marcus. Why must she invade even her alone time. It wasn’t fair!
…
Sunsan walked into his home at the Romulan Empire Embassy. He was immediately greeted by all the staff. Sunsan ignorant of their gestures as he quickly hurried to his destination, the dinning hall. He found his mother entertaining a few other Romulan females there. She seemed ecstatic to see him. “Sunsan, you have come to visit.” He nodded and walked over to the table, struggling to hide his wince by all the gazes from the females that stared at them. It was too much. “Yes.” One of his mother’s guests, the wife of some Commander, smiled warmly. “You did not tell us your son would drop by as a surprise guest, Tevana.” Tevana took a sip of her tea. “My son wouldn’t even tell me if he was to be a surprise guest. He barely comes home from that wretched academy of his.” The women shook their heads in displeasure. “How tragic for him to be forced to endure such work.” She moved to pat her daughter’s arm. “A man of his stature should be married by now. Free of such grunt work.” Sunsan couldn’t help, but wince. Another woman trying to sell of their daughter to him. As if they could integrate themselves into his family and their status by simply visiting Terran. Sunsan grimaced. “Grunt work? I would be surprised that the wife of such an esteemed commander would not realize the importance of an educated Romulan being involved with Starfleet affairs. As they are currently in a non-interference pact with us.” He turned away from the guests. “Mother, I need to speak with father.” Tevana sighed. “Why is it you only come home to see that man of mine?” All Sunsan wanted to do was turn around and leave. This entire customary charade was nauseating to him. “Mother.” She sighed. “Your father is having lunch with the Andorian Ambassador.” The memory of the rude Andorian from earlier flickered into his mind. A small tch sound escaping his lips. The women at the table seemed to nod their heads. “Bug like things.” “Filthy little blue insects.” “Disgraceful.” “Primitive.” Floated around the room as commentary. The woman’s daughter leaning forward. “Why don’t you wait with us? We are much better company.” They all nodded their heads. His mother agreeing with them. “Don’t even get me started on the company he keeps these days. It breaks my heart my son has no proper friends.” The commander’s wife turned to look at her confused. “Who swarms around him?” Tevana took a sip of her tea. “Some Capellan dog and a Terran girl.” Sounds of disgust echoed in the hall. The girl looked at Sunsan in pity. “To think you must be around such animals for work. You must be extremely dissatisfied.” Animals? The only dissatisfaction he faced was from creatures like these. Truly uneducated gossip mongers who seeked to climb status through marriage. He glared at her. “I find no such dissatisfaction with the two I choose to keep in my company. One is the future leader of a trade agreement between the Romulan Star Empire and Capella IV, which currently has its mining contract with the Federation unused. While, the other is an elite female of the Academy on track to be in the upper tier management of Starfleet. Both ‘animals’ are highly useful companions. Based on the conditions I have been tasked with they are the perfect choices.” The girl looked taken aback. Tevana sighing. “Listen to him. Terran has made my son all work and no play.” The older woman passed over a sweet treat for her, “There’s no need to worry so much, Tevana. Once he visits Romulus he will certainly regain the proper spirit.” Sunsan did his best not to shout at her. What use was this woman and her daughter providing to any Empire or service. The daughter laughed. “It would be nice to see how Sunsan would be away from his work.” Tevana smiled at her naughtily. “Don’t you mean to say you wish to see what my son would be like alone?” The girl turned her head shyly. “Of course not, Tevana.” His mother laughed. “I wish you the best of luck. Lately, it seems my son sees no other woman than that Terran girl by his side.” Her mother looked shocked. “Certainly, you can’t be suggesting…” Sunsan groaned. He could no longer take such frivolous conversation. How did Wells continuously put up with this? “The answer to that allusion would be not. I am committed to my work at the moment and so I have no interest in playing or receiving the attentions of your daughter.” He turned to look at the girl. If she was not one of his mother’s guests he would be much more blunt about his feelings. “I have no attention of spending time with you.” The girl didn’t seem to look that upset. There was a part of him that envied the way other races were so openly honest at first glance when he saw how his species reacted as such. Sunsan felt like he was looking at nothing but a black line on a white wall. Perhaps, even their heart rate was similar. “Surely, I would be more useful in your work than a Terran girl. Allow me to help you here in her place.” Sunsan couldn’t help but crack up laughing. His mother looking at him annoyed. “You, help me?” He turned to his mother. “Honestly, mother could you not have better handled this run in. Still laughing he turned around to the girl. “That Terran girl can speak multiple languages in multiple dialects, including Romulan. She is tied with me for first in both Tactical and Xenolinguistics, an expert in multiple areas of warfare and politics and the trusted student aid of multiple Federation Ambassadors. And you think you can be more useful in my field of work.” Tevana stood up annoyed. “Sunsan!” He straightened up his posture and stopped laughing. “My apologies, mother. It’s just you have always raised me to be aware of our capabilities and duties to the Empire.” Sunsan bowed towards the guests. “I will excuse myself now and wait for father in another room.” Sunsan eagerly strolling out of the room. The commanders wife turning to look at Tevana. “I see what you mean. Terran has made him so brazen.” She sighed. “Didn’t it?” The two electing not to comment on the interested smile on the girl’s face.
…
Susie Que was just going to turn back around to hide on the giant ice field when she noticed Marcus. He was walking back from the convenience store with a heartwarming smile on his face. Her heart going a mile a minute. There he was. He was close and so well dressed. Marcus looked like everything she ever wanted in a date. How was it fair that she had to witness this now. Susie Que could hear Shrike yelling her name. “Susie Que! Come back! Nataly and Gra’an want to-” His shout dying down when he saw where she was looking at. Shrike immediately feeling so bad for her. He had to fix the situation. Shrike rushing over to surprise Garnett. “Hey, you! What are you doing over here?” He nudged the muscle head a little more. “Don’t you know Nataly and Gra’an are on their date. Only I have a permission to be an awkward side wheel.” He waved his hands at Susie Que. “Look who I found!” Susie Que walked slowly over to them. “Hey…” Shrike smiled sadly for a moment before fixing his smile. “Don’t you think Nataly and Gra’an are going to be SUPER bummed out to see more people on their date.” Marcus chuckled. “It is impossible to get in the way of those twos dates.” Shrike nodded. “You need to see the show they are putting on at the moment.”
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