Barefoot In The Park - Part 2

Posted on Mon Jun 8th, 2015 @ 4:56am by Lieutenant Commander Robin Swift M.D., PhD & Niall Sala Ph.D.

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Deck 212 Galileo Center - Arboretum

“Then we shall.” The two men dived into lunch and ate with gusto but finally had to give in. Before long they found themselves out of Lao’s and standing at the edge of the arboretum. Niall removed his jacket and tie and rolled up his sleeves. He laid them on a bench, then turned to Robin.

“Shoes?”

Robin had slipped off his black loafers and handed them to Niall to place on the bench. He leaned down and rolled up his pants a few times so the dirt wouldn’t dirty them up. “Over here,” he said as he walked down a smoothed pea-stone path to a stretch of grass, bushes and trees. This particular area was almost 100 yards in length, about 80 yards wide and nothing but grass, fresh soil and beauty. “I usually come here to wander around a bit,” he said as he stepped onto the grass and could feel it bend under his feet. He sighed contentedly and turned to wait on Niall.

Niall left his shoes and socks with the rest and followed Robin, falling in step beside the counselor. “It’s lovely. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve felt grass underfoot?” He stopped to think about it. “Three months, give or take a few days.” He slipped his hands into his pants pockets as they slowed to a leisurely stroll. “Things like this make you stop and realize how crazy life gets.”

They walked a few meters and Robin stopped. “About a year and half,” he said. “Other than this grass, I mean, on a real planet.”

“You’ll remedy that soon enough on Archadia.” Niall looked out over the lush area around them, and when he spoke, he didn’t look at Robin directly. “I wanted to apologize if my visit last night brought up painful memories. I am not sorry, however, for renewing our acquaintance, or friendship if you like that better. If anyone can relate to what you’ve endured, I can.”

“Now that we’ve been talking more, I welcome your friendship. I don’t know if it’s what we have in common or not, but you’re easy to talk to. I appreciate that.” They walked a bit more before Robin asked. “I hope I’m not missing the mark with this, and if I am, I apologize, but relating to what I’ve endured? Did you also lose someone?”

“A few years ago, yes. Not in the manner you did. This was a conscious parting. They decided that my constant travel all over, not being home, was too much and that was it. In this case, it was made clear that it was me and not them and it was a bitter pill to swallow.” Niall shrugged. “No chance to choose the job or the relationship. And oddly, the job was still there waiting, pulling me back in. It was not long after that I took over the company entirely. It would have happened sooner or later I suppose.”

“Hmm,” Robin said in acknowledgment. “Maybe it’s better that way. I imagine she probably missed you, or became completely bored without you being around. She didn’t really understand the nature of your job, I take it?”

Niall stopped and reached out, taking Robin’s arm lightly to stop him. He did his best to avoid reading the Counselor so as not to invade his privacy. Then he cleared his throat. “Robin...it was a he. Maybe what you say is true. He certainly found other things to do to fill his time when I was away.”

“A...he?” Robin said, then instantly regretted it. Despite his own preference for men he had never really paid much attention to who others dated or were interested in but it almost sounded as if he was shocked when Niall told him this. In an attempt to recover from a potential faux pas, he added, “Well, he must not have realized exactly who he was leaving behind. I don’t know you all that well, but so far, and from what I remember, you seem to be perfectly charming.”

“Thank you.” Niall’s smile came back, much more relaxed. “You’re right also in that it’s better this way. Why bother with someone who can’t be bothered to care, yes? But I moved on. Success was, indeed, some of the best revenge. Last I heard, he was still monitoring stray transmissions at one of the listening outposts and you know what that’s like. While I am here, happy and in good company with my feet bare in the grass.”

“Poor fellow,” Robin said with a small chuckle. “Those listening posts can be hell. But you’re right. There’s nothing better than good company.” He looked down and wiggled his toes. “And grass beneath your feet.”

Niall looked over to Robin as they began to walk again. “You can say that again. Let’s continue, shall we?” He studied Robin for a second or two as they moved along, glad that at least that Robin was now aware of his inclinations. “My assistants don’t know,” he said quietly.

Robin raised an eyebrow and turned to him, then he realized what Niall had meant. “Ah. Well, as you said, what you do when you’re not at work is no one’s business but yours. Seems perfectly reasonable to include matters of the heart as well.”

Niall chuckled. “Lani is a little general and plays mother hen at times. She’s convinced I’ll die a lonely old man one of these days. She would likely be relieved even if I told her I was marrying a targ. At least I’d have someone to come home to, in her view.”

“At least she cares. It could be worse, you know. They could all hate you for keeping things so separated, but if it works, it works.”

“So far.” Niall pointed to a stand of trees and a small, shallow pond. “There. We can kick back and soak up some of this artificial sunshine.”

The walk wasn’t far and soon both were sitting at the edge of the pond. There were a few fish swimming around that Robin watched intently, but he had a question to ask of Niall--one Niall had asked of him. “If I may ask, have you not found anyone else since listening outpost guy?”

“No.” Niall shook his head. He was quiet as he pulled up his pants legs and dipped his feet into the water. “It was just simpler not to I suppose. No worry that history would repeat itself and for the same reasons. This, Robin is why I tell you to do as I say, not as I do. I am terrible at taking my own advice.”

“I’m the same way,” Robin replied. “Maybe you should take your own advice, though. Get out there, find someone. At least Lani would be happy.” He laughed. “Anyone would be lucky to have you, Niall, so long as they understood who you were and could cope with your work ethic.” As soon as he said it he found himself watching Niall a bit longer than he’d meant to, then turned to a patch of grass he had been fiddling with.

Robin meant what he’d said, and damned if he didn’t feel that way just a tiny bit himself. But Niall? He was Stephen’s friend. Wouldn’t it be weird? He shook his head as he studied the grass intently and dismissed the thought.

“We’ll see how it goes. You know the old saying about never knowing what’s just around the corner.” Niall turned his face up to the light and laughed merrily, such a change from his usual formal demeanor. “I think I’ll have to design a park for the colony. Then you’ll have reason to come visit.”

“I could do that. Besides, I’d like to see what all the colony has to offer and how you designed it once it’s finished.” He turned back to Niall. “Until then, I’ll just have to settle for the arboretum and the occasional trip to Archadia to satisfy my nature urges.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” He’d noticed Robin’s long look but let it go. For now, he was content just to enjoy the scenery and the company. “Ready to wander some more?”

“Absolutely. We can wander as long as you want.”

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Lt. Cmdr. Robin Swift
Back to Nature

Dr. Niall Sala
Getting The Lay Of The Land