Confidences

Posted on Mon Jun 22nd, 2015 @ 10:03pm by Niall Sala Ph.D. & Lani Gellar

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: CoronaTech Offices

* CoronoTech Offices *

Niall was late. Three hours late and counting, according to JL’s chronometer. Mal looked up as Lani appeared up front, his expression as expectant as if she were the Oracle who knew all.

“Well?” he prompted. “Where is he? Did someone forget to take him out of the closet and turn him on?”

“Oh! Yeah, sorry, that was me. I forgot to put him in the closet last night so that he could charge up for today,” Lani playfully shrugged, pretending to be apologetic. “Did you check the one in his office?”

“I did,” JL volunteered. “He hasn’t been here yet today. That’s not like him at all and --”

The front doors opened and Niall breezed in, dressed as usual in a perfect suit, briefcase in hand. He nodded to JL and Malcolm, “Good morning gentlemen.” He then focused on Lani. “My office Lani.” He passed on through without breaking stride and down the hall.

Malcolm’s mouth fell open. “Are you in trouble?”

“If I am, you’ll be the first one I throw under the bus,” Lani whispered at him as she grabbed a padd and followed after Niall. In his office, she asked, “How was dinner?”

“Dinner?” He blinked and it took a moment to catch that she meant the dinner with Adara. “Oh. It was fine. She and Cody are glad to be off a ship and we caught up a little on some mutual friends.” He had opened his briefcase and was removing padds as he talked. “We also discussed the colony a bit. Oh, and I have some news for you.” He gave her a sly smile. “Thor will be arriving later today.”

She pumped a fist in the air and cried, “Yes!” Laughing, she added, “That man, Niall... hmm, he is definitely a gift from someone in the eye candy department. Don’t suppose I could be on his greeting team?”

“If you wish. He will also be here most of the day tomorrow while we get into the technical specs on the colony areas. The heavy lifting is about to be mostly in his lap.” Niall checked a padd and nodded. “Meet him at docking bay 9 at 1600 hours. You can show him to his quarters as well.”

“I bet he’s really good at the heavy lifting,” she mused, knowing that she could get in trouble for creating a hostile work environment if she weren’t careful. “I will be there: Dock 9, 1555 hours! Maybe he’ll let me show him more than just his quarters.” She blinked suddenly and blushed furiously. “Ah, nevermind that, boss. What... what, um, is on the agenda today?”

Niall perked one eyebrow in a gesture so very in keeping with his partial Vulcan heritage. “Perhaps you could show him where to have lunch?” He shook his head, amused but he wasn’t about to say so. He passed her a padd with several things on the screen that she needed to attend to. Then he sat behind his desk and pressed the panel on his desk, closing the office door. “Sit down, Lani, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

Was she in trouble? She sat down and gave him a worried look. “What, Niall?”

He was silent for a moment but his fingers fidgeted with the closest padd on his desk. “This is a personal issue Lani. I know we don’t usually cross that line, well never, but you’ve been with me for years and look out for me and it works for us. I’m grateful. But something has come up and you are bound to get wind of it sooner or later.”

Now he really had her worried. “Are you sick? What’s happening?”

“It’s about last night. I had a date after I left Adara.” He held up his hand to quell her questions as he continued. “It’s early and this relationship will not be rushed but it’s more than just one casual date. We’ll see how it goes.”

She gasped, “A date! A date date? That’s great!” Then she grew wary. “Why are you telling me? I have to keep this quiet from the two boys, don’t I?”

“Yes for now. I am telling you for several reasons, I suppose.” He moved the padd aside, realizing it belied his anxiousness. “Mainly because, as I told Adara yesterday, this station may be huge but people do run into other people and see things. You are bound to see us out and about before long and I thought it better that you were aware ahead of time. I also value your insight. You are a brilliant woman with a good grip on the real world. I can use your advice. It’s been six years since I was involved with anyone. I’m not so sure I know how to do this anymore.”

Dumbfounded, she nodded and said, “Oh, okay.” She was struck by his trust in her, which both amazed her and made her proud, and by his request for advice. “I’m not sure what advice to give right now; I’m sure you two are talking and taking it a day at a time etc., etc.”

He nodded. “We were quite open about our expectations last night.” He smiled again, finally. “It was a wonderful evening. Lady Ella’s. You should try it sometime. The other reason I am confiding in you is that an observation was made last night and it is a correct one. Trying to hide such things never really works and it’s not fair to Robin to insist that we try. He’s a wonderful man, he shouldn’t be hampered by my overgrown wish for complete privacy or feel like I’m hiding him away.”

Lani quickly put two and two together and grinned. "Counselor Swift is a nice guy. You shouldn't hide him away. No wonder we're designing a park for the colony." Her grin broadened and she laughed.

Niall took a deep breath and smiled wider. “We’ll see how things go. He just….alrighty then.” He rubbed his hands together. “Now we have to come up with some reason for this serious meeting. Have you done anything I should be displeased with lately?” He was teasing her now. “You’re going to get grilled when you go out there."

"Hmm... let's see... I did tell Mal that I'd toss him under the bus if I was getting in trouble. I haven't done anything you'd be upset with. Lately. Though JL and Mal were spying on you," she ratted out her coworkers and winked.

“When do they not spy on me?” He laughed briefly. “But specifically?”

"Ah... When you were walking in the arboretum, but.... Maybe that was random chance that you were there and they were there."

“Which would explain why they thought I was seeing Robin in a professional capacity. I see.” Niall nodded. “Well, I’ll tell them eventually. Once I see how things go with Robin. No need getting their hopes up. But…”he looked at Lani intently. “Speaking of hopes. Will you be ready for tomorrow? We have a lot to go over with Lt. Ayo.”

"Oh, I'll be ready!" She nodded, already thinking that she needed to take a long lunch and get her hair done.

“Good. We’ll call in the other two as needed but at this point, he wants an overview and you know that backwards and forwards.” Niall plucked a padd out of the pile he had just unpacked and passed it over, his fingers brushing hers. “Some last minute details, nothing major so none of you will have to stay late. You’ll have plenty of time to get your hair done after you meet him at the docking bay this afternoon.”

"Okay... This will be my reason for the meeting. Give them work and maybe avoid a complete grilling." She stood. "Dismissed?"

He nodded once more. “Go forth and good luck. Give Lt. Ayo my regards when you meet him.” Niall motioned to the door. “Have fun.”

"Thanks," she waved and went out to her execution.

The moment she appeared, Malcolm pounced. “Well?” He had been waiting near the entrance to the hall, but now tried to appear as if he were coming out of the computer room. “I don’t see any war wounds. What happened?”

“Give her a second to open her mouth, Mal,” JL ordered. “Okay you’ve had a second.”

"You," she pointed at Mal, "are in so much trouble! Just wait! But first, we have new assignments." She brandished the padd from Niall's desk at the two. "To be completed before Lt. Ayo comes for his meeting tomorrow."

“Me? What…? I didn’t do….” Malcolm shook his head. He had the slight suspicion that she was pulling his leg but he just wasn’t sure. “Okay hand it over. We’ll take care of them so you can get to the docking bay.” He pointed to the time. “You two were in there for a while.”

"Not that long!" She looked at the time. "Oh man!" She tossed him the padd.

“Have fun!” JL called as she dashed out the door.

*******************
Niall Sala Ph.D
Lani Gellar
Sharing Secrets

Malcolm Trent
JL Axin
Still Wondering