"Earth to Maria. Earth to Maria." Shelly said, trying to get Maria's attention. The three women were gathered near the back of the bridge, taking a break. The conversation had been about mundane things, at least until Maria had zoned out on them. That had led to the medic trying to get her attention by calling her name and waving her fingers in front of Maria's eyes.
When that didn't create the desired result, Jania tilted her head toward her friend and examined Maria with both her eyes and antennae. "So, who is he?"
Startled, Maria looked up from her daydream. "Who?" Oh my god, did I zone out on them?
Shelly laughed at her friend's confused expression and far- away eyes. "Why, the young Marine who has stolen your heart, I do believe."
Maria tried to deflect the conversation by acting coy, "What makes you think that he's a Marine?"
The Medic shook her head. No, that's not going to work, Maria dear. "This is Shelly you're talking to dear, you've been here for two years and no boyfriend or lover." Maria blushed and averted her eyes. Shelly saw it and continued, "Then the marines show up and from out of nowhere, you have a guy."
Oh, so that's it. The Andorian instantly noticed the blush, even under her friends tanned skin. "Who is it? Sergeant Major Bulldog?" She inquired with a playful grin. You know that you're going to tell us.
Maria groaned, "God's no, I'd sooner have a belly wound than go out with him." She said, putting a new twist on Korlon's favorite saying of, I'd sooner have a belly wound than pull your ass out of the fire.
Since Maria wasn't going to tell, Shelly poked her finger at the blushing operative, "So, who is he?" Come on, spill it, you know that you want to tell us.
Maria's eyes got that far-away, dreamy look as she softly replied, "His name is Kyle." At the mention of his name, the image of the broken soldier came to mind, and she found herself aching to touch him. Can I help him? Is it worth it? She asked herself. The answer was a resounding yes.
"Kyle? I don't know a Kyle." Shelly stated, glancing over at Jania, who shrugged. I don't know many of the marines, she thought, but then, they don't exactly hang out with us.
"Nor do I," the Andorian whispered, "Which one's that?" She was suddenly very interested in the marine that had caught her friend's attention.
"If you must know," Maria said, finally giving in, "Kyle just happens to be Captain DeVais." She dangled that bit of information in front of her friends.
"And?" Jania inquired. When Maria didn't respond, she extended a delicate blue fingertip toward the brunette. "Spill it." Then leaning forward, she whispered menacingly. "Ve hafe ways of making you talk." The perfect imitation of a sinister old world villain brought a smile to Maria's face.
"Torture me all you like, I won't talk." the brunette played along. "I won't tell you anything."
"Oh really?" Shelly inquired with an exaggerated lift of her brow. "What if I went ......" she leaned forward dramatically, "and told your father about your infatuation with a jarhead?"
Maria acted mortified, "You wouldn't dare." Now it was her turn to exaggerate. "Even you wouldn't be that nefarious." When her friend waggled her eyebrows, Maria pretended to surrender. "If you must know, he's asked me out to dinner."
"Oh," Shelly teased, hearing her friends whisper, "I see." After hugging her friend, she asked, "What are you going to wear?"
Maria blushed slightly. "I was thinking of wearing that little blue dress that I bought on our last layover at Coridan."
The Medic tapped her fingers on the railing as she recalled the dress. It was sky-blue and fell to just above the knees. "That would do it. Now, how are we going to fix your hair?"
