01-07-2026, 06:25 PM
The restlessness that had defined the trip back to Earth was still permeating Mara’s life now that she had time to kill between missions. She’d been to Copenhagen to check in on her apartment and 3 members of the wider Sydesh clan that were living there. She’d been to the Academy complex in San Francisco to see a couple of old friends. She’d made plans to go and see her favourite music teacher Fabi in Switzerland. And so far today she’d already walked most of the trails around Grasmere as well.
I have to figure out how to calm my arse down. That 3rd pip… Fuck, that was a thing that happened. Still feels like I’m wearin’ someone else’s tunic. I know I’m not. I know I earned it. But yeah. Lieutenant Commander Calleja is gonna take some gettin’ used to. I probably need some time with friends or family or a counsellor before I end up letting the insecurities burn me out again.
Physical exertion apparently wasn’t going to help any time soon. Despite a heavy lifting session first thing and then a whole lot of hiking, the Security Chief had barely broken a sweat. Her Amazonian physique had taken it all and was still going. All Mara had managed to do was make herself mightily hungry, but that was much easier to deal with.
Calleja was dressed down. Heavy knee-length black shorts and boots, and a loose long-sleeved cream top that was just cropped enough to show off the odd flash of chiselled abs under caramel skin. The skin on the right side of her head had been freshly shaved, and her hair was braided and hanging down to her left shoulder.
She didn’t waste time. At her request a pair of freshly-cooked ribeyes were cut up and jammed into crusty bread with a lashing of hot sauce, and another plate was loaded up with pasta salad. Carrying both plates in one hand, Mara plucked a bottle of cola from one of the ice buckets and then headed into the gazebo where Aeryn looked out anxiously.
“Sup,” the Bandaran said in greeting. She climbed up onto the nearest bench, sitting on the table with her boots on the bench as she laid down her pasta plate and drink before ripping into one of her steak sandwiches.
“OK, that’s fuckin’ good. Whoever you got on the grill needs a pay rise,” she said with a grin. “How you doin’? I still remember gettin’ conned into that Artemismas thing. Bein’ responsible for people havin’ a good time was a new kinda pressure. You look like you’re copin’ better than I did.”
== Tags Aeryn! ==
I have to figure out how to calm my arse down. That 3rd pip… Fuck, that was a thing that happened. Still feels like I’m wearin’ someone else’s tunic. I know I’m not. I know I earned it. But yeah. Lieutenant Commander Calleja is gonna take some gettin’ used to. I probably need some time with friends or family or a counsellor before I end up letting the insecurities burn me out again.
Physical exertion apparently wasn’t going to help any time soon. Despite a heavy lifting session first thing and then a whole lot of hiking, the Security Chief had barely broken a sweat. Her Amazonian physique had taken it all and was still going. All Mara had managed to do was make herself mightily hungry, but that was much easier to deal with.
Calleja was dressed down. Heavy knee-length black shorts and boots, and a loose long-sleeved cream top that was just cropped enough to show off the odd flash of chiselled abs under caramel skin. The skin on the right side of her head had been freshly shaved, and her hair was braided and hanging down to her left shoulder.
She didn’t waste time. At her request a pair of freshly-cooked ribeyes were cut up and jammed into crusty bread with a lashing of hot sauce, and another plate was loaded up with pasta salad. Carrying both plates in one hand, Mara plucked a bottle of cola from one of the ice buckets and then headed into the gazebo where Aeryn looked out anxiously.
“Sup,” the Bandaran said in greeting. She climbed up onto the nearest bench, sitting on the table with her boots on the bench as she laid down her pasta plate and drink before ripping into one of her steak sandwiches.
“OK, that’s fuckin’ good. Whoever you got on the grill needs a pay rise,” she said with a grin. “How you doin’? I still remember gettin’ conned into that Artemismas thing. Bein’ responsible for people havin’ a good time was a new kinda pressure. You look like you’re copin’ better than I did.”
== Tags Aeryn! ==