Dake struggled with how to explain how Kale frustrated him, and how it changed their relationship.  When he heard it back in the plain terms Lei put it in, it sounded down right silly.

Was it that simple?  Just put it behind me, smile and take it on the chin?  Nah.  He had to find a way to explain it.

"Ok, let me try again.  Have you ever been angry at someone?"

Lei grew silent for a moment, thinking.  She thought of the white place, she thought of Kyron betraying the crew, she thought of the Reavers killing Ren, she thought of Geoff yelling at her ... and she nodded her head slowly.

"Did it change how you saw that person?  In your mind, did you want to say something mean to them?  To get back at what they said or did to you?"

The thought about Kale.  "When that anger goes away, and you are left with only sadness.  It can twist the way you feel about someone if you let it."

Listen to yourself, sport.  If you let it.  Don't go makin all sorts of excuses about why you behaved the way you did.   You let it affect you.  You let it Kale get to you.  Get back up to the bridge and apologize.

He shook his head.  "If you are as confused by what I just said as much as I am, just forget it."  He put his hands over his face and ran his fingers up through his hair.  "Forget everything I just said.  Stick with what you know.  Don't let your feelings ever get inbetween you and your friends."

You are a gorram Socrates, ya rutting idiot.

[From Destiny: Bridge]

Wei-Li entered the kitchen, her shoulders relaxing slightly when she saw Dake was still there.  She let her breath out slowly as she tried to calm her nerves slightly.

Never in a million years did she think she would ever yell at Kale, but then again, she never thought she'd need to yell at anyone.  "Dake..."

She paused, again taking a deep breath.  She wasn't sure if Lei had heard anything, and it was probably best to let her know as well.

"We just got a message-- Rhaef's in trouble.  We need to get to him and fast.  DC you think you're up to flying us from here to there?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:37, Mon 28 May 2007.

Dake couldn’t keep the grin off his face.  I got a real honest-to-goodness flying job.

”Shiney!  When do we leave?  Do I have time to go pick up some personal belongings?   Oh, and I need to get my bike aboard.”

He paused for a moment in thought. ”So, um, you the reason I got the job?  I thought I might have pushed Kale too far.”

Wei-Li bit her lip and gave Dake a sheepish look.  "We leave as soon as Charlie gives  us the go ahead-- from the sound of things we need to be there yesterday..."

She nodded towards the cargo bay. "If your bike's outside I can get her in and secured, but I should warn you-- only job that's guaranteed is the trip out."

He frowned for a moment.  Sounds like a trial run.  No problem.  If I can fly well enough for Rouche Racing, this baby shouldn’t be a problem.

His smile returned.  ”Well thank you for going to bat for me, and I will be on my best behavior.  I can do my bike, or am I needed on the bridge now?”

Wei-Li gave him a slight shrug.  "Now I'd guess.  I'll get her in and locked down... it's my job anyway."

Dake nodded.  "Thanks.  I'll head to the bridge, and maybe we can talk later when we are out in the black."

He turned and waved to Lei.  "We can talk later, too."

< Bridge >

Lei smiled and waved goodbye to Dake.  Once he was out of earshot she turned to Wei-Li, "Do you think the Captain will let him stay?" she asked.

Wei-Li shrugged, "I honestly don't know."

After a moment she smiled and gave Lei a wink.  "But he does tend to yell at the ones he likes..."

It was true enough, at least lately.  Then again, she knew she had some serious appologizing to do once they were under way.

Lei grinned.  She hoped Wei-Li was right.  She liked Dake, and having him as a pilot would be a lot better then everyone walking around moping about Ren.  Not that she expected everyone to be okay again so quickly.  One of the books the Professor had given her had talked about the five stages of grief, about the process of healing.  It said that it could take a long time.

She heard footsteps then in the corridor and looked up expectantly as Kale and Geoff entered the dining hall.

[From Destiny: Bridge]

Kale stepped into the dining hall to find Wei-Li and Lei already there, he cleared his throat still trying to shake the awkwardness of having Dake onboard, "We're lookin' ta be takin' off here in a few shakes - you ladies got nothin' else to do you can get to helpin' us secure the cargo and get the bay ready for take off."

Wei-Li looked up at Kale and nodded.  "Got it.  We need anything outside?"

She bit her lip as she waited for his reply, knowing she had to appologize but not being sure if this was the right time.

[From Destiny: Bridge]

Geoff followed behind Kale, muttering slightly to himself about Dake being taken onto the ship.  He stopped short when he saw Wei-Li and Lei sitting in the dining hall together.  A grin crossed his face, "Well if it ain't my two favorite ladies." he said.  Trying to recapture his usual self and not completely succeeding.  He couldn't help but feel guilty every time he was around either of them.  I'm ruttin' never gonna drink again. he tried to repeat to himself over and over again.  The more times he said it, the more he could actually believe he might succeed.

Kale glanced behind him as Geoff joined the room and then shook his head at Wei-Li, "I think we got all we need from this planet, Acacia delivery arrived on schedule so we just gotta get it all stowed an' then get the hell off this planet.  Bad memories an' all." he said, thinking about the last time they were on Osiris and almost lost Destiny.  Without another word he began moving towards the cargo bay to get the job done.  He could already hear the gentle hum of the engines firing up.

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Wei-Li nodded and pushed herself off the bulkhead to follow.  She gave Lei what she hoped was a reassuring smile then turned towards Geoff.

She gave him a long thoughtful look before heading off to follow Kale.  There was so much she wanted to say, but this wasn't the time.  She was beginning to wonder if it ever would be.

--> To Destiny Cargo Bay

With the bay doors shut and Dake's capable hands at the yoke Destiny left Osiris behind - if only they could leave the painful memories there with it ...

The black was a welcome change from the core world which always made the crew uneasy.  But they all knew that peril lay ahead.  Rhaef was in danger and it there job to go save him.  However this was the most divided the crew had been since the first day Destiny took to the sky.  There was a lot of patching up to do before they reached Beaumonde and had to once again work as a team.

Lei sat comfortably with her feet propped up on the padded bench that passed for a couch in the dining hall with a large book in her hands.  It looked preposterous in her small hands.  The title on the spine read "2150: The History of the Human Genome Project".  Lei found it fascinating.  It was about how scientists had decoded the human DNA and were becoming able to fiddle with people's genetics.  They could decide whether a babies eyes were going to be green, or blue.  Or if the child would be athletic or musical ... or incredibly intelligent.

The project had been terminated shortly after reaching these developments.  The idea of being able to "engineer" a human being was ruled immoral.  But what of her?  Lei wished the Professor was here so she could discuss this with him.  No one on board Destiny would understand.  It was disturbing but she was rapidly finding herself alone.  There was no one here that she could really talk to.  Not about things that actually interested her.

Lei frowned and turned the page.

[From Destiny: Bridge]

Dake peered around the corner before entering the room.  It was silly really but he didn't want to run into Kale, wasn't really in the mood to be going down that road right now.  However, the Captain (that still got Dake everytime - Kale was a ruttin' Captain) was no where in sight so he strolled on in.  He was a few steps into the room before he noticed the kid sitting on one of the benches, a large book propped up against her knees.

"Hey there, pretty heavy reading material for the mornin' - whatcha got there?"

Lei had heard Dake's footsteps the moment he had left the bridge.  In fact, if she had been paying attention she probably could have heard his entire conversation with Connor.  As it was she had watched him peeking around the corner of the dining hall like he didn't want to be seen.

She ignored Dake's question and posed one of her own, "Why are you sneaking?"

Dake eyebrows raised at her abrupt question, "What?  I'm not ... sneaking.  I'm just, ya know, walking softly." he grinned, knowing it was a stupid explanation.  Lei was not convinced.

"Alright, so I was sneaking.  Sue me." he took a seat at the table, sitting backwards in one of the mismatched chairs to face her, "You haven't seen Kale walkin' around here lately, have ya?"

Lei smiled slightly, "You're hiding from him." It wasn't a question, but an observation, "This ship isn't very big there's a 99% chance you'll run into him eventually." Lei said before tucking her nose back into her book.

Dake smiled, then laughed.  Lei looked up at him, not seeing what was funny.  The kid was quoting probabilities to him and reading a book that was bigger then she was.  He moved towards her and plucked the book right out of her hands, "This book is way too old for you, you spend all your time reading like this?"

The girl was a 13 going on 40.  Way Dake saw it, it was time she lived a little.

"Hey!  Give that back!" Lei said, making a grab for her book.  Dake was too quick though.  She frowned as he spoke.  She was liking him less and less.

"It's not too old for me, I'm sure I understand it better then you would." she said stubbornly.