Ceremony Arrival part 5
Posted on Sat Jan 19th, 2019 @ 9:10pm by Cadet Freshman Grade Benjamin Hall & Captain Madeline Sanchez & Commander Sonia Dalca & Commander Lilly Cavallo MD & Mackenzie Bergman & Commander Jacob Bannerman & Cadet Freshman Grade R'Maia
Edited on on Sat Jan 19th, 2019 @ 9:13pm
Mission:
The First Step...
Location: Banquet and Conference Building
Timeline: 2388/08/26 1740 (August 26 2388 5:40 to 6:00pm)
continuing...
Seeing the interaction between another man and Sonia, Jake's step halted and rolled his eyes before heading off to find somewhere else to sit. Seeing Maddie down the front, he caught her eye then saluted her, flashing her cheeky grin and winking.
Sonia noticed the move and mentally frowned even as she turned to listen to something the other man was saying. She made a face back at Jake, in a joking fashion, and wondered which female he was going to harass next.
All he got in return was a deep scowl. Maddie didn't have time for Bannerman right now given what Connor was going through and she wasn't about to encourage him.
"Damn, everyone's in such a good mood today." Jake mumbled under his breath before looking around him and beginning to work out the lay of the land in case of trouble. As he sat there, his eyes fell upon a head of fiery red hair and he couldn't help but smirk as he got up from his lonesome seat and moved over to where Mackenzie was sitting. "Well hello again Red. Anyone gonna be sitting here?" he smiled down at her knowing that he looked great in the uniform and flaunting it.
Mackenzie didn't even need to look up to see who was addressing her. The use of the nickname was a dead giveaway, not to mention she knew that voice all too well. Taking a deep, calming breath, she finally looked up at Jake. True... he looked damn good in his uniform, but she was doing her level best to appear as normal as possible. "As a matter of fact, yes. I'm just waiting for my date... a pair of dull scissors to show up any minute now... I'm sure you remember my wanting to introduce the two of you earlier?"
"Awwww come on now Red...no hard feelings huh?" Jake said as he sat down beside her, "It's an honest mistake, all of the massage parlours that I've been to over the years weren't exactly like yours." he cleared his throat then smiled at her disarmingly.
Giving a sigh, 'Red' moved down one seat so he could settle down next to her. "You can sit, but don't read too much into it." She shifted around and crossed her legs, then pulled the hem of her dress down a bit. "I'm still not very happy with you."
"You'll come around." Jake grinned at her, settling beside her, his leg brushing up against hers, "Besides, doesn't every girl love a man in uniform?" he looked at her and raised a questioning eyebrow, his eyes filled with a teasing look.
"You only hope I'll come around." Mack said, shooting daggers at him when she felt his leg against hers. "I've already told you... I'm not like most women. Something else to remember... I might be small in stature, but I pack one hell of a punch."
"Well in that case, you can come training with me tomorrow morning." Jake replied, totally unphased by her hostility, "I could do with a good sparring partner."
Mackenzie finally turned her gaze toward him. "You're giving me the opportunity to hit you willingly? Are you running a fever?"
"Correction...I'm giving you the chance to try and hit me." Jake replied, "There's a world of difference between the two." he added calmly, confident in his abilities. After all, he wouldn't be here right now if he wasn't good at defending himself.
Red cocked her head to the side. She was clearly impressed. The man had staying power. There weren't many that did anymore. "You couldn't, at the very least, pretend to be a gentleman and let me get a hit in?"
"Well I might if you ask nicely." Jake quipped, "Though I'd have to ask what might be in it for me." he winked at her, a wicked glint in his eye. Damn if he didn't enjoy pushing Mack's buttons.
"My eternal gratitude for participation in taking a black eye." She replied straight-faced.
"Eternal gratitude huh?" Jake grinned rakishly, "I like the sound of that. I think we might have ourselves a deal." he added impishly.
"Then, I'll meet you in the morning. Name the time and place." She said, looking back over to him.
"Academy gym. Oh six hundred hours." Jake sat back in his chair looking very pleased with himself indeed.
"I'll be there." Mack said, folding her arms under her chest.
"Hopefully with bells on." Jake muttered under his breath before smiling smugly to himself.
Looking around, Kelly spotted a redhead that was sitting back in the area the civilians were seated at. Was that Mack? There was some officer in a dress uniform next to her and Kelly wondered who it was, or if she had the wrong person entirely. She gave a wave, but didn't dare stand up and draw attention to herself from any officers.
'Red' caught movement out the corner of her eye where the cadets were seated, then turned that way. She smiled when she saw Kelly and lifted her hand to wave back to her. Mack was incredibly proud of her cousin, and seeing her made her forget about the man who was seated next to her briefly.
Kelly returned the smile and blew a kiss before settling down again. Communicating over rows and rows of cadets was a pain, and she would see her cousin after the ceremony was over.
"Friend of yours?" Jake enquired as he saw Mack wave at one of the cadets.
"My cousin." Mack replied, watching Kelly turn once again and settle back down. "She'll be in Flight." Fates help her.
"Is that a fact?" Jake looked over at Kelly, trying to gauge if she was going to be a good pilot or not. Time would tell of course. She had to get through his classes first and he wasn't going to be making it easy on any of them.
"Be nice, Commander." Mack said. "If she comes to me because you've been a jerk..." She let the rest of it hang in the balance. Of course, she knew the Academy was tough... one of many reasons why she didn't join, but there was always a difference between being the best at your job, and just being an ass. She didn't think he'd be an ass as far as his career went, though.
"I know, I know, you'll try and kick my ass." he filled in for her with a wink.
Talia lingered outside the door to the Auditorium, fighting the headache she already had from earlier in the day. Having Tarik here would make everything easier on them both, for together their shields were stronger. Straightening her uniform for the umpteenth time she sent a questioning thought towards her twin. ~Do you come brother?~
Tarik smiled and sent a gentle reassurance down their link. ~I paused to get an analgesic sister, after this evening we might need one ~ He appeared around the corner and they shared a grin as the entered the auditorium together.
R'Maia came running to the auditorium muttering obscenities under her breath. It turned out that she had been issued a dress cadet uniform that hadn't taken into account that she had a tail and she had spent the last half an hour in the quartermaster's store trying to get something more suitable. That of course had made her late and she hated being late. Not to mention that what she had now been given didn't feel like it fitted right. Sighing she slowed her step and went looking for a seat.
Feeling very much out of place and a little nervous, Ben Hall walked in with an air that came across as if he didn't have a care in the world. He and his roommate ended up assigned to different rows, so after observing the room and those in it for a while, he started looking for his seat.
It was a silent Doctor Cavallo, that entered the hall and looked around at all the potential in these young people. Lilly couldn't help but smile at the scent of excitement and apprehension in the room. Lovely. She'd been running a little late, something rare for her, but the research idea she'd had just had to get out of her head before she forgot it. Tugging the dress uniform down a little bit, to straighten it she walked to her place among the senior officers. Her only accouterments that was not 'regulation' was the Comb of Denobulan make that was holding back her ivory curls. It shimmered in blues and purples, a light form of enameling that changed as the light fell upon it.
As the last of those attending filed in and found their seats, the Ambassador stood up and walked over to the Podium, "Please be seated." The ceremony was about to begin.
