Today, 04:44 AM
Alex approved of the seat she had selected. The view was preferred by the majority of the crew who frequented Ten Forward. He took the seat next to her and not across the table from her, but as he did so, Beno was able to notice a shift in his behavior. He was quieter, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was his body language. He was more relaxed and casual. For the first time, he wasn't in a hurry or trying to fit too much thinking into too short of a time. He wasn't trying to over explain some technical process or fact. With exception to perhaps a rare glimpse of him with his daughter, this was the first time in quite a while where he didn't look like he was working.
At her telling him she was really glad that they did this, he smiled, but he still remained silent. She then said that it was long overdue and he briefly wondered what she meant by that, but continued to give her the room to finish her thought. His eyebrows lifted a little at her mention of hoping to gain forgiveness for the bad things she had done in her past.
He finally spoke up, but his voice was relatively quiet and personal in tone, "Well, I can certainly relate to worrying about how you'll be remembered. I'm considered to be a bit...um...controversial in certain scientific circles." He glanced at Cindy, where she sat with Jonas and then looked back to Beno. "I don't know what bad things you're worried about, but I can say that I have my own share of things I would rather not be remembered for. I like to think that my efforts and intentions to help people would be more known than the lives lost because of my work."
He started to say something, hesitated, then tried again. His fumbling and loss for words was very unlike his normal professional and calculated mannerisms. "Beno, I don't know a great deal about the subtle differences of Trill and the joining process, but I've read a little about it. It sounds complicated, from a personal perspective. On the other hand, we're all complicated in our own ways. As for possible regrets, I remember something I was once told. There are two major rules to remember about people. The first is that everyone is broken. Even those who look like they are perfect, we're all broken in some way. The second rule is that, because of the first, everyone has baggage. Some of us have more than others, but it's a simple thing to keep in mind. The thing is that once you accept these rules, life becomes a great deal easier to get through. You tend to allow others a bit of grace and sometimes you even manage to give yourself some as well."
He paused and his smile widened, "I'm guilty of having played at being a god, and for my sins I succeeded. What would you tell me of your bad deeds? Mind you, I'm not your confessor, just a fellow sinner hoping for redemption in the end."
Alex leaned on the table a little, his hands held loosely in front of him as he waited for her to reply. His eyes remained on her. She had his undivided attention.
== Tag ==
At her telling him she was really glad that they did this, he smiled, but he still remained silent. She then said that it was long overdue and he briefly wondered what she meant by that, but continued to give her the room to finish her thought. His eyebrows lifted a little at her mention of hoping to gain forgiveness for the bad things she had done in her past.
He finally spoke up, but his voice was relatively quiet and personal in tone, "Well, I can certainly relate to worrying about how you'll be remembered. I'm considered to be a bit...um...controversial in certain scientific circles." He glanced at Cindy, where she sat with Jonas and then looked back to Beno. "I don't know what bad things you're worried about, but I can say that I have my own share of things I would rather not be remembered for. I like to think that my efforts and intentions to help people would be more known than the lives lost because of my work."
He started to say something, hesitated, then tried again. His fumbling and loss for words was very unlike his normal professional and calculated mannerisms. "Beno, I don't know a great deal about the subtle differences of Trill and the joining process, but I've read a little about it. It sounds complicated, from a personal perspective. On the other hand, we're all complicated in our own ways. As for possible regrets, I remember something I was once told. There are two major rules to remember about people. The first is that everyone is broken. Even those who look like they are perfect, we're all broken in some way. The second rule is that, because of the first, everyone has baggage. Some of us have more than others, but it's a simple thing to keep in mind. The thing is that once you accept these rules, life becomes a great deal easier to get through. You tend to allow others a bit of grace and sometimes you even manage to give yourself some as well."
He paused and his smile widened, "I'm guilty of having played at being a god, and for my sins I succeeded. What would you tell me of your bad deeds? Mind you, I'm not your confessor, just a fellow sinner hoping for redemption in the end."
Alex leaned on the table a little, his hands held loosely in front of him as he waited for her to reply. His eyes remained on her. She had his undivided attention.
== Tag ==