04-05-2026, 02:35 AM
Alex was more relaxed than Beno had ever seen him before. The closest he had been to this was when he was in the company of his daughter. In those moments, her attention to detail picked up on subtle changes in his voice. Beno was now aware of a similar but distinct shift in him this evening. He was still confident and aware of his surroundings, but there had been a physical shift in him. She had picked up on it in the dance and there was still a lingering element of it now. To her, it was as clear as if she could almost reach out and touch it in the air. His breathing was more relaxed, the tension surrounding him was less and his focus was more on her than it had ever been.
Not blushing this time, but with a mildly embarrassed grin, Alex confessed, "I think it's fair to say there were fireworks." He then appealed to the CO in another way, "Listen, if you've been slaving over reports and the obligations that come with those pips, you owe it to yourself and your crew to stay fed and hydrated. I therefore point out to you that it is your duty to partake in some food and drink with us before you disappear once again into your dungeon of proverbial paperwork. You also know what they say about all work and no play, but if you still aren't convinced, then I put forth that as the Commanding Officer, your honored attendance would add a much needed boost to crew morale and esprit de corp." He put an arm around Beno as he gestured with a sweeping arm to the dining area with the other, "O Captain, my Captain..."
Off to the side, Cindy and Carley were still having their conversation. Cindy smiled and nodded, "Oh, I agree. There should be enjoyment and they both deserve some. They've both been in their trenches for a while and sometimes it helps to remember what it is that you're fighting for."
Carley then tried to rationalize Cindy's relationship in the familial flowchart. Cindy chuckled, "Well, in the sense that Alex created me, that sort of makes him my father, but I was originally created by him to try and replace his sister after she died. Naturally that was impossible, but the important thing to take from that is my being created as a sort of sister at the time. I'll spare you the psychoanalysis of it all, but suffice that it would be more appropriate to think of me as being a sister-in-law to Beno, under the hypothetically described scenario."
Cindy then added, "When Alex was married, my programming automatically extended to include her as well. For me, she would, by default, be considered family and unless she stated otherwise, I would also assist her and try to anticipate her needs accordingly. Her and I would have some important conversations about that." Cindy hesitated a moment before including, "I don't want to get into the complicated details of it, but if they were to get married, there might be a few adjustments that might be...unexpected. Don't worry though, it would mostly be in a good way and he has a top legal team for such matters. It's more a change of perspective than any form of lifestyle adjustment."
Cindy's smile widened again as she then shifted topic slightly, "On the other hand, Alex has a daughter, so how does she feel about kids and a real step daughter...maybe even...kids of her own?"
== Tags to Brooks, Velaul, Young and those who might be near. ==
Not blushing this time, but with a mildly embarrassed grin, Alex confessed, "I think it's fair to say there were fireworks." He then appealed to the CO in another way, "Listen, if you've been slaving over reports and the obligations that come with those pips, you owe it to yourself and your crew to stay fed and hydrated. I therefore point out to you that it is your duty to partake in some food and drink with us before you disappear once again into your dungeon of proverbial paperwork. You also know what they say about all work and no play, but if you still aren't convinced, then I put forth that as the Commanding Officer, your honored attendance would add a much needed boost to crew morale and esprit de corp." He put an arm around Beno as he gestured with a sweeping arm to the dining area with the other, "O Captain, my Captain..."
Off to the side, Cindy and Carley were still having their conversation. Cindy smiled and nodded, "Oh, I agree. There should be enjoyment and they both deserve some. They've both been in their trenches for a while and sometimes it helps to remember what it is that you're fighting for."
Carley then tried to rationalize Cindy's relationship in the familial flowchart. Cindy chuckled, "Well, in the sense that Alex created me, that sort of makes him my father, but I was originally created by him to try and replace his sister after she died. Naturally that was impossible, but the important thing to take from that is my being created as a sort of sister at the time. I'll spare you the psychoanalysis of it all, but suffice that it would be more appropriate to think of me as being a sister-in-law to Beno, under the hypothetically described scenario."
Cindy then added, "When Alex was married, my programming automatically extended to include her as well. For me, she would, by default, be considered family and unless she stated otherwise, I would also assist her and try to anticipate her needs accordingly. Her and I would have some important conversations about that." Cindy hesitated a moment before including, "I don't want to get into the complicated details of it, but if they were to get married, there might be a few adjustments that might be...unexpected. Don't worry though, it would mostly be in a good way and he has a top legal team for such matters. It's more a change of perspective than any form of lifestyle adjustment."
Cindy's smile widened again as she then shifted topic slightly, "On the other hand, Alex has a daughter, so how does she feel about kids and a real step daughter...maybe even...kids of her own?"
== Tags to Brooks, Velaul, Young and those who might be near. ==