07-02-2024, 10:33 PM
The entire time he was talking, he watched the young commander, and could tell that he wasn't buying the comraderie routine. Jaein didn't get the feeling that he felt that hew as being lied to, per se, but just that there was so much involved here that he couldn't afford to let anything - or anyone - get past him. Whether it was because he was trying to protect someone, or trying to protect himself, he wasn't sure.
What the hell happened out there? he thought to himself.
Coleman sighed, lowered his hand from his face, and spoke. “There were some… complications at the end of our last mission. Not everything went as we’d imagined they would.” Jaein would have laughed at the broad and fairly obvious statement, and even felt the edge of his mouth quirk up, but he stopped it before it got further than that. "Unfortunately, those are details that I cannot divulge or discuss at this time."
It was the kind of answer he would've gotten from a lawyer or detective, making Jaein suspect that the first officer had a security background. “What I can say is that Ben is uninjured, in case that is a worry that crops up in your mind.” Which, to be fair, was a relief - they hadn't known each other well, but he still was glad that Elias was at least healthy. Of course, if the situation was serious enough, who knew how long that would last. He did offer to have someone else show him around, or to stay and join the party, as befit a gracious host.
Jaein raised a hand and demurred. "That's okay for now," he said. "I may reach out and arrange something for another day, but I don't think I'd get much out of it today. It's a... yeah, I think I'm done." He reached out and clapped Coleman on the shoulder once, briefly, and nodded. "I'll stop at the shrine and say a prayer for him, and for all of you. I'm sure having the Prophets' help wouldn't hurt. But I think it's time to get home to my wife." He smiled and turned, walking back towards the door.
==ETL here, moving back to DS9==
What the hell happened out there? he thought to himself.
Coleman sighed, lowered his hand from his face, and spoke. “There were some… complications at the end of our last mission. Not everything went as we’d imagined they would.” Jaein would have laughed at the broad and fairly obvious statement, and even felt the edge of his mouth quirk up, but he stopped it before it got further than that. "Unfortunately, those are details that I cannot divulge or discuss at this time."
It was the kind of answer he would've gotten from a lawyer or detective, making Jaein suspect that the first officer had a security background. “What I can say is that Ben is uninjured, in case that is a worry that crops up in your mind.” Which, to be fair, was a relief - they hadn't known each other well, but he still was glad that Elias was at least healthy. Of course, if the situation was serious enough, who knew how long that would last. He did offer to have someone else show him around, or to stay and join the party, as befit a gracious host.
Jaein raised a hand and demurred. "That's okay for now," he said. "I may reach out and arrange something for another day, but I don't think I'd get much out of it today. It's a... yeah, I think I'm done." He reached out and clapped Coleman on the shoulder once, briefly, and nodded. "I'll stop at the shrine and say a prayer for him, and for all of you. I'm sure having the Prophets' help wouldn't hurt. But I think it's time to get home to my wife." He smiled and turned, walking back towards the door.
==ETL here, moving back to DS9==