08-10-2024, 05:45 AM
It would’ve taken someone with absolutely no senses to miss the energy that Mara was giving off, especially at the distance that Damian was to her. He’d seen it before, many, many times. Not just as a security officer, but as a boxer too. It was primal, something usually hidden deep beneath the masks that everyone wore, and sometimes required specific circumstances to bring them to the surface. For Calleja though it seemed her primal nature lived much closer to the surface, which really wasn’t a surprise at all. The incredible violence she’d unleashed on the Callisto had made her baser instincts public knowledge.
Coleman’s training in the ring, and in security, made it so that he was almost always prepared for a fight. Blocking Mara’s exit was definitely a situation that warranted a stance that would allow him movement should the need arise. If she did try to lay hands, or otherwise, then a bob or a weave would be simple reflexive muscle memory for him.
There wasn’t any anger at her though, despite the fact that Damian thought he should have been mad at her for her overreaction. It took an incredible amount of insolence to react the way that she did. That led him to the next emotion that he could have had, which was disappointment. Was it too early to put her in the department head seat? Had both he and Tyra misread the signs that Mara would be a good fit for the position? Whatever the case was, it wasn’t that emotion or a myriad of others that Coleman felt either. Instead, it was singularly one of worry. All it would take was for Mara to put hands on Damian, and all of the work he’d done to reassure Givens would be undone. It wouldn’t just be Calleja’s ass on the line either. It would give Cass grounds to reconsider staying the many other choices that he and Tyra had made in recent weeks.
When Mara took a step back, Coleman’s scowl that he didn’t know he was wearing softened. Ju had come to Calleja’s side too, attempting to help de-escalate things. The gesture was smart and kind, though it had for the tiniest of moments brought worry back into the fold of Coleman’s brain. As much as Ju had connected with Mara, she wasn’t entirely aware of what the rough-and-tumble Security Chief was fully capable of; the display of warning in Mara’s face after being touched showed that disturbingly.
“Sorry. I got distracted and thought we were done…”
Defused for the time being, Calleja went back to her seat without further incident. Though it was more than apparent to Damian that she was still fighting demons within. The crisis had been averted, but not unnoticed. As Coleman returned to his seat, he did catch Cass assessing the whole show with the discerning look of someone who very well knew what just transpired. And Givens didn’t hide that she knew either, with her next words proving she’d taken in every moment of Mara’s foul bate.
Sitting down, Damian reached for a PADD. The rest of the room was conferring on whether or not they could all behave long enough for Givens to get through the meeting. There was only one person in the room who held the real answer for that Damian knew. Even as Lucy spoke up first, Coleman was already entering information into the PADD, sending messages and making notes.
“Don’t hold fire on my account… If you want to crack on, crack on. I’ll deal with it.”
It was Coleman’s turn to hold back, not wanting to further stoke the fire that obviously still raged on inside Mara. There would be time to discuss everything, though it would have to be after Calleja found a way to release everything that had built up in the last couple of minutes. Knowing Givens as he did, Damian knew he’d have to rope in others too. It wouldn’t be enough for him to just have a sit down sort of chat with Mara. That ship had sailed. Instead, he was in the midst of making arrangements for a counseling session on Mara’s behalf as the briefing started. All the bases had just been covered when he heard the briefing room swishing open.
Cera stepped through, which wasn’t incredibly odd in itself, though Damian did suddenly wonder why the Quartermaster hadn’t been in the room already. With the ship preparing to leave her moorings and begin their mission, Morgan had plenty left to do, so Coleman did suppose that she might have been too busy for the briefing. Whatever the case was, Cera was entering with purpose and a rather pleased air about her; like a cat, her prize was in tow.
Looking stunned was probably not the reaction that Coleman should have had upon seeing Tyra again, though that is exactly what his face wore as she came in. The last conversation he’d had with her made it seem like Command was putting her through the wringer and making her jump through hoops, though he was sure that she didn’t even tell him the half of it. Seeing her disheveled and vexed brought a nefariously mirthful grin to his face; misery did so love company. If Tyra really was miserable, she would certainly find good company in Damian, especially after the most recent theatrics.
Now, the only thing that could be read on his face was relief. Coleman wasn’t sure that Tyra would feel the same way. By all accounts, he had assumed that Starfleet Command was going to drag her through the mud for her penance. As he thought about it, and considered the intervening moments since her departure, perhaps someone on high thought coming back would be penance. Damian had to stifle a chuckle as he considered it.
Still your circus, still your monkeys… Damian grinned at, and nodded to, Tyra as his restrained laugh echoed in the muscles around his eyes.
== well well well, look what the cat dragged back in
==
Coleman’s training in the ring, and in security, made it so that he was almost always prepared for a fight. Blocking Mara’s exit was definitely a situation that warranted a stance that would allow him movement should the need arise. If she did try to lay hands, or otherwise, then a bob or a weave would be simple reflexive muscle memory for him.
There wasn’t any anger at her though, despite the fact that Damian thought he should have been mad at her for her overreaction. It took an incredible amount of insolence to react the way that she did. That led him to the next emotion that he could have had, which was disappointment. Was it too early to put her in the department head seat? Had both he and Tyra misread the signs that Mara would be a good fit for the position? Whatever the case was, it wasn’t that emotion or a myriad of others that Coleman felt either. Instead, it was singularly one of worry. All it would take was for Mara to put hands on Damian, and all of the work he’d done to reassure Givens would be undone. It wouldn’t just be Calleja’s ass on the line either. It would give Cass grounds to reconsider staying the many other choices that he and Tyra had made in recent weeks.
When Mara took a step back, Coleman’s scowl that he didn’t know he was wearing softened. Ju had come to Calleja’s side too, attempting to help de-escalate things. The gesture was smart and kind, though it had for the tiniest of moments brought worry back into the fold of Coleman’s brain. As much as Ju had connected with Mara, she wasn’t entirely aware of what the rough-and-tumble Security Chief was fully capable of; the display of warning in Mara’s face after being touched showed that disturbingly.
“Sorry. I got distracted and thought we were done…”
Defused for the time being, Calleja went back to her seat without further incident. Though it was more than apparent to Damian that she was still fighting demons within. The crisis had been averted, but not unnoticed. As Coleman returned to his seat, he did catch Cass assessing the whole show with the discerning look of someone who very well knew what just transpired. And Givens didn’t hide that she knew either, with her next words proving she’d taken in every moment of Mara’s foul bate.
Sitting down, Damian reached for a PADD. The rest of the room was conferring on whether or not they could all behave long enough for Givens to get through the meeting. There was only one person in the room who held the real answer for that Damian knew. Even as Lucy spoke up first, Coleman was already entering information into the PADD, sending messages and making notes.
“Don’t hold fire on my account… If you want to crack on, crack on. I’ll deal with it.”
It was Coleman’s turn to hold back, not wanting to further stoke the fire that obviously still raged on inside Mara. There would be time to discuss everything, though it would have to be after Calleja found a way to release everything that had built up in the last couple of minutes. Knowing Givens as he did, Damian knew he’d have to rope in others too. It wouldn’t be enough for him to just have a sit down sort of chat with Mara. That ship had sailed. Instead, he was in the midst of making arrangements for a counseling session on Mara’s behalf as the briefing started. All the bases had just been covered when he heard the briefing room swishing open.
Cera stepped through, which wasn’t incredibly odd in itself, though Damian did suddenly wonder why the Quartermaster hadn’t been in the room already. With the ship preparing to leave her moorings and begin their mission, Morgan had plenty left to do, so Coleman did suppose that she might have been too busy for the briefing. Whatever the case was, Cera was entering with purpose and a rather pleased air about her; like a cat, her prize was in tow.
Looking stunned was probably not the reaction that Coleman should have had upon seeing Tyra again, though that is exactly what his face wore as she came in. The last conversation he’d had with her made it seem like Command was putting her through the wringer and making her jump through hoops, though he was sure that she didn’t even tell him the half of it. Seeing her disheveled and vexed brought a nefariously mirthful grin to his face; misery did so love company. If Tyra really was miserable, she would certainly find good company in Damian, especially after the most recent theatrics.
Now, the only thing that could be read on his face was relief. Coleman wasn’t sure that Tyra would feel the same way. By all accounts, he had assumed that Starfleet Command was going to drag her through the mud for her penance. As he thought about it, and considered the intervening moments since her departure, perhaps someone on high thought coming back would be penance. Damian had to stifle a chuckle as he considered it.
Still your circus, still your monkeys… Damian grinned at, and nodded to, Tyra as his restrained laugh echoed in the muscles around his eyes.
== well well well, look what the cat dragged back in
==