Olive Branch

Posted on Sat May 6th, 2023 @ 4:39am by Lieutenant Commander Mara Ricci & Stephen Spires

Mission: S0E0: What Came Before
Location: Spires’s Quarters

As much as Mara didn’t want to, she knew she had to talk to Spires. Why she cared so much about what he thought was quite frankly confusing even to her. But, she felt it was important that he knew what was on her mind.

So, after asking the computer where he could be found and confirming that he was alone- after all, she didn’t want to interrupt anything sordid- she headed to his quarters and without giving herself a chance to change her mind, pressed her thumb to the chime.

The door slid open. Spires was nowhere to be seen, but the invitation was plain.

Mara blinked, looking around his quarters as she stepped through the door. “Spires?” she called, still looking around for any sign of life.

"Come in," he called out from an inner room. "Fair warning, though. I ain't decent."

Vaguely, Mara realized that not too long ago, that statement would have elicited a saucy grin and an offer to get that way herself. But not anymore. Now, she only wrinkled her nose. Resisting the urge to remind him that it was nothing she hadn’t seen before, she sat on his sofa and said, “I can wait.”

In but a moment, Stephen Spires walked out in nothing but a bath towel wrapped at the waist. His chest glistened with water from his in-floor jacuzzi tub. "Last time a Ricci came to my door with me wrapped in a towel, he tried to smash in my favorite face." Eyes narrowed, he said, "I'm not looking for a shitty sequel. What do you want, Mara?"

“I’m not going to hit you,” replied Mara witheringly. “When have I ever hit you? Physically,” she clarified, remembering many arguments where they had each said some pretty awful things to one another that could have been considered blows.

"When have I ever sent your brother over a rail?" Spires crossed his arms. "You made your feelings quite clear last we talked. Can't imagine they've changed for the better now. I'll ask again. What do you want?"

“To tell you that I don’t blame you,” she replied. “Marc is a hothead and security says he started it. It’s his own damned fault and now he’s paying the consequences.” She paused for half a beat. “He’ll live, by the way,” she said. “Only time will tell if he’ll walk again. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I’m not angry with you. Well, not about this anyway,” she amended.

"Yeah, he always a dumbass." Spires shook his head in disbelief. "I tried to warn him." Sighing, he turned around and walked over to the kitchenette. "While you're here, you want a drink?" He grabbed the first bottle he saw and yanked the cork out with his teeth.

“After the day I’ve had, yes,” agreed Mara wearily. “And I don’t even care what it is or how legal it is.”

"Outstanding." Spires recorked the bottle and tossed it to Mara while he helped himself to another. "A toast..." he managed to say while chomping on another cork. "... to legal ambivalence." The cork came loose with a loud pop. Spires raised it up in a quick jerking motion before drinking straight from the mouth.

“Salute,” replied Mara, raising the bottle briefly before pulling the cork- with her hand- and taking a swig.

After a few more swigs, Spires wiped his mouth dry, set the bottle down, and gave Mara a stony facial expression. "Wanna' fuck?" he said dryly.

She returned his look with a withering one of her own. “No,” she said flatly. “I already said what I came to say. I’m not mad at you about this.”

"Fair enough." Spires shrugged and then guzzled the rest of his bottle. "You know where the door is. I'm racking out."

And then he got up, took four steps toward the bedroom, and fell flat on his face.

Although she was tempted to just leave him there, Mara’s better nature prevailed. “You okay?” she asked casually.

"I said I'm going to bed," Spires muttered into the floor.

Mara stifled a giggle and forced herself to stop smiling before she said, “do you need help getting there?”

"I am in bed," Spires said. "If you ain't gonna join me, then fuck off."

“All right,” she sighed, standing from the sofa and setting the still mostly full bottle on the coffee table. “At least I offered. Don’t get any more drunk tonight, Spires,” she added, heading towards the door.

"I have not begun..." Spires trailed off into a snore.

“I do not miss that,” Mara muttered to herself as she left his quarters.