=/\= Restaurant - Kinsi =/\= Athena sat in a small coffee and tea shop just off the path of the main promenade. She noticed a figure wearing a cloak not far away. She thought she had seen that figure before but couldn't place where. {Some where recent. While I was playing tag? Hhhmmm.... While I was rushing to meet the colonel?} A waiter brought her a hot cup of tea and a cinnamon scone. The warm cinnamon smell made her mouth start to water and her stomach start to growl. After a long shower in the VIP quarters he's got from Rangi and Shane, Martin was clothed in new replicated things and in a quite good mood. He had to admit that even if gotten from his brother, this quarters was far better then anything he's got in the last six months. Living as freelancer on distant federations outposts had some advantages ... but a comfortable quarters wasn't among them. Checking his small amount of credits, Martin decided that he could afford a decent meal and so decided to look for a nice restaurant. After months of aliens cuisine ... he was up for something traditional human ... roasted flies with backed rice. {MNAM!} he thought. Athena picked up the warm scone and took a small bite. {Heavenly.} She let the warm smell of the scone surround her like a soft cloud as she took another bite. She chewed slowly even though her stomach was demanding more food. She didn't want to eat too quickly and perhaps become ill though. An old habit from his diplomatic times ... Martin sat down at his place at the table and pretending to study the food card ... he 'scanned' the room for types of people. Ordinary ones, wanna be-s, dangerous ones and interesting ones ... but this time only ordinary ones ... there were no 'bosses' there or any underground figures ... {but wait} he thought as he noticed Athena in her corner ... {that's no common woman .... even if she tried to look that way ...} Observing her a bit closer he noticed two little stains of clay on her pants and the eagerness she was 'devouring' her meal. Summarized with her aura she gave Martin an interesting person to observe ... maybe even to know better ... Athena felt as though someone was watching. She tried to shrug it off knowing that she was on a small base but the feeling kept getting more intense. She stopped eating and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She looked up and started to scan the crowd. Her gaze fell upon a man that was watching her with an intensity that reminded her of Shane. The man even resembled Shane a bit. She raised an eyebrow as if questioning the man and then looked away as she took a sip of her tea. Martin noticed Athena's looks and knew instantly that he was revealed. Sure he was no more good at hiding his interest for his surrounding since he left the diplomatic core two years ago ... but still it took very good skills and wits to notice Martin's interest in you. When revealed one had the choice between retreat and charge. Martin could easily take care of his own business or just leave the local ... but something on that woman produced him ... and forced him to challenge her a bit. So he stood up from his place, took his plate and moved straight to Athena's table. Smiling a 'childish' smile, he asked innocently: "May I join you miss and have a talk with a pretty lady like you?" Athena knew the moment he had moved but didn't look his direction again until he was at her table asking her a question. She motioned to the chair across from her, "Please, sit." She smiled back and asked, "What would you like to talk about?" Martin nodded and sat himself down, placing his plate in front of him : "Thank you nice lady" he replied. For a moment he looked at Athena from what was visible behind the table up to her hair. Without questions ... this woman was anything but ordinary. Some very rusted instincts raised alarm in his head and told him that this VERY woman could be the same boon to him as well as his doom ... "I find you interesting Miss and see you are not the common type one would expect on a station like this. I asked myself what is a woman with your talent doing on such a God forgotten place?" Athena wasn't one for skirting issues in others just giving cryptic answers. She always found it interesting to see if what she was sensing from the person before matched what they said they wanted to talk about. Martin knew that eating in the presence of a lady was against the etiquette, but he wanted to see if she will notice that and what will she do. {I'll see if you are some high up or no ...} he thought as he bite off a bit from his meal. She smirked a bit, but hid it in her cup as she took another sip of tea. "You can call me Athena," she replied. She went on in her usual mode of confusing others, "Is there a reason why a place like this shouldn't have extraordinary people in it?" Martin nodded slightly and pointed with his gaze to a little group of local merchants. "I don't think that any of those people were away from here more then 10 light years." Looking back at Athena: "But you look like someone who has seen much more and witnessed enough to value plain things." Athena took a bite of her scone and chewed it as she tried not to laugh at his curious expression. She swallowed the last bits of her meal and washed it down with a swallow of tea. She wiped her mouth gently with her napkin and then asked, "And what may I call you?" Martin smiled. She was melting a bit of her ice and that was a good point. Either she was interested in him or she was the same decadent as he was and was playing the same game as he was. "I am Martin. Nice to meet you Athena" he said and offered his hand. A handshake says a lot about a person and Martin was quite surprised that Athena's grip was a strong one. {A worthy opponent} he thought. Martins hand shake was strong but not crushing. As she shook his hand she said, "Pleasured to meet you." Deciding to keep the pace going he shot his question like from a shotgun: "If I had to guess I would say you are an advisor to someone ... a politician or a foreign merchant, am I right" he asked and took an another bit from his plate. "I'm an advisor to all," she replied as she laid her napkin across her plate. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned her chin onto her hands as she watched him with her piecing blue stare. "I'd guess you have done some advising yourself but.... you don't like the politics involved or perhaps its the constant diplomacy that you don't enjoy," she asked. Martin was aware of the pose she was trying ... it was a slightly teasing position that was most probably meant to weaken one's concentration and direct one's thoughts in a certain direction. Martin had to admit that in a small way her trick worked. "Good guess Athena. To be honest I felt a bit sick of all the regulations of a 'proper' career life and headed for a more freedom" He Leaned a bit forward to Athena as well and thus cutting the distance between them for another 10 cm (about 4 inches). Wearing his boyish smile he said: "Am I very wrong when guessing that some where deep inside of you are you dreaming about such a life as well ... no regulations, no expectations ... just freedom to be yourself and do what you are just up to do?" She gave an impish smile and asked, "Are you so sure I don't do that now?" Athena answered his question with one of her own which many people found more than a little frustrating. =/\= End of part one =/\= Martin Guzman NPC apb:Shane & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera