=/\= Begin part 2 - restaurant - Kinsi =/\= 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. "hmm " Martin was a bit surprised by her counter question ... he had expected her to say something different. Loosing only a moment, he replied her back: "No, I don't. Maybe here and now ... but I do think you could enjoy more freedom that you currently have. More thrill and less certainty" Athena noticed how he seemed to be challenging her in some way by eating in front of her. She raised and eyebrow and took a bite of food from his plate with her fingers and ate it. She wiped her fingers on the napkin while she waited for his reply. Perhaps if she still hadn't been so hungry she wouldn't have, but as he seemed to be testing her impulse reaction as well.... she did whatever she felt like which at this time was sampling a morsel from his plate. If Martin would be a Vulcan, he would now raise his eyebrow ... but being a human male he did what was natural to him. He took the bite of his food that was next the one that Athena ate and put it in his mouth with an obvious pleasure. This woman was very interesting ... she seemed to enjoy challenges of various types and had some pleasure in teasing man. Martin liked woman like this Athena ... and a small not pretended smile touched his lips. She licked her lips to rid them of the couple of crumbs that were there and took another sip of tea. She smiled at the waitress as she approached. "More tea, miss," the young server asked. Athena nodded her agreement and added, "And a veggie plater." The waitress nodded and turned her attention to Martin, "Sir," she said in a questioning tone to see if there was anything else he desired. Martin just pointed to his empty glass ... "the same please." The waitress went slowly again and Martin faced the pretty Athena again. Trying to put up the subject to get some more information from Athena Martin said: "Which ship did you say you came with?" Athena leaned back in her chair with a smile and relaxed. "I don't believe I said," she replied cheerily. She gave no more of a reply and was amused at his attempt to change the subject again to gain information. {There really is something familiar about him.} She gave him no further explanation and awaited his response. Martin smiled: "You are true Athena. I see you have skills that might make us friends ... maybe a team. Just imagine all the unexplored planets alone in this sector" he paused to give her time to imagine that, "no bosses to tell you what do, no responsibilities ... just pure freedom ... and now tell me you would not like it?" Athena thought about what Martin was saying. Not having to have a medical cheek very whip stitch, free to float through life and make no difference what so ever unless she choose to. But, Her life had never not been structured that she could remember; in some way every little bit of her life had schedules to follow and rules. Her life had been regimented by philosophy or classes or the rules she so often bent to see how much flexibility was there. With the coming of the waitress, Athena's vegetable plate arrived and Martin got his drink called 'Sunrise'. Paying Athena back ... Martin reached over to Athena's plate and pierced a small tomato with his fork ... and ate it slowly. He was interested how Athena would react. Till now she was exact that what a freelancer could want from a woman ... Athena slightly raised an eyebrow at Martin's action as she picked up a celery stick and dipped it in the dressing in the small dish in the center of the plate. She took a bite of the dipped celery and thought for a second. "There is something familiar about you," she said after she swallowed. Martin shrugged slightly: "Everything is possible. But unless you have seen a good looking human freelancer lately its quite unprobable." For a moment Martin thought if Athena was maybe referring his brother Shane ... after all ... he was on the base at the moment too. Quickly dismissing the thought, Martin focused back at the woman of his interest. She dipped a strip of zucchini in the dressing and took a bite as she thought about what was so familiar. Instead of pursuing this line of thought she switched subjects and asked, "Do you like your work?" Martin noticed how Athena attempted to change the subject. She seemed to be quite experienced in leading a conversation and changing the way it was going. He smiled at her and took a sip from his sunrise drink before replying with a question: "Don't I look like I am enjoying myself?" Athena munched on her vegetables as she listened to his response and watched his reactions. "I used to be bound by some standards used for my former profession, but as I said before, a life just on my own is much more enjoyable for me. Maybe one doesn't have the comfort of a base or ship's quarters all the time, but that's a small price only. Speaking about accommodation ... do you have a place to stay? I've got a nice quarters in the VIP area ... I would gladly share it with someone like you ..." he said testing her further. Athena smiled as she swallowed the bite of carrot she had been chewing. "I'll keep that in mind," she replied without effectively giving up any information. {Subject hopping it is.} "Do you like to rock climb," She asked as she continued to pick a different vegetable up off the plate and east one piece. Martin shrugged: "Not necessary for me. You proved to slow and once on the top ... you have to climb back. But I like trekking. You see a lot of the landscape and move straight forward to your goal. I used to that often with my sister some years ago." She was making her way around the plate first a celery stick, zucchini strip, a carrot stick, a cucumber slice, a broccoli floret, a cauliflower floret, a radish, a strip of summer squash and a grape tomato and then she would repeat the process. "You don't have there a system" said Martin after a short pause,"do you?" and pointed to her now quite empty plate. He smiled as he decided to open up the speech a bit: "Look Athena, I admit that I find you very interesting and would like to meet you again. The question now is if you do similar ..." Athena looked at her empty plate, "NO, no system just constant variety." She grew silent for a few seconds as she seemed to look at something just past Martin's shoulder. She met his gaze and said, "I'd like to know the answer to a few more questions before I decide." An impish gleam appeared in her eye as she asked, "How do you feel about doctors and counselors and alcohol?" No of the topics were particularly related and only the answers would make sense to her .... maybe. Martin looked at Athena trying to guess if she's still playing with him or maybe being a bit more serious now. Those three subjects were only far related, but he knew from experience that her question could be either a sophisticated test of personality ... or just fun. Not moving his sight away from Athena he said: "Doctors are fine until they start to poke on your health and give you funny advices what to do and what not to do. Counselors are a bit alike even if they poke only about your personality and try to read you. And for alcohol ... I am not a drunken lad, but a good drink in the evening with a lady is a great thing." Taking a small breath he asked: "and what do you think about starfleet officers, diplomats and good food?" All three subjects were of some importance to Martin, but to be honest this time he only shoot black. "Starfleet officers are just people doing a job, diplomats are rigid if they are particularly good at what they do and good food is always a plus to good company," she responded quickly and unwaveringly. "Maybe we could have a good meal together, again sometime," she queried with a wink. "Its a deal Athena," Martin said with a feeling of a win. She agreed to meet him next time by a meal and that was the most important first contact. Taught to rely on the first contact as a diplomat, Martin had the feeling that she might be even interested. Even if feeling quite some reservation from her, she was like an iceman ... slowly mending. He only hoped he would have enough time ... "Tomorrow 1200 at this same place nice lady?" he asked in an innocent tone. "Perfect," she said a she stood up. She held out her hand to shake his and said, "Until tomorrow." Martin held her hand a second more before releasing her, "Please, bring no bodyguard of yourself with you. I might get afraid," and gave her one of his boyish grins. =/\= End Log =/\= Martin Guzman NPC apb:Shane & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera