Young Volcanoes (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on 31 Oct 2013 @ 9:53pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Commander Scarlet Blake & Lily Blake & Verity Thorne

2,063 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Corridors, Bridge, Blakes Quarters.
Timeline: MD 05 - 1940 hours

Previously on Young Volcanoes...

Scarlet led them inside, setting the girl down as she made her way to the replicator. "What can I get you?" she asked with a small smile, starting to relax more now she knew that Lily was okay and nothing untoward had happened.

and now the conclusion

[ON]

Luke smiled as he stood awkwardly in the doorway but moved forward slightly allowing the doors to close "Urm, Whatever you're having" He shrugged casually.

Scarlet arched an eyebrow with surprise at what seemed almost like shyness. She started to get them iced tea all the same, setting a tray up.

Lily went and took Luke's hand, pulling him more in with a smile before sitting on the floor next to the coffee table at the chair and sofa area. "This is my favourite dragon..." she showed him a picture she'd done.

Luke looked behind him at scarlet before turning and sitting down next to legs crossed as she pointed out this picture. "Wow! that's a mighty fine picture! What's his name?"

"Sparkles," she smiled warmly, her head tilting to the side in a manner similar to her mother's as she picked up another crayon to add more gold to him.

"Of course, we haven't actually seen one yet, but we live in hope out here in the stars," Scarlet moved to them, kneeling on the floor at the low table as she set the drinks out for them all. "How about you, Luke? Ever seen a dragon?" she asked lightly and almost innocently, with the faintest of smiles on her features.

Luke liked the way she smiled even though she was obviously trying her hardest not to. "Oh no, I haven't seen any dragons about in my life time" He smiled back now looking towards Scarlet, whilst Lily was adding specs of gold to sparkles Fitting name he thought to himself letting him mind wonder to who the child's father was especially since there was no signs of one. "And when you find a dragon?" He asked wondering if the actually terminology was some kind of code between a mother and daughter.

"I'm going to fly on his back!" Lily laughed warmly, but didn't look up from the hard work of getting his scales right.

"She's going to fly on his back," Scarlet nodded, sipping her drink with amusement. "Still, there's lots of other things out here to contend with first."

"Contend?" Lily asked with a slight frown, biting on her lower lip.

"Cope with, manage," Scarlet filled in for her, touching the girl's dark hair, the same shade as her own, pushing it back behind her ear.

Luke could see the love scarlet had for her daughter that alone sent a warm feeling but it was slowly made abundant by the though of his own. "Do often find lily running around looking for dragons?" He asked curiously wonder who cared for her when scarlet was on duty.

"No," Scarlet frowned as she was reminded of the girl's escapade. "No, her babysitter had fallen asleep it seems," she sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "She's never managed that before. I'm going to have to put a better child lock on the door." She considered, musing for a moment. "And do you often go crawling around on the deck looking for dragons?"

"Oh aaaaall the time!" He joked sipping his tea. "It sounds like you need a new babysitter" he smiled looking over to lily, her picture was coming along Nicely "you're quiet the artist lily"

The girl smiled warmly at the praise, shaking her head softly. "You draw..." she pushed a piece of paper across to his side of the table, along with a red crayon.

Luke smiled as he took the paper and sliding it the rest of the way so it was in front of him but also at an angle so that she could see. Picking up the crayon he began to draw just lines and dots at first but as he connected everything together a picture of a dragon flying above some mountains. It wasn't a master piece but you could tell what it was meant to be. Luke reached picked up and started use different colours and shading it in. At the top of the picture he wrote 'Luke the Dragon' making sure he gave it a smiley face and instead of fire it was breathing bubbles and upon its back was a teddy bear. Lieutenant Patch. After a few minutes of final touches he turned the picture to face Lily. "What do you think?" He asked smiling at Lily.

"Soooooo good!" Lily smiled before laughing, feeling it over with delicate fingers as much as looking at it. "You so clever. Can I keep it? Please?"

"It would make a change. I can't draw to save my life," Scarlet chuckled, shaking her head lightly before gathering her long, dark hair up to clip to the back of her head.

Nodding Luke smiled both at Lily and Scarlet's comments "Yeah 'course you can keep it!" He watched scarlet pin up her hair and noticed he was staring. He quickly diverted his attention back to lily hoping she hadn't noticed.

Scarlet sighed, shaking her head with a frown. "Well my brief interlude is over. I need to get back to work, now I know someone's alright," she leant to kiss Lily's hair, stroking it gently. It was more than a little difficult, leaving her daughter when hell was breaking loose. It had taken some getting used to as a serving officer. She tapped her badge, "Blake to Thorne, are you free for a little while? I need someone to watch Lily if you are."

"Just about. Give me a moment and I'll be there," the ship's Chaplain replied, his voice tired, but his usual generosity shone through. It had been non stop for him too, helping out with the morale of the Venture survivors.

Scarlet moved to the panel next to the door, resting her hand on her hip with a sigh as she increased the child lock on it. "Want to walk with me, marine?" she asked with a small smile, looking to him as her fingers finished working.

Luke stood up and smiled as he smoothed down his trouser "Sure, I've not got much on my hands at the moment. As you can probably tell" He turned around and looked at lily "No running off now ya hear, or a certain Luke the Dragon may make an appearance and blow bubbles all in your hair!" he joked.

Lily giggled, unable to help it as she covered her face as if she could already feel them. "Tickles!"

A few moments later and Verity Thorne let himself into the quarters. He looked tired, but his smile was warm and he moved for Lily. "Hello girl! Want to help me make some bags up for people?" He caught the young girl up to hold before spotting Luke. He smiled with curiosity, moving over with Lily balanced in one arm before offering his other hand out to him. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Verity Thorne, Ship's Chaplain."

Luke shook the other man's hand smiling "No I don't think we have. Luke Wyatt, Marine Liaison" He replied before, "I came from the venture sooo, I'm kinda still the odd one out" The mention of the venture hurt him slightly but he quickly recovered "What do ya say we get going?" He suggested turning to face Blake.

Scarlet nodded, smiling as she let out a soft breath, touching Verity's arm. "I'll try and find someone who can take over soon. If you can just hold the fort for now?"

"Of course," Verity nodded with a soft smile. "Please, don't worry about it, just get to what you need to do."

Scarlet nodded with obvious gratitude before leaning so she could kiss Lily's cheek. "Now you be a good girl, okay? And I'll be back as soon as I can. It might be a while though. But that's okay, isn't it? You can be my lookout?"

"Aye aye, Captain!" Lily smiled, mimicking a pirate as she thrust a fist up into the air. "Bye Luke!"

Luke waved as he followed the commander out of the door "By Lily and be good!" He smiled once more before turning round and walking down the corridor allowing her an extra few seconds to say bye.

Scarlet moved out, her stride brisk as she looked across to Luke, her features serious again not that she was away from her girl. "It won't happen again. She's growing up fast."

Luke slowed and matched Blake's speed before shrugging "Its fine, she's young and wants to get about. Besides no harm come to her" He said trying to reassure the commander. "She's a good girl and smart, an obvious reflection of her mother."

She gave a small smile at that, unable to hold it back as she let out a breath of a laugh, looking across to him. "Kind of you to say so. It's just not a safe enough universe for her to wonder out alone though. You might be safe, but not all people are."

Luke nodded, "I know, it must be difficult for you. I couldn't imagine having my daughter in the situation of life and death and trust me I've been there" He said recalling thee vents on both Aleron and Deep space five both times Abbey had managed to find herself in the midst of a terrorist attack but she was a lot older than Lily. "If you're looking for a baby sitter, I'm pretty much free these days" He smiled gently. He wasn't a counsellor but he could tell by the strain in her eyes and the rigidity of her shoulder that she was under of stress. Another place he had once found himself.

"Thanks," Scarlet replied, and with genuine gratitude. She, like it or not, had to rely on the goodwill of others to help look after Lily. It wasn't a Galaxy Class with a nursery. "And I was very impressed with your dragon," she added, with a mock serious look as they entered the turbolift. "Bridge."

"My mum was pretty artistic, I guess I learnt a few things" Luke didn't have anywhere particular to be so head decided he would follow to the Bridge and then leave her be. "Without prying ears, how are you really holding up?" He pushed feeling a little more confident in himself.

Scarlet looked to him with surprise before giving a small smile, facing forward again. "I think we'll all feel better when we can catch our breath."

"I know but..." He stopped himself before continuing "You're doing well I've seen what these situation can do to people especially someone in your position I doubt I could do it myself" Luke was sincere and was trying to make her feel comfortable he could tell that this wasn't just her being under stress and holder her emotions she had to be like this all the time.

"You could," she looked to him, her voice softening for a moment. "Because you'd have to. Because there's no other choice but to hold it all together," she almost whispered, offering a small, half smile before the doors opened and she stepped out onto the bridge.

"You don't always have to do something alone, there's always someone there willing to help and usually from the most unusual places" He offered as she stepped out, he wasn't going to follow the last comment had kind of meant more than one thing. Whether she got it was an entirely different matter.

Scarlet just gave a small smile to the words, not indicating either way what she thought on them. She nodded in parting before walking down and across the bridge, firmly back into work mode.

Luke leaned against the wall as the doors shut "Deck 2" He said sighing, he had a complete mixed feeling towards the Commander none of which made any sense to him, for the moment he would keep them himself.

[OFF]

Gunnery Sergeant Luke Wyatt
Marine Liaison
USS Galileo

Lt. Commander Scarlet Blake
Chief Counsellor/2XO
USS Galileo

PO2 Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo

Lily Blake
Civilian Child
USS Galileo

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