Speakin' with the Cap'n

[Lars Engström]

Lars looked at Jordan, and merely nodded. "I wouldn't dream of telling anyone. You have my word, if you can trust an alliance man that is." He turned away from her and moved around his desk. "Bring me the parts list as soon as you can, and I'll see what I can do." He stopped, and thought, "Oh, and Jordan, thank you for being honest." He looked back at her and smiled. "I am sorry I have upset you, can you forgive me?"

[Jordan Maxwell]

"You being ungraceful is one of your more common features Cap'n. But I forgive you." She tries to smile but failed. She then turned and left the room. Just outside she shut the door, took a step to her right and leaned against the wall. She slid down it and started to sod silently.

[Lars Engström]

Lars was left alone in his office, alone with his thoughts. He felt awful about this whole ordeal. Now she had more of a reason to hate him, and that made his current situation seem all the more upsetting. He walked towards the door, deciding to find Dru, and tell her the mechanic needed someone slightly less Lars-ish to talk to, but he stopped at the door when he heard Jordan outside. He was half tempted to go out there and try to mend fences, but he decided against it. Like she said, grace wasn't his forte. He returned to his desk, and looked at the cup she had thrown. It was some piece of Gos Se, that he had picked up in some piece of his travels. He didn't even know why he still had it. Picking it up, he threw it as hard as he could against floor. It made a pitiful pinking noise, but seemed unharmed. Lars looked at it, lying there, worthless, and then stomped on it, crushing it. Grabbing his hat from it's perch nearby, he pulled it low over his face, and kicked back in his chair, with his feet up on the desk. This was not a good day.

[Trace Kennet]

Trace had spent the time since his meeting with Jordan in the cockpit, brooding. He had come in there so angry at Jordan, for no real reason other than that he was frustrated with himself. As he paced back and forth, he began to regret his words. He heard loud voices from the captain's office, Jordan was shouting, and then a door open. He fought with himself for a long moment, over whether he should check it out. But even before he admitted it to himself, he knew he was going to go find out what had happened. He walked towards the office, and saw her up against the wall, crying. Trace paused, debating whether he should talk to her or not, considering their recent conversation. But something about seeing her there, made his mind up for him. Quietly, he walked over to her, and sat down next to her. "Hey," He said, trying to be cheerful, as well as tactful, "What's up buttercup?"

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan sniffled and leaned against Trace, she wasn't thinking of what happened before, none of that matter, she had always considered him somewhat of a friend. "Just issues with the Cap'n. Nothin we can't handle." She wiped her eyes, biting on the tip of her tounge she tried to hold back another bought of crying. She felt broken and she was trying to put the pieces of herself back togehter. Her mask was wripping and she wasn't sure how to put it all back togther.

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was relieved when she didn't start to shout at him, but what she said irked him. She leaned up against him, and he decided to take a different approach to the situation however, and he spoke softly. "Today just isn't your day is it?" He said with a chuckle, "but how on earth did you get Lars upset?" He didn't remember seeing the captain ever get mad, with the exception of when Dru had first come aboard. But even then he didn't remember much anger. Pulling his kerchief out of his pocket, he decided not to ask, and simply went about trying to wipe some of the tears from her face. He smiled at her, "You know, you can't go it alone." He tried to be carefree about it all, but his heart was screaming at him to tell her the truth, "If you keep all this stress inside, you'll just pop one day, and then where will we be?" He continued to dry her face. "And besides," he said, "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be crying because of the captain, and especially not because of an like me." He smiled again, noticing her face was mostly dry, he leaned back against the wall. "So, will you try to let me help? Just give it a chance?" He sighed, "Because if Crying against the wall is having things under control, then I don't even know how to live anymore."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"I try not to hate Trace, I hate the Reavers, I dislike the Alliance. The Cap'n and I are at odds most of the time, and I think it's me more than him. I don't think there is anything anyone can do to help Trace. I just need some rest." 'and my family' "I have always been alone Trace, that's what I'm fighting again." She looked up into his eyes and smiled a little. She was still shaken, but she was starting to feel a little better ."He has a foot in his mouth issue, and I have a habit.." She paused and laid her head on his shoulder looking across from them at the wall.

"a habit of taking things personally when I shouldn't. He's a good man, with a good heart, and I just need to get back to who I was and the ship will be back to normal.." She smiled at the thought she was becomming determinded to make everything back the way it was, it was simpiler when she only fixed ships.

[Trace Kennet]

She put her head on his shoulder, and he jumped, but didn't recoil, instead he merely sat still, listening. Trace couldn't help but laugh when she said that about the captain. "Don't we all have that problem from to time?" He asked jokingly, "I mean who doesn't do that from time to time?" Trace was experiencing some very interesting effects at the moment. He didn't know what he was feeling, but he knew there was more to it than just being happy to help a friend. "Still, he won't keep a grudge. That doesn't seem to be his thing. I mean look at Dru, she is first mate, I never saw that coming, after the animosity." He sighed, "Some days, I wonder what that man thinks about, because it sure doesn't make sense to me."
Trace was trying very hard to concentrate on the conversation, and not lose control. He didn't have much experience with women, and none with someone like Jordan. But what he did know, was that when someone put's their head on you, well, he didn't want to even think about it in case he was wrong. "You know, you have a way of saying some of the best and truest things." He glanced at her, "hell, I almost wonder if you can't read minds some days." He didn't know what made his do it, but without any real thought, he moved his hand down, and gently took hold of hers, "You are one heck of a person."

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan looked up at Trace and then down at their hands. Did holding hands mean anything, she searched her memory, well, you hold hands with your parents. Protection thing, you hold hands with your friends, running around playing, meaningless, towing someone behind. You hold hands with someone to show you care, because you are friends. Therefore, holding hands, friendship thing.

"Trace, Daddy always called it a talent... I know a lot about different things, none of them being medicine mind you.." She always had known how to make others feel better, however "I just can't seem to help myself sometimes... You are a great friend Trace." She put her other hand on top of his and moved her head to look up into his eyes. "Thanks for being here."

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was not prepared for her response. He had honestly expected her to hit him, or at least withdraw her hand. "Don't mention it," He said smiling as she looked at him, "It was the least I could do, after all.." He stopped, thinking carefully, "We can't have you running around in a funk, someone has to fix the ship." Deciding at that moment to go for broke, Trace spoke again. "Jordan, I don't know if you know, or not, but there is something I need to tell you." He paused, and took a deep breath, then "I think i am falling in love with you." Without waiting for a response, he leaned down and kissed her.

[Jordan Maxwell]

Jordan pulled away from him and barley stopped herself from falling down the stairs. "Trace!" She stared at him in shock for a long time, she didn't know how to respond or what to do. Slowly she stood up and backed down the stairs a little. "Y-you have only known me for about two months now. I... I... Why Trace? Why would you say something like that? I.. I don't understand.." She looked at him in shock she didn't know what to do. He was throwing everything for a loop and she, well she was lost. Were they not just being friends? Was there a hidden message she was msising in their interaction. No, no, it had to be him. Right?

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was totally caught off guard by Jordan's reaction. He didn't know what he had done wrong, and then she said the words he hadn't expected. "I thought we were just friends." Trace was stunned. "But," He stammered, "you held my hand and... I thought," He stood up and backed up a step, trying to go over the whole situation angain in his head. "I thought you knew, I mean..." He stopped talking, and looked at her with questioning eyes. "Jordan, I... But.." He couldn't talk he just stared at her, and tried to figure out what he had done, "I'm sorry?" he finally added, rather pitifully.

[Jordan Maxwell]

She searched her mind for anything that made sense, she was starting to think what she was doing took on a new context when she was with Trace then it would have when she was with someone else, did that have to do with his feelings towards her? She wasn't sure. She just stared at him for a while then walked over to him, searching his face. He appeared hurt and she wasn't sure what to do about it, what if something else she did was taken the wrong way? How was she suppose to proceed with this situation? Yes, complicated.

"I'm starting to understand why Dad told me to stay away from relationships... I'm sorry Trace.. I didn't mean.. I didn't think... I.... I should leave you be Tray.." She turned and started to walk down the stairs to the common area.

[Trace Kennet]

"Jordan," Said Trace, noting her use of his nickname, wondering where she had heard it. "Jordan, don't you get it?" He was begging now, "I don't want to be "Left Be"," He didn't know what he could say, but he had to try, "I know it sounds crazy, like you said we haven't really known each other very long," He was fighting against his urge to grab her again, "I don't know what it is about you, but i can't get you out of my head." He looked at her, hoping she would see the truth in his eyes, "The only thing that has kept me sane the last few days has been you, I needed to talk to you, and knowing you were here was what helped me forget about what was going on in my head." He was hurting, and he knew it showed, but he didn't care. "I know that you and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but please," He took a breath, "Wake up and see the world." He was so caught up in his emotions that he didn't think before he continued. "Gorram it Jordan, what with the reavers and the terraformers, you don't have room in your head for anything but hate and self pity. Let it go, and let someone else in." Trace stopped dead, realizing what he had just said. His eyes widened and his voice cracked as he tried to repair the damage he had done. "Jordan I didn't mean to..."

[Jordan Maxwell]

She turned to look at him and glared at him. She didn't say a word right away, she couldn't. There was a good deal of hate inside of her. She knew that, but the hate was what kept get doing so far. She hated herself for not fighting hard enough, for being weak, she hated herself for fearing the unknown. She hated her dreams, she disliked so many things that it was hard for her.

"You meant it Trace, you meant every word you just said." She turned back around and walked into the common area.