=/\= Starbase Unity – Part 2 =/\=
“A couple months now.” Sarah said. “I just want to be my own person for a while, before I get tied down in a job.”
Chloe nodded. "I will try to understand." She wanted to, but for her knowing what a person wanted to do and get out of life was something important to her.
“Well, I know I’m not joining Starfleet.” Sarah said. “Dad more or less forbayed it.”
"He's told me. I know he wishes that I wasn't an officer eather." Chloe said sitting on the edge of her and Richard's bed.
“Its only because he cares about you.” Sarah said, sitting down next to her. “Don’t forget that he’s seen more action in the service than both of us put together. He lost my mother to the service, and my elder sister too…”
She tried to push aside the reminder of how much older Richard was than herself, shaking her head in agreement with Sarah. "I might not stay in the service much longer." Chloe said with a frown, looking away. Looking back up to Sarah, she said serious. "Don't mention this to your father. I don't want to tell him until I’m for sure that I want to leave."
“I suspect that once you become pregnant, that’ll be the clinching argument.” Sarah said. “Dad’ll never let you serve in a combat unit if you’re carrying a child. He’s had that policy with all his female marines since I’ve met him.”
Chloe took a deep breath standing up. She knew she should be pregnant, but didn't want to say anything to anyone untill she was sure she was. Putting a smile on her face, she turned to look at Sarah. "You say that as if your sure that I will become pregnant." Chloe had never mentioned it to Sarah.
“I’ve overheard you guys when you think I’ve not been around.” Sarah said, smirking.
"Overheard or ease droped?" Chloe gave an amused smile.
“Bit of both.” She smiled. “Besides, I’m envious of my Dad.”
What Sarah said deffently started to make Chloe uncomfortable. She had a good idea why too. "Im sure that's something you shouldn't tell your father. I am only his." She wanted to get her point across with out sounding rude.
“Oh, don’t worry.” Sarah said, moving away from Chloe slightly. “You’re my mother now, it’d just be wrong… on so many levels. I’m merely saying that I find you attractive, is all. Just because I’m interested in girls, doesn’t mean I want to sleep with just any old girl.” Sarah started to sound rather upset. Even in this day and age, homophobia was still prevalent.
It wasn't that Chloe had felt akward with Sarah's lifestyle, but more so with Sarah's even so slight attraction to her. "I didn't mean anything of the sort." Chloe said, with a little edge in her tone that she didn't purposely mean to be present.
“Chloe, you’re just going to have to accept it. You’re not much older than I am, you’re drop dead gorgeous, and I think you’re hot. Doesn’t mean I’m going to try and do anything about it.” Sarah said, firmly, raising her voice.
"My age has nothing to do with it." Chloe told Sarah firmly. On so many levels Chloe felt if she was much older than Sarah. Her and Richard had finally moved on past the age difference and she didn't want Sarah viewing herself like that. "It doesn't matter what I look like, Sarah." Chloe's tone was starting to match Sarah's. Chloe normally had a soft temperament, but it might of been because of changing hormones that she was letting herself match Sarah's.
At that moment, Richard entered the bedroom. “I heard raised voices as I came in, what’s going on?” He asked, looking between the two ladies. Sarah had turned deep red and was looking at the ground shyly.
"Excuse me." Chloe said after a moment's silence, brushing past Richard in the doorway. She was bothered that she let Sarah get her on edge like that because it wasn't normal for her.
Richard noticed the edge in Chloe’s demeanor, turned to look at Sarah, who wouldn’t meet his gaze. He frowned and walked out after Chloe. “Chloe…” He called after her,
She stoped in the living room, taking a deep breath. "A moment please." She said, then after a few secconds passed, she looked to Richard.
“I’m gone for ten minutes, and you two have a fight?” He asked, incredibly. “What happened?”
"We didn't have an argument, just more so a difference of an opinion." Chloe said, her arms crossed over her chest.
“And that has you the most rattled I’ve seen you?” He asked, sternly. “Are we really going to start our marriage off by lying to one another?”
"No... no were not going to start like this." She started to lower her tone to more of a softness that she normally had. "Sarah was just being honest about her views, and which made me uncomfortable. Things just got worse from there." She let her arms fall from her chest to seem more open.
“Are we going to have problems here?” He asked, seriously, folding his own arms over his chest, looking at her.
"Im tring to avoid them, Richard." She was still sounding a little more prissy than normal, but it wasn't as bad as before.
Richard sighed. “I’ve been selected from the task force to attend a war planning conference on Earth.” He said. “I’ll be gone several days. Are you two going to be okay?”
Chloe knew she wanted to say no. She didn't want him to leave. "Do you want me to tell you the truth, or the answer you want me to tell you?" She asked him.
“The truth would be nice.” He said.
"Im not going to be okay with you gone. It's not because of what just happened with Sarah, I don't want you gone for awhile." The next week or so was going to be very important for her.
“If this were any old conference, I’d blow it off.” He said. “But the President will be there, and I have to go.”
Chloe nodded. "Go. I will still be here when you return." She was only scheduled to fly near the base for the next few weeks. And she wanted to get a lot of flying time in as possible.
“I hope so, after all the trouble you’ve been to get me to this point, I’d hate to think you’d run off with some handsome bloke.” He smirked.
"I don't think some handsome bloke is the issue here, Richard." She said glancing back at their bedroom door where Sarah still was.
Richard raised an eyebrow. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
"A few things that were said made me uncomfortable." She told him simply, but then went on, "Her personal choices don't bother me, but when I personal was put in the conversation."
“Oh, I see.” Richard said. “She told you she had a crush on you, didn’t she?”
"Not in so few words." Chloe said, still feeling a little uncomfortable, especally talking to Richard about it.
“I was afraid something like this might happen.” He said, and took a couple of steps towards the cabinet holding his liquor, and pausing. “She’s mentioned it to me, before the wedding, that she had a thing for you. I wasn’t expecting her to actually tell you.”
=/\= To be continued… yet more! =/\=
MGen. Richard Sharpe
Chloe Sharpe
Sarah Sharpe
