| Asking For A Favor |
| Summary: | The Ajtai siblings meet in the chapel; prayers are offered and a favor is requested. |
| Date: | PHD268 (1-11-10) |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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Chapel
Insanity. That best describes what life has been like since the shit hit the fan in the hangar. People have been put on alert, causing some people's paranoia to run rampant, and people have been busy as hell with work stuff, Kitty being one of them as she has been assigned double CAPs since the move to here. Seeking solace, she decided to spend some time in the Chapel, her brother having been invited to join her if he's able to and so wishes.
With a new ship comes new schedules, leaving Pandorian and Kitty precious little time they can ever link up. This is one of those times, and he jumps at the chance. Showing up in his best pressed blacks (the ones whose combat utility was ruined in the wash), he takes careful stock of the Chapel before going past the vestibule. He slowly moves down the central aisle, looking left and right at the bowed heads for his sister.
Kitty is easy to find as she's sitting in the back, Panda's sister having picked the one to the right of the hatch for seating. It's currently unoccupied by anyone else and has the first three or four feet free for him as she sits closer to the middle in anticipation of his joining her. She doesn't see him yet as her head is bowed like many of the others here, Kitty mumbling a prayer as she rubs her fingers over the well-worn leather cover of a book of prayers.
Panda continues down the row, having missed Katherine on his way in. Except that he passes all the rows, finally stopping at the dais. The younger Ajtai kneels and draws something from a cargo pocket. A cloth, multicoloured. Digicam. It is placed on the altar, neatly spread. Dorian's ankles are crossed under his bottom, and his knees practically straddle the raised platform. Twelve times does he rise up, place a tiny metal tube atop the cloth, clap his hands and sit back on his ankles… Wordless, and ever with his countenance raised to the sky.
"..and may the Lords protect and watch…huh?" It's the motion that catches Kitty's eyes and draws her attention alter-wards, the sight she beholds as she does making her smile. Her prayer's quickly concluded and she stands, the small tome tucked under the crook of her left arm while she slips away from the bench. Panda's joined but she doesn't speak or hug him yet, letting him continue his own worship while she takes to her knees, assuming a position very similar to his own.
Once or twice is a daily prayer, but twelve times rising up on the knees is either devotion or exercise. As Katherine approaches, she can see that the dozen tubes are spent shell casings, each of them having seen better days; some are cracked, some warped, the rims bent or cut on more than one. Remaining on his knees, Pandorian's hands part and a low buzzing tune emits from his throat, shaped into notes by his lips. It is a pale comparison to their father's practiced tradition, or the duets their parents could perform, but half-minute of entreaty to the powers on high. When finished he slumps, flush-faced and gasping for breath. The traditional (some might say heretical) prayer is over.
"That was so lovely," the elder Ajtai compliments her brother quietly while slipping her hand closer, the pads of her fingers brushed over the back of his closest hand. "I forgot how much I loved to hear you and Father sing like that." The memories of course come back and she finds herself teary, her emotions getting the better of her now. "I've been wanting to talk with you but it can wait until you're done here at the altar. Join me on a pew when you are ready, please." Groaning, she gets up from her kneel and makes her way back to where she had sat before, returning to her own form of prayer while awaiting Dorian's arrival beside her.
"I'm done," Pandorian breathes after catching his breath, fingers splaying as he reaches for his sister. Her wrist is snatched and used to steady himself as Dorian rises. They return to the pews together, walking intimately close, Katherine able to feel her brother trembling as he leans heavily against her. Blanched, he is quite silent until well after they have seated. "It's been a long time," he whispers.
It's the trembling that initially causes Kitty to wrap her arms around them once they're seated but then it's because of the incredible need to just be close to him that compels her to keep Panda in the tight embrace, his sister whispering softly into his ear as she rocks him. "Dorian, I need to ask you a favor, please?" With how close they are he'll certainly feel the warmth of her breath expelled against his cheek and then it's kissed, a quick peck that barely alights upon it before her head is leaned away.
With that exchange of her lips their roles reverse, Panda once again strong and warm. His arm tightens around Kitty's shoulders, his voice returns to confident clarity. "What is it, Kittykat?" he asks his big sister, then leans forward to regard her with a tilted head. Only the cold sweat on his brow remains of the supernatural experience moments before.
Kitty is not sure how to bring this subject up further; knowing Pandorian, he'll most likely puff up all angry-like just at the mention of Castor's name but she's counting on the fact that they're in the Chapel to help keep him calm. Well, she's hoping, that is. "I heard from Marissa about what happened between you and Leda a while ago and I tried to talk to him about it. Tried to ask him nicely to leave you alone but he wouldn't hear of it. He even went as far as to try and accuse me of putting family before fleet…can you believe that frakking bullshit?" Her muscles along her jaw and neck tighten as she clenches her teeth, this still a very sore subject for her to think on. "He swears that you just go out of your way to want to fight him which I know isn't true as you don't fight unless goaded." She pauses, letting it sink in before saying more.
For his part, Panda remains surprisingly calm. His face gets red, his eyes narrow and crinkle at the corners, but there's no angry outburst. "Why would…" he starts to protest, but despite the tension in the arm resting over Kitty's shoulders he lets her finish. "Katherine," her brother begins slowly, as much to calm himself as it is to ease her fears. "You know I follow direct orders, and you know I would never strike a superior officer." The young man's eyes drift toward the sky and with a heavy sigh he mutters, "An inferior one, on the other hand…"
"I know! Gods, Panda, I know. You're so much better than that. But Castor seems to have it in his head that you seek to hurt him. Gods, Panda, please just stay away from him." Shaking her head, Kitty cups Panda's cheek, trying to get him to look her more fully in the face, her expression saddened. "Leda…I wouldn't go to say he's inferior, exactly. But there are some things that are left to be desired where he goes, I know. Just try to keep away from him, please?"
Panda makes a low sound of annoyance in his throat and indeed looks away, but the pull of her hand draws his attention back to Kitty. "No problem," her brother mutters, rolling his eyes; a moment later under her gaze he whines, "Alright, alright, I promise! Frakking Llll…" The curse is aborted with a furtive glance around and, hushing his tone back down Pandorian hisses, "You make it sound like we're dating or something!"
Kitty cringes as she listens only to calm when he does. "Dati…who? You and Leda?" Kitty reaches up, the hand that was holding his face now used to tussle that sandy blonde mop of his, causing it to stick out haphazardly which helps her to smile again. "I'd hope you'd have better taste in men if you were inclined to…you know. Lean that way." She knows he doesn't but still has to say that. "Thank you for promising this to me, Dorian. I don't want you to waste your career on someone like him."
Her brother shrugs at the tease, eyes rolled shut from the ruffle. "If I was I'd stuff Roubjob in a locker and put the Kiss back into Kisseus," Pandorian drawls, finally throwing himself back into the pew. "Lords and Stars, Kitty, but I swear if he starts something, if he lays a hand on me first…"
Kitty actually takes a second to imagine what Panda just said about Kissybear and Poet both, it being something that makes for a very odd and slightly disturbing, not to mention blush-inducing, mental image considering one-third of that image is related to her by blood. "Uh…yeah." The heat of her face increases and filters downward as the flush does, the fiery sensation now hitting her at about throat-level. "If Leda touches you first then you have the right to defend yourself, brother mine."
"That's right I do," Pandorian huffs. Chin raised high he then declares, "We'll have no more of this." His hand falls to Kitty's lap, searching for her own. "Come," her brother orders, "speaking of Matto, we've got to pray for him. He has to qualify this week on the range." The Marine's mouth opens as if to say more, but quickly snaps shut. Candidly he murmurs, "We've got to really pray for him."
