...'neath the vault of the heavens, 'ere we depart....

[Ebiris]

"Shh! Shh!" Albert tries to hush the woman. "It's not a good time for that... I shouldn't spend the whole meal talking about myslf, I mean," he tries to amend smoothly. "Why not tell me a bit about yourself, Miss Thorne? I'd love to hear more about what it was like for you growing up with such an auspicious father."

[Bjorn]

Finn eyes Eric oddly, before picking up her fork and setting to whatever it is that she ended up with.  "Do you always talk like that?" she asks, a bit drily.

[Brian]

Sally frowns, and then brightens, quickly launching into a lengthy missive about her life on Landon, where she moved as a child once her father had reached a significant income level by Congress, and from there had attended a long list of private schools ... all of which she assures you she left for her own personal reasons; her marks had nothing to do with it.  But her daddy certainly never pulled any strings for her, such as getting her into a strictly controlled-attendance gathering, of course.  She got in entirely on her own merit.

Eric coughs in embarassment, and tugs at his collar.  "I'm sorry," he says, grinning.  "I spend much of my time as a teacher.  The old ways must be spoken by rote for the young ones.  I will try not to speak ... I will try and talk like a normal person, then."

[Ebiris]

Albert listens raptly while making all the right noises of assent and encouragement, hoping Sally's rambling will dissuade her father from listening in further - although he doesn't tempt fate by looking to check. Starting in on his own meal, he waits until she begins to taper off before speaking. "So, Miss Thorne, what do you do, now? When not gracing such functions with your most welcome presence?"

[Bjorn]

"Eh, 'sokay," Finn says, waving a knife in casual dismissal.  "I mean, I ain't a person wif anyfing that could prop'ly be called a right t' complain, y'know?  You talk how you want, an I'll talk how I want, and as long as we don't blow nuffin' up, should all be good."

[Brian]

"Oh," Sally says, pausing to consider.  "I'm a student, of course," she says carefully.  "Though, right now I am between schools.  I expect I'll become a novellist at some point."

Eric nods at Finn gravely.  "That is very wise of you.  Comendable, in fact."

Before anyone else can speak, there's a clamoring, as Captain Kim Landys stands on her seat, and hoists a glass of wine into the air, enthusing, "And here is to the finest crew that the Congressional Sector can assemble!" she manages to get out, looking down triumphantly at Hodges.  The Selken crosses his arms over his chest and looks pointedly away.  It appears that the two were challenging one-another to be the better and more accepting person, and Kim has just trumped his last efforts.

Waiters quickly set a glass of wine before each of the guests, so that they can join in the toast.  Sally tosses back her entire glass in a single gulp; Eric raises his glass, but not to his lips.

[Bjorn]

Finn also raises her glass, but does not drink.  "This ain't 'zactly impressin' me," she says under her breath.

[Ebiris]

"Hear, hear!" Albert enthusiastically joins the toast, turning back to Sally as the ruckus dies down. "A novellist, you say? Enchanting... just a pity I won't be here to watch your no doubt illustrious career blossom. I'm sure you'll have assembled a fine body of work by the time we return, though."

[Brian]

"Undoubtedly!" Sally enthuses.  "Ooh, they're opening up the dance floor -- shall we?"

Eric frowns, and makes a dismissive hand gesture.  "Doubtlessly the First Crew is more than capable," he says very quietly, though a strong undercurrent of doubt fills his voice.  "I suspect that it is the fact that we do not have enough time to meet one another that gives us the impressions that we have.  And if not ... providence may see us through, but a watchful eye and keen ear serve where fate will not."  He makes the hand gesture again, and this time Finn's eyes track the glint of the steel band Eric is wearing on his the middle finger of his right hand.  But on closer inspection, it's not steel -- it's titanium, etched with dragons in minature across the entire surface in amazing detail.

[Ebiris]

"Certainly, madam," Albert gives another (what he thinks is) dashing smile, rising and offering a hand to Sally.

[Brian]

Most of the Eidolon crew seems reluctant to dance, but Sally is not one of them, and is therefore quite eager, practically dragging Albert to the floor, as the music starts up, and Sally says, "Fox-trot!"

[Bjorn]

"Aww, that's not what I meant," Finn says dismissively, with a somber air.  "I mean th' wine.  Never trust a cap'n who don't know enough to serve his crew beer, me daddy always used t' say."  She grins suddenly, and then laughs and winks.  

Watching as Albert and Sally get up to dance, she comments casually, "Dancin'.  Never really saw t' point, y'know.  It's a lot more'n' looks like, and if ya don't trust yer partner...." She shakes her head sadly, and cocks an eyebrow at Eric.

[Ebiris]

Albert... isn't really that good at dancing. Except ballet, which he was forced to learn as a child. Probably best that that doesn't come up, though, all things considered.

Nonetheless, he does his utmost to keep up with his partner on the dancefloor, hardly able to believe his luck at hitting it off so well with this lovely lady.

[Brian]

"I ... lack the grace for dancing," Eric agrees, noding solemly.  Turning to the man who's sat the entire evening without doing much more than shuffling his chicken around his plate, apparently trying to cordon off the different bits of meat with noodles, Eric says, "I apologize, Friend, we did not mean to be rude and exclude you.  Please, tell us about yourself."

Luckily (perhaps) for Albert, Sally's got enough grace for two people, even though she does end up leading.  This isn't too uncommon in the current era, and in some cases is even seen as gentlemanly, so it's not an entirely lost cause.  After the fox-trot, there's a slower song, and Sally carefully fits Albert's arm about her waist, at the same time Albert is able to see Attorney Thorne, who by now has one slowly ticing eyebrow.

[Dracos]

Kelly blinked at being noticed at all, somewhat reflexively reaching a hand back and scratching the back of his head in a nervous gesture.  "Ah, I'm Kelly Sinclair.  Systems Operator and Maintainer."

Dracos