The Beach - Wednesday afternoon.

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan had spent so much time on a ship that he had acquired the sort of paleness under his inborn tan that had Jack making jokes about nerds and basements. There was only so much realness he could take before he'd decided to head down to the beach for a day outside. A large microfiber blanket was held down with rocks, a cooler with various non-alcoholic beverages, and some snacks, sat nearby.

The first thing he did was go for a swim. The ocean was bracing but as long as he stayed near the shallows, it wasn't so bad. Every so often a wave would come in from further out in the depths to remind him of that, slapping across his body with a shock of breath-stealing cold. Kaidan was Canadian, he'd spent his formative years in Vancouver, and more importantly, Kaidan was stubborn. He swam until his muscles burned with it. Then went to flop on the blanket in the mottled sunlight, sunglasses over his eyes and the towel he'd wiped off the wet with folded under his head as a pillow. When he overheated or overcooked, he'd go swim again and then switch sides.

Laying back, listening to the water hit the rocks. Listening to the birds and other animals, the occasional snatch of conversation from people further inland. Planet noises, nothing like the whine and ping of metal under stress, the hum of a drive core, the rising whine of thrusters.

Back dirtside. Back on Earth, on the island. Still getting used to that.

[Open. I'll be slow through the day.]

Comments

[justice_undone]

Breq didn't particularly bother to be quiet, so Kaidan could probably hear her walking along the beach. She had no intention of swimming, obviously, but after going through boxes in one of the storage rooms she had found in the basement of Groovy Tunes, next to her new apartment, a walk had seemed a good idea.

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan glanced over when he heard the footsteps. "Hey, Breq. How are you?"

[justice_undone]

"I'm fine. I haven't seen you in a while."

She made sure to stand out of the way of the sun.

[spectre_alenko]

"I haven't been around much," Kaidan agreed, "The summer was pretty terrible and then I had a mission back home that took a long time. How've you been? How are your classes going? Or did you graduate?"

[justice_undone]

"I graduated," Breq said. "Jono let me take over Groovy Tunes when he left."

She had sort of expected to be able to go back to her own universe after graduation, but that hadn't been the case.

"The summer was terrible," she agreed. "Was the mission better?"

[spectre_alenko]

"Hey, congratulations on graduating," Kaidan said with a smile, "And also on taking over the music store. That's a big step, owning your own business."

He shrugged a little, settling back on the blanket. "The mission started out pretty terrible but it got better. The outcome was about the best that could ever have come of it, so that helps."

[justice_undone]

"The business was unexpected,"Breq said. "But I've been working there for a while, and I've been able to turn the basement into an apartment. I even have an employee."

Someone to look after, not that she would admit that to herself.

"What happened?"

[spectre_alenko]

"Can't talk about it," Kaidan apologized with a half-smile, and changed the subject. "Oh? Who've you hired? Anyone I know?"

[justice_undone]

Breq wasn't going to insist.

"She's a new student, so I don't think so. Luckily the store has behaved so far."

[spectre_alenko]

"Oh? Is your store like Hernando's?" Kaidan asked curiously.

[justice_undone]

"You mean it behaves like it has a life of its own? Yes. Maybe it cares about Tisarwat, I don't know.

She added: "I keep finding new storage spaces in the basement too."

[spectre_alenko]

"Tisarwat's the new employee?" Kaidan asked, "Good thing it likes them. Or maybe good thing the stores who have some sort of sentience seem to be benign. New storage? Like rooms that weren't there the last time you looked?"

That sounded a little less than benign.

[justice_undone]

"Tisarwat is the new employee," Breq said. "She's from a universe similar to mine, and she needed a job. And yes, new rooms. Just storage space, but I'm not going to use them in case they disappear again."

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan considered that and asked hesitantly, "Another Radchaii? Does she know about you?"

Hooboy.

[justice_undone]

"She think's I'm her Fleet Captain, so no," Breq said, unaware that she was completely mistaken.

After a brief pause she added: "And don't go around being prejudiced. She's a nice kid."

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan eyed her. "That wasn't prejudice. That was worry. You didn't want Seivarden to know for a reason and this is another Radchaii."

[justice_undone]

"Oh, I know," Breq said. "I just meant don't assume she's like Seivarden if you run into her."

Not wanting to pursue that topic further, she continued: "So, any new plans?"

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan snorted, "I wouldn't assume anyone was like Seivarden, ever. She's a singular pain in the.. butt. Plans? Not really. Relaxing, taking some time off from the stuff back home. How about you? Now that you're full time in your music store, are you finding any new music that suits you?"

[justice_undone]

"Oh, a lot of it, as always," Breq said. "You should stop by sometime and I'll play you something."

[spectre_alenko]

"I'll try to remember to," Kaidan offered, "What days are you open now?"

[justice_undone]

"I work on Saturdays," Breq replied. "I'll make some tea if you stop by."