"The Troll and the Ice Queen"

[OdileCondacin 0]

Set before "Advisement"

 

 

Odile glanced around the unfamiliar Marine office, laying the high-tech scanner carefully on Merril's desk. "Thank you. It proved quite useful," she remarked.

 

"Troll's Lair", as some of the enlisted Marines had begun calling it, looked more like a mad scientist's lab than anything else. Multiple holo-diplays were active around the room, some set to show medical information, others showing information that should have been in a science lab, while others could only be classified as showing marine equipment schematics.

 

Troll moved most of the displays to a background, minimized position, as he gave the new Science D.H. a quick onceover. With a mild grin he replied, "You are most welcome." After noticing her attire he raised an eyebrow, glancing pointedly at the empty sheath. "I had hoped to re-aquaint myself with Knife." He picked up the combat scanner and slotted it into a port for download.

 

Something distant flashed on her face, and her voice went careful and neutral, but she didn't comment on her blade, redirecting her attention to the scanner. "Turns out one of JoN's' middies in for a little bit of trouble."

 

Troll rolls his eyes "Not O'Brien again, is it?"

 

"You know him?"

 

"Well... he decided to make a first impression on the Marine battalion during a yellow alert." Troll grimaced. "He had recently been introduced to the concept of net checks, and tried to take it to an extreme. He reminded me of certain officers going through the Marine OCS who still had an attitude in need of adjustment, while I was a drill instructor there."

 

"... don't tell me that he shot you?"

 

Troll grinned. "No, he shot at Hair and Buddha. I was waiting above the door for him when he entered the NNC."

 

"I feel bad for the cat," Odile remarked.

 

Troll's grin faded. "That was definitely one unhappy Caitian." His eyes lost focus as he remembered the past. "The previous time I met you ... and Knife ... you were a petty officer and I was a second lieutenant. I had stopped by the science labs and you were working on your reputation, even then, as 'The Ice Queen'. I haven't seen you since then; did becoming a D.H. change you that much?"

 

"No. Not off duty, at any rate."

 

Troll looked over Condacin once more, "Are you ice in combat then, or what?"

 

"Icy and prickly in any situation," O'd'yl replied, affably.

 

Troll frowned slightly. "So, what am I doing wrong? You're pleasant company."

 

"I've no quarrel with you, yet."

 

He cocked his head to one side. "You and I have something else in common. We both started in the enlisted ranks and were pressured into the ranks of the officers." His expression closed up, then he asked, "Are you willing to be a sounding board and venting mate, at times?"

 

Odile shrugged. "You know where my office is. I don't bitch about visitors unless they've drawn my ire."

 

Troll's expression smoothed, but was still guarded, "I would prefer places less official than an office."

 

"Of course. But if you ever want to find me..."

 

"Start there?"

 

"Yep."

 

"Thank you for returning my scanner. I may look you up in the near future."

 

"Anytime."