Battle of Champions

Posted on Tue 18th Jun, 2013 @ 3:12am by

766 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Scent of Love, Promenade Deck 615
Timeline: MD 02, 1400

"You did what? Marcus Aurelius Smith, tell me you did not just say you bought tickets for everyone for the circus!" Flavia Smith was almost shouting at her husband.

"Well ... yes, I did say that. For the matinee, honey bun. There'll be lots of children there. The circus is for children, and we have children, so I thought -"

Flavia interrupted him. "No, don't you say that. You did not thought! You want to take our six children to the circus? Have you already forgotten that Gloriana is allergic to cats? They'll have tigers and lions and who knows what else, and those are CATS! And Terminus? You want to take a one-year-old anywhere, let alone the circus?" She all but moaned, feeling a headache coming on. "I predict an afternoon of disasters piling on top of disasters."

"But sweetness, you know -"

Again, Marcus didn't get far before he was interrupted. "Don't you start that sweetness talk with me! I can't believe you didn't even consult me first. What if I have an afternoon crammed with work? What if there's a special order I need to get out? Did you even stop to think about that?"

Meekly, Smith hung his head, "No, sweetheart. I just thought about how much fun the children would have, and how you could use a break. You've been working so hard since we got to the starbase. It sounded like fun and we could all use a little fun."

Standing behind his mother, where she couldn't see him, ten-year-old Alerio Smith gave his dad a two-thumbs-up sign. He was all in favor of going to the circus. The last one he'd seen had been 5 years before, and very small. He really hoped there would be lions and tigers this time!

Herodia, twelve, leaned over and whispered, "Don't get your hopes up too high. This is going to be a tough battle for dad."

Alerio winked and whispered back, "I think he's up to it. He's been training hard for this one."

Herodia snorted and turned her attention back to the ongoing discussion between her parents. She, too, would like to go to the circus, even though she'd have to be responsible for Gloriana, and maybe Claudia, too. They were old enough to sit and watch in fascination, though, so she didn't think that would be too hard.

"And, sugar pie, I did think about Gloriana's allergies. I stopped at Sickbay and got these," Smith held out a small container with 3 tubes of liquid. "The doctor on duty said one before we go, one if she starts sniffling during the performance, and one after, and she should be just fine. I know you aren't fond of hyposprays, but the circus is an experience no one should miss. They don't come around often, especially out here on the edge of nowhere. These will work." Marcus was on a roll now, his arguments flowing off his tongue smoothly.

Grudgingly, Flavia took the tubes and looked at them, reading the directions. They seemed alright, and it would make it possible for the child to have this experience, but .... "What about Terminus? You know he's an escape artist. What if he gets out there under the feet of an elephant or into a cage with the lions?"

"Oh, lollipop, I'm sure they have precautions, force fields around the animals, you know the kind of thing. They can't afford not to. It'll be perfectly safe. Look, I bought this." He held up something that looked very much like a harness and leash for a monkey. "We'll put this on him and loop this end," he demonstrated, "around a hand. He can get some distance but not too far, or we haul him back. Come on, pumpkin cake, you know you want to go. The children will be really good." He glanced at the four now lined up behind their mother, "Won't you?" he asked.

Flavia whirled around, unaware until that moment that they had an audience. She was grateful no customers had entered the shop! Looking at the solemn faces in front of her, she knew she was beaten. She sighed, extra dramatically, and gave in. "Alright, we'll go. But I'm warning you," she turned back to Marcus, "I'm not going after Terminus one single time. He's your responsibility." She nodded emphatically and brushed her hands together, as if dusting them of all responsibility for her one-year-old son.

"It's a deal," Marcus agreed, sure he'd have no trouble, once the harness and leash were on Terminus.

 

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