[Round 4] The Ranch

[FltCapt. Sidney Riley]

(( Thomas O'Riley's Ranch, Earth ))

::The last time Quinn had set foot on a planet, it had been Vulcan and it had been a very long time ago. That had been for shore leave, too, but it had been anything but relaxing; she had spent half of her time learning to rebuild her mental barriers after a bunch of telepathic aliens had forcibly awakened her previously suppressed empathic abilities. Then, to add a bitter cherry on top, she had been chased around some deserted ruins by a murderous, disruptor-wielding assailant who had been convinced she was someone else. All in all, it had been more restful to get back to work and it was fair to say she had somewhat higher hopes for this go round.

::She had intended to bring Rhys with her, but his nanny had insisted otherwise. There would be plenty of time during leave for her time spend time with him, Lucy had argued, and she needed a chance to unwind on her own. So here she was, wandering down a sun-baked dirt road in Mexico by herself.

::Speaking of being by herself, Quinn hadn't decided how she felt about her session with the counsellor. Somehow, she'd ended up spending most of the conversation dwelling on her love life - or lack thereof - but it was only one piece of the puzzle. It wasn't that she didn't have a partner, it was that she didn't have *anyone*. Which felt like a heartless thing to think, given she was strolling toward Pedro's home, but there it was. She liked him well enough and while she would probably trust him with her life... She wasn't so sure about her secrets.

::She shoved her hands into her pockets, having opted for casual attire for the Ramirez bash; sneakers, jeans and a t-shirt bearing a logo any nerd would be proud of. Her hair was up in it's usual ponytail, the Mexican climate being far too hot to wear it loose. Her attire didn't do much to make her feel like the command officer she was supposed to be, but she did feel a bit more human and besides, she wasn't here as the First Officer of a Federation starship. This was an off-duty get-together, not an official function. She wanted to blend in, not stick out.

::As she approached the homestead, a dog came running up toward her. After an experimental bark and some investigative sniffs, the canine allowed her to hunker down and make a small fuss over it. She'd had a dog before she joined Starfleet, a goofy yellow Labrador she had called Newton, but she had been forced to leave him with her father when she had been posted to the Ithassa region. Newton was gone now, having passed away from old age when she had been serving aboard the Independence. ::

RANCHER:

::Quinn gave the dog a last pat on the head before she stood up, smiling sheepishly. ::

REYNOLDS: Sorry. Hi. I know I'm a little early, but I'm here for the barbecue?

RANCHER:

REYNOLDS: Oh - Quinn Reynolds. I'm, um... Well, I serve with Pedro on the Eagle.

RANCHER:

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Lieutenant Commander Quinn Reynolds

First Officer

USS Eagle