Blind Date

[l3wt]

James, while waiting, had come to the sudden realization that he hadn't exchanged any descriptions or images with his contact - no, date, dammit. Get used to the word - which in retrospect wasn't very smart. He was about to begin mentally kicking himself over this when he noticed another ship coming in.

He recognized the make, and he resisted the urge to cringe when its engine gurgled and groaned like a dying man towards the end of the landing sequence. Its pilot didn't immediately disembark, so he lost interest in the vessel for a little while. The hangar area seemed otherwise quiet, there were people around to be sure, but nobody who fit the description of "looking for someone".

The soldier sighed. He was a hair's breadth from deciding he'd made this entire thing FUBAR despite Austin's half-mocking, but effective efforts to get him this far, and would have slinked on back to his Eagle in shame had he not noticed the the Dromedary's pilot disembarking.

Well, he thought. She's definitely female, and she seems to be nervous and looking around a lot. If I'm going to embarrass myself and fail completely tonight, I might as well go all the way.

He approached her, again trying to look casual, but failing completely. To distract himself, he processed that he was taller than this woman by a fair bit, but at a hair under 1.90 metres, he was taller than most people.

"Er, excuse me."

Damn, James. Smoothest operator on the block, right there. The SAS of old would bow before you in awe before doubling over laughing.

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for someone?"

Feeling like the dumbest man alive and trying very hard not to let it show, James mentally prepared for being sent away with a "Ew, no, get away, creep" or something along those lines.