Home sweet home [Me + invited]

[Below Par]

Machine grinned like he'd just been told the punchline to the great universal joke and said

"To be honest, there have been many a time that I've been expecting you and you've never came. I almost thought with having no name up 'till recently I'd shifted off of your lists. Since you're not in that formal little black number though I'm hoping you're not here in your . . . 'professional capacity' today. It intrigues me more though. If my time's not up and my luck's not yet ran out . . ."

Machine looked over at a slight rustling in a box nearby then continued

"What could a rookie with poor aim possibly do, give, or say that would captivate the attentions of someone such as yourself? Please don't get me wrong, I'm flattered beyond description but in what way could I possibly perform to satisfy such attention?"

Without waiting for a answer Machine walks up to Silver and puts his arm around her waist. Quickly, firmly but somehow gently he pulls her close and shifts again. In a fraction of a second the surroundings blur and change from the functional Comm room to a formal, yet lavish, set of quarters. Disengaging his grip and, almost as an afterthought, he says

"Sorry, former base commander's suite. Only place with a fully stocked bar. Drink?"

On the second step towards the bar, however, the man crumples, falling to one knee. Taking another deep breath he gets to his feet, although not without a visible effort, and continues towards the bar.

---