Vineyards and Jules Verne "
By: Marcus Campanili , Marine XO , [NPC]
Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58208.11 1430

The arboretum was only half finished but the plants grew lush and rich. Soft smells from unknown flowers filled the air when Teilani entered the room. On the ground an occassional cat footprint was shown. Apperently Chester was a frequent visitor here as well.

Besides her own quarters this was the only place she could have some time to herself, otherwise nurses were barging into her office, or in the lounge she had to listen to the everlasting ship's gossip.

Carrying a book in her hands, she sat down on a little bench, in front of her a view port and stars were streaking by. Carefully she opened the book, it was old and ancient, still made out of real paper.

Marcus Campanili looked up from his own book when he heard someone enter the arboretum and quietly watched as Teilani made her way inside. He was tucked back in a discreet corner that hid his presence from view, and his lips quirked in a hint of a smile when he observed the book in her hands.

His training served him well as he shifted to her position without a sound to mark his movements.

"There is nothing quite like the feel of real paper between your fingers, is there?" he asked in that deep voice of his from just behind and off to the side of her.

Teilani jumped and the book slipped from her hands. "What the..." she quickly turned round and looked. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, haven't your mother thought you you should not startle people?" she said quasi angered and her cheeks suddenly flushed as if she had been caught with her hands in the cookie jar.

Campi's lips quirked in a near smile as he deftly reached down and picked the book off the ground. "I believe she missed that part of my education." He squatted next to her so that his eyes were on the same level as hers. He offered her the book and his mouth finally finished the slight smile. "Your book." The smile widened a bit more and sparkled warmly in the depths of his dark eyes. "Perdonilo prego," he told her in Italian. "Forgive me. For startling you and causing your heart to flutter. It is a side effect of my profession."

Teilani's cheeks became even more rosy as she accepted the book from him, carefully she brushed the dirt from the pages. "What are you doin here hiding.... Captain ... ehrm Campanili wasn't it?" she asked trying to regain her posture.

"Si, Marcus Campanili. And you are Lieutenant Teilani Dane," he watched her closely, his voice and slight accent adding a rather exotic sound to her name; his words giving the impression that he knew all about her. "Ship's doctor and angel of mercy."

Not knowing where to look she lowered her eyes for a second but then green met brown and she smiled. "Ships doctor yes, she retored, "but angel of mercy.... I am no angel." She grinned. "Any way answering your question, there is indeed nothing like old fashioned paper."

"It warms not only the fingers, but also the soul." He remained crouched down to her level, looking quite at home. "Tell me; what brings you to this haven for your reading pleasure?"

Slowly Teilani stood up and gestured at the half finished arboretum. "Don't you see it," she said with passion. "It's alive, the colour and the smells, the quietness. It's like a piece of the garden of Eden. Plant's give life, beauty, they give harmony. Look at this rose," she said, "how the peddles are surrounding the heart, perfection."

Marcus stood as she did and quietly watched her as she spoke, listening to the passion that tinged her voice. His lips quirked in that almost smile he did so well.

She leant forwards and closed her eyes and smelled the rose. "then there is the smell, soft, sweet.. it reminds me of a warm summer morning after the rain."

Campanili stood at that parade rest he so easily adopted and seemed genuinely interested in everything she said. "I see that it draws you."

"You must think I am completely nuts, but this place is like an oasis for me. Just to sit here, look at the stars. It makes me relax from all the hectic in Sickbay... " Teilani answered.

"Nuts?" He smiled and shook his head a bit. "No." He waved a hand to encompass the setting and then lightly touched his book. "Why do you think I'm here? It reminds me a little of home," he admits. "It's just missing a good vineyard."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and regretted the fact that she hadn't gotten her uniform on and her hair neatly in a bun. Nobody had ever seen her in casual cloths on the ship that often and it made her feel naked some how, especially the way this Marine was looking at her.

It was if he could read her mind. Or perhaps it was once again a side effect of his training and he was just very observant to the subtleties of her body language. "You look perfect for this setting," he observed. "Like you should be stomping grapes," he added with another smile.

"Stomping grapes?" she asked while she gestured at the little bench, inviting Marcus to sit.

"To make the wine," he answered as he sat on the bench. "It is tradition. When the harvest is brought in from the vines all the grapes are placed in a huge wooden vat. The celebration begins when all the women of the family and workers begin to mash the grapes. Barefoot," he smiled.

"You are kidding, barefoot??" Teilani asked with disbelief.

"Barefoot," he chuckled at the look on her face. "Oh, there are vineyards that have adopted a much more... modern technique, but the old ways produce a quality of wine that is superior to all others. And the Brandy.. Magnifico," he kissed his fingers and smiled.

"Jee I didn't know that. We don't have vineyards on Mars and the only wine I know is Bajoran spring wine. So what do you call home, judging from your accent and your knowledge from grapevines it must be something southern?"

"I was born in Italy. My family still lives there," he answered her quietly. "I think they will always live there.. because they always have." It was hard to read him because he didn't give much away, but Dane was astute enough to perceive the fondness he held for not only the place, but also for his family and his heritage. "What was it like, growing up on Mars?"

Teilani averted her eyes and stared out the view port and momentarily was lost in thought. "It was hard, although much of Mars has been terraformed we do have to account for the seasonal storms, the heat. Us Marsians are tough people. Despite that, it was a great place to grow up, even during the occupation."

Marcus watched her quietly, his rather brooding dark gaze missing nothing of her body language. "What's it like now? I have to admit that I've never been there."

"I wouldn't know how it is now, I left home quite young. How about you? What was it like growing up in the middle of a vineyard? she asked softly and turned her full attention back to Marcus.

He smiled at the question and shrugged a little expressively. "Beautiful. And hard. Although hard work rather than harsh. Mother Nature can be cruel when she gets a bee up her skirts," he replied. "A vineyard has to be protected and nurtured every day... Cherished..." he added. "Rather like a woman," his smile grew. "Do you ever want to go back to Mars?"

"I don't know to be honest," Lani responded and a flash of pain flew over her face. "I have great memories about home but also bad ones." Teilani grew silent.. "You know Captain, even though the Zion is my home for some years now, there is this longing, wanting to go back to Mars and yet being afraid to go back. Sounds rather silly right?"

"Not at all," he gave her a half smile of understanding and shook his head a little. "It's a very natural feeling to want to revisit your roots. They are what helped make you what you are today," he added with a little shrug.

"What made you choose to become a Marine and not stay in Italy, take care of your family's vineyard, raise a family? If I am too curious just let me know alright?" Teilani said with a smile and studied Marcus's face.

Now it was Marcus' turn to look up and gaze out at the stars for a moment or two while he gathered his thoughts and formed an answer for her. He didn't look hard at all. At the moment he looked rather thoughtful and pensive as if he hadn't visited the thoughts she'd put question to for quite some time.

"Because I was the dreamer," he answered and turned to smile down at her. "My father, my grandfather, and my older brother all run the vineyards. I was the rebel, the fighter between us," he admitted. "Joining the Marines gave me an outlet for that... And I was fascinated by the stars when I was young, so..." he shrugged and his lips quirked in a wry grin. "What better way to experience them, hmm? As to raising a family..." he shrugged expressively. "I haven't found the right woman yet."

"I am sure you will find one when the time is right," she answered softly. Then she grinned as she remembered some of her nurses remarks and she could only hope that Jelly wouldn't get her claws on him. He wouldn't survive that. She observed him closely, now she remembered why she liked dark eyes, they were so mysterious. "It seems Captain that we have more in common then we thought."

"Ahh... but I'm not looking," he told her with a smile, referring to finding the right woman. "And indeed, it seems we do, Lieutenant," he agreed.

"How did you end up on the ship?" she asked putting the book next to her and tucked one leg under the other one, shifting a little on the bench.

"A series of unrelated events." He stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. "The Zion found itself without a proper Marine compliment, the Major, Taylor and the boys and I found ourselves up for reassignment, and Maquis Command decided it was a marriage made in heaven. What about you?" he asked.

Teilani swallowed a lump in her throat, sometimes it still pained her to talk about it. "I was a survivor from the Kittyhawk." she said evenly. "When I was rescued I asked Captain Hunter if I could stay on as the ships doctor, been here ever since."

"Ahhh..." Marcus nodded in understanding. "That must have been a very traumatic experience for you. Would be for anyone not experienced in the rigors of combat," he smiled a bit. "It turned out well though, hmm? You survived, and have a new home here."

Teilani giggled, a bright and clear laughter resonated through the arboretum. "I guess your right but you have to admit it being on the Zion and out in deep space, it sometimes wreck havoc on your social life."

"Social life? What social life? Marines don't have social lives," he scoffed with a semblance of a grin. Joking? Perhaps. It was hard to tell actually. "But I can hardly believe that *you* don't have a very active social life, doctor."

"No honestly," she said still laughing, "I believe this is the first day in weeks I have been able to escape sickbay. I even missed my favorite movie last week due to Ensign Taylor."

"Well... It seems we have something else in common," his lips quirked a bit. "What movie?" he asked curiously. "And who is Ensign Taylor?"

Teilani streched her long legs and removed a strand of red hair which kept dangling infront of her eyes. "Ensign Taylor is working in the belly of the Zion, I believe at the waste disposal units and he is a clutch." Teilani grinned. "I can not disclose doctor patient stuff of course but he is such a goof and he managed to get hurt the night they were going to show Casablanca."

"Ahhhh... Casablanca. A classic," he smiled. "And a pity you missed it. It never gets old, does it?" he asked.

"It surely doesn't." she confirmed. "Perhaps they will show it again, and then nobody is going to stop me." she said determinantly.

He chuckled softly at the determination in her voice.

"What kind of movies do you like," she asked.

"I'm a fan of the classics," he admitted. "Both in reading and viewing. Casablanca is one of my favorites. What about you?"

"Well Casablanca of course, and then Ben Hur, Dial M for Murder. I adore a good murder mystery. Although romantic movies work wonders too, like Gone with the Wind." she said and sparkles came in her eyes as she remembered Gone with the wind.

"What book were you going to read before I barged in here?"

Marcus held the book up for her to see it. "Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Verne. What about you?" he tipped his head in the direction of her book.

"It must be a coincidence." Teilani replied as she showed him the book.

Marcus broke out in hearty laughter when he read the title of the book in her hands. "'20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'. That's priceless," he grinned at her. "Verne's a favorite of mine."

"I also have Around the world in 80 days. If you want you can borrow it."

"I'd like that," he nodded. "And I also have 'From the Earth to the Moon', which I haven't read yet, but I'd be willing to share it."

"Oh I would love to." she replied, and then she got a bold idea. "Marcus, you don't mind me calling you Marcus right?" Teilani asked.

Marcus chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all, Doctor."

"I was wondering, if Casablanca is playing would you like to go with me watching it?" she asked and a small blush appeared on her face. "I mean not as a date date but just as friends or so?"

"I would enjoy that very much," he agreed. "But only if you allow me to call you Teilani," he added teasingly. "You look ten years younger when you blush," he added with a wink.

"Only ten?" she replied with mocked surprise. "Perhaps I should blush more often then, " then Teilani giggled and doubled forward into laugher. "Gosh I feel such a schoolgirl," she said still hickuping from the fun, "blushing is something I have never gotten rid off."

"A curse of your coloring," Marcus grinned. "And I do believe you're pinker," he teased good naturedly.

"Yeah yeah you make fun of it, you guys don't have that problem." she said still chuckling.

Now it was Marcus' turn to break out into deep hearty laughter. "No, No, I dare say we don't. It's one of those little perks we men have that keep you women guessing. After all, we have to have SOME tactical advantages because you have the lion's share of them."

"No we don't...." Teilani said grinning and flicked back her hair and winked.

Marcus laughed heartily. "Spoken like a true woman."

Teilani stood up. "Well its time for me to go back to work again. She patted the book and handed it out to Marcus.

"You can read it if you like."

Marcus looked a bit surprised by the offer, but took the book anyway, smiling at her as he stood up too. "Thank you. But you didn't have to."

"Well it will give you an excuse to drop by sickbay when you bring it back."

He quirked a brow at her and suppressed the full grin that lit his eyes, turning it into an amused smirk. "Indeed it will."

Picking a invisible threat from her dress Teilani turned around. "See you around Marcus." she said with a smile as her green eyes lingered a little longer on him.

"I do believe you will, Teilani," he assured her with a grin and watched as she walked away from him, his eyes traveling and admiring her form and the gentle sway of her hips as she went.