SNIP

Bella Napoli

Ashley sat at the table tapping her glass of wine nervously with a fingernail. The rhythmic tapping matched the shaking of her foot under the table. Things had gone terribly askew with Dante over the past few months but chiefly in the past twenty-four hours. Ashley had to make him see that. Looking up at the clock she spied it was one. It was then she heard the archaic jingle indicating someone was entering the restaurant. She had no doubt it was Dante. Turning her gaze to the door she raised a hand signalling where she was seated and took a deep breath as he walked over. She knew Dante would notice so many details about this lunch. First off her dress: It was one he had bought her on their last shore leave. His drink already ordered and waiting for him across from her on the table. Her hair was down and in soft curls that framed her face just like he liked it. The food was as close to his native Italian cuisine as possible and Bella Napoli was one of his favourite restaurants. Besides if all of the small touches failed, Ashley did have one Ace in the hole she was not afraid to play.

Spying her at a table the two of them had often sat at, Dante smiled and nodded in her direction before moving through the small group of people to her. Today was a new day, the events of the previous day a blur almost and their conversation before going separate ways an uncomfortable memory. But, looking at Ashley now Dante could almost believe that was exactly what it was, a memory.

These small details were not lost on him, the dress she wore, her hair the way that he adored and his favorite restaurant seated at ‘their’ table, along with the short chained necklace that Ashley had begun to wear after Dante admitted that he found her irresistible when she wore that small decoration with her delicate neck exposed for him. As he came to the table another pair of details reached him, she was wearing the perfume she wore on their first date when Dante fell madly for her, and their song was playing almost imperceptably in the background. His smile widened and he held back a chuckle as the words reached him, it was an old song, mostly forgotten now but they had danced, lived and loved to the words every time they had been together.

“Hello Dante, you look amazing,” Ashley said rising from her seat and leaning over to give him a kiss in greeting. “I ordered us spaghetti bolognese but on the spicy side with those ghost peppers you love. I also ordered the tiramisu for dessert. The waiter said that they were getting low and I wanted us to make sure we got some,” Ashley sat down chatting away as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Cadet Ashley Madison

“You look amazing Ash, I remember that dress, and the day after” he told her, returning the light kiss before sitting down. They had been together for three years and she had been about to be his fiance, he loved her, but things had gone so off the rails for them and he was struggling to know where they got together now. He hoped today would leave him with a clearer idea of where he would go. “You did all of this just for lunch? I don’t deserve that, but thank you.”

“What this old thing,” she said taking a sip of her wine. Her comment was meant to be flippant and playful but also seductive and coy. She acted like his words didn’t make her happy but the slight smile and look in her eyes told Dante thank you for the compliment.

He sat down in the chair opposite her, but didnt reach out for her hand, suddenly feeling that it wasn’t right after the previous night. He looked at her a moment before leaning forward and relaxing, he knew the woman in front of him, Intimately and deeply, or he thought he did. “I’m sorry about last night” he told her softly, “I know all of this is a mess.”

Cadet Knight

“Water under the bridge,” Ashley said in a tight tone. She hoped her anger at Daye was hidden well enough by the smile on her face. All of this was the Siberian Sluts fault. Dante would see that soon. Ashley wanted to point this out but it was too soon. Dante’s moral compass was not yet ready to vilify and assign blame to the one person it should be given to. Ashley though would make Daye pay for the indiscretion. It would be subtle. It would be vague but it would come.

As soon as the food arrived, Ashley picked up her fork and immediately began to eat. “So I contacted the department head on the Wellington and explained the situation. He was more than happy to arrange for your transfer there too,” Ashely said in a happy tone. “You and I will be Wellies in less than six months,” she smiled happily as she continued to eat. “In fact, I even arranged for you and John to be roommates. At one time you guys were close. Being roommates will also alleviate any doubts you have about how much he values your friendship. I know you might be hesitant with the idea but I promise....it will be the best,” she reached out patting his hand.

Cadet Ashely Madison

“The Wellington?” Dante asked, looking up from his pasta and narrowing his eyes slightly. “Ash I’ve been offered an extra year of advanced tactical training at the Academy, I’m not going to the Wellington, especially not with that idiot John.” He put down his fork, picked up his beer and took a sip. The mere mention of that mans name at that moment and at this time brought a sliver of his Italian anger to the surface. “You know he and I were buddies for about a month, until he began chasing after every girl I was interested in. We haven’t sat down to talk since the fight where we both ended up in the infirmary, and we aren’t going to. What the heck makes you think that having us a roomies would be a good idea? Especially when he goes on about how ‘close’ you two are all the time lately. So I take it your still planning on heading to the Wellington after graduation?”

Cadet Knight

“Because unlike you John does not seem to harbor ill will against you. In fact, he thought it would be good to have the three of us together so we weren’t lonely on our first ship. That being said yes I am planning on US going to the Wellington,” she said simply, “because there is no way I am leaving you for another year here with her. The little Russian lolita can find someone else to occupy her time. If she can’t I will find something for her to do to fill up her time. I pulled a lot of strings to get this to happen Dante. The Wellington is a perfect fit for you and I. You can do whatever you do as a security officer and I can change the world with chemistry. Besides, it will be easier for you to be placed if you stick with security when they offer me a DH spot after my first year.” Ashley ate her meal as if nothing was wrong between them.

Cadet Ashley Madison

“You want me to go with you, and John, to the Wellington because you don’t want me here with Natasha? Even if I am getting advanced training that is going to get me out of the run of the mill Security ranks and into a Bridge Officer Tactical position?” Dante put down his beer and looked at her in disbelief for a moment.

“You want me with you and him on the Wellington, where he and I can follow you around ‘doing whatever we do’ as Security Officers as you advance your career so you always have someone to be with, is that it? Him when I’m working and me when he’s working? And you have an issue with Natasha? You have no interest that I have an opportunity to get a jump in my own career or that you can do more from the Outpost in Science than you possibly could with a backwater cruiser like the Wellington, except work your way up the ranks by knocking off those above you?” He picked up his beer and went to take a drink, then looked at it and placed it down on the table again, hard, which caused a number of people to look in their direction.

“Science is not like security,” Ashley shot back. “We don’t just sit around eating snack foods waiting for something to happen or some idiot to come pick a fight with us or our crew. In science, we have to actively pursue our goals. That is why we are going to take the Wellington. You can get into a fist o’ cuffs on any ship so why not one that will benefit me and my goals,” she said in a neutral tone. “Besides we will be together and that should be your primary goal.”

Dante leaned forward with a fire in his eyes and looked at her, and somehow despite the Italian fire his eyes were stone cold. “You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said, nor even considered my point of view or how valid it might be. If you have you certainly decided it wasn’t important. Ash it’s all been about what you want, what suits you best and not what is the best for us. All about you and I can’t believe that I have finally seen that. You make us less by being around him and acting like you do, you want me to hold my career back to keep you company on a ship nobody cares about because you might be able to swing an early promotion, even though you deserve one anyway. You want me away from Natasha even if that means I lose out on the advanced training that will put me on the exact path I spent four years working for, I can respect the reason why you don’t want me around her but not when you act the same around John and ignore my concerns about us. Hell I would even talk about your idea if you weren’t such a goddamn hypocrite.” By now Dante was talking fast, and not too quiet and slipping into the Italian accent that he often regained when he was angry enough to almost lose his temper completely, and he was obviously oblivious to the other patrons.

Ashey could see that Dante was quickly slipping into that state where he was not going to calm down until a few hours passed and a few beers drank. Rarely did he get this hot but when he did it took a while for him to come back down.

“I’ve had enough, Ashley” Dante told her flatly, “I’d rather be here doing my extra training, with ‘My Little Russian Lolita” as you put it so eloquently, than serving on a go-nowhere ship gaining rank by waiting for the old Department Heads to die off, and wondering if I get to be with my girlfriend, or if you will even acknowledge I exist after I finish my shift or if I have to wait around for you to finish what your up to with him. I always made sure I was around for you, Ash, but I’m done. I hope you do well on the Wellington, enjoy your lunch.” Without waiting for a reply, Dante stood. He didn’t just stand however, he came to his feet with all the fire of his ancestors boiling in him, and one hand gripping the side edge of the table. With a strong, powerful lift, Dante sent the table flipping upside down spilling chilli infused pasta and sauce in all directions as well as their drinks and the vase of flowers. The entire cafe went quiet as the sound of the table boomed across the room, and it took most people only moments to realize that the only noise, was the music still playing a jaunty beat as the tall and now very angry and brooding Security Cadet walked between the tables glaring at the people sitting down, almost daring them to get in his way as he left.

Cadet Dante Knight

“Dante Alighieri Knight,” a woman’s voice came from off in the corner. It was probably the only one that could stop the cadet in his tracks. The voice was not booming or loud. It was, however, the voice that belonged to one Alessandra Knight. “I can see you are quite upset but maybe we should take a moment and calm down before you make any more brash decisions,” she offered walking up to him. Walking across the cafe as if nothing had transpired at all, Mrs. Knight moved with a quiet elegance. She approached her son and gave him a warm embrace.

“Can we get another table,” she said to no waiter, in particular, linking her arm in his. While most women, especially a mother, might have been appalled at the scene, she was married to and a full-blooded Italian herself. Tempers ran hot and firey but then settled into a steady smolder until extinguished with enough water or wine. Now she understood why Ashley had called her at three AM. Things were more than off-kilter as her son’s girlfriend called it. It was a full-blown Vesuvius incident here and Allessandra needed to save Pompeii.

Mrs. Allesandra Knight.