Chapter 3
"So tell me what happened with the PhD." Wolf said as he pushed a beer towards Larrin. They sat in the plush bar in one of the hotels the Nathan James crew were staying for the next week as thanks from the city of St Louis.
"What's the point?" She asked him with a sigh. She just wanted to celebrate their reunion and surviving but only Wolf would bring up the past like it was still relevant for the future. She also couldn't help but feel a little down that Miller wasn't here but Wolf assured her he would show up eventually.
"Because it made you run away from home." Wolf said with obvious concern for her. He'd always told Larrin to live a little more and travel to experience life a bit more but she had been dedicated to her life goals. So for her to cut and run was like her version of a midlife crisis.
"I needed a holiday. You told me I work too hard." Larrin said evasively.
"You've had a ten year plan since you were 8. Why the course deviation?" Wolf asked her, Larrin looked at him and realised he wouldn't give it up.
"Look I was kicked out for conduct unbecoming of a student." Larrin told him.
"I know, but why?" He asked her. Larrin rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair and gave a shrug.
"My supervisor sandbagged me, stole my work and published it under his name taking all the credit." Larrin told him.
"And you ran away?" Wolf asked her as it was how the Taylor family operated.
"No, I fought it and lost because he claimed that he gave me drafts to proofread and my backed up USB drive was inadmissable because I couldn't entirely prove it was mine as I didn't keep my receipt for it. So he won and I got booted from the program. So yeah I ran because I lost all my work and no other university would touch me because he's fucking God. So can you drop it now?" Larrin asked him in a low and hurt voice. She picked up her beer and took a long pull; hating how much her ego stung.
"That's not right." Wolf told her, feeling for her as she had chosen a hard path that was male dominated area of science. But to have her hard work stolen from her like that he could only wish he had been home as he would have punched the asshole.
"Well, it doesn't matter now." Larrin said as she placed her glass of beer back in the bar and looked at it.
"Well, at least you can continue with your studies." Taylor told her, trying to bolster her up.
"I wanted to work in biomolecular engineering. Being a Doctor was just something I needed to do to have more letters after my name and gain experience not a career path." Larrin told him with an exasperated tone.
"You're smart enough to be anything you want. Hell, the world need more scientists. So they'll overlook it." Wolf told her.
"It was my work and he stole it. Anyway why don't you tell me everything?" Larrin said as she was tired of talking about herself and she just wanted to forget the past.
"You know what I've been doing. Navy stuff." Wolf said evasively.
"Cryptic as always." Larrin drawled in a dry tone as Wolf never told her what he was up to but then it was to protect her.
"Nothing to worry your pretty head over." Wolf assured her as he reached over and ruffled her hair making her feel like a kid. She made a face at him as she didn't appreciate the gesture.
"Yeah right, why do you tell all your friends that I'm a dingo?" She asked him changing the topic. She kept her tone amused and casual but she was a little annoyed at him for being an overprotective brother when Miller was around. She liked him, he looked at her like she was perfect and treated her with such respect it made her feel special and worthwhile. Something she hadn't felt in months.
"I've never said you were a dingo. I said you're my little sister who is incredibly intelligent and going places." Wolf informed her. He wasn't going to mention that it was protect her.
"Not so much anymore." Larrin said with an exhausted sigh as her life was pretty much in limbo. Wolf hated how despondent Larrin was and had been about to argue with her but stopped as Captain Tom Chandler walked over to them. He rose from his seat and dropped into a military stance.
"Sir." Wolf said acknowledging him. Larrin looked to the man noting his rank and realised why Wolf was standing to attention.
"At ease, Senior Chief. I heard through the grapevine that you found family." the Captain said as he looked between the two of them.
"Well, it was all luck Sir. Commander Tom Chandler, Captain of the Nathan James. This is my little sister Larrin Taylor." Wolf said making the introductions.
"Nice to meet you Ma'am." The Captain said as he held out his hand to Larrin. She took his hand and gave it a firm shake.
"You too Commander. I have to say it must be a real boon for you to dock here and have such success with the contagious cure. I have to say it's a rather ingenious method of distributing a cure." She said with a smile as she was trying to suss out who was behind the cure that had already saved thousands of lives today. Commander Chandler smiled at her in a patient manner that reminded her of her and Wolf's father.
"Larrin is the brains of my family. 3 degrees. Medical Science and Engineering with a Masters in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering." Wolf said giving the Captain some context as to why Larrin was interested in the cure.
"Impressive for someone so young." The Captain said to Larrin, she gave a self effacing smile.
"I skipped a few grades in high school and did a double degree as an undergrad and a masters. Anyone can study when they have a supportive family, government assistance and enough motivation." Larrin said trying to downplay it. She hated it when Wolf showed her off as some kind of genius child. It made people look at and treat her differently. It had definitely stunted her socially.
"Also a PhD." Wolf said proudly to Captain Chandler.
"Not finished and never will be at this rate." Larrin clarified in annoyed and somewhat sad manner as she had worked hard on it. It was all a part of her life plan. She would have finished her PhD and moved onto getting her medical doctorate so she could legally practice medicine. she just wanted to do her training and be the same age as everyone around her for a change. But that plan was shot to hell now kind of like everything else.
"Well, given you'll be at the inauguration ball tonight I'll introduce you to Dr Rachel Scott." the Captain told her. Larrin frowned as she must of heard him wrong
"Dr Rachel Scott? as in one of the top Paleomicrobiologists in the world; Dr Scott? The woman who practically rewrote everything we know about techniques for hemagglutination-inhibition with arthropod-borne viruses?" Larrin asked her eyes wide in awe. She watched as the Captain and Wolf exchanged odd looks which she got when she went gaga over scientists and their research like a teenage girl went nuts over the latest male actor or singer. Except that Larrin wasn't interested in being Dr Scott's one true love she just wanted to bask in her intellectuality.
"Ah she created the cure." Wolf offered as he didn't understand anything Larrin had just said. He looked to the Captain who wore an amused expression probably because it was rare to see a woman as young as Larrin gush about Dr Scott like she were the Rolling Stones.
"You know what? I'm sure she'd love talking with you as you can truly appreciate her work in a manner that we can't. Now if you'll excuse me, I have another debriefing to get to. It was a pleasure to meet you and I'll see you both later." Tom said to them before he walked away.
"Inauguration ball? Is he serious about introducing me to Dr Scott?" Larrin asked Wolf, she couldn't help but feel a zing of excitement. She took another sip of her beer and felt a little woozy as she hadn't eaten in a couple of days and the acohol was giving her a buzz.
"Yeah and the ball is for the President. he was sworn in this afternoon." Wolf told her. Larrin made a face and shook her head.
"Who cares about that guy. You know I cited her research in my masters and parts of PhD about the application of a nano-"
"Whoa, don't start with the nerd talk. You know it's wasted on me." Wolf said interrupting her. Larrin gave an impatient huff as he was right.
"The point is that I didn't think I'd ever meet her. She's a like a rock star!" Larrin told him so he could understand why the idea of meeting her would be so amazing for her.
"Well, you haven't yet. So calm down." Wolf told her as he pushed her beer towards her again. He was kind of hoping that his Cadbury of a sister would get half way through the beer and call it a night. He could always get her a meet and greet with Dr Scott later but right now he wanted to keep her away from Miller.
Not that he didn't think Miller was a good guy, because he liked the guy but he just didn't want Larrin to get tied down as she was going places. He could see her being at the top of her field one day but he knew if she got into a relationship it would hold her back because she wouldn't want to outshine her partner.
"Taylor, you checked in yet?" Wolf turned to see Lt Green and Foster walk up to them. Both were in their BDU's and carrying their sea bags which meant it was only a matter of time before Miller showed up.
"Yeah, I'm all set. Hey meet my little sister Larrin. This is Lt Danny Green and Lt Kara Foster." Wolf said making the introductions before either of them made the mistake of assuming he and Larrin were a couple.
"Nice to meet you." Larrin said to them as she extended her hand in offer to them.
"You too. Though Taylor didn't tell me much." Danny said as he shook her hand first looking rather perplexed about why Wolf hadn't told him much about his sister. Kara however smiled brightly and took Larrin's hand.
"Speak for yourself, Danny." Kara said before she spoke to Larrin. "Wolf talks about you and your brothers a lot. It's great to finally meet you." she told her her warmly.
"Really?" Green asked Wolf incredulously as he looked a little insulted that Kara knew more about Larrin than he did given they were team mates. Wolf gave a shrug as an answer while Kara stepped up to defend him.
"I don't blame Wolf for being protective. I know how you men talk." Kara said.
"What does Wolf tell the guys on the ship about me?" Larrin asked Danny.
"Little sister, tall, just imagine my face with longer hair and smart." Danny said, Larrin gave Wolf an incredulous look.
"What?" Wolf asked her innocently.
"My little sister is incredibly intelligent and going places is what you said to me. But in reality you made you guy friend's think I looked like you with a 5 o'clock shadow, long hair and nerd glasses in a floral dress. Nice, real nice Bro." Larrin told him as she stood up and punched him in the arm as Wolf chuckled.
"I'll agree with that." Danny said.
"Not helping." Kara said to Danny before she turned her attention to Larrin. She had to admit that she immediately liked the young woman. "So you coming to the ball tonight?" Kara asked her.
"Your Captain extended an invite but I'm wondering how lax the dress code is as this is all I got." Larrin said pulling at her jumper. She knew she would stick out like a sore thumb but it wasn't like she could afford a new dress. The only thing she could do was put on the fold out flats she had in her bag as her spare shoes.
"You know, I have something in my bag you can borrow." Kara told her. Larrin's eyes lit up at the offer.
"You packed a ball dress?!" Danny asked her surprised. Kara rolled her eyes and Larrin wondered if Danny was that dense or just playing it up for a reaction from Kara.
"No, my Mom slipped a dress into my bag at some point before we left for the Arctic. It's not a ball gown but it'll do. She doesn't really understand that being in the Navy isn't remotely anything like a single's cruise to find men." Kara explained wryly as she had ended up with a partner and a baby on the way all without wearing the dress.
"I guess if you don't mind. I'd really appreciate the borrow." Larrin told her in earnest as she couldn't afford a dress let alone know where to find one on such short notice.
"Of course I don't mind, I'm in room 3321. Maybe come up around 5pm? I want to enjoy a long soak before tonight." Kara said looking rather dreamily about the idea of soaking in a hot bath.
"Sure and thank you." Larrin said to her sincerely.
"We're all family on the Nathan James." Kara told her with a warm smile.
