First Impressions
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Season 2 - Following the Nathan James' Departure from Norfolk
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Ravit Bivas followed Lieutenant Daniel Green down the pathway of the Nathan James, nodding politely to the passing crew, ignoring the odd way that their eyes kept bouncing from her to Green and back with a combination of surprise, confusion, and, at times, outright hostility. Having served in the Israeli Defense Force for more than ten years, Ravit was generally immune to the skepticism that being a woman in a job traditionally held by men too often brought. But there was something different about the reaction she was drawing today, although Ravit could not quite put her finger on it. The TAC team themselves had appeared to accept her presence without issue, although Carlton Burk had been a little too friendly, a different problem entirely.
"Here we are. Lieutenant Mir is the COMMO," Green said, having kept up a friendly level of chatter on their trip through the ship to her cabin after they left Wolf. Green knocked, waiting until a young woman with her dark hair pulled up in a tight bun answered. "Hi Amanda. This is Lieutenant Bivas. XO said she'll be bunking with you."
Lieutenant Mir - Amanda apparently - smiled. A smile that disappeared when her gaze turned to Ravit, her demeanor instantly cooling. She nodded. "Bivas." Mir turned back to Green. "I'm meeting Foster at the gym at 1800. You going to be there?"
"I have to check in with Norfolk and the SEAL Team but should be able to make it." Green checked his watch, appearing momentarily distracted, before he focused on Ravit. "You all set?"
"Yes." Not waiting for an invitation - it did not appear that one would be forthcoming - Ravit pushed her way past Mir into the cabin. Wondering whether her decision to join the Nathan James rather than remain in Norfolk with Anders' team had been a mistake. "Which bunk is mine?"
"The top." Mir's face wrinkled, as though she was having an internal debate. "Just so we understand each other, I'm friends with Foster."
It took Ravit a moment to place the name. The TAO, she thought. Was this Mir's way of warning Ravit off her boyfriend? Without hesitation, Ravit began stowing her belongings in her locker. She had no intention of getting personally involved with anyone on this crew. "Understood."
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By morning PT, Ravit was no closer to figuring out what was going on with her bunkmate but she had discovered that the entire bridge crew seemed to feel the same way, if the reaction of Lieutenants Alisha Granderson, the OOD, and Mejia, the navigator, were anything to go by. Gator's eyes had almost bugged out of his skull when Ravit entered the wardroom, and his whispered question to Granderson about whether she was really Green's new teammate were not as quiet as he must have thought.
Ravit was running through the assigned drills absently, half her mind working on the problem, when Tex appeared at her side. Definitely another example of how eccentric the Nathan James' crew was. There was no information about Tex's rank or service record or even why he was on the ship, Green merely explaining that Tex had been with us since Gitmo.
Tex huffed a little as he worked to keep up with Ravit's pace. "Heard that Granderson was giving you the cold shoulder. Don't let it get to you. Crew's just a little protective of KFC without the C. Some shit went down..well there was stuff that happened before you came on board. They'll warm up."
Deciding that Tex was likely her best source of information, Ravit slowed her pace slightly. The man was a solid fifteen years older than her, after all. "KFC?"
"Lieutenant Kara Foster," Tex clarified. "Ship's TAO."
The realization that Foster was a woman brought a flash of clarity. Ravit considered the events of yesterday, the pieces clicking into place. "She is with Green?"
"He's caught worse than a fish on a hook." Tex flashed her a smile and Ravit knew instantly that this entire conversation had been a ruse to drop that tidbit of information. She filed away the thought. A man like Tex could be useful.
Or dangerous.
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Ravit was sitting in the cafeteria, having opted to take lunch with Wolf here after enduring three uncomfortable meals in the wardroom, when the head chef approached. Wolf was currently on the other side of the room loading up a tray with desserts. Not that she blamed him. It had been months since they had anything to eat that they didn't scavenge, kill or prepare themselves and both had gone a little overboard when presented with a dizzying array of options. Ravit glanced up, and then kept looking, the man before her at least six and a half feet and close to three hundred pounds.
"How are you settling in?" The mountain of a man asked. He stuck out a hand. "I'm Bernie Cowley. But everyone calls me Bacon."
Ravit took the offered hand, a sense of relief that there had been no mention of one Lieutenant Kara Foster. "Ravit Bivas. The lunch spread was delicious."
Bacon chuckled. "I do my best. Although the stores in Norfolk were pretty limited."
Given that the lunch options consisted of a meat dish, a pasta dish, three vegetable sides, and an assortment of cut fruit, Ravit was at a loss for words. Fortunately she was saved by Wolf's approach, carrying a tray filled with a selection of chocolate pastries that had her mouth watering. Wolf grinned in her direction. "Bivas, there's chocolate."
"Oh yeah, Lieutenant Foster has a bit of a sweet tooth these days," Bacon replied, eyes flickering to Ravit for the briefest of moments. "I've been trying out some new recipes."
Taking a rather large bite of a chocolate croissant, Ravit decided that she didn't care what Bacon's motives were, so long as he kept the chocolate coming.
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"So, do you play poker?" Burk asked as Ravit went through her strengthening exercises. He had been hanging around for the last twenty minutes but Ravit was tolerating it because Wolf told her to play nice. Besides, Burk didn't seem that bad. Mostly just awkward. "We have a game going tonight if you want to join."
Ravit considered the invitation. There were some benefits to getting to know her new team in a more casual environment, and one major drawback. "Who typically attends?"
Burk grinned. "The team. A few of the guys from CIC. They're usually pretty easy to clean out unless Foster is around. She counts cards."
"Will Foster be there tonight?" Ravit asked. She had yet to meet the woman in person, and she could admit to a fair amount of curiosity.
"Nah, tonight's Thursday so she and Green..." Burk trailed off abruptly, apparently realizing that he was saying something that he shouldn't. Again, Ravit wondered if she would ever get the full story. "Foster and Green have a thing. Just in case you were wondering."
"I'm aware," Ravit replied, moving on to her next set.
His message now delivered, Burk relaxed. "You'll come tonight?"
Ravit sprang to her feet. "Sure. I always enjoy taking other people's money."
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Wolf sidled up to Ravit as she began going over her gear. "How much did you win last night?"
"Enough to buy myself a very nice dinner," Ravit replied, an old joke between them. The game had been slightly more challenging than she was anticipating. Tex and Cruz were decent players. Burk and Miller, on the other hand, were both terrible. The only question being who was going to clean them out.
"Miller wanted me to tell you something," Wolf continued, his amusement clear. "Apparently he's too scared to talk to you himself."
Checking her ammunition, Ravit rolled her eyes. "Let me guess. He wants me to know that Green has a girlfriend. Our TAO."
Chuckling, Wolf moved past her to begin gathering his own gear. "Not the first one to tell you then?"
"No." Ravit snapped, having no intention of discussing the situation further even if it was with Wolf. The whole situation was annoying her more and more. Since when did joining a team mean that she had designs on the man in charge?
A minute later, Wolf whistled under his breath. "Speak of the devil."
Glancing up, Ravit saw Lieutenant Foster making a beeline for Lieutenant Green, the two stepping to the side of the bay to talk. Ravit watched from the corner of her eye as the two spoke, nothing in their posture suggesting that the conversation concerned anything more than the plan to board Solace. Then Green glanced in Ravit's direction, and she felt her heart drop. Foster was the TAO, one of the most senior officers on board. While she probably couldn't get Ravit tossed off, being on the woman's bad side could definitely make Ravit's life difficult. But before Ravit could finish the thought, Green began laughing, Foster tossing out a hand to cuff him on the arm and then sashaying across the space, nodding to Ravit and Wolf with a "g'day" before disappearing out the door.
Wolf looked back and forth between the empty door and Green, who was still laughing. "Do I want to know?"
Green slapped him on the back. "I have it on good authority that you, Taylor, have made quite an impression on the ladies."
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"Lieutenant Bivas!"
Ravit turned, holding back as sigh, as Lieutenant Foster approached. "Yes, Lieutenant?"
"I was hoping to catch you." Foster sounded surprisingly out of breath for such a short jog. "I wanted to let you know..."
"That you are dating Lieutenant Green," Ravit cut her off, folding her arms across her chest. "I am aware."
Foster blinked. "Um, I guess Danny told you?"
"Green?" Ravit scoffed, before counting out on her fingers. "I have been informed by Mir, Nolan, Bacon, Burk, Miller, Granderson, and Mejia. I am only surprised that the XO didn't mention the information upon welcoming me on board."
Foster sighed, and Ravit was fairly sure that she heard the woman murmur idiots under her breath. "They mean well. Sometimes they just get a little too involved in things that are none of their business. Sorry if anyone made you feel unwelcome."
Ravit was surprised by the apology. "I am used to it. No such thing as privacy on a ship."
"None," Foster agreed. "I usually do PT with a couple of the other women at 1800 if you ever want to join us."
Aware that Mir was part of that group, Ravit made a mental note to rearrange her schedule. Bunking with someone who constantly glowered at you was wearing. "I would like that."
Foster smiled. "Anyway, now that we have that behind us, I wanted to tell you that the women's shower is out so we've taken over the men's shower on deck two. It's the cleanest, even if Carlton will throw a fit when he finds out. I have to go but hopefully I'll see you later."
With her message delivered, Foster disappeared and Ravit found herself standing in the middle of the pathway wearing a broad smile. Perhaps being on this ship with Foster was not going to be so bad after all.
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A/N - yes, I know that the crew is far too professional to have really acted this way but it was funny so... Hope you enjoy. xoxo - tmtcltb