Man Made & destroyed | James Conrad

4•friends not foes?

"So you're the infamous Conrad and Dawson that I've been hearing about" she grinned -friendly. Dawson smiled at the fellow female presence, counting, that there were about three women on the mission. Conrad seemed uncomfortable at the sudden group conversation so Dawson took reign.

"I guess so" she smiled and she felt Conrad brush her hip. He smiled at her apologetically and said aloud "I'm sorry, but I'm going to go and brush up on the maps before we lift anchor"

San and Brooks nodded, but Brooks pursed her lips, knowing that he had already studied the maps before they got to the ship. He was going wandering.

-
"Got cha'"
Conrad turned around with a jump. At first he was confused as to how somebody had snuck up on him, but then he realised that it was Dawson and she was as sneaky as a cat. She arrived with a laugh, her hair now slopped up into a high pony tail and her curls bounced as she threw her head back.

"Your face!" She exclaimed, pointing a finger at him as she crouched to catch her breath. Conrad rolled his eyes at her familiar antics "Son of a- Dawson you know not to sneak up on me, I could have shot you!"
"Yeah ok-" she spoke "-like you would shoot me when we're surrounded by bombs"

Her eyes fell to the boxes labelled 'RESTRICTED' and 'WARNING: EXPLOSIVES' and she grinned "Don't you just love Americans?"
"Have you seen this stuff? it's top of the range"
Conrad held his lighter to the wooden boxes to read the printed logos. Dawson walked beside him, straining to get a better look.

"Why does a geological mapping mission need explosives?"
"You weren't listening in class, seismic charges for the geological survey"
"Uh huh, you believe that?"
"I didn't say that"

Conrad turned to her with a small grin. He switched off his fathers lighter and Dawson leaned on the boxes lightly. "Call me crazy, but something tells me you aren't very comfortable around those sciency folk"
"Not when they're lying directly to our faces, geological mapping survey my ass"

Suddenly there was footsteps at the doorway. The pair turned to the noise, adrenaline finding their bones before they saw Mason Weaver appear with her camera. "What are you doing here?" Conrad asked and she sent the pair a frown "I could ask you the same question"

Yet when she figured they weren't going to reply, she said with a sigh "Just trying to figure out why a Geological mapping mission needs explosives"
"Dido" Dawson grinned and she lifted herself off of the boxes. She swayed towards Weaver and took her arm in hers before smiling at Conrad. "Let's let her join our group"
"Your what?" Weaver asked with a breathy chuckle, Dawson's bubbly-ness brushing off on her.

Conrad rolled his eyes "There is no-"
"The boycott Monarch group" Dawson wiggled her brows and let go of Weaver, she walked over to the boxes and Weaver followed - her fingers on her camera. "You're a war photographer, aren't you?" Conrad stated and Weaver shook her head "Anti-war"

"Aren't we all" Dawson mumbled and she reached up and began to slide a large, thick wooden box towards her. Conrad blanched "Dawson what on earth-"
"Oh shh, you know you wanted- help me with this- to"

Conrad grabbed the other end of the heavy box and they struggled, placing it on the floor gently. He looked at the box and saw exactly why she picked that one - it had latches. Weaver kept watch at the door as Dawson unlatched the lid and Conrad crouched next to her "Let's see what's in this baby" and Dawson popped the lid.