#unit au

[therapardalis]

[Medieval Meme from @itsthebrigadier.]

❛ I am at your mercy, your grace. ❜ ------------

Thera kept her eyes cast down. One of the things about being 'in her Majesty's service', military or enforcement, was the inevitable visits from nobility. Obnoxious and potentially inbred, the kind of nobility that insisted on a guided tour either derided UNIT's mandate entirely or expected them to parade out 'Martians' like an alien petting zoo.

Or such was the impression she'd gathered from the complaints as the place was 'tidied up' before the tour, and she was very inclined to believe them. Fortunately today's visitor was too young to recognise her as she stood behind the Brigadier, clothing neat, feet together and holding a clipboard to her chest, the civilian match to Benton and Yates beside her, at attention.

Less fortunately, the nearest thing they had to a 'Martian' was the Doctor, and she absolutely did not want to contemplate how that would go. For the moment however she waited, listening to Alistair undertake the pleasantries and very probably introduce his 'staff' ...

[therapardalis]

[Banter Meme from @itsthebrigadier.]

You're lucky you're so cute. ------------

"We work with what we have, Brigadier." And we absolutely do not weaponise it to coax the local innkeeper into finding them a table when the place was already full. Much. At all. In any case, the private event space upstairs wasn't in use that afternoon, and income from ordinary customers was better than none at all.

"Although you might be making an assumption," Thera added with a grin, "he could have realised I was starving and might just chew his leg off."

[therapardalis]

[Birthday Thing from @bitofanexile.]

"Ah, Thera, there you are. I was wondering when you would come back to the lab. I was having a chat with the tea lady and she told me it was your birthday. So, as gesture of goodwill I offer you, well, I'm not quite sure what would be a good gift. Although, I do happen to have a time space ship. So, what do you say to a quick jaunt?" ------------

And here was a moment of genuine surprise. Yes they'd made peace, yes they were actually getting along, but an acknowledgement of her birthday was a step up she hadn't expected. "Uh, yes ... I was just looking for a vase." For the flowers an 'unknown soldier' had left on her desk.

"A jaunt?" Another blink, understanding what he meant but hesitating on her reply. "I ... I mean yes, thank you! I just haven't the foggiest yet of when or where to go. Can I think about those and let you know?"

[therapardalis]

[Birthday Thing from @itsthebrigadier.]

"I understand someone has a birthday today. I take it you saw the flowers on your desk from an unknown person, who is definitely not me." ------------

"A birthday? Goodness, who could that possibly be?" Thera eyes batted, playing along. Then a chuckle broke through and those eyes crinkled with a smile. "I did find them, actually, I've just been looking for a vase - I don't trust any of the glassware in the lab! However ..."

A hesitation, a quick glance over both shoulders and one for the security camera, then a quick peck on the Brigadier's cheek, there and gone. "Thank the 'unknown person' for me."

[therapardalis]

[Grantchester Meme from @itsthebrigadier.]

"Am I boring?" ------------

"No -o-o - !" The one syllable became several on the laugh underneath, surprise and disbelief. "Who told you that?"

Thera didn't really expect him to admit it (she had her suspects, but wasn't going to say so either). She set coffee down on the coaster on his desk, her own cup still in hand, and looked at Alistair a little more seriously. "I think you pigeon-hole yourself a little, but that's just being professional about your job."

[therapardalis]

[Grantchester Meme from @itsthebrigadier.]

"Do you reckon I'll get one of those medals for bravery?" ------------

"I thought you already had one!" He did - it was right there among the other bars pinned to his left breast - but she kept her tone teasing in the spirit of the joke, "If you hold still and don't cry, I'll give you a special gold star!"

Thera leaned forward with a piece of gauze in her hand, dampened with antiseptic, pausing just before she touched it to the graze on Alistair's cheek. "Brace yourself, this is the bit that's going to sting ..."

[therapardalis]

[Random Thing from @bitofanexile.]

"I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this tedious spat!" ------------

Thera paused, looking up at him from over her cup of coffee ... then after a moment exhaled, the tug of her lips conveying that she agreed. "I think the entire building is tired of our tedious spat." The faint, wry amusement was directed at them both, and she waved to the seat across from her in invitation to sit down.

"So, what do you propose?"