Morad felt a warm smile spread across his face at her playful rebuttal. The way she shook her head, her eyes still sparkling from the night, completely charmed him.
"I don’t think you needed much persuasion," she pointed out, her tone light and teasing. "If you had, I wouldn’t want to go anyway."
"You have a point, Amila." He chuckled softly. "I was already sold."
He watched, feeling a simple joy as she swung their joined hands between them. Then, her next words brought a healthy dose of reality back into their perfect bubble.
"I suppose we need to say something to Captain Fields before we set that up though, huh?"
He fell silent for a moment. It had been on his mind as well, and it was good that they were both looking ahead, not shying away from the practicalities of their life as Starfleet officers. They both knew this road could be a difficult one.
Anything worth having is usually reached by taking the hard path...
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and nodded, his expression serious but calm.
"You're right," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "We will. The right way."
Before he could say more, she moved closer, rising on her toes. Her question, "Are you going to kiss me goodnight or what?" was bold and wonderful, but it was her action, her closing the distance to bring her lips to his, that sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated happiness through him. He melted into her kiss, returning the gentle passion completely, his hand tightening in hers for just a second. It was the perfect seal on an incredible night.
When she pulled away, her "Goodnight, Morad" was warm and final. He watched, almost in a daze, as she let go of his hand and disappeared into her quarters, the door hissing shut behind her, leaving him alone in the quiet station hallway.
He stood there for a long moment, the spot where her hand had been in his still feeling warm. He slowly lifted his fingers to his lips, a soft, involuntary smile forming.
'Until next time,' he recalled her saying. It wasn't a goodbye; it was a promise...
He turned and began to walk, his footsteps echoing softly in the corridor.
Captain Fields. Her bringing it up hadn't been a bucket of cold water; just the opposite. It was a sign of how seriously she was taking this, of how real this was to her, too. It wasn't a complication, just a procedure. A necessary step for something that was quickly becoming very necessary to him.
For her, any procedure, any regulation, is worth it...
He thought back over the whole evening – the bustling holodeck, the ancient city, the warm sea, the starlit sky, and her through all of it: her laugh, her intelligence, her beauty, and her adventurous spirit.
She’s really something else... where have you been all my life?
The feeling settled deep in his chest as he walked. Just one night of shore leave, and everything feels different, clearer. That second date isn't just something to look forward to anymore. It feels like a destination.
Yes. Definitely. Before we head back to the Titania. An overwhelming urge bubbled up inside him.
But now I am dying to tell someone... I feel like my chest is going to burst if I don't let this out...
As soon as he was back in his quarters and had poured himself a drink, he settled onto the couch, the feeling still buzzing through him. He spoke out into the quiet room.
"Computer, begin recording a personal message for Commander Alexander Talion, USS Aquila." The Titania's First Officer waited for the confirming chirp, a wide grin on his face. "Alex, you are not going to believe the night I just had..."
[Incoming priority one message from Starfleet Command,] the computer's voice cut in, its tone flat and devoid of any sense of timing. [Source: Office of the Sector Commander. Message is flagged Urgent and classified Your Eyes Only.]
Morad sat upright, his grin vanishing instantly. The drink in his hand was forgotten.
What the what?!
== And... Scene! Click here to continue this story line. ==
"I don’t think you needed much persuasion," she pointed out, her tone light and teasing. "If you had, I wouldn’t want to go anyway."
"You have a point, Amila." He chuckled softly. "I was already sold."
He watched, feeling a simple joy as she swung their joined hands between them. Then, her next words brought a healthy dose of reality back into their perfect bubble.
"I suppose we need to say something to Captain Fields before we set that up though, huh?"
He fell silent for a moment. It had been on his mind as well, and it was good that they were both looking ahead, not shying away from the practicalities of their life as Starfleet officers. They both knew this road could be a difficult one.
Anything worth having is usually reached by taking the hard path...
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and nodded, his expression serious but calm.
"You're right," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "We will. The right way."
Before he could say more, she moved closer, rising on her toes. Her question, "Are you going to kiss me goodnight or what?" was bold and wonderful, but it was her action, her closing the distance to bring her lips to his, that sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated happiness through him. He melted into her kiss, returning the gentle passion completely, his hand tightening in hers for just a second. It was the perfect seal on an incredible night.
When she pulled away, her "Goodnight, Morad" was warm and final. He watched, almost in a daze, as she let go of his hand and disappeared into her quarters, the door hissing shut behind her, leaving him alone in the quiet station hallway.
He stood there for a long moment, the spot where her hand had been in his still feeling warm. He slowly lifted his fingers to his lips, a soft, involuntary smile forming.
'Until next time,' he recalled her saying. It wasn't a goodbye; it was a promise...
He turned and began to walk, his footsteps echoing softly in the corridor.
Captain Fields. Her bringing it up hadn't been a bucket of cold water; just the opposite. It was a sign of how seriously she was taking this, of how real this was to her, too. It wasn't a complication, just a procedure. A necessary step for something that was quickly becoming very necessary to him.
For her, any procedure, any regulation, is worth it...
He thought back over the whole evening – the bustling holodeck, the ancient city, the warm sea, the starlit sky, and her through all of it: her laugh, her intelligence, her beauty, and her adventurous spirit.
She’s really something else... where have you been all my life?
The feeling settled deep in his chest as he walked. Just one night of shore leave, and everything feels different, clearer. That second date isn't just something to look forward to anymore. It feels like a destination.
Yes. Definitely. Before we head back to the Titania. An overwhelming urge bubbled up inside him.
But now I am dying to tell someone... I feel like my chest is going to burst if I don't let this out...
As soon as he was back in his quarters and had poured himself a drink, he settled onto the couch, the feeling still buzzing through him. He spoke out into the quiet room.
"Computer, begin recording a personal message for Commander Alexander Talion, USS Aquila." The Titania's First Officer waited for the confirming chirp, a wide grin on his face. "Alex, you are not going to believe the night I just had..."
[Incoming priority one message from Starfleet Command,] the computer's voice cut in, its tone flat and devoid of any sense of timing. [Source: Office of the Sector Commander. Message is flagged Urgent and classified Your Eyes Only.]
Morad sat upright, his grin vanishing instantly. The drink in his hand was forgotten.
What the what?!
== And... Scene! Click here to continue this story line. ==