The Flame

Posted on Sunday, 3 May 2020 - 5:06pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: USS Fontana | XO's Quarters
Timeline: 2393 - Following Blacksmiths Forge

{ON}

No. No. Definitely not. Nope... This was impossible! Her wardrobe was suited to two things. Work and the gym. Which left very few options when the evening would involve neither. Reaching for the last item hanging in the wardrobe, relief flooded through her. She was not a dress person per se yet standing in front of the mirror a few minutes later she had to admit it looked better than leggings and a hoodie.

The dark green colour complimented her red hair while the cut of the dress complimented her figure. She hoped. Although thankfully the length wasn't indecent since she had to walk to Soral’s quarters. Her hair proved typically rebellious, until eventually she just let it cascade down to her shoulders and back in an uncontrollable mass of curls. All the while trying not to dwell on what happened in the holodeck or the reason she was inexplicably nervous.

“Get a grip, Alex,” she told her reflection, complete with her newly created necklace, before heading to Soral’s quarters with a jacket over the dress. By the time she pressed the door chime, she hadn’t seen another soul.

Soral had finished his shift right on time. His bridge relief had come in right on time for the night shift. He'd rushed home, showered, and changed. The day had moved agonizingly slow but the evening seemed to be passing quickly. He'd had time though. To be honest he wondered if she'd changed her mind at all. He'd prepared as if she hadn't.

He'd replicated a few things. A table cloth for his glass round dinner table, various food all being kept warm in metal bubble top containers. Candles on the table, a big chocolate marble cake for dessert. Champaign on ice. He hadn't drunk much but he'd make an allowance.

The lights were candlelight dimmed the bed had been newly dressed in red satin sheets. He'd found them ridiculously luxurious when he'd bought them but he'd loved them. He himself had on a pair of dress slacks and a sky blue silk shirt with gold Vulcan symbols. He was nervous. While he'd contemplated being intimate with the Orion Ensign he'd been relieved that nothing had happened. Alex was already different. There was something about her intelligence, smile, beauty that drew him. The kiss on the holodeck had surprised him. The power of it, the power if it over him. It had energized him and thrilled him. If he wasn't careful it would be he who'd be hurt when it ended.

He stood in the middle of the room his internal clock telling him that it was nearly time. Would she come to his quarters? Had she changed her mind? As if in answer to his questions the chime rang. "Enter!"

Stepping over the threshold Alex eyes widened in surprise as she took in all of the effort he had clearly put in to tonight. The candlelight gave the room a soft, intimate glow that was also kind of comforting. “You have been busy,” she commented, “it looks incredible.”

He'd just stood there staring at her. "You...look as though you are the Vulcan Goddess of the Flame."

“Is that good? Or else I’ll regret picking a dress,” she sincerely hoped the candlelight was hiding the blush she felt heating up her cheeks as she began to slip off her jacket.

"As a Vulcan who worships the old Gods of Vulcan I never joke about such things. You are stunning." And she was. The dress brought out the blue of her eyes and the flame in her hair. He walked over to her. Taking her jacket he took her hand and brought up to his lips turning it so that he kissed the inside of her wrist. "You are beautiful."

“Thank you,” she smiled, pretty sure he would pick up on her fast heart rate again. She really needed to work on playing it cool. “I love your shirt, it’s somehow very you. Blue suits you. Not as in a being sad kinda blues, just the colour. You probably knew that... so... Are those Vulcan symbols?” In the flickering candlelight the golden patterns on the shirt seemed to be alive, the intricate design was almost as impressive as the man wearing the shirt.

“Sorry, I ask questions when I’m nervous,” she confided. “This was the last thing in my wardrobe - the only thing not made for running or the gym actually. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Maybe because it felt like time had slowed to a crawl? And it felt weird and a little frustrating leaving things like we did. No Borg armada, thank you Ensign Thompson.”

She was a bundle of energy. "Questions are good." He suddenly had his own. He wanted to know all about her. "They are ancient Vulcan symbols from a text I read a lot." He bowed. "I am honoured by your compliment." He motioned for her to go and seat herself by the table. A small panel closet was where he hung her jacket. "Let me get you something to drink. Champagne is alright? It was a little frustrating but we have time. Tonight is ours." He managed to get to the chair before her and pulled it out for her to sit. "Allow me." He said in a gentlemanly fashion.

“Champagne sounds perfect,” she assured him as she slid gracefully into the seat, “thank you. And for the necklace.”

"You made it I only helped." He poured some champagne for her and a glass for himself. He proceeded to uncover the food. "I was not sure so prepared quite bit. The cake I made thought," he said indicating the kitchenette. "Chocolate should not be replicated.

“I agree although, in a push, a replicator will do,” she admitted. She surveyed the food, all of it mouthwatering. She held the champagne glass up as he sat down, “a toast. To ... great food, company and whatever the night brings.”

"Indeed." They clinked glasses. Suddenly he wanted to know all he could about her. "Tell me about you."

“Me?” She asked as she took a long drink, “there isn’t much to tell. My parents adopted me when I was a baby, I grew up on Mars and was a complete bookworm. Didn’t matter what the subject, put me in a library and I was happy. When I was fourteen I was given an opportunity to study biomedical science at Cambridge so my mother and I moved to Earth. After university I applied to Starfleet and here I am. My story is not that interesting.”

"I find you quiet interesting." They filled their plates and began dinner. He couldn't help but glance her way. "I am glad you came tonight. I was worried you'd changed your mind."

“You were?” She asked, surprised as she took a bite from the pasta she had selected. With a grin she added, “I was worried you would! But I’m glad I came too.”

They chatted and ate getting to know one another. The more he learned the more he liked. They had some science similarities some shared interests, and he found her endlessly fascinating. In fact he lost himself in her as she spoke. With dinner finished he started to put this again before desert and she helped. They worked side by side as if they had been meant to be there. He stopped as they met back at the table. "Why don't you rest on the sofa. I will bring the cake. Do you like...Earth movies?"

“I do,” she told him, “sci fi or action usually. Marvel movies are my guilty pleasure. I ended up watching one earlier. I had tried to follow one of the meditation exercises you sent over but I guess I was too restless. What kind of movies do you like?”

"Well if you'd like we can schedule a meditation session tomorrow and I can try to assist." He shrugged. "Science Fiction, historical. You pick." He said handing her a piece of chocolate cake.

She accepted the plate with a grateful smile. “I’d like that. Let’s try something different and go historical?”

He gave a nod. "As you say." They selected a movie about ancient Rome but he found he was watching her more then the film. He had never felt this relaxed with anyone.

While not her normal movie choice she had to admit, it was a good choice. She had become engrossed in it, leaning in Soral’s shoulder during a particularly brutal fight scene... “how did humanity survive?!” It was then she realised he was looking at her. Again. She peered up at him, movie forgotten. “Do I have chocolate on my nose?”

Sitting there with his arms around her and her leaning into him felt...right. "Ancient Rome is not too different from what Romulus was before it was destroyed. It was a fascinating time in history but brutal. Humanity survived by evolving." He pause. "No, no chocolate. I... cannot help but look at you. You fascinate me and perhaps I find myself wondering if this is some dream. My apologies. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

“If this is what your dreams are like I compliment your imagination,” she grinned, as she twisted so she was kneeling on the couch facing him, “and your theory has merit. I mean, me, in a dress . Really? So yeah, you must definitely be dreaming.”

He smiled. He reached out gently playing with a lock of her red hair. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

He looked at her. "Whatever we face out there. For whatever time we have I want this," he gestured around his quarters. "To be our respite. Our dream, our paradise. A place where we are ourselves and where we can be who we are and just at ease with one another. Would that be alright?"

She grinned, "sounds perfect to me. Although, of course, by the morning you may have had enough of me already. Especially when you see the super crazy hair."

"I doubt that." He opened his arms to her. Even if she allowed him just to hold her the night would be magical. He wondered what sorcery she had used to bewitch him and at this point he did not care.

"I guess it is your dream," she teased as she leaned in and kissed him, still inwardly pinching herself in case it really was a dream. But she doubted she had this level of imagination. "Although if dream Us wants to forget about the rest of the movie I'm totally open to that idea."

"Indeed." He said. He stood offering her his hand and lead her to his room. The inside was a bit brighter lit and it was the one room that he'd unpacked completely. It was Vulcan in a room. The walls were covered with Vulcan tapestry and a groove in the wall was an alter of sorts covered with green silk and statues some easily identifiable, like that of Surak, and others that were unknown of Vulcans in a more primitive time. In the right corner was a keyboard and above it on the wall was a lyre. The red satin sheets covered the bed with a black down cover with gold writing. It had a mystical feel to it. He pulled her into his arms. "Welcome Goddess," for she surely was that.

She reached up to caress the side of his face before standing on her tip toes to kiss him. She intended the kiss to be brief and find something equally good in return but if she thought the kisses they shared in the holodeck had been electric, this was almost explosive. And from that point on she simply surrendered to the moment.

=/\= Next Morning =/\=

Soral had woken first. He'd slipped out of bed, showered, made breakfast, and replicated a beautiful red rose. He entered the bedroom feeling breathless again at just seeing her. Alex was asleep her back to him. He sat on the bed and bent to hiss the back of her neck. "Good morning." He held the rose so that it would be the first thing she saw.

From under the sheets, Alex stirred, letting out a contented sigh as the kiss stirred up memories too good to be true. With one hand she swept her hair back from her face and grinned at the sight of the Rose. “Good morning,” she offered as she smiled up at him. “You even thought of roses? You are far too good at this...”

"Perhaps." He drunk in the sight of her. "Breakfast is being kept warm on the table, and my bathroom contains an actual tub and shower. The tub is filled with very warm water with bubbles. You are due on shift in two hours. I am due in twenty minutes. My home is yours...and there is one more thing."

She propped herself up on her elbows. “More?”

He leaned in and whispered a six digit code to her. Taking a quick kiss in the process. "We will not always be on the same shift or completed our work at the same time. This way you can come and go as you please."

“Wow. Not even bed hair scared you off,” she grinned as she leaned up and kissed him. “Thank you, for all of this,” she gestured around his quarters before putting a hand on his chest, “and for taking a chance. I know it can’t be forever but for whatever time we can spend together, I’m grateful for every second.”

Her words undid him. It was in that instance that he knew the dangerous line he was walking because the truth of it was even though they had known one another for a while he knew that this woman held more of a draw to him then any other. He could fall in love with this one if he were not careful. "As am I," he responded. He kissed her once more, softly, sensually. "Your bath and breakfast await my lady." Reluctantly he left her to get ready for duty and head to ensure Bones had food and water and then headed to the bridge feeling more centered then he had in days.

Bones, the loveable Beagle had awakened too. From his spot in the livingroom he bounced into the bedroom announcing himself with a happy bark. Wagging his tail he looked up at Alex.

Alex peered over the edge of the bed and grinned at him, "hey there! I, erm, not exactly decent so if you could turn that tail of yours around and avert your eyes, it'd be most appreciated."

The dog gave a bark and turned heading out into the living room area to enjoy his meal.

{OFF:}

Lieutenant Commander Soral
Executive Officer

&

Lieutenant JG Alex Kingsley
Chief Science Officer