Silver Moon

Posted on Friday, 29 December 2023 - 5:18pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant Alex Kingsley

Mission: Operation: Lobes & Liberties
Location: Ready Room - Memory Log
Timeline: Memory Log - just prior to the away team rescue

ON:

Soral sat in the office staring out at the stars. They were on their way to getting the away team now that his sister's ship had been rescued and that she was settling in here. He was glad of that. He had already heard her ship was to be decommissioned so he'd recommend her to take his place here. She would do a good job, that he knew.

Now with nothing but time he allowed himself to reflect on a happy memory...



=/\= Some time ago=/\=


There was nothing… no light, no sound. Just the sound of her own breathing as she impatiently waited. And waited. “Soral, can I please take the blindfold off now?” she asked, unable to tell if he was even nearby. He could be remarkably stealthy when he wanted to be. And apparently, right now, he wanted to be. “This is so much effort to go to for one birthday.”

He had already made her breakfast in bed, then had arranged a romantic picnic in the holodeck for lunch and gotten her way too many gifts. However, it appeared his plans did not stop there.

He had met her outside of their quarters, insisting she could not go inside until she was blindfolded. Of course she had to tease him about it just to see his cheeks flush that delicious shade of green but eventually she relented. She hasn’t heard Bones rushing to great them which meant the excitable puppy was definitely not home. Rare but not unheard of. She had asked what was going on but he had only responded by pressing a finger to her lips and then …

Nothing.

Why he was doing all of this she had no idea. Actually she probably did. Her mother. The two of them had been as thick as thieves lately. And this kind of fuss over her birthday was right up her alley.

So far things had gone according to his plan. He looked around as they entered. All was set. he led her to the bedroom where a pair of costumes were laid out on the bed. Taking her to the bed he turned her away from it and gently removed the blindfold. He waited for her to blink and get her Barings. "Better?"

Now with her sight restored she saw the familiar décor of their bedroom wall and frowned, “better. Why all the secrecy..?”

He turned her around to the costumes on the bed. "First you must change and I must change and then we shall go and see why."

"No way..." Alex breathed, her eyes widening as she took in the two costumes laid out in the bed. To one side, a very adorable short purple dress, with lilac around the cuff of the sleeves and on skirt. Alongside it pink tights and purple shoes, even a headband and green scarf...

And if that didn't scream Daphne Blake well... the costume beside it was just as recognisable. From the white sweatshirt over a blue shirt, to the blue trousers and the orange ascot. Even a blonde wig! "You are dressing up as Fred?!" she exclaimed, her surprise evident as she turned to face him. "Is why Bones isn't here? Is he roaming the corridors dressed up as a Great Dane? Wait... we are totally keeping the blindfold for later right?"

Soral's ears turned an emerald green. "If you wish..." He cleared his throat, voice suddenly high and reached for the costume. "We should dress."

She couldn’t stop herself from laughing at his reaction as she gathered up her costume, kissing his cheek, “after a day in the labs it’s a sonic shower first for me,” she told him. “Don’t worry I’ll be quick.”

And she was as quick as she had promised, slipping on the shoes as she emerged from the bathroom, tugging on the dress so it would sit just right. “Where did you even get th-“ her question died in her throat as she found Soral waiting patiently, looking very very unlike himself especially with the blonde hair covering most of his ears. Yet as he stood and turned around he had that typical Vulcan calm about him.

“You aren’t blushing anymore,” she teased with a mischievous grin, “can’t have that!”

Uncomfortable was a word that he was quite familiar with as of that moment. He'd been looking at this reflection in the mirror before she'd come out. He understood disguises but to dress in this manner for..."fun" as humans said was confounding. He turned to look at her as she came in. She looked...interesting. "I look .... like a Valcosian Tarpin....this is....disconcerting." He studied her again. "You, however, look quite lovely."

She rewarded him with a twirl to show off the outfit which unsurprisingly was a perfect fit. It wasn’t as if he wouldn’t have thought of that. “Whatever this is in aid of,” she told him as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, “you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, ever.”

He gave a tiny smile. "I know." He held up the blindfold. "Alright, now back to the surprise." He refastened the blindfold and lead her out to the place where the people she loved were waiting to surprise her.


“I don’t like the dark,” she reminded him as he once again robbed her of her sight before adding a playful, “usually.”

She wondered what exact shade of green his cheeks were as he guided her through the ship, for so long she was sure they were going in circles. Then they stepped through a heavy set of doors which she was pretty sure belonged to one of the holodecks just a few seconds before Soral removed the blindfold and she was met with a huge chorus of “surprise!”

Before her, against the backdrop of a creepy castle shrouded in mist and bathed in the light of a full moon, lots of people were gathered in an array of costumes. Many of them in keeping with the obvious Scooby Doo theme. A large table was laid out with food and drink, even a cake which looked like the mystery machine. It was exactly the kind of birthday she’d wanted since she was eight!


“I love it!” She declared as she threw her arms around her husband and kissed him. “Thank you!”

"I have programed something too." He called for the arch and then after a quick code entry a familiar dog appeared....but with the wrong colouring to match Alex's outfit. "I did not see a reason why he should not match your outfit." Soral said.

“Very purple,” she grinned. “I cant believe you went to all of this trouble.”

He shrugged. "I thought it would be....fun." He took her hand. "Now shall we say hello to everyone?"

“Let’s,” she agreed as she squeezed his hand.

Soral took the center stage. "I call this party to order." The room erupted in chuckles. He looked at Alex and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'what have I said wrong?'

Alex grinned, struggling not to laugh as she came up to Soral’s side. “What my husband meant was welcome everyone! It’s Halloween so let the spooky shenanigans and celebrations commence …. You all look amazing so please have lots of fun.”

Soral looked down at his wife. "I did that incorrectly did I not?"

“Just a little,” she grinned as she stood on her top toes to plant an affectionate kiss on his lips as the party started in earnest, with Halloween themed music filling the air. “Come, dance with me?”

He bowed slightly, "That I can do." He gently took her hands in his and lead her to the dance floor. Gently turning her in a spin he settled her into his arms. "Do you feel older today?"

She tilted her head as she considered the question. Did she? “Honestly no,” she concluded as the spun around the dance floor, adding, “are you sure you can cope with such an old woman as your wife? I mean today it’s dancing but before you know it, it’s dodgy knees, bad backs and a slightly less hot body.”

He sighed. "Alex no matter at what age I shall always see you as beautiful. There is more to being in a relationship then having a...hot spouse." He studied her. "I too shall age. Perhaps it is you that might tire of me."

“Oh I doubt that very much,” she whispered in his ear. “Especially when you dance so beautifully."

He shrugged. "I did take a dance elective at the Academy."

“Oh really?” She raised an eyebrow as she digested that little nugget of information. “In that case I hope you were given top marks.”

"I...was the instructor's aid by second year." His cheeks blushed green.

His blush was adorable and rare, something she knew was reserved almost exclusively for her. “Quite the secret life, oh husband of mine,” she teased.

"Indeed. Now then, we were dancing." He spun her around and twirled her back into his arms. "The night is still young and there is much for us to celebrate."

“You are really getting into the Halloween spirit, huh?” She grinned as he navigated the dance floor with ease.

"It is an interesting holiday. I may grow quite fond of it."

“What do you find most interesting about it?” She asked curiously.

"I must admit the costuming is fascinating...and the inadvisable amount of sugar consumption."

“It is fun,” Alex agreed. “But tell me, have you ever tried candy apples?”

"Is it that disturbing tradition where you try and pick up the fruit with your teeth while they try and drown you?"

“No, that’s a game and it isn’t that they try to -“ Alex grinned as she shook her head. “Candy apples are when the apple is speared on a stick and then the apple is coated in candy. Sugar overload. Very bad for your teeth but as a rare treat entirely delicious.”

"Ah yes... the red shelled caramel concoctions that were brought in." He gave a nod. "Let us partake of them. The other ... game you spoke of I taught it to a Klingon friend of mine. It has been popular on Kronos."

The image of Klingon warriors bobbing for apples had her in stitches as she led him towards a set of tables weighed down by food, none of it remotely healthy. “Enjoy,” she declared, picking one out for him.

He studied the apple. "This does not seem wise."

“Perhaps not but maybe,” she encouraged, “just maybe, you’ll love it? You don’t know if you don’t try, right?”

Soral shrugged and bit into the apple. "You may have a problem, my wife."

“Oh?”

"I may be," he said chewing, "forming an addiction."

She grinned as she gently pried the stick out of his hand, “you need a distraction. What do you think? Dancing? Brave the haunted mansion or bail on our party for a bubble bath for two?”

"I believe, personally I prefer the last option but I know you like parties there is time enough for all of the options tonight."

“Haunted mansion first, nothing like some scares to give you an appetite,” Alex grinned as she took hold of his hand and began tugging him towards the door, calling out, “Scooby Doo!!! Where are you?!”

Soral surrendered himself to Alex and the night.


=/\= Present day =/\=

Soral shook his head trying to dislodge the memory. Part of him wanted to exist in that memory, now that he knew she was gone although, a part of him still help hope that she would be well and they could salvage what was lost.

His hands balled into fists. His memories were not logical but he needed them otherwise he couldn’t tackle another day. Sighing he stood. Maybe he could loose himself in work for a few hours to numb his mind.

Standing he headed to the bridge. Work was what he needed and he didn’t intend to stop until the team was back on ship.

OFF: