First Date of a First Kind

Posted on Thursday, 21 May 2020 - 3:15pm by Crewman Leopold Eberhardt & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: Beta III Orbital Station

Why the hell was Baciami nervous? She chastised herself in the mirror for 'being such a girl' about a mere date. There was something about him though that had caught her attention. The woman turned slightly, and when finally satisfied with the level of fussing she had done with her long brunette, curled hair and her civilian clothes she headed out. The woman had opted for just a simple black dress and heels. It ended just above her knees but had long sleeves. It was a simple and modest dress. Somehow, Adriana was more comfortable in walking in heels than in flat shoes and she made her way to the spot that Leopold had told her to meet.

Her mind's eye flashed back to the way he had almost scared her half to death, feeling as if she was going to fall, or indeed be killed by some sort of head trauma, but instead had been surprised with one hell of a kiss. The what ifs though played heavily on her mind from experience. Shaking her head, trying to clear images of the now. Right now, focus trying to resemble a well put together human being... trying...

On approaching the destination, she looked around, unsure if he was there yet. Her heart raced as she felt anxious and it was far from date jitters. Running a hand through her hair, as if to fix one last thing. When her brain kicked in to overdrive. The memory flashing back again though this time the scene played out differently. It ended with a violent demise; the end not being a kiss but rather a black hand emblem from her father. [I]Stop it[\I], she told herself.

Leopold was not sure what truly had compelled him to do anything of what he had done earlier that day. Engaging in conversation was one thing, but to flirt with the woman he had never before was something he never imagined himself being able to do realistically at least. Of course every so often he had a fantastical day dream, but he never acted on those fantasies.

Now, he was standing there waiting for her to arrive as he thought about what he had done and how forward he was. He had been so smooth, but not after the hours passed and the adrenaline recessed a bit, he was left realizing that was not the man he was. He was not some sort of smooth talking Casanova. He was a waste reclamation specialist. Before he could run away though, he turned and saw her. She was too close for him to avoid and he was too nice to stand her up. "You look...you look very nice" he said with a nervous shaking of his voice.

Adrianna smiled, "thank you, you clean up nicely too." She looked him over. The woman heard the nerves and for some reason, it made her feel a lot better. She seemed to visible relax and her mind stopped whirring. "Hope it's not too much. You said dinner."

Leopold had to fight his tongue from coming out of his mouth and tried to maintain eye contact. "No no, it's not too much at all" he said with a smile. "What sort of food do you like?" he asked genuinely curious what his date's interests were. "Needless to say back home they really pushed Earth's Germanic food on us."

"The last time I had German food was when I was still in school," Adrianna chuckled, "I personally eat anything. I'm not a fussy eater. Obviously, I like Italian food. I'm always open to trying new foods. You?"

"All my life until recently, it was rare that I had anything exotic" replied the man. "I'm kind of envious of people in the Federation. Hundreds upon hundreds of cultures and civilizations. There's such variety" he said delighted. "I love trying new things."

"Too much choice makes you fat," Adrianna chuckled, "expression my mother told me. I would say 'let's introduce you to Italian' but I'd want to make it for you. Everything tastes better homemade."

"Oh I think that I am looking forward to when I can try some Italian" replied Leopold, his cheeks turning a little red. He swallowed hard and refocused the conversation as best he could on food. "I always wanted dessert before dinner. My mother scolded me about it constantly."

Adrianna giggles, "could always do that now?" it seemed juvenile but oddly really satisfying.

He smiled and shook his head. "No no. I know that we could, but it would be improper. I such a sweet tooth. You wouldn't know it from how scrawny I look, but I can easily put a cake away by myself if I'm really into it."

Adrianna chuckled, nudging his arm with her hand playfully, "man after my own heart. Anyone that says cake is for sharing is a liar." He was ever so sweet, and whether or not he meant it, he was amusing.

"Anyone who doesn't bake or get a second cake for their company is an ass" replied Leopold. "Cake for me, cake for you, and that is how I envision it. Plus if we get two different cakes then we can try one another's. It is simple mathematics and strategy, divide and conquer" he added with a small chuckle. "So, what sort of work will you be doing in Intelligence?"

He had a point... A really good point... And now she just really wanted cake. "I come from a more political background in the context of crime," it wasn't a lie, it just skimmed over actualities, "but I'll be helping out where I can, really. As an engineer, you said you'd be on the lower decks. Assuming maintenance?"

"Not quite" Leopold replied. "I am more of a scientist than an engineer, at least in the technical aspect of it. I work in waste reclamation. I know... it's not the most flattering sounding of work, but I really enjoy it. I get to be a sort of scientific alchemist."

"I'll stick to the paperwork," she chuckled, "I never understood science. I used to steal my brothers' homework. Someone has to be good at that stuff though. Anyway--we must stop talking of work. This is a date after all right?" Adrianna teased.

The man scoffed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I should not have brought up work stuff" he replied. "Dates make me a bit nervous, but then again it's not like I have these very often."

"I think even serial daters must get nervous," Adrianna offered, "I for one debated if I was too nervous. But you seemed too nice to turn down. Plus, you caught my attention. I hope I'll be given some chance at getting to know you and if not - good practice."

He smiled and took a sip of a drink. "It is a good thing then that we aren't being assigned to different ships" Leopold said with a nod. "I am in no rush, Adrianna. We can have several dates and see where things take us. If you end up thinking of me more like a friend that's alright."

"The same but vice versa," she replied, "I'm not an easy person to get along with, the baggage is-well, debatable, but I'm OK. Merely human." Adrianna offered a small shrug to punctuat her admission, "those that rush, regret."

"Can't build without a sturdy foundation" he countered with an idiom of his own that agreed with him. "Too many people rush into relationships, dating is a dying art form, an intricate dance around" he stated. "I don't want to be the sort that has one date and brings you home to meet the monstrosities that are my parents."

She couldn't help but laugh. Her were, well, behind bars, "you wouldn't have that problem with me--meeting my parents I mean. I mean, piss me off, break my heart, then I may let you meet them." Adrianna paused a moment, "I'm not the girl anyone has taken home to the parents anyway."

"Maybe not yet, but that could change" he replied sweetly. "You never know, we might just be a Bonnie and Clyde in the making albeit hopefully under better circumstances."

Adrianna offered a sweet smile. He was saying all the right things, "perhaps. All things considered, are you a family man, even not of your own?"

"I always thought of myself as a sort of family man" he replied and continued to speak after their food had arrived. Though this date was about enjoying a meal with the woman, he also was enjoying the conversation. "I love my parents dearly, but their beliefs and political ideologies do not align well with my own. Family gatherings are a warzone."

Adrianna nodded in acknowledgement. The woman understood the feeling of families not being the best of role models, so to speak, "I'm in a similar ship - uh, boat, myself." The idiom still confused her, "That said, I come from a large family, I'm the youngest of eight, so the concept of family, albeit, not my own, is important."

"What are your parents like?" he asked a bit nervously that he was going down a rabbit hole that there was no return from. He had spoken with some reluctance about his family, not really going into their background; however, if Adrianna shared a bit about hers, then he would share some about his. "I like hearing about your background and where you came from."

Adrianna took a sip of her drink in order to buy her some time for thinking of the right way to put it, "my mother is a typical, house wife, strong italian woman. She's the kind of person where if you say you are full, and you can't eat any more, you will suddenly find there is more food on your plate and you will be forced to 'find room' to put it." Adrianna chuckled, reminiscing. "As for my father, well, he was a family man, running a family business, albeit a non-kosher one. He was the stereotype of 'Italian'. He's paying the price for it now. He was, and probably still is, a great guy that would do anything for you, but with all favours, there would be a price."

Leopold listened with amusement. "So, after some time on the ship...joint shore leave to Earth? Spend it in Italy?" Leopold inquired.

Adrianna couldn't help but find his question somewhere between hilarious and adorable. After a moment of giggling, she replied honestly, "absolutely not, I value my life."

"I value mine as well" the man shot back. "Maybe we just avoid Italy, or Earth. Risa may be interesting."

She smiled and looked him over. Just how far ahead was he planning? What was going on in that noggin? "I have heard good things about Risa," Adrianna smiled, "I've never had the opportunity. I could do with being on a beach somewhere for a week not doing much but laze around in a bikini, reading, maybe hiking along a shore, swimming in the ocean. Gawd it sounds like bliss."

The man just stared into her eyes for a few moments and it made something within him light up. Even if the two of them did not make it very far dating wise, he knew he had found someone special. What part in his life she would play and for how long was left to fate or the stars or just the passage of time. He did not want to dwell on the metaphysics and philosophical principles at work. "It does. It truly does" he said echoing her.