Dinner
Posted on Thu Feb 2nd, 2023 @ 2:45am by Captain Marc Kidd & Ensign Nala Rider
Edited on on Thu Feb 2nd, 2023 @ 2:55am
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
The Hunt Begins
Location: Captain's Quarters - Deck 4 - USS Artemis
Timeline: MD001 1700 hrs
Nala finished her half of the transporter buffers and swiped a hand across her forehead, unknowingly smearing black gunk across her forehead. While Nala had won the race, she had offered to help Captain Kidd clean the transporter buffers so she could change and be ready for dinner with him afterwards. "How's it going, Marc...er...Captain?" Nala bit her lip. [Nuts! I've gotta quit getting so informal without permission!] Nala thought.
"Just about done here darlin..." Marc stood up to look toward the Ensign. He smiled with a chuckle when he saw the dirt on her face. Marc found it endearing, endearing to the point of attraction. She is beyond cute... he thought. He found it especially attractive when she bit her lip. "Listen I owe you dinner. So, why don't you get changed and I will finish up here. See you in about two hours at my quarters."
[Ddid he just call me 'Darling'?] Nala thought. "Yes, Sir. Um, should I go formal or casual or...I mean!" [Dang it dang it dang it!] Nala was so embarrassed!
"Wear whatever you would like." Or come au natural. Marc chastised himself for the thought. He kept reminding himself that she was under his command and that nothing was going to happen. But there was an undeniable attraction. "It is not going to be a big deal, just some food, some drinks, and conversation."
"Okay, I'll see you in two hours then, Sir," Nala grinned and almost tripped as she attempted to walk instead of skip to her quarters.
Marc finished up the work and headed for his quarters. A shower, and a menu to prepare was in order. He started working on a root stew and some bread pudding. Being the Captain had its advantages and he had an actual kitchen in his quarters. The replicator only came in handy to create ingredients for him. There was a nervousness within him as he dressed in some jeans and a flannel shirt, some hiking boots as well. Marc was equally at home in the woods as he was in space.
Nala had showered and spent an hour trying to pick just the right outfit. She finally settled on a soft lavender long sleeve top with a dolphin on it, a pair of black jeans with horses racing around the cuffs, and a well worn pair of hiking boots. Taking a deep breath, Nala headed to the Captain's quarters.
"Deep breath. Here goes nothing," Nala tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach before ringing the door chime.
Marc had sat in his quarters for about a half hour as he tried to figure out if this was a date or not. He tossed a PADD that he had been reading about Starfleet regulations on the table. He knew the regulations about fraternization, however, who was the fleet to say no when two people connected. At the end of the self conversation he decided that it was a date. So he showered, put on a red and black flannel shirt a pair of jeans and some boots. Within a short time he decided the menu would be a beef and barley stew with bread pudding for dessert and set about the task of making the food. A bottle of carmenere wine was placed in a decanter to breathe.
Just as he got the stew to simmer the door chime rang. He walked to the door and smiled. "Come on in Nala. Welcome to my humble abode."
"Thank you...Marc," Nala smiled as she stepped into his quarters, deciding that since they were off duty, she'd call him by his first name. "Wow, your quarters are nice. Not that mine aren't comfortable! [Oooo!] Ahem, all I meant was that I noticed your taste is similar to mine. [Whew...little bit better]" Nala breathed a sigh of relief.
Marc found the nervousness endearing, he knew that she would be a little nervous, hell he was as well. Nala was about twenty years younger than him. Twenty years is a long time would they even have anything in common. "Have a seat. Would you like a glass of wine? Dinner has about thirty more minutes to cook." He held a bottle of cranberry mead that he had been saving for a special occassion. Your first date in god knows how long is special enough. He thought as he opened the bottle.
"Thank you...haven't had any of this yet. I've only had Bloodwine before...and I sneaked Romulan Ale once...shiver," Nala shivered at the memory. "So, what's on the menu if I may ask? It smells delicious!" Nala asked, taking a deep sniff.
"We have a root stew, with a nice salad, and bread pudding. I hope that meets with your liking..." He poured the wine and raised his glass. "...Here is the start of something new and who knows." Marc worded his toast just right. It could have been about the ship, but it could also be about whatever was happening here. As much as he thought it was against regulations he wanted it to still happen.
"That sounds yummy! And I agree completely. Salute," Nala gently tinked her glass against Marc's. [Who knows indeed?] Nala thought with a soft smile.
Marc sat and crossed his legs. He figured if this was a date then they should get to know one another while the food cooked. "So tell me about yourself. I mean the real you, not the version of you that Starfleet Database shows."
"Me and my family went to Mesa Verde, National Park when I was six. I decided that wandered off by myself was a good idea and encountered a black bear and her cubs. While I was trying to back away, I ended up tripping over some branches, the bear heard me, and came after me. I made it to a clump of trees before the bear caught me and slashed my face with three of her claws, but got scared off by a group of horseback riders with noise makers. When they got me to the hospital, I dropped the Doctor's jaws on the floor when I asked them if I could keep the scars as a reminder to be more aware of what was going on around me. That's not on my Database cause they didn't want me to get a bad post cause Captain's usually don't want crew who don't know how 'stay in line'...I mean! Sigh, it just seems that they want almost perfect people to be in their ranks," Nala dropped her head, not sure if she'd just shot both her career...and whatever might be blooming between the two of them..to smithereens.
He thought for a bit as he sipped his drink. He wanted to choose his next words carefully. "I see your point about some Starfleet Captains. But, that does not apply to me. I like crew who think and act independently, people who can keep me on the right path should I stray from it." Marc paused as he reached across the table and gently touched her scars. "Besides, these give you character." There was a small and yet undeniable feeling of electricity when he touched her. That would have to wait to see how the rest of the night went.
Goosebumps and electricity shot over Nala's skin at his touch. [Ooooh boy! What the heck was that!?] It took all of Nala's willpower to keep the shiver to a shoulder twitch. "Tthank you, Sir. [Sheesh! Get a grip, Nala! You can reconstructed a face that's half dust and not break a sweat for crying out loud!]" Nala took a what she hoped looked like a normal breath, trying almost desperately not to gasp.
A timer that Marc had been running to make sure that the food cooked to perfection chimed. "Well, there is dinner. Come on." He took their drinks to the dining table placed them down and pulled her chair out for her. "I hope you came hungry." When Nala sat down he pushed the chair in and served the stew into beautiful clay bowls with a nice hunk of crusty bread to go with it. "As for me I rather like games of skill, of the mind, and of nerves. So, I play poker, kalto, and practice with the sword and battleaxe. There was nothing too special that happened to me growing up. I am just the child of dairy farmers."
"Thank you. I'm always hungry to some degree or another! We sure had different bringing up, though if our taste in footwear's any indication, we both like the outdoors. I don't know if this is in my file or not, but I like swimming, horseback riding, hiking, gymnastics, and parkour. MMMM!!! This is delicious!" Nala had taken a bite of her stew and almost swooned it was so good!
She had hit proverbial nail on the head, found what they had in common. "Yes I do love the outdoors. Nothing like a good hike, and as much as I would hate to disagree with my fellow Captains. Life is truly breathtaking when you take it in from the back of the horse. We are going to have to go sometime. When I was a kid the main mode of transportation was either your feet or a horse." Marc was excited that she had found something that broke the proverbial ice. He took a couple of bites of stew and was elated that this tasted as his best yet.
It was all Nala could do not to spit out her wine. "[He...that...never mind] Exactly! Hiking and horseback riding are combinations of helping you relax, teaching good poster, building muscle, and also gives one good work ethics. Um, remind me where you grew up again?" Nala's giggle was that little sound that one makes when one's embarrassed but also having a good time as she used the bread to sop up some of the stew.
"Warwick New York... A small farming town in upstate New York. Very bucolic and beautiful. You know, since we won't be able to get back to Earth in who knows when. Perhaps we can go on a ride on the holodeck. I can give you a tour of my hometown." Marc said and then tucked in for a few more bites of his food. Very presumptuous of you to think she wants another date. he thought.
"YES PLEASE! I mean...ahem...that would be fun! [SERIOUSLY NALA!? GET A GRIP! This has GOT to be the most AKWARD date EVER!]" Nala was having the BEST/WORST night in forever! On the one hand, she was having a BLAST learning about Marc, possibly setting up another date, and enjoying a great meal, but on the other hand...she was so CLUMBZY with her words!
There was a moment of silence as the both enjoyed their meals and Marc muddled what to do next. He truly enjoyed this woman's company despite the age difference. However, the regulations are pretty clear about fraternization. Screw it... Who is Starfleet Command to tell people how to feel. he thought. So, March threw caution in the wind and picked up her and and kissed the palm lightly and gingerly. "Great, that sounds like a date." He said with a knowing smirk.
Pure electricity shot through Nala's veins at his touch. [Ooooooohhhhhh boyyyyyy!!!! This...this just got REAL!] Nala shivered, having given up on trying to suppress her emotions. Nala gently closed her hand around Marc's and grinned at him. "I look forward to our next date...ggorgeous," Nala's face flamed as she verbally took a chance.
It was his turn to blush. "You know you are not so bad yourself." Marc stood up and decided to throw all caution into the wind, and regulations be damned. He took her hand and helped her stand up. Once standing he took Nala into his arms and kissed her. It was something that he had wanted to do since they met, and he finally decided to take the plunge. In the moment he did not know if she would slap him or what. However, that did not diminish the kiss.
Nala froze for a heart beat before melting into both Marc and the kiss. If the two of then had been in a cartoon,
Fireworks would have been going off! Nala decided to be brave and gently touched his teeth with her tongue, asking without words if he wanted to go farther...not that she was in a position to speak at the moment in the first place.
As he continued to throw caution into the wind Marc opened his mouth to accept her tongue. He had never thought he would be with a woman who was so much his junior and yet here he was. When the kiss broke there was a moment when he had to catch his breath. "Ummm... I am sorry if you thought that too forward of me. It was something that I wanted to do since I met you."
Nala was panting a bit, but she was over the moon in her ecstasy. "If...if I hadn'ta wanted it, I'da not allowed you to do that...handsome," Nala circled her arms around Marc, humming softly at how *RIGHT* this felt.
Marc embraced her tightly and loved every minute of it. "Well I will tell you what gorgeous, I am glad that you did allow it." He sighed heavily with both contentment and the knowledge of how they would have to proceed. Just as quickly he pushed those thoughts to the side. "Well m'dear what would you like to do?" As he held her in his arms he did not want to let go. Just as he was sure his place was in the center seat of a starship, he was sure that he belonged with this woman.
"We could go farther tonight...or...we could save up for when we visit your hometown. At the moment though...I just want to stay like this," Nala snuggled deeper into Marc's chest, and for some very strange reason, Nala started to purr just a little bit.
Here Marc thought that the slow, and gentlemanly approach was the better way to go. Yet there was something to be said about a woman who knew what she wanted. At the sound of her offer he pulled her on top of him while he laid on the couch. As he kissed this woman who he wanted despite regulations the only thought in his head was how to make her happy and what he would serve her for breakfast.
A Joint Post By
Captain Marc Kidd
Commanding Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Ensign Nala Rider
Facial Reconstruction Specialist, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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