Dinner on the holodeck

Posted on Mon Dec 11th, 2017 @ 7:49am by
Edited on on Thu May 31st, 2018 @ 9:59pm

1,795 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - The Enemy Within
Location: Deck 5 - Holodeck 2
Timeline: MD001 1800 hrs
Tags: SD 71370.1800

T'Rish stood in her bedroom staring at her closet. It was illogical to stand here questioning a simple decision like what to wear. She had done some research on the Azzian home world in order to prepare for the environment. She had to admit that it would be a pleasant change to not be chilled when outside of her quarters. With a sigh she pulled on purple dress that Tiana had given her years ago. She hadn't had much opportunity to wear it. That was more out of lack of comfort with the dark flowing fabric. It wasn't anything formal, in fact she had watched Tiana wear it while working on the warp core.

With a smile she looked at herself in the mirror, smoothing down the front of her dress much like she would have had she been in her uniform. For the first time since she boarded the Pioneer she wore her hair down in curls around her shoulders. With a final look in the mirror she pulled on her sandals and headed for the holodeck.

Richard finished setting the table inside the gazebo like Ga'falin. It was a made of eight trees, one male and seven females. It held a prominent position in the courtyard of the Azzian style home. The environmental settings were like those recently set in his quarters and a gentle breeze fluttered the board leaves of the trees.

The physician was wearing a pair of navy blue pants and and a white and blue striped shirt with a button down collar.

Everything was set awaiting his guests arrival and he smiled as he walked out towards the doorway into the home.

"Computer," he said, "reveal arch." it appeared and he walked through into it letting the double doors slide open and revealing a blonde woman in a purple dress.

"Hello T'Rish," Richard said with a smile, "welcome."

"Hello...Richard." She replied. She was adjusting to using his first name versus her instinct of Doctor or Lieutenant. She stepped into holodeck and closed her eyes contently as the warm breeze wrapped around her. The flowing plum color fabric moved and swooshed around her. She smirked slightly. "It feels so nice in here."

"The program is an accurate simulation of what the Azzian home world is like," Richard said watching his female friend, "we are in the courtyard of a home in Dao’chi, the capital city and the home of the Emperor." He chuckled and added, "just don't walk too straight of a line or you'll fall into the wading pool."

Ahead of her was the traditional tiled pool filled with still clear water. Just to the side of it the suns dial, the ancient time keeping device used for the two suns that beamed down on the courtyard.

Around the pool was a walkway surrounded by a floral garden in full bloom.

"It is quite pleasing." The Vulcan replied. She felt the need to smile but forced herself to remain passive. It was easy to not be who she thought she should be at times, and this bothered her. She moved around the pool and further into the scenery. "Have you been to the actual planet before?" She asked curiously. "I have never been to Betazed system despite my heritage." She volunteered.

Richard followed her watching curiously her behavior, "I was there for a little over two years as part the the Federation's Ambassadors support staff." He smiled broadly, "and I spent many years on Betazed. I was raised on that world."

"Hmmm..." The Hybrid acknowledged. "I was on Vulcan until I was seventeen. I have not been back nor have I ventured to Betazed in that time." She looked up at Richard her dark eyes meeting his. "It hasn't seemed necessary, but I figure that in Starfleet it is logical to assume I may visit it one day." She looked away quickly returning her focus to the program. "If I am correct, you said you were preparing dinner?"

"It is waiting inside the tree structure," Richard replied motioning towards it, "the gazebo like building is called a Ga'falin."

The man smiled broadly, "I do hope you enjoy it."

"I will admit it has been a few years since I have had anything not replicated. I am looking forward to it." She grinned slightly as she turned to head toward the structure behind her. She felt a little awkward. Unsure how to act around the Doctor after their encounter earlier. It was illogical but she couldn't seem to find a solution to it.

Richards smile faded some as she turned and he glanced down at the cobbled walkway and he drew in a breath. He hadn't meant for things to do the way they had, he had planned for nothing to happen but it had. It could be blamed on a number of things, teenage hormones, his nervousness at being around attractive women not to mention the emotional juggling going on trying to sort out two cultures with varying views on intimacy. Betazed females were allowed multiple partners and could love them equally or so it was believed. In the Azzian culture that idea seemed to be flipped on its head a bit and the closest thing to marriage, the thing Richard was now in with the three women that adored him, encouraged it to be an open relationship. Before he left all three of them had encouraged him to act on his attraction to women, to enjoy himself and not deny himself sensual pleasure for the sake of them. He also knew that the three of them would probably not be "faithful" as humans thought of it.

He shook his head breaking out of the fog that had settled in his head and picked up the pace to come along side T'Rish not long before reaching the structure. The aromas of the awaiting meal wafted out around them, a testament to the effort he had put into one of his favorite hobbies. Through the doorway the table spread out with various dishes and bowls could be seen on a pristine white tablecloth set elegantly for two. Some of the foods the half betazoid would recognize like the blue leaf lettuce in his tossed salad while others were as exotic as his species.

Richard slowed slightly and motioned towards the entrance, "please have a seat, I'll get the wine and start pouring."

T'Rish gave Richard a slight smile in response to the wine as she moved into the structure. She was relieved to find that he was as off balance by the situation as she was. The logical thing to do would have been to discuss what ever it was that was between them, but she felt herself shy away from that idea. Her response was illogical and she chided herself for it. Unfortunately, her discussion was not at quiet as she had hoped and there was a chance that her friend had overheard her. "It smells delicious." She replied hoping to cover up her own awkwardness.

She finally let out a sigh before she looked up at her friend. "This is illogical...we should just talk about what this is or could be instead of allowing the awkwardness between us to grow." She moved closer to Richard. "I did some research on your species and learned that you are non-monogamous society with a societal requirement that males take on multiple mates due to the population gender ratio. I also learned that you and I are not biologically compatible." She reached out and touched his cheek lightly with her finger tips. "You have a biological imperative to be with females of your own species." She lifted her fingers from his skin and already longed to touch him again. She looked him in the eye as she continued. "I am drawn to you for reasons I don't understand, but I know that nothing more than a friendship with mutual satisfaction can exist between us...I don't know what to do with that..."

Richard's smile had completely faded to as he heard the operations officer speak and nodded, "I am not exactly sure myself why I did what I did, it was, inappropriate and selfish to say the least." He let out a sigh as he walked over towards the bottle of Azzian wine and picked it up as if using the motion to gather his words, "I find you very attractive and if I follow the path of my genetic heritage there would be nothing wrong with us having a physical relationship but I was raised on Betazed where, marriages ware not open as they are with the Azzians." he drew in a breath and set his pale blue eyes on the Vulcan Hybrid and continued, "Although we could not procreate, have children, there is no physical reason we could not pursue a romantic path but it does seem illogical and completely emotional to follow of physical desires."

This conversation wasn't going the way she wanted it to. She wasn't hoping to put a stop to what had been said. To be honest, she wasn't sure what she wanted but nothing was definitely not it. "Richard..." She started as she moved to close the gap between them. "This is not just your doing." She started, "I should have controlled myself also. So lets not worry about the guilt." She smiled. "I don't know what I want or what we should do, but I do know that I like how I feel around you...There is no logic in that." She gave him a smile. "You had mentioned that I should explore my my Betazoid side, so perhaps the logical thing to do would be to be to acknowledge what we know about each other and see what happens...No pressure, no expectations...."

The physician visibly relaxed at her words and he smiled back at the blonde, "I, I was hoping you would see it that way." He sat the bottle on the table and looked into her eyes, "no pressure, no expectations."

He grinned at her and lifted the wine bottle again, "Then beautiful, let's enjoy this journey."

"Let's..." she replied with a smile much larger than any she had given him to date. She reached for the glass of wine. She was just as uncertain about this move as she had been when she decided to leave home, but what was life without a little risk.

A Joint Post By

Lieutenant Richard Ballston M.D. PsyD
Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer

Ensign T'Rish
Chief of Operations, USS Pioneer

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