I need a date
Posted on Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 @ 6:06pm by
Edited on on Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 @ 6:08pm
2,009 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Bryne's Quarters
Timeline: MD010 1330 hrs
Kalina was tired of listening to her sister nag her about seeing Zaire again. She decided, now was probably the best time to do it. They both had a silly function to go on. Kalina showed up unannounced at the door way of Zaire. And tapped on the intercom.
Zaire had just put his shoes on when the door buzzed. He wondered who was there as he was getting ready to leave. He stood and headed out, opening the door. Zaire blinked when he saw Kalina. He wasn’t even sure what to say. “Hi.”
"Hi." Kalina said, noticing he was about to leave his room. She wondered if he was busy. And if they missed their time to talk. "I can come back later." Kalina said, feeling very dumb for stopping by unannounced.
"Please, come in," Zaire said as he stepped aside. "It wasn't anything important at all." She had finally decided to come and talk to him he wasn't letting her put this off longer.
"Sorry it took a couple of days to get back to you. A lot on my mind, no doubt a lot on yours as well." Kalina said, as she walked into the door way, to allow the door to close. She barely knew him, so it felt a little strange to be in his quarters.
"It was a shock to both of us," Zaire said quietly. "Please have a seat." He offered her. He had been so bugged about her avoiding him, it was just possible she thought that was what he wanted as well, time to come to terms with it.
Kalina thought was very sweet of him. She smiled as he motioned ofr her to have a seat on the sofa. She did not want to be rude. So with a nervous smile she said, "Thank you."
"You want something to drink," Zaire offered. "I can replicate anything you want." He didn't want to make her feel like he had to have immediate answers.
"No thank you, but that is sweet of you to ask." Kalina said, trying to be a little nicer this time around. Last time they met, she felt a small connection but then turned into a bitch, not because what he did, but what her auntie did. And that was not fair to him.
Zaire didn’t know what to say, how to start this conversation. He put his hands in his pockets and looked over at her, not sure if he should sit down beside her or not. “Did you come to any conclusions?”
Kalina just laughed and what to say giggle she said, "yes, I overthink things sometimes." Kalina said with a big grin on her face.
Zaire smiled in return. “I have been doing some of that as well. Especially after I talked to my mother.”
"I'm not sure how to take that was that a good thing or a bad" Kalina asked as she tried to read his facial expressions.
“A good thing I hope,” Zaire smiled. “It depends on how your feeling about the arranged marriage and what you want to do next.” He was a little nervous about putting himself out there.
Kalina just grande shaking her head a little bit. "Do you always just dive into uncomfortable conversations?" Kalina ask wondering if this is what their relationship was going to be like?
“I’m sorry,” Zaire immediately apologized. “You are right of course, I have been thinking so much about this that it is at the top of my thoughts. I assumed it was with yours as well.
"We'll have the rest of our lives to think about this oh, it's not like we have to decide immediately today and get all the answers you know." Kalina pointed out to him.
“That is true.” Zaire said quietly. He wondered if this was what it took her all this time to decide that they have the rest of their lives? He almost shook his head and said something but changed his mind.
Kalina gave a half smile, as she heard his response. Very sweet of him, to agree and not argue with her. She was not sure, why she expected him to argue. Maybe it had to do with dealing with cadets, back during the academy. But that was now over, and she was now in the fleet. She was not sure what to ask first. She was at a loss for words.
She had come to talk to him and yet said nothing but that they had the rest of their lives to decide which Zaire frankly thought was a bit evasive. Was this really all she had decided upon. He decided to push forward as she was not really saying anything. “I spoke with my mother.”
"That's good, right" Kalina asked, not sure if it was okay. She had no idea what type of relationship they had.
“She confirmed that our families agreed on the arrangement between us,” Zaire said with a nod. “So I received the verification. How did things go with your aunt?”
"We have talked." Kalina grumbled a little bit. Her Auntie was not her favorite person at the moment to talk about. I spoke to my parents as well. They welcome you with open arms. We can't wait to meet you at the wedding, wish we still have to plan. Assuming you haven't changed your mind." Kalina said half asking him.
“I have not,” Zaire replied. “I am looking forward to getting to know you and to see where this takes us.”
"To getting married, where else do you think this will take us?" Kalina asked.
“That is the only direction I had in mind,” Zaire smiled at her. “You’re the one who said we had the rest of our lives to decide I was a little confused.”
"Good." Kalina said with a small grin on her face. Maybe this wasn't your be so bad, he seemed like a pretty nice guy.
Zaire was feeling good about this. The shock had worn off some for him and she seemed agreeable. “Did you have any plans tonight?” He asked her.
Kalina wondered if he was reading her mind, she was about to bring that very topic up. "I am being told the crew is suppose to go to a wedding, between two of our fellow crewmates. I was hoping we could go to that function together." Kalina said, with a nervous grin.
“I would like that,” Zaire said with a smile. “That is why I am dressed up. I wasn’t looking forward to going by myself.” He had intended on asking her.
"Does anyone look forward, to going as the humans say, stag to any formal function?" Kalina asked him, with a sweet sincere smile on her face.
“I would say no,” Zaire said with a smile of his own. “This is definitely one where you want to be a couple. I do think we will get some looks however, we seem to be the talk of the ship.”
"I have noticed, let's hope they move on from us. Soon." Kalina said, hating being the spotlight of attention. She just wanted to fly the ship, mingle with the crew. The last thing she wanted, was to be on the spotlight. She hated the extra attention.
“I think seeing us together tonight will get them off and onto another topic,” Zaire said. “Like the bride and groom hopefully.”
"We might get a reprieve tonight, but I fear it will be short lived. Maybe once we leave this station. They will move on." Kalina suggested, hoping soon. She thought it was presumptuous for them to think, it would be today.
“Maybe when they see that just because we culturally believe differently,” Zaire murmured. “Doesn’t make us all that different.”
Kalina was impressed with his response. very responsible and mature of him to say. "The Federation has pretty good ideals, and Starfleet does insist that we accept all cultures and their belief's. Given time, I feel that the crew would accept us, and get us out of their spotlight." Kalina pointed out to Zaire.
“They really do,” Zaire nodded. “And the command staff believes in them. I had lunch with the first officer and he asked if I needed him to inform the crew about cultural awareness.”
Kalina grinned for a brief moment. She was happy to hear that, but also sad that was still an issue approaching the 25th century. "So, getting back on track. You okay with me taking you to the wedding?" Kalina asked him, she did not want to put any unnecessary pressure on him.
“Yes,” Zaire said with a smile. “I want to go with you.” He thought this would be a good start.
"Good, I believe it would give us a chance to get to know one another." Kalina said, as she continued her slight half smile. She was still a little nervous, but in a good way.
“I agree,” Zaire murmured. “I will warn you, I have not dated much. I was busy with schooling.”
"That could be a problem." Kalina said, "Do you always put work ahead of your relationships?" Kalina asked. It was already bad, that she did that, she did not need her partner doing it too.
Zaire took a deep breath. “No, I put my beliefs first. I knew one day I would be in an arranged marriage and so didn’t feel it was right to get into relationships with others.” He was a little nervous of how she might feel about what he had said.
"I never thought I would be, even though its common in my family, my brother and sister both got to choose their own partners." Kalina pointed out to Zaire.
“Did their partners have the same voice,” Zaire asked her. It wasn’t something he had heard much of.
"They were given a choice, I guess you can say they were more radical. Since they got to choose their partner. They passed the bonding test, something we still need to do." Kalina pointed out to him.
“Of course,” Zaire nodded. “I had never heard of that before. In my family it has always been arranged.”
"Because by my age, both of my siblings were married." Kalina said, thinking that sounded really dumb. This was not some sort of business arrangement or was it more personal, she hoped it was more personal and not all business. If they were going to be married, they should live together.
“I understand more why this hit you so hard,”’Zaire said quietly. “I was blindsided because I had just left my parents and they said nothing. But for you, thinking you can make your own choice has to have been worse.” He paused. “I am going into this with all of me, I am hoping we connect.”
"How about this, we go to the wedding thing tonight, then after words we meet up here. And we can try to bond." Kalina asked Zaire, hoping that was not aggressive on her part. She was not sure, if he was comfortable with that idea.
"Yes," Zaire agreed. "I think that is a good idea." He couldn't see any reason in putting it off. It was something that had to happen for them to be together.
Kalina smiled nervously, thinking to herself. 'Well you did it yourself'. She said to herself, if things go astray, she only had herself to blame. "I hate to get going, but I should probably get ready soon." Kalina not sure what else to say. She wanted to mentally prepare for the bonding tonight.
"I need to finish as well," Zaire nodded. They made arrangements to meet up at her quarters. "I'll see you then."
A joint post by;
Ensign Kalina Solwick
Flight Control Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Zaire Byrne
Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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